A Second Rider? (Eragon X Reader) [Book 1]

Chapter 43 (pt3)

Eragon's (POV)

   We walked with a battalion on its way to a crater wall. I asked about the urgals, but the only thing that Orik knew was that scouts had been sent out to the underground tunnels and that they hadn't heard or seen anything yet. I felt my stomach drop as I looked to my right. I quickly walked over there, grabbed her arm and walked to an empty spot. (Y/N) was standing in front of me. She had changed her clothes, which now consisted of leather pants and padding, covered by some kind of leather plating along her left shoulder and upper chest. On her right arm, she had three scaled metal pieces overlapping each other. Her left arm was covered with two leather pieces covering the outer side of her arm, kept stuck with leather straps across the inside of it with an almost bracelet keeping the lower one stuck on her wrist just above her hand, while it continued on the outside of the hand and then having a strap placed right below her fingers on the palm of her hand. She wore two swords on her back while the handles were sticking up over her shoulders. "What are you doing here?", I asked her. "I'm here to fight, just like you and the rest of the people here are." I furrowed my eyebrows. "No. You could barely stand up a few days ago, and now you think that you can go into a battle? What if you get hurt, or worse, you die?" "I am more than willing to die." I felt my heart sink as I looked desperately into her eyes. "Why can't you sit back for just this once? This doesn't have to be your fight." "I have a right to fight for all of this as much as you do." "But I have Saphira by my side! Vladmir can't help you if you need him." She snorted. "I can take care of myself." Why couldn't she just understand? I desperately looked into her eyes. I needed her to understand something that even I couldn't. "Eragon, I will fight for what's right even if you don't want me to." I couldn't do anything but nod. She turned and walked away, and the only thing I could think was; What if she dies out there? Her and Brom were the only ones who had been with me for a long time, and Brom wasn't here anymore.
As I walked over to where the battalion had stopped, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was going to happen. Something bad. 

Saphira gave me a small push.
'Look.' My grip became harder around Zar'roc when I saw Murtagh walking over with Tornac, a helmet over his head, a dwarven shield and his own sword. Orik cursed and stood up, but Murtagh quickly said: "Everything is as it should be. Ajihad let me out." "Why would he do that?" Orik asked. Murtagh let out a weak smile. "He said it was a chance to prove my good intentions. He obviously doesn't think that I will be of much trouble, even if I turn against the Varden." I nodded and let go of Zar'roc. Murtagh was an eminent and merciless warrior - exactly the kind that I would want by my side during a battle. "How do I know that you're not lying?" Orik asked. "Because I said so", a clear voice said. Ajihad stepped into our group, equipped for battle with a breastplate and a sword on his hip. He put his strong hand on my shoulder and pulled me away from the others so that they wouldn't be able to listen. He looked at my armor. "Excellent, you were given equipment by Orik." "Yes... has anything been seen in the tunnels?" "Nothing." Ajihad leaned against his sword. "One of the Twins will be staying in Tronjheim. He will watch over the battle from the dragon's nest and mediate information to me through his brother. I know that you can talk with your mind. I need to know that you will tell the Twins immediately if you see anything out of the ordinary during the battle. I will also give you my orders to you through them. Do you understand?" I was filled with disgust at the thought of being connected with the Twins, but I knew it was necessary. "I do." Ajihad paused. "You're not a soldier on foot or a rider, or any kind of soldier that I'm used to having my command over. The battle may prove that I am wrong, but I think that you and Saphira will be safer on the ground. You are a perfect target for the urgals archers. Are you planning on fighting on Saphira's back?" I had never fought from the back of a horse, even less on Saphira. "I'm not sure what we're going to do. When I'm up on Saphira I'll be too far up to fight anything else but a urgal." "I think that there will be plenty of urgals, I'm afraid.", Ajihad said. He stood up straight and pulled the sword from the ground. "The only advice I can give you is to avoid unnecessary risks. The Varden cannot afford to lose you." When he was done he turned around and left. I returned to Orik and Murtagh. I squatted beside Saphira while resting the shield against my knees. The four of us waited in silence, just like the hundreds of warriors around us. As the sun crawled beneath the side of the crater, the light from the opening in Farthen Dûr died off. I turned around to look over the camp. I froze as my heart did a flip. Sitting about thirty feet away, was Arya with her bow in her lap. Even if I knew that it was unlikely, I had hoped that she may had followed along with the other women out of Farthen Dûr. I quickly went up to her. "Are you going to fight?" "I do what I have to", Arya said calmly. "But it's too dangerous!" She darkened. "Do not argue with me, human. The elves train both their men and women to fight. I am not one of your helpless women that escape every time there's a chance of danger. I got the task to guard Saphira's egg... and failed. My breoal is dishonored, I would bring further shame on it if I didn't protect you and Saphira on this battlefield. You forget that my magic powers are greater than anyone's here, including you. Who can defeat the shade if he comes, except me? And who has the right more than me to do so?" I looked at her in wonder. She was right, and I couldn't do anything about it. "Stay safe then." In pure despair, I added in the ancient language: "Wiol pömnuria ilian." For my happiness. Arya looked away. Her face was hidden by her hair. She moved her hand across her polished bow and mumbled: "It is my wyrda to be here. The debt has to be paid." I turned and started to walk back towards Saphira. Murtagh gave me a curious look. "What did she say?" "Nothing."

We continued to wait. I looked out into the darkness with heavy eyelids as I tried to stay awake. Finally, Orik said: "It's late. We should sleep. The others will wake us up if something happens." Murtagh grumbled, but I was too tired to complain. I laid down beside Saphira with the shield as a pillow. When I closed my eyes I saw Arya still awake and keeping her eyes on everything. Before I fell asleep I wondered where (Y/N) might have been the whole day, and a knot of worry formed inside me. My dreams were confusing and upsetting, full of monsters with horns and invisible threats. Many time a voice repeated, "Are you ready?" But I could never answer. I slept lightly and uneasy, tortured by similar visions, until something touched my arm. I jolted awake.

^Hello guys!! How are you? I'm sorry for not updating, but summer has been busy so far. What did you think of this chapter? What do you think will happen now? There are only a few chapters left of Eragon, so how do you think everything will end? See you guys next time!!^