Chapter 1

Eragon looked up into Ayra's misty eyes. He had wanted to REALLY apologize to her. Eragon was walking through the woods, hunting, when he saw Ayra, walking by the small pond. He stopped her, and she hesitated, her eyes darting around the forest as for an escape route. He laughed and told her to calm down. He walked over to her and took her hand, she flinched but stood still. "Ayra, I am REALLY sorry about the way I've been… acting toward you," Eragon said nervously. Ayra nodded her head, and walked out of the clearing. Eragon hung his head.

It's alright little one, I think she understands.

Eragon looked over and saw Saphira's smug face in the bushes. "How long have you been there?" Eragon asked. Saphira laughed quietly, but didn't answer, instead she said

You must get sleep, tomorrow will be long and hard day for you.

Eragon nodded and mounted Saphira and headed toward a tent on the battlefield he would sleep in.

The next morning he again mounted Saphira. He felt her strong body lift up into the air. He looked down at the gloomy battlefield and a tear rolled his cheek as he remembered that he had killed many of the bodies that now lay in the sand. He looked up into the sky, and tried to become one with Saphira. He closed his eyes and let his stomach drop. He could feel the wind through Saphira's scales. Saphira turned upside down, and Eragon wasn't the least bit scared.

Having fun little one? Saphira laughed.

Eragon answered with a smile and by nudging her on.

It was about five hours later that Eragon landed in a clearing. Ayra and Orik were sitting around a fire. "Hello brother!" Orik greeted him cheerfully. "Hello Orik." Eragon nodded. "Nice ride?" He asked Eragon, who nodded vigorously and sat down by the fire and looked into the pot. Something was boiling in the water. Eragon pulled out a ladle and scooped some out, tasting cabbage mixed with several different exotic spices. When he was done eating he dueled with Ayra. He stared into her delicate, strong face as she dodged his blows; he realized that he and Ayra really weren't ever going to be anything but friends. True, he did have feelings for her, he couldn't make those go away, he doubted ever, but he knew Ayra would never think of him more than a friend. He went to sleep with that thought in his mind. He wiggled up closer to Saphira, for protection against the cool night air.

Eragon woke up to the sound of footsteps in the woods. He rose without making a sound and grabbed the hand-me down sword Orik had given him. He felt a human presence and walked toward it silently. He could see the outlines of a figure crouched behind a tree in the dark. He snuck up behind it and turned the figure around, pressing the side of his sword against the figures throat in warning. A small squeal came from the captive's mouth. "What are you doing here?" Eragon asked the captive. "Let Me go!" begged a female voice, "Let me go, and I'll leave!" Eragon took off some pressure stupidly, thinking that the voice sounded to innocent to belong to somebody who meant any harm. "What are you doing here?" He repeated. "I'm just hungry, I saw the smoke from you're camp fire and I wanted to see if you had any food." She answered. Eragon looked at the captive, and saw that her cloths were worn and she had no weapon he could see. He let down the sword and grabbed the captive's hands, and tying them behind her back with a piece of rope.

Eragon pushed her to the light of his camp fire. Were he set her down, so he could see her face. He was in awe when he did. She was beautiful. She had full lips and tan skin, beautiful thick wavy red-blonde hair and eyes of the most beautiful shade of blue.

"What?" She asked sounding annoyed. "What's your name?" Eragon said getting to his knees, so he could be even with the girls face. "Why should I tell you?" She asked. "Because I could kill you at any moment," He answered. She thought about it a moment and said, "My name is Diamond," Eragon smiled, and got up. He walked over to the cold pot of cabbage stew, and dished her up some. He walked over to her, undid her hands and handed her the bowl. She took it greedily, slurping it down as if she hadn't eaten in days. "Is there anybody else?" He asked, and she shook her head, still slurping down the stew. When she was finished, she got up as if to leave. "You aren't even going to thank me?" Eragon joked getting up and walking over to Diamond. "Thank you," She said rolling her eyes. Eragon pulled out the piece of rope and tied her hands again. "What are you doing? I'm leaving." Diamond asked her eyes looking worried. "I'll be right back," Eragon said tying her tightly to a tree branch. "Wait, come back," Diamond yelled to Eragon, but he kept walking.

It was about 30 minutes before Eragon returned. And when he did he wasn't alone. Orik and Ayra were following behind him. They stopped in front of Diamond who asked, "Who are they?" "My name is Orik and this is Ayra," Orik answered with a quick bow. Diamond sighed and said, "Well can I go now?" Ayra laughed and said, "We havn't decided if we want to kill you yet," "What are you doing here?" Orik asked. "I'm heading to Du Arve, were my father and little sister are." She answered slowly. "Do you have any weapons?" Orik asked. "No and I don't know how to use them either, I'm just a poor farm girl traveling to go meet my family. That's all." Diamond answered, "And can you untie me?" she added with a hint of a wine in her voice. Eragon untied the knot from the tree but not the one from her hands. He set her down on the grown. And whispered to Orik, "I'm sure she's not lying, I looked around for weapons were I found her and couldn't find one. Lets let her sleep here tonight and tomorrow we'll figure out what we're going to do with her," Orik chuckled, "You are to soft hearted my brother, but I believe you are right," He leaned over to confirm this plan with Ayra, who nodded in agreement. Eragon grabbed Diamond's ropes and pulled her to her feet. "You will sleep in our camp tonight, in the morning we will find out what we shall do with you. We will tie you to a tree again, but more loosely so you may lie down. We'll have somebody watching you incase you try to escape," He said tying her to a large oak. "Goodnight," Eragon said to the girl. "Goodnight," She said grumbled.