Heh heh. Long time no write. DON'T KILL ME! Ermm….yeah, sorry about my long absence. As soon as I think of a perfectly reasonable explanation I will be sure to share it with you. But I am not totally evil and lazy---see this new chapter I'm giving you? Ya, that's right! I am competent! Ha! Now for the reviews of the reviews.

Twilight alchemist: You're welcome. I make good cyber cookies, don't I? ;)

Hamish: lol, silly Hamish! I have already met your alien friends—they came to my Christmas party! But you can have some pie anyway.

Pa1ge: working on it! Sorry this one took so long….

Now on with the story! Finally….

The Council members who had returned from Uru'baen traveled with them the next day. Lavidatia changed who she would ride with often. At first she rode with Eragon on Saphira, but then Cartive wanted her to ride with him. Mirino, who had been riding with Cartive, grumbled and rode with Clojen. Throughout the day, she rode on each one of the dragons that could carry people. She and whoever she was riding with would shout to each other over the breeze, talking about anything they pleased. Cartive kept her laughing by telling her all about every single Councilor's personality; pointing out silly little habits or traits that only Cartive could notice. Clojen might have been the oldest Rider besides Eragon, but he certainly wasn't the most mature. He talked to her about Luchid, making comments about the man that made Amethydia snort with mirth. Mirino didn't have such a totally playful disposition; he raged at Luchid, but he did rag affectionately on his fellow Riders. Venil mostly talked about some of the experiences he'd had as a Rider, all of which enraptured Lavidatia. Albrien was quiet at first, but when she asked him questions about his homeland, his timidity broke and he told her about his family back in Ellesmera.

"I hope you get to meet our queen when you go," he said over his shoulder.

"Me? Meet the elven queen?" Lavidatia laughed at the thought.

"Don't be so sure you won't," Albrien said with amusement. "She will be eager to make your acquaintance, I would bet."

"Is she as wonderful as people whisper?"

"Most humans know only legends of her. In the flesh, Queen Islanzadi is greater than any monarch ever to live."

"How long has she been queen?"

"Almost eight-hundred years. She was around when the Riders were just becoming great. Their downfall weighed heavily upon her mind until Eragon came about."

"That's a long time to sit on the throne."

"Yes, but I wouldn't have it any other way. The elves have had female rulers since we made peace with the dragons. They seem to keep a cooler head." He gave her a smile.

"All females do," she said, also with a smile. "It's in our natures. You males certainly don't have it though."

Fundor, Albrien's dragon, snorted. Excuse me?

Lavidatia laughed, placing a hand on the dragon's light blue flank. "I didn't mean to include dragon males, Fundor. You're perfectly sensible."

Thank you very much.

"Aren't you going to stick up for me, Fundor?" Albrien asked.

No, because she's right. None of you two-legged males seem to be able to think clearly.

"Oh, thanks," Albrien grumbled as Lavidatia laughed.

Amethydia was asleep in her lap, shielded from the wind by Albrien's body. She was curled up into a ball, her tail over her head. Lavidatia smiled at her and looked down at the terrain far below them. They were still flying over the Ramr River, which was a peaceful blue ribbon. Sometimes herds of deer could be seen fleeing from the dragons, hiding in their thicket homes. She loved to fly, because you could see everything from a new perspective.

The days rolled by as they traveled. The Riders would set off at the same time as the Council, but even flying at a slow pace, they reached their chosen camp hours ahead of anyone on horseback. This gave Lavidatia time to explore. She had seen nothing of the world, and now she was seeing it all from an eagle's-eye view. Amethydia would go with her whenever she left camp, as eager to see new things as her Rider. Lavidatia would hurry to get through with her part in setting up camp every evening. They stopped assigning her cooking after a while, joking that she burnt everything she touched. Usually she chopped wood or, more often, hunted for dinner with one of the other Riders. She always slept well, both because she was tired by nightfall and because Amethydia always made her sleep better when she curled up against her.

They did not fly over Gil'ead. This city, Eragon told her, was where he first dueled with the Shade Durza and where he had first seen Arya in the flesh for the first time. He also said it was dangerous ground for both Riders and the false king at the moment. The people were divided between those who embraced the old Empire, and the new. There were often riots and fights in the city. It used to be one of Galbatorix's major army staging points, and many of the people left in it were the families of his soldiers. Some blamed the Riders for the deaths of the men in their families. Others blamed Galbatorix. The town did not even have a majority. Eragon was not going to tackle it until he had all his fully trained Riders with him. So Gil'ead was safe from them for a few more years. Lavidatia knew next time she saw it, she would be aiding in the attack on it.

In order to avoid the town, they followed the perimeter of Isenstar Lake, five miles out of Gil'ead. On their fourth day traveling around the lake, a blanket of green became visible in the distance. Lavidatia was riding with Eragon when she saw it.

"What's that?"

Eragon looked where she was looking. "That's Du Weldenvarden, or what humans call the Great Forest. Ellesmera is in its heart. Humans hardly ever venture deep into it."

"Are we going straight into it?"

Eragon shook his head. "No, not yet. We will be making a few stops and taking some detours so that I may get you through your tuatha du orothrim."

The trees steadily grew larger as they flew, becoming the largest ones Lavidatia had ever seen by the end of the week. She would look out over the dense tangle of green everyday as they flew near it, thinking that somewhere in there lay the Togira Ikonoka. He was waiting for her, she knew. She would never forget that huge consciousness. And also in the Du Weldenvarden was the great Queen Islanzadi. Lavidatia was very eager to catch a glimpse of this woman. She had to be the most powerful female ever to live. And judging by the way all the elves Lavidatia met held her in great reverence, she knew the elfess must be a magnificent ruler.

Every evening, after her exploring, Lavidatia spent time acquainting herself with the different Councilors. She made a point to speak with them all, even if she knew they objected to her. She was careful never to be rude, but just as careful not to beg for their approval. It took her quite a while, but eventually most accepted her, even grew to like her. Only Luchid and a few of his closest friends did not warm to her.

Arya had news on the Shade. She gave it when all the Riders, and Murtagh, were sitting around a small fire, their dragons laying around them lazily.

"You were right, Lavidatia," she said. "His name is Radgul. And he's got to be the youngest Shade I've ever seen."

"What do you mean?" Clojen asked. "Don't men usually become Shades around fourteen? How old is he?"

Arya nodded. "Yes, men call upon magical forces in moments of great distress, which is usually in their early teen years. These magical forces inhabit their body, turning them into Shades. As soon as the evil spirits are in the body, they take control, and the man ages radically. As far as I know, Shades usually choose to look in their late twenties. But this one doesn't look a day older than twenty. He's young, and I don't know why."

"Couldn't the spirits in him just want to look young?" Venil asked.

Arya rubbed her chin. "I suppose so….yes, that's probably it. It just threw me off guard."

"What happens to the man who summoned the spirits?" Albrien asked.

Eragon looked grim. "His spirit is crushed by the evil ones, leaving only his memories behind. He dies in all but body."

Amethydia became sad. So the man inside Radgul is dead?

Yes. Just like the man inside Durza, the Shade Eragon killed, was dead.

It is sad when evil is all that is left of a man.

"So who is he working for?" Murtagh asked.

Arya sighed. "It's just as we feared; he is the power behind King Jalisman. It's his magic we are working against."

Eragon furrowed his eyebrows. "He's got to be one powerful Shade."

Arya nodded. "He is. But I couldn't find out one thing you asked; what he wanted with Lavidatia. I followed him everywhere I could for three days, gleaned information, and contacted our spies, but nothing told me. One spy who had been at Dras Leona just said that he threw an absolute fit when he found she was gone. No one knows why he's so interested in her."

Lavidatia rubbed her arms, because—for some reason—her hair had stood up at mention of the Shade. "Whatever it is, I hope he's done with me."

Albrien shook his head. "I doubt he is, Lavidatia. Don't you remember what he said once you two were through dueling? He said you'd meet again. That means he plans to see you again."

Lavidatia ground her teeth. "Arrogant cherry freak," she grumbled.

Cartive smiled. "Oh, I'd love to see the look on his face if he heard you say that."

Lavidatia grinned. "He'd probably turn my mouth into a mousetrap."

"Or turn you into a mouse," Mirino suggested. "Now that I think about that…not a bad idea…"

Lavidatia glared at him. "I hope you look forward to my cooking for the next week, Mirino."

"No real sustenance for seven days? I rise to the challenge."

His dragon Beroan sniffed in doubt. Mirino, you would cry after the first two days.

Mirino looked shocked. "Cry? Me? Never! I am a real man!" He puffed out his chest to prove his point.

Unable to resist the temptation, Lavidatia poked his stomach, causing him to deflate. That sent Cartive and Venil into eye-watering laughing fits. Albrien had to bite his lip until it turned white to keep from joining them. Clojen didn't lower himself to their level by cracking up; instead, he chose to repeat the incident right in front of Mirino for the next week, often in slow motion complete with sound effects.

They continued to travel around Isenstar Lake, the trees fading out of view as they followed it south, soon turning west to follow Ninor River. Late afternoon, Lavidatia and Amethydia were riding with Eragon and Saphira.

"We're going to Yazuac," Eragon told her over his shoulder.

"Yazuac…that town is friendly to the Dragon Riders?"

"Yes. Back when Brom was first training me, Urgals massacred the entire town. The relatives of the dead live their now, and they hate anything to do with Galbatorix; including his son. We are safe to stop there."

It is good that, in this war for the Empire, our enemy's enemies are our allies, Amethydia commented.

Yes. The urgals especially seemed adept at making allies for us.

Saphira suddenly raised her head, her eyes becoming sharp. Eragon furrowed his brow as she spoke to him. "She smells smoke," he murmured, the alarm in his voice evident. "Lots of smoke." Saphira flew closer to the other dragons. "There's smoke up ahead!" Eragon shouted to the other Riders. "Be ready for anything!"

They nodded, and the dragons sped up, no longer flying at a leisurely pace. Sure enough, within a few minutes a mushroom of smoke was visible hanging above a town. Eragon's breathing sped up as Saphira's pace did again. Soon they were close enough to see flames enveloping several buildings inside the town walls. People ran screaming every which way, closely pursued by Urgals armed with pikes and axes. Saphira, now far ahead of the other dragons, sunk into a deep dive. The air whooshed past them as the town square grew larger and larger. At the last moment, Saphira opened her wings and landed on the stone ground. She snarled, batting her wings angrily. The urgals around her stared stupidly for a moment, then charged. With a roar, she blew fire at them, turning them all into wailing fireballs. Eragon jumped off, drawing Zar'roc.

"Stay near Saphira!" he commanded, attacking urgals coming at them. Lavidatia could not fight from atop Saphira very well, especially not with Amethydia in her lap. When Saphira wheeled to take on some urgals behind her, Lavidatia clutched Amethydia to her chest and jumped off. As soon as she was on her feet, she took some steps away from the fighting dragon, drawing Edoc'sil. Urgals rushed her right away. She was hard pressed to fight one-handed.

Set me down, Amethydia said. You must fight with all you have.

You will be hurt! Lavidatia answered, parrying a blow from an axe.

As will you if you keep fighting like this!

She knew her dragon was right. She set her down, sidestepping an axe blade as she straightened. Amethydia scampered off, weaving in-between urgals and fleeing people. The other Riders came soon, and they too joined the fight. Their dragons fought just as furiously, taking out urgals with fire, magic, or simply their spiked tails and claws. Lavidatia fought just as well as her fellows, holding her own against large swarms of the brutes. It was just after she'd killed two urgals that she heard the alarmed cry.

Lavidatia!

She knew the voice as well as her own by now. Amethydia? Where are you?

Urgals have me! I could not flee them! I need you.

Where are they?

Her dragon sent her a picture, and Lavidatia was off running. She dodged weapons and killed any urgal determined to get in her way. Venil saw her and called, "What are you doing?"

"Saving my dragon!" she answered without pausing.

If he said anything more, she was running too fast to hear it. She ran through the streets, making her way to the north gate. There, near the sentry shack, were four urgals. One had Amethydia held roughly in his arms, and he was watching her with alarm. Lavidatia knew right away why the man was afraid of her; for such a small creature, she must have put up a horrendous fight. The black skin on his face was slashed to bloody ribbons, and a chunk of his leathery nose was missing. He had one hand holding her feet and tail while the other covered her snout.

Lavidatia! I cannot breathe.

The urgals also had two men and a woman held in their group. They had swords to the men's throats, and had the woman's hair held tightly in their hands. Fury burned in Lavidatia's chest. She sheathed her sword as she reached them, drawing her bow and loading it with four arrows in the blink of an eye. As she took aim at one urgal, she felt words forming in her mouth, unbidden by her brain. As she released the arrows, she screamed, "Brisingr Letlam!". The arrows, as soon as they were free from her string, flared with a bright purple light. It seemed they were on fire as they flew. Everyone, even Lavidatia, was surprised when the purple flaming arrows swerved away from each other, as though they each had their own mind. Each one landed itself deep in an urgals heart. The beasts all dropped dead, the purple magic trickling into them through the new wound.

A few seconds after the arrows left the bow, Lavidatia felt as though someone had just ripped her heart out from her chest. She could not breathe, and all her strength left her. She staggered, dropping her bow. It clattered to the stone, adding to the buzzing in Lavidatia's ears. The three people stared at her, their mouths open, and Amethydia looked concerned. Lavidatia blinked once, and then she fell, her world going black.

She could feel something warm on her chest. The rest of her body was freezing and sore. Whatever was touching her back was especially cold and hard. Her ears picked up voices, but she could not decipher the words just yet. Slowly, she opened her eyes. At first everything was just fuzzy shapes, but her eyes adjusted. The first thing she saw was a pair of purple eyes gazing into her own. Amethydia was lying on her chest, their faces close together.

Are you alright? Her dragon asked with concern.

I—I think I am, but I feel strange.

When she looked around, she could see the three people kneeling near her, watching her and Amethydia with awe. They seemed afraid to come near, but refused to leave.

When they saw she was awake, they bent their backs in a bow. "Shur'tugal," they murmured with deep respect, using the Old word for Dragon Rider.

Lavidatia sat up, Amethydia sliding down gracefully into her lap. "No, please don't." She put a hand to her throbbing head. "How long have I been out?"

"But a few minutes, Shur'tugal," the woman said, the awe still in her voice.

I want to stand.

Amethydia moved off her lap, watching her. Lavidatia braced herself and rose to her feet. A wave of dizziness washed over her, so strong she almost fell over. The woman came to her aid, standing by her side and holding her elbow. The taller of the two men picked up her bow, handing it to her with wonder. She put it over her shoulder, trying to get her head to feel less flighty.

"Lavidatia!" She looked up at the relived shout to see Albrien running toward her. At the sight of him, the three humans gasped and dropped back, bowing again. Without the woman's support, Lavidatia swayed. Albrien reached her before she could fall, placing a hand under her arm. He looked her over, seeing only a few bruises from the fight. "Are you well?"

Lavidatia nodded, clearing her throat. "Fine."

He looked at the urgals' bodies. "Who killed them?" he asked.

Lavidatia did, Amethydia answered proudly.

He gaped at her. "You killed them? By yourself?"

"I used magic. Old Magic."

"You did it? You broke the barrier?"

Lavidatia nodded. "Is everyone alright?"

"The urgals have all fled. Mirino got a slash, but Eragon's healing it right now. He sent me to look for you when Venil said you'd run off; he's very worried."

Lavidatia shrugged. "I had to get Amethydia."

Albrien looked over the people bowing to him. "Please rise," he said politely. "Who are you?"

"Villagers, shur'tugal," the woman answered. "We give you our lives in thanks for saving us, purple Shur'tugal."

Lavidatia wearily shook her head. "I don't want your lives. If you want to repay me then help the injured of your village."

The woman gave a smile. "You are kind, shur'tugal. May fortune shine on you."

Albrien helped her walk back to the town square, where villagers were waiting patiently in a line. At its head, Eragon was kneeled over a protesting Mirino. Blood was seeping from a slash in his side, but Eragon was healing it.

"I found them both, Eragon."

Eragon looked up when Albrien spoke, and his tight face relaxed. He finished healing Mirino and wiped the blood off on his breeches, striding toward them. He took Lavidatia by the shoulders, regarding her sternly, but he could not keep the relief out of his eyes.

"Where did you run off to?"

"An urgal took Amethydia. I could hardly let him walk off with her."

The little dragon bobbed her head to show Lavidatia spoke true. She used magic to kill urgals.

Eragon raised his eyebrows. "Old magic?"

"Yes."

"What did you say?"

She shrugged. "I said 'fire part!' in the Ancient language as I released my arrows and it just happened."

Eragon looked serious. "How many urgals did you kill at one time?"

"I killed four. It must have been too much, because I passed out."

"I'd bet, since my first time I passed out as well and I only killed two. Did I not warn you about magic?"

Lavidatia shook her head. He frowned. "Well, I should have. Anything you do magically will cost you just as much energy as if you did it manually. Only once you are good and strong will it not cost you as much. It's always best to do something the mundane way if it is an option."

Lavidatia did not really want a lecture at the moment. "It was not an option in this case. I thought you'd be happy I broke that stupid barrier."

He thought about that for a moment, looking her up and down. "Are you happy?"

"I will be, once this headache goes away and I've energy again."

Saphira came over, rubbing her head against her baby's. Then we are happy as well, she said. Eragon looked at his dragon, his mouth twitching, and then he smiled at Lavidatia. "I'm just glad that you're safe. You can sit by us while we do the healings."

Lavidatia looked at the people lined up in the square; everyone was bleeding in varying amounts. Some looked close to death; these people were in front. Those children not hurt severely were gazing at the dragons with looks of wonder. Even the adults not dying were staring openly. Some mothers held their babies closely, and Lavidatia was pained to see many of the infants were hurt. Amethydia, she said.

Yes?

Can you do what you did the day Luchid tested me? Lend me your strength?

I can try.

Lavidatia felt some extra strength enter her body, and she suddenly didn't need Albrien's support anymore. Saphira touched her shoulder. You can't work with a headache. At her touch, the pressure in the Rider's head disappeared. Her body felt revitalized and ready for action.

"I want to help," she said. When Eragon opened his mouth to say she was in no condition, she added, "Amethydia is helping me, and Saphira cured my headache."

Saphira must have spoke to him, because he turned to face her. Eragon regarded his dragon skeptically for a moment, but her reasoning must have won him over; he nodded. "Alright. You, Cartive, and Venil go over there. I'll divide these people up; those who are badly hurt and those who aren't. You take the lighter wounds. Albrien and Clojen—you'll help me. Venil, show her how it's done."

He called out for everyone to divide up as he said, and they scurried to do as he ordered. Venil called forward an old man with a shallow slash on his leg. "First you clean it." He said, demonstrating how to swab the wound with a boiled bandage. "Next, you place your hand over it and say 'waise heill'. Watch." He put a hand on the man's leg, focusing on it, and barked, "Waise Heill!". Dark green magic glowed around the injury, and when he removed his hand, only dry blood was left of it.

"Now you try." He called forth a young woman with a chunk of her arm missing. She was biting her lip to keep from crying at the pain, and Lavidatia pitied her. She cleaned the wound thoroughly, then placed her hand over it. Warm blood rose to meet her fingers. She was glad that she had never been a queasy person. "Waise heill!"

Lavender magic sprouted from her fingers, going into the wound. She could actually feel the muscle weaving together under her fingers, and then the skin stretching back together. When she felt it was done, she removed her hand. No wound was left. The woman gave her a deep curtsey before hurrying away.

Venil smiled. "A perfect job. Are you tired?"

"Not very." It was true; the healing had not drained her as much as she'd expected. "I feel fine."

"Do you think you can do more?"

"Oh yes." She glanced at the line in front of them. Cartive was healing a young man near them. Many eyes were locked on Lavidatia; mostly amazed female eyes. "If I can," she said, "I'd like to heal the children."

Venil smiled. "I was expecting you to ask. Just call them forward. I must get to work as well."

Lavidatia took several steps away from Venil, turning to the crowd. "Would all the children and infants come to me, please?" She asked.

Some of the toddlers ran forward, eager to get close to a real Rider. Others were more slow, watching her as though she were some kind of goddess. Eventually, though, they were standing in front of her. The mothers holding infants came forward as well. Lavidatia quickly knew she had her work cut out for her.

She kneeled down to the children's eye-level. "Who's first?" she asked with a smile.

A redheaded girl clutching a raggedy doll was pushed forward. She had a cut in her forehead, and she kept having to wipe blood out of her eyes. Lavidatia had her lie down so that blood would not block her vision, and then gently cleaned the cut. She talked to the child the whole time, and by the time she was done healing her, the little girl was chattering back happily.

When she stood up, she gazed in admiration at Lavidatia. "Are you really a Rider?" she asked.

Lavidatia smiled. "I am."

Amethydia trotted over when she heard the question, gazing at the girl in curiosity. Human children are so innocent, she commented.

Yes. They have not learned many vices yet.

I can feel the trust in her mind.

The people waiting to be healed by her craned their necks to look at Amethydia. Dragons had not been seen for centuries in many parts of the Empire. The girl was the first of many children Lavidatia was to heal that day. The unharmed women of the town provided them with freshly boiled bandages every little while. An hour into it, she came upon her first hurt baby. The girl's young mother was holding the child's arm, where a stake of wood the size of a toe was embedded. Lavidatia frowned, feeling anger at the urgals for being so heartless.

"Come closer," Lavidatia urged gently, getting a fresh bandage.

The woman nervously stepped forward. She looked to be a year or so older than Lavidatia. Her cotton dress had burn mark on it, and her hair was singed at the tips. A patch of angry red skin showed on her shoulder, but she didn't seem to care about that. All she cared for was her baby.

"This is going to hurt her, I'm afraid."

The mother bit her lips but gave a nod. Lavidatia wrapped fingers lightly around the splinter, pulling it out quickly. The baby wailed immediately. The mother seemed afraid Lavidatia would get angry, but Lavidatia was far too experienced to do that. She cleaned the wound in a matter of seconds, placing her hand over it.

"Waise heill!" she said, and the purple glow engulfed her hand. The baby stopped crying, blinking at the color. Once it was healed, Lavidatia wiped off the blood. Next she placed a gentle finger over a hair's width cut on the child's forehead. The baby watched with crossed eyes as the glow came again. By the time it disappeared, the infant was bubbling at the mouth and giggling at Lavidatia.

The mother blinked away tears, curtseying. "Thank you, shur'tugal. I will remember your kindness."

Lavidatia smiled, placing her hand on the mother's burn. "Waise heill!" she whispered, and the burnt skin began to repair itself. When she removed her hand from the new skin, the next child trotted forward. "You're welcome," Lavidatia said, turning to the new child.

It took them all until dusk to finish. Lavidatia was completely exhausted. Healing was not hard for her—in fact, it seemed to almost come naturally—but that many healings even drained Eragon. But everyone in Yazuac who had not died in the fight was good as new. In return for the favor, they were all offered places to sleep. Eragon settled on sleeping in the town hall—the largest building in Yazuac. He said they were fine to sleep in their bedrolls, but the people refused to allow them to sleep on the cold tile floor, carrying in seven beds and setting them up in a circle.

Shouts of alarm went up at the gate, drawing them out of the town hall. Sentries on the gate were shouting, pointing in alarm over the wall. Their words were made incomprehensible by fear. "See who it is, Saphira," Eragon said.

The great blue dragon went to the wall. Her head was level with it, and the frightened sentries shrank back from her. In order to see over, she lifted her front feet off the ground, balancing on her hind legs. Her neck went straight and she peered below the wall.

At her answer, Eragon smiled. "It's just the Council," he said with relief. He went forward. "Open the gate!" he called to the guards. "These people are our friends!"

At once, the gates creaked open, and they could see the council approaching at a gallop. Arya, Murtagh, and Nasuada had the lead. They pulled their horses short at the gate, staring at the seven of them and their dragons.

"We saw smoke…." Arya began.

Eragon nodded. "Urgals attacked the town. We fought them off. You all are far behind schedule."

"Are you all alright?" Murtagh asked, his eyes sweeping them.

Eragon nodded. "We're just tired. We healed the entire town." He smiled. "Lavidatia has learned to use her magic."

Arya was the only one who didn't look surprised. She smiled proudly, as though she had known Lavidatia could do it. "That is good. The council will be glad to hear of it."

"Especially Luchid," Cartive muttered as the council pulled up, making the Riders snicker.

"What happened?" a councilor demanded in concern.

"There was an urgal attack," Eragon explained calmly. "We fought them off, and healed the injured. It's all fine now."

The councilors breathed in relief. Luchid dismounted. "You all made it through unhurt?" His eyes drifted to Lavidatia, and his face plainly showed he was disappointed to see her alive and well.

Eragon noticed this and his face became sour. "Yes, we're fine," he answered curtly. Then, with a smirk, he said, "Lavidatia has mastered her magic at last."

The councilors for the most part looked approving. Many gave her pleased smiles. Luchid's gaze was full of contempt. "Has she? Wonderful."

"She's a natural healer," Albrien said, knowing that healing was Luchid's worst magical ability.

The man turned his contempt-filled gaze on the elf. "Perfect. Let us pray she will never have to use it on herself."

The threat under the statement was so obvious that all the dragons snarled, none more than Amethydia and Saphira. The councilors looked torn between anger and nervousness at the tension that had appeared. Arya watched Luchid closely, and Murtagh looked ready to kill him. Eragon was plainly angry, and his eyes dared Luchid to say just one more thing.

Lavidatia put her hands up to calm all those around her. "Yes, I pray that too, Luchid. But I pray even more fervently that you never have to use your healing on me." She gave him a sweet smile, but her eyes were cold and returned the loathing his held.

The Riders snickered again, loving to hear Luchid insulted. Perhaps the sorcerer's frigid stare might have scared any other girl, but Lavidatia just held his eyes, challenging him to try something in front of all these people. He didn't dare even say a word more, not when Eragon was glaring daggers at him. He just gave her a thin smile and slunk back into the councilors.

The Council also slept in the Town Hall, but they slept on their bedrolls. The Riders could not have been more grateful for their beds, especially since their very bones felt tired. Amethydia was the only dragon that could fit in the hall; the others had to curl up around the steps. Amethydia snuggled against Lavidatia. I am proud of you, the dragon told her sleepily.

Why's that?

You are a great sorceress.

Amethydia; I've only done one battle spell and some healings. How can you know I'm great?

You are. I can feel your magic and it is huge. Your power is great already.

Lavidatia yawned, pulling the covers up around her shoulders. My fatigue is the greatest thing in me right now.

Weariness is easily washed away, her dragon commented, falling asleep herself.

Lavidatia smiled at the form of Amethydia in the dark, thinking that her dragon was already her best friend. It had been almost three weeks since she had become a Rider. Amethydia was growing at a rapid rate, and her shoulders were almost even with Lavidatia's hip. She was no longer small; together the two of them took up the entire bed. She knew that soon her little dragon would not be little anymore.

Well, there ya have it ppls. Another chapter to keep you satisfied and to keep an angry mob from chasing me through the forest. Oh wait….that happened the other night anyway…..But, back on subject, I hope that makes you happy enough for now. That was your late Christmas present and early New Years gift! Yay! Everybody enjoy their Eve! Try not to swallow too much confetti! Ciao for now.