First off, can't believe I did this again, but apparently I came up with a name that's pronunciation was difficult for quite a number of people. Nayter, Katelyn's childhood friend, was supposed to be spelled with a dash over the e, which would make it sound like you were saying Naytear. However, as you may have noticed, the FanFicition page was edited and it apparently no longer recognizes such dashes.

Moving on.

Prince of Madness 54: Thank you. Your second paragraph I think, and hope, I address in this chapter; at least in an indirect way.

Valkyrie-chick: J Well you will just have to keep reading to find out.

Antclift: J Little spoiler for one of my favorite readers, regarding your second point, it's going to be kind of the other way around.

Rathon did not eat that night, nor the next morning. He went to such extreme measures to avoid making contact with his brother, even if the contact was nothing more than seeing him. Instead, he went straight out with Leonis and two of the younger Riders. Together, they flew out across the sea, not really going anywhere, but simply enjoying their day off.

You are upset, are you not? came Leonis' voice inside Rathon's head.

Simply my brother again. Leonis tilted his left wing to compensate for a surge in wind. It seems to me that your brother angers you quite often.

Indeed he does. They had been flying for more than an hour when Rathon sensed someone pushing at his thoughts. After identifying the person as Katelyn, he opened his mind and let her enter.

King Eragon requests that you return to the palace.

For what, if I may be so arrogant to ask?

He did not say.

Rathon lifted a hand and the other two Riders gave them their attention. "We return to the city," he said loudly, that they might hear him. As one, the three dragons tilted on their left wings, spun around, and flew back to the palace.

When Rathon opened the door to his father's chambers, he saw the lean King standing in front of the large windows which overlooked the city of Vroengard. Without turning around he said, "Aesire informs me that you did poorly on your assignment yesterday."

"And what if I did?"

"Then I wish to aid you."

Resentment sparked in Rathon. So that you aren't humiliated by a weak son? "If I were to be taught at the level I am at, then perhaps I would not have such troubles."

"Come now, Rathon. You know better than that. You are an elder Rider that will make the foundation for the new order of Riders."

"And why is that position hoisted onto me? Brom and Katelyn are over half a decade older than me, so why is it that a Rider of a younger generation must help lead it into its new era?"

"Because for nearly a century, your dragon, or at least his egg, held a very powerful position. Either Leonis could help defeat Galbatorix or he could destroy the Varden, elves, dwarfs and the free humans of Alagaesia. Because of that high position, you have been raised above what you think you can handle. If one of the dragons that helmed the Varden's desperate hopes is rode by a weak Rider, it will dishearten the Riders from here on in. And you are a prince. Seeing the royalty of Vroengard as weak will vindicate the Black Chamber as nothing else will."

"If you cannot stomp out a few lowly rebellions, then a poor King you would be."

"I will not destroy something merely because it thinks differently than me."

"Why? You have every ability to. So then why do you choose not to?"

Eragon turned to him and said, "This is a lesson that Brom and Katelyn learned before you and, if I have my way as king, every rider that comes after you. The lives of those under you should be treated as if they were above you."

"Idiocy. Absurdity. The strong rule the weak and the Riders are the strongest people in the world."

Eragon opened his mouth to respond, but then seemed to think better of it and instead returned to his observation of the horizon. "Perhaps it is time then. Better now before this misguided belief has a chance to grow and spread like a weed."

"Time for what?"

"I want you to know," Eragon said, ignoring his question. "Not even Katelyn and Brom had a chance to complete this stage of their training in its fullness. We needed them to come back to train so that when the newer dragons began to hatch they could train the newer riders, in part. I cannot teach the younger generation, for while I may teach a Rider every so often, I am too preoccupied with the Black Chamber to teach them as I had wished. There is, however, no such inhibition with you. Granted, we would be without two of our elder Riders, but if this is not done, and soon, the chances of you fulfilling your role will by slim to none."

Rathon grit his teeth. "I can fulfill any role you assign me, if only you did so within my abilities."

"That is exactly what I mean to do." A long pause followed, wherein Rathon's anger was allowed to cool. For nearly a half hour they stood in that position, neither moving. "I have a plan for the three of you, Rathon. You, Brom and Katelyn. And I wish to be able to use your full potential, not the slim effort you are putting forth, for your full potential will be required."

"What is that you would have me do, then?"

"You will take the next step in your instruction, one that is premature but needed. You will leave Vroengard to the main body of Alagaesia and there you will live until you learn what is to be taught there. Katelyn will be the supervisor of this training, for she learned her lesson the best and quickest."

Rathon tightened his grip on his leggings. "So that's what Katelyn was talking about." It was not a question. "Why you did tell me this would eventually come to pass, I would wonder. What frustrates my curiosity even more, however, is why Katelyn and Brom did not have to do this in its fullness. And the only answer that is in my sight is that there is some lesson that I require that they do not; meaning a difference of such magnitude exists between us that I need special training. If that is your answer, I look forward to learning what this lesson is."

"An obvious conclusion, but well perceived. Aye, they did not have the time to complete this task completely; their talents were required elsewhere, but there is another reason that evidently escapes you. And that purpose you will learn of from them. As for your other question, the lesson you must learn that they did not so require. Equality."

"Equality? Between what?"

"Those under you and yourself. The declaration you made about the Black Chamber, those who are weak will always bow to those who are strong, contradicts every principle your ancestors fought and spilled their blood fighting for. They died so that a man with the same mindset that you have now, that I am better than anyone else. And that man came very close to shrouding the entire world and all who live within it in the blackness of his rule. I will not allow this gross arrogance to stand in my own son."

"So you will send me away until I learn without a teacher?" Rathon growled.

"Hardly. No one on this island can teach you this lesson, including yourself. For here this nothing but what has pampered this arrogance for your entire life. And that does nothing but aid and grows your arrogance." Eragon crossed his and was silent for a while. Then he said, "Tomorrow night you will leave with Katelyn for the main body of Alagaesia. She is the one who will decide what city you will dwell in. You will leave behind all the trappings of your rider identity, namely your dragon."

Rathon's blood turned to ice. "Why?" he asked in a low, angry voice.

"How will you ever rid yourself of your pride if you carry it on your back wherever you go? Leonis will stay here, in addition to your scroll with your symbol. Also, a more important note, you are forbidden to use magic of any kind or nature."

Rathon steamed with anger. Inside he simmered with rage at his father. He is just trying to get rid of his embarrassing son. "And what if I decide to reject this command?"

"Then you will be disbanded from the ranks of the Riders."

Rathon blanched. "You cannot be serious!"

"I will not risk another Galbatorix because you don't want to go through a branch of your training. If you prove that giving power to you would be dangerous then I will remove you from any ability to have power of any kind. You must understand. Pride is what led to Galbatorix. Pride led to over confidence, which led to the death of his dragon, which led pain, which led to anger, which led to hate, which eventually gave birth to the worst menace this land has known."

With clinched fists he said, "How long do I have to stay in this city?"

"As long as it takes. If that should be ten years, then Katelyn will keep you there."

Rathon spun around and stepped out the door and said, "I will do this for no other reason than to maintain my standing as Rider."

"That is the very mindset that we wish you to be ridded of."

Rathon ignored his father and left the King's meeting chamber.

My reason for the rather tedious update was A. my email got hacked by some random hooker who sent a bunch of dirty pictures to a number of people and B. Because of this, I couldn't get the chapter to my beta and thus could not update the story. I finally broke down and just got a new email. Which, I'm sorry, I can't share with you because of the likelihood of another hacker getting into that one.

Did you know that the highest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica was 3 degrees? Did you know that if all the ice in Antarctica were to melt the sea would rise over two hundred and thirty feet? Did you know the oil from hemp seeds, weed and/or crack, has the highest percentage of essential fatty acids and the lowest percentage of saturated fats. In other words, the seeds of crack is really good diet food. Did you know the only city, in the world, named Beach is found in the land locked state of North Dakota?