100
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298 AC
Summer Isles - The Cove
Eragon Targaryen
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"Are you awake?" I ask feeling Visenya begin to shift around and she nods with her soft hair tickling my chest. I kiss the top of her head before slipping out from beneath her, a mouth dry as sand calls for me to find water.
I slip on some clothes and open the door feeling my eyes adjust to the light I blink them faster. It seems the girls took the dragons out as I look around and don't spot anyone or any of the dragons. I shrug and walk toward a table that has a basin of water and dunk my head in it fully waking myself.
I shake my head off and wipe the rest of the water off my face before grabbing a clean pitcher and pour some water into a cup. Downing the cup in one go I start to feel rejuvenated and I only need to find some food to be at my best.
I spot Visenya making her way out of the house, thankfully she put some clothes on. I make my way over to her when I see her grimace while leaning against the doorway.
"Are you sure you should be moving if it still hurts?" I ask as I approach her and offer my arm for support.
"I will be fine, I need to walk a bit anyway." I nod as she wraps her arms around my offered arm and I help her toward the table we usually all eat at.
I help her into a seat and she adjusts herself until she is comfortable as I sit in the spot next to her. she keeps her fingers laced with my left hand as we sit at the table. I lean forward and grab a cup and set it Infront of her before leaning again to grab the handle of a pitcher.
I pour some for her and thankfully see water as I wasn't entirely sure what was going to be in it.
"Thank you." She squeezes my hand and I nod as I gently squeeze back.
"You're welcome." I look off toward the entrance of the cave as she drinks and spot some guards on a wooden platform at the opening of the cave.
It was built in the middle of the entrance and it usually has ten or so people guarding it. Others walk around on foot around the entrance and there are even more along the ridge going around the cove.
The limited view of the beach from here shows me it is crowded today and I wonder what could be going on down there as I lean back into my seat.
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298 AC
Summer Isles - The Cove
Nata
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This location is not bad at all, it's on one of the uninhabited islands or at least that's what people think. This is most certainly not 'uninhabited' at this point as they have started a settlement inside of this cove.
There are very few ways to access this cove and they have them all guarded and from what I can see the ridge surrounding the cove is manned.
There will be one thousand combatants here before the end of the moon and that's the force Eragon wants to use against the pirates. If they joined with the force I am with then it is a won battle, the pirates wouldn't stand a chance.
A few chiefs and chiefesses came with me to discuss their help and 'payment' as they aren't stupid and know that these people are here for something. This will be the best time to get them to agree to support the taking of Ebonhead. They might be a bit scared of the whole 'foreign' aspect of this but they also are pissed at the Summer prince for refusing to help.
With the way they currently feel so long as Eragon comes off as a nice guy, they will like him much more than they like Summer prince Xenioa. With me adding a 'native' side to things then they will feel even better and it will come down to fighting for Ebonhead itself.
But that will come when we have dealt with the pirates and right now these chiefs and chieftesses need to be convinced to accept the assistance even if it's what's best for them.
We are lowered down to the water on an oar boat to make it to the shore when I spot some silver-gold hair in the distance. I smile seeing multiple heads of the stuff shining in the sun, I can't see their faces from here but I know it's my friends.
But my eyes widen even more when I see some kind of animal flying around.
"What the hell is that?" I hear chief Zanuo ask as he stands up in the oar boat causing it to rock.
"Sit down you fool." Chief Yunero hisses and slaps the man's leg causing him to drop back down and sit.
"You said these people we are coming to meet are Targaryens?" Chieftess Sanina asks me and I turn to look at her and nod.
"They are, I have known them for quite a long time now." Sanina points with her chin toward the shore and her eyes narrow looking at the flying creatures.
"Those wouldn't happen to be dragons then, would they?" My mind spins as I look once more and I recall everything I can about them, being friends with Targaryens means you hear quite a few stories about dragons.
Slowly I start to nod as I am beginning to see them better as we get closer and it does seem to have some resemblance to the stories I was told.
I hear a laugh and look over at the other oar boat off to our side and see Tyene Sand laughing at our reaction. I shake my head and compose myself as I look back toward the shore where I can slowly start to make out the faces of my friends.
I was expecting a long drawn-out talk but I am starting to think it will be longer than I guessed.
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298 AC
Summer Isles - The Cove
Visenya Targaryen
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"Thank fuck, my stomach was about to revolt." Ashara came back a few minutes ago with some servants and she got them working on making us a quick meal.
"What's happening outside?" Eragon asks and I follow his gaze out onto the beach and see some oar boats making their way to the shore.
"The Sand snakes are back, they should have succeeded if they returned so quickly." Eragon wraps an arm around Ashara and pulls her into his lap and lays his head against her.
"That's good, I look forward to seeing my friend then." He picks his head up and kisses Ashara before letting her go and she shakes her head and walks away.
"What is Nata like?" I ask Eragon and he turns toward me and his eyes trail down my body as I relax in my seat.
I feel my body heat up once again under his gaze but I try not to show anything on the surface. He finally makes eye contact after what felt like a year and smiles.
"Nata is fun to be around, she isn't scared off from things easily and has never broken a promise to me. She is easy to befriend and I see you warming up to her pretty quickly, she can also help with your Summer tongue. You can get your point across with your current ability with the tongue but it can still be improved." I nod and lace my fingers with his once more as I watch the oar boats make it onto the shore.
It's hard to see from here but I think I can spot her, her dark skin contrasting with bright white hair is very noticeable in the light.
"Pretty hair color." He also looks out and nods as we watch the dragons circle and land on the beach around the 'guests'.
"I wonder what they are thinking as they see the dragons for the first time?" Probably pretty freaked out, people normally associate dragons with burning fields and death.
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298 AC
Summer Isles - The Cove
Nata
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"Nata!" Rhaenyra wraps me in a hug and I feel my eyes sting a little as I wrap my arms around her as well.
"Hello, Rhaenyra." She looks into my eyes with obvious excitement before she points at a yellow 'dragon' that landed in the sand.
"That is Syrax and she is my bond, you wouldn't believe how small she was when she first showed up compared to now." I can't help but smile seeing her excitement, it's like those times she would get something new she wanted to show to her 'friend'.
Rhaenyra always seemed to enjoy having a friend she could show stuff to and talk about stuff with. She had her family but I guess she enjoyed something different as well and I am honestly happy she isn't reacting differently, it would be sad if she didn't act this way.
"Syrax is 'her' name?" She nods and Daenerys sighs on the side and shakes her head.
"I think you started off too fast Rhaenyra." Daenerys small smile though tells a different story from her words.
I walk over to her and also wrap her in a hug as more of the small dragons land and begin to approach slowly.
"I am glad to see you, I half expected Eragon to leave you, girls, behind somewhere 'safe'." Shiera hugs me from the side as Daenerys scoffs.
"He wouldn't survive abandoning me again." What does she mean by 'again'?
"We should take this 'inside' where it is cooler and we can have some drinks. I am sure you and the ones who accompanied you would like to rest in the shade and have something to drink while we talk." Shiera steps back and addresses the chiefs and most of them nod while taking glances at the dragons who seem to have lost interest and are doing other things now.
"I think that would be for the best." I look around and still don't spot Eragon, my brows scrunch and I turn to Daenerys. "Is Eragon not here?" She points toward the cave and I nod seeing different wooden platforms and stairs built inside of it.
I guess he is inside there.
I look back at the chiefs and see them nodding and we soon follow after the girls as they lead us to the cave.
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Walking up onto a stone platform in the back half of the cave I feel the temperature drop a bit and enjoy the cool feeling. I now know why Shiera was eager to get in here since it is so comfortable inside.
Tables and chairs with small fires to the side and people cooking greet me as I look around. Small wooden houses are built against the wall and I spot a massive hole in the smooth wall that looks like it was melted.
It looks like liquid stone melted down the wall and pooled at the bottom into a small heap and I peek at the dragons who came inside and are making their way around. I would assume they are the cause of that and that means they can already breathe flames that are said to melt armies when they are large enough.
My eyes land on a man leaning in a chair looking at me with a small smile on his face. His hand is being held by a woman I have never seen but I don't focus on that as I walk over to get closer to him. His smile spreads wider as he kisses the hand of the woman and lets go of it to rise from his seat.
He walks toward me as I walk toward him and his arms open as we get close and he pulls me into a familiar hug. His smell fills my nose and his hands rest on my lower back as I squeeze him with my arms.
I didn't know if I would ever get to do this again, but I am glad I can.