Okay so I might have confused my readers but I forgot to write about after the burning plains so I wrote this and everything has had to be changed around. There are no extra chapters added on after this. I am sorry for any confusion and hope the prologue lives up to the rest of the story.

Prologue- Some things never change

The smell of rotting corpses filled the noses of the survivors. A day had passed since the battle on the burning plains had ended. Eragon had begun to come to terms with his news. He lay still in his bed, it still hurt to move and just laying with his eyes open was a task.

'Saphira, what time is Nasuada supposed to be coming.'

'She said that it will be sometime today, but you have to remember that many have died and she has to organise all of them to be returned to their families.'

Eragon sighed and tried to turn to the curtains of the tent, every muscle ached and cramped as he moved slowly. Finding that it was virtually impossible for him to even stand, he called Saphira.

'I need to change my clothes and see if I can help the Varden with the clean up. Will you help me?'

'You are too weak to do anything like that…You cannot even sit up without nearly passing out.'

'Saphira please I need to, I don't want to stay in bed.'

'Very well but I doubt that Angela will be happy when she finds out what you are up to.'

Eragon laughed and began to strain to reach the end of his bed. Saphira poked her head into the tent and Eragon heaved himself on to his feet. Against Saphira, Eragon was as light as a feather. His whole body shook and standing for only a minute began to make his muscles burn.

'Saphira, can you give me a leg or a head to lean on.'

'This is not a good idea, you are not strong enough.'

Saphira head snaked round and rested against Eragon's legs so he could sit down. Gradually he dressed in clean clothes and weakly grabbed at Saphira's spikes to haul himself on to her back.

The two plodded out into the fresh sea air, many citizens stopped and greeted the mighty dragon. As they left the city, the smell of battle hit them. The Burning plains was strewn with bodies, the smell was made worse by the heat from the caverns. Eragon slouched in the saddle; his body felt helpless and pained to breathe.

'I am going to take you back…You should not be out of bed…I was wrong to even consider it.'

'Saphira, I will be fine…the fresh air will do me some good.'

'This is hardly fresh air! How can you be fine when every muscle aches and you are struggling to stay in my saddle.' Saphira began to turn around when a voice called out to them.

"Saphira…Wait!" Nasuada sprinted towards the great blue dragon, squinting to protect her eyes from the whirling sand. "I wish to speak with…" She spotted the feeble rider upon the dragon's back "Eragon, what do you think you are doing out of bed?"

"Please do not shout at me… It was my choice…I want to help."
"The help us all by staying in your tent and recovering…You almost died out there, do not heed your own recovery to aid ours."

"But I…"

"Come I will walk back with you and make sure you do not take any detours."

'In that case you better climb on; you can help this silly little boy stay in his saddle.' Saphira laughed as she spoke as did Nasuada, but Eragon sulked all the way back to his tent.

Nasuada escorted Eragon's weak frame to his bed and helped him to climb in.

"What did you wish to speak to me about?" Nasuada glanced down at the floor; Eragon had never seen her lost for something to say.

"I need you tell me what happened up on the cliff." Nasuada looked up, but now Eragon evaded her stare.

"…I told you all I remember."

"No I do not think you did. What are you hiding from the Varden?"

"Look…The rider is Murtagh, he betrayed us, we fought, he told me about the king then he left me for dead…That is all I can say, what more do you want?"

"What did he tell you about the King?"

"That he taught him new magic, made him swear oaths in the ancient language…Oaths to kill me."

"So why didn't he when you were so weak?"

"He said that he could not this time, but next time I would not be so lucky…" Eragon turned away from the woman "…I am tired; I do not wish to speak anymore." Nasuada sighed and stalked away from the tent. Saphira reappeared through the curtains of the tent.

'You should tell somebody about Murtagh…You cannot cope with this secret on your own.'

'I have you, you are the only person I trust with this…I would not even trust Arya.'

'I am glad you feel that way towards me, but maybe you could discuss it with Oromis when we return to Ellesméra'

'I will do that if he asks , but lets try and keep it between ourselves for now…I am going to sleep some more, good night my friend.'

'Good night little one.' Saphira nuzzled Eragon's arm and withdrew her head from the tent.

Eragon woke the next day to find Roran slouched forward; his head rested by Eragon's hand. Eragon felt stronger that yesterday though it still hurt when he moved, he put that down to being stuck in bed all day on his back.

'Saphira what time is it?'

'You are awake, how are you feeling?'

'Good, but that isn't what I asked you.'

'It is morning…' Saphira sighed through their mental connection. 'Why do you want to know the time?'

'Are you near me?'

'Yes…' Saphira stuck her head into the tent. '…Why?'

'Help me to get up again please? I think I am stronger that yesterday.'

'You maybe stronger, but you are not fully recovered.'

'Just help me please!' Saphira tutted and aided her rider again. All the movement that they made and his cousin did not even stir.

'He always was a heavy sleeper'. Eragon was right, he felt much stronger and not as tired, and Nasuada will not send him back this time. For a second time Eragon and Saphira made their way through the city and towards the burning plains. Nasuada tried to argue but Eragon won on this single occasion.

"How many of the dead are members of the Varden?"

"So far we have accounted for thirty dead, but that is only in this small area." Nasuada traced the tiny perimeter with her finger so that Eragon could see.

"How much further do the plains stretch?"

"It goes another few miles or maybe more…We will never clear all the bodies before they begin to decay and disease sets into the living and wounded." Eragon stared out on to the vast barren land. He faced Nasuada and made eye contact.

"How can we help?"

Saphira glided over the Burning Plains overseeing the destruction that had been made. The stench of burning flesh filled her nose and the nose of her rider.

'How could the king let this happen to his own people'

'Eragon, you have to understand, the king is so corrupt and the only person that he cares for is himself so he does not care how many die as long as he kills you.'

'I wish that he didn't chase me so. I do not want so many to die so that he can have his way…If I am such a threat, why won't he come out of his castle and finish me himself?'

'That is what he will use your brother for.'

'Murtagh is not my brother! He is not and never will be. I do not even wish to be mentioned as that traitor's friend.'

'Eragon, all this anger will get you nowhere…Whether you like it or not he is your brother and no anger in Alagaësia will change that.'Saphira shut Eragon out and carried on searching the battle field. Saphira continued her circle when the place Eragon would most love to forget came into his sight. Something shiny glinted in the late morning sun. Saphira glided towards the ledge and landed gracefully by the edge. The memories of the fight flooded back into Eragon's mind as if flood gates had been opened.

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-No I did not die.

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-I had no choice

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-Galbatorix made us swear loyalty to him in the ancient language

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-I am stronger than Morzan ever was

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-We were friends once. Galbatorix can't have twisted you so much that you have forgotten.

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-If I have become my father, then I will have my father's blade

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-Zar'roc should have gone to Morzan's eldest son, not his youngest. It is mine by right of birth.

The images flashed behind his eyes and the memories brought tears to Eragon's eyes. Eragon fell to his knees and pounded the ground with his fist.

"He is not my brother! I will not believe it…I will not…" His voice drifted off as he wept out loud.

'Eragon you were not to know. But maybe he will see in time and just maybe he will change.' Eragon turned his tear streaked face to his beautiful Saphira. He spoke out of his mind to her.

"Some things never change."