Destiny (Volume I: Shur'tugalar)

Chapter Six Part LIII (ED)

On the mantle that hung above the fireplace rested two birds: one a large thunderbird with a magnificent crest, and the other a phoenix with beautiful curling head-feathers that seemed to have been dipped in gold. Each were few inches taller than Skystreak, and they called to her harmoniously, Congratulations on reaching your sixteenth day of birth.

"Aren't you two going to perch on my shoulders as usual?" Nia asked Ion and Flair. Two pairs of eyes, one ice blue and the other jet black, stared at her with mirth.

Missing us so soon? Flair asked with a chuckle, ruffling her flaming wings.

Resting spots are getting so crowded these days, a sibilant female voice remarked. Ruyishewa glided into view. She was much larger now, almost a yard in length and about an inch and a half in diameter. Her flat triangular head was pointing towards her bondmate, and in her glittering jade eyes Eragon could spot the faintest hint of amusement.

"There's always room for you, Ruyi," Niaomi said, reaching down to the darksnake. Ruyi let herself be picked up and draped around the girl's neck like a black scaly scarf. Looking up to the birds, she called, "And enough for you two, as well."

Flair and Ion glanced at each other, then rose gracefully into the air, spiraling down to land gently on the girl's shoulders. The viewers could now see there was a bulkiness to the shirt's fabric, like padding. It allowed the birds' sharp talons to grip without injury.

Happy birthday, Nia, a rough voice sounded. Bramble rose from the beautifully stitched rug and clopped towards the group on golden hooves. He was a big as Cloud, though his legs were more muscular and chest smaller, and his coat was a gleaming black shade. His silver spiraled horn was now two feet in length, and he had to take care not to spear his bondmate with it as he nudged her with shimmering violet eyes.

Nia smiled, stroking her unicorn's dark black mane. "Thanks, Bramble. Thanks to all of you. Are we ready to go visiting?"

About that... Bramble said slyly. We already visited them the day before.

Frowning, she asked, "Without me? But why?"

Ruyi shifted, coiling herself loosely around Niaomi's neck so that she could rest her head beside Ion, who was no longer bothered by her closeness. Your gift is a surprise, remember? the snake told her. My queen, Shwa, Jeshindû, and the fairy queen helped complete our gift, and we decided to visit the others while there.

Dew wriggled in excitement. Can we show her our gift now?

We must wait until we join Rumble and Skystreak, Ion reminded him, ruffling his grayish-blue chest feathers. But you can show her the other one.

Cool! the mistwolf shouted excitedly. He ran to the couch and back in the blink of an eye, tail wagging as he presented his bondmate with a small woven bag. This is from Skysong!

She took it from the gentle grip of his teeth and opened it. Inside was a beautiful charm of a wolf with its snout pointed upwards as it howled. It was outlined in silver that was streaked with sapphire, with the animal itself carved from a white crystal save for the black ruff and face that made it look remarkably like Dewdrop.

"Dew…" Nia managed to choke out, blinking back tears. "This is beautiful."

I thought of the idea, and so Skysong decided to create it as your birthday gift. The charm is actually made out of a water. Peering closely, Eragon could see faint rippling lines around the silky, almost marble-like surface. He remembered what Brom had once mentioned; a true master of gramarye - magic's proper name - could use the word "water" and create something totally unrelated, like a gemstone.

The mistwolf seer must be a very skilled spellweaver, Saphira told him now. He nodded slightly.

In the reminiscence, Niaomi smiled and bent to hug Dew, whispering her thanks.

"She also created all the others as well," Gedwëy piped up, her voice ringing softly. "Pull it out."

The girl did as she was told, and realized the wolf was attached to a silver chain that held other charms, all miniature replicas of her bondmates. There was Flair, with her wings spread, outlined in ruby-streaked silver; Ion in the middle of a dive, his silver streaked in a whitish-blue gemstone (Emere's Rider whispered to Eragon that it was a blue opal native to Alalëa); Ava taking a delicate step, her silver outline run through with moonstones; Rumble, his glittering amber eyes fierce and his silver streaked with hematites; Bramble with his golden hooves, the silver laced with emeralds; Cloud and her beautiful feathered wings, her outline shining with diamonds; a smiling Gedwëy with eclipse stones lined in her silver; Ruyi's long body coiled and surrounded by a rim of onyx-studded silver; and Sky, her beautiful feathers made of gold and her silver outline dotted with amethysts.

"It’s…it's perfect," Nia whispered in awe. "And you have all the matching crystals, too."

The other Sky helped with that part, Dewdrop said, wagging his bushy tail. It goes with the elemental bracelet you got last year for finishing your training.

"That it does," she said with a smile, fastening the new gift onto her right wrist.

Now can we go show her our gift? the mistwolf demanded of Ion. The thunderbird nodded sagely, which made Eragon grin. Great! Okay Nia, time to go!

"Go where?" a male voice asked from behind them. The mirror's view switched to the doorframe, where Ren and Nick stood. The golden-haired beauty was dressed in black breeches tucked into small felt boots, complete with a thin gray sweater over a white shirt; the young man sported black boots and black pants as well, coupled with a green shirt and a black tunic.

"There you two are," Niaomi said, walking over to the pair and hugging them both simultaneously. "Happy birthday."

"You too, sis," Nicholas replied in kind, stepping back and squeezing her shoulder affectionately. "So I assume you all are heading to the p- "

Renata quickly elbowed him in the ribs. "To the house, right?" she finished as he gasped for air.

"Ummm…I think so…" her godsister answered in a puzzled tone. "Are you guys coming as well?"

"Yeah, can you give us a ride back?" asked Ren, her gray eyes guileless as she spoke. "Vissa and Malt took off sometime earlier."

Nia looked back to her horses. Cloud sighed. I can carry you and Ren.

And I'll take Nick, Bramble volunteered. The boy had recovered by now, and shot the unicorn a grateful look. The one he gave his beau was not.

"Well, let us be off," Gedwëy chimed.

The mirror's surface dissolved into clouds and then brightened as another image took form. The group was now arriving near the stables. Niaomi hopped off of Cloud, Renata following a few seconds later. From behind the yellow building walked Rumble with Sky perched on his broad back. Welcome home, the griffin intoned. And happy birthday to you all.

The three kids thanked him. Skystreak said nothing but, It's too early for celebrations.

"You are definitely not a morning person," her bondmate told her.

I'm an owl, she retorted. I'm not supposed to be a morning person.

Nick laughed as he dismounted from Bramble. "That is true. Where are the others?"

Having begun to preen her chest feathers, the owl did not pause as she answered, Out by the stream.

"Alright then, let's go," Nia commanded, eagerly moving forward.

Her brother and Ren shared a glance as the bondmates started to follow. "Same old Nia," the blonde sighed with wry gray eyes.

Nicholas smiled back and said with a wink, "The one and only," before taking her hand and pulling her after the others.

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