The Black Morass

by Gerald Lambert

  as blood rushed to fill them.

  Zadí's eyes flew open to see Var in front of her, grasping a shocked and pathetically frightenedlooking Isaac by his neck straight out over the edge of the cliffs.

  "I should drop you, scum," Var furiously bellowed. "But you seemed really anxious to meet my father. You know, first Urgal Rider. The Black Rider." Isaac's reddening face

  somehow paled.

  Var continued, "And her father. Surely you're familiar with him? You seemed aware of what a deadly enemy he would be. I'll leave your punishment up to them. Because if it was

  up to me, I would kill you. And I will kill you if you ever touch her or another girl again. The most consistent lesson I ever learned from those two was how to respect a female, so

  I'm sure they will come up with something more appropriate than death when they hear what you meant to do to Zadí."

  Var was trembling in rage and seemed to realize that Isaac was about to suffocate. The smaller man was gripping Var's wrist with both of his hands to no avail.

  Var tossed him to the ground at the top of the cliffs, fixing Isaac with a steely glare.

  Isaac gasped for breath for a few seconds then hastily pulled up his pants.

  Var released a short bark of grim laughter. "My mother is the strongest, most amazing woman there is. And she is human. I have nothing against humans, but you might want to

  think twice next time you insult a part Urgal ram. No human man could ever hope to compete against an Urgal ram where manliness is concerned. Now get out of my sight before I

  shove you over the edge, though you won't get far before my father and Eragon arrive."

  As if to emphasize his point, Blackfire appeared right at that moment, rising above the edge of the cliff. The dragon roared, releasing a jet of stunning pinkstreaked black flames

  over the cliffs—away from the people at the top—to demonstrate her displeasure over her Rider's anger.

  She hovered where she was, flapping to maintain her altitude, as Isaac fearfully scrambled back, stumbling to his feet and unsteadily down the path. Then Blackfire landed,

  carefully perching on the cliff edge since there was little room where Var and Zadí were.

  Var stared after Isaac with his hands clenched into tight fists. He breathed slowly with forced control for about thirty seconds and by the time he turned to Zadí, she understood

  why. The tension in his body was completely gone, and his face had a look of such tender concern on it that Zadí's tears began to flow again.

  She was sitting on the ground at the base of the tree with her legs drawn up to her chest to hide her nakedness. She lowered her face in shame, resting it against her knees. She

  sensed Var kneel in front of her, then he pulled her onto his lap and enfolded her in his arms.

  "Oh, Zadí," he whispered. "I'm so sorry I couldn't get here sooner. I was swimming down there under the cliffs and had no idea you were up here. Blackfire was above the overhang

  with the other dragons. But when you screamed for help . . ." He shuddered, pressing her face to his bare chest. "I will never forget it, Zadí. For as long as I live. I didn't protect

  you, sweetie. I'm so sorry."

  Zadí sobbed in relief and suddenly didn't care that her shirt was ripped. She wrapped her arms around Var's back, pulling herself tightly against him. She cried for a long, long time,

  still feeling so defiled from Isaac's crude fondling. Var's touch was so different. He was so gentle and loving. So kind. So respectful. He stroked her back and her hair while rocking

  her slowly back and forth. When her tears slowed, she pulled back to look at him.

  "You're bleeding!" Var exclaimed. He placed one of his large, strong hands on her cheek where Isaac had slapped her, his touch once again a stark contrast to Isaac's. Var murmured the words of healing in the ancient language, and Zadí's split lip fused together. He wiped the trickle of blood away.

  "Are you hurt anywhere else, Zadí? Let me fix your shirt." He used both of his hands on either side of the tear, and Zadí could see that he did his best not to touch her bare skin

  with his fingers as he mended the torn fabric. Within a few moments he was done and Zadí was covered again.

  "I'm sorry if that embarrassed you, sweetie. Sorry I keep calling you that. I can't help it, Zadí. I love you so much. Did he hurt you anywhere else?"

  "My wrists hurt," Zadí admitted.

  Var's face twisted in concern as he gently held her wrists and once again used magic to heal the bruised tissue. "Is that all?" he asked, finally looking at her eyes.

  Zadí loved his beautiful, shimmering eyes. She nodded slightly to answer him. "Thank you, Var. Thank you for coming. Thank you for stopping him. I would have hated myself even more if he had gone through with that."

  "Hated yourself?" Var indignantly cried. "It wasn't your fault!"

  "But I'm so weak, Var!" Zadí vehemently disagreed. "I can't fight like you others. I can't use magic. I was totally powerless, which is what he seemed to want. Why do I have to be

  the weak, helpless human girl? The damsel in distress?"

  "So your Dragon Rider in shining armor can rescue you?" Var suggested with a small smile.

  Zadí also smiled faintly. "Is that what this is?" she wondered, running her hand up his chest toward his shoulder then down his arm, where droplets of water from the lake still clung

  to his skin. "Shining armor?"

  "You could say that," Var softly said, watching her hand as it moved. Zadí noticed goosebumps appear on Var's arm at her touch.

  But Zadí stubbornly shook her head. "Var, my ability didn't even work. The one Angela has always told me to master. I tried to persuade him to leave me alone and it only

  encouraged him. I'm useless. I'll never be any help if there comes a day when we all have to use our abilities to fight some great evil."

  "Zadí, that man wasn't a person. He was a twisted, perverted abomination. Your gift works on anyone with a heart and a conscience. You are the most amazing girl in the world.

  Can't you see how beautiful and special and talented you are? All of the abilities we gain as Dragon Riders are completely borrowed and unnatural. If it weren't for my bond with

  Blackfire, I'd be a strong, bumbling, part human, part Urgal boy. That's all. Nothing more."

  "But you would still have your incredible knowledge of sailing, the ocean, the stars, and all of that. And you'd still be strong."

  "That's not all that matters," Var returned. "Are you all right? I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner."

  "You got here soon enough, Var," Zadí said. "Thank you again for rescuing me. All I could think about was you. Because I love you, Var. I want you to be the first man I share that

  with. The only one."

  Var cautiously raised his eyebrows. "You don't have to say that just because I rescued you, Zadí. I would have helped any girl being treated like that. And been a lot less angry too."

  "I know, Var," Zadí patiently said. "And I love you all the more for it. You are the best man I have ever known besides my father and your father. I'm not just saying that because

  I'm grateful. I mean it. I'm sorry about the last two weeks and what they must have put you through. I'm not confused or unsure anymore. I missed you, sweetie," she smiled

  teasingly, "and I was coming to tell you as much when Isaac showed up."

  Var smiled in return and hugged Zadí. "Thank you, Izz. I love you, beautiful. I'm glad you came to feel you could return it. These past couple weeks were awful."

  Zadí nodded her agreement against his chest, smiling that he used her nickname. For the first time, she didn't hate it. "I like it when you call me, Izz."

  "Now I really know you're only saying that," Var scoffed.

  "Nope. I only had a problem with Izzie. All along I would have been fine with Izz."

  "Sure," Var said in an exaggerated, drawn out way. Zadí pulled back to share the smile she knew he loved and s
aw his intent right before he warned, "I'm going to kiss you."

  Her stomach fluttered nervously and to hide it, Zadí teasingly cautioned, "Better not be on the lips. Part Urgal may not be any different from full Urgal when it comes to this."

  "No," Var disagreed. "Will can kiss Lena. And I'm an identical copy of him. But I won't unless you don't mind."

  In answer, Zadí smiled even wider, circling her arms around his neck and leaning forward until her lips were almost brushing his. "I don't mind," she whispered. "But I'll let you do

  the honors."

  Var's full mouth turned up slightly at her words, then he closed the narrow gap and pressed his lips to hers in a tender, longing kiss. He pulled back before long.

  "Better stop," he muttered. "I can feel the Urgal blood in me demanding more." He took a deep breath. "I can't wait until you're my wife. But if I don't first ask your father for your

  hand, my father will tan my hide."

  Zadí laughed. "And when do you suppose that will be?"

  "When do you want me to ask you to marry me?" Var inquired.

  "Hmmm," Zadí mused. "How about when I turn seventeen? That will be a good birthday present."

  "Very well. Then I will ask your father when we get back to the Isle before they leave for their anniversary celebration, and I'll ask you the big question in two months, three

  weeks, and four days."

  "Is that how far away my birthday is?"

  "Exactly," Var confirmed. "Do you want me to tell you the hours, minutes, and seconds too?"

  Zadí giggled, which made Var laugh. "No, that's all right. I'll trust you have them ticking away in your head."

  "I'm only kidding, sweetie. But I guess it won't be much of a surprise," Var playfully mourned.

  "I'll still pretend," Zadí promised. "And it will give you plenty of time to make me a ring."

  "True," Var said. He took her left hand and carefully examined her third finger. "Want to make it the right size," he explained before kissing the back of her hand. "Thank you, Izz. I

  love you so much. And I'll never let anything like that happen to you again, now that you don't mind me being around more."

  "Stay with me as much as possible," she invited. Then she casually commented, "I never knew you could roar like that. It was pretty scary."

  "Was it? That's good. I actually wasn't aware of that latent ability either. I love being part Urgal. But let's hope we don't hear too much more of it. I think I might have to be that

  livid in order to produce it."

  "What about the other sounds Urgal rams can make?" Zadí innocently wondered. "They seem to be fairly good at rumbling and such."

  "Yes, they do," Var agreed, playing along with her. "Especially at certain times. I guess we'll get to find out together before too much longer."

  "I'm looking forward to it. That's one of the funniest parts of staying in the Bolvek village, although it wasn't until more recently that I even realized what it meant. I just thought

  they all snored really loudly."

  Var laughed. "Maybe that's part of it," he allowed. Then he suggested, "How about I fly you back to the palace? With Blackfire's help, of course. She loves you too." The lovely

  dragon extended her neck so her face was closer to her Rider, and Zadí somehow sensed her concern.

  "You don't want to see what our fathers decide to do with Isaac?"

  "I never want to see that lowlife again," Var muttered. "I almost killed him, Zadí. I was this close." He held his finger and thumb together with a sliver of space between them. "I've

  never been so furious in my life. The only reason I didn't is because Blackfire reminded me that you might be disturbed to see me murder a man right before your eyes. But what

  he was planning to do to you is the worst thing imaginable in my mind, along with violence towards women and children. I hate that things like that even exist. I hope they decide

  to castrate him so he can never hurt another girl like that again."

  "He implied there had been others," Zadí revealed. "I agree, Var. And I'm so glad men like you exist to teach the rest the right way to treat women and children." She wrapped her

  arms around Var's neck as he stood and climbed to his dragon's shoulders.

  The Dragon Riders did not delay in holding a trial for Isaac. He obviously hadn't made it even to the camps before Eragon and Varhog showed up on Saphira and Black Thunder. For

  all of his false bravado, Isaac was a coward at heart, interested only in preserving his own life, so he immediately allowed himself to be taken into custody.

  After hearing Zadí's account of the incident, Nasuada, Eragon, Varhog, and the other Riders decided to hold a public trial in case other young women attending the Camp could offer

  further witness of Isaac's misdeeds.

  Once a small assembly had gathered in the courtyard stretching out in front of the royal palace, Eragon and Varhog appeared, Isaac walking sullenly between them. He wasn't

  bound, for all of the many Dragon Riders present knew he wasn't any danger to them.

  The high queen was in attendance, overseeing the proceedings. After Eragon cast a spell that would magnify the voices of those standing in the center of the square, she began by

  saying, "Isaac of DrasLeona, you are brought here this morning for the alleged crime of assaulting an innocent young woman. What do you have to say for yourself?"

  Isaac seemed to know his fate was already decided. "Nothing," he rudely retorted.

  Nasuada raised her eyebrows. "Shall we hear how the young lady in question would recount the situation?"

  "Are you asking me?" Isaac scornfully demanded. "I'm sure you'll hear what she has to say regardless of my feelings."

  Varhog laid a hand on Isaac's shoulder in warning. "Young man, may I remind you that you are not only speaking to a lady, but also your queen. If you continue to address her, or

  any of the others in this assembly, in such a manner, this trial will conclude without further consideration of your feelings."

  "I understand," Isaac replied with a degree more respect in his voice, clearly painfully aware that the huge Urgal standing next to him was more than capable of ending his life with

  a flick of his wrist.

  Nasuada turned toward Zadí, who stepped forward with her head held high, steadily staring at Isaac. "Yesterday evening Isaac found me alone at the top of the cliffs overlooking

  the lake. He prevented me from leaving and attempted to force himself upon me."

  "In what manner?" Nasuada pressed.

  "Sexually," Zadí said without the slightest wavering of her voice. "I called for help using my mind, and Var arrived before Isaac was able to complete his design. But he clearly

  implied he had done the same before to other young women, and I can only imagine he bragged about it because he was successful in those instances."

  "Do you remember exactly what he said?" Nasuada asked.

  "Yes," Zadí answered. She twisted her face into an ugly leer and spoke in a remarkably accurate imitation of Isaac's crass drawl, "He said, 'You'll enjoy this, just like all the others.

  You're lucky I'll be your first. There's nothing like stealing a young maid's virginity.'"

  Eragon's face tightened angrily, but he maintained his composure enough to say, "Var, what do you have to add?"

  Var walked forward to stand next to Zadí. "I was swimming in the lake right below them, so I climbed up when Zadí cried for help. He had her pinned to a tree with his pants

  lowered. Her shirt was ripped, and he had hit her face hard enough to draw blood. I pulled him away and almost strangled him, but Blackfire suggested that might not be the best

  course of action. So I tossed him to the ground and told him to leave, knowing Brom had called for you and my father to come."

  Eragon nodded curtly, turning slightly so he could look at Isaac. "How many other young women have you assaulted?" he calmly asked, but in a tone of absolu
te authority that

  demanded respect and honesty.

  Isaac was now staring at the ground, but he replied in a clear voice, "Eight. Sir."

  Varhog had never removed his hand from Isaac's shoulder, and he now questioned, "Are you aware of whether or not you ever fathered any children from those interactions?"

  Isaac squirmed uncomfortably. "No, sir. How would I know? I obviously didn't do what I did because I cared about any of those girls."

  He winced as Varhog tightened his grip. "You should care," Varhog said in the same frighteningly calm voice Eragon had used. "Because not only did you hurt those girls physically,

  and in countless other ways, some of which they might never fully recover from, but if you left them with child, they would have had to deal with the shame of their predicament,

  the demands of pregnancy, and the enormous responsibility of caring for a baby and child on their own. If shunned by those around them, they most likely live a life of miserable

  poverty, from which they have no hope of escaping. Any children that might have been born will never experience the joy of knowing their father—not that it's such a great loss in

  this situation—or of having his help in raising them. Every child deserves a father and mother equally committed to loving and caring for it. And all of that is thanks to your

  behavior. What do you feel is just punishment for consequences such as these?"

  Isaac continued to stare at the ground, his cheeks burning in humiliation. He shuffled his feet and mumbled, "I don't know."

  Eragon interjected, "We need to know who these young women were so we can help them, if necessary. Do you know their names?"

  Isaac shook his head. "Not all of them."

  "Would you share with us what you remember, anything that would help us in finding and assisting them?" Eragon persisted.

  Isaac shrugged sullenly. "Why don't you just find what you need in my mind? You can read minds and all that, can't you?" He fidgeted again as Varhog's hand once again squeezed in

  warning.

  "If you prefer," Eragon evenly said, glancing at Brom with his eyebrows raised.