Post by erosaf on Mar 11, 2010 16:09:29 GMT 8
Chapter 1 – Dark Thoughts
[Shruikan's POV]
My thoughts are often dark. I long to be away from Galbatorix, but it is common knowledge that without him by my side, I cannot live.
Therefore, I often know that I can't do anything too vigorous, because he is often quite reliant on me, and personally I hate to see Alagaesia as it is now.
Torn apart; by a war, that Galbatorix and I - unwilling on my part - created by destroying the Riders.
My true name is regrettably known by Galbatorix, so there is not much I can do about that. Often I long that one day, I will be free of him, but I know that the only way for that to be possible is to allow Saphira, a very young dragon who's no more than a hatchling in comparison to me, and the only female dragon I know lives these days, to slay me.
'She cannot win against you Shruikan. That dragoness will fall to us,' Galbatorix interrupts my thoughts.
'Not if I let her kill me,' I say, growling. 'Let me think in peace, Galbatorix.'
I manage to block him from my mind, though I know he will hurt me for it later. Though he cannot kill me, I know that sometimes I irritate him so much that he would if he could. Unfortunately to kill me would kill him.
Sometimes, my mind turns to a better time in my life. The time when I hatched to Angela's surprise and was a lot younger: the time when I hatched for my real Rider. Though I barely remember her, I knew that she was human, though I also feel somewhere in me, that she is alive. How could I have ever allowed Galbatorix to steal me from her?
If I had just been strong enough to stop him, the Alagaesia would still be like the way it was at the time of my hatching. Alas it is not, and I have seen the fall of many dragons, and I know Galbatorix plans to have me search out the rumoured dragon hidden by the elves. I do not want to be seen by any other dragon, so I suppose the best time for that would be to go at night, when darkness clouds me and I am hard to see.
Possibly if I can, I might just be able to get close enough to the Varden, to call Angela to me. I hope that somehow I can tell her just how much I really miss her and hopefully re-bond myself with her. It might seem a hopeless thought everyone else, but I really think that might help to overthrow Galbatorix, whom I hate so much.
That I might do tonight, I know that since I fly fast, I can easily reach Belatona where the Varden are mean to be without being seen. I can even approach it from the Spine; those mountains do not scare me, though they scare Galbatorix to death, literally of course.
To me they are no danger; I simply manage to fly over them when I have to. It's a strenuous flight, and I always have to rest on the other side of the mountains, but it is doable. I know no boundaries, I am, as Galbatorix says, 'The ruler of the night.' But that may only be because I am a big black dragon who is unmatchable in size and strength right now.
Again my mind wanders to the Varden and the dragon said to be there. Blue as sapphires she is meant to be, and I wonder if that is meant to be a joke to taunt me. My one love interest was a blue dragoness; her name was Saphira as well. She also happened to be ridden by Eragon rider of Saphira's father, Brom.
Back in those days, I had been friends with Brom, as he and Angela got along well with each other. Tonight I would go to the Varden and I would save my unhatched son from Galbatorix's clutches, so he won’t be a slave like my other son, Thorn. Since Saphira’s egg was stolen, Galbatorix granted me permission to guard the remaining eggs. I still remember the day Thorn hatched, as if it were only yesterday.
***
‘Shruikan I’m bringing Murtagh in, I want to see if one of the eggs will hatch for him,’ the detestable voice of Galbatorix says in my mind.
‘Get this over with,’ I grunt, shifting away from my red egg. Since Saphira Bjartskular Brom’s dragon died, I have looked after her eggs, since one, the only one not her and my child was stolen from the treasury. That dragon Saphira Bjartskular, ironic she’s named after my mate, has had my interest for a while now.
As I shift, I move the red egg away from me gently, knowing that I could easily break it myself. I don’t want to do that, they are my only children; I remember seeing Saphira in secret.
If it weren’t for the fact that Galbatorix is a greedy human man, and my wanting to keep the eggs safe, he might have destroyed them so that we can never be challenged.
Then I came up with the brilliant idea to rebuild the Dragon Riders, and bring things back to the golden age of Alagaesia. Galbatorix agreed with me, so I am willing to let Murtagh Morzansson touch the eggs I keep safe.
Into my sight came Murtagh. He had a serious face, fierce eyes, and brown hair. Though he was the son of Morzan, he I knew was nothing like his father; in fact he seemed to wish he was not the son of Morzan but the son of someone else. I knew why, Morzan had always been drunk and had once really hurt Murtagh by throwing his red Rider’s blade Zar-roc, or misery as its name meant, at Murtagh. The sword was the reason Murtagh had a long ropey scar right across his back, and no one ever thought to remove the weal from him.
‘Greetings Murtagh,’ I said softly. I really did like the young boy.
The young human bowed shakily to me. “Greetings: great Shruikan.” I could hear the fear in his voice.
‘I am not about to hurt you,’ I said softly. ‘I have allowed Galbatorix to test you, to see if you are worthy to ride one of my sons.’
“Your sons: mighty Shruikan?” Murtagh sounded surprised.
‘Yes Murtagh, my son’s,’ I clarified. ‘The red egg is yours to touch Murtagh.’
I watched as Galbatorix slipped out of the room, I knew he was just waiting for the boy to fail him again. I did not want Murtagh hurt again so I touched the red egg, ‘I believe it is time to hatch my son, Thorn, your Rider has come.’ Of course I said the words only for the red egg to hear, and not Murtagh. Then looking ight at Murtagh I said in a bored voice, ‘Touch the egg, Murtagh.’
He did, and instantly it shook a little. “Can this really be happening?” Murtagh asked looking at me. He backed away a little from the rocking egg.
Seeing that he really was terrified, I snorted and said, ‘Come here Murtagh.’
He instantly came closer to me, but I could see the fear on his face. Keeping my mind closed to Galbatorix I told him, ‘Murtagh, I will not permit Galbatorix to hurt your dragon, he is my son. Unless Galbatorix makes me do it, and that is with the use of my true name. I will fight against his orders, even then. This I promise you.’
Murtagh looked up at me and smiled. I could read it in his eyes that he was grateful of my words.
***
That had been months and months ago, almost a year if I really thought about it. Now as I planned to save my other son, I wished I could have done the same so that Thorn’s egg had been with the Varden.
And true to my word with Murtagh about Thorn before he hatched, I had not ever freely hurt my son. So with those thoughts in mind I got up and gently cradling my one other egg in one massive foot, I leapt into the air, it was finally night time. ‘Angela, here I come,’ I thought.
[Shruikan's POV]
My thoughts are often dark. I long to be away from Galbatorix, but it is common knowledge that without him by my side, I cannot live.
Therefore, I often know that I can't do anything too vigorous, because he is often quite reliant on me, and personally I hate to see Alagaesia as it is now.
Torn apart; by a war, that Galbatorix and I - unwilling on my part - created by destroying the Riders.
My true name is regrettably known by Galbatorix, so there is not much I can do about that. Often I long that one day, I will be free of him, but I know that the only way for that to be possible is to allow Saphira, a very young dragon who's no more than a hatchling in comparison to me, and the only female dragon I know lives these days, to slay me.
'She cannot win against you Shruikan. That dragoness will fall to us,' Galbatorix interrupts my thoughts.
'Not if I let her kill me,' I say, growling. 'Let me think in peace, Galbatorix.'
I manage to block him from my mind, though I know he will hurt me for it later. Though he cannot kill me, I know that sometimes I irritate him so much that he would if he could. Unfortunately to kill me would kill him.
Sometimes, my mind turns to a better time in my life. The time when I hatched to Angela's surprise and was a lot younger: the time when I hatched for my real Rider. Though I barely remember her, I knew that she was human, though I also feel somewhere in me, that she is alive. How could I have ever allowed Galbatorix to steal me from her?
If I had just been strong enough to stop him, the Alagaesia would still be like the way it was at the time of my hatching. Alas it is not, and I have seen the fall of many dragons, and I know Galbatorix plans to have me search out the rumoured dragon hidden by the elves. I do not want to be seen by any other dragon, so I suppose the best time for that would be to go at night, when darkness clouds me and I am hard to see.
Possibly if I can, I might just be able to get close enough to the Varden, to call Angela to me. I hope that somehow I can tell her just how much I really miss her and hopefully re-bond myself with her. It might seem a hopeless thought everyone else, but I really think that might help to overthrow Galbatorix, whom I hate so much.
That I might do tonight, I know that since I fly fast, I can easily reach Belatona where the Varden are mean to be without being seen. I can even approach it from the Spine; those mountains do not scare me, though they scare Galbatorix to death, literally of course.
To me they are no danger; I simply manage to fly over them when I have to. It's a strenuous flight, and I always have to rest on the other side of the mountains, but it is doable. I know no boundaries, I am, as Galbatorix says, 'The ruler of the night.' But that may only be because I am a big black dragon who is unmatchable in size and strength right now.
Again my mind wanders to the Varden and the dragon said to be there. Blue as sapphires she is meant to be, and I wonder if that is meant to be a joke to taunt me. My one love interest was a blue dragoness; her name was Saphira as well. She also happened to be ridden by Eragon rider of Saphira's father, Brom.
Back in those days, I had been friends with Brom, as he and Angela got along well with each other. Tonight I would go to the Varden and I would save my unhatched son from Galbatorix's clutches, so he won’t be a slave like my other son, Thorn. Since Saphira’s egg was stolen, Galbatorix granted me permission to guard the remaining eggs. I still remember the day Thorn hatched, as if it were only yesterday.
***
‘Shruikan I’m bringing Murtagh in, I want to see if one of the eggs will hatch for him,’ the detestable voice of Galbatorix says in my mind.
‘Get this over with,’ I grunt, shifting away from my red egg. Since Saphira Bjartskular Brom’s dragon died, I have looked after her eggs, since one, the only one not her and my child was stolen from the treasury. That dragon Saphira Bjartskular, ironic she’s named after my mate, has had my interest for a while now.
As I shift, I move the red egg away from me gently, knowing that I could easily break it myself. I don’t want to do that, they are my only children; I remember seeing Saphira in secret.
If it weren’t for the fact that Galbatorix is a greedy human man, and my wanting to keep the eggs safe, he might have destroyed them so that we can never be challenged.
Then I came up with the brilliant idea to rebuild the Dragon Riders, and bring things back to the golden age of Alagaesia. Galbatorix agreed with me, so I am willing to let Murtagh Morzansson touch the eggs I keep safe.
Into my sight came Murtagh. He had a serious face, fierce eyes, and brown hair. Though he was the son of Morzan, he I knew was nothing like his father; in fact he seemed to wish he was not the son of Morzan but the son of someone else. I knew why, Morzan had always been drunk and had once really hurt Murtagh by throwing his red Rider’s blade Zar-roc, or misery as its name meant, at Murtagh. The sword was the reason Murtagh had a long ropey scar right across his back, and no one ever thought to remove the weal from him.
‘Greetings Murtagh,’ I said softly. I really did like the young boy.
The young human bowed shakily to me. “Greetings: great Shruikan.” I could hear the fear in his voice.
‘I am not about to hurt you,’ I said softly. ‘I have allowed Galbatorix to test you, to see if you are worthy to ride one of my sons.’
“Your sons: mighty Shruikan?” Murtagh sounded surprised.
‘Yes Murtagh, my son’s,’ I clarified. ‘The red egg is yours to touch Murtagh.’
I watched as Galbatorix slipped out of the room, I knew he was just waiting for the boy to fail him again. I did not want Murtagh hurt again so I touched the red egg, ‘I believe it is time to hatch my son, Thorn, your Rider has come.’ Of course I said the words only for the red egg to hear, and not Murtagh. Then looking ight at Murtagh I said in a bored voice, ‘Touch the egg, Murtagh.’
He did, and instantly it shook a little. “Can this really be happening?” Murtagh asked looking at me. He backed away a little from the rocking egg.
Seeing that he really was terrified, I snorted and said, ‘Come here Murtagh.’
He instantly came closer to me, but I could see the fear on his face. Keeping my mind closed to Galbatorix I told him, ‘Murtagh, I will not permit Galbatorix to hurt your dragon, he is my son. Unless Galbatorix makes me do it, and that is with the use of my true name. I will fight against his orders, even then. This I promise you.’
Murtagh looked up at me and smiled. I could read it in his eyes that he was grateful of my words.
***
That had been months and months ago, almost a year if I really thought about it. Now as I planned to save my other son, I wished I could have done the same so that Thorn’s egg had been with the Varden.
And true to my word with Murtagh about Thorn before he hatched, I had not ever freely hurt my son. So with those thoughts in mind I got up and gently cradling my one other egg in one massive foot, I leapt into the air, it was finally night time. ‘Angela, here I come,’ I thought.