First of all, I know I had no excuse to drop off the face of the planet like that. You guys deserve better than that. And I truly am sorry. Truly. But, it had gotten to the point, with school and all the rest of the shites that was going on, that writing wasn't a release anymore. It had just turned into something else I had to do... and I dropped it. Because the quality of it dropped, and I'm sure all ya'lls noticed that. So, I'm back. I revised the two crappish chappys, and I am ready to kick mucho ass :D Everything's better now. Pinkie promise.

Disclaimer: You know, I'm really not Chris. When are ya'lls gonna believe me?

Song: Rangers, by A Fine Frenzy

Chapter 10: The Voice

She was an interesting girl. First, she ignored me. And then she comforted me, I guess is what you would call it. And then, she pushed me down a hill. It didn't hurt, but was slightly degrading.

It was your own fault.

How?

Well, you insulted her. You acted as though you were ashamed that you had cried. Or that you were ashamed that you cried in front of her.

No, I just got over it. There's a difference.

He felt her disagreement in the back of his head, but didn't say anything on it. When she didn't pursue it either, he went back to watching Adreana. Again, he noticed that she was interesting: when they ate dinner, she started for the stew that everyone else was eating, but hesitated, smiled slightly, and grabbed a piece of bread, an apple, and some mushrooms.

And during the whole time since they had gotten back to camp, she had not looked at him. She had stayed focused on Ayla entirely, talking to her for a good half hour. When Angela announced that the food was ready, she walked with Katrina and Nasuada, apparently entranced by what they were saying. But, twice, she looked up at Saphira, at first she looked questioningly, as if she wasn't sure what she was seeing. But, the second time, Eragon thought that she looked incredibly sad. After both times, she looked up to the stars, as if she thought they could help her.

Twice, she caught him staring at her. The first, her grey eyes were completely open, and behind the racing emotion, from sadness to anger to happiness, behind it all, he could have sworn that her eyes were shifting as a cloud does when it's raining.

The second, she simply glared at him. Her eyes were cold, and the sky he had seen in her eyes was frozen, a dark grey that looked enraged.

It sent a shiver down his back.

After dinner, he had quit observing her. There was nothing to gain from it- she didn't like him, and wasn't giving anything away. Shame, really. Her face was noble, proud, even though it was so filthy he couldn't tell the color of her skin and covered with scars that Arya had forgone healing in favor of the more severe cuts on her back. And the fact that she still stood tall surprised him. She had been beaten miserably for months on end, and she still held her self with as much assurance as Arya or Nasuada. She still treated him like dirt, even though he was greater than a human such as herself could ever hope to be. It would've been nice to see why she was so sure of herself.

But, just as he decided to stop thinking about her, Angela cleared her throat. And, brought the whole camp's attention back to Adreana.

"So, m'dear, I have some questions for you."

If anything, she looked apprehensive. Not that Eragon blamed her. "Um… okay."

"First of all, did you know what your eyes have changed colors a few times today?"

"I didn't really realize it," she seemed nervous being the center of attention. "But, I would've guessed they did if I was paying attention. They're usually a hazy grey, but I've been told they change when I'm really… emotional. And, today was kind of… emotional."

Angela asked her next question as if she didn't care, but her shoulders were tense. "Okay. And, did you know what your name means?"

"Yes. Rain. Even though very few of our tribe actually spoke the Ancient Language, most of us knew the basics. And it has been a tradition in our family to name the eldest child after a sky god for nearly a hundred years. The rain god was the least common though. I am the first Adreana since the second generation that this started."

"And Ayla?"

Ayla answered this time, obviously trying to draw Angela's attention away from her sister. "It has something to do with the moon. It isn't exactly from the ancient language, but our parents took roots from it. It was because I'm so pale. It's a rarity where we come from."

Angela arched her eyebrow. "Which is…?"

"Somewhere East of however far you've been out of Alagaesia." She challenged Angela to argue with that.

"In the desert, then? How did Galbatorix find you way out there?"

"He didn't." It was Adreana again. Ayla had opened her mouth to answer, but Adreana had spoken with a quiet conviction. "I wasn't in the desert. Ayla was in Dras Leona. He was looking for me- he came upon her by chance."

As Angela opened her mouth to ask another question, Adreana said, "Please, no more. Only know that I hate him as much as you and have given him no information that could harm anyone, no matter the cost to myself. I would like to join the Varden, but I am going to keep my secrets."

And with that, the discussion was closed. Angela surprised them all, even Solumbum, by saying, "Okay then. I guess that that's that. Maybe some other time, eh? Or, maybe not. Now, we have to wake up early in the morning. We all need a bath. Especially you two. Good night. Make sure there are no scorpions in your sleep mat. I believe you have first watch Arya."

She stood up, walked five steps to her mat, and lay down. Solumbum trotted over to sleep on her feet. Seconds later she was snoring.

Adreana was steadily watching the flames. Ayla patted her arm, and then walked to her own mat. Everyone exchanged good nights, and made their way to their own mat. Arya took her bow and walked to the tree on the farthest side, and Roran called to her, "Make sure you wake me up tonight. You can't stay awake forever." This caused Nasuada to chuckle, a little ways away from Eragon.

Eragon lay beneath Saphira's outstretched wing and fell asleep only when he saw a silhouette shadowed by the fire walk and lay down between where he knew Ayla and Nasuada to be sleeping.

(x)

Eragon had third shift that night. He woke up after Roran actually crawled underneath Saphira's wing, and shook him awake. After they had both edged out form under her, trying not to wake her up, and Roran went off to his mat while Eragon crossed to the tree that people were taking watch at. He settled himself down, and got ready for a good two hours of sitting there doing nothing. He considered practicing magic, but he really didn't want to.

In the end, he sang to himself. Well, kind of. Really he was just humming. But he stopped when he realized that even his singing skills hadn't been improved by the elves' transformation.

It was going to be a long two hours. No, one hour and fifty nine minutes.

(y)

She awoke to badly off tune singing. After the brief moment of complete bemusement, she thought to herself, You know, being part elf and all, I would've thought that his voice would be better.

Maybe he's a good dancer. She laughed quietly. Her parents had always teased her about the conversations she had with herself. One time, they had even overheard her crying because she was losing an argument with herself. They had told her that that was the sign of mental strength. They had never told her what the rest of the tribe thought. That Zoran's daughter was crazy.

No, Adreana. Don't think on that. Think of happier memories…

When? The only memories she had that were happier than that of her home was that of Cain. And he was never coming back…

You had to. Don't think of it as if he was never coming back… more as if he now has a choice too.

Which almost makes it worse.

No, no, no! I'm not going crazy.

I'm not.

(z)

Eragon was right. It was a long two hours.

And, to make matters worse, he didn't sleep for the two hours after that.

And, after spending two whole hours on the Adreana problem, he was no closer to solving it.

When he sensed people moving about from behind Saphira's wing, he decided to get up. There was no use in trying to get anymore sleep anyways. Roran was arguing with Angela again. This time, the topic seemed to be fry bread.

"No! I am not making my bread whatever is in that bag."

"Fine. You can cook yours first."

"Actually," Nasuada spoke up, "You probably shouldn't, Angela. Ayla, Adreana, and Katrina are doubtless still a little weak from their bout in Helgrind. As are their stomachs."

Eragon smiled at her tact. She didn't want whatever was in the bag either… but, it was best to use a reasonable excuse.

"Well, I guess so." Angela looked angry at losing an argument. Think, little one. She probably loses arguments seldom.

Aye. It's impossible to argue against her.

I've noticed.

They ended up having the fry bread for breakfast, with a variety of mushrooms and fruit provided by Arya. Eragon sat next to Katrina and Roran, purposefully, because Adreana was sitting with Nasuada and Angela, who were sitting mere feet away from the couple.

He talked to Saphira while he ate, and only paid attention to the people around him when she reminded him of why he had sat there. Nasuada had come over to talk to Katrina and Roran about what they'd do when they got to the Varden and Adreana was staring into the fire. Ayla was talking to Solumbum, and Angela was talking to Elva. After a warning glance from Elva, which he ignored, Eragon scooted over to where Adreana was sitting.

"Addy?"

She didn't look up from the flames. "Please don't call me that. Only people who were close to me have ever called me that."

"My apologies. Adreana?"

She sighed, and then looked at him, her eyes carefully guarded. "Yes?"

You shouldn't do this. You should make small talk.

Like?

Oh, I don't know. Comment on the weather.

Yeah, right…

"Um… did you know you're eyes were the same shade of as the sky?"

She smiled slightly. "Well, considering I don't have a mirror, I don't know how I could know. But, I've always been told that my eyes matched the sky right before it rains."

"Well, it does. But, one of the nice rains. Not the ones that flood crops."

"Where I come from, those are the good ones. Anything else and our tribe goes hungry."

"Oh."

"But, you're right. I prefer the light rains too." She smirked at him.

He laughed lightly. She smiled a little more openly, and her eyes looked a little softer.

Told you the weather was a good topic.

I guess you were right.

"So, what's the real reason you're here Eragon? I know you didn't come over to talk to me about my eyes."

"You're right. I wanted to ask about yesterday. Why exactly did you push me down that hill?"

You idiot! I told you why. You should have just apologized. Now, she's going to shut you out.

"You mean the mighty Rider Lord Eragon Shadeslayer doesn't know what he did wrong? What a surprise."

"Wait, Adreana-"

"No, you listen. You were a prat the first time you even spoke to me, and then, I gave you a second chance, and, guess what? You were a prat. Again. I decided that maybe those were unlucky coincidences, and to give you another chance. So what do you do? You say something like that. I guess you really are a prat. Sad, considering that you happen to be a very important person. I guess we're doomed to a life with prats for leaders. Now, if you don't mind, I have to bathe."

Wait! He tried to reach her mind… but, as with Ayla in the dungeon, he couldn't even find it. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

You needed to prick yourself to find the metal.

(z)

This is what she really needed. Sure, in her fantasies she was alone, and there wasn't a crazy witch with her. Or a cursed child. Or an elf.

And, in her fantasies there weren't two gorgeous women with her, making her self conscious about every flaw on her body, from her non existent cheek bones to her scraggly knees… but, this was truly the most perfect thing that had happened to her since she found out she was free from that prison.

But, washing was pretty thoughtless, which left her to her fantasies. Which all included Cain… who was never coming back.

And funnily enough, none of them involved her family.

She missed them. With all of her heart.

Or, part of it anyways. The rest would always be Cain's.

Not that he would care.

Maybe he made it to the mountains. Maybe he could travel south, find what was past the border.

Or maybe he would stay in the desert. He had always said he loved the heat. And the sand… and as long as he didn't go too far in, he could always go back for water.

Steal off of farms for food.

Tease the king's armies, as they had done. Together.

Does he miss me?

Of course he does, silly. You were his partner.

Were. And he's never coming back…

Even the voices had nothing to say about that.

Choose different fantasies. Happier ones. About wondrous gardens with waterfalls to bathe in… not just this dinky little creek.

Yes…

Funnily enough, in those fantasies, there was never an Ayla. Because Ayla was perfect.

Come your sixteenth birthday, you will be too. These scars will mean nothing… and, everything will fall into place. You will be a true woman. And, you will be exactly as you were meant to be.

She didn't trust the voice. With Cain there, it had faded away. And, with it, the other ones.

It was clear which one was their leader.

But, Adreana wished that she knew who that soft, soothing voice belonged to. It always knew what to say.

And, with Cain never to come back, they were getting bolder again. There was no one to tell her which voice was actually hers.

Wait. Why is my sixteenth birthday any different than the others?

The voice didn't hear her. It started singing. A soft song that she recognized as a lullaby that her mother had sung. Before.

She sank into its depths while she drifted in the creek.

(y)

When Roran and I were done bathing, we talked, for the first time since that night in my tent. It was nice. As we walked back to camp, we remininced on all of the carefree times we had had as children.

The moment we came through the trees. We saw Angela, and, behind her, laughing, were Nasuada, who looked stunning as usual; Katrina, who was actually looking beautiful despite being tortured for months; and Ayla. Who was stunning. It was amazing to see her outside of the dungeon, where she obviously wasn't treated that badly. She was… just really pretty.

Seeing her changed so much, I looked to her sister, expecting much of the same thing. Her eyes were downcast, so I had no clue what was going on behind them. But, even though she wasn't ugly -actually, she was a far ways from it, she wasn't close to being as pretty as her sister. There was nothing wrong with her features… but while Ayla's cheekbones were high and pronounced, Adreana's were virtually nonexistent. She was too skinny (then again, she had just been starved for months on end), and not tiny enough to be petite, but not average enough to be normal. While Ayla was a pure shade of white, Adreana was the muddy shade of brown people get in the summer from working outside. And her hair was a shade of blonde so dark that it was almost brunette (for those of us in the 21st century… dirty blonde), compared to her sister's onyx black. The only similarities were their lips and eyes… their lips full, but Ayla's usually in some defensive pout and Adreana's being bit; their eyes were different in color, but were wide and expressive… however, in Ayla's case, they were usually narrowed, hiding the green brown texture of them… but Adreana's were always wide open. And showing the world everything they felt.

Wow.

Indeed, little one. Who knew what was beneath the layers of dirt…

"Eragon! You cleaned up nicely."

Nasuada bounded up to me, smiling widely. "Um… thanks, milady. But, really… it was just a creek."

Surprisingly enough, everyone laughed. Being as tense as they usually are, they usually don't laugh at my jokes.

Angela was cooking again, so the best we had to do was wait until the food was ready. While we waited, I decided to try one last time. I turned around to ask Adreana how she was… only to see that she wasn't there.

I caught Saphira's eye, and she said gently, She left into the woods, where the creek was.

Thank you.

Just don't screw it up this time.

Of course.

So, I left, into the woods.

After wandering mindlessly for a few minutes, I decided to actively try to find her. I put my hand on a tree and let its conscience envelop my own. After the initial feeling of being a tree, I sensed into its memory, asking it when the last girl had walked by. It turned out that she had just been there a few moments ago.

I left the tree, becoming my self again, walking through the forest, whistling softly to myself, and I heard it.

Weeping.

By the creek.

Sobbing and rushing water is not the prettiest sound, but it is distinct. I hurried towards it.

And saw her. Her hair, which had actually looked some what nice earlier, if a little funny colored, was disheveled and in disarray around her face. There were twigs sticking out of it, and it looked like it had fallen out of something. Or that she had just woken up.

There were mud splatters on her face, making her dark skin darker in splotches, cleared only by the streaks of water going down her face. Her cheekbones were only visible due to red splotches. Her face was twisted and she was sobbing so hard he doubted she could breathe. It also appeared that she was trying to scrub her hand off.

Her left hand. The palm. She made no effort to disguise her efforts. She was viciously scrubbing at some invisible dirt on her palm.

"Um… Adreana?"

She froze, mid-sob, and looked at him. He fought not to gasp. Her eyes were not even a shade of grey- they were a purpley red... burgundy. Usually burgundy was a good color… but this was so harsh, like fire…

Her voice was harsh, not at all like the quiet girl he had come to associate her with. "What are you doing here?"

There was a wild look in her eyes. Her wine red eyes.

"I came looking for you. Look, I don't like my left hand either, but you shouldn't get rid of it…"

Her face acquired a blank look, and as I watched, her eyes slowly cleared to their normal crystal grey, and she simply looked appalled. She looked down at her hand, as if she wanted to hide it and kiss it at the same time, and back up at me. Slowly, she stood up, and for a moment, it seemed as if she were going to talk to me. And then she took off through the woods, at a pace that I could have easily caught her in, but faster than any human should be able to run.

Did you screw it up again?

I don't think so. I didn't even say anything this time.

You should just apologize. Don't try to make small talk.

Of course, great dragon. Because you know so much about romance.

Saphira didn't reply to that. Maybe I shouldn't have been cruel, but I couldn't focus my thoughts at that moment. I had bigger problems.

(x)

How could I be so stupid? I don't even remember going to that creek… am I really going crazy?

Of course not, my sweet. There was the voice again… purring at her, convincing her… You were simply mad with grief. It's not your fault Cain left you, and it's certainly not your fault for wanting to rid yourself of your last proof of him.

But why would I do that? That was the one time of pure and simple happiness in my life.

Well, maybe you want to forget that. Let yourself fall back to the unstable happiness. You will never truly be content with that if you're pining after someone who's never coming back. It was probably your sub-conscious. Trying to bring peace at last…

But I don't want peace.

Yes, you do. Now, stop. You must make yourself presentable before you face them.

She listened to the voice. She didn't know why, but she always listened to the voice. But how far could it drive her?

"Addy! I was so worried about you. You almost missed dinner! By the way, do you know where Eragon is? He disappeared a while ago..."

Lie.

"No… um, I don't know where he is. Maybe he went for a walk?"

"Are you okay? You're eyes are going all funny again."

"I'm just… thinking."

"Oh." Her face clouded. Her perfect eyes clouded, and tried to shade themselves from Adreana. But, she didn't need to. Adreana already knew what she was thinking. "Is she doing it again? She ripped our family apart last time… what could be worse? What could she take this time?

The worst part was, she didn't know. What could I take this time?

Nothing. That's why we left, remember?

Adreana didn't answer the voice this time.

Fortunately, Eragon picked that moment to emerge from the woods. Fortunately, he was not in the same place that Adreana had come through. When asked, he simply said he went for a walk. Really, any other boy and they wouldn't have believed it. But Eragon acted too old.

As strange as it was, in this instance it was helpful.

Maybe we can work him into your birthday plans…

Adreana ignored that remark. All of a sudden, she wasn't looking forward to her birthday.

They ate dinner in silence. Well, Adreana and Eragon did. Everyone else was restless, clearly glad that this was the last day they would be sitting still. Angela was talking with Arya, about the elves who had been with them… and the warriors… funny; no one had really noticed when they disappeared.

Really, the conversation was just going in a circle. "Okay, so, we have seven extra horses… and five extra people. What are we going to do with the other two? And, that's assuming that Eragon is riding with us, not up in the air…"

"Well, I'm not the one who sent them home, Miss Elf. So, you figure it out. You could have told our little messengers to take the extra horses…. Or, you could take them yourself."

"What, and leave this lot by themselves?"

"Well, they won't be completely alone. Admit it, you're just delaying talking to your m-"

"Yes. That's it. But-" And they would start again. Of course, it was never exactly the same. But, everyone stopped paying attention.

Unfortunately, that left nothing to distract Adreana from her own problems. And, as she wrapped herself up in it, she didn't notice when Eragon came to stand next to her.

"Adreana?"

She groaned. Inwardly of course, because she wasn't rude.

"Yes?"

"Your eyes are purple. What does that mean?"

She mustered up her best glare. She smirked with satisfaction when he glanced down hurriedly.

"Listen… want to walk with me? I think I have some apologizing to do."

He looked really awkward. Otherwise, she wouldn't have said yes. But, he really did look about eighteen right then. Of course, I wouldn't know his actual age… damn elven immortality.

"Okay. I think you do too."

He smiled slightly, and then reached down with his hand, offering to pull her up.

She looked at it for a moment, and then looked up at him, almost glaring. He raised his eyebrows questioningly, and then started to pull his hand away. She stopped when she noticed that it was his right hand. She had no clue if that was a testimony to their conversation earlier, or, really, his conversation… but, she took it as one.

In response, she lifted her left hand.

He smiled.

The clasped hands.

They both gasped with pain, a sharp bolt of electricity that they both recognized, before collapsing into the dirt.

Ayla looked over and screamed.

So, the first time I wrote this out, she totally wasn't crazy. I am *loving* this. I mean, the first time I planned it out, she was also very much not an actual character. But whatever. That was a while ago.

Also, I'm not sure about the bit where I used 1st person. I really don't know if it worked, but it wasn't flowing for me any other way. I probably shouldn't be changing my style, but whatever. The whole point of this is to practice my skizlls, right?

So… review, please! I know I was gone for a while... but I'm back! And, I really love to hear from all of yous :)