'Atra guliä un ilian tauthr ono un atra ono waíse skölir fra rauthr.'(Let luck and happiness follow you and may you be shielded from misfortune.) Aliya knew well what those words meant, for her guardian had told her many, many times before she died. There was not a day she did not stop to think about the words, for they were her blessing from a Rider, and she was reminded of that every time she looked in a mirror and saw the patch of white skin that she had gotten from a real dragon. The mothers of other children around her age would huff as they walked by, shooting glances at her like it was her fault she had been blessed. She had only one good friend, because his mother thought the others were foolish for neglecting her for such selfish reasons. Rashid, her son, had fast become best friends with her, and they got into trouble together all over Tronjheim. Just thinking about Rashid made her smile. He was fast becoming a man, and a very hot, muscled, man at that. But before she could dwell on him and his muscles any longer, Aliya was jerked awake from her daydreaming by the sound of a dwarf calling her name.

"Aliya! There you are! Nasuada requests your presence at once." Knurla Imran told her. "She says it is a matter of grave importance."

"Then I guess I should go see her," Aliya replied, getting up and waving goodbye to Imran. She walked through the winding tunnels that were home to the Varden, stopping momentarily to look at the remnants of the Isidar Mithrim. She was told it had been broken by an elf so that the Rider who blessed her could slay a Shade. Even the broken, scattered crystals were an awesome sight to behold, and the entire thing must have been beautiful. Aliya stayed for a few minutes, paying homage to the beautiful diamond, but after she remembered her errand briskly kept walking towards Nasuada's study. She stopped by her quarters, housed in the richest part of the city, and found her horse, Arya, chewing cud contentedly. Saddling her, she rode off through the labyrinths of Tronjheim. On the way she was greeted by most of the people she saw, humans and dwarves. If I didn't have the dragon marking, I'm sure that most of those people wouldn't even know me, she mused silently. In a matter of minutes, she was at Nasuada's study's door, and she tied Arya outside with the guards.

"Hello? Nasuada?" she asked, walking in after no one answered her knock on the heavy wooden door. "You wanted to see me?" Aliya still didn't see anyone, and she was about to go get one of the guards that were outside the door until she heard Nasuada speaking.

"We are understood, then. Goodbye, gentlemen." A pair of ragged men walked past Aliya, and she shuddered from the stench.

"Nasuada? Who were those men?" she asked curiously walking up to her desk.

She shook her head slightly before answering. "Nothing you will want to hear of. It is only bad news for the Varden, and me as its leader."

"But I am the one blessed by a Rider," Aliya protested. "If I'm supposed to be a great hero of the city some day, shouldn't I know what's going on in and outside of it?" Nasuada sighed. She hadn't planned on Aliya being in her study so early.

"Alright, but you must not tell Rashid," she explained as calmly as possible. "This is very bad news, and it could worry some people. A lot." Aliya nodded to show she understood, and Nasuada continued. "There has been more bad news. We haven't heard from Ellesmerá in a long time, and we don't know how Eragon and Saphira are doing. We also haven't been getting supplies from them, and with Jeod's and other merchants' business diminished, we have almost no supplies. But that's not the reason I called-"

"Nasuada, how are we going to survive without two sources of supplies?" Aliya interrupted. "Surda only manages to produce enough for days at the most, and they come once a month! We need to find more supplies!" Nasuada sighed again, heavier.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you," she explained. "I didn't want to worry you with my troubles. I asked Knurla Imran to find you because we have important things to talk about.

"We need to talk about Eragon. He blessed you when you were a small child. You know that, correct?" Nasuda asked her.

"Of course. It's all Moshka ever told me when I got in trouble or otherwise." Aliya reminisced. "That I had been blessed by a Rider and that I had a responsibility to be responsible." Nasuada nodded.

"This is why we have to send you to Ellesmerá." She told Aliya sadly, who exploded.

"What! I'm supposed to be a great hero of Tronjheim! What am I supposed to learn in the elves' city?"

"Magic, for one thing." There was a stunned silence in the room, broken after what seemed like hours when Arya whinnied outside.

"I-I can do magic?" she asked, stunned. Nasuada nodded, but Aliya still couldn't believe it.

"I can do magic?" she asked again. Nasuada nodded again, and started to explain.

"I think that when Eragon blessed you, or when Saphira gave you that mark, they gave you the power of magic. Either that or you were born with it, and otherwise may not have discovered your powers. You would have grown up living in a less comfortable part of the city, raised by Moshka."

"I can use magic?"

"Yes, and we have to try to send you to Ellesmerá because we don't have the means to train you here." Finally, Aliya understood.

"But….but…that's amazing!" she exclaimed. "How could he give me magic?"

"The words he used to bless you were very strong," Nasuada said again, slowly. "There is a definite chance that he could have passed some to you. Do you understand why I have to send you to Ellesmerá now?" Aliya nodded too, but asked her a question anyway.

"Can I bring Rashid with me? It is a great honor to go to the elves' city, but I would be very lonely there." Nasuada looked upset.

"It would be hard enough to get only you into Ellesmerá," she replied resignedly. "And it will be even harder to get them to train you. The elves guard their secrets jealously, and one more person could be the deciding factor in your entrance. It would be hard for him to get in, but he may travel with you, at least to the edge of the city. You may ask him, but understand that he may not be going into the city with you. We have much planning to do, so come back tomorrow at the same time." Aliya realized she was being dismissed, and left to tell Rashid the good news. She found him at the remains of the Isidar Mithrim, talking to his mother.

"Hey Rashid," she said, blushing slightly. "Hello, Nasira." Rashid's mom waved, and he left her and ran to catch up to Aliya.

"Hey, Aliya," he greeted her. "I heard you were asked to see Nasuada. Did they find the snake eggs in the kitchen? I hope they didn't blame that on you!"

"You put snake eggs in the kitchen, Rashid?" she laughed. "The cook will not be happy when he tries to cook those! But no, that's not why I was called into her study. It seems that when Eragon blessed me, he gave me the ability to use magic. Nasuda wants me to go the elves for training, and she said you can travel with me!" Rashid didn't hear anything she said after 'going to the elves', and his face fell.

"But she can't send you to the elves!" he burst out. "No one even knows where they are or why they haven't contacted us since we sent them Eragon and Saphira!"

"Rashid, what's wrong?" she asked him. "Didn't you hear me say you were coming with me? You might even get to stay with me, if the elves allow it."

"Oh," he replied, embarrassed. "No, I didn't hear that. When are we leaving?" Aliya shrugged.

"I don't know. I'm supposed to meet with Nasuada again tomorrow. You can come with me and ask her yourself." Rashik nodded, and was about to say something else when his mother came up to them.

"Rashid, we need to go home now. We've been away from the shop too long." He sighed and followed her, trying to explain Aliya's trip on the way.

"Look, Mother, do you remember the Rider's blessing of Aliya?"

"Of course. Why are you bringing that up now?"

"When Eragon blessed her, or when Saphira gave her that mark, the two gave her the ability to use magic. Nasuada wants her to travel to Ellesmerá to learn how to use it."

"Oh, I'm so sorry Rashid! I'm sure you'll miss her."

"That's the thing, Mother. Nasuada is allowing me to travel with her, and maybe even stay in Ellesmerá if the elves allow it, too."

"You can't go."

"What? Do you know how rare and special a chance this is?"

"Yes."
"Then why can't I travel with her?"

"Think about it, Rashid. A young man and woman traveling by themselves? You have no idea how to use a sword! The lands outside Tronjheim's walls are dangerous! I can't believe Nasuada is willing to let you and Aliya go by yourselves!"

"But Aliya won't be going alone! They're sending soldiers, well trained soldiers!"

"I don't care. You're not going. I still don't like sending you with a young woman of her age."

"Mother, we're best friends, not boyfriend and girlfriend. That's embarrassing, and I'm shocked you'd think that about me!"

"Well, all of that aside, I can't afford to lose your help in my shop. I need you there." Rashid sighed because he knew his mother was not going to budge. He'd have to tell Aliya tomorrow. She's going to be so disappointed, he thought sadly, I hate leaving her alone with all those soldiers. He followed his mother back to the rooms above the shop where they earned their living in Tronjheim.

Aliya had finally reached her quarters, and she tied up Arya, singing.

"I'm going to Ellesmerá!" she yelled to no one in particular. "I'm going to learn magic!" Suddenly, an idea hit her. Maybe I can try and find the magic myself, she mused, it shouldn't be that hard. I can practice before meeting the elves! She thought for a few seconds, trying to remember one of the words the Twins had used before they disappeared. Then, searching her consciousness for any foreign bump or memory that held her magic, she uttered simply, "Garjzla!" and a tiny ball of light formed in her hand.

"I did it! I did it!" she yelled. "I used magic!" Her concentration shattered, and the light disappeared, but Aliya was not dismayed. She had used magic, and could do so again. Later that night, she could barely sleep, not wanting to wait to show Nasuada and Rashid what she could do. So, throwing on some clothes, she snuck out the door and ran over to Nasira's shop, climbing a nearby building and throwing stones at Rashid's window. She knew it was late, but Rashid was always up later than he should have been.

"Wh-what is it?" he asked her, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Rashid, look!" she replied eagerly. "Nasuada was right! I can use magic!" She searched her consciousness for that strange, yet familiar bump, and uttered, "Garjzla!" The light appeared in her hand just as it had the first time, and she was able to hold it longer this time, but not by much. Rashid was fully awake now, with his eyes wide open.

"You did magic!" he exclaimed. "But how do you know how?"

"I don't really know. I just used one of the words that I remembered the Twins using, and searched for the magic in my head. I was…stunned." He quickly pulled her into his room before she fell off the window, and the light went out again.

"Well, I'm sure the elves will train you well," he sighed. "But my mom doesn't want me accompanying you."

"What? She can't do that!"

"Yes she can…she needs my help around the shop. And quiet down! Mom won't be pleased if she finds you in here, especially after our talk this afternoon."

"What happened?"

"Just believe me that my mother went crazy when I asked to travel with you. You should go, now."

"Don't you mean, she should go before I catch her in here?" his mother asked dryly from the doorway. "And I did not go crazy, I just think it is wrong for a young man and woman your age to travel together. Speaking of your young age…what are you doing here at this late hour, Aliya?"

"I got overexcited, Nasira. I wanted to show him this," she said, searching for the magic and saying "Garjzla!" again. The light shone once more, and his mother gasped.

"Rashid told me you had the ability to use magic, but I didn't think you knew how to yet! That's why you're going to Ellesmerá, right?"

"Yes, but I remembered one of the words the Twins used before they disappeared. Something happened. I was lucky. Now that you know it's not a lie, can Rashid come with me?" Nasira shook her head anyway.

"I always trust Rashid because I know he wouldn't lie to me. I don't want him to go because I need him to help me in the shop. I can't afford to lose him. I'm sorry, Aliya." Nasira quickly saw her out the door, and turned on Rashid.

"That better have been all you were doing with Aliya, right?" she asked angrily. He nodded, frightened for his life. "Bed! Now! And I mean it this time!" While Rashid was getting yelled at by his mom, Aliya was wandering through the maze of streets in Tronjheim. She knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, no matter how hard she tried. She was still amazed that the magic had worked. Aliya was too excited to even go back to her quarters. She muttered, "Garjzla!" over and over again, managing to hold it for seconds at a time but no more. Finally, the magic exhausted her, and she went back to her quarters to sleep. She looked around the streets, and realized she had wandered far away from the city's walls. While she had been concentrating on the light, she had walked miles into the deep tunnels of the Varden's hideout. Oh no, she thought, scared, Where am I? How far did I wander? Will I be able to find my way back? What if I'm lost here forever? Aliya went back the way she had come, but it was no use. There were five different tunnels leading in different directions, and she had been too busy concentrating on the light in her hand to notice which one she had taken. Scared, she wandered at random through tunnels, trying to find her way home. Finally giving up, she fell to the ground exhausted. Curled up in a ball, she fell asleep trying to stay as warm as possible. When Aliya awoke, she felt something, or someone, poking her.

"Just a couple more minutes, Moshka!" she muttered sleepily, thinking her trip into the tunnels had been a realistic dream. "I'll wake up, I-I promise…" Still, she was poked incessantly, and she sprang up ready to yell at Moshka for waking her so early. When she saw the dwarf, and her surroundings, she gasped.

"But-but wasn't my trip into the tunnels a dream?" she asked herself out loud. The dwarf answered her, not knowing she was talking to herself. "I found you in the tunnels leading to my home. I brought you here because you were probably lost. No one comes to visit me." Aliya just nodded her head in gratitude, not really knowing what to say.

"You are from Tronjheim, no?" he asked. She nodded again, and he continued, "I thought so. I left many years ago. Too crowded for me. Do you need help getting back?" For the third time, Aliya only nodded, still dumbfounded that she had been so lucky. The dwarf motioned to her to get on the horse with him, and they were off. She tried remembering the forks and tunnels they took so that she could properly thank the dwarf, but there were too many. She was amazed that the dwarf could, but it was more like the horse was guiding them. Aliya watched them for a couple of tunnels, and realized her mistake. The dwarf was so skilled with the horse that it seemed he barely guided it. Finally, she could speak, and tried to show the dwarf her gratitude many times, but he was so in tune with the horse that she gave up. I'll do it when he drops me off in Tronjheim, she promised herself. He's done so much for me. After a half hour or so of hard riding, the dwarf's horse stopped at Tronjheim's gates.

"There you go, missy," he said as he helped her down. "Back into Tronjheim." Trying to ignore the missy comment, she tried to express her gratitude towards him again.

"Thank you so-" she started as he rode off again. "Well, I guess he knew."

"Aliya! You're back!" someone yelled as she walked up the street. "I was so worried! Nasuada was about to send out a search party!" Aliya was suddenly hit by what felt like hundreds of bricks.

"Oof!" was all she could manage to spit out at first. "Rashid, you're going to kill me someday!" But she was so happy to see him that she really didn't mind. She might never have gotten back if not for that dwarf, whoever he was.

"Oh, and Nasuada wanted me and you in her study whenever I found you, so we should go now," he added.

"Why does she want you to come too? Are you coming along after all?"

"I don't know, but I hope Nasuada can convince my mom to let me go." He helped her up onto his horse, Wafi, and they rode quickly to Nasuada's study. Not waiting to knock, they barged in and ran up to her desk.

"I found Aliya, Nasuada!" Rashid shouted. "You don't need a search party!"

"I can see that, Rashid," she replied. "Aliya, what happened?" Aliya sighed, wondering how to explain all that had happened since she discovered her magic.

"It's a long story, but….it all started when you told me I could use magic yesterday. When I went home, I tried one of the words I remembered the Twins had used, and it worked. I was elated, to say the least. I couldn't wait to show Rashid, so I climbed up his neighbor's building, and through his window. His mother caught me there, and pretty much threw me out, but I was too excited to sleep even then. I wandered through the streets, practicing over and over again, not noticing that I had left the city, or that I was getting exhausted. I was only concentrating on the light in my hand. When I finally realized that I had tired myself out, I was far away from Tronjheim. I wandered a bit more, and realized that I had no idea where the city lay. I fell asleep on the spot, and a hermit dwarf took me back to the city. I never got to find out his name or thank him. And that's the condensed version of events," she finished.

"Can you show me what you can do?" Nasuada asked her after she got her breath back. Aliya nodded her head, and uttered, "Garjzla!" once again, and once more the light came back to her hand. Rashid and Nasuada gasped. Even though he had seen it before, he found it hard to believe that his best friend could use magic.

"That's it. We need to send you to the elves immediately," Nasuada concluded. "If you can already use your power, you must go to them and learn how to. Rashid, I'm sure you're wondering why I called you in here today, too. It seems that our cook tried to boil some eggs yesterday, and snakes hatched out of them. Would this by any chance be your doing?" He started laughing. He just couldn't help it.

In between, he managed to get out, "I'm…sorry Nasuada! The cook…deserves it!" She nodded.

"Then that settles it. You're going with Aliya, at least to the gates of Ellesmerá." Shocked, Aliya and Rashid stared at her, and both started talking at the same time.

"But his mother said he can't go!"

"You mean I can really go with her? What about my mom?" Nasuada held up her hands to silence them both, and said simply, "Rashid, your mother may need you around her shop, but you are too much trouble to keep here in the Varden, and I'm afraid your pranks may get much worse if you're not allowed to accompany Aliya. Besides, I know you want to go with her." She winked, and all three laughed.

"That I understand, and thank you for," he replied, "but what of my mother? She needs my help around the shop."

"You do cleaning, right? I will send soldiers, privates, anyone who volunteers to go help your mother. Aliya needs your help on this quest. And do not worry, I will personally make sure your mother sees no other reason that you can't go." Barely able to contain their excitement, Aliya and Rashid were dismissed.

"I can't believe I can go with you!" he yelled, jumping in the air.

"I can't believe it either! We're going to the elves' city, and we may meet the Rider who blessed me!" They got up onto Wafi once more, and Rashid dropped Aliya back off at her quarters. She ran inside, eager to take a nice hot bath, fresh from the springs inside the mountain. She knew she must have really smelled in Nasuada's study after sleeping on the ground and riding horses. Relaxing in the bath felt wonderful, and Aliya stayed in until her skin started to prune and the water turned cold.

"Aaah," she sighed, finally getting out and putting a blanket on while she found a fresh shirt. There was a knock on the door, and she held the blanket tight and opened the door the tiniest bit so that whoever it was wouldn't leave.

"Rashid!" she blushed, aware that even through the tiny opening he could see she had no clothes. "Stay right there, I'll be back." She ran through her rooms trying to find a clean blouse and skirt, all the while knowing Rashid had seen her through the crack in the door. Throwing on a clean, simple white blouse and brown skirt, she rushed back to the door.

"I'm sorry, Rashid," she explained. "I had just taken a bath because I slept in the dirt last night."

"It's alright, you smell beautiful."

"Um, thanks."
"I came to tell you the good news," he explained. "Nasuada talked to my mother, and I really am coming with you to Ellesmerá. Even though my mother is making sure guards travel with us and teach us some basic swordsman, or woman, ship."

"That's great, Rashid! Can you believe in a few days we'll be traveling together to the elves' great city? I never imagined…" Aliya invited him in, and they sat and talked in her room for hours, speculating about Ellesmerá.

"What do you think its like, Aliya?"

"It's supposed to be beautiful there. Green everywhere you look. And imagine, we will get to see elves! Not many young people from Tronjheim can say that."

"I hope they let me stay with you. It would be very depressing going home with those soldiers knowing that you are being trained in swordswomanship and magic."

"It will be hard to stay there knowing you are taking the dangerous journey back." This they speculated on for a good, long time, until Rashid's stomach told him it was time for dinner at his house, and his mother would be looking for him. Aliya waved goodbye from the doorway, and began to scrounge in her cabinet for food.

"What do I still have? There's deer meat…no, I had that last night. I can make fried Krasa bird with this meat….no, there's too much for me to eat by myself. There's salted Harin meat from Surda…that sounds delicious, actually." She took it out of her cabinet and built a small fire in the pit in the middle of her kitchen. Turning the meat slowly, she cooked it over the open fire. Before too long, it was brown and fried to perfection. She bit in eagerly, and the meat tasted just as good as it always did. Harin was a rare type of meat that she only let herself have on special occasions, and this was more special than any birthday or holiday. After dinner, she started packing for her trip to the elves. It was hard, because she could still not quite believe she was going. After packing, she was too tired to undress, and fell asleep immediately.

When Aliya woke up in the morning, she knew the day was special, but couldn't somehow remember why. When she saw the leather pack lying next to her bed, she remembered quickly, and ran out, grabbing it and hoping that they all weren't waiting for her already. Her hope was unfulfilled, however, as she went through the streets and saw people and dwarves lined up on the sidewalk, watching the soldiers and Rashid.

"Aliya! There you are!" he said jokingly. "We thought you got lost outside of Tronjheim's gates again." She shook her head, and saddled Arya.

"Are we almost ready to go?" she asked him. He nodded.

"We just need Nasuada to tell us where to go…I think she's only telling you and me, but she'll draw a map in case we forget." At that moment, Nasuada stepped forth with a full map of Alagaësia, with a trail marking the path to Ellesmerá.

"Good luck on your journey."