A Wandering Soul

As it turned out, I didn't need much help figuring out what I had forgotten about during my healing fugue. The entire Varden was talking about it and by extension making me feel like an absolute idiot for forgetting.

Ajihad had been killed on his way back from dealing with the Urgal remnants and Murtagh and the Twins had been 'taken', presumed dead.

To make things worse, I wasn't sure that given the chance to go back in time for a do-over I wouldn't choose to stay in the medical tents anyway. As important as Ajihad was to the Varden, I don't know if I could live with myself ignoring hundreds of warriors dying right in front of me to save one person. No matter how important that one person was to the group.

I didn't have too long to regret my actions though. Because the death of the leader of the Varden didn't mean much when there was still so much to do. If anything it added to the mountain of things that needed handling. But I resolved to stay out of the politics of the upper level of the Varden. It was bad enough that I had now cemented my accidental leadership over the healers, I didn't want to add more headaches if I could help it.

Which is why I was incredibly annoyed when a young boy ran up to me with a message saying the Council of Elders were waiting to meet with me.

"And when were they expecting this meeting?" I asked sourly.

I had things to do, and talking in circles with politicians was not on that list for today.

"Im-immediately Lady Lightbringer." the boy stammered, referring to me by the title I picked up after the battle. From the conversations I heard in passing most of the Varden were trying to figure out if my actions on the battlefield were more impressive than Eragon killing a Shade with no winner in sight.

I sighed. "I don't suppose they will leave me alone if I tell them to reschedule?"

The boy went pale.

"Er -- well… they are already waiting with Eragon Shadeslayer…" he trailed off.

So it was going to be like that, huh?

Fine.

I hadn't played politics nicely with Ajihad for the little time I had known him. I certainly wasn't going to play any nicer with this Council. Might as well teach them early.

"Alright, take me to them."

-o-

The council had gathered in a circular meeting room that was big enough to accommodate Saphira and still have room for a round marble table in the middle. I took a quick glance around as I walked through the door. Of the six humans in the room, I only recognised Jörmundur and Eragon.

"Alexandria, thank you for joining us. I know you are incredibly busy at the moment." Jörmundur said from his seat once I had taken my own.

"Most of the life-threatening cases are dealt with by now. I can stay away from the medical tents for a while with no issue." I replied, truthfully even.

He nodded and introduced me to the rest of the council. Umérth and Falberd, the two other men at the table and Sabrae and Elessari, two women. All of whom greeted me in turn.

"I assume this meeting is for something other than simply introducing us all since Eragon was brought here before me?" I asked once all that was over. The council stiffened while Eragon's mouth narrowed into a fine line.

The council obviously got him to agree to something and he wasn't thrilled about it and now they were attempting to get me to do the same.

"You're right," Jörmundur nodded in my direction, "with Ajihad's death the Varden is facing a crisis that must be solved quickly; his successor as leader of the Varden. We have already decided who to support and Eragon has agreed." A sudden snort from Saphira let me know 'agreed' was a strong word for it. "The Varden can't withstand infighting over its leadership right now. Which is why we need your word of honor that, agree or disagree, nothing we say will leave this room."

"I assume they asked you the same thing?" I asked Eragon.

"Aye."

I raised an eyebrow at the curt reply but didn't comment on it.

"Very well, you have my word I will say nothing."

"Excellent!" one of the other male council members exclaimed. "As we explained to Eragon here," he waved at the Rider in question, "we plan on asking Nasuada to take on the role -- not that we doubt she will accept -- and for both you and Eragon, as the heroes of the last battle, to be present when we make the announcement and swear fealty to the Varden."

Ah, so that was their game.

They wanted to get control of both me and Eragon at this ceremony and had already gotten the Rider's word. Now they were trying to pressure me into giving the same because he had.

"I don't mind attending the appointment." I said easily.

"And your word that you will swear fealty?" one of the women asked immediately. Apparently Eragon had also tried to omit that promise and got called out on it.

Welp, only one answer to that question.

"Of course I won't be swearing fealty."

"Good, then the only thing that remains...what?"

Everyone in the room - even Saphira - looked at me in shock after I blatantly refused.

"Did you all forget I refused Ajihad when he demanded things of me?" I said a touch mockingly to the group. "I worked with him due to the emergency but I am not part of the Varden and I have no plans to become part of it."

"You can't do that! The Varden would be disgraced if one of their heroes failed to support them!" another of the council cried.

I shrugged.

"Not my problem. I won't speak against Nasuada's appointment like you asked, but I have no need to devote myself to the Varden or the desire to do so."

"That may be for now, but without joining us we cannot justify supporting you as we have in the past." One of the women threatened.

I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. Them supporting me? I doubted most of them knew I existed until after the battle finished.

"That's fine. I'm sure the Du Vrangr Gata and the other healers will understand when I am forced to stop teaching them, I wouldn't be able to handle the costs myself after all."

I smiled as every council member stiffened. They tried coercing me by saying they wouldn't stop any hidden threats or slights from affecting me and would even try restricting what materials I had access to, I responded by threatening to piss off the majority of their healers. There was a very good reason people didn't piss off healers even when they were as bad as the Varden's before I started fixing their training.

"I'm sure we can discuss this another time." Jörmundur tried to ease the tension in the room. "What is important is Nasuada accepting the role."

He called for a messenger boy, a different one than the one that called me, and sent him scurrying off to find both Nasuada and Arya since she was currently the only representation of the elves.

The council started muttering amongst themselves while Eragon looked like he was deep in thought but I did want to talk to the young Rider and now was a pretty good opportunity.

So ignoring that he might want to think on his own - and from what I knew about him, that was dangerous enough to discourage anyways - I wandered over and sat down next to him.

"You seem concerned." I commented, keeping my voice low enough that it didn't travel to the others.

"Just thinking things through. It seems this isn't a situation that favors hasty responses." he replied. "Although I did want to thank you. I heard from Angela that you assisted in healing us after the battle."

"Don't worry about it." I waved his thanks off. "It was my job at the time and we didn't exactly finish the job."

"Is there-"

"Not at the moment." I cut him off before he started getting hopeful. "It may not seem like it but I'm recovering myself. I can't even attempt some things until I heal and that requires time. But that's for later, I assume you got suckered into promising to give your word on the fealty thing?"

Eragon's expression soured.

"Yes. Would it have been better to just refuse like you? And is there a way to get out of it?"

I waggled my hand back and forth.

"Eh, it depends on how you look at it. I don't really care if the council gets upset with me because I'm only staying until I accomplish a goal. Once that is over I will probably leave the Varden immediately. It also doesn't hurt that I somehow managed to become the leader of the local healers so I have my own way of making life difficult if I wanted. You, on the other hand, don't have your own followers and seem to want to work closely with the Varden so you can't just dismiss their opinions and even if you slipped this attempt, they would try to bind you tighter to their organization at some point.

As for getting out of it? Several ways depending on how sincere you want to be about it. You could simply deny giving your word in the first place. The council will be pissed but it will be your word against theirs."

Eragon frowned. "I gave my word." Clearly he wasn't a fan of that option.

"It's just an option," I shrugged. "Besides, if they make an announcement at you refute it, it could lead to infighting.

Another method would be to make such a vague or halfhearted oath that it is essentially worthless besides showing your support."

Eragon's eyes flicked over to Saphira then back to me. The two were obviously communicating through their bond. "That doesn't sound terrible...what is the downside?"

"Morale would probably take a hit when someone takes offence to anything less than a full oath. And I'm sure others would use that opportunity to try and strip some power away from the Council and Nasuada for themselves."

"...oh."

"That's what comes to mind immediately, and it's likely people will try to gain a little more power for themselves no matter what you do; it's just how a power transition to a new leader is."

Eragon said nothing for a while, no doubt still talking things over with his dragon.

"So no matter what things won't be the same then?" He asked eventually, reinforcing how little practical experience he had with political situations.

"Nope. But that's normal. Even if Ajihad survived, something like this would have happened eventually. It's what happens when a new power or group meets another." Like me, I didn't say. "But no matter what you end up doing, let me give you both some advice." I said, making them realise I wasn't ignoring Saphira's contribution to his decision. "Always define the end condition for your oath. If you swear wholeheartedly to the Varden or even just one person; your oath ends when Galbatorix is overthrown. If you just pledge to support them; your oath ends when a new leader is chosen. For some other third thing; your oath ends at some point." I stressed that last point.

"Why is it so important to make sure my oath ends? That isn't how swearing fealty is done!" Eragon protested, straining to keep his voice down.

"Because you are the unofficial leader of the Dragon Rider's even if there is only one of you." and his eyes widened. "Any Riders that come after you, if they want the same training, will likely wind up swearing to you and that can be dangerous if your loyalty is already held hostage."

"The Varden can't be worse than the king." He argued.

"And for now they might not be." I shrugged. "Even in the future they might not be...but remember, one of the gifts of being bound to a dragon is a long lifespan. Just because you agree with someone now, that doesn't mean you will years later. So have an escape clause…"

I paused.

"Maybe ask Arya for assistance on the wording. Rumor has it Elves are notorious for vague promises that mean nothing in actuality."

I wasn't sure how true that was in this universe. It was a stereotype among long lived races for a reason though and Eragon needed all the help he could get.

Our conversation had to end there though, as Nasuada and Arya both entered the meeting room…

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