Arya was nervous, in two days she would be crowned queen. Her mother had died in battle, she had been weak, too weak.

Tears poured down Arya's cheeks, the dripped from her chin to her emerald green blouse. Her mother, dead, Eragon, gone…her whole world shattered to pieces. No family or friends that were close to her heart were left.

Eragon had disappeared 5 years ago, with Saphira he flew across the sea. He could not have stayed, he loved Arya too dearly for his heart to be broken by her once more. His letter said it all, all but the fact her that she would miss him, her only true friend left. Maybe she did love him, but he never gave her the chance to find out.

Arya wept solemnly until she realized that she had to move on with life, she would try to make friends. She would accept her ambassador to be, as her mother had accepted her, she would give the elf the amount of respect he or she deserved. The only thing that bothered her was the fact that she had agreed to accept a rider as her ambassador. But she knew, none of them were as brave as Eragon. Eragon had saved the dragons' race, he had trained the first rider after him, but most said that he didn't get to finish training. Aritrl had taken over as the leader of the riders since then, he had been Eragon's apprentice, yet he didn't know any more about Eragon then most.

There were rumors spreading, that this rider was handsome and that he was powerful. Arya remembered when Eragon had left, she had been standing by her window, she had told no one that she had seen him leave. None would be as good as Eragon. Whomever she had to accept into her service at her coronation would have to earn her respect.

Arya let her head fall back against the soft feeling of her pillow. Sleep took her, she had a dreamless night, not surprising.

The next morning…

Arya woke, she nodded slightly at the elf who had come to wake her.

Arya's day flew by in a blur, elves all trying to get her ready, elves reassuring her and giving her bows, curtsies, and pats on the back.

But her world froze when she felt the band of gold got put on her head, she looked around, elves were dressed in their best. They held looks of joy for their new queen, some mourned the old queen, others smiled as best they could in their various animal forms.

Arya turned slowly, her cloak brushing the ground, she spoke to her people, her subjects. Her speech had been rehearsed, flowing from her tongue without a thought.

Then Aritrl came forward, he bowed and said in the ancient language vow to make sure the riders were loyal to her. Then he stood and he said "I present to you, my lady, your new ambassador. If you would accept him…" Aritrl was interrupted; a dragon and its rider were circling down, coming closer to the ground. Arya couldn't see the color of the Dragon's scales, both the dragon and its rider were covered in black cloaks.

The dragon landed, the rider stepped off, his hood covering his face and eyes. The elves cleared the path for him and his dragon. They walked up to Aritrl and nodded, dispatched Aritrl bowed and walked away. The dragon took Aritrl's place, but the rider kept walking.

Reaching Arya he bent down, his hood did not shift, nor did he draw his sword to offer Arya, instead he pleged himself to her by word, not sword. He repeated his vow in the ancient language, Ara thought that she recognized his voice, but she couldn't make a connection.

As he stood Arya asked "May I know your name, rider"

The rider bent his head and lifted his hood slowly. Arya still couldn't see his face, all she saw was longish brown hair, his head was wet and his hair was messy. The rider raised his head and looked Arya in the eye.

Arya gasped, her heart throbbed faster and faster, she was frozen.

"Eragon"