Nephis raised her hood as they reached the throng of fellow travelers that crowded the entrance of Tronjheim. The long, wide line sported a myriad of people, all anxious to get into the city.
Some pushed hand carts laden with a variety of goods, from bundles of silk rugs to a towering stack of smelly mushrooms that left in its wake a trail of tumbling spares that were quickly trodden underfoot by the tightly packed crowd.
How many the cart must have held at the start of its journey to the city gates, Nephis could only guess.
Others rode in wagons, like herself, typically merchants or families. A scarce few were lone riders. They typically sat atop horses, or in a dwarves case, donkeys or ponies.
Their were also couriers bearing boxes of letters, bringing news from beyond Farthen Dûr from dwarven cities scattered across the Beor Mountains, connected by miles of tunnels underneath the towering mountain range. Many more would arrive from tunnels that connected directly underneath the city.
All had business in the the great city of Tronjeim, and they waited impatiently to be allowed access.
The giant timber gate sat recessed twenty yards into the marble city's outer shell. It was guarded by a pair of majestic, golden griffins that flanked both sides of the recession. The sentinels were at least 15 yards tall, with startling detail in their craft. Their noble eyes and sharp beaks gave them a wise gaze.
Nephis waited with a building sense of suspense as the line of people slowly entered the dwarven city.
She was beginning to grow anxious about the meeting. Politicking had always been Cassie's strong suit- she would have made arriving in Alagaësia a much smoother transition.
At least Arya would be there, even if she was technically on Ajihad's 'side.'
Finally, after more than a half hour of waiting, they reached the front of the line. A battalion of dwarven soldiers stoically guarded the timber gate in rows on the sides of the doors, each sporting thick iron armor similar to Barne's, only lacking the seven stars across their breastplates, and wielding halberds taller than Nephis. As they passes the first several rows of guardsmen, several dwarves stepped behind their group and crossed their halberds together, pressing back the anxious crowd.
Their were several dwarves that were responsible for checking the lines of travelers into the city. They themselves did not wear the bulky iron armor of the battalion beside them, but rather thick leather padding and hoods. They carried thick, leather bound books for documentation, with eagle feather quills. They were mages.
Nephis waited as they began to inspect the different travelers in their group, eyeing the serious looking dwarf that approached her side of the wagon,
"State your business in the city."
He said gruffly, inspecting Nephis and Borne briefly, his eyes drifting to the back of the covered wagon as he raised a hand in preparation to call for the search group waiting behind him- standard procedure for vehicles.
Before he could say anything else, Nephis tossed down a silver medallion in the shape of a miniature shield that she had retrieved a few moments beforehand. The dwarf deftly snatched it out of the air, his bushy eyebrows rising, before he squinted at it. He turned it over to the front side, light catching the seven stars embossed on its surface. After a moment, he nodded.
"Come on through. No search required."
He said the latter behind him to the search party.
Barne lightly cracked the reigns on their horses backs, and they started up again with snorts, leaving well before the others in their group had finished their own inspections.
The dwarf inspector quickly tossed the medallion back to Nephis as they passed him, eyeing her with recognition and respect in his stormy grey eyes.
"Welcome back to Tronjheim, Lady."
Nephis spared him a smile before turning her head to look at the pinprick of light in the distance that was their destination.
They travelled through the tunnel for another fifteen minutes before they finally arrived at the central chamber.
Her gaze was drawn, as it always was, high above, to the Isidar Mithrim, the Star Sapphire. Light filtered through from the volcano's entrance above to cast glowing red light upon the enitre central chamber of Tronheim, and all its inhabitants. The chamber was filled with the hustle and bustle of dwarves and humans alike, some shopping at stalls or inside shops that ringed the entrance, or eating breakfasts at crowded restaurants. Others walked or drove past archways that led deeper into the city.
Barne rudely woke a once-again sleeping Sarner, who had not heeded his earlier calls, after they stored their carriage at a stable to get their horses some rest from friendly attendants.
As they travelled through the different layers of Tronheim, climbing higher and higher to reach Ajihad's office, they were met at different intervals by more of her guards.
The first was a pair of twin dwarves, Stark and Himmel, who each sported maces larger than their own heads. They both bowed very deeply when they met up, so much so that their beards touched the ground.
The other was a mage named Fern. He was only an inch shorter than Sarner, and was a, quiet, balding man with a long nose and droopy bags under his azure eyes. Nephis had never even heard the man speak.
She didn't quite believe that he was only ten years older than she.
Eventually, they arrived at Ajihad's office, built directly into the wall of the city mountain. It was guarded by a retinue of soldiers comparable to those that they had met at the gates.
'I suppose he is the leader of the Varden...'
Nephis thought, mentally shaking her head.
She also spotted someone who was a much more welcome sight.
Nephis couldn't stop herself from smiling softly as she detoured to meet Arya, who stood stoically to the side. Like her own style of dress, she too wore "men's clothes."
She was the elf that Nephis had saved with her healing flame all the way back in the Hadarac Desert, and they had grown to be quick friends, if a little awkward at times due to both of their personalities being rather quiet and subdued.
The elf's ears pricked as they approached, and she turned to meet the group. Upon seeing Nephis, she smiled slightly as well.
Arya was a gorgeous woman with long, flowing black hair the color of raven feathers. They reminded her of a certain someone, which perhaps was why she liked the woman so much. She had many secrets, of which only several Nephis had knowledge of.
Her eyes were cat-like, and her facial features similarly feline. Her grace and nimbleness were comparable to Nephis's own- but only in the sense that they both moved quicker than most eyes could see, when they so desired.
In reality, Nephis, being a Saint, was much quicker. It had been the cause of her unbroken winning streak in their aggressively friendly duels.
"Lady Changing Star."
Arya bowed, laying a hand on her chest and bowing.
Nephis rolled her eyes internally.
"Princess Arya."
Arya stiffened. Then she laughed softly, a beautiful thing, and relaxed. She rose from her bow.
"I suppose you have been getting me to try to call you 'Nephis' for a while now. If only you would please lower your voice next time you jest..."
Nephis nodded casually, ignoring her request.
"Indeed I have. Have you seen Eragon?"
Arya shook her head.
"No, but I have been given the assurance that he will be on time. Ajihad sent his daughter to get the boy tidy a while back."
Nephis nodded as she motioned for her guards to give them some privacy to speak. Only Sarner and Barne remained close, but they were turned away, and gave no indication that they listened to the conversation. Nephis moved to stand next to Arya, awaiting the arrival of her frequently tardy pupil.
'Perhaps yesterday should have been a rest day for the boy...'
"Nasuada?"
She inquired. Arya looked over at Nephis in surprise, an elegant eyebrow raised.
"You know the girl?"
Nephis smiled somewhat sarcastically.
"I would be rather embarrassed if I was incapable of remembering the exceedingly simple family tree of the Varden's leader."
They spoke for a while more about unimportant things, before eventually falling into only a slightly uncomfortable silence.
A few minutes later, they heard the clacking of multiple hard somethings on the marble floor, and both Dragon and Rider, accompanied by a girl wearing a wine red dress, rounded a bend that led to the hallway they were in.