--A WEEK LATER--
It was a sunny evening after the day's events when the man in the strange cloak was mentioned again. The Stronghammer family were enjoying a quiet cup of whatever when Harry suddenly jumped as if electrified and looked over the balcony as people passed by below their hotel apartment. Her grandmother noticed straight away the look on her face and cleared her throat, catching the girl's attention as she snapped to attention and blushing slightly.
"You haven't thought any more about that man from the first day, have you, Harriet?" Her grandmother asked out loud, her voice sincere and curious as the other adults looked at them both. Minerva especially scowled as she heard the words coming from her mother and put the cup down on the saucer and said, "I do not want to hear anything that will come from your mouth, Harriet. You're lucky that those men found you when they did. You were in a dangerous place that was cordoned off from the rest of the city. Goodness only knows what that man, if that is even what he is, could have done to you."
"Mother, I learnt the basics of the ancient language in History." Harry argued, "Historic people, namely the Dragon Riders, the Elves and magic users, have been known to use it to gain the trust of those they encounter. Not to mention, you can't lie in that language, it's totally impossible to try. And that man used The Ancient Language. I would know it from Adam and Eve."
"Suffice to say, I would rather that you never thought of that man again. Do you even know what he looked like? The police will be coming round later tomorrow to get a statement from you and a sketch artist to draw his likeness." Harry's mother said, staring at her daughter as the girl gained a face of surprise, her mouth open a little, her eyes staring ahead. All too sudden, she was up on her feet and shaking her head before she turned on her heels and stormed away, disappearing into her room and slamming the door behind her. All three adults stared at the obstacle before Aryana turned to her daughter and said, "You overdid it, Minerva. She's delicate."
"That's not why I addressed it, mother. This could be the return of Shadeslayer to our lands." Minerva answered, sighing as she picked up her own cup and drank the last dregs of tea and got up to put it in the sink, before saying in the native language of the dwarves, "You know as well as I do that the Queen will be wanting to hear of his return."
"You threatened the girl with the police. She doesn't need that." Aryana retorted, standing shakily and walking to stand in front of Minerva, adding, "You know her story as much as any of us, barring Harry, who doesn't remember. Don't tell me to call her by her 'real name' because we never found that out."
"Then tell me why we're keeping her real name a secret. We found that out when the Queen came to visit."
"Because, we couldn't pronounce it when she tried to teach us the name, so we had to make do with one that sounds the same but we could pronounce. I hate having to lie and keep everything a secret." Aryana answered, putting her hands on the woman's shoulders and drawing her into a hug as tears started leaking out and onto the fabric of both women's clothing.
"Oh, Mom." Came the sob from Minerva as Aryana held onto her tightly, partly to keep herself upright and to offer comfort the sobbing woman.
--HARRY--
'Why can't they see that the man helped me?' Harry thought to herself as she hugged a pillow and laid on her bed. The feeling that she had was that her parents were keeping something from her and that it was likely to be important.
"After all, how many times did one come across a person in the ruins of any town or city?" Harry said out loud, speaking to no one in particular as she closed her eyes and snuggled on the bed, her anger partially giving way to a tired fatigue that she had been hiding well throughout the week.
Often enough, I'd wager. If the place is rumoured to be haunted with the souls of the dead. A voice said, startling Harry into sitting bolt upright as well as looking around. Before she could process what was happening, the voice was already talking again and saying, I cannot be seen, yet I can be heard. I know no capture, yet I am captive. You are not the only one who feels this.
"Where are you? How are you doing that?"
I am able to do this as I have the gift of magic. You can do it too if you think your answers. I will hear what you have to say. The voice sounded so melodic that Harry felt compelled to obey and nodded, going over to the window and thought, You never told me where you were.
A growl erupted from the folds of her mind and shocked the girl as she stumbled back from the window and heard, I cannot tell where I am as of yet.
"Can you at least tell me your name?"
Saphira. My name is Saphira.
Is there a reason why you're talking to me like you are? You could always come to the city- Harry tried to say, only to be interrupted by a low growl from Saphira as she answered in a low, dangerous voice, I CANNOT! However, I can send my friend to see you. He will bring you to where I am and we can talk.
Where, when, who and what time? Harry asked, already wanting to get out of the hotel and the city, away from the festival and her parents. Saphira seemed amused as laughter bubbled beneath the surface as she answered with, You have already met him. He will meet you at sundown tomorrow near the wall that leads to the ruins. His name is Bromsson.
THE SPINE
Earlier
The light of the forest sparkled off the great dragonesses scales as she shifted and looked to the man as he walked back through the under bush of the forest floor and gave a draconic smile as he neared and set the bow and arrow down near the saddlebags.
Eragon, how do you feel meeting the girl from last week? she asked, watching as he unpacked a sleeping bag and unravelled it on the floor, looking up at her as he finished his task and sat down near her.
Can I ask why you ask that? Eragon questioned, leaning back into her scales, having no real need for a campfire. One thousand years as a Rider and a farmboy even before then had taught him not to use necessary things unless you had real need for it, such as wood for a fire in summer when you would only need it in Mid-Winter.
You are worried. In turn, that makes me worried. What if the threat in Alagaesia is such that we need to involve some of the generation that has made its way int the world? We are-
I know that we have a bond, Saphira. When I reassured the girl, she seemed to know what I was saying, but couldn't think of a way to respond to my claim. Eragon sighed, stopping what he was doing and looking her in her big saphirre blue eye as she looked at him and curled around him, In any case, I would like to see what has befallen her. Call it what you want, I know I have a hero complex.
You do, but this is about something more. It's about HER, isn't it? Saphira asked, noticing the way Eragon froze and stiffly looked at her, an unusual emotion showing in his eyes . A blink later and the emotion was gone and the Rider was back to doing what he had been doing before. However Saphira cold still feel in turmoil in the depths of his mindscape.
Contact the girl. We can see if she wants to meet. Eragon said, a bitter edge hinting at the distress in his voice. He didn't say anything more as Saphira sought out the girl from the ruins and spoke to her.
Five minutes later and the dragoness told him, It is done. You meet at the ruins at sundown tomorrow.
