New Legacy

Ch.7

The camp had essentially become home. I wasn’t sure exactly how long we’ve been here, but it was long enough for the cold breeze coming down from the mountains to turn into a cool spring wind that brought pollen and the sweet scents of spring in full.

While our Riders, Katrina and Elric who had gone male lately since we had become desensitized to his feminine wiles, all trained every morning and evening for a couple hours at a time, they also studied magic using the books Brom left us and Elric shared some of the magic of his world, which was both more difficult, yet less restrictive than the magic of our world.

Meanwhile, Saphira and I grew. Without needing to be anthro for travel into towns and being well fed from us bringing fresh kills for hearty meals that along with exercise was causing the other members of our party to start packing on lean muscle while my sis and I almost doubled in size. We outgrew the saddles! Brom warned us this would happen, but now we couldn’t fly with our Riders and that upset us both.

At least until Eragon and Roran made new straps for our saddles to account for our new size and the fact that we’re obviously still growing. I mean, I can’t tell if we’re growing faster than in canon, but Saphira and I were now big enough we felt confident we could carry two people.

“Ah ha! Good blow, Katrina!” Elric chuckled as he took a blow from the mare’s stone hatchet that was so fierce, his armor dented.

“Oh my, should we be more careful? We can’t repair your armor.” Katrina winced at the damage she’d done to his left gauntlet’s bracer, which was welling up with blood too.

“No worries, while this set is made by the great Andre, it is not the masterpiece I was given for this mission, but you are the first to hit this 2,000-year-old warrior in the past 200 years. You’re an even faster learner at this than the lads.” At his praise, Katrina blushed brightly while Eragon grumbled and Roran laughed.

“It must be her butcher’s blood! Bloodthirsty and she goes right for the heart!” Roran joked, which got a hatchet thrown at him that he dodged in good humor while my heart skipped a beat in fear. I don’t think Katrina realizes just how much of a natural she is with a hatchet.

“Yes, yes, maybe a true trick weapon would do her.” Elric chuckled and pulled something from the waist satchel that he had explained linked to his Inventory. It was a massive weapon, serrated and shaped like a cleaver made in a fit of madness. “The Beast Cutter, a relic from the Painted World of Ash. The Hunters from there are some of the fiercest warriors around.”

“That’s about the size of my father's ‘cow-cutter’ back in Carvahall. He didn’t let me near it, but when he was teaching me butchery, he said there was nothing better for separating the carcass into it’s different cuts.” Katrina observed as her face became wistful.

“It is made to kill beasts of bloodlust, a weapon that was made for the cruelness of the world that borne it.” Elric told us, presenting the weapon to Katrina. I watched her face obtain a disturbing little smirk when she grasped the massive blade, but then we all gawked when she held it up one-handed with surprising ease. “Hm, you seem well-suited to it.”

“I feel...oddly violent, to be honest. I want to chop and shred some meat. Saphira, Shimmer, could you please retrieve a deer or other large animal so I could practice with my new cleaver?” Katrina requested sweetly and I nodded before sending a wary and concerned feeling towards Roran.

“Certainly, Katrina. We’ll be back soon.” I stood from where I’d been lying on the grass and Saphira quickly joined me in flying away from the scarily ominous atmosphere. “We’d best find a suitable target for Katrina to vent her surprising bloodlust upon, sister.”

“I agree. Although she is our friend, I find this potent desire for blood to be quite unsettling.” Saphira replied honestly with feelings of wariness that she shared with me.

🥚

We returned with a couple of wild boars, not bullboars, just normal boars. However, I felt surprise and joy at seeing Snowfire, Brom’s bullboar, was now hitched alongside Alden and Cadoc. I felt even more joy at seeing the unicorn himself, but perplexion at the absolutely unassumingly normal brown earth pony mare with him. “Well met, Brom! It is good to see you!” I called out to him moments before I landed and dropped my catch, Saphira right behind me.

Whatever response I was expecting, it wasn’t for the mare to gasp and look at me in absolute shock. What? Hadn’t Brom warned her about Saphira and I? “It’s true. You were not telling fantastic tails, there is another.”

“Yes, Arya, I told you many times the past weeks that I was not embellishing any part of my tale.” Brom huffed and I scrunched my snout in confusion. This Plain Jane mare was Arya? Is there no local variant of elves?

“Hmph...you didn’t believe I existed! Am I real enough for you now?” I huffed and puffed myself up a bit as I postured. Well, there’s more draconic pride showing in my behavior lately, my sister told me it was about time, but I still believed in humility. I just don’t like it when people don’t believe someone when they’re telling the truth.

“More than real. Thank you. Brom told me it was your foresight that told him where I was and that I needed rescue. Thank you for warning him about Durza especially. Had Brom not been prepared, he would’ve died or joined me in a cell.” Arya bowed to me and I wilted, my sudden pride crushed by my humility.

“Ah, there is no need to bow. I’m not my sister.” I chuffed and pointed my snout at Saphira, who rolled her eyes and pushed me onto my side with her wing, which made me keen playfully.

“You would best learn some decorum, sister, lest your childish antics cause the Varden to dismiss us as knaves.” Saphira chuffed while humorously being a total hypocrite, since she was the one who rolled me onto my side.

“Hm, I would urge you to instead go north to Du Weldenvarden, but since you came from the north, along with the uproar our escape from Gil’ead has caused, it would be best at this point to continue onward to the Varden.” Arya looked between us all before she nodded. “Since I have you all to thank for my rescue as well as giving me hope for the future, I shall share myself with you.” Her odd choice in words became sensible when her body flashed.

In place of the plain and uninteresting mare was an anthro Elk who towered over nearly everyone save Roran. She was unnaturally beautiful while possessing a body that, even in frumpy stallion’s clothes, was lithe and elegant unlike the curvaceous and muscular Katrina. Yet, despite being modest of bust and petite of rear and hips, I found her form alluring.

“An Elk?!” A male voice hissed from the trees, so we all turned our attention to the sight of a copper-coated pegasus stallion who had gray eyes but...distinctive chocolate brown hair for his mane and tail. He wore traveler’s robes and was strikingly handsome. “What fortune! I followed you in the hopes of finding a way out of Sombra’s clutches and you brought me to not only the rumored Riders, but one of you is an Elk!”

“If you wish to live, land now!” Brom snarled with his horn shimmering the same blue tone as his eyes, but the young stallion laughed in response even if he did hover down to stand at the edge of the camp.

“That is a good bit of paranoia you have there. It serves you well. If not for my own spells, I would’ve lost you from your ‘notice-me-not’ charms.” The pegasus gave a slight bow. “I am Murtagh, a fugitive from the Empire. Which you could guess, considering I’m an of-age pegasus not enslaved to his majesty.”

“Oh? Welcome Murtagh, I’ve been expecting you, but you’re rather early.” Brom relaxed and everyone besides me looked at him in confusion. I meanwhile was staring at a dangerous and important person to the future of this realm. “I have it on good authority that you are quite crucial to the future of this land, being skilled in blade and bow with a mind for politics.”

“Ah...pardon. How would you know this?” Murtagh bristled and I approached him sedately.

“Because I foresaw it. I am Shimmer. I am an aberration born of unknown circumstance. I possess specific future knowledge that is both correct and contrary. You’ve appeared perhaps a month or two sooner than anticipated.” I then looked about the trees suspiciously. “Tell me, have you seen the Ra’Zac? The King’s favored assassins? They were meant to appear to us again before you have.”

“Those nasty bug-birds? No, I’ve seen neither hide nor hair of them. What else do you know about me?” Murtagh asked, still prickly but now more conversational. I understand his concern, since he has his mind guarded so heavily out of paranoia and desperation to have some measure of privacy.

“I would, but I’d rather not air them so publicly. I cannot speak to you alone with your mind so guarded, however. I have spoken at length with Brom about you, so he will tell you in private.” I looked at our fairly large party of 7 not counting Murtagh. “Everyone. Murtagh can be trusted, whatever you learn of him. He has no love for Sombra or his lackeys, even if he believes the system is politically sound otherwise.”

“The system works! It’s just full of blowhards and corrupt incompetents!” Murtagh defended and I rolled my eyes while the group calmed down some.

“That all said, Arya, a word. I need to speak to you about Murtagh first.” Brom grimly stated and walked to the edge of the forest far from everyone while Murtagh awkwardly stood and didn’t know where to go, so I huffed and nudged him forward with my snouth.

“Go on. They won’t bite.” I chided him and Murtagh snorted before he braved his nerves and sat on the furthest log from everyone. Ugh, this was going to be so awkward.

🥚

The rest of the day went by with Brom taking everyone aside one-by-one to fill them in on Murtagh, the whole time Murtagh was clearly upset that everyone knew so much about him, but he knew so little. So I took the time to fill him in on us in turn, at least in things that wouldn’t be considered too private. However, I expressly pointed out that Katrina and Roran were a couple and that if anyone came between them I would eat them, or at least break their legs.

Anyway, near dinnertime, everyone had been spoken to at length and Murtagh got his turn to speak to Brom. “You would let that son of a mass-murderer join us?” Arya asked me grimly.

“The sins of the father are not the sins of the son. Murtagh is his own pony and he despises his father with a seething hatred that is only second to Sombra.” I sternly told her and everyone nearby. That said, Eragon was rather shell-shocked and Roran was in a somewhat similar boat. Katrina was rubbing Roran’s shoulders to help him stay calm while Elric and Saphira were indifferent.

“Oi, I agree with the dragon. Don’t blame the kid for the parent’s sin, lady Velka would be cross with anywho you blame offspring for a parent's deeds.” Elric stated with a cold expression.

The way Saphira saw it, Murtagh’s worth was something he was responsible for, his parentage had little weight on that. Elric didn’t even care, he wasn’t a local and didn’t understand the social connotations having the surname Morzansson had. Aside from Arya, I think the group would be able to adjust quickly to Murtagh.

“Hm, true. I will wait to pass judgement.” Arya stated and returned to eating berries that she’d foraged. Oh, that’s right. I’ll need to ensure Roran and Eragon don’t fall into that naturalist vegan claptrap the Elks have. Everything dies eventually and the animals killed for food are performing an integral part of their existence in the Circle of Life. Thank you, Mufasa.

“Not like mass murders are unusual in the empire. They’re frowned upon, but they have their uses to Lady Death.” Elric stated as he took out a pipe and started smoking. “Mostly in places where life has outgrown the world’s ability to support their needs. In those cases we usually try to assemble a colony fleet to send to the frontier, but usually catastrophe, war and civil unrest handle our overpopulation issues.”

“You have such a large population that your lands can’t support you?” Arya questioned skeptically. Rats, sorry, Skaven, were not a local species to this world, so she could be forgiven not knowing Elric’s people spawn in massive multiples pregnancies with 21 day long gestations.

“Worlds, not lands.” Elric stated and the Elk furrowed her brow trying to comprehend it.

“You seem older than you look.” Arya warily observed and Elric shrugged.

“I’m 2,776 Standard Years old.” Elric’s casual response made Arya gasp and gape at him for the claim. “I’m Undead. I’m genuinely immortal, not just ageless like everyone else here save for Myrtle and Kat. Take it from me; Death sucks.” Elric huffed and took a deep draw of his pipe.

“There is no such thing as un-” Just as Arya was going to argue, Elric sighed and snapped his own neck with a vicious wrap-and-twist with one arm. “What?!” Further shock was suspended when his neck and vitality snapped back into place, as if he’d turned back time. “Th-that...you died! You were gone! W-what…?” Arya whimpered and backed away from the Undead, but thankfully scooted into Eragon, who blushed hotly at the otherworldly beauty pressing against him.

“A gift from my Matron and Lady Death for this mission. My Goddess is interested in why this realm is so different from all others.” Elric explained, avoiding why on-the-spot resurrection like he just demonstrated needed special dispensation.

“There are apparently no local deities, but other realms have them.” Saphira added in, clearly enjoying Arya’s immense discomfort at her worldview being shattered like glass so suddenly.

“Sister, do not torture the poor girl. She’s in a precarious place right now.” I chided Saphira and looked Arya in the eyes. “If you would open your mind to me. I have much to show you that would further destabilize the social indoctrination your people have unknowingly backed yourselves into. However, seeing as you’re on the verge of an existential crisis at the moment, I will wait to open your eyes further.”

Arya’s own dilemma was tossed aside for the moment when Murtagh stormed into the camp and patted Eragon and Roran on the shoulders. “Family. I can’t believe how good it feels to know I still have family. I hear I have an uncle up in Carvahall?” Murtagh immediately began grilling them for info and I settled in while Katrina moved to finish making dinner.

🥚

Yes! Yeah! Woot! “Sister, please stop fondling yourself.” Saphy muttered in embarrassment, having grown up enough in our time at Woadark Lake to more fully appreciate the naughty things. Like my E-cups! Yes! I finally have big boobs! I was content with Ds, but considering Saphira hasn’t gotten any bustier, but more mature in body along with me, I’m glad I’ve achieved what may be my end point for my anthro form.

“I finally have huge baps! You’re not taking this away from me!” I cheered happily as I jiggled my small watermelons in my hands, not even caring that I can’t lactate. These forms were meant to blend in and entice males even if we cannot crossbreed. Apparently male dragons were just as fixated on boobs as males from other species.

“Please cease your lewd display. We’re nearing Teirm and I will not have us arrested for something as moronic as public indecency.” Brom huffed and I pouted, leaving my tunic-stretching tits be. In fact, if Saphira and I weren’t different colors, you’d almost consider us twins! Is this just what all dragonesses look like when anthro? Shame I may never find out depending on how things go.

“So, you only have ponies here?” Asked Elric, who had transformed his species to be a unicorn like Brom. Another one of his fancy potions. “I wish you’d all have said something before. Thank goodness the villagers in Daret didn’t come out from behind their walls.” His golden-blond fur and black mohawk of a mane were eye-catching enough to be fair.

“To be fair, the majority of people in the empire may be ponies, but there are still zebras and wyverns scattered about, as well as visiting hippogriff and griffin traders from Surda in the major cities.” Arya said, the glamoured ‘mare’ having spent many years crossing the empire ferrying Saphira’s egg across the land made her the second-most worldly person here.

“There are Zebras?” Eragon questioned in his boundless curiosity.

“They are generally nomadic folks from the lands far to the east, further into the continent. A good number of them call the Hadarac Desert their home and share their homes with the Changeling clans of said wasteland.” Brom provided, but gestured for us to be quiet before we approached the gates of Teirm. “Good day, gentlecolts. We seek entry.”

“State your names and your business.” The bored guard in the red armor of the Empire to the right blandly ordered as he licked his quill and began writing on the paper clipped to a pressed wooden board.

“I am Scroll Scribe. I’ve come to Teirm with my nephews Ruslan and Eric. Accompanying us are Ruslan’s betrothed: Catarina, as well as our guards Pearl, Lapis, Ethan, Michael and Raya.” Brom promptly introduced us, pointing us out as he listed off our fake names. “As for our purposes, I have come here in search of an old friend and scholar to help me beat some knowledge into my dunderheaded nephews. Gods know I’ve tried my best, but I need better materials and someone who has done more than simply tutor.”

“Ah, no better calling than that of a scholar. I’ve taken your names and simple descriptions, just behave and you’ll find no quarter with us.” With a nod from the guard writing us in, the large southern gates of Teirm’s hundred-foot-high and thirty-foot-thick stone wall creaked open just enough for us to lead our bullboars into the city.

After we had our bullboars checked in at the local stable, Brom promptly led us through the cramped and stone-built city. If I remembered right, it was constructed this way and in a tiered fashion to make it impossible for pirates to raid again, or burn it down again.

However, unlike in canon, we’re not here to find out about Seither Oil. No, we were here to get a boat to Surda. Why risk hoofing it past Dras-Leona or Urû'baen, the heart of the Empire, when we could just skirt the coast on a ship? I knew that more than likely the ship would be attacked either by pirates or the Imperial Navy’s privateers, or even just the Imperial Navy outright, but in any order of magnitude, taking a ship was the wiser and arguably faster method.

In any case, Jeod Longshanks was still our man, since he was a merchant and had ships heading to Surda all the time.

“Now everyone, I don’t believe my friend will be able to put all of us up during our stay here. We’ll either be leaving as early as tomorrow, or waiting a month for a ship to return. Either way is faster than trying to hoof it to Surda or the Beors. Going in on foot is just asking for trouble.” Brom used the knocker on the rich dark wooden door of the fairly stately building he’d led us to.

Moments later, the door opened to reveal an elderly unicorn. He had a tan coat flecked the same silvery-gray as his mane and his tired brown eyes lit up with vitality upon seeing Brom. “You old nag! Ha! Get in here!” With a flick of his horn, our whole group was promptly levitated through the door. A scholar indeed!