New Legacy

Ch.2

Well, colour me green with envy. Smugness, Superiority. Yeah, yeah, live it up blue-girl, I’ll hatch soon! My friend crooned and nuzzled my shell as Eragon watched the yet-to-be-named Saphira snuggle my egg before he looked at his right palm, tracing the Gedwey Ignasia with worry and wonder.

He’d been sulking in concern over all sorts of things ever since Roran brought me to him for safekeeping a short while ago. I could only imagine what was truly going through his mind other than the obvious from what I remember of the books. That said, I think Saphira hatched much sooner than she should have. Also, when did Eragon take her from his room? I didn’t notice anything out of place earlier.

“Hey.” My attention returned to Eragon to find he was looking at me intently. “You’re a dragon too, right? Are you this one’s sibling?” He asked, as if I could answer. “No, you’re too differently coloured.” Eragon muttered and looked back at his brand. “What does this mean?”

That you’re a dragon rider. I broadcast, sure that only Saphira could hear me, but Eragon flinched away as if struck and rubbed his head. Oh, I better be careful about that. He hasn’t encountered magic before and he might have subconsciously been reaching out to me along with Saphira from proximity. However, Saphira keened and rolled me over to him until I was in Eragon’s lap and then she curled around me to press her snout to his chest.

Helping. Huh? Oh! You intelligent hatchling! Try to bridge us!

“What is going-?” Eragon froze with his wings spread wide open and his eyes glazed over when I focused hard on vivid memories of the movie I had watched just before being reincarnated or whatever as a dragon. Sights of Saphira fully-grown, a completely poorly-casted actor portraying him riding on her, Brom rescuing him and guiding him, et cetera.

I shared as much as I could before exhaustion took me.

🥚

The next time I came to awareness, I was in a soft, padded nest. I was still up in the treehouse platform, whatever it would be called, with Saphira curled around my shell protectively. Her warmth was greatly appreciated compared to the chill air of the coming winter.

Eragon was gone. I guess that means Roran came to get him. It was light out, but the sky was the hue of yellow twilight, that middling hour that occurred at the start and end of the day. However, I was surprised when our solitude was interrupted by Eragon grunting as he fought to carry up a middle-aged black-furred white-maned/bearded blue-eyed unicorn who wore simple brown robes not out of place in a monastery. He set the grown stallion down and doubled-over to catch his breath.

Saphira woke up and snarled when the unicorn was set on his hooves and she put herself between me and the stranger, casting feelings of ‘Family, Protect!’ at me, which filled me with love I hadn’t experienced since before my parents died. “Hey, hey. Easy. Calm down. He’s a friend.” Eragon managed to say between gasping breaths as the unicorn looked at us in a mixture of shock, fear and hope.

“My lad. Do you have any inkling of what you’ve gotten yourself into?” The grizzled voice of the unicorn questioned before I felt like what Saphira has been doing to convey things to me latched onto my mind with ease and his eyes widened. “Incredible. You’re fully cognizant? Most eggs don’t have such a detailed comprehension of the world around them.” The unicorn telepathically spoke to me. Oh thank whatever gods there are! Finally someone to talk to!

“I’m not most eggs. Hello, I’m Milly Miller. Don’t freak out please. I was once something called a Human from another world, but then I just woke up as an egg in the Spine sometime before Eragon and this prideful ankle-biter showed up.” I huffed to the first person able to properly converse with me since I arrived...maybe a month ago? I think it’s been about a month. It’s not yet winter since the trading caravans hadn’t even shown up yet.

“Brom? Why are you so quiet?” Eragon worriedly asked the unicorn, who I must thank whatever deities existed, was perhaps the best person to involve in the situation.

“I’m using magic to telepathically speak to your bonded hatchling as well as to the incredibly cognizant unborn dragoness.” Brom replied and sat down before he gestured for Saphira to approach him, which she did so gladly and got pets from the former Rider. “Do you have anyone in mind to be your partner?”

“That young stallion, Roran. I know his heart isn’t beyond this valley, but I just, I can’t…” To explain my feelings about Roran is like trying to describe what Love is. I could give directional notions like I did to Saphira, but I know he’s old enough to already understand.

“He’ll be lucky to have you expand his horizons.” Brom smiled at Saphira and then looked up at Eragon. “Boy, you’re a Rider. Come, sit. We have much to discuss and not much time before your cousin comes looking for you now that the taxmen have gone.”

So I’ve been out most of the day then, I almost thought it was the next day. “So he went flying back to Carvahall like a fool to get you while the taxmen were anywhere between the farm and there?” I asked with disapproval in my tone and Brom grunted with a nod at the colt.

“Indeed, you rushing to me, while ultimately a smart decision, was quite unwise considering the situation. You could’ve waited until tomorrow, when the taxmen wouldn’t have been looking for you and yours. There is a time to rush, this wasn’t such an occasion.” Brom chided the pegasus, who wilted with an indignant pout.

“I couldn’t do anything less after those visions they showed me.” Eragon huffed with a gesture at Saphira and I. “It was one thing to suddenly have a dragon on my hands, it was another to have detailed visions of alien creatures with names attached that were all-too-familiar. Then there’s the fact you’re an ex-Rider from what the egg showed me.”

“Indeed?” Brom leered at me and I sent my feeling of smugness towards him. “Hmph. Know-it-all spirits. Good, ill or nascent they all love showcasing their knowledge.” I was a university professor, I get to boast! “Either way, yes. I was once a Rider. Now, as the first rider in over a century, it falls to you to possibly save Alagaesia, so it falls to me to teach you.”

“The whole land? That sounds...big.” Eragon hesitantly muttered and Brom produced a cob pipe from his robe which he lit with a flick of his horn before taking a pull.

“Oh yes. It is rather daunting, I assure you, but it is not beyond you.” Brom then looked at me and furrowed his brow. “Especially with four of you.”

“Four?” Eragon questioned while Saphira clambered into his lap and nuzzled his hands, getting her Rider to pet her.

“The egg, she already has her heart set on Roran.” Brom bluntly informed the colt and he gawked at me. Hey, kid, your cousin is my type, okay? Not just potentially romantically, but he’s the sort I could see being my best friend, considering I was best friends with someone like him.

“Oh no. Roran has his heart here in Palancar Valley. He’ll be heartbroken to leave…” Eragon put his face in his palms and I felt horrible now. Roran would likely be miserable as my Rider...

“No. He’ll come around. You see, when a dragon chooses you, it isn’t just because the dragon likes you. No, they connect with you on an intrinsic level, because you are perfect for them. Either as simple companions or...companions.” Brom winked at Eragon and he blushed while looking down at the little feral dragoness. Really?

“Is that, uh, a thing here?” I asked nervously. I mean, being soul-bound to someone is sure to cause all sorts of romantic emotions, but if I wasn’t anthropomorphic, I don’t think I could bring myself to, uh, get physically intimate with someone who is. I’d feel all sorts of awkward about it. I mean...if he really wanted it, I would indulge him, after all he is fine.

“Ah, something the reincarnated spirit doesn’t know. Well, lucky for you and for us, the dragons developed over time into a sort of were-creature to get into smaller places and to conserve energy when food was scarce. That said, wyverns are rare in the Empire outside of the desert and the far side of said desert. However, dragons still cannot breed outside of their species.” Brom muttered bitterly with his eyes staring off in the middle-distance.

“So someday my dragon will be able to pretend to be a normal person?” Eragon questioned with an intrigued look down at Saphira, who chirped and nuzzled his chest. “That would make taking her places much easier.”

“However, like I said, wyverns are rare here in the Broddring Empire, so they’ll still be eye-catching and enticing targets for slavers, even more than you are, young colt.” Brom commented and Eragon clutched his hands together. Wait, what?

“What do you mean he’s an enticing target for slavers?” I mean, I know the Empire has legal slavery and all, but why would slavers be interested in someone who could just fly away?

“Oh, they’re not usually called that. The Empire calls them ‘recruiters’. Every pegasus youth, male or female, are dragged away to the capital when they’re of age and forced to swear allegiance to the King to serve in his armies.” Brom casually informed me and I felt absolutely appalled. I knew the Empire conscripted people, but to specifically target one race over the others?

“Well, what about unicorns? Wouldn’t he conscript you all to be battlemages?” I questioned skeptically and the deceptively young-ish unicorn snorted bitterly.

“I don’t know where you would get such a misconception. Unicorns may have natural magic attunement, but our innate magic, while malleable, is best suited to our Talent. We’re no better potential battlemages than anyone given enough training and dedication.” Brom informed us and then sighed. “Listen, all of you. This road you’ve started on is a long and deadly one. I’ll do my best to prepare you for it. Now, I must be away. Your sibling is coming back.”

At this, Brom spoke gibberish, which must’ve been the Ancient Language. This was followed by his horn and eyes flashing bright blue and he teleported away with a harsh snap of displaced air. I would normally call BS on that considering the magic system of Inheritance, but then again Arya in canon managed to teleport Saphira’s egg away in a heated desperate moment.

“Eragon! The taxmen have gone, come on down!” Roran’s voice echoed from below and Eragon looked at me, then Saphira and sighed with a rub of his snout with his hands.

“Actually, I need you to come up here, Roran.” Hoo boy…

🥚

“I still don’t get it.” Roran muttered to his sibling a couple of days later with me in his pack and Saphira hiding in Eragon’s pack while they walked through Carvahall.

“Get what? I was pretty clear about it.” Eragon huffed at his surrogate sibling.

“I don’t get why she hasn’t, y’know, come out. If I’m really the one she wants.” Roran quietly muttered to Eragon and I wanted so badly to assure him I do want him as my Rider, I don’t know why I haven’t hatched yet either.

“Which is why we’re risking bringing them to the village to consult with Brom since Garrow wants us away from the farm while he pays the taxmen their produce today.” Eragon reminded him in annoyance at repeating himself and Roran sighed as he tried not to shift his pack, me by consequence, around too much.

“Hopefully he’ll know, because as reluctant as I am to go for it, if she wants me, then who am I to challenge a dragon?” Roran snorted quietly and I giddily laughed to myself. I wouldn’t hold my position over you Roran. I’m nowhere near as pushy as miss prissy over there.

“Hello Eragon, Roran.” Greeted a beautiful white-coated purple-maned unicorn mare in a simple yet stylish peach-colored dress. She seemed almost like a noble out among the rabble. “What brings you to the village today?”

“Hello Miss Belle. We’re here to be out of the way while Garrow deals with the taxmen officially this time, unlike that sneaky visit a couple days ago when they tried to snipe those beautiful stones I found in the Spine.” Eragon informed the elegant unicorn, who also happened to be the village gossip queen. The irony was, so long as it was told directly to her, it could be considered in complete confidence. She only shared info that she got second or third-hand as gossip.

“Ah, then I suppose my attempts to help you avoid those charlatans was successful?” Miss Belle asked hopefully and Eragon smirked while Roran nodded. “Delightful! I do hope you boys have a wonderful day. Knowing Garrow, he’ll manage to secure enough of this season’s harvest that you won’t starve.”

“Oh, don’t you worry about that Miss Belle.” Roran politely did a short nodding bow which Eragon mirrored and they parted ways with the beautiful mare, who had a body I would’ve killed for when I was human. Now I just hope Brom wasn’t pulling our tails a few days ago and I will eventually have hands at least. “Now then, let’s get to Brom before we get held up by anyone else.”

“Oh, don’t be so rude. Miss Belle is one of the nicest ladies ever.” Eragon protested with a shy wave at Marble, who was out front of the bakery, the pretty mare meekly smiling and returning the shy wave.

“So when are you going to properly court Miss Pie then?” Roran teased his surrogate sibling and Eragon shot him a scathing glare accompanied with his wings fluttering in his embarrassment. “It’s not like everyone in the village can’t see you two sending those looks and little waves at each other. If you two were any sweeter on each other, you’d cause us to fall ill.” Roran playfully nudged his cousin’s shoulder and Eragon snorted indignantly.

“Marble is attractive, both in body and personality, but I don’t want to be tied down here. You know I’m…” Eragon looked back at his wings forlornly and Roran nodded in sad understanding. “I was going to leave anyway. Better a life of solitude and freedom in the wilds than to become a slave to the King.”

Oof. That’s a big game-changer. Sure, normal conscription is bad enough, but being enslaved to the military would be much worse. The King definitely had them sworn to service in the Ancient Language to keep the pegasi chained to his army. This also raises an issue, that Eragon would be even more conspicuous than in canon. How is he going to hide his wings? I see he uses a cape shawl and his pack to hide them fairly well when in town, but everyone here knows he has them.

Oh fudge. I think I know what Sloan will use to betray them! Even though Eragon didn’t try to barter with Sloan using our eggs, Sloan would still know about Eragon’s race and tell the King’s goons about him! I’ve gotta hatch! I’ll need to be ready to run! Grrr~! Let me out stupid egg! I have my Rider damn it!

“Come in.” My attempts to move and hatch were interrupted by Brom promptly opening his door when the colts approached his home. “I’m glad you at least told me you were coming instead of just showing up out of the blue this time.”

“Well this time the taxmen had established a proper time to visit with their carts and guards, so we knew when to come by.” Roran huffed as Eragon let yet-to-be-named Saphira out of his pack and the dragoness promptly went to Brom for pets when he sat in a rocking chair. “Now, Eragon insists that this egg wants me to be her Rider, but she hasn’t hatched yet.”

“Hm, odd.” Brom hummed and accepted me when Roran fished me from his pack and handed me to the veteran ex-Rider. “Are you sure he’s the one?”

“I don’t know~! I want him to be! Isn’t that enough?” I asked desperately, terrified that I may have had a false-positive, that these powerful feelings I have about Roran were just Stockholm Syndrome from being trapped in proximity with him.

“Usually yes, but there must be a reason why you haven’t hatched in spite of this.” Brom handed me back to Roran. “Try. Struggle. Strain with all your might to get free.” Really? That’s your advice? Grrr, fine, I’ll try again!

I tried to move, refusing to give up at my body remaining unresponsive. “W-whoa! It shook!” Roran gasped in awe and Eragon quickly took me from Roran’s hands to put me on the floor. Come on...come on...come on~!

*Crack* Guh~! S-so exhausting! I’m so close, come on Milly! Your Rider is right there! Almost~! *Snap!* Ah~! It’s so bright! It’s so cold! Everything hurts! I wanna go back in! I want back in the dark, warm, safe place! Why is it so loud~?!

My panic was assuaged when something touched my face, my face. The warmth was welcoming, so I pressed into the touch and felt something indescribably wonderful. Suddenly, all of my agony ceased and I choked up the fluid in my lungs as my perception expanded beyond human or even standard mortal means. The ‘sight’ I had in my egg was gone, replaced by the crude linear vision of normal eyes, but I could also sense far more than myself.

Memories not mine, thoughts, feelings, all alien and a beacon of rapture to me. I keened and wobbled on my uncoordinated limbs to the source of these wonderful things and nuzzled into it’s safe embrace. At this moment, I am complete. My life, my love, my everything. I give it to you, as you so kindly gave it to me. I am yours, my Rider.