"Tarja?" Murtagh asked. Entering her room he could his friend packing her few belongings into a duffel bag. "Where are you going?" The look on her face shocked him as tears swelled her eyes. Tarja had never cried before him before.

"I'm leaving," she said harshly. "I'm leaving this god damn place!"

"Why?" After the conversation he'd just had with Jonathan Galbatorix, he could hardly imagine why anyone would not love their country and their ruler.

"Are you completely bloody mad? There is so much corruption here I'm surprised the walls don't weep the blood of innocents."

"But your father is doing great things for the Empire!" Murtagh grasped her forearms, an odd glow lingering in his eyes. "Tarja, he wants to bring back the dragons!"

"Do you forget who killed the dragons?"

"Some sacrifices must be made," Tarja stepped away from his words.

"Hes brainwashed you. Do you even hear what your saying?"

"Tarja, this could be really good. Your fathers a great man."

"He told Durza that he can 'have me'! Like I'm trash! Like I'm a doll Durza can fuck to his hearts desire."

"I'm sure theres more to it than that." Tarja glared at him.

"Get out of my life then, Murtagh. But I'm still leaving and you can't stop me."

"What do you have against Durza anyways."

"You've obviously never heard the things hes said to me," she reproached him, returning to her packing.

"Tarja, whats that on your arm?"

"Oh, you mean where my dad hit me? Its nothing."

"Tarja-,"

"I'm leaving, Murtagh. So you can stay here and play Rozencranz and Guildenstern to King Crazy or you can come with me. But either way-,"

"I'll meet you by my car in five, ok?" Murtagh asked, glancing once again at her bruise. "Don't leave without me."

Without another word, he turned and left her alone with her bag.

Kamell hurried out of her house, careful not to be seem by Brom, who was watching "the flavor of love", and grumbling about how far humans have fallen. She nearly ran into Roran as she approached Eragon's house in a full out run.

"oh, sorry." She darted back quickly, avoiding her best friends cousin and the bag of seeds that he carried in his arms.

"Where is the fire?" He mocked, laughing her.

"ha ha, funny. Is Eragon home?" Roran grinned and chuckled.

"Yeah, he's in back field... awww young love."

"Shut it Roran." She glared at him, not mad, she could never be mad at any of Eragon's family, but she did currently hate him. "Thats so gross."

"When will you two just hook up already?"

"Ew! Eragon, he's like a brother to me. Why don't you hook up with him?"

"I don't swing that way."

"Sure."

"Hello... Katrina?"

"It's a cover up."

"Riiiight."

"You'd rather have her dad."

"Thats it, you're dead!" Kamell giggled as she side stepped him, running past him to go find Eragon. Luckily she did not have to run long as she saw his familiar blonde head peaking over the horse as he lead it into the barn.

"Hey."

"Hey, you're here early." She grinned and looked between him, and the bard.

"In there." He rolled his eyes as she practically bounced into the barn, searching out the little blue creature. It wagged it's tail seeing her, and rubbed up against her leg looking for affection.

"awww, you missed me." She picked it up, heaving a little more as it seemed to weigh even more than it did the day before.

"He likes you more than me." Eragon mused, shaking his head and crossing his arms. The little creature frowned at Eragon, and nuzzled at Kamell's chest. "See?"

"Well... you know, it is a baby. And I'm a girl. You know... chicks equal mother?" It nudged at her again, frowning as only it could and showed a frustrated look in it's eyes.

"Have you thought of naming it yet?"

"I don't even know what it is!" Eragon exclaimed. Kamell was sure she saw the creature roll its eyes.

"Ok, it is blue, has scales and wings. It is not a bird. Can we say dragon?"

"Dragons don't exist." Kamell rolled her eyes,petting it's head, as if to say, "I am sorry he is such an idiot."

"Come on Eragon, don't be so thick headed."

"Have you seen a dragon lately?"

"well... no, but thats because Galby killed them all."

"Just like Bigfoot and Nessy."

"Just shut up." Kamell let the creature down to the floor. It looked between Eragon and Kamell and with wide eyes, looking like it was about to cry. "oh, and sorry about Roran." She pushed passed him to go to the door, infuriated with her best friends.

"wait what?"

"You mean Roran didn't tell you yet?"

"Tell me what?"

"He is leaving." With that she stormed out. She was pissed at him. It was true some of the things Brom taught her were for lack of a better term, crazy, but the stories about the dragons were one thing she believed in whole heartedly. The look in Brom's eyes when he talked about them convinced her, she never saw such depth in his old eyes as when he talked about them. They had to be real.