The Magic in Books: Chapter one

The Magic in Books: Chapter Four

Song: The Medallion Calls by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer from the Pirates of the Carribbean Soundtrack.

Well, we scattered for a little while anyway. Nasuada assigned me a tent space and someone to help me set up, a sour old woman who complained about Galbatorix to me like my grandmother complained to me about the "god awful" music of the 21st  century. Anyhow, after my tent was set up and the trousers and shirts assigned to me put away in a canvas bag I hung from the center pole of the tent the old lady dragged me to the armorers. 

The man standing at the huge armorer's tent was tall and burly, with arms like tree trunks and a giant battle axe hanging from his belt. He took one look at me and said, "she'll never last, are we slaughtering half-elf maidens in this war, Grandmother?"

The old lady cackled, "I'm no one's grandmother, boy, you'll do as Nasuada tells you and outfit this lass properly. Besides, with elf in her I'll bet she's stronger than she looks."

The man sneered, "we'll see about that." Disappearing into the tent for no more than a minute, he came back with an armful of gear.

He tossed me a large stiff piece of metal and cloth. "Help Lassie put it on, Grandmother."

Turns out what he gave me was a long-sleeved leather shirt that laced in the back, and had mail covering the tops of the arms. Over that was a stiff leather corset, the boning in it was whale and it had many panels so as to be flexible, the old lady also laced that up the back, tightly, but so I could still breath. 

"My that suits you," she said, grinning to show missing teeth.

The man eyed my jeans and boots, "those are alright, strap these on over them." Leather that was as hard as a rock and stamped with flame and water patterns was molded into plates that fit over my shins. I stared at the plate in my hands with a frown, "I don't think I'll be able to move very well in this."

The man glared at me, "put it on, elf-girl, I won't be responsible for ye losin' a leg."

"But it's just leather," I said.

"Nothing can cut through that, it's dwarf-made, though they prefer metal."

Sighing, I put them on, than put paneled plates over my thighs. "Happy?" I asked him.

He nodded gruffly, "now. A weapon of yer choice. Since ye have no fighting experience ya will probably exchange what you pick-out eventually."

"I know what I want."

"Do ya now, Lass...?" he opened the flap to the tent. "Don't bite off more than ye can chew with yer weapon."

I rolled my eyes and followed him in.

Lamps hung from the poles of the tent, casting yellow light on the mounds of leather, stacks of plate armor, scale armor, half-plate armor, and leather armor like mine. Racks and racks of spears, bows, arrows, swords, knives, axes, hammers, and other assorted weapons hung waiting to be passed out to the Varden's warriors.

I went straight for the bows. There. A glossy black recurve with ivory tips that could eaasily be used to back-hand someone in the face. The tips were decorated with flower designs. "That one," I pointed at it.

"If ye can string it it's yours, Lass."

"Not Lass...Alex. And yes, I can string it," I took a string from him, grabbed the heavy bow off off the rack, and stood it on the ground. Slipping one loop over the bottom tip, I remember my new strength in time to pull gently on the top tip, and neatly slid the other loop on.

I smiled at my new weapon, "now, do you have any barbed arrows?"

The man grunted and walked away, grinning, I followed.

~~~

Arya had caught up with me and said that Eragon had requested us outside of the camp, but beyond that she said nothing, only glanced at my new armor and bow. "Can you shoot?" she asked as we walked to where Tiger and the white elf pony she used were tied.

"Yes," I replied, in my world archery is a hobby, but I still learned and had two bows at my home.

She nodded, "you said...you said Eragon was leaving for Vroengard..." her voice was low but concerned.

I nodded, "I already know what happens there of course, but not that I'll tell him, he needs to figure it out for himself...and I have a feeling that that part will pretty much follow the course that the book took, but, as for the outcome of the war and other things...I think the rules have changed." I took Tiger by the bridle, and gave him a treat that I had found in my pocket.

My peace bag was tied to my saddle, and when Arya saw me frowning at it she assured me, "Nasuada instructed no one to touch your belongings, they were inspected from the outside for dangerous magic, and none was found, so all of your things should still be there."

I nodded in relief and mounted up.

Arya's white pony stallion was large, and pranced as she settled herself on it's back, "can he keep up?" I asked. I wasn't going to run Tiger full out, it's just that he had good stamina, and I wondered if the pony would tire.

She nodded, "he will be alright."

We cantered out of the camp and off into the fields of waving grass toward the place where Eragon said to meet him. I already knew what he would say, of course.