Author's Note: Hello everyone. I just wanted to mention that this is the sequel to Daughter of Earth and Sky, and it will not make much sense if you haven't read it. Hearts to all, KittenofShadows

She may live, but she awakes not. A living corpse.

Eragon's head was in his hands. He sat by Rune's bed, overcome by hopelessness. A week had passed. A week of trying and failing. A week of building hopes, only to have them crash down again.

Eragon let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Rune. I don't know what more to do. I wish you were here."

She didn't respond at all. Of course she wouldn't. She had been still since that fateful day. She had been moved into her chambers, but since then no one had touched her. The dove and snake dagger, a gift from Captain Shay, was clasped to her breast.

Eragon traced her cheek with a finger. She was warm. Although her heart beat not, the fire of life burned in her still.

"I know you're there somewhere," he whispered. "Someday I'll awaken you. I swear."

He sat by her for some time, in silence. In a week, he had made no progress in restoring the young woman. It seemed as if each day she held his heart in her hands more. Arya was right—this was a great burden.

Eragon stood up, leaving the room. A great resolve filled him.

He headed to the training grounds, searching out Shay. In the days following Rune's andlát slytha, Shay had become increasingly protective of Eragon. Like a big sister. Eragon found that she didn't mind her company. Roran had made himself scarce now; he was spending time with Katrina.

Shay spotted him the instant he entered the training area. She ran up to him. "How goes it, Eragon?"

Eragon shook his head. "Nothing, as usual. Arya doesn't know what to do, and I can't seem to get any answers. Rune isn't going to be much help in this matter."

Shay nodded sadly. "If I could help, I would. But there is nothing I can do to ease your load in this problem."

"How is everyone faring?"

Shay shrugged. "Well enough. But Rune's loss has scarred everyone."

Eragon nodded. Shay hugged him encouragingly. "Everything will work out in the end, Eragon," she said. "Keep your hopes up."

"High hopes only lead to disappointment."

Shay laughed. "See? Your sense of humor is returning already." She smiled. "I have to go. Best wishes to you, and the little princess."

Eragon blinked dumbly for a moment, then nodded. She meant Rune.

The Rider still wasn't used to thinking of Rune as a princess. He had found out about her heritage a week ago, but still it surprised him. A princess! Rune! The very thought amused him.

Later, in his room, Eragon leaned against Saphira. She nuzzled his chest with her muzzle.

Oh, little one.

I'm working as hard as I can to restore her, Eragon said. But I don't seem to be getting anywhere.

Perhaps Oromis will have some answers, Saphira offered.

Oromis?

Saphira watched him carefully. You mean you don't know?

Know what?

She let out a laugh. You have your head buried very deep, little Shadeslayer. If you had come out of Rune's room in the past week, you would have found out sooner.

Eragon frowned. Found out about what?

Saphira lost herself in a laughing fit. Eragon, Súndavar got the last egg to hatch. We are not alone.

oooooooooooooooooooo

Súndavar…

Súndavar looked at the little dragon. It's green and black scales shimmered. It nudged him playfully, wiggling its tail.

"You need a name."

Súndavar!

"No. That's my name. It means Shadow."

Shadow! Shadow, Súndavar?

"No, you aren't Shadow. They would get us confused."

Súndavar, Súndavar, Súndavar! The dragon pranced around the room happily.

"Rune would have named you Slate," Súndavar said.

Rune? Rune? Tendrils of confusion snaked from it into Súndavar's mind.

Súndavar grinned. "Come. I'll take you to meet her."

Her? Rune? Meet Rune?

"Yes. Meet Rune."

Súndavar opened his door. He had remained inside his room for most of the time since the dragon had hatched. It had hunted, flying out of his window under the cover of night, but Súndavar had stayed indoors. Saphira knew about the dragon, along with Lady Nasuada, Arya, and Angela, but the Varden as a whole didn't know they had another Rider in their midst. Súndavar was surprised it had remained a secret for this long. Rumors usually spread like wildfire.

He led the dragon down the hall, checking first make sure there was no one there. It followed him like a clumsy, happy puppy. Súndavar opened Rune's door, shooing the dragon in and shutting the door behind him.

"That is Rune," he said.

The dragon sniffed at Rune's still body. Rune? Rune lives? Rune dies?

"Rune lives. She's sleeping."

Sleeping? Rune? Sleeping dieing?

Súndavar shook his head. "No. Just sleeping."

The dragon licked Rune's face experimentally. Rune food?

"No, she isn't food, you little beast," Súndavar said, giving the dragon a good-natured cuff on the head.

The dragon snapped his jaws in her face. Not food, he said mournfully.

"Rune is a friend. She's good." Súndavar found himself automatically speaking in short, incomplete sentences, like the dragon.

Shadow like Rune?

"I do. And my name is Súndavar, not Shadow."

Said Súndavar is Shadow.

"I said Súndavar means Shadow."

Yes. Shadow, Shadow, Shadow.

Súndavar sighed. The dragon didn't seem to listen, no matter how hard he tried to make it. It was smart, he could tell, but it seemed to enjoy annoying him. Touching the gedwëy ignasia on his palm, Súndavar reflected on what he had become.

A Rider. The thought thrilled and scarred him at the same time. He was a Rider. Like Eragon. Like Murtagh. Like Galbatorix.

"We return to the matter of your name, dragon," he said.

I Rune?

"No, you aren't Rune. She is."

Rune like Shadow?

"I hope so. Stop changing the subject."

Subject change? Ah. Name.

"Yes. What would you like your name to be?"

Not Shadow?

"No."

Shadow pick?

Súndavar thought. "Well, there's a whole list of names you could be." He listed off some. Each was met with rejection.

Rune name? asked the dragon.

"No, you can't be Rune."

No. Not Rune. Rune call me?

Súndavar frowned. "Rune can't name you. She's asleep." It finally dawned on him what the dragon meant. "Is your name Slate?"

Yes! Slate, Slate, Slate. Slate and Shadow.

Súndavar nodded. "Slate then." He smiled.

Slate returned the smile with a toothy grin of his own. He began to spin in little circles, chasing his tail.

Slate, Slate, Slate.