So, I decided to to give you another chapter before I get my books back which happens on sunday. enjoy!

"Majesty," he murmured as the king and his dragon landed in the courtyard. It was one of the rare times that Shruikan was allowed out of the castle and it could only be in the dead of night. The young man finally had a clear head as the lookalike of his mother was working outside and he didn't have to see her. Though, he felt that he would have to talk to her about her work ethic as he had noticed the gardens starting to die.

"Is it safe?" The king asked.

"It is in the gardens. Where you asked for it to be kept, Majesty."

"Very good, Murtagh. Let us retrieve it. I think I have found the perfect person."

"This way." Murtagh led the king into the gardens and down the path. No one was allowed in this area of the garden for the simple reason that it would be too easy for someone to find the stone if they were to notice the slight differences. At the garden gate, the two men left their guards and wandered the paths by themselves. They walked in silence until they reached a part of the garden that was starting to die from lack of care. "I apologize if this garden does not match the rest. The servant in charge of the gardens must not be doing her job well. I shall punish her for it."

"See that you do." They stopped and Murtagh stooped to pick up the stone. He froze when his hand touched mud where the stone should have been. He didn't say anything except to call for a torch and prepared himself for the worst when the light revealed the stone was gone. "Where is that servant girl you put in charge of the gardens?" The king asked calmly.

"Her name is Rose. Please, Majesty, I will find her. Where will you wait?"

"I will go with you to find her." The king said. "Let us return to the castle." They walked in silence. Murtagh was fuming. He should have checked on the egg sooner. It had been six months since he had assigned Rose to the garden and it had started dying a week after that. The other servants had been trying to keep it, but they also had other chores to attend to that they couldn't be bothered with an area someone was already supposed to be keeping. A few minutes after the discovery, Murtagh and Galbatorix burst into the female sleeping quarters, frightening the women who clutched sheets around themselves. The king ignored them while Murtagh's ears burned slightly. The young man looked at the king who nodded his permission for Murtagh to deal with his staff.

"I have a problem." He said and some of the women fainted. He looked at them, looking for the strong will that Rose held within her. "My garden is dying and the king is displeased. I put Rose in charge of the gardens and she has been neglecting her duties. Now, you all know how I hate when one of my own servants neglects in their duties when I am so kind to all of you. You will tell me where Rose has gone or you shall all pay the penalty. Starting with you." He pointed at a petite blond woman who had worked closely with Rose in the castle. They would always be working together so as not to be alone with the men who all seemed to avoid her.

"I swear, M'lord, I don't know where she has gone." Tears started falling. Murtagh could see that she wanted to say more, but didn't and both Murtagh and the king noticed how tightly she was clutching her sheet to her body. Murtagh looked in her eyes, sending unnoticeable probes into her mind. She was telling the truth. She didn't know where Rose had gone. None of them knew. He was sure none of the men would know either. Which left him with one answer and more questions. The two left the room and went into the study where Galbatorix guarded it against eavesdroppers.

"Do you still have a picture of this girl in your mind?"

"I do. I can't forget her with how similar she looks like my mother." Murtagh opened his mind to the king and summoned up the image of the servant girl, Rose. After a few minutes, the king poured water from a nearby vase into a bowl and muttered the spell. The background was white with her on it, just sitting and talking to something. As they watched, she stood and jumped as someone neared her. Murtagh bit back a curse as he recognized the man who killed his father. The two hugged and sat together. The king let the spell go and turned to his most loyal servant after Morzan. "He's supposed to be dead." Murtagh seethed.

"It seems that this woman is his daughter. And I doubt her name is Rose. But one thing is for sure. The egg hatched for her. You must find her. Wait until she enters an area that you have seen, that is when she will be near. That is when you grab her and her dragon."

"It will be done, Majesty." Murtagh bowed and the king left. Moments later, the young man heard the jarring thuds of the massive dragon flying back to Urû'baen. Murtagh turned to the portrait of his father. "You would have found him by now if you were alive." He whispered. "This must mean that he's killed you and taken your sword and the dragon egg he stole from the king. Now his daughter has done the same. If I get the chance, Father, I will go to the king and ask to be presented to the eggs. I will follow in your footsteps. I will serve the king as a Rider. I swear.

"Briar… that is a strange name."

"Dad says that Mom wanted to name me after a flower, but I was such a handful that they decided on Briar. He says it's because they knew that I would be a thorn in the side of my enemies."

"Well, it's fitting."

"How would you know?" Briar laughed as she sat in the hollow space where Brom had told her was for a saddle. He said he would get the leather and they would make her dragon's first saddle.

"You share your memories with me. In many of them, when you are fighting, you dart around like a fox."

"And you know what a fox is." Briar joked, knowing there was no way that he knew what a fox was.

"Of course I do. They have red fur and sneak around and are quick. They are very much like you, Little Fox."

"Little Fox? Need I reminder you that you are only three months old."

"That may be, but you are smaller than me and are sly like a fox. So you are my Little Fox." He turned his head to look at her and grinned as best he could. The attempt made her laugh and she nearly fell from his back.

"Alright then. But you need a name as well, my large and growing friend."

"I agree. But what should I be called."

"Well, what would you like? You have as much of a choice in your name as I do. Though, I have noticed you fly at night when you think I am asleep." Briar smirked while her dragon blinked.

"I like that night."

"And you are silent like the wind, for now. But you are a fast flyer. How about Dwervevindr? It means Night Wind."

"Night Wind? I like it! I am Dwervevindr!" Briar held onto a neck spike as Dwervevindr reared back and roared in excitement. Briar laughed as his excitement crossed their bond to her. Dwervevindr took to the sky and Briar nearly fell again while trying to keep her legs from being torn to shreds. Dwevervindr noticed his Rider's discomfort and landed quickly. "I apologize, Little Fox. I let my emotions get the better of me." He looked at his Rider's red face and was confused when he felt amusement cross their bond. "Briar?"

"Never apologize for your feelings, Dwervevindr. I'm just glad that you like your name. I've been trying to think of one for days now."

"Can I introduce myself to your father next time we see him?" Briar could feel his excitement growing again as she climbed down his leg.

"Of course you can. I think he said he'll be coming tomorrow." Briar smiled and laid on the ground beneath Dwervevindr's wing while he curled around her, placing his head alongside her body. The pair fell asleep, having nothing better to do until they had a saddle.

He watched the water as it showed the aqua and black dragon he knew was in the egg. He was surprised he was able to focus on it at all since it. From the image he was looking at, the dragon was now three months old. It was slightly amusing how joyful the pair looked as the dragon's Rider was also in the image. It brought back to him bitter memories of days with his own dragon. He knew that they would do anything for each other, to keep the other safe. He wasn't sure if she knew she had taken an egg, but he could tell that she was glad she had found it. He also didn't doubt that Brom was proud of his daughter for becoming a Rider. He would take great pleasure in forcing her to serve him and fight against her father.

He released the spell and walked through the halls of his castle. He knew that Murtagh had left to find this woman. It would be difficult as the young man was not familiar with the land outside of the area of Urû'baen. He had also gotten a lead on Brom and needed to dispatch his most effective servants.

Do you like Briar's nickname? I thought it fitting since she found Dwervevindr while working as a spy. thanks for reading and please review