Ios and Drae's Story (Eragon Fanfic)

Chapter 1

As the bell rings I let my mind expand, envelop everything in the garden. Eragon's instructions ring in my ears Don't focus on one creature, but every animal. I try to not focus one any animal, but to the whole, from the marching ants to the fluttering butterflies. I close my eyes, seeing rather with the many eyes of the animals. I sit until the small bell rings again, precisely an hour later, I raise from the chair, stretching my cramped limbs. I walk out of the little rose garden. This is something we all do once a week, we don't understand why, but Eragon insists. I walk down the thin gravel path towards the main road. I smile at the various dragons walking along the roads. Drae is away hunting, so I walk back to the Hall. The hall is a giant tree, capable of holding even Saphira's Immense weight.

I walk into the hall, the various tables for people, kills are not to be brought into the city. Jiran is sitting at a table, talking to Eragon. I walk over and sit down.

"How nice of you to join us, Ios, we were just talking of the games," Jiran says.

"The games, they were fantastic, that wrestling match between the Urgal and an Elf, who would have thought," I say.

"Well, the High Queen requested that we host the games, for an opportunity for the commoners to meet some of the riders," Eragon adds.

"Yeah, maybe all of the nations royalty will come," Jiran says, winking at me. We both break out laughing, the implied joke to much for our calm façade. Eragon just stands and walks up the stairs. We look at each other and laugh so hard we fall off our chairs. I regain composure and pour a pitcher of water on Jiran, snapping him out of his fit.

I walk to our room and pick up Kveykva, my sword, its aqua marine sheath protecting the turquoise blade, and run out to the sparring fields. Uroth approaches me, I smile and draw my sword, we guard the blades. Uroth was the only person that will spar with anyone, even Eragon. I swing Kveykva at his head, he brings his stark black blade up to block. I turn my blade and slash at his neck. He ducks under and launches a stab at my mid section. The fight continues for hours, neither of us tiering, only the bell calling everyone to the hall for dinner and for the announcements. We sheath our swords and bow before running to the hall. Uroth is the only kull that a dragon has hatched for. I take a seat at the our table. The riders are split into teams. I am the leader of team Phoenix, which consists of Jiran, Uroth, Oli, Neri and myself.

Eragon walks up into the podium, clearing his voice, speaks, "Greetings everyone, this is the seventy fifth year of our presence here. The High Queen has bequest that we host the next annual games here. What say you." A chorus of agreement goes round the room. "With that, we start preparing the arena we already have here for the event, I want best behaviour from everyone here. You may eat now." As he finishes speaking the various elves, humans, dwarfs and urgals that chose to help prepare meals come out, bringing the various dishes. I serve myself some mushroom soup and dig in.

The following morning I am woken to the sound of many people moving around. I yawn, dress myself and walk out onto the branch. Each room has a branch with a flat area for the dragons to land and sleep on. Drae is already there. I grab our saddle, saddle him and take flight. We land at the arena, Eragon stands there directing and helping. I walk over to where a running track is being made by a plough. I grab a plough and start helping. With the other few I make light work of the job. Place the plough back and run over to where the other members of Phoenix are standing.

"Hey brother," yells both Jiran and Oli. Oli is our younger sister, born the same time Helios and Drae hatched for us. Fíro hatched when she was about fifteen.

"Hello, what are we supposed to do," I ask as I draw closer.

"We are on medical duty today," Neri responds. Neri is the only dwarf on our team, and we are better off then without her. A voice rings in our head There is an issue over at the athletics course, we all jump up and mount our various dragons. We land to find a dragon with its wing crushed beneath a stone pillar.

"Uroth and Giron, Oli and Kiki get the pillar off, Jiran make sure the rider is ok, Neri and I will tend to the dragon." I jump of Drae and run to the flailing dragon.

I go into its mind Calm down, you will only make this worse.

Its voice responds Where is she, my mind-heart-partner.

I respond Freaking out because your flailing has ripped you wing membrane apart, I can heal it, but it'll hurt, ok. It stops moving, I nod at Neri. She holds the wing as the pillar is lifted off. I reach for magic, speaking the words, begin healing the wing. I collapse onto Drea's leg exhausted, the dragon Yirasn's wing is fine. I just manage to climb onto Drea's leg before passing out.

I wake hours later as the sun begins to set and the bell goes for dinner. I run down the spiral to the hall. I take my seat at the Phoenix table.

"How's the rider," I ask.

"She is a little shell shocked, but how often does dragons get hurt nowadays," he whispers. Eragon walks up onto the podium.

"Well done everyone, we managed to get all that work done in a single day, whereas it takes weeks for the other nations to compleat. I regret to announce that one of our own was damaged in the construction, Yirasn wing was destroyed. Thanks to the amazing medical support of Phoenix he is ok." He bows and moves off the pedestal as food comes out I dig into some spiced bread and fruit before heading back to bed.