Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Seventy-Five: Blinding

I kept one hand on Selene and held Fen's with my other. The poor girl was having a hard time soaking the large buildings and copious amounts of people. With Murtagh at my side, I approached Nasuada, Eragon, and Saphira. We came to a stop in front of them, and I offered them a smile.

"Queen Nasuada," I started, bowing my head a little. Fen tugged on my hand. I looked at her.

"Mommy, can I have her skin?" Fen asked, looking up at me with eyes of reverence. "It's so pretty!"

"That's something you have to be born with, love," Murtagh responded while I tried to find words through the laughter that wanted to escape. Fen let out a huff and started pouting.

"Well, that's not fair." Nasuada started laughing as she approached Fen.

"Thank you for the compliment, young one," Nasuada giggled before holding out her hand. "I am Nasuada, what is your name?"

"I am Fen!" Fen announced, shaking Nasuada's hand. "I am seven years old, almost eight. I have two different eyes, and this is my mommy and my daddy and my baby sister!"

Nasuada stood to her full height with a smile.

"I see your family has grown, my lady." Nasuada teased, before looking at Selene. "I hope everything went smoothly?"

"As smoothly as it could have gone having a baby out of wedlock," I replied as I patted Selene's back. "She was a kicker though, barely gave me any sleep."

"Motherhood suits you," Nasuada said before looking up at Thorn and Alethea. "it is my pleasure to welcome you two to our new city, Ilirea."

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Both dragons were relieved of their saddles and bags before they went flying off with Saphira. Nasuada led us through the newly built castle, the elves that had remained to rebuilt had truly outdone themselves.

The architecture was more of a sculpture and light flooded into the hallway from the massive windows and balconies. The oppressive atmosphere no longer clung to the walls as it had over a year ago, opening up the castle to bright energy.

Eragon, who hadn't said a word since our arrival, followed behind us like a lost pup. Beside me, Fen soaked in the sights, I could literally feel the excitement vibrating in her molecules.

Nasuada brought us into a spacious sitting area before a servant called her away. I sat down on one of the couches, pulling Fen along with me. It took about five minutes of awkward standing and sitting around before I could not take it anymore.

"Come on, Eragon, spit it out," I finally snapped out, not being able to take his silence. "you've never been this closed mouth for this long."

"We're you pregnant when you left?" Eragon asked weakly.

"Yes, I was," I replied as I looked down at Selene. Ss if sensing that she was being talked about, Selene lifted her head. Selene yawned and blinked her grey opened. As soon as she saw me looking down at her, a blinding smile appeared, and she threw a meaty fist at my chin with a squeal. "awake, my love?"

"FEH!!!" Selene demanded, wiggling around in the chest sling. I looked down at Fen and smiled.

"Her highness demands your presence, Fen." Eragon gave me a puzzled look as I quickly unwrapped Selene. Pulling her away from my chest, Selene kicked her legs out as I handed her down to the waiting arms of Fen.

"Hello, Moony!" Fen cooed. Selene squealed in happiness.

"Selene is absolutely enamored with her older sister."

"Selene?" Eragon whispered out. Selene turned her head towards her uncle at the sound of her name and gave him a toothy smile.

"Gah!" Selene shrieked, stretching her arms out at Eragon.

"Seems like Selene wants to be held by her uncle, Fen." Fen looked up at Eragon and thrust Selene at him.

"If Moony wants you, you need to take her!" Fen exclaimed. Selene wiggled around in Fen's arms until Eragon stiffly took her. He held Selene in front of his body, a petrified look on his face.

"She's a baby, Eragon." I sighed at him. "she isn't going to attack you."

"Well, she might bite," Murtagh added. "she's currently teething, so anything is game for her to chew on."

I shot Murtagh a dirty look while panic crept into Eragon's eyes. Standing up, I pushed Selene into Eragon's arms with a roll of my eyes before settling back down next to Fen. Fen snuggled into my side as Eragon looked down at Selene who now had her mouth on the material of his shoulder. Eragon finally relaxed slightly.

"She looks a lot like..."

"Selena?" Murtagh offered after Eragon had trailed off.

"How have you and Saphira been, Eragon?" I asked him, cutting into the uncomfortable silence that had elapsed.

"Well," Eragon replied. "I suppose I've been well enough; Saphira I suppose is still angry over her situation with Fírnen."

"Fírnen?" I repeated unfamiliar with the name. Eragon's eyes lit up as a smile appeared on his face.

"The green egg!" Eragon exclaimed in excitement. "it hatched a few weeks after you and Murtagh left!"

"It hatched?" I clarified. "but how does that relate to Saphira?"

"Fírnen, the green dragon, is Saphira's mate," Eragon explained. "Fírnen's rider and I have had to go our separate ways since we both have duties to attend to."

"And who is Fírnen's rider?" I asked, a sinking feeling starting in the pit of my stomach.

"Arya," Eragon grunted. I pursed my lips. While Arya would indeed make an excellent Rider, she was also the Queen of the elves, as her mother, Islanzadí, had been killed during the final battle.

"Poor Saphira," I sighed, shaking my head. The poor dragon most likely wouldn't see her mate that often. I turned my attention to the question that burned in my mind. "and how are you and Arya?"

"Arya and I, I suppose there is no Arya and me," Eragon said slowly as he rubbed his chin. "She hasn't made it quite clear what her intentions are, but by the way things are going, I don't think anything will ever come of it."

I shared a look with Murtagh before sighing.

"I'm sorry things did not work out for you, Eragon," I told him. Eragon shook his head as he absentmindedly patted Selene's back. I don't even think he realized that she had fallen asleep on him.

"Not your fault, Mal," Eragon replied with a sigh. "I suppose I just had a misplaced notion of what I was feeling."

"Oh, Eragon, that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt any less," I said gently. Eragon shook his head.

"Nay, I should have seen it coming. There are decades between us."

"Age does not matter when you are a dragon rider, Eragon." I reminded him. "we are immortal."

"Aye, but I was just a silly sixteen-year-old," Eragon muttered back.

"I think it wasn't nice of her to play with your feelings," Fen announced. Eragon's eyebrows shot up at the seven-year-old. "Grandma Yirlíta says that we need to be mindful of everyone's feelings."

"Grandma Yirlíta?" Eragon repeated, looking at me in confusion.

"She's an elf that helped me when I was pregnant, she tutors Fen when she has time," I explained to Eragon, who nodded in understanding.

"I'm glad that you've managed to form a family." Murtagh and I looked at each other, exchanging small smiles.

"You make it sound like you won't ever find your own, Eragon." Eragon shrugged at me.

"I just don't think I'm the type of man who will be able to have a family, I can't even manage my own feelings."

"Selene seems to think you can." I replied shortly, nodding my chin at my daughter passed out on his chest. "you've handed Selene perfectly, I just think you haven't met the right woman yet."


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Eragon had handed Selene back to her mother the moment she had started to get fussy. His lack of experience with babies had him jumping at the sound of her cries. Mal had quickly disappeared into another room for approximately ten minutes before returning with a happy baby.

"She was only hungry, Eragon," Mal told Eragon dryly as she bounced the baby on her shoulder while patting her back. Lunch had been ordered, and the five of them now sat at a dining table off to the side.

"Well, excuse me for panicking when a baby starts to cry, and I don't know why." Eragon retorted, as several servants came in carrying trays of food. They placed several delicious-looking plates down in the center of the table before bringing over several baby approved foods, mainly overcooked carrots, and soft, puffed rice kernels.

Murtagh took Selene and placed her in his lap before starting to scoop carrot mash on his fingertips and offering it to Selene. Mal fixed plates for Murtagh, Fen, and herself and set them down before picking up her fork.

"So, Eragon," She started. "how is rebuilding the Rider's Academy?"

"Quite well, I think," Eragon replied. "Arya has sent several dozen Elves to Vroenguard to help rebuild what was once there, Cuarac has allowed me to pull several eggs and circulate them among the elves and here in the city. We've actually already had a couple hatch."

"So you have your first batch of Rider to train?" Mal asked Eragon. He nodded as his eyebrows pulled together.

"Somewhat, two elves from Ellesmíra became Rider's, they do not need as much training since they have been training in magic and the sword. Some of the Eldunarí have been passing information down to them so we can get more instructors on the island. We have, however, one human Rider who is training with the elves on Vroenguard at the moment."

"Three?" Mal gasped. "Three have hatched already!?!"

Eragon nodded with a smile.

"It would seem that the little ones can sense that it is safe to hatch for their Riders. Raising them on Vroenguard is a very safe place for them to be raised, so Häldr and Yarau have assumed the role of the caretakers and couriers."

"I'm assuming Häldr and Yarau are the elves whom the eggs hatched for?" Mal asked. Eragon nodded as he bit down on a stick of carrot.

"Aye, their dragons are Ceth, a light brown male for Häldr, and Calnemea, a muted purple female for Yarau," Eragon replied. "Kharran, the girl who an orange egg hatched for, is from Dras Leona, I believe her dragon is a male named Ernengr. When I left Vroenguard, he was still a hatchling."

"So what brings you to Ilirea then?" Murtagh asked as Selene stuck his carrot coated fingers into her mouth.

"The people have created a festival to celebrate, it's coming up in a few weeks. Nasuada is still my liege-lord, so I thought I'd make a visit and help in any way I can."

"A festival?" Mal repeated with a frown. Eragon nodded with a smile.

"Aye, it is funded by the wealthy in Ilirea, so the poor don't have to worry about resources. It's a chance for everyone to celebrate their freedom, regardless of social status." Eragon answered. "but it seems odd that you two happen to visit when we are preparing."

Murtagh and Mal shared a look, both coming to the same conclusion.

"I think we have the queen to thank for that," Murtagh replied dryly.

"Well, it seemed like a good time to also plan your wedding," Nasuada's voice rang out as she entered the room, followed by several servants carrying the saddlebags from Thorn and Alethea.

Mal, not expecting those words, spit out the water she had been drinking and proceeded to cough while Selene and Fen fixed their eyes on the Queen with the fascinating dark skin.

"We are planning what?" Murtagh asked while looking at the coughing mother of his children in concern.

"If we left it up to you two," A different voice rang out. Mal's head shot up as she recognized the voice. "you two would never end up getting officially married."