Aileana left the baker carrying a couple loaves of bread. She nodded politely to Jeod's butler as she passed him on her way to pick up a few other groceries. He was no doubt running some sort of errand for his master, possibly replenishing some of their stocks since Eragon and Brom had left just the other day after staying with Jeod for over a week.

She noticed that a lot of people were gathered in small groups and speaking in low voices. The strange thing was that many of them weren't the usual gossipers. There were young and old men talking besides the usual women of high class. Curiosity peaked, Aileana wandered over to a group to find out what had the town abuzz.

"I heard that there's a new Dragon Rider in Alagaesia," one man said.

"I heard the same thing except he opposes the king," a young woman said.

Aileana decided that she'd heard enough and headed home. Most of the other groups that she'd past on the way were talking about the same thing.

"I heard an interesting rumor today," Aileana told her mother as the door shut behind her.

"Oh?"

"Yeah there's talk of a new Dragon Rider that the King is hunting."

Angela looked up sharply. "What?"

"People are saying that there's a new Rider who is opposing Galbatorix. It's not the first time that there's been whispers of a new Rider, but it's always interesting."

"More than interesting," Angela said. She leaned back in her chair. "Those rumors are very intriguing especially so soon after Brom was here."

"Who is Brom?" Aileana asked. "I've heard you mention his name before, but what does he have to do with these rumors? And what is so special about the rumors this time? They've been around before but never panned out to anything since there are no dragon eggs left in Alagaesia unless the king has any."

Angela quickly warded the room against eavesdroppers and gestured for Aileana to sit down.

"Brom was a Dragon Rider before his dragon was killed by Morzan," she told her daughter. About sixteen years ago, the Varden got someone to steal the three dragon eggs that Galbatorix kept in his vaults. The thief only managed to steal one and fled rather than meet up with the Varden. Morzan and Brom both hunted the fool. Morzan got there first and Brom fought him for the egg, killing Morzan. The egg was then ferried between the Varden and the elves hoping that it would hatch for one of them. With the appearance of Brom and the rumors at the same time, it's highly likely that the Varden's egg has hatched creating a new Rider who fights Galbatorix."

"So the Dragon Riders have returned," Aileana said excitedly. She had always been interested in the tales of dragons and their riders, especially since it was part of her family's history.

"Yes. Let's pack up the store and head to the Varden to learn more."

They spent the rest of that day and next bundling herbs, buying supplies and generally preparing for their departure from Teirm.

After a long two week trek across Alagaesia on horseback, Angela and Aileana reached the Lake of Kóstha-mérna. Angela spoke the opening words at the side of the waterfall. The doors opened and the two of them entered the mountain.

The guards greeted Angela before turning to Aileana. "Who are you?"

"She's my daughter, so don't even think about summoning one of the Twins," Angela told them firmly. "Unless of course you want to find out what it's like to spend the day as a frog or something unpleasant." The guards gulped visibly and waved them on. "Wise decision."

The two of them walked down the long dark tunnel. Aileana studied the ruby and amethyst studded marble pillars fascinated by the skill and artistry of the dwarves. She gasped when she saw the massive volcanic crater and the glittering city in the center.

"This mountain is called Farthen Dûr by the dwarves and the center is their city-mountain, Tronjheim, which they built from pure marble."

"Wow," Aileana breathed. "A little over the top though."

Angela nodded in agreement. She pointed out various places and directions to other interesting areas as she and her daughter headed down to their room.

Over the next couple weeks, Aileana settled into life in Tronjheim. Most of her days were spent either in the library reading whatever took her fancy or exploring the many halls and watching the residents going about their daily lives. Aileana found her first friend that was her own age in Nasuada and the two of them would talk about random topics or go to the training grounds and practice archery.

She had to be careful whenever she headed back to her room. A few days after Aileana and Angela arrived, her mother had been approached by a group of magicians called Du Vangr Gata. They kept pestering the two of them, once that they learned that Aileana could do magic as well. The Twins who ran the group were the worst and they kept trying to probe Aileana's mind despite her mother's multiple warnings about what would happen to their minds. Angela ended up moving herself, Aileana, Solembum, and all their possessions up into an unused area of Tronjheim in the dead of the night. Since then the pestering had stopped and the Twin's cut back on trying to probe Aileana's mind after Angela spoke to Ajihad, which Aileana was immensely grateful for. The Twins made her skin crawl.

One morning on her way to the library, Aileana noticed a large crowd gathered. Her steps faltered as she debated whether or not to see what was going on. She absolutely despised crowds as they often made her feel claustrophobic. However, her curiosity won out and Aileana walked over to see what all the fuss was about.

She got her answer when cheering erupted down the hall from where she was standing. Her eyes widened in awe as she watched a magnificent dragon walk down the hall. The dragon's scales were a brilliant, radiant blue and he or she walked with his or her head held proudly. Aileana pulled her eyes away from the dragon that, according to the whispers from those around her, was named Saphira, and looked at her Rider. She was faintly surprised that she recognized him as the boy Eragon who had come into their shop back in Teirm. Aileana noticed that his older companion wasn't there. Instead a young man with long, dark brown hair, who looked to be about her own age, was riding in Eragon's company.

"He's quite good looking isn't he?" a young woman near Aileana said to her friend.

"Which one?" the friend asked. "The Rider or his companion?"

"Either," she answered sending them both into fits of giggles.

Aileana rolled her eyes at their antics, though she did find herself agreeing that Eragon's companion was quite handsome. She shook her head to get rid of those thoughts. She wasn't interested in any sort of romantic endeavor. It was safer for her sanity and mental health that way.

Deciding that she'd seen enough, Aileana headed back to her and her mother's rooms, the library completely forgotten.

"I didn't expect you back so soon," Angela said looking up from her knitting.

"I got distracted," Aileana admitted. "Eragon is a Rider."

"I should have figured when he mentioned Brom," Angela said. "What happened?"

Aileana proceed to tell her mother all about the procession and what she saw.