Hey, so…chapter ten. Two things:

1) I was thinking it'd be a good idea to get a Beta for this story, since whenever I read back through the chapters to remember what's been going on, I find so many grammar mistakes that I missed that I actually feel sort of sick. (I'm usually good with spelling, but I write each chapter so fast that I mess up a lot). If anyone is interested in helping me out with that, just review or PM me.

2) If I were to somehow introduce another dragon (which really isn't foreshadowing at all since I pretty much make everything up as I write, and because I'm really just asking this out of curiosity) what color do you think it should be? It can't be blue, red, black, green, or gold, which covers all the major colors. I was thinking purple, but for some reason I have a really hard time imagining a purple dragon that could retain even a shred of dignity. The same with bright yellow or pink. In that case, the only other colors available are brown (ugh, ugly), silver (which also doesn't look right too me), white (possible, but a little weird) and orange (which is a major stretch for me since I don't even like the color orange). Help me with this, please!

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The clear sound of a trumpet call sliced into Lynara's consciousness. Her mind fought furiously against the intrusion, but in the end, reality won, and Lynara was slowly drawn out of a deep, warm sleep.

The sun had begun to set again, heralding the end of their second day on the road. When Lynara raised her head, she was surprised to find herself facing the shore of a massive lake the stretched into the distance with no visible opposite coast. The water was calm and glassy, a rich midnight blue color. On her left, the familiar haze of green that was Du Weldenvarden appeared much more defined, indicating that they were closer to the forest's edge. Ahead, Lynara squinted to make out a tall silver spire, surrounded by a cluster of white.

"Good. You are awake," came a curt voice. Lynara peered around Briam's neck to see Isktar seated upon his horse, watching her with a disdainful expression. Linmáros was nowhere to be seen, along with his horse.

The elf went to scout ahead. We've been resting for a little while, Briam explained. She felt his scales shift under her and realized that the dragon was lying on the ground, his legs curled awkwardly underneath so as to keep Lynara stable. Guilty, the blue-eyed girl quickly climbed off of him. Briam immediately rose to his feet and gave a long, extensive stretch, unfurling his wings and shaking them out.

That feels good, he remarked.

Sorry, Lynara apologized. I was tired after fighting the soldiers.

It is nothing, the dragon replied, but she could feel his relief at finally being able to stretch his limbs.

"Where is your brother?" Lynara asked of Isktar, even though Briam had already explained his absence.

"Linmáros went to greet the watchmen of Ceunon. He seeks an audience with the Queen to explain about you, and will ask her to journey away from the city to meet us out here, where no spying eyes can convey the information to the Black King or his henchmen," the silver-haired warrior answered briskly. He didn't meet her gaze, as if she were inferior to him. Lynara's temper flared for a moment.

I'm a Dragon Rider – he should show me some more respect. I could roast him in his saddle with one word of the ancient language, she said indignantly to Briam.

Perhaps, the dragon murmured, but Lynara could tell he didn't agree.

Do you doubt me? She asked, more out of curiosity than anger.

Briam turned slowly to gaze at her where she stood awkwardly beside him. He shuffled his wings, and then flopped lazily to his belly, tracing a circle in the dust with his talon. I don't doubt you. Of course I would never doubt your skills in magic, knowing you as well as I do. But I would warn you think before you make such assumptions, young one. There is a very good chance that Isktar is a magic user, and if he is much older than you, which I do not know, he might be stronger than you, despite the fact that you are a Rider. Never, ever underestimate your opponent. It is a fundamental rule of fighting with magic. The dragon stared at her intently for a moment, then looked away, his eyes reflecting the glassy surface of the lake in the distance.

Lynara sighed and strode toward him, sitting down with her back against his front leg. The dragon shifted his wings to make room for her head.

I wouldn't have attacked him without knowing his strength, she defended herself.

They all remained silent for a while, Isktar leaning back against the flank of his horse, reading a scroll, Briam resting, and Lynara contemplating all of the issues that she and Briam faced for their future. After a moment, a thought struck her, which she 'voiced' to Briam across their mental link.

Do you remember anything of your time in your egg?

The dragon's eyelids closed with 'snick' and then opened again, his eyes rolling back out of his head. A little, though I was barely conscious. Why do you ask? He replied.

I was just thinking, Lynara explained. We still don't know how your egg was stolen from Galbatorix. Do you know who it was that rescued you and sent you to Du Weldenvarden?

Briam shook his huge head slowly. No, he said. I was not even aware that I was out of Galbatorix's foul dungeon until I felt Anurin's presence in my mind.

Lynara sat up, her eyes widening. Anurin? You felt her touch your mind?

Briam gazed solemnly back at her. Yes.

Lynara waited for him to explain further, but the dragon seemed satisfied with his brief answer. She sighed and leaned against his leg again.

Why do you call me 'young one'? She asked a moment later.

Briam huffed indignantly. You ask too many questions, he complained, but continued anyway. I have lived far longer then you, albeit a half-life inside my egg. However, I was as capable of cognizant thought as I am now, and I contemplated many things while I waited for the right moment to hatch. Though I may seem young to you because I only hatched a month or two ago, I have much more knowledge of the world and its mechanisms.

Lynara traced the edge of one of his scales. For some reason, she mused, I don't even have a response to that. It makes perfect sense.
Briam began to hum contentedly.

Suddenly, Isktar lifted his head. He quickly folded the scroll and stuffed it into the saddlebags, his gaze trained on the road stretching out before them.

"What?" Lynara queried, getting quickly to her feet and unsheathing her dagger. "More of the Empire's soldiers for us to gut?" she muttered with a chuckle.

Isktar glanced over his shoulder with such a look of disdain that Lynara had to resist releasing a demeaning spell from her lips. Briam huffed quietly, and uncurled with a shuffle of scales, opening his massive jaws wide in a bored yawn before rising to his feet.

"My brother approaches, with a squadron of the Queen's guard," Isktar explained, not deigning to turn and speak to Lynara's face. The elf-human girl gritted her teeth.

Some day he'll be sorry for insulting me, Lynara said sharply to Briam.

The dragon blinked at her as if to say, 'I'd like to see that when it happens.'

Lynara turned to her own horse and untied one of the canvas sacks, drawing out her pale green dagger and looping it around her hip. Then she drew a wooden comb through her hair, straightened her tunic, and tied an emerald green cape around her shoulders. The cape had been another gift from Anurin, and was made of an incredibly fine silk that felt like water in one's hands. With the cloak, she hadn't used a spell to change the color as she had with the dagger's sheath, and she felt even better wearing it knowing that it's original color matched that of her magnificent companion.

It did not take long for Linmáros and his entourage to appear after that. There was a thundering of hooves on the path, and then a cloud of dust, and within seconds a group of ten white horses had encircled their motley party.

Linmáros cantered forward out of the circle and dismounted, striding towards Lynara.

"Speak first," he directed her, gesturing at the circle of silent horses. The dust fell in eddies around them. Linmáros pointed a slender hand at a tall elf, garbed in red and purple, who sat aside a glorious, muscular stallion. Upon his lay a helm of pure gold and silver, inlaid with the insignia of Islanzadí's elite guard. "That is Neidnör, son of Aranthmé, and the captain of Islanzadí's guard."

Lynara took a deep breath and, squaring her shoulders, stepped forward to face Neidnör. The solemn elf's face was obscured by his helm, but his black eyes were visible beneath the shadow.

"Atra esterní ono thelduin," Lynara greeted, keeping the nervous waver out of her voice. She was aware of how childish she must seem, barely mature by the standards of the elves, although she had been born over twenty-three years ago. This elf could very well be over five hundred, and here she was talking at him as though she were an ignorant human girl. With another shaking breath she calmed her thoughts.

The elf replied with the traditional phrase in a deep, melodious voice like the strumming of a massive harp. He didn't move a muscle, nor did his men, until Lynara finished speaking. Then he turned in his saddle and spoke the same words to Briam, with Lynara translating.

Finally, after all of the formalities had been finished. Nedinör turned his helmeted head to stare at Lynara for a long moment. Then he suddenly slid out of his stirrups and dropped to the ground. He strode forward and bent on one knee before Lynara, holding out a sheathed broadsword.

"You have come to us in our time of great need, Lynara Shur'tugal and Briam Gemscales. I have heard stories of your heritage, daughter of Marien and Narsor, and you must carry a great burden because of this. But I ask of you, and on behalf of all the races of Alagaësia, to aid us in our quest to rid the land of the filth that is Galbatorix and his rule."

The black-haired girl stared at him, unsure of what to say. She felt Linmáros by her side, hesitating, but ignored him.

Briam? How should I reply? She questioned of the dragon. He was crouched behind her, ready to leap to her aid if the elves attacked. She could hear the minute chafing of his scales as he shifted position.

He has asked nothing of you that is binding. Merely make a polite reply, and say no more, or they may use it against you. We must be careful, Lynara – as Linmáros said, there are many elves who would exploit you to their own ends if they could somehow get their claws on you, the dragon replied wisely.

Lynara nodded to herself, and then addressed Neidnör. "I dislike the Black King as much as any elf, human, dwarf or dragon whom he was wronged," she explained. "I will do all in my power to rescue Alagaësia from his grasp."

The elf looked up at her, his eyes searching. Then he boomed in his harp-strings voice, "A sound answer!"

A cry rose from the group of elves, who lifted their weapons into the air and cheered. Neidnör nodded to Lynara, his helm throwing rainbows in the afternoon sunlight, and then mounted his stallion again. Linmáros released a relieved sigh.

"Well said," he congratulated Lynara as she turned away.

"I really didn't say anything," she protested.

Linmáros gazed at her for a moment, pausing in mid-stride, then murmured, "Precisely." A smile twitched at the edges of his lips. Then it was gone, and he had loped past her, toward Briam.

"The Queen will supply you with all the necessary equipment – saddles, armor, and other tools. Our armor is not of the tough make of the stout dwarves, but it is light and will protect you from but the most powerful, well-aimed blows." Then the black-haired elf turned to Lynara, his eyes flickering to the green sheath at her hip. Lynara's hand fluttered to the dagger as if to protect from Linmáros incredulous glare.

"As skilled as you are with a knife, Shur'tugal," the elf murmured, "I believe it is high time you learned to wield a sword. A Rider won't survive many battles if he can't swing at his enemies from on high." At this he gestured to Lynara's favorite perch between Briam's shoulders. He cast one last concerned glance at her before darting away to speaking to Isktar and Neidnör.

Lynara stroked her dagger's sheath as she returned to Briam's side. The green dragon eyed her nonchalantly and twitched his lip, momentarily exposing a glistening white fang. The elf-human girl used the spikes on his spine to drag herself into the hollow behind his neck, where she wrapped her arms around him and leaned against his warm scales.

Soon my neck will be too thick for you to fit your skinny arms around, Briam remarked, ruffling one wing.

Lynara grunted and made no reply.

A moment later, the noise died down, and Lynara guessed that the leaves had finished talking. She discerned footsteps coming closer to her, and looked up into Linmáros' green eyes.

"Are you going to ride your horse or Briam?" he asked, leading Huthmír behind him. Briam snapped lazily at the horse, who merely glared indignantly back.

"I thought Briam can't walk fast enough for you all," Lynara replied flippantly, too bored and tired to make any more effort to be polite. Linmáros eyes hardened.

"Snap out of it," he hissed. Lynara flinched with surprise. It was the first time she had ever head the black-haired elf come anywhere close to anger or exasperation during their short journey.

Shocked out of her insolence, Lynara replied quietly, "I'm sorry." Linmáros nodded sagely and continued.

"The Queen decided to remain in Ceunon rather than meet us outside the city borders, due to some unrest within her soldiers' ranks that needs to be sorted out. We will enter the city through a…'back door', if you will, where she assures us that only she and a few choice advisors will meet with you." He finished with a cautious expression on his face, watching her.

What do you think? Lynara asked of Briam.

About what? He replied. It's nothing to think about. Of course we'll meet with the Queen of the Elves, on whatever terms she pleases. Come Lynara, we're not that high-ranked, especially when we're still young and untried.

Lynara grimaced. He made it sound like she was being stupid. She turned to Linmáros and answered quickly, "Of course. And…I think I will ride Briam, if it's alright with you."

Linmáros seemed to understand what she was getting at by the look on her face. Briam was quicker. Excellent! He exclaimed, shaking his head in anticipation.

"You don't have a saddle!" the elf protested weakly. He knew she had already decided.

"It's not far – besides, I can tie a blanket to his neck or something. I want to try it – and now's as good a time as ever…We'll fly to Ceunon."

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Kind of a weak ending but I really want to get this chapter out before I go to sleep. GOOD NIGHT.