This chapter is dedicated to the person who left the 50th review... Katherine! (Who is, just so all of you people know, NOT a dog. She is, as far as I can tell, a human female. A nice human female. We like her.) Not only has she left MUCHOS reviews, she has a lot of cool things to say, so everyone go to... wherever she lives... I'm not sure... and give her an enormous hug and a huge bouquet of flowers! Or a cookie. She likes cookies and banana bread. Anyway... Ten thousand cheers for Katherine! :D

Aw, you guys... I just love you all so much! 53 reviews! That's three more than our goal! *cries with indescribable joy* I don't even know if giving you all delicious baked items is even a good enough reward! So... here's what I'm going to do. Every 50 reviews, I'm going to dedicate a chapter. (So, when we hit 100, the 100th reviewer will have a chapter dedicated to them. Same for 150, 200, and so on and so forth.) Sound good, my pretties? Excellent. You and your little dogs can continue on.

Now for my semi-humerous ramblings that may or may not be important so you'd better read it anyway!

Well... It's monday. *groans* And not only is it monday, it is the monday that I must return to school after Spring Break. It is the monday before the tuesday that I have to take a lovely, multiple-hour-long math test! It is the monday before the tuesday before the wednesday that I have to take the lovely AIMS Science Test, because I am an overachieving Freshman, and took Biology this year! (Trust me, I probably wouldn't have taken it if I had known extra testing was involved. Perhaps this is why they didn't warn me...) So, needless to say, I am now busy again, and my insanely fast updates will be slowing down a bit. This will probably make Rheya happy, lol!

As for notes on this chapter...

I'm finally ending my amusing little streak of Arya being super hyped off of the unknown drugs Angela has no doubt been doping her with, this being the last one. I think the emotions I've been having her express are just a bit too extreme to become a normal occurrence, although they needed to get them out there so we know what we're dealing with. At the end, I'm finally resolving the little streak, so I hope y'all enjoyed it (excuse the Texan vernacular) because the emotions won't be running this high for a while. The plot needs to be driven forwards a bit now. I'm tired of writing in Feinster. R&R and eat a cookie! Or two... Three... Perhaps four... Oh, screw it! *grabs entire tray and devours in one gigantic gulp*

"You've been crying, Little One." It was Saphira, landing on the marshy ground outside and peering with concern through Arya's rain-streaked window.

"And if I have?" the elf answered petulantly in her mental voice, lacking the strength and inclination to speak aloud. She didn't look at the dragon.

Saphira blinked in surprise. Normally, no one would dare to speak to her so rudely. "The scent of the no-pain-herbs grows thin on you, Arya." She finally responded. "I should summon Angela to attend to you."

"No." snapped Arya, "I have no desire to converse with her, or pollute my bloodstream with her brain-addling herbs. I don't wish to see anyone!" Childlike, she pulled her blankets up to her chin and rolled over so that she wouldn't be facing Saphira. "Leave me alone."

A deep, angry growl rattled Arya from head to foot, and, reluctantly, she looked back at the dragon. "Nothing should excuse you from acting in this manner, pointed-ears." She said sagely, sounding mildly offended. "I don't understand why you, of all people, aren't rejoicing!"

"Oh, Saphira, I don't know. I don't know!" the green eyed elf wailed aloud, sucking in a shallow breath as a sharp pang of agony stabbed at her accompanying the use of her lungs, forcing her into silence.

"Little One…"

"No one was supposed to care." Arya whimpered, again mentally. "Caring merely complicates matters. This rule is broken left and right! Even I have broken it! And it has been an undying relief to do so. To cease my resistance of my heart and take that fight to Galbatorix. But…" she sniffled, "The agony involved when one loved is lost… Is it worth it?"

Saphira seemed utterly astonished, and unsure of what to say. She merely stared at Arya.

Arya, for one, gazed at the dragon with searching eyes, her expression one of desperation."I'm lost, Saphira." She choked from beneath her welling of tears. "I don't know what to do. I don't… I don't know what to do."

"Arya… Dear Arya…" Saphira rumbled, distressed, "What can I say? Who and how you love is your decision, and your decision alone. It is not for me to dictate this. And yet…" appearing slightly guilty, she mumbled, "The Black King battles with hate as his ally. And hate is not well countered with apathy. Would it not be fitting to enlist love on our side?"

"Yes." Came Arya's gentle, thoughtful murmur. "Yes it would."

A knock on her door startled her out of her reverie, and a boy gingerly crept into the room, a small, ornate hand mirror clutched in his hand. Arya recognized it as belonging to Nasuada. "The Queen Islanzadi." The boy stammered quietly, hurrying to her bedside and laying the mirror face up in her lap. The manner in which he looked at her was strange, and Arya knew from his thoughts that she looked much different in her sickened state than she had appeared just a few days ago, especially to the boy, who had only ever seen her from a distance. Thinner and physically exhausted, the difference was dramatic.

"Thank you. You are excused." Arya told him, and as he left, bowing, she turned her attention to the face in the mirror.

"Arya!" her mother exhaled in relief at the sight of her face, pulling herself closer to whatever she happened to be using to scry Arya. She ignored utterly the usual formalities of beginning a two or more person dialogue. "I was so afraid…"

"Hello mother." Arya responded with a weak smile. "Saphira sends her greetings as well."

The dragon snorted. "I shall leave you now. Tell the little elf Queen that, perhaps some other time, I shall converse with her. But I am not one for idle chatter."

With an enormous clatter, Saphira departed, and Arya dutifully relayed her words to Islanzadi, who merely chuckled and shook her head. "Dragons. They never change."

"I wouldn't know."

And, as occurred so often between them, a silence ensued. This was even more pronounced than was usual, for the pair hadn't truly conversed for quite a long while. It was not that Arya didn't care for her mother, and Islanzadi likewise, but they were so fundamentally different that it was often a struggle for them to find anything they could agree upon, or even come to an impasse about. Arya had been told that she was alike to her father in this way. No one could infuriate the Queen such as she.

And this had never rung more true. For an extended period of time, mother and daughter said nothing, each merely observing the other. "From what Nasuada tells me, you handled the situation quite professionally." Islanzadi commented, cutting directly to her point.

Arya nodded her acknowledgment of this statement.

The older elf chuckled dryly. "Well, you always did know your duty, or what you thought it was. Personal safety means nothing to you now as it always has, or rather, hasn't."

"Speak not in riddles." Arya demanded tiredly. "For I am weary, and in no mood for hammering straight your convoluted statements."

The Queen's eyes flashed, but she refrained from lashing out at her child for her ill manners. As rude as she appeared to be, Arya was still recovering, and not yet returned to herself. "Fine." She acceded. "Then what is it you wish to discuss?"

Arya, sensing a rare opportunity, heaved a deep breath to steady herself, and then took the plunge. "I should like to hear your excuse for not informing me of the dragons' heart-of-hearts."

Eyes widening a fraction, lips parting in shock and complete disbelief, Islanzadi spluttered indignantly, "Wha… who… Where in all of Alagaesia did you hear of the Eldunari?"

Laughing a bitter laugh that ended in a violent, bloody coughing fit, Arya hissed, "Forget you that I share a friendship with a dragon? Not to mention her rider? You are many things mother, but not usually so great a fool. Did it ever occur to you that if a select few Varden were made aware of them that this war would already be over? Complete? Finished, once and for all?" The Queen was mute. "Humans' lives are not so unremarkable that they can simply be thrown away, mother, and not all of them are as corrupt as you believe them to be. They are just as much of victims of Galbatorix's madness as we and the dragons are. Never should you have forgotten that."

"Did Eragon help you realize this?" Sneered the Queen, her face mocking.

"Does it matter?" Arya asked, frowning slightly.

Islanzadi tilted her head to one side philosophically. "Perhaps…" came her cryptic response. "I just suppose I might warn you." Arching an upswept eyebrow quizzically, the younger woman shot her mother a glance that implied skepticism, but also a willingness to accept the wisdom offered to her by one of greater years. "This is a period of war." The Queen continued, "Many will not survive the slaughter that is sure to come. Considering that a sizable amount of people have already passed into the void, I would caution you. Guard well your heart, my daughter, for no purpose can you serve if it is broken. Already have you learned this lesson, and yet I still find myself bound to repeat it to you."

Recoiling as if she had just been slapped, Arya squeezed her eyes closed as, unbidden, memories of that fateful night of Faolin's death danced mockingly across her field of vision; as well as those long and torturous hours when she had been taunted by the Shade with this fact. Someone she had loved had been killed. But she, Arya, had been left alive to suffer the consequences.

"If you have nothing more to say," she said blackly to the mirror after a moment of intense quiet, "then I must request you depart. I have duties I am obligated to attend to, as do you."

Face conveying grim satisfaction, Islanzadi dissolved as requested, leaving Arya alone, with only a mirror for company.

I am sick of this. She thought to herself angrily. Sick of everything. I am sick of continually being manipulated into thinking, believing, or wanting just as another does. I am sick of feeling guilt for an incident I am not to blame for. I am sick of being in pain, as well as causing others pain. I am sick of knowing that I am helpless against some powers, and sick of being physically weak. I am sick of playing the fool. Sick. Utterly sick. She didn't really know how she felt about anything other than this, and didn't honestly care, because she would learn to experience her emotions at her pace. And that was final.

Arya glanced at the hand mirror still lying innocently in her lap with disgust, and seriously contemplated throwing it with every ounce of strength remaining to her against the opposite wall. But this did not strike her as a particularly wise decision. As long as it was here, she supposed she would do well to put it to some use. Under no circumstances would she attempt to scry her mother again until she had returned fully to herself, her head cleared. But there was someone that she could.

Gathering what strength she could muster, Arya whispered the spell, and after a few moments, the interior of Nasuada's pavilion became visible on the surface of the mirror.

"Arya!" Nasuada rose from her chair in surprise, as did King Orrin, who was also present.

"I don't wish to allow injury to hinder my abilities to perform my duties as ambassador, Nasuada." Stated the elf simply. "My input may still prove valuable to you, even if I must deliver it via scrying."

Satisfied with this explanation, if not a little concerned, Nasuada once again resumed her seat. "Very well." She conceded, and then gave a little ivory smile. "Determined as ever to be of use, I see. Nothing halts you."

Arya's mouth twitched, as if it would have liked to smile in return. She was back.

Replying to Korkman2...
I'm just a stalker like that. *winky face*

Replying to Yellow Mouse...
Do it!

Replying to FlexManSteel...
BOOHYA I'M WINNING! XD *laughs maniacally*

Replying to nikki8...
All 7? Rock on girl! You deserve a pastry! Here... It's got strawberry filling. :)

Replying to Rheya...
I had wondered where you'd run off to! Don't worry though, now I don't have as much free time and you can catch up to me! (As for slowly easing into EXA, don't worry, I plan to. I hate it when it is too much too fast.)

Replying to Katherine...
Don't worry, I'm sure your flowers and sugary treats will be arriving soon! I hope you love them! (And I'll be seriously considering your idea. It's a good one.)

Replying to Oracle for Madness...
There is nothing better than a bad pun. Just wait for a really crappy day and then google it! Guaranteed chuckle of exasperation! My mom says that if I keep telling everyone that I'm SimplySupreme, and not just *insert my real name here*, it will make it sound like I'm stuck up and big-headed. I'm a trumpet player though, so it goes without saying that I am!

Replying to melandu95...
Deal. Even though it's more fun to use the translator, I suppose practice makes perfect, right? :)

Replying to Inkweaverabc...
Don't worry, you'll get another chance at dedication. And you're (as far as I can recall off the top of my head) the only one in the running thus far of reviewed-every-chapter-award, so carry on! *brass fanfare*

See the blue button everyone? Push it. I dare you.