Eragon Rewritten

Chapter 4

Ajihad watched as the Elven Ambassador reverently took the sapphire egg into his hands. Eragon said nothing until his expression turned to one of pure joy.

“This egg contains the last female dragon in existence. The mighty race of the Dragons shall live on when these eggs hatch. Galbatorix has not doomed them to extinction after all.” He exclaimed gleefully surprising those that knew him. The Elves were never ones to express their emotions so freely. In all the years Ajihad had known Eragon, he had never seen the elf show any emotion besides polite indifference.

“How do you know it is female?” Arya was the one to ask that question.

“By touching her mind.” Eragon replied shortly, more interested in observing the three eggs rather than answering the human’s questions.

“I believe these eggs should be treated the same as the one we were already in possession of. Speaking of which, where exactly is the green egg?” Ajihad had directed his question to the Elven Ambassador, but was surprised when Brom was the one to answer him.

“It is here.” The old man said as he set the green egg, that he had just retrieved from the pack hanging on his back, next to the two already sitting on Ajihad’s desk.

“You said you wish for us to treat the new eggs as we have the old one, yes? And by that, I assume you mean by ferrying it between my people and the Varden?” Eragon questioned the leader of the Varden.

“Aye. That is what I was thinking.” The dark skinned man replied in his deep voice.

“I have no objections to that course of action, however I do not presume to speak for Islanzadí Dröttning.” An edge entered the elf’s voice as he spoke the name of his queen, but it went unnoticed by the humans that surrounded him.

“Islanzadí Dröttning?” Arya asked confused as to what they were talking about.

“Queen of the Elves.” Brom supplied, watching the comprehension dawn on the young girls face.

“I shall contact your queen after this meeting is adjourned.” Ajihad spoke to Eragon.

“With your permission, I would like to report to her myself.” The elf replied.

“Of cou-” Ajihad was interrupted by a sudden squeak. Not knowing what the sound was everybody but Brom and Eragon glanced about the room trying to find the source of the sound. However, Brom’s and Eragon’s eyes had both immediately landed on the three eggs, observing them to figure out which one the squeak had come from. As the others noticed where the two mens attention had been drawn they too began to watch the eggs. As the all focused of the three eggs, the sapphire blue one, the one Eragon had said was female, began to rock back and forth slightly.

Eragon and Brom exchanged a look, both wondering who the egg was hatching for. It couldn’t be Ajihad or any of his guards since they seemed to have been in the presence of the eggs for a few days. It could not have been Brom, for he had been a Dragon Rider at the time of the Fall, unfortunately losing his beloved dragon to the mad king. It had to have been one of the other three who had just arrived.

Although he would never admit it, Eragon was afraid that she was hatching for him. He did not know what he would do if she was. A crack sounded throughout the room, and those present could see that the once smooth surface of the beautiful blue egg had begun to crack.

Arya and Murtagh had realized what was happening by now and were both internally worrying what it would mean if the dragon inside that egg was hatching for them. The rocking and squeaking intensified, and at the top of the egg where all the cracks met, a piece wobbled as if it were balanced on something, then rose, and toppled to the desk. After another series of squeaks, a small dark head poked out of the hole, and before any of them could say a word a sapphire blue dragon was standing before them.

The dragoness stood there, licking off the membrane that encased her, before turning intelligent blue eyes on the people watching her lingering on the elf in their midst. She slowly started walking towards Eragon. Reaching the edge of the desk she flared her wings and glided to the floor, and finished the walk toward the Elven Ambassador. Eragon knew in that moment that he had been chosen to be her rider, and he reached out with his right hand to touch the beautiful dragon. As his skin made contact with the baby dragon’s head, a blast of icy energy surged into his hand and raced up his arm, burning in his veins like liquid fire. He was brought to his knees as every part of his body seared with pain, and everyone was confused as to what was happening, except for Brom of course.

Arya seemed as if she was ready to leap to the elf's side to help him, but Brom held her back knowing the hatching would not like anyone getting too close to her rider while he was in such a vulnerable state. He was right in thinking so, since as soon as she saw the girl move the dragon gave a small warning growl as she sat by Eragon’s feet with her tail curled around his ankle.

Eragon shook his head to try and regain his wits about himself, before looking at the shining gedwëy ignasia that now adorned his palm. So many emotions were whirling about within him, but he didn’t show any sign of the turmoil raging inside to the others in the room.

“So we have a new Rider.” Brom was the one to break the silence that had pervaded the room.

“It would seem so.” Ajihad responded while everyone else was too stunned by what they just say to even think of speaking. It wasn’t everyday that you got to see a dragon hatch, now was it?

“With your permission, Ajihad, I would like to be excused so I can report to Queen Islanzadí.” Eragon spoke without looking away from his right hand, hardly believing that what he was seeing was real. He looked at the young hatchling curled up by his feet, and suddenly everything hit him. He was Dragon Rider! The legends were being reborn with him.

“Of course. However, if it is possible I would like to keep news of this just between the people present.” The leader replied.

Eragon finally looked up after schooling his features to not give away anything he was feeling inside.

“That can be arranged. I shall have to tell my queen though.” The elf focused on the dragon once again, picking her up and letting her settle herself on his shoulder while muttering a few words in the Ancient Language to render her invisible to any who looked at her.

With that done, Eragon made his way from the study to the hidden hallway that his chambers were located in. As the door closed behind him he released the magic on the dragon and set her on his bed, where she promptly curled up on his pillow. A little while later there was a knock on his door. He opened it just enough so that he could see outside but the person on the other side could not see into the room. It turned out to be a runner that had been sent to bring him food. Eragon took the tray, thanking the young boy, before closing the door once more. There was an assortment of fruit, bread, and cheese for Eragon, and strips of meat for his dragon. He pulled his dagger from his belt, and cut the strips into chunks to feed her.

The dragon fell asleep right after she finished the last of her meal. Eragon sat at the desk in the corner of his room, chewing on an green apple as he observed her.

“Things are changing.” He whispered as she slept.

A/N: Well, there’s chapter 4 for you. What did you guys think?