3 Chapter 3

One day, while Brom and Eragon were training as usual, Eragon notices that Brom is not really focusing on the lesson. He starts to stare off into space with a vacant expression before walking over to a bottle of alcohol. Before he can take a swig, Eragon walks over and grabs the bottle from him. Brom looks at him angrily. 

"Give that back boy. I need it." 

Eragon shakes his head disapprovingly. "No, you don't. You always drink yourself into a stupor whenever you get that look. What are you trying to forget old man?" 

Brom's eyes narrow in anger. "Don't talk to me about things you don't understand boy. My life is my business." Brom reaches for the bottle. 

Eragon swiftly throws the bottle down, shattering it on the floor. Its contents stain the rug they're standing on. "NO… I deserve to know. You think I wouldn't find out? Do you think I'm stupid? I know that you're my father. I've known for over three months. I was hoping that by talking to you all this time you might open up to me by yourself. Instead I get a drunkard without the balls to acknowledge his own son." 

Brom reels back and falls to his knees. Shock and hopelessness readily apparent on his face. "You knew? How?" Tears start streaming down his face as he looks into the accusatory face of his son. 

"It wasn't very hard to find out. All I truly know is that my mother left me here with Garrow and disappeared. Then a few years later, you show up and start living in Carvahall. You say you make a living as a storyteller yet you know so much about the ancient language that I can accurately guess that you can use it as well. Someone with that kind of talent wouldn't stay in a middle of nowhere village like this without a very good reason. So tell me. Why did you abandon me? Why leave me without a father figure in my life yet stay so close to me?" 

Eragon kneels down in front of Brom. he takes his hands and holds them while looking straight into his eyes. Brom is a mess at this moment. Tears falling freely to the ground. Brom chokes on his shame, unable to answer. He struggles to get some semblance of control over his voice. It takes a few minutes for him to calm down enough to answer. 

"I just wanted to protect you. I'm a wanted man. Galbatorix will stop at nothing to get me if he finds out that I'm alive. If that happens, he will pry my knowledge of you straight from my head and capture you as well. I couldn't risk it. I didn't know that your mother was pregnant until I arrived in Carvahall over a year after her death. I thought that I didn't deserve you in my life. My shame stopped me from doing what I should have done from the start. Be there when you needed me… Will you forgive me?" 

Eragon leans forward and wraps Brom in a hug. "Of course I forgive you dad. I don't know what difficulties you have gone through, but I would still rather have you in my life than not. Just promise me you will tell me about your life when the time is right. I want to know about my mother. I want to hear about your adventures. I want you to be there for me when I need you. I want to impress you with my skills. I-i-i…"

Eragon runs out of breath, tears streaming down his face as well while the two continue to embrace each other. Brom hugs his son with a longing that he had buried in his heart and forgotten. 

The two kneel on the floor for what feels like hours before they calm themselves down sufficiently to have a normal conversation. 

Brom told Eragon about Selena, Eragon's mother, being an assassin that he was tasked with killing. He disguised himself as a gardener and got close to her. The two unintentionally fell in love. She became a spy for the Varden, giving them all the intel they needed to stage an attempt to steal something from Galbatorix. 

Eragon knows that they were trying to steal dragon eggs from his knowledge of the books. Brom tells him that the heist failed and that he faked his death after learning that Selena died. 

He went to Carvahall to hide but found Eragon left in the care of Selena's brother Garrow. He left Eragon in Garrow's care while he hunted down some of Galbatorix's most valued retainers. Eventually he was cornered by a large group. He killed them all by himself then faked his death so that he could move to Carvahall and keep an eye on him. 

The two continue to talk well into the night. Sharing stories and enjoying each other's company. The pang of loneliness in Eragon's heart fades as he finally has a family. His previous life as Sam had no blood relative ever contact or care about him in the slightest. 

Even if he is in a story where the only blood family he has is Brom, he plans to make the most of it. For himself, and for the former Eragon. The one that never got the chance to speak to his father while he was still alive. Of course, there is also Garrow and Roran, who he hopes to take with him if he is able on his journey to slay the mad king. Before that can happen, Eragon needs Saphira's egg. Without her, it's not likely he will be able to convince Brom or his family to leave Carvahall. 

With weary eyes and sore muscles, Brom and Eragon stand and look deeply into each other's eyes with longing and acceptance. 

Eragon promises Brom that he will return in a few days to continue where they left off. He gives his father one final hug before leaving towards his home in the pitch dark. Brom stays there in the doorway, seeing Eragon walk away even when most men would only see darkness. He turns to his side and sees another bottle of alcohol. He holds it in his hand for a moment before throwing it into the woods and closing the door. 

Eragon stumbles along the dark road to his home. He curses when he nearly trips on a small log. Wishing he had a torch or a lantern, Eragon thinks for a moment before reaching for his magic. 

"Gedwey Ven" (shining sight).

Eragon's eyes start to glow like a cat in the darkness. His vision instantly brightens as if it was day. No longer hindered by the darkness, he shortly arrives at his home, making sure to remove the spell before entering. As he walks into the dining room, he sees Garrow waiting there for him. Garrow sees him enter and is about to give him a harsh scolding when he sees the red rims of his eyes and the sadness within. 

"So he told you, did he?" 

Eragon walks forward and sits next to him. "I figured it out on my own months ago. When I saw him go towards another bottle I just snapped and told him I knew. We had a long chat and have reconciled, there is no bad blood between us, don't worry." 

Garrow smiles slightly before the mask of an angry uncle covers it once again. "Now just because you have your father back doesn't mean you can worry me like this again, you got that?" 

Eragon smiles brightly. "Of course not uncle. He might be my father but he still needs to make it up to me. you are the one who raised me and I still have that debt to pay." 

This time Garrow smiles openly and speaks in a chuckling tone. "And don't you forget it… now off to bed with you. I'm working you to the bone tomorrow." 

Eragon's smile fades as he imagines the backbreaking work he will have to do in only around four hours from now. He quickly runs up to his room and uses a spell to force himself to fall asleep the second he lays down.

…

Another month passes as Eragon continues his training at the hands of his father. Brom has been teaching Eragon the alphabet, so to speak, of the ancient language. Even with a month's tutorage, Eragon cannot get a full grasp of its intricacies. At most he can figure out specific words if he studies enough. 

It doesn't help that in his free time he studies enchanting objects by himself. After much trial and error, his stone sword can easily rival a rider's blade. The sapphire gem fuels a multitude of enchantments ranging from damage negation to size alteration. 

Speaking of enchantments, knowing that the Ra'zac would appear shortly after Saphira's egg arrives gives him plenty of time to create countermeasures for them. He created a ring out of wood with a small topaz gem on it with an enchantment that would nullify the Ra'zac paralytic breath. 

He also makes a few cylindrical pieces of wood with enchantments that are the equivalent of a flash grenade. The first time he tested one, he had spots in his eyes for an hour. 

The final bit of equipment he made was his own version of the belt of Beloth the wise. The ground around Carvahall and up in the Spine is littered with gems that Eragon gathered up. With his knowledge of molecular structures he fused some of the uncut gems and turned them into larger, flat crystals. He purchased some leather from Gedric to make a leather belt with the gems woven throughout, he then hid the belt and his sword near Carvahall so he could retrieve them when needed. 

… 

Knowing that the time for the egg to arrive is near, Eragon goes on a long hunt with the excuse that they need more food for winter. He travels into the farther reaches of the Spine and manages to snag another deer. 

As he is preparing the meat for travel, a loud cracking sound and a flash of light draws his attention towards a massive blue egg that just materialized out of nowhere. Walking up to the egg, Eragon grabs it and holds it close to his body. He spends the next few days going over his plans while heading back home. 

Having decided on a course of action, Eragon sneaks around Carvahall and arrives at Brom's shack. Making sure that he wasn't followed, he knocks before entering the house, shutting the door behind himself quickly. 

Brom was relaxing while reading a book when he notices Eragon sneaking up to the house with his enhanced senses. Curious about what could cause such behavior from his son, he closes the book and waits for him to enter. Once brom's eyes alight upon the dragon egg in Eragon's hands that he himself stole from Galbatorix all those years ago he nearly faints on the spot. While Brom's brain tries to process what he is seeing, Eragon rushes over to him. 

"Brom, look at this egg I found. I was hunting in the Spine when a loud crack sound and a flash of light startled me. Then, I saw this egg in a small crater… What's wrong? Why do you look so shocked?" Eragon laughs in his head at Brom's reaction, knowing exactly why he is so flustered. 

As this is going on, the egg in Eragon's hand starts to shake. They both watch as a small crack appears and slowly spreads around it. Brom is nearly catatonic at this point as too much is happening for his mind to handle while Eragon is very surprised because the egg wasn't supposed to hatch until after the traders left Carvahall which hasn't even happened yet. 

After waiting for a few seconds the egg cracks, a small hole opens up, and a small blue-scaled head pokes out. It tears its way through the rest of the shell and looks around curiously. Its eyes land on Eragon and it slowly waddles over to him. Eragon reaches out and touches the top of its head with his left hand. When he does so, a massive jolt of magic shoots into his hand, branding the Gedwey insignia onto his palm. His magic training makes his body resilient enough to avoid passing out from the pain. While this is happening, Brom is watching them while crying tears of joy. 

"Finally, a new rider is born." Brom thinks to himself as he slowly gets up from his chair and places his hand on Eragon's shoulder. 

"My son, there is so much I still have hidden from you. But know this, you are the first dragon rider born in over a century. While there is much joy to be had, we cannot overlook the fact that Galbatorix will stop at nothing to acquire you and your dragon. We now have no choice but to leave Carvahall while I train you in the ways of the riders. For I was once a rider as well. My stories will have to wait however… Please, name your dragon and spend time with them while I prepare for our departure."

Brom leaves without Eragon even getting a word in. As he walks through Carvahall with a pep in his step and a large smile on his face, the townsfolk that see him are quite shocked by his demeanor. Everyone in town thinks he is just an old storyteller and a drunkard, they have never seen him so happy and full of life. By the end of the day word gets around that something incredible must have happened to him to fill such an old man with joy.