Curse of the Phoenix

Ch.73 -Wardens of The Future

Iara~

I made it back to my room in half the time it had taken me to find the place. I knocked on Dru's door, and surprisingly he was awake.

"You couldn't sleep either?"

"Not really...listen.." I began to whisper. "I found it."

"Found what?"

"The room. Remember...the fireplace..the bed.." He spaced out for a moment, and scrunched up his face trying to remember. Then it dawned on him.

"H-How?!"

"Just take this. It's addressed to you, and you only. I didn't open it, I only read mine. There's one for Alice too, but I doubt she's awake." I handed him the letter, and he stared at it with a wonder in his eyes.

"Is this...from Mom?"

"Yeah..goodnight." I took a step back and he softly closed the door. I walked into my room and shut the door. In the darkness it was difficult to see, but I eventually found the bed. After that, sleep came easily.

The next morning I was awoken by a sharp rapping on my door.

"Iara, get up or you're going to be late!" It was Alice.

"I know I know...give me a minute...wait..Alice?"

"Hmm?"

"Come in for a moment, please."

"Sure." She opened the door. I had already gotten out of bed. I had slept on both the letters, keeping them safe. I handed hers to her.

"It's for you and you only. I found it...it's from Mom.."

She tucked the letter into a pocket.

"Dru already explained, thank you...now come on, you have time to bathe and get dressed. We're all headed for the throne room."

"I know." She nodded and then left.

There was a small bath in the corner of the room, and also a wardrobe filled with clothes. Dresses of all sorts, But i chose a white shirt and some leggings. Dresses got in the way and were inconvenient for riding, be it a horse or a dragon.

I set the clothes next to the bath, as well as a towel. Surprisingly, the bath was the same as the one in my room on Vroengard, so I knew how to work it.

The clothes fit nicely, which was again surprising. I belted my sword, and when I was done I brushed my hair away from my face and stepped outside of the door.

Mostly everyone was already in the hallway, except for Marumen, but he came out soon after I did.

Eragon, Murtagh and Arya wore the same attire as me, however it was colored to fit the scales of their dragons, and, each of them wore a cloak that was connected by a brooch under their chin. I looked around and was surprised to see everyone else in a cloak as well.

Eragon walked over holding mine.

"We just got yours, which was why it wasn't in your room. Here, turn around, i'll help you put it on."

"Thanks." I lifted my hair out of the way, and then felt the extra weight of the cloth on my shoulders.

It was warm, but all the black felt weird, since I was used to wearing lighter colored clothes. I looked around at everyone. Now, we had the look of dragon riders.

"Are we ready?" Dru asked.

"As ready as we'll ever be." Luna replied. With that, Eragon began to walk back down the hallway, Murtagh and Arya on either side. They were in a straight line, walking in sync with each other. It was as if they had practiced this.