"Eragon!" he heard a voice call from not too far off.

"Roran! Did you already finish your business with Nasuada?" the younger man asked turning carefully so as to not further injure his back.

Roran looked better compared to when he first came to the Burning Plains. He was covered in dirt and dried blood and such when Eragon first saw him after how many long seasons. But now, he was washed and had a change of clothes. Also, Eragon noticed a change in him. As if Roran had matured since they last met. However, change or not, Eragon was happy to finally see his brother again.

"Yes," he answered. "She is very kind. She let the entire village under her wing!"

Eragon nodded and smiled with approval. Things seemed to be looking up.

"Come," Eragon beckoned. "We shall talk more at my tent. We have much to catch up on. Besides, I believe there is someone I have yet to introduce you to."

Eragon then started off in a direction with Roran in tow through the crowds. Though the two have never been closer in the past few seasons, they felt as if the chasm between them has widened tenfold. They walked in silence for a few moments before coming out of the swarming crowds and to Eragon's tent. Roran stayed a few away.

"Roran?" Eragon questioned. "Something wrong?"

"Eragon, don't tell me this…'thing' is what you are supposed to introduce me to."

Well I never! Saphira exclaimed with a bite to her voice.

Easy Saphira. I'll explain everything to him. "Roran, you have no reason to be afraid. This here is Saphira," Eragon said as he laid a hand on the dragon's head.

"She's a dragon Eragon," Roran said. "She is a dragon! What is going on here!?"

Roran's exclamation caught the attention of a few people in the surrounding crowd and Eragon just went on to grab him by the sleeve and pull him into the tent away from suspecting eyes and curiosities. Once inside, Roran just yanked his person from his younger sibling's grasp and back away a few paces.

"Care to explain why there is such a beast lounging so casually next to your tent!"

Saphira then snaked her head in though the front startling Roran to the ground with limp limbs.

I have feelings you know, she forwarded to Eragon. Hurry up and explain lest I be more aggravated with his arrogance and do something I might regret.

Eragon nodded in Saphira's direction and then she snaked her head back out of the tent. The young man could still feel her angered aura even from outside the tent. He then turned his attention to his still terrified brother.

"Roran, much has happened since I left Carvahall and I'm not quite sure how to put it all into one sitting but I shall try to thoroughly tell my tale."

The sun has lost much sky while Eragontold his story. Starting from when he first found Saphira's egg and was entrusted with the duty and name of Dragon Rider and was therefore left with no other choice but to leave Carvahall. And when he ran into Brom and started training alongside his new found mentor and friend for many a day. He even included tales of when he ran into Murtagh and saved Arya.

"Wait. Are you saying that you actually saved an elf? I mean an actual elf?I thought they kept to themselves in the northern woods," Roran said as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"They do," Eragon answered. "But Arya was an exception. She was entrusted with caring for Saphira's egg and just happened to get caught up in all this mess."

"I see," Roran replied as if he were only humoring him. "And where is this Arya then?"

"She's..."

Eragon found himself at a loss for words when it came to discussing the familiar she-elf.

"Eragon?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. Um...Arya is back where she belongs actually. She's with her kin in the northern woods."

Eragon found his older brother looking at him with a curious and almost judgemental look. Like there was something telling Roran that the person sitting across from him was not who he thought he was.

"Is there something on my face?" Eragon asked innocently.

"...Now that I see you up close," Roran started keeping his judging eyes on him, "you look different."

"Well, I did mature a bit since we last saw-"

"No that's not it," Roran interrupted. "I mean, you look...I'm not sure as to how to put it. It's almost as if you...weren't all human."

Eragon knew where he was getting to. And he decided that there was no better or worse time to tell him. Eragon let out a sigh so as to relax and prepare for whatever reaction Roran might expel.

"When I visited Du Weldenvarden," Eragon started, keeping his eyes to the ground, "I took part in a ceremony."

"Ceremony? What kind of ceremony?"

Eragon, not knowing how to tell Roran what had happened a number of moons ago, decided to show instead of tell. He raised his right hand to the side of his head and tucked his now long hair behind his pointed ear. He heard Roran's gasp and decided to not meet his eyes just yet.

"You...you're...I mean...how?"

Just then, as if right on cue, Orik came into the tent.

"Eragon, Nasuada needs to see you right away," the stout dwarf said in a hasty manner.

"All right," he replied. Then he looked to Roran and told him that he would be back soon and explain everything.

Then he left his older brother alone, questioning, doubting.