Belatona came into sight a couple days later. Growing up on the farm, Eragon was still not used to the hustle and layout of big cities. Belatona was not as disorganized as Dras-Leona, but the large city was still hectic.

'So many cities', Leora complains walking up next to him on the hill over looking the city and camp below.

Eragon laughs then places his hand on her side. He then turns his gaze to the Varden below, working on setting up camp. He spotted Saphira immediately, helping to dig large ditches with single swipes of her claws. Next his eyes catch on the large red pavilion of Nasuada. The Varden had become very fluent in setting up camp quickly, so it was no surprise that they were almost done.

'Aye, we have a ways to go, but in the end it should be worth it.'

'Should?', Leora questions as she turns her head towards him, 'do you doubt your abilities Vaka?'

'Vaka?', Eragon says back.

'It is an ancient word, like véurr, except it means my charges, or one I watch over. But that's beside the point, answer my question.'

He sighs, frustrated with this question, then responds, 'Of course I doubt myself. Galbatorix is the most powerful being in the land. He took down all of the riders, how am I to be expected to defeat him when I am just one man?'

Leora stares deeply at him, her silver eyes penetrating his, before responding, 'You are not just one man Vaka. You are special, your wryd says so. Why else would Saphira hatch for you? Why would I be sent to you? Eragon, you have the power to end this war.'

Eragon rolls his eyes, then says out loud, "That still doesn't explain how I'm supposed to do it. Everyone expects so much of me when I don't know what I'm doing myself! I'm not a leader."

'And that's why we are here. You are not alone in this, so do not try to bear the burden by yourself.'

'But as each city goes by, we get closer and closer to the mad king', Eragon says leaning into her leg.

'That's true, but for now, enjoy what we have now. Savor every sunset, every laugh, every breath', she responds nudging his arm with her snout.

He shrugs in response, but says no more as the two continue to observe the movement of the camp down below them. It was still mid-day and Eragon knew he should probably get back to helping with whatever the Varden needed, but for now he enjoyed the fresh air away from the problematic camp. It wasn't long before Nasuada sought him out though, through means of Saphira.

'Little One, Nasuada is looking for you. She wants you to meet her at her tent.'

'Right now?', he replies stretching his back from sitting so long.

'Yes', Saphira replies before taking flight from where she was working on the ditches and angling towards him and Leora.

Eragon reaches out to Leora and says, 'Nasuada needs me, would you like to come with?'

She ponders it for a moment before replying, 'I might show up a little later, but for now I will stay here.'

Saphira lands next to them and crouches down to the ground so Eragon can scale up her to reach the saddle on her back. Nodding Eragon turns away from Leora and runs his way up the side of Saphira. It was crazy how large she had become. There was a time when he could just jump and end up on her back. Now she was easily the size of a house.

The trip to Nasuada's pavilion was short and it didn't take long for Eragon to slip back off of Saphira and stride into Nasuada's tent.

As he brushed his way in, he noticed that only two other people were in the tent, Nasuada and Jörmundor. Eragon smiled to himself slightly, glad to not be the last one to show up for once.

Nasuada smiles at him, then says, "Come, sit down Eragon. We are only waiting on Arya, Orik, and Orrin now."

"If you don't mind me asking, why have you called us here today M' Lady?", Eragon asks, taking a seat on one of the only chairs.

"Can't I not just invite you here to enjoy your company?", she says with a teasing smile.

"Well of course Nasuada", he teases back, "but if that's true then I do not know why you invited Orrin."

Nasuada let's a small laugh escape her mouth, which she covers with her hand. Even Jörmundor chuckles. But all laughter ceases as the flap of the pavilion swings open and in struts Orrin himself, the smell of alcohol trailing behind him. Orik follows, stroking his beard intently with his eyebrows furrowed. He was obviously lost deep in thought as he goes and stands next to Eragon. Arya had yet to arrive.

It was a few minutes later when she finally walks in, flipping her raven black hair over her shoulder. Like always, Eragon was entranced by her grace and beauty, even though she continually denied his advances. She says nothing as she stalks over to stand in the corner of the tent, always taking herself out of the spotlight to listen first.

"So", Orrin says pressing his fingers together, "what have you called us together for Nasuada?"

Nasuada shifts in her chair before responding, "Once again we are faced with the matter of planning the siege on an Empire town. We will not be faced with another tragedy, and perhaps we should not over think it this time around."

Nasuada stands and walks behind her chair, then continues, "I believe, if he does not object, that we should have Eragon lead the front from Saphira and Leora's side. We will break down the doors and storm the city to look for the governor of the city, Lord Bradburn. Once we have him, most resistance should die off, and anyone who still resists will be quelled. Does this sound appropriate?"

Saphira pushes her head through the flap at the back of the tent, which is now barely big enough to accompany her large size, before saying to Eragon, 'I think her plan will work, I approve.'

'It's not exactly a plan', Eragon teases back, 'but, yes, I think the simplicity of it will work also.'

He turns to Nasuada and says, "Saphira and I have no objections with this idea. We will lead the front."

She smiles and nods once, then continues, "our biggest challenge will be to break down the doors. We will have no troubles from Murtagh and Thorn, for our sources tell us they are in Uru'baen. Once we infiltrate the city, we will fight our way to Lord Bradburn and take the city as our own. If this is agreeable, then we will strike right before dawn."

Everyone in the room agrees with this ideas before going into details. Eragon leans back, slipping his hands behind his head. He always seemed to zone out at these points. Eragon was never one to strategize a plan, he usually just listened to them and went along with what was laid out, unless the plan was unbelievably terrible.

It wasn't until Nasuada dismissed them that he came back to his senses. Eragon said his farewells and pushed his way out of the tent back into the waning light. The sun still sat in the sky but only just, it would set within a few hours. Eragon sighed and glanced around. He would have to go back to his tent and make sure his mail and greaves were all together, not to mention his helm and braces. He would rather make sure everything was all in place now so he could get some rest before the battle.

Eragon trudges his way back to his tent to organize his stuff and prepare himself for battle tomorrow. He would probably meditate for a while before slipping off into his waking dreams. The whole camp was a buzz of activity as men prepared to march into battle. Women bustled around after them to make sure something was tight enough or a helm was straight. Eragon chuckled to himself and continued on until he pulled back the flap to his tent and entered. But. He was surprised to see he wasn't alone.

"Hello Arya", he says shocked by her presence.

She smiles slightly and replies, "Eragon."

"To what do I owe the pleasure?", Eragon stutters out.

She shrugs and says, "I had no where else to be. Thought you wouldn't mind the company."

Eragon could feel his face starting to heat up as he responds, "No, I don't mind at all. I just have to prepare my things for the siege tomorrow."

Arya glances to her right and he follows her gaze to see all his things all ready laid out and oiled. He looks back at Arya in shock as she sits there smiling.

"You truly are slow when heading back here. I did that while I waited for you."

"Thank you Arya", he says striding to his cot and sitting down. She shrugs again from the log in the corner of his tent.

"It honestly was nothing, it's not like I saved you life", she says, her voice less reserved than usual.

"Like you haven't done that before", Eragon mumbles looking into her eyes. She turn away, a lock of her hair falling across her angled face. Instantly knowing he had been too forward, he scrambles for something else to say. He didn't want her to leave yet, for he truly did enjoy her company.

"Will you be fighting on the front line with us tomorrow?", Eragon asks, lost for a subject.

Arya turns and looks at him again, her eyes focusing on his. He feels his face flush once again as she answers, "If you would like me to, then I would not want to be anywhere else."

"I would. And so would Saphira I'm sure."

She smiles slightly, before saying, "well then it is settled."

Arya then stands and heads towards the entrance. Just before exiting, she turns back to Eragon and says, "I will see you tomorrow, try to get some rest." And with that she is gone.

The tent seems lonelier as the flap shuts behind her, leaving Eragon sitting on his cot completely confused with the whole situation. Arya seemed different as she sat here and talked to him. Less shut away and more open to him. Eragon's heart starts to beat even faster as he thought of her beautiful eyes staring into his.

Running his hand through his ragged hair, Eragon brings his legs up onto the cot and crosses them. He could get in a few solid hours of meditation, then he could rest until the siege.

Taking a deep breath, he allows his mind the reach out to every living thing around him. From the people to the bugs, dragons to plants. Every living creature he came in contact with pulsed with energy. Cringing slightly as he feels several lives extinguished, Eragon tries not to focus on the Varden's butcher, or the insects being crushed under the tramping feet of soldiers.

There is much death here Eragon thinks to himself as a young cow is murdered for the meat on her bones.

Nonetheless, he continues with his meditation, determined to let his mind relax before a large battle. He pushed the thought of death out of his mind as he focused on nothing, and instead everything. With each breath of wind through the trees, with each exhale of children laying down in there cots for bed, Eragon could feel himself drifting to a peaceful place. And, when he could sense everyone slipping off to sleep, he finally pulls himself out of his stupor and comes back to his own body, his mind breaking away from everything around him.

With a sigh, he stretches his legs and reaches out to Saphira to discover her already fast asleep. It was getting late, preparations for tomorrow had already been made, and all that was left now was to rest for the siege of Belatona.

Removing his tunic, Eragon lies down on his cot and drifts into his waking dreams before his thoughts could prevent him from relaxing

~*~

Eragon wakes at the slightest touch of Saphira's mind, having been on edge all night.

'It is time Little One', she says simply, molding her mind with his.

He grunts in affirmative, tossing his blanket off of him and swinging his legs over the edge. His rest all last night seemed choppy now that he had to physically get up. But, there was nothing he could do about it now, he would wake up when the battle started.

Now, all Eragon had to do was put on all of his things, slipping on his greaves and braces, placing the helm over his head, the one with the sign of Dûrgrimst Ingeitum, and finally slipping his well oiled chain mail over his head. The weight of all his equipment was put much pressure on his sore limbs as he finally strode out of his tent into the still dark camp outside.

But, the darkness did not suppress the action of the people within the camp. Soldiers were filing into position by different gates, or pushing war machines. Children clung to their fathers in desperate farewells as mothers pulled them off while also trying to get there word in to the men, for it may be the last time.

Eragon looks to the east, where the sun would soon be peaking up, no matter how dark it was there now. He could sense morning approaching by focusing on the trees and the way they turned towards the light. The sun would show itself soon. Perhaps too soon.

The loud tremors in the ground announce Saphira's approach as the large dragon makes her way towards him. She nudges him with her snout, careful to not push him over. Eragon quickly climbs up to her saddle high above, despite the extra weight of his armor.

'I sense a storm', Saphira says once he is all strapped into the worn leather.

Eragon pushes his mind out to the plants around the camp and senses on how their leaves flipped, exposing their pores to soak up water once the downpour did arrive. He knew she was right but still did not physically reply. His mind was now on something larger than storms.

Focusing on the front of the mass of bodies, Saphira takes off into the air, angling herself for their leading spot in the approaching battle. Leora already sat waiting at the front line, crouching low to the ground but standing up as Eragon and Saphira approached. Saphira's body causes the ground to shake as she lands and Eragon shifts himself in the saddle and stares at Leora. Or rather, Leora's back, where a familiar figure sat in her newly made saddle.

Eragon smiles and calls over to her, "Hello Arya!"

Arya looks perfectly at home in the saddle of the dragon as she raises her hand in greeting. It made him more at peace seeing her in the protection of the large dragon. Eragon knew she could take care of herself well enough, but this still made him feel a little better going into battle.

'She looks like a rider', Eragon remarks to Saphira.

'Indeed she does', Saphira says turning her gaze to the pair.

Suddenly, a whisper seems to pass through the crowd as slowly the Varden starts to inch forward. It was time to march into battle and they knew it. Eragon was only waiting for the message from Nasuada now to lead their way towards the massive city.

It came as a gentle touch. Trianna's mind brushes against his and he quickly lets her in. As he suspected, Nasuada had told the sorceress to inform him that it was time to move forward. Eragon obliges and once the young sorceress has withdrawn, he quickly shuts his mind to all but Saphira once more.

Saphira takes the first step forward, her claws muffled to keep the town of Belatona blissfully ignorant for as long as possible. As soon as her large body starts to move, the rest of the Varden follows, weapons quieted by rags and other muffling items. The mass of people shuffle closer and closer to the large town, keeping as quiet as possible.

It wasn't until they were over half way to the city that the alarm trumpets sounded, alerting the city to the approaching army. Quickly stripping away their rags to muffle their sounds, the Varden charges forward at full speed. Saphira takes large leaps and ends up pulling father ahead of the Varden and making it to the wall almost a whole minute before the rest arrived. Leora was the first to make it to them, tipping her head up to look at the pale faces of empire soldiers looking at the two large beasts.

'Eragon, we need a way in there, and fast', Saphira says motioning upward to the large tubs of oil the Empire was preparing to drop on the fast approaching Varden.

His mind kicked into motion, pushing out all thoughts of worry in his frantic desire to find a plan. Risking his exposed mind, Eragon reaches out towards the wall, and feels every stone and flaw in the wall before him, searching for anything to help bring it down. Something for him and Saphira to break into. And finally he finds it.

Visible as just a crack on the outside, the inside of the wall had a deep fissure that could be cracked wider, if Saphira could slip a claw inside. He quickly points it out to her, and not sparing a second, she leaps over towards the chink in the wall.

The crack was about the width of Eragon's hand, and Saphira started to attack it in a frenzy of slashes. Each scrape of her claw across the stone caused Eragon to grit his teeth in agony. But soon it started to grow, and by time the Varden reached them, it had grown to the width of a mans shoulders. But, time was running short. Arrows had begun to rain down from above and the oil was just about ready.

'Saphira! We must hurry!', Eragon shouts in desperation.

With a large growl, Saphira gives a mighty heave and a deep tremble can be heard throughout the city. A loud scraping noise followed as stone rubbed against stone and the wall began to shift. Saphira pushes her whole body weight into the wall as it comes cascading down into the courtyard below. With a few mighty leaps, Saphira is atop the mound of stone and Eragon slides of her back, drawing Brisingr out of its sheath as he does so. Soldiers start to surround the mound of stone the Varden frantically scrambles up.

Saphira let's loose a mighty roar that causes all the soldiers in front of her to tremble as Eragon hefts his sword, it's blue color shining even in the dark sky, and shouts to the troops, "with me!"

"For the Varden!", he calls out as the battle truly begins.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

AN: HEY GUYS, NOT MUCH TO SAY BOUT THIS CHAPTER :) I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU :D

DO YOU GUYS "SHIP" Eragon and Arya? IF YOU DO, TELL ME WHY; IF YOU DONT, TELL ME WHY! IM CURIOUS OF YOUR GUYS OPINIONS OF THE TWO <3 PRETTY PLEASE....

READ/COMMENT/VOTE

THANKA YOUUU

~Bert