Chapter 1

Narrator POV:

Eragon was a wreck. It was a simple as that. He may have denied it, but it was obvious to anyone that was around Eragon for even the smallest amount of time. After the slaying Eragon's master Oromis and his dragon Glaedr by Murtagh and Thorn at the siege of Gil'ead, he was almost always in his tent, and when he wasn't, he was flying with Saphira. The amount of angst, rage, and sadness radiating from the minds of the varden's rider and dragon could be sensed from a mile away, and no matter how many people tried to comfort them, the pain never lessoned. The reason for this is not just the deaths of their masters, but for the sheer loss of everybody they have lost so far to this vicious war. The list so far contained: Brom, Garrow, Hrothgar, Oromis, Glaedr, and Roran. It seemed to Eragon that the only people he had left were Saphira and Arya…

Eragon POV:

It was a pain that not even time could heal. It was not a physical pain curable through the ancient language, or the language of magic. But it is the pain of losing nearly everyone most dear to you. Eragon was laying wide-awake for the 4th night in a row. He hadn't slept since the news of the death of his masters. He was furious with Murtagh, even if he was not in complete control of himself. He still could have fought back against Galbatorix, but he didn't. Eventually his anger towards his half brother subsided and his mind wondered back to Oromis and Glaedr.

Little one, it is far from healthy to lie there night after night and day after day. I miss Oromis and Glaedr too, but they would have wanted us to continue moving forward in our quest to tackle Galbatorix from the throne.

"I know, but its still hard to wrap my head around their deaths… Its like whoever I care for is destined to be ripped away from me by fate…"

I know little one, I know. Just try to get some sleep. Just because they died does not mean that all of Alagaesia will stop fighting to let us mourn. We can cope with our loss, but the varden needs us to look strong, and we must also continue doing what we can to train and ready our selves for the battles to come. And besides, you smell worse than an Urgal.

"Thank you Saphira for your always wise words of wisdom…"

Anytime little one.

This caused him to let loose a little chuckle. But it also caused him to rethink things. Now he tried viewing his dilemma from another point of view. Instead of focusing on all of the people I have lost, I should focus on all of the people who I still have left. I still had Saphira, my other half and partner of heart and mind; I still had Arya, the beautiful princess of the elves. The holder of my heart and soul, I would without a doubt give my life to protect her if the time comes, for if I lose her, I would become a broken man with no will to continue. If I lost either of them, I would most likely die from the despair of loneliness. But as long as I had them, I had a reason to live, a reason to fight, a reason to continue my goal of toppling the dark king and restoring peace to the beautiful land of Alagaesia and also restoring the order of the dragon riders to its former glory. And with those thoughts, he fell asleep.

Eragon!

"Saphira wha…"

Having slept for the first time in days, I was extremely tired, and confused. Why was it getting dark out already, or was it getting lighter? But then, across the tent I saw the reason for my rude awakening. On the stool by my desk sat Arya, in a forest green tunic the color of her eyes. She wore her raven black hair in a bun and strapped to her hip was her curved elven blade. Her slanted eyes deep and emotionless… and staring at me. After realizing that she was staring at me because I was nude from the waist up, I blushed a deep crimson red before apologizing and getting up to dress in a sapphire blue tunic. She let slip a amused smile before regathering her emotionless eyes. I then started the traditional elven greeting when.

"Arya s…"

"Please Eragon, no formalities, we are friends."

"Ok, may I ask to know of your reasons for visiting me this morning?"

"I have just been informed by my mother that the burial for Oromis and Glaedr is to occur 3 weeks from now on this day. She has asked me to tell you she has requested you to come to Ellesmera to prepare and make the funeral arrangements since you are now the last free rider and dragon pair and are now the Lead Riders of Vroengard."

"We were already planning on going to Ellesmera to arrange the funeral, so now that we know the date is upon us, we should leave before the end of the week. Assuming that you are going, would you like to travel with Saphira and I?"

"Your assumption is correct, I will be leaving and I was wondering if I could ride with you on Saphira. So yes I will ride with you and Saphira." And then in a more concerned tone "I was also here to see how you were holding up emotionally after the death of your masters… and I was here to see I you could maybe tell me about them, since I haven't gotten the time to see them for an extended period of time because of my duties to be ambassador and because of my banishment. You see Oromis became close to me after the death of my father, and he kind of took up the roll of being my father since he was never able to have children before his mate was killed by a band of urgals. So in some sense I was like the child he could never have. He taught me everything I know from swordsmanship, to the ancient language. Before I took up the Yawe and became ambassador, I was visited by a werecat that I have long forgotten the name of and the werecat foretold of his death. I went with this information to Oromis and he simply replied telling me to not worry over it, and no matter what fate would take its course. So I would really like if you and Saphira could tell me what he was like during your last visit, I would be in your debt."

Seeing her be so open and was unreal, but before I started to stare at her and try to find out if she was also mourning, Saphira, my great big overgrown lizard of a dragon mentally reprimanded me before telling me.

We are not the only one affected by their deaths little one; you are not the only one mourning the death of Oromis and Glaedr. They have affected the lives of so many. Including a certain princess who you seem to be staring at…

She sent a little bit of amusement through their link as I quickly looked down, sensing my cheeks once again turning red from embarrassment. Before I could apologize I heard Arya chuckle as apparently guessing that a certain dragon was having a little fun with the entire situation.

Deciding that the best way to tell her about Oromis with the help of Saphira was by using the more private way to converse using the mind. I slowly approached her mind with a tendril from mine and after she recognized it and let it in, Saphira and I started our story of our last visit to Ellesmera….