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Post by Tismri on Aug 15, 2008 19:35:55 GMT -5
Jeriah and Oranthor landed after hours of flying. They had flwon all the way from Beirland Island to Aberon. They had stayed there for several weeks on the island before deciding to move on again. Three days ago, they recieved news of Lathem. Jahag had run all the way from the Spine, where they had lived for so long, to the island, stowing aboard a passing ship to reach the island. He told them what he had learned. Lathem arrived in the city of Uru'baen exactly one week ago. He seemed to had gone mad. He asked Galbatorix if he could join him and fight. The news broke Jeriah's heart and nearly broke her mind. Oranthor had done his best to comfort her, but she could not be consoled.
Once they landed in Aberon, Jeriah insisted on having an aduiance (sp) with Nasuada. In the coutyard of the castle, before the leader of the Varden, Jeriah cried out,
"Lady Nasuada, we beg to be allowed to join the Varden!"
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Post by Trinn on Aug 15, 2008 21:22:05 GMT -5
Nasuada looked at the guard, her eyes wide. A rider wishes to join the varden? That could only mean that this rider had found her egg in the wild. "Bring me to the rider. I will speak to her as she wishes." The guard bowed, and Nasuada followed him out the room and down the hall. He set a brisk pace, for which she was glad. Six other guards circled her, ready to save her life if it was threatened. They don't seem to understand thats why we have Elva. Further thought about such matters was pushed aside as she stepped into the afternoon sunlight.
A large orange dragon stood beside a slim young woman. If not for the dragon, Nasuada would have thought the girl a simple citizen. She has not even tasted a fight. Why does she now decide to join? Her plea almost sounded desperate. Nasuada held up her hands peacefully. "Well met, skull'blaka, rider." She focused her dark eyes on the girl. "Peace, young one. The varden will accept you in due time. First, I must know of why you're here. I must know your purpose."
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Post by Tismri on Aug 15, 2008 21:30:53 GMT -5
Jeriah stood before Nasuada. She didn't even notice the others standing about, not even the small girl who stood behind Nasuada, staring at her with her terrible violet eyes. Jeriah only noticed the leader of the Varden.
"We wish to join the Varden because it is the right choice for us. It is the wise choice." To try to help Lathem...To make him see that his choice was wrong. She struggled to keep her tears in check. Despite her efforts, one tear slipped past and rolled down her cheek. "We were told by one who is wise that we would one day need to make a choice about whose side we would be on. We have decided. If the Varden will accept us, we will help win the war against Galbatorix."
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Post by Trinn on Aug 15, 2008 21:58:30 GMT -5
Nasuada nodded, allowing a slight smile to slip past her defenses. "Then we welcome you, rider, and you, dragon. Pray, what are your names?" One of the guards stepped close to her and whispered in her ear.
"What if she is an empire rider, sent here to sabatoge us?" Nasuada considered the thought, looking back to the woman. A tear had escaped her eye, catching the varden leader off guard. The girl seemed so sad, almost forlorn. For a moment, she wished she could do something to make the woman smile. This must be what Elva feels all the time, accept amplified tenfold. At the thought of the girl, she turned to address her. "Elva, what do you think? Does she or the dragon mean us harm?"
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Post by Tismri on Aug 15, 2008 22:12:37 GMT -5
Elva glanced at Nasuada, shaking her head.
"No. She means us no harm. She's been hurt badly, by some dreadful news, causing her to act quickly. There is nothing I can do to help her, though everything within me wants to try, even the part of me resistant to my spell. Only she, however, should be the one to tell you what causes her heart to shatter." Elva turned her eyes back to the newcomer. Even in her present, broken state, the girl knew very little of suffering and pain. She was just introduced to it by the news. Elva envied her for her innocence.
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Jeriah stood by as the leader of the Varden spoke in counsel with the others present, not listening to what was being said. She could only think of Lathem. The boy she loved and cared for. What could have caused him to go to Galbatorix? She thought back to those months together and found nothing. He just left one night, as far as she remembered, leaving her and Jahag and even Zamah behind. What happened, Lathem? Why did you leave me? The questions continued to pour through her mind. Questions only Lathem would be able to answer.
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Post by Trinn on Aug 15, 2008 22:23:27 GMT -5
Nodding, Nasuada straightened back up and returned her gaze to the girl. "It is decided. You are now varden." She inclined her head slightly. "If you would, rider, I would like to speak to you more privately in my quarters." With a hand, she motioned around the courtyard. "Your dragon may fly anywhere he wishes." Twirling, Nasuada set back towards her room, expecting the rider to follow. The girl was probably not accustomed to disobeying authority figures. For now, Nasuada would use that to her advantage.
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Post by Tismri on Aug 15, 2008 22:32:55 GMT -5
Jeriah nodded, then turned to Oranthor. She noticed a white furry ball sitting in the saddle.
Jahag? What are you doing here? she asked the werecat
To make sure you don't get yourself into trouble like Lathem did, Jahag replied simply.
Okay. Oranthor, you take Jahag and fly anywhere. Just...don't be too far away.
I will be here the second you need me, small one, he said gently. Jeriah nodded and gave him a hug, then turned and followed Nasuada to her study.
"I believe you asked for our names. I'm Jeriah, and I ride on Oranthor."
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Post by Trinn on Aug 15, 2008 22:44:29 GMT -5
Hearing Jeriah, Nasuada smiled briefly again as she walked. "A pleasure to meet you both." Speech became nearly impossible then as the guards filed in around her and around the new rider. After a few minutes, Nasuada reached her study. "Guards, stay out here and keep watch." The men saluted, then divided themselves on either side of the door. Satisfied, Nasuada entered the room and sat down behind her desk, steepling her fingers upon the table top.
She waited for Jeriah to sit before speaking. "Jeriah, if it is not too much to ask, I would like to know your story." She spread her hannds wide, imploring. "I can't help but notice your sadness. Also, it will help to determine what type of traning you need."
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Post by Tismri on Aug 15, 2008 22:58:07 GMT -5
Jeriah gave a little sigh and sat down. She told Nasuada how she found Oranthor and of living at home on the plains at her father's farm for a year, then, nearly six months ago, setting out to explore the world. She told of meeting Lathem, but did not go into the specifics of what had occured between them, only telling that she stayed in the Spine for several months in a house near him. Then she breifly mentioned Lathem leaving, then going to Eoam. She told of most her stay there, but did not say much of Taran and Andurthil. She would tell all that was necessary when the time was right. When she told Nasuada about Jahag coming and telling her what Lathem did, she could not stop her tears this time. They fell freely. She felt Oranthor trying to comfort her, but nearly cut off all connection to him, too absorbed in her greif to even take notice of Nasuada. When she gained some control over her tears, she took a breath and said, "That is when and why we came here. I...I can't believe Lathem would do something like that, and I think, maybe if I join the Varden, he will see that he's on the wrong side." Her tears still fell as she sat back to see what Nasuada would say.
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Post by Trinn on Aug 15, 2008 23:12:41 GMT -5
As Jeriah told her tale, it was just as Nasuada had expected. An ordinary farm girl brought into the center of the struggle against Galbatorix as a rider. She felt pitty and sorrow for the loss of innocence that would eventually come. And then, the girl began crying. Her tears seemed to well straight from the heart, and Nasuada's own constricted in pain. She reached out and placed her hand over Jeriahs. "I feel your sorrow, rider Jeriah. But take faith, perhaps your man," she smiled slightly, "will come to his senses." Releasing the girls hand, she sat back in her chair, the smile gone from her face which was now somber. "I must warn you. Joining the varden is no simple thing. There will be battles fought, lives lost, massive destruction. You, as a rider, will be in the heart of it. You in turn will have to kill, to cause the destruction." Nasuada fell silent, staring strictly at the girl. Now was no time for softness. "By simply joining the varden, Lathem will not see through his own beliefs. I think the only way to get to him, is when he sees you actually fighting with us." She allowed her eyes to soften. "Believe me when I say I am sorry for your predicament." Nasuada leaned forward in her chair. "Do you now understand what being a part of the varden means? I would hate for you to go into this un-prepared."
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Post by Tismri on Aug 15, 2008 23:25:31 GMT -5
Jeriah looked Nasuada in the eyes. Though there was saddness welling in her heart for the lives that would be lost, she knew the lady spoke the truth.
"I understand, my lady. I will fight for the Varden however you need me to." Taking another deep breath, Jeriah explained, "I have had only a very little sword training. Lathem was teaching me how to fight before he left, but we didn't get very far. I can shoot with my bow. I can use some magic, but I haven't had any proper training in that, either." For the first time since she heard the news, Jeriah gave a little smile. "It seems you may have a lot of training in store for me before I can really fight for you."
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Post by Trinn on Aug 15, 2008 23:42:38 GMT -5
Another smile flitted across Nasuada's lips. "Perhaps that is for the best. I will send for General Kell. He can begin training you this evening in weaponry." Resting her hands on the table, she explained further. "General Kell usually deals with the riders. He isn't one himself, but he knows how to deal with them. I trust you will learn much under his instruction." Standing, Nasuada walked around the desk to stand by the door. "One of the guards outside will show you to your new quarters." Letting down all her defenses, Nasuada smiled in full. "I am very pleased you have joined us, Jeriah. You will do well with the varden."
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Post by Tismri on Aug 15, 2008 23:48:43 GMT -5
Jeriah nodded, and if it were at another time, she would have smiled back as Nasuada. She turned and followed the guard to her rooms elsewhere in the city, then thanked him and fell on the bed in there. She looked tiredly around. There was a large opening to one side that seemed to be able to let a large dragon enter the room comfortably. She reached out to Oranthor, showing him where she was. Then, emotionally spent and physically exhausted from the long trip, Jeriah fell into a deep, yet uneasy sleep.
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Post by Trinn on Aug 16, 2008 16:36:16 GMT -5
Walking down the corridor at a leisulry walk, hands clasped behind his back, general William Kell strode towards the new riders room. His soldiers saluted him as he walked past, and he returned the motion heartily. "At ease, boys." They smiled and returned to their duties. As he walked, Will went over the information her had recived from Nasuada on Jeriah. She seemed willing enough to learn, but he also feared she might not recieve weapons well, being an innocent farm girl. You never know, he thought opitimistically.
Entering the riders hall, which was currently mostly empty, he walked to Jeriahs quarters and rapped quickly on the door. He hoped he had given her enough time to settle in.
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Post by Tismri on Aug 16, 2008 17:16:16 GMT -5
Small one, there is a man at the door. He looks important. Jeriah awoke to Oranthor's voice.
"That's probably General Kell. Lady Nasuada said he would be training me this evening." Jeriah sat up and rubbed sleep from her eyes. She ran her brush through her thick hair a couple of times before grabbing her bow and opening the door. She carefully looked over the man who stood there.
"Hello. Are you General Kell?" she asked.
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