The Grey Chronicles (Eragon fanfic) Book 1: Emergence

Chapter 4: Discovery of Skills

She arrived in time to see a blur of motion dancing around the training ground, a crowd already forming around the pair and marvelling at their skill. From what she could see, the one wielding the red sword could use a few more lessons. It seemed that he didn't know it inside and out yet.

However, his opponent was as confident as she was experienced. Her blade moved with incomparable quickness and accuracy, and Jesse took note of the blows exchanged and wondered if she could replicate them with the set of daggers she took to carrying around.

The spar ended with the woman -an elf, the sailor noticed -pointing her sword at his throat. She was beautiful, with raven hair framing a catlike face and delicately pointed ears. Jesse felt her self-esteem plummet a little at the elf's gracefulness, but ignored it and approached the dark-haired boy. They both turned to her, her mind slightly balking at the intensity of his brown eyes. He was like a seaman who had witnessed a storm too many, and no longer trusted himself to steer in calm waters. Even worse, he probably wasn't aware of it.

"That was beautiful," Jesse said. She wasn't sure how important she would really be to anyone aside from Angela, so it was best not to insinuate that they had to meet, according to Ajihad. Why not make friends instead? "I probably shouldn't be staying long, but it was the first time since home where I've seen this kind of swordsmanship." They stared curiously.

"Oh? Where do you come from?" the woman -Arya, Jesse thought her name was -inquired. The girl wasn't a good liar, so she opted for a vague answer.

"Where does everyone else in this world come from?" she answered cheerfully. Not really the answer to their question, but they were technically asking about it.

"You remind me of someone who speaks in much the same way," the boy replied wryly. The sailor beamed.

"That would be either Angela or Solembum, or both. I have been traveling with them for a while now." A low hum sounded somewhere behind her, and the girl looked to find two big blue eyes gazing at her from a dragon's face. Jesse's heart thumped loudly in her chest, but she ignored it.

"And a distinct honor to meet you as well, Miss Dragon. My name is Jesse O'Connor."

My name is Saphira. Her eyes widened, and a startled smile spread across her face. She noticed somewhat in her peripheral vision that the dark-haired boy was confused, while Arya frowned.

"I hope you get to meet Master Solembum soon, Miss Saphira. I have a feeling that the two of you would get along very well," Jesse chirped happily. Fredric then smacked his hand on her shoulder, making her jump.

"Well little lady, I would suggest you continue your conversation elsewhere. Some of us have training left to do," he boomed. The sailor frowned a bit, but did not dispute it and went off the training field. Looking around forlornly for the comfort of a furry animal, Jesse sat on a bench away from the hubub and took out her sea charm. She was not used to being treated like an actual girl.

Fingering it, she asked herself the contemplative questions her father taught her to get her thinking about her situation; in Gaelic, of course. "Conas a dhéanann an duine féin amháin a chruthú le strainséirí?" (How does one prove oneself to strangers?)

Many answers drifted through her mind, but she defined them unsatisfactory for her current situation. Instead, she created her own response.

"I teas na cath, tá deartháireacha agus deirfiúracha amháin aigne, spiorad amháin. Tá an t-arm Ní hannamh," (In the heat of battle, brothers and sisters are of one mind, one spirit. The army has no strangers.) the sailor mumbled. Feeling satisfied, she stood and went off to find Angela.

Unbeknownst to her, a pair of steely eyes had watched the personal exchange. They belonged to a supercilious man with a bare head and white robes, and he wasn't so sure if the girl was as 'innocent' as she seemed to be. Perhaps it was something to be forwarded to his master.