Age of the Dragon 1: Return of the Riders

Chapter 6

It was evening when she was woken again, and Fallen was surprised by how tired she had been to have slept through the whole day.

She slid off the back of Murtagh's horse and stretched her legs and body out. Clathus nudged her with a huff, and she smiled as she ran her fingers across the horse's mane.

While Eragon removed Arya from Saphira's back, Murtagh set about making up a small dinner for them. Fallyn made her way back over to them and knelt by Arya's side.

"Why don't you wake?" she wondered briefly. She considered entering the elf's mind to determine the cause but was wary of intruding.

She checked over the wounds, healing a few more - not so much that she would be weakened again, but enough that Arya might recover better.

"We can't keep up this pace," Murtagh commented. "We aren't gaining any ground and whatever time Fallyn bought us has likely been used up at this point. Another day or two at this pace, and we'll be caught."

"What else can we do?" Eragon snapped. "If it were just the two of us and you were willing to leave Tornac behind, Saphira could fly us out of here. But with the elf and Fallyn, too? Impossible."

"I apologise for my inconvenience," Fallyn said wryly.

"What even happened to your dragon?" Eragon demanded.

Fallyn didn't answer, pulling her cloak tighter around herself instead.

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say Galbatorix and the Forsworn happened," Murtagh said darkly, then sighed heavily. "If you want to go your own way, I won't stop you. Either of you. I can't expect any of you to stay and risk your imprisonment."

"Don't insult me," Eragon muttered. "The only reason I'm free is because of the two of you. I'm not abandoning either of you to the Empire. Poor thanks that would be!"

Murtagh bowed his head. "Your words hearten me."

"And yet, it doesn't solve the issue at hand," Fallyn said.

"What can?" Eragon gestured at Arya. "I wish she could tell us where the elves are; perhaps we could seek-"

"Not at this point, and not as things stand," Fallyn cut in. "Trust me, they're very particular about outsiders."

"In what way?" Murtagh frowned.

"I've lived my entire life with them," she responded. "And they still see me as an outsider. Consider your own situations."

Murtagh seemed to pick up on her hint and nodded slowly. "I see."

"You grew up-"

"Eragon," she held up her silvery palm. "Consider the elves a non-option."

He made a disgruntled sound and Fallyn pulled her glove back on.

"Well then, which way do you suggest we go?" He waved his arms around with evident frustration. "North, east, south, or west?"

"If we're putting it to vote, I would suggest out of the Empire," Murtagh threw in.

"That would be a good start," Fallyn agreed.

"There's nothing to the North except Du Weldenvarden - which we could probably hide in if we got past Gilead," Murtagh suggested.

"Not a possibility with everyone out there looking for you," Fallyn said.

"I thought so too," Murtagh said. "Leaving us with the Empire and the sea to the west."

Eragon looked over at Fallyn and saw something flash in her eyes.