Disclaimer: not mine no money

It had been two weeks since Sahkur-rah had released the Elvin child from the dark curse that the king had put him in and the child's hair was already beginning to grow in. He had gained a healthy amount of weight and was unusually active, even for an elf baby. His hair was somewhat unusual for an elf as well. It was two toned,most elves only have one distinguishable hair color but the child had at least two. They had been outside for a walk when Eragon had noticed the odd coloration. The majority of his hair was black but there were two red streaks in his hair starting at the temples. Eragon had been the first to notice it and had asked Oromis if it was normal for elves to have hair like that but Oromis did not say anything. All that Eragon could pry out of him was that it was not normal and that he would rather that no one knew about it. Eragon was not certain how Oromis would keep the others from finding out, however he found out when Oromis colored the red streaks with charcoal from a burned tree making them as black as the rest of his hair. Oromis looked at Eragon and signaled him to be quiet about what had happened. Eragon did not know what was happening but he held his peace as he followed Oromis when he took the child back to the tree house. Oromis set the child gently into his room and then began packing his things quietly and quickly. Eragon stood in the doorway and stared. What was the elf up to now?

Oromis what are you doing?

I need to find a secluded place again, I will stay in touch with you but I must not stay here or be reachable by anyone again at least not for twenty years.

Why what's going on?

It is none of your concern young one, now please let me go in peace.

The hell it's not my concern, incase you have forgotten I am bonded with the child; with your child. You are a good friend and teacher and I think of you as a father. Now will you please tell me what is going on?

It is long and complex and I must leave straight away, before the others come back from their explorations of Ellesmera. Hopefully they have not noticed the child's red streaks.

Why don't I go with you, that way there will be two of us to take care of the child, and you won't have to put yourself at risk, I am assuming that you are at risk, to inform me of how you are.

…

well why not, I mean two stand better odds than one and you will be able to explain at length what is happening when we get somewhere safe. And Saphira and Glaedr will be able to carry both us and our things without difficulty.

Very well, get packed quickly and quietly. We need to leave as soon as possible. I will explain all when we get to safety.

I will be done soon; all I have are my clothes weapons and the fairth you gave me.

Eragon was packed and ready to go within minutes and had gotten provisions for their travels, more than enough for at least half a year. He knew that the dragons could forage for themselves at least. When that was taken care of he signaled Saphira and Glaedr to come back to the tree house and not tell anyone about where they were going. They were soon in the air; they had decided to ride their own dragons until they were sure that they were not being followed, with most of the things being carried by Glaedr. Eragon didn't dare to ask the elf any questions about what was happening until they had settled down for rest the next night. Whatever the elf's reason for leaving the relative safety of his own kind and practically abandoning the others to fight the war by themselves Eragon knew that it would have to wait until they were in a place of safety.

They flew for most of the next several weeks, only stopping a couple of hours at night when they let the dragons rest. It took a great deal of time but eventually they had flown well past the edge of the forest and over what Eragon recognized as the remains of Carvahall. They were a long ways away from the other elves and the riders and the war, and still Oromis stayed quiet about what was going on. It had been about a month and a half from when they started out when they finally crossed the spine and Oromis seemed to relax somewhat. He still would not answer his questions about why it had been necessary to leave the home of the elves and abandon the war against the king but at least he seemed more relaxed somehow. They landed for the night on the beach in front of the sea that separated the mainland from the many islands dotting the coast. One of those islands had been the main sanctuary for the riders in days past. Eragon began trying to light some kindling for their fire while Oromis held Orlando and fed him some warmed milk. Eragon could hear the contended sucking noises the baby was making as he was being fed. By the time he had the fire blazing Oromis had fed burped and changed the infant who was curled up sleeping in his parents' arms. Eragon watched the child in contemplative silence as the vegetable broth cooked. He didn't know how but he was certain that all of this had something to do with the child somehow. He wondered how someone so small could cause so much trouble. He smelled the delicious odor of the broth as it cooked, he could tell that it was almost ready to eat. Eragon Soon dished some broth up for both himself and Oromis. He watched fascinated as the elf balanced the sleeping infant while he ate the meal. Eragon decided that he needed to know what was going on and tried to think of a good way to bring the subject up without it seeming suspicious. He decided that there was no way to do that so he decided that it would be best if he just came out and asked him. He cleared his throat as Oromis finished his meal.

"Oromis, I have to know why we had to leave Ellesmera, what is wrong, where are we going and why."

Oromis looked thoughtfully at Eragon for a few moments before he finally answered.

"The reason why we had to leave Ellesmera was because it was no longer safe for Orlando there. I can explain why later on but please just have a little patience with me while we travel. We are going to vroengard. It is possibly the only safe place for him right now."

"Why isn't it safe in Ellesmera for him anymore?"

"It isn't just Ellesmera, it is the entire Elvin nation that is no longer safe for him, to be more specific it is the royal bloodlines that are not safe and those who will answer to them and report all that they see to them. He is different and that is what makes it no longer safe for him. It is only I and all the elder riders from long ago who are dead now and the royal lines who know of this difference. That is why I had to leave with him. Otherwise he would not be safe."

Eragon sat in thoughtful silence for a while before he ventured to ask a question.

"What about the other riders, can't they be trusted?"

"I do not know and I would rather not take any risks with his life."

"Well after we have gotten to Vroengard I could ask them come and we could see if we can trust them. We can just say that we are scouting out a place since the tree house is getting crowded."

Oromis looked at the child in his arms for a while before he nodded.

"That would be acceptable but I will have to tell you everything before you contact them. It may be that once you know the truth that you will also wish to leave us."

They did not talk about Orlando for the next while until they arrived at the island stronghold of vroengard. It was still in good condition all things considered. It would have to be spruced up a bit but they would manage. It was nightfall and any improvements they would make would have to wait until daylight. Oromis found a safe area big enough for them and the dragons for the night. As Eragon made their supper he watched Oromis look after the child out of the corner of his eye. Oromis looked relieved that they were finally here after having left in a hurry so long ago. He seemed to let himself relax a bit as the barley and vegetable broth cooked. Eragon tried to think of what difference could be so profound that it would make the Elvin nation so unsafe for a baby. The elves loved children, all children not just their own. They were by and large a very tolerant race even if they tended to be short tempered. But Oromis would not have left unless there was a very good reason for him to do so. He would not fear for his child's safety unless he knew that the child was no longer safe. Eragon stirred the broth while these thoughts chased around in his head. There was something more to this than he had thought there was. He was suddenly, and not for the first time, glad that he had accompanied Oromis here. Oromis cleared his throat.

"I think that it is about time that I told you everything, perhaps we should eat first then I will tell you." They ate in silence and when they were finished Oromis sat back and stared into the fire as he thought of where to begin his explanation. Eragon knew that it was going to be a long one so he made himself as comfortable as he could.

"You of course know by now how the elves made a pact with the dragons in order to maintain the peace between the two races. This resulted in the elves sharing in the lives of dragons, making them immortal as well as strong and fast. It also gave all the elves some measure of magic, but an unexpected side effect of all of this was that once in great a while a child would be born with a great deal more of each of these qualities than would be normal. This child would also have a great deal other things different, things that could be easily hidden or explained away except for one. This child would be born without a true name. This child would eventually choose one for itself but the name it chooses would never have the power over it that everyone else's true name would have."

"But how is it possible to not have a true name?"

"It is something that no one understands. The ancient language has a name for everyone and everything, but this child would be born without a true name to describe it. It is something that none of the dragon riders were able to understand. Though it has been a great deal of time since the last one of this sort of elf was born, I was maybe ten when it happened. The child did not live to see her fifth birthday. Before her there had been maybethree elves born like this and all except the first one died before they had been ten. The first one had died at the age of one hundred. Every one of them had had suspicious circumstances surrounding their death but they had always been ignored or explained away by the members of the royal lines. The riders tried to save any child who was born like this but they could not keep them from the elves for long, and the parents more often than not would dismiss the misgivings that they expressed because they could not understand how any harm could come to their child from another elf. I did not understand why the royal lines would destroy children such as these until I became one of the elder riders and was told about them. It seems that the royal lines fear them."

Muwahaha! My very first semi cliffy, i guess anyways, so why do you think the royal lines might be afraid:)