New Legacy

Ch.3

I did not understand things at first. I must have regressed when I hatched upon my proper, true Rebirth. I do not know how much time passed before my memories of my previous life returned in full, but by the time I did, I was big enough along with Saphira to fill half of the treehouse with our bodies. It was freezing cold outside and snow blanketed everything.

I remembered that I loved the snow before, in my previous life. Now I detested it. It caused prey to hide in their warm burrows and leached the warmth from everything. Yet I still enjoyed it, especially with my pearly scales allowing me to blend into the snow drifts perfectly. I’ve surprised my beloved Rider plenty of times by sneaking up on him while hiding our connection.

Watching him jump is so precious~! “Sister, you are broadcasting your mirth again.” Saphira complained and I rolled my eyes at my stick-up-her-ass older sister. Clutch-mates we may not be, but what else could we possibly consider one another?

“I apologize for nothing. You will simply have to suffer my small pleasures.” I nudged her with my snout and Saphira rolled her eyes before returning our equivalent of a hug. “So what is Eragon up to?”

“My Little One is with that mare Marble and her family. That Limestone mare is a right, what did you call her?” Saphira asked and I snorted smoke in displeasure. Fire may not be in our future for a while, but smoke was simple.

“An irate and unreasonable female dog, or bitch.” I told my elder sister, who at least acknowledged my personal knowledge of society and the world was generally greater. However, I still disliked that she didn’t care for history, stating the ‘past is past and irrelevant’. I will beat into that thick skull of her’s that history needs to be looked to in order to avoid the mistakes of those who came before us.

“While she is not a canine of any sort, I do believe that describes her.” Saphira snarled and snapped her jaws. “I do not understand why my Little One doesn’t stand up to her and instead lets Diane handle her.”

“It is a family issue. Such things are best left in their hands unless you want Eragon to court Marble as a prospective mate?” I told my sister and snuggled closer. The sheets and blankets Eragon got as cast-offs from Miss Belle to help insulate our hideaway were helpful in keeping us from freezing, but they failed to keep out the cold so much as they kept our warmth in.

“The moment I let Eragon entrap himself here is the moment I have you gnaw off my wings.” Saphira snarled and I wilted my head. “I am sorry. I know how much Roran’s desire to mate that Katrina mare hurts you.”

“It is his choice. I am his dragon and he is my Rider. His heart is set on her and I feel what he feels. I do not spite her, but I worry for her safety and the pain Roran is setting himself up for. We cannot stay in this valley and he knows this.” I closed my eyes and tried not to intrude upon a tender moment between Roran and Katrina happening right now during the last night of festivities the arrival of the Traders had kicked off since Carvahall was a stop on their way to Ceunon.

However, the images and designs of several weapons from WWII did come to mind from time to time. Mostly when Roran dealt with Sloan. Oh how I wished to destroy that miserable monster who called himself a stallion. He was a net drain on the village as a whole in terms of happiness and he didn’t even sell his meats at fair prices. Poor Roran had to practically go entirely through Katrina and Eragon to be able to feed me as of late too from her father and his hunting respectively.

“What is a ‘shot-gun’? It looks deadly.” Saphira asked when she peeked into my memories. She only looked at the weapons, always just the weapons. Mostly after she saw the image of the atom bomb and felt awe and terror at the concept.

“Sister, I know we’re open with one another, but please let me know when you’re delving into my surface thoughts.” I complained and nipped the base of her skull below her horns in protest.

“Sorry, but you broadcast so much I’m surprised that Garrow hasn’t felt you.” Saphira teased me and I snootily stuck my nose up. If I want to be open I will darn you! We won’t be able to-.

“Roran. You’re being stalked.” I warned my Rider and he stiffened, almost pausing in his walk back to Sloan’s home with Katrina. “Do not give any sign that you know! Keep guiding Katrina home and then continue to mingle with the festivities. Try to link up with Eragon and Brom.” I sternly ordered him and he obeyed while I shared my memories with Saphira openly.

She nodded and promptly got to work warning Eragon and the both of us helped guide them through the village to meet up with Brom outside of Miss Belle’s home, which was dark and far enough away from the festivities-no! It’s them! The Ra’Zac!

“Little One!” Saphira jumped to her claws, but I grappled her and wrestled her back down, almost breaking the floor of our claustrophobic den. “Release me! They need us!”

“We’ll accomplish nothing if we go! We’ll only make their survival more difficult!” I countered and fought against similar instincts to fly to Roran’s aid as he and Eragon dodged the cloaked duo’s throwing knives and acted as ample distractions for Brom to retaliate.

It was a distressing event, watching the boys manage to avoid getting struck because they listened to Brom and had been getting martial training from him while I was adjusting. Thanks to this, Brom was able to potentially cripple the arm of one of the monsters with his walking stick before they fled. Brom gave chase and ordered the boys to flee for home. By this point, Saphira had calmed down enough that I didn’t have to pin her to the floor and we just laid there in an emotionally spent heap of scales.

Needless to say, I think this may be an early end to our time in Carvahall.

🥚

Or not. “What do you mean we aren’t leaving immediately?” I demanded curiously from Brom as he trained the boys in our clearing the next day. Which was unusual, but Garrow had actually been invited to Ceunon by the Traders for a meeting of the region's farmers since it was the middle of winter and thus the perfect time to coordinate crop distribution for the next growing season. He went with them when the Traders left for the Empire’s northernmost city at dawn.

“I mean there is little point in leaving. I potentially crippled one of them and the other took a good beating as well before I had to leave off. The Ra’Zac are limited in number, they won’t be able to do more than report their failure and that we’re here. It will take at best weeks for the Empire to send anyone even capable of being a threat considering the harsh weather of winter.” Brom reasoned and I scrunched my brows.

“But pegasi can manipulate weather and the bulk of the Empire’s military are pegasi.” I countered and Brom gestured to Eragon, who had a cape over his wings while he practiced sword forms.

“That may be, but pegasi cannot interfere with something as crucial to the stability of nature such as an entire season’s weather. Not even for us. Northern Broddring is crucial to the whole of the Empire’s agricultural sustainability. If Sombra were to send his troops north now, they’d be ground-pounders and at the mercy of Winter’s harshness for travel.” Brom slyly answered and I scoffed.

“Be that as it may, they could still send scouts to track us from overhead.” I countered and Brom impishly raised an eyebrow as he smoked his pipe. “What did you do old nag?”

“Hm, I may have perhaps crafted potent concealing charms that will allow us to travel without being sighted from further than fifty paces.” Brom smugly replied and I gawked at him, causing him to grunt in humor. While this Brom didn’t laugh like the canon Brom didn’t, he at least had more humor to him.

“Don’t overthink things so much Shimmer. Brom is an old hat at these things, it’s why we’re training under him.” Roran said to me as he rested his arms from swinging around a heavy tool hammer, since Brom deduced he wasn’t suited to the finesse of swordplay and-what?

“Shimmer?” I asked with shock and an odd degree of soul-deep joy. “Roran, I already have a name…” A name that nobody here has ever called me, now that I think of it.

“A name from a life that you’ve been forced to leave behind. That name isn’t who you are anymore. Brom told me you needed a new name. Besides, Milly isn’t a very becoming name for such a beautiful and regal creature.” Roran smiled winningly up at me, causing me to shy away and preen at the same time from the building sensation of giddiness and appreciation.

“Well, you simply have good taste. No wonder I chose you.” I crooned at him in reply and fluttered my eyes, which he laughed at and I relished the sensation of happiness coming from him.

“Alright, you’ve rested enough Roran, get back to practicing those mace forms. I’ll have to try and get you a properly weighty bludgeon to practice with later, a tool hammer will serve well as a beginner’s weapon, but you need a good shield-basher if you want to do more damage to a heavily armored opponent.” Brom demanded of my Rider before he checked and started correcting Eragon’s form with his wooden sword.

“He’s right, but where am I going to get a proper mace?” Roran asked me in the privacy of our connection.

“I’m sure if you ask Horst, he’ll ask questions, but as a dear friend I feel he won’t betray your trust.” I answered in reply, before a mischievous thought came to me. “Hold on, doesn’t Sloan have a rather hefty meat-tenderizing metal hammer he bought from the Traders?”

“Steal? Even if it is Sloan, I’m not about to burden someone else unnecessarily. I’ll try to commission Horst for a mace since Brom has a spare sword for Eragon.” Roran told me and I huffed in annoyance at my beloved Rider’s insistence on not trying to get any sort of vengeance upon that horrid little bronco. “You know it isn’t in me to hold petty things against others.”

“I know. It’s part of why I love you.” I replied and he smiled at me between swings of his hammer. “Now then, Eragon. What is my uptight sister up to? I haven’t seen her since I awoke to the sound of you all making this racket.”

“She’s out hunting. Unlike you, she’s constantly ravenous.” Eragon huffed between swings of his practice weapon.

“Oh? Are you calling Saphira fat? Do I have something to hold over my dear sister?” I playfully responded, only for Brom to leer at me.

“Do not be so distracting. You should be out hunting with Saphira, go stretch those wings of yours. You’ll be less likely to be seen against the cloudy skies than her anyhow.” Brom ordered me, which I puffed up to prepare to protest someone other than Roran telling me what to do.

“That’s a good idea Shimmer. Go for a flight even if you’re not going to hunt. Brom told me you should be doing that to strengthen your flight muscles.” Roran reinforced and I snorted smoke.

“Fine. I’ll go see if I can’t find my sister while I’m at it.” I spread my wings and took off. I was barely the size of a horse, but I was still less than half the size Brom said I needed to be to both be able to fly with Roran, which I was dying to do, or transform into my energy-conserving anthro form. He warned me that I should only use it in times of scarcity like this or when stuck in large urban areas, because using it slows a dragon’s rapid maturation.

How unfortunate we don’t have that right now, because even though I’m not complaining- *Rumbling Stomach Roar* -I’m starving~! If I stayed much longer, this embarrassingly loud growling would’ve absolutely destroyed my dignity~!

“Sister? I could hear your stomach from here. Come to me, I’ve found an isolated deer.” Saphira called out to me and I sniffled thankfully at my beautiful, wonderful, dear big sister’s Generosity.

🥚

A week passed before Garrow returned from his journey to Ceunon. By this point I had convinced Brom and the colts to break the news to him, since leaving him in the dark in canon did nothing to save him from the torturous death dealt to him by the Ra’Zac. He was hysterically shocked at the sight of Saphira and I when they were breaking the news to him, but he gave in to reality quickly enough to have his face in his hands at the table.

“...I should’ve known better than to think that our family’s exciting proclivity for adventure and intrigue would end with Selena.” Garrow sighed and looked up at his boys, his sons, both by birth and by familial adoption. “I love you. I want you to know this, because I cannot go with you.” Garrow sorrowfully stated, to which Roran and Eragon looked downcast at the table.

“I will guide and protect them, Garrow Cadocsson.” Brom solemnly swore, even if it wasn’t in the Ancient Language, I knew he meant it.

“Well, don’t be getting all ahead of ourselves. You’re not leaving until the frost begins to thaw, the king’s spooks be damned. I’ll not have my sons marching through the lands while it is colder than a witch’s tit.” Garrow huffed firmly and we all nodded in agreement. I mean, I’m freezing my tail off out here, stuck sticking my head through the window with Saphira. “Now then, what’s the plan for us left behind? With the two new riders being my sons, they’ll be coming for me.”

“Which is why it would be best if you came with us father.” Roran said and Garrow snorted in dismissal.

“My grandparents, parents and your mother all lived and died on this farm, I damn well will not leave Carvahall even if I have to abandon the farm for a time. Besides, King Sombra is a vindictive sort. He’ll have Carvahall razed to the ground for the temerity of daring to produce his new enemies.” Garrow looked at Brom and the ancient unicorn puffed on his pipe.

“I would advise that the whole village lift stakes and flee to Surda to be quite honest. However, I believe it would take the Imperial Army clouding the sky to get you to do such a thing.” Brom huffed in disapproval and Garrow glared at the old unicorn.

“We may be humble villagers, but we are proud of our home. This valley is where the first pony king of Alagaesia set roots. We may not be a big city or town, but this is our home. If they wish to come, then we will leave. Until then however, we’ll hunker down.” Garrow declared and Roran sighed in exasperation while Eragon shook his head.

“But Uncle, they’ll have pegasi all over you. They’ll pepper you from above with arrows and bolts, spears, quarrels. They won’t even need to bother battering down any palisade you establish.” Eragon stressed to his adopted father, but he was unmoved.

“Save your breath Eragon. Dad’s decided to tough it out.” Roran shook his head. “That is up to you and the village father. As for us, we’ll leave when the frost begins to thaw. Until then, we’re going to be training for combat.”

“Eragon will be strictly doing that, you will be helping me build a palisade around Carvahall. I’ll tell everyone that I’ve received distressing news of increased Yak activity in the region, so I’d rather we had a barrier to buy us time at the least to mount a defense.” Garrow replied and we all shared a surprised look at Garrow’s surprisingly shrewd plotting.

I guess it really does run in the family.

🥚

The rest of the winter was spent in this way. Brom trained Eragon and Roran every day, with Roran having much shorter sessions considering he spent the majority of the day with Garrow chopping down trees with help from the village’s loggers and building the palisade with Horst and his sons, since a potential Yak raid was considered enough reason for drastic action.

It was this reasoning that also caused Horst’s forge to turn from a simple tool resource to promptly providing crude maces and iron-banded wood shields to all of the able-bodied stallions in the village. I was annoyed at the exclusion of the mares from combat roles when King Sombra conscripts pegasus mares too, but this was a backwards era where there weren’t even family surnames.

As for Saphira and I, towards the end of the deep winter, we had achieved a stage of our development where Brom said we could fly with our Riders, but there was nowhere secluded enough nearby for us to do that without getting spotted, considering Saphira and I risked enough flying low to the trees, which is not a suitable height to adjust for a Rider.

However, it did mean we could finally shelter from the freezing cold in the house! “Brr~!” I shuddered under the layers of blankets I was sharing with Saphira, both of us in our alternate anthro forms for the first time and gladly taking advantage of Roran’s linens and bed to warm back up after discovering these forms had nowhere near as much cold resistance as our true forms.

“H-how can th-they stand this?” Saphira questioned me while she, my beautiful blue-scaled sister, shared in my misery and pressed against me for us to share body heat. I tried not to feel envy at realizing she had bigger breasts than me. Am I doomed to be modest in bust in this life too? I hope we’re not done developing, we look like teenagers. Well, our Riders are teens, but I digress.

“Clothes and physical activity.” I replied, leaving out mating as an answer since our colts didn’t engage in that, even if Roran still flirted with Katrina. It was also weird to hear my voice again, if younger. Also, Saphira’s voice was less deep and motherly and cracked like a teen’s.

“Then let us brave the chill to use our Rider’s clothes too.” Saphira got out of the bed and quickly yanked open Roran’s dresser, which made me feel flushed in surprise and indignance.

“D-don’t go rifling through my Rider’s clothes! Go take some of Eragon’s!” I indignantly demanded and she shivered, but obeyed by running from Roran’s room.

I promptly took her place and grabbed one of Roran’s massive tunics, which draped on me like a nightgown. I even put on a pair of his trousers and cursed his lack of footwear since ponies had hooves and only rich ponies or soldiers got their hooves shod. Note: shod. Ponies don’t have any footwear~! I’ll have to invent my own shoes and-!

“Sister.” I looked up from my distraught staring at my foot-claws and Saphira dragged me back to bed where we snuggled under the covers again. “It’s still cold, but the clothes make it bearable, especially under here.” I had no objection to that, so I snuggled my sister and quickly fell into a nap. The colts almost certainly know about this new situation with us, but I still might enjoy seeing how they react in person.