Erys: An Eragon Fanfiction - (Under Editing)

Proclamation

The clatter of dishes filled the hall.  Erys, finding she had little appetite, stirred her stew mindlessly as it grew cold before her.  The word dead rang in her head until she had a pounding headache; her body ached with the memory of wounds she'd magically stitched most of the morning.  She suppressed a shudder as she imagined Taerolan's blade rending another gash in her body.

Eirdain sat beside her; he elected not to say a word and simply ate until emptied his bowl.  He had evident bruises, even hidden behind his clothes.  He could not hide the blackening skin peeking from the collar of his shift.

"So.  We made it."

Erys grunted.  She jabbed at a chunk of potato and pushed it around her bowl, tapping her finger against the handle of the spoon.  The light tink! tink! tink! of her nail against the pewter fork drilled into her mind.

"Stop it."

Erys looked forward with irritation and dropped her spoon to her bowl with a sigh.

"You should eat."

Erys ignored Khyiana's advice.  She pushed her chair back and stood.  "I have to see Enneniya."

Eirdain looked up from his bowl.  He wiped a sleeve against the corner of his mouth.  "I'll come with you."

"No.  Thanks."  Erys' lip twitched though she tried to hide her displeasure.

"It wasn't an offer."

Erys rolled her eyes and walked away.  Eirdain collected their dishes, took them to be washed, and ran to catch up.  He fell into step beside her, and they made their way to Enneniya's chambers.  Erys rapped her fist against the door.  It opened a few seconds later.

Enneniya stood in the doorway, appraising them before she stepped aside to admit them.  Erys stalked past her and took a seat on the only chair in the room.  Eirdain leaned against the wall and shifted his gaze between Erys and Enneniya.

"So—"

Enneniya raised a hand, cuting him off.  "Atra nosu waíse vardo fra eld hórnya," she spoke.  The words rolled from her tongue gracefully.  "It is safe to speak freely."

Eirdain looked to Erys.

"I apologise about the night before," Enneniya began. "My anger was...misdirected."

"I've seen worse."

"I'm sure. How have your travels treated you?  What of your journey's since our departure?"

"We lost a friend."

"A friend?"

"Keilith," Eirdain explained.

"A friend?" she repeated. "In such little time?"

"We fought together," Erys said. "He helped us—"

"More likely than not for his own benefit," Enneniya said. "It's what you have to do in a world like this."

"He was our friend!"

"He was an ally for nothing more than his own convenience."

"Is that all?" Erys demanded, rising to her feet.

"No.  Sit."

Erys settled back into her chair.  Eirdain fidgeted.

"I'm sorry if it's harsh. You'll lose a lot more in the years to come.  If you don't guard yourself now, you'll be spent before you've begun."