Age of the Dragon 1: Return of the Riders

Chapter 7

The next morning, after a brief discussion as to how Arya would be transported to avoid her becoming hurt further, they were almost ready to leave. Fallyn pulled herself onto Clathus's back when she noted smoke back the direction they'd come from.

"Looks like it's a race," she stated, drawing their attention to it.

"I always did like races," Murtagh responded with a tight smile, his eyes sparkling dangerously.

"And now we're in one for our lives!" Eragon added as the two mounted their horses.

The three trotted out the camp, and Saphira leapt into the air, flying low so as to avoid being seen by the other soldiers. Fallyn considered the direction they were taking. She was under oath, and thus couldn't actually tell them anything, but she would nudge Eragon towards the dwarves. Her eyes fell on Murtagh's back.

"But now the question is; what do I do with you?"

They pushed themselves as hard as they could without killing the horses through the day. Stopping only twice to let the horses eat and drink.

Naturally, Fallyn warned them from getting too close to the villages and towns in their route - word would have been sent ahead in some form.

Thanks to Saphira, they were able to dodge two would-be ambushes. By dusk, Fallyn could sense Clathus's discomfort.

Hardy, though he was, he was not accustomed to riding this hard without rest.

In the deepest hours of the night, they came upon a town in the distance that Murtagh identified as Bullridge. After a tense moment where they led their horses around the encampment, they bypassed the town without incident.

At daybreak, they paused to observe their progress. They found that they had come to a point where the Ramr river pinched around either side of them.

"We should find a gully or hollow where we can sleep undisturbed," Eragon said, leaning on his horse's neck.

They soon came upon a small stand of juniper trees and prepared camp. Eragon and Murtagh untied Arya from Saphira's belly, while Fallyn quickly prepared something light for them to eat.

"I'll take the first watch," Murtagh placed his bare sword across his knees, "and wake you at midmorning."

Eragon mumbled his assent and promptly fell asleep.

Fallyn worked through a series of stretches to work out the soreness in her muscles, before settling down to rest. As she fell asleep, she could hear Murtagh softly humming under his breath.

A small smile tugged at her lips.

It was her old lullaby.

When nightfall came, Fallyn woke the boys, and they quickly started preparing to break camp.

Murtagh and Fallyn noted Eragon's expression.

"What's wrong?" Murtagh asked.

"The elf," Eragon said, glancing down at Arya. "Saphira is troubled that she hasn't woken or eaten; it disturbs me too. Fallyn healed her wounds, at least on the surface, but it doesn't seem to have done her any good."

"I don't know why she hasn't woken, either," Fallyn said slowly. "But I have been using my life force to sustain her thus far. If I had the herbs needed and some honey, I could brew something to use that would keep her alive until she wakes, but unfortunately, that isn't possible."