Before The Fall {An Eragon Fanfiction}

Chapter 17- Unanounced Arrivals

I could not sleep no matter how hard I tried. With every flap of Vascar's wings, I was propelled closer and closer to my parents. I watched as Galbatorix passed out somewhere in the middle of the day, and how the land seemed to blur underneath us. There were no discernible features on the ground below, just endless plains, but I still watched every inch of it pass beneath us. I tried many things to keep myself entertained and my mind busy, so I wouldn't dwell on unpleasant things, or die of boredom.

Finally I ended up completely backwards in the saddle, fiddling with a random stick and my hunting knife. It took all of my concentration to make even strokes with the knife while being knocked around by the force of Vascar flying. As I came to make a slightly deeper stroke is when I slipped up.

The knife was thrown off by less than an inch, but it was enough to push it off the wood entirely, off the wood and on to my finger.

Crying out, I drop the stick and watch it spiral towards the ground below. Clutching my hand as blood drips down my finger, Vascar contacts me in alarm and starts to drop towards the ground.

'It's- it's fine', I splutter, trying to stem the flow of blood, 'really, landing will not help anything.'

He growls but tips back up towards the sky as he says, 'Fine, but be more careful. You scared me.'

I smile and turn back around, slipping the knife back in the saddle bags. As soon as I'm stable in the seat, I reach my uninjured hand out to scratch his neck quickly. But, I couldn't for long because my blood was starting to build up again. I needed something to stop the bleeding.

I rummage through the saddle bags, looking for something I could use and not have to worry about ruining it. Finally, I come across a scrap piece of white cloth and wrap in around my hand. I would just have to have Galbatorix heal this whenever we landed next.

Slowly, the blood stopped flowing, and I was left with my thoughts once more. My thoughts and Vascar's, that is. Soon if was back into my brooding stupor.

'You are worried Little One', he says sensing my thoughts.

'Yes I- wait, what did you call me?'

He chuckles, creating a deep rumbling sound, 'Little One. You are quite tiny.'

I sense his extreme amusement as this nickname he has given me and I couldn't help scowling slightly, but ignore it and answer his question. Perhaps he would forget his nickname for me later.

'Yes, I am extremely nervous, for reasons you already know. I just cannot shake this feeling no matter what I do.'

He mentally sighs and turns his head back to look at me. 'Little One, I do not know what will happen, but I do know this. No matter what, I will be here for you. And, I get the feeling that someone else will be there for you too.'

At that he looks pointedly over towards Jarnunvösk and Galbatorix. I cannot help the way my cheeks heat up from blushing, or the way my heart starts to race. Vascar notices this and scoffs, but I do not sense as much jealousy and scorn as before. Instead he seems to be more protective and just jealous of Galbatorix. Were my thoughts already affecting him?

I shake it off and instead go back to staring at the desolate land below. Nerves were building within me until my stomach was clenched and my hands were starting to tremble. I kept myself busy by telling riddles from Daret to Vascar, but my mind always seemed to stray back during quiet parts of our conversation.

Day faded into night, and with the lack of sunlight, my nerves seemed to calm. I would not arrive in town at night with two large dragons. It would give the people a heart attack and make them more likely to attack, fearing wild dragons. I knew that we would wait until morning now to arrive, whenever we did make it to Daret.