The Grey Chronicles (Eragon fanfic) Book 2: Eminence

Chapter 1: The Golden Dragon

A.N: This is important, please read it!

A hundred, a thousand, a million apologies to all my fans (followers, now that I've checked -what did I miss?) for being so remiss in my obligations as a writer. Too much stuff in schoolwork caused me to neglect my stories on here (though I have to say that fanfiction.net helped...) and mostly procrastinate on ideas. However, I have marvelous news: I have a copy of Eldest in my hands! Since this is a library book and due in the 20s, I will have just enough time to make it up to you people with a couple of long chapters before I have to renew it. I will also do my best to update a few of my other stories, if you read others from my profile.

(And I must say a great big thank-you to those who do. I really like it when my readers take the chance to read more of what I do.)

As usual, I do not own the Inheritance Cycle. I may use direct quotes here and there, but it's all Christopher Paolini's. The only ones I own are the mild changes in plot as well as my OC, Jesse.

Enjoy!

~

The golden dragon was a lot bigger than what Jesse had expected. Bigger by far than Saphira, who could comfortably wind about her little skiff twice, if she still had it. His (somehow she was SURE that the dragon was male) left foreleg was an oddly-made stump, but it did not detract from the majesty that only a fully-grown dragon could embody. His Rider seemed to have taken up some of this majesty: with eyes full of age, but nary a wrinkle on his skin that she could see. The air around him seemed saturated with the wisdom of his years, for surely he had been old in the time of the Dragon Riders.

Jesse, like a good lass, silently put her fingers to her lips and bowed whispered greetings to her elders, making sure to keep looking them in the eye as they did so. The dragon's eyes glinted amusement and affection as he bent his head and puffed a hot breath onto her head. Looking into his eyes, she happily allowed his mind to slip by hers in greeting.

 You are acknowledged and welcome, young one. His voice was deep, and seemed to echo with his years. May you hunt well, and leave of your enemies a feast for the carrion-eaters.

Many thanks elda, the sailor replied, and may the wind rise under your wings. She really didn't know where any of this mystical-old-fashioned speech was coming from, but she wasn't gonna begrudge it if it helped her stay on a dragon's good side.

Eragon, who had dropped to his knees and had a disturbing amount of tear-jerking haze in his eyes, began to murmur, "Osthato Chetowa. The Mourning Sage... As you asked, I have come... Atra esterni ono thelduin," he added almost as an afterthought. Jesse felt a pang of sympathy for him, considering that he just found out that he wasn't alone in the world anymore. The Mourning Sage smiled, gently placing his hands on the young Rider's shoulders to lift him back up to his feet.

"Oromis is my proper name," the elf introduced himself, "Eragon Shadeslayer."

"You knew," Queen Islanzadi suddenly whispered in hurt comprehension, before her expression transformed into rage. "You knew of Eragon's existence and yet you did not tell me? Why have you betrayed me Shur'tugal?"

Betray is a little harsh, don't you think? Jesse mentally quipped even as Oromis answered, "I kept my peace because it was uncertain if Eragon or Arya would live long enough to come here; I had no wish to give you a fragile hope that might have been torn away at any moment." So he didn't want to get her spirits up too high, especially with the estrangement from her daughter.

"You had no right to withhold such information from me!" the imperious woman insisted. "I could have sent warriors to protect Arya, Eragon, and Saphira in Farthen Dur and to escort them safely here." To Jesse it sounded like she was making excuses.

Oromis smiled sadly, like a parent disappointed in their child but unwilling to let them know how much. "I hid nothing from you, Islanzadi, but what you had already chosen not to see. If you had scryed the land, as is your duty, you would have discerned the source of chaos that had swept Alagaesia and learned the truth of Arya and Eragon. That you might forget the Varden and the dwarves in your grief is understandable," Did he just say that the elves were supposed to be helping the Varden? Jesse thought in shock, "but Brom? Vinr Alfakyn? The last of the Elf Friends? You have been blind to the world, Islanzadi, and lax upon your throne. I could not risk driving you further away by subjecting you to another loss."

Throughout his diatribe/admonishment, the elven queen's anger was drained and replaced with shame and realization. "I am diminished," she whispered, brokenly in the black-curled sailor's opinion.

Jesse noticed the golden dragon move on to introduce himself to his newest student, so she moved closer to Arya's mother and whispered, "Not diminished, Your Majesty; simply a mother who grieved the loss of her child to the neglect of the world." The woman looked at the girl as if she was seeing her for the first time, and the sailor realized that those eyes made her look incredibly old.

"You are wise beyond your years, child," she replied. The grey-eyed girl smiled sorrowfully.

"It was hard-won, Your Majesty," was all the sailor said as she drifted back to Orik and Eragon. It seemed as though it was Saphira's turn to be inspected, if her stiffness was anything to go by. However, what most interested her at the moment was Orik's presentation of himself to Oromis.

"Truly, this is beyond anything I dared hope or expect. You are a pleasant surprise in these dark times, Rider." She watched in approval as he clapped his fist over his heart. "If it is not too presumptuous, I would ask a boon on behalf of my king and my clan, as was the custom between our people."

Oromis nodded. Then Jesse had a bad feeling. "And I will grant it if it is within my power."

"Then tell me: Why have you remained hidden for all these years? You were sorely needed, Argetlam."

"Ah. Many sorrows exist in this world, and one of the greatest is being unable to help those in pain. I could not risk leaving this sanctuary, for if i had died before one of Galbatorix's eggs had hatched, there would have been no one to pass on our secrets to the new Rider, and it would have been even harder to defeat Galbatorix."

"That was your reason?" Orik spat. "Those are the words of a coward! The eggs might have never hatched." Though Jesse herself felt a slight bitterness at the elf's words,

There was silence throughout the clearing, broken by the faint smack of a face meeting their palm and the faint growl between the golden dragon's teeth. "If you were not my guest here, I would strike you down myself for that insult." Obviously the withholding of information did not lessen the elven queen's reverence for the old Rider.

The elf spread his hands in a conciliatory gesture. "Nay, i am not offended. It is an apt reaction. Understand, Orik, that Glaedr and I cannot fight. Glaedr has his disability, and I," he touched the side of his head, "I am also maimed." He began to explain how the Forsworn captured him and managed to break his ability to control magic before he escaped. Truly, they might have done worse had he stayed longer.

"The Cripple Who Is Whole," Eragon whispered, and Jesse agreed.

"Forgive me," Orik said. He looked guilty.

"It is of no consequence," he reconciled, placing one of his hands on Eragon's shoulder. "Islanzadi Drottning, by your leave?"

"Go," she pronounced wearily. "Go and be done with you." Glaedr crouched so his Rider could nimbly remount him, and flew up high, to be carried by the rising wind.

Orik and Jesse made their farewells to Eragon before he made to mount Saphira. "Bring honor to your clan," the dwarf said, clasping his forearm as tightly as he seemed he could. The sailor simply smiled sweetly at him, choosing to save most of her words for Saphira.

Don't let them walk all over you, Saphira. Let them step on your feet, but never your wings.

It will be a pleasure, Jesse. And the two launched into the air after them.