The King slain, Nasuada on the throne, and the land of Alagaesia now on the mend; citizens have finally started to feel a sense of ease. To the East, however, a new evil lies and waits in the desert for the opportune moment to strike. After three years, the cities in the new age have heard of another name. None know what side they are on but with the growing fear in the towns outlining the desert, they hope. With the new age comes another generation of riders, creatures, and mysteries...
"Father, what's this? It's pretty." Selena said, pointing to an egg-like stone. Two pairs of boots echoed quietly throughout the long hall. On each side of Selena and her father resided hundreds of similar eggs.
Eragon smiled brightly at her question. It was the first time he had brought his four year old to the magnificently crafted building. Elvish runes decorated the shelf-like cradles that protected each egg. The one which held his daughter's interest glittered enticingly on a waist-high pedestal in the center of the room. Next to it, sat another. The difference between them was the color. On the left, sang the bright shade of turquoise and pale blue. In contrast, watched the teal and emerald storm of heavens. The curious child ran for the more mysterious of the two.
Her father followed closely behind, eventually catching up to put his hands on her shoulders softly. Young eyes stared, mesmerized by the hidden swirls of blue.
"It's an egg." He whispered excitedly, kneeling behind her. Her hand instinctively reached up to move one of the stray strands of obsidian hair from her face. She tried again, momentarily focusing on how to keep it out of her eyes. Familiar hands folded the piece behind her ear. She continued her study of the creature immediately.
"Can I have it?" She asked. When he didn't respond, she looked back to him for an answer. His smile turned playful, his eyes pleaded back at him as he thought of a response.
"Only if you run and give your mother an embrace and remind her how much you love her." He whispered. She gasped excitedly at the prospect. Within seconds, only the eggs waited in front of him as his daughter ran the way they came, easily finding her way out of the hold.
The heels of her boots laughed when the soles met damp grass. The two elves guarding outside joined the chorus as her form vanished from sight, looking inside to find her companion following suit; albeit at a slower pace. He bowed in greeting and exchanged light words before excusing himself to find the young princess.
Memory served her well as she rounded the corners of tree trunks and fantastic houses of the residents until she found the entrance she was looking for. She entered and called for her mother in a sing-song voice. Plans of what to do with the egg danced in her head as she jumped up the stairs.
Eragon barely had time to step out of the way before his world and mate exited the enormous trunk that held their quarters. Selena held Arya's hand as the elf was dragged through the forest. As she passed him, Eragon turned around to follow the duo back the way he came with a joyful expression. It surprised him, the lack of elves that normally wandered the lush glade.
Just when he thought something was amiss, a familiar face walked in front of him. Eragon and Vanir greeted one another. Vanir, for once, didn't give him a hard time. Instead, he relayed his intended message seriously.
"Nasuada requests your presence." He said. Eragon thanked him and moved to walk around him. Vanir followed his footstep and resumed his usual demeanor.
"Selena running faster than you can, fricai?" He joked as Eragon remembered where he was going, picking up the pace.
When he reached his destination, Selena and Arya met his eyes. Selena was in tears. Eragon's heart jumped in his chest at the horrid sight. Arya gave him a stern look before confusing him with her smooth voice.
"As I've said, you cannot keep it. It was not for your father to give." Eragon caught on to the foreshadowing of a future conversation and looked away from the glaring emerald daggers. Selena clung to the slender leg next to her as she cried.
"But I want it!" She sobbed, turning her head to face the glossy egg. Without notice, she lunged for the object, catching her parent's off guard. Arya bent down to prevent the dangerous collision. Faster than her mother, Selena managed to brush her fingers softly enough to push it to the edge of the concaved bed, quickly making it fall to the floor.
Eragon stood in shock as Arya pulled Selena close to her. Contact with the ground caused the green-blue oval to shatter into dozens of harmless egg chips, revealing a comically dazed dragon encased in thick fluid and matching colored scales.
Selena's first reaction was to apologize. "I'm sorry, I never meant to break it!" She cried. Arya kept her eyes on the hatchling and smiled as she answered her daughter.
"No, no, it's alright. Do you remember when your father and I spoke to you about what Saphira and Fìrnen are? That's a baby dragon. It won't hurt you." She calmed. Selena sniffled loudly and Eragon stepped forward to meet Arya and Selena.
"If you touch it, you'll be just like me and your mother." He reassured. Arya looked next to her where he stood. Quietly, the dragon watched them converse,
"She's too young." She protested, holding onto Selena a little more protectively. Eragon shook his head and spoke to Arya.
"It wouldn't have cracked if she wasn't meant to bond to it." He pressed. Arya sighed, agreeing softly, still looking to him with a hard expression before she looked down to Selena.
"Go on, we'll be right here." She unwrapped her arms to allow Selena the freedom to step forward. Selena hesitated but quickly reached her left hand in front of her to touch the Saphira-like creature. It stopped mid-cleansing to shake its right hind foot from the stickiness of the shell it previously occupied. Selena's fingers moved into its peripheral vision and it screeched in surprise.
The duo jumped back at the sudden movement of each other. Slowly, the distance between them lessened as they grew more curious. Selena screamed when the tips of her fingers touched the scaled creature. Eragon was the first to catch her fall. Arya ignored his movement and reached for her, the desire to comfort her daughter disregarded his action.
The soft murmuring of footsteps made their way to the scene as the guard rushed to the commotion.
"We heard-." One of them explained before he cut himself off in shock. The dragon growled at the new visitors. Arya picked up the resting child effortlessly as she faced the elves. Eragon looked back to the dragon and smiled, calming it down with the ancient language.
Arya smiled and turned her eyes to Selena's sleeping form in her arms.
"Gladiriel, vuirik, tell everyone that one of Firnen and Saphira's eggs have hatched and that we have a new dragon rider." She said without looking up.