To Find a Rider

2 - The Departure

The great sun has shown itself above the clouds, casting its brilliant rays down upon the cold ground after an unforgiving night. It was a week after the big battle and the death of Galbatorix, the Varden is almost done in packing up all the tents and moving back to the mountains. Shruikan was sleeping in the sun outside of the encampment since there was no room for him what with all the tents that were still up. He was awoken by approaching wing beats. He lifted his great head and looked up to the cloudless sky and noticed Thorn land in front of him. Shruikan repositioned himself so that he was lying down on his stomach to talk with the red dragon.

Fine day, isn’t it master? Thorn asked when he walked in front of the great dark-scaled dragon in front of him.

Shruikan let a plume of smoke escape from his nostrils as he sighed. I told you, I am not your master anymore. Whenever you call me that it reminds me of all the wrongs I have done. Shruikan let his head plop back down on his paws.

Thorn looked on in concern at Shruikan. You did nothing wrong, you never killed anyone. In fact, you should be happy that Galbatorix is dead and that your rider is still alive, Thorn said.

Just the thought that she is still alive is not good enough; I want to be with her in person, the mighty dragon answered. I want to protect her, shield her under my wings when we sleep, feel her resting on my body as I keep her warm during the brutal nights. He shifted so that he was on his side.

But you are going to see her; we’ll be leaving today to help you in your search for her, you, me, our riders, and Arya.

Then we’d better find her fast, or I feel that I may go mad. Shruikan stood on his feet and prepared to take off to the skies to go hunting. Care to join me in a hunt?

Thorn smirked as he, too, rose to his feet. Only if you remember how to hunt, you’ve been cooped up in that castle for years, he chastised.

Please, Thorn. I am a dragon and dragons never forget how to hunt, it’s a gut instinct. He unfolded his massive wings; his wingspan must have been three times the width as Thorn was long from the tip of his snout to the end of his tail. He took off towards the skies and Thorn followed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Eragon was still in his tent that was yet to be put away, he was still sound asleep after being up for practically the whole night preparing for the trip. His dragoness, Saphira, was outside of his tent sleeping as well, her wings spread out on either side of her massive bulk, absorbing the sun’s rays.

As Eragon slept, he suddenly felt another presence in his tent which woke him up. He opened his eyes and quickly shut them to get use to the light. Once his eyes no longer hurt from the light, Eragon sat up in his cot and immediately wished he hadn’t for there, standing right in front of him and staring him down was Angela.

“Thank goodness you’re up, do you realize how long I’ve been waiting here?” Angela asked as she began pacing around the room with a flask in her hand that had smoke billowing out from it. Eragon could tell that it was bubbling. “I was about to pour something on you to wake you up!”

Eragon gave her a startled look, “You weren’t going to pour that concoction on me, were you?” Eragon asked.

Angela stared at the flask in her hand, “Oh you mean this, of course not, that would be a waste of an energy drink.” She then chugged the contents of the flask down.

“Energy drink?” Eragon questioned.

“Yes, provides the perfect balance of vitamins and nutrition with a slight taste of gizzard of lizard.” She answered. “Want me to make some for you too?”

Eragon became slightly sick of the thought, “gizzard of lizard?” He held up a hand to his mouth and tried to keep his stomach contents down.

“Yes, gizzard of lizard, only a wizard can use a gizzard of a lizard.” Angela proudly stated.

“But you’re a witch, and I thought only birds have gizzards.” Eragon managed to keep his stomach contents down.

“That’s just what they want you to think,” Angela stated. She threw the flask behind her and grabbed a feather and a piece of parchment. “Now, I have produced a list of necessary necessities…”

“Necessary necessities?” Eragon interrupted, “aren’t necessities already necessary?”

“Not in my book, now, do we have bows and arrows?”

“Check,” Eragon answered.

“Water skins and condiments?”

“Check and check.”

“Saddles, clothing, and brushes?”

“Check, check, and check.”

“Good, it seems we’re prepared.”

“Yes, I know, I made sure of that last night. In fact, I hardly slept at all last night,” Eragon stated, “And what do you mean by ‘we’?”

“Well I am going with you of course,” Angela stated. “You can’t expect to survive on your own. Which reminds me, Roran is also coming.”

“Roran? I thought he was busy tending to Garrow, his son,” Eragon stated.

“I managed to convince Katrina that Roran has some business to tend to in other cities,” Angela answered. “Get ready, we will be leaving in an hour.” Angela then left the tent. “Good day, Saphira,” she greeted the recently awoken dragon. Saphira nodded her head in reply and then stuck her head into the tent when Angela finally left.

What were you two talking about? she asked as Eragon got out of his bed.

Eragon looked up and stared at Saphira with a quizzical expression. I don’t really know, but I think I was a victim to one of Angela’s wake-up call, a really long wake-up call.

Hmm, Saphira thought, I think I am going to go hunting now, see you in an hour. She then took off to the skies after stretching her massive body and headed towards the sun.

Eragon then realized something as he began stretching as well, “Where the devil is my shirt!?”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In Roran and Katrina’s tent, Roran is still sleeping in his cot after helping his cousin the previous night in preparing his friends for their trip. In truth, he really did want to join them in finding the old dragon’s rider; in fact, he has grown rather fond of Shruikan. However, he also wanted to be together with his newborn son and watch him grow, he does not want to miss a moment of it.

Katrina then came to Roran’s side with Garrow in her arms, she sat the child by his father’s head. She then proceeded to gently shake him awake. “Honey, Roran, it is getting late now.”

Roran began to stir slightly but then fell back asleep. Katrina raised an eyebrow at his incompetence in waking up. She then rubbed him harder to the point when she began lightly pushing him but still she was met with the same result. Finally, Garrow noticed his father lying in the bed behind him. He turned around and began tugging at his father’s dark hair, this finally woke him up which caused the baby to giggle at his father’s funny face and hair. Roran laughed.

“So you want me awake, eh?” Roran asked. He then began to tickle Garrow all over his belly causing the child to giggle. “Well I’m up.”

Katrina smiled at the sight. “I bet you’re going to miss him a lot,” she stated.

Roran frowned, “What do you mean?” he asked as he sat up and placed his child over his shoulders.

Katrina sat on the bed and stroked her son’s few dark hairs. “It seems that you have been called to visit some cities, though I’m not sure why.”

Roran got up from his bed and began getting dressed when he put his child back down on the bed. “Who told you this?”

“Angela, the witch,” Katrina answered.

“Angela?” Roran asked, “How would she know this, most importantly, why would she know this?” he questioned as he pulled on a pair of brown trousers that he picked up from the ground.

“I really don’t know, perhaps Nasuada told her,” she answered. “Either way, you must meet with Eragon soon.”

As Roran put on a fresh, clean tunic he turned around and faced Katrina. “Why would I need to go see Eragon and Saphira?”

Katrina did not answer; she just shrugged her shoulders as she picked up her child and stood up. “I would go to him now if I were you, find out what is going on, but I think you should go, who knows, it may be another adventure for you to share with me when you get back, and a great story for you to tell Garrow in the future. Along with the story of how you saved me.” Katrina hugged Roran and kissed him lightly on the lips.

“You do realize that Angela is probably lying just to get me to do something that I do not want to do, right?” Roran noted when he and Katrina broke the kiss.

“What I realize is that Angela may be telling half of the truth, you may be traveling to other cities, but it is not work related,” Katrina answered. “Don’t you want to help you cousins and the dragons?”

“Of course I do,” he answered. “But I don’t want to leave my own flesh and blood alone,” he said as we lightly tickled his child under his chin. “I don’t want to miss a second of my son growing up.”

Katrina then place one hand on her hip. “The only thing that you are going to miss is little Garrow giving me the daily surprise,” she answered smartly.

Roran chuckled, “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

“Yes, I want you to leave and help that poor dragon find his rider since that is what I’m thinking that Angela wants you for,” she stated, “And come back with some fascinating stories of your adventure.”

Roran smirked, “Well that shouldn’t be a problem,” he stated, “Being with Eragon and Saphira, I am practically agreeing to join an adventure.”

“As long as you come back in one piece without another woman, I don’t mind,” she kissed him again. “There will be more of that when you get back, much more.” She then smiled.

“Then that means that I may have to force Saphira to fly as fast as she could, to the point when her wings act as those of a hummingbird’s.”

Katrina smiled, she then handed Roran a pack. “You will find two tunics and trousers in there as well as five loaves of bread and cheese.” She then handed him another pack, “In here, there is more food for everybody else, this is just my thanks to Eragon and Arya for helping you save me from that hell hole.”

“Thank you, see you…actually, I don’t know when I’ll see you,” Roran thought, “Give me a month, and I’ll be back, hopefully with a gift.”

“Oh, Roran, the only gift I need is your body next to mine, I’ll miss you.” One last time, the two of them kissed, but this kiss was more passionate than the others. The only other time that rivaled this kiss was the one they shared at their wedding.

“I’ll miss you too,” he answered. “And you as well, Garrow,” he kissed him lightly on his forehead. The small child fell asleep as Roran smiled at him. This is one special child, something wondrous is going to happen to him, he thought as he left his tent, waved goodbye one last time at his wife and child and walked away, leaving them behind as he is on a journey with his friends and cousins. “Who knows what is going to happen this time,” he said to himself as he walked onwards toward the northern area of the encampment, his two bags in tow.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Eragon was in a hurry as he was rushing around his tent trying to find clothing and other ‘necessary necessities’ he needed. “Where is my sword!?” he shouted to himself.

On your hip, where it has been since I left to go hunting, Saphira answered as she stuck her head into Eragon’s tent once again while licking the blood off of her scaly lips. What are you doing, you should be with the others by now, it’s late.

“I know Saphira, I’ve been busy the whole time.

Saphira peered at him with a great saphira blue eye that bore a hole straight through Eragon’s soul. I don’t think you have been busy the whole time, tell me what you were really doing.

Eragon tried to stare away from Saphira’s penetrating eye, he stared at the tent’s wall and scratched the back of his neck. “Um, I was…”

Mmhm, go on.

“Uh, taking a…”

Continue, you’re making progress.

“A nap,” Eragon sheepishly said.

Saphira blew a puff of smoke in his face. Eragon, really, you should get more sleep, perhaps we would just postpone this trip until tomorrow morning so you can sleep for another full night, I wouldn’t mind at all and I am sure that Shruikan would understand.

Eragon sighed as he continued stuffing things into his pack. “I don’t think I should. I want to leave; I feel that it is my duty to unite Shruikan and his rider, I do not want to put this off for another day, I want to leave right now. The sooner they are united, the sooner I will be happy, this is very important for them.” He still felt Saphira looking at him and turned around to face her.

Have you told Shruikan yet about his rider, about her little condition, little one?

“No, I haven’t, I feel that Shruikan should find out for himself, maybe he can help her see things clearly.”

And how do you think he is going to feel when he confronts his rider only to have her turn around and scream as she runs away? Saphira asked.

Again, he sighed as he lugged his two packs outside of his tent. “He’ll probably feel as if he lost his rider all over again, but I still think that he can save her,” he stated.

Perhaps, but do you want to take that chance, he may just give up and leave, seeing no solution to her problem, he may give up all hope and just live the rest of his life in loneliness, she answered.

“Well if you want to tell Shruikan, go ahead. If you want to break his heart and stop him from wanting to find his rider, then tell him, tell him that his rider has…”

“Eragon!” Roran called as he ran up to him. “What are you two still doing here, we should be leaving already.”

We were about to leave, Saphira answered in both of their minds. And Eragon was about to get back on my back seeing as how I still do not trust him in staying away from trouble.

Eragon looked at her appalled, “Again, it’s been a week and you still want me on your back every time I step outside of my tent?"

Saphira nodded.

“Well I won’t do it; I will not stand for this!”

As soon as he said this, Saphira smirked as she bit down on the collar of Eragon’s tunic and lifted him onto her back. Fine, then sit down, on my back! Roran, be a dear and put those bags on my back so we can finally leave.

Roran did as he was told and began laughing at how Eragon was being pushed around by his dragon. He stopped when Saphira turned around and looked him in the eye.

Perhaps you need a lesson in humility as well, she said as she grabbed him by his collar as well and placed him on her back behind Eragon. She then picked up the remaining bags with her teeth and held them there as she took off into the sky towards where the others were meeting.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As Saphira and Eragon flew towards the others, Shruikan was once again alone in the clearing. Thorn had gone to wake Murtagh up and get him ready for the trip. The old dragon was supposed to go get Arya but he did not wish to enter the Varden camp again, he was afraid that the other people would still be mad at him for joining the now deceased king Galbatorix. He believed that some may even try to kill him.

I don’t blame them, Shruikan thought, I would kill myself if I heard of the dark deeds I had done. But I want to find my rider instead; perhaps she can see the good in me. Or perhaps she sees me as evil ever since I dropped her long ago into the ocean; maybe she will forgive me since I rescued her. Although she may still remember how I left her on that beach to die. Oh, what am I to do?

“Well, for starters, my large and scaly friend, I would go find Arya.” A voice answered.

Shruikan perked his ears at the unfamiliar voice; he looked up and noticed a woman in front of him with the strangest clothing. She was wearing a very old and tattered blue gown with an old pair of boots. Her hair was brown and curly. Who are you? He asked.

The woman sighed, “I can see that Eragon has no manners and has not introduced me but what did I expect? The young lad once believed that toads existed but I proved him wrong! Anyway, my confused scaly creature, my name is Angela and I am a herbalist.”

A herbalist, and why are you here? Shruikan had asked, he really wanted to be alone and not talking to this odd person.

“I am here to check you out, check for any known or unknown diseases, make sure that you are at the top of your health,” Angela said as she put her bag on the ground and began rummaging through it for some materials, she pulled out a small hammer. “Now, I need you to give me your paw.”

My paw, for what if I may ask? Shruikan questioned, unsure about how to react.

“To check for any cracks, nips, chips, or anything else that may suggest that you are getting sick, now, your paw please,” Angla asked once again. She walked towards the magnificent beast.

The dragon sighed and stood up in front of the herbalist and placed his giant paw close to her. She began walking around it. She had a piece of parchment and a feather pen as well as the hammer with her.

“Hmm, yes very big, very big indeed,” she noted. “Approximately seven point nine feet from claw tip to heel,” she wrote this down on her paper. “And more than two feet high from ground to the top of the paw,” she made note of this on her parchment as well. She then climbed to the top of his paw and took out a string and wrapped it around Shruikan’s leg once. “A circumference of approximately ten point two feet around the base of the leg,” she scribbled this down as well. She then hopped down and headed to the claws and took out her hammer and lightly tapped one of the ivory claws and listened at the sound. “Hmm, a pure sound, flat pitch at the base and sharp at the tip suggests more calcium is needed in your diet.” She then went up to a random scale and pried it back.

Shruikan winced, Is this really necessary, I feel fine, really. Besides, that really hurts. He began biting on his tongue to ignore the pain caused by his scale being pulled back.

“Yes, it is necessary, all necessities are necessary,” she answered back. “Hmm, no fungus underneath the scale however there are some specks of dirt which means you, Shruikan, need to bathe.” She then produced another tool out of her pocket in her blouse to measure the thickness of the scale, “Average,” she noted. She then placed the scale back in its proper position.

More baths? Are you trying to say that I am dirty, Shruikan asked incredulously. He couldn’t believe this woman. Who are you to tell me that I am dirty?

“I was actually a nurse for dragons back during their heyday. I nursed those that were sick back to health,” she answered as she stood in front of Shruikan. “Now open your mouth.”

Why?

“Just do it!”

Shruikan did as he was told and lowered his head and opened his mouth wide for Angela, he was surprised when she jumped on his tongue. Are you sure that’s safe?

“Of course, I am a professional, I’ve done this many times,” she said. She then used the hammer on the teeth and listened for the pitch.

Shruikan looked up and noticed that Saphira was coming in for a landing next to him. Once she landed, Roran and Eragon jumped down from her back, both glaring at the dragoness who simply ignored it. Shruikan, what is Angela doing in your mouth? Saphira asked when she noticed his mouth was wide open.

I am asking the same question to myself for this is very annoying. Shruikan answered when Angela finally jumped out of his mouth with hardly any saliva on her body at all.

“Done, it seems that you are a very healthy dragon, if not just a bit big for your age,” she noted. She then quickly threw two things into Shruikan’s mouth before he closed his massive jaws.

What was that? Shruikan asked when he finally closed his jaws.

“Something that I have invented, it is a vitamin for dragons, it gives them the perfect balance of nutrients that a dragon needs to be strong,” she answered. “And the second thing was a mint leaf.”

“What for,” Roran asked, he was curious about all things dragon ever since he met Saphira. He really does not know why but the topic of dragons always interested him.

“Well, Shruikan here has a bit of a bad breath,” Angela answered.

The others laughed while Shruikan glared down at Angela, And you, Madame, taste like an old deer carcass.

Angela ignored the comment. “I wouldn’t be laughing Saphira, you will need a check up as well,” she said as she began to put the items back in her bag.

Saphira stopped her grumble-like laugh and stared down at Angela. Then I am sure you will find things in excellent shape, she answered as she grabbed Eragon with her teeth and placed him on her back once again.

“Or so you think,” Eragon answered. He shrunk back in fear when the great dragoness fixated her eye upon him again and glared at him. Quick to change the subject, he asked “Where are Murtagh and Thorn?”

They are coming in for a landing now, Shruikan answered, trying to forget everything that Angela had done.

True to his word, Thorn landed behind Saphira and Murtagh jumped down from his back.

Good to see you two, Shruikan greeted.

Nice to see you as well, Thorn called back, You seem to be in a better mood this afternoon.

Ah yes, I just cannot wait to begin our little adventure to finally find my rider, he answered, eager to begin flying as he spread his wings out wide.

“Wait just a darn minute!” a voice called out behind Shruikan.

The black dragon turned around and instantly became nervous. Arya, he stuttered, I was just about to get you.</i>

“No, you were just about to forget about me,” the princess elf answered as she joined the group. She glared at the massive dragon in front of her. “I had to walk all the way over here, you are so lucky that I am an elf and can walk fast for long distances without tiring myself out.”

I apologize, the great dragon answered, Please forgive me for forgetting you. He bowed his head in shame.

Arya’s facial expression softened, “It’s okay Shruikan, just don’t let it happen again.” She jumped up onto Shruikan’s saddle which was very easy for an elf to do but difficult for a normal human since the saddle may have been close to or even over a hundred feet in the air. “Is everybody ready?” she asked the others who were conversing with each other.

Eragon nodded and helped pull Roran up onto the saddle behind him. Murtagh also climbed up onto Thorn’s saddle which only left Angela.

“Who in blazes invited you on this trip?” Murtagh asked Angela.

Eragom sighed, “She did, apparently we cannot do this trip by ourselves and we require her assistance.”

“Hmph, you should be glad that I am going with you otherwise you may find yourselves in a situation that requires the services of a herbalist and I am not there to help you, besides, you won’t even notice that I am here,” Angela answered. She turned around and then assaulted Shruikan with her words, “And how do you expect me to climb up your mountain of scales, scalehead!?”

Shruikan sighed and carefully picked her up with his clawed fingers and placed her on his back behind Arya. This is going to be a long trip, he thought to himself.

The three dragon’s then spread their wings out wide and jumped into the air, bringing their wings down with a whoosh and took to the skies on a northerly route towards the cold land beyond Alagaesia.

Hold on Akarli, I am coming to get you, Shruikan said as he followed Saphira’s lead, Don’t worry, I’m coming…