Hi everyone. I created this story a couple years ago, so its not my best work. I tried to patch it up a little, but it's still not my best work. Oh well. I hope you like it anyway. Please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, places, or anything else from the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. No copyright infringement is intended.

Prologue

In the dark bowels of the castle, in a pantry, a deep, dark voice that resonated around the cavern asked, "Is he ready?"

"Ye-yes, my Lord," said his servant, who was quaking with fear of his master.

"Good. Is my spy befriending and influencing him?"

"He is on schedule, my Lord."

"He has done well. Soon I will strike a powerful blow to Eragon and Arya and maybe their daughter, too – if she survives." The dark cavern was filled with the harsh booming of his laughter.

The Egg

"Arise. Arise!" Staria awoke to see her foster uncle, Orik, calling her awake.

"Finally!" Orik said, "Come with me. The dragon egg procession is about to start!" Without waiting, he strode off through one of Tronjheim's large dwarf-made tunnels.

Already dressed, Staria jumped out of bed. She had slept in her clothes, as she knew there would not be time to dress before the ceremony started.

The dragon egg procession was a standard ceremony where children line up to touch a dragon egg. When the egg is touched by the person with whom it wants to bond, it puts the gedwey ignasia on his or her palm, and soon after the dragon hatches. That lucky person was now one of the legendary Dragon Riders, under their leader Eragon, who killed the evil tyrant, Galbatorix.

Galbatorix had committed many crimes, including almost eradicating the dragons, killing the peace-makers (the Dragon Riders), and being a cruel king who never aged or left the throne because he had once been bonded with a dragon himself.

The remnants of the once mighty Riders (Eragon and Murtagh) were busy trying to breed the dragons and save their dying race. A new Rider could be made with Shruikan, Galbatorix's black dragon that he had stolen after his original died, and the remaining dragon egg. Saphira had mated, so she possessed one egg that she gave to the Riders. That was the egg that was about to choose its Rider today, in the ceremony.

Staria caught up to Orik in the tunnel and asked, "Will Mother and Father be there already?"

"Yes, they will be there, but you would do well to not call them 'Mother' and 'Father' in public." admonished Orik. "It will only remind the people that you will have a better chance of getting chosen than them."

"Yes, Orik."

Suddenly, the tunnel stopped. They were now in a wide clearing of stone with tall pillars holding up the roof. In the middle of the roof was an opening with a dragon-sized perch. Saphira alighted down upon it as Orik said, "Well, get in line." Staria did so, and the procession began.

Lady Nasuada, leader of the Varden, Queen Islanzadi, queen of the elves, and King Orrin, king of Surda, carried the egg on a blue silk cushion with gold tassels, indicating that the mother dragon was blue, and her mate gold. As the egg passed by slowly the children reached out to touch it gently. Finally, it came to Staria.

As she touched it, her hand burned white hot. She gasped and lifted it up. On her palm was the gedwey ignasia, the sign of the Riders. She, daughter of Arya and Eragon, was officially a Rider.

Eragon and Arya rushed forth from where they had been watching from the sidelines, took the egg and left with it and Staria. Saphira blinked one large sapphire eye at Staria as she left. They went to the dragonhold. It was a large, airy, circular room with marble caves for dragons to sleep in. Only one had bedding in it right now because all the new Riders were in Ellesmera or Vroengard, and Murtagh was investigating a strange ring in the Hadarac Desert. In Saphira's cave, they placed the egg on the straw bedding just in time. Crack! The egg split in two. Inside was a baby dragon.