Disclaimer: I do not own the characters created by Christopher Paolini.
A/N: Alright I thank everyone who has reviewed! Now it is finally chapter 12, and I am actually going to finally reveal what has been going on since Eragon left. Hopefully then no one gets confused.
Chapter 12
Murtagh stood up from his chair as soon as he saw Jayden coming towards him. He looked unharmed, but he could never be too sure. Especially with Jayden.
"Jayden where have you been?" Murtagh demanded from his son.
"I went to Palancar Valley. I had to see something. Whatever it was, its gone now." Murtagh raised an eyebrow and then sighed.
"Jayden, I don't want you running off on your own anymore."
"Why not?"
"Damien was in Du Weldenvarden today."
"Damien?"
"He's one of the men who is in the Teirm army." Jayden lowered his eyes to the ground.
"Its not like they can harm me. After all I have Luna to look after me." Murtagh widened his eyes.
"Do you think she can protect you all the time? Well she can't Jayden. There will come a time, when you are in battle, and you are seperated from her, that you are in danger, and she can't come to your rescue."
"Then teach me." Murtagh blinked in surprise.
"What?"
"Teach me. Teach me how to wield a sword, use magic, and fight. Also, how to ride a dragon correctly." Murtagh closed his eyes and sighed.
"You know, I never wanted this path for you?" Jayden smiled at his father.
"Well, its a little to late to change that now, father." Murtagh blinked in surprise again because Jayden had called him father instead of his name. Smiling, Murtagh ruffled Jayden's hair.
"Alright. I'll train you. And Thorn and Saphira will train Luna. Eragon will also help with your training." Jayden nodded and then did the most unexpected thing. He hugged his father.
"Thank you."
~With Sapphire~
Looking at the setting sun, Sapphire thought about all the events that had happened in the past 200 centuries.
"Father! Who was that man?" Sapphire approached her father, when the two dragons flew off. Roran smiled down at his daughter.
"That was my cousin, and his half-brother. Both of them saved Alagaesia." Brom looked up at Roran.
"Is he going to come back and visit us?" Roran's eyes became sad.
"I'm afraid not, Brom. He came to say good-bye."
"Good-bye? But father, you said..."
"I know. I told you guys that all our family members will be around forever, whenever we need them. But Eragon has a much harder life than we do."
"What is he?" Roran smiled sadly.
"A DragonRider. Both of them are. I don't know if they had a chance to save the race of the dragons, but Saphira right now is the only female dragon in existance." Brom looked off in the distance. He could barely see the two dragons now.
"Father have you ever rode on a dragon?" Roran smiled at his son.
"Yes. Before you were born. Your mother rode on one as well."
"Which dragon did you ride?"
"Saphira."
"Was it fun?" Roran laughed.
"It would've been, but the situation was very important." Katrina blushed.
"Kids, come on. Its time for lunch." She led both of them into the house.
10 years after Eragon left Alagaesia
Sapphire laughed as her horse passed Brom's. They always had these races, ever since she had gotten older, its what they did together. She was 13, and Brom was 15 now. Katrina stood in the doorway, sweeping up dust. Sapphire looked ahead and stopped her horse. Brom did the same. There was an elf with long black hair, and green eyes. Katrina then came running over and smiled at the elf.
"Arya!" Arya smiled at Katrina.
"Hello Katrina. Where is Roran?"
"He's in town at the moment. I can relay the message to him and he can travel to Ellesmera if you want." Arya shook her head.
"No. I only need your consent."
"My consent?"
"Yes. I wish to bless one of you children." Katrina blinked in surprise.
"Only one? Why not both?" Arya frown sadly.
"Murtagh. He wants me to bless Brom. So that he can be still alive when Eragon comes back." Katrina frowned sadly as well. She then turned to both of them.
"Sapphire, I am going to let Arya bless Brom." Sapphire nodded her head.
"Mom, can I go to town?" Katrina nodded and Sapphire set her horse to a gallop, as she rode to town. 'I wonder if father would give that elf his consent if he was at the house right now. I'll find him and tell him that Arya is blessing only Brom and not me.' When Sapphire entered the town, Horst came running around the corner, frantically.
"Sapphire! Good your on a horse!" Sapphire narrowed her eyes in confusion.
"Whats wrong?"
"Its Roran. He's collapsed." Sapphire's eyes widened in horror. 'No! Father!' Getting off her horse, she followed Horst to where her father was laying. Feeling his forehead, she realized he was running a high fever.
"Can you help me get him on my horse?" Horst nodded.
"Of course, Sapphire." Horst picked up Roran, who groaned a bit. Roran was placed on the saddle and Horst gave Sapphire another horse for her to ride. "Get him home quickly okay Sapphire?"
"Okay." Sapphire then put both horses into a gallop, but also being careful not to make her father fall out of the saddle. When she neared the farm, she saw Brom waiting for her. His eyes widened in horror when he saw their father.
"Father!!" He placed his horse on the other side of the horse Roran was on, and rode alongside them to the barn. Brom grabbed their father and carried him inside.
"Mom! Call the healer!" Katrina came running out and gasped when she saw Roran.
"Roran!" Katrina then ran outside to get a horse, and to get Gertrude.
~A few hours later~
Gertrude walked out of Roran's room, sighing, and looking grim. Katrina had her fingers interwined and was looking nervous, scared, and sad.
"Gertrude? Can you save him?" Gertrude looked at Katrina sadly.
"He's very sick, Katrina. I can try to give him some herbs, but I don't have the power to save him." Sapphire shook her head and backed away when she heard that.
"No...He can't die!" Gertrude looked at Sapphire sadly.
"He might not die, Sapphire. We just have to wait around and see." Sapphire shook her head and ran out of the house. She jumped onto her horse instantly and rode off. Brom came running out and called after her.
"Sapphire!! Come back!!" When Sapphire was riding through Carvahall, tears were going down her cheeks.
~6 months later~
Brom sat by Roran's bed, and watched as his father read a book. Sapphire still had not come home, and Roran was still very sick. Brom looked up at his father.
"Could Eragon save you, father?" Roran looked away from his book to look at Brom.
"I don't know. He isn't here, now is he?"
"No....he's not." Roran looked at his son in concern.
"Brom. I'm pretty sure if Eragon had a choice, he would've stayed in Alagaesia. But he didn't have that choice. Now all we can do is accept that fact and move on with life." Brom nodded and looked away with pain in his eyes.
"Alright." Getting up, Brom left his fathers room and went into his. He had been praying each night that his father would get better, but so far, that didn't look like it was about to happen. Someone put a hand on Brom's shoulder. Turning his head, Brom saw his mother.
"Roran will be alright, Brom. He is, after all, the cousin of a DragonRider. A strong one at that." Brom nodded and forced a smile, so his mother could leave him alone. When she left, Brom looked out his window and glared at the sky. 'I hope your enjoying yourself, Eragon. Wherever you are! When you come back, do not expect peace! Because I WILL find you! If my father dies, I WILL kill you!! You and your dragon!!'
~4 months later~
Sapphire looked down at Carvahall from her place in the sky. When she had left, last year to be exact, she hadn't expected to ride all the way to the Beor Mountains in just a month! Not to mention the little event that took place after she was there for a week, using a dark red stone as her pillow. She was riding on a dragon, high above Carvahall. She had named him Arian.
'Arian, can you see the farm?'
'Yes, I can.'
'Take us down then.' With a nod, Arian angled himself down towards the farm. Half way there he released a bugle and landed with a light thud on the ground. Brom came out and stared in horror at his sister.
"Sapphire?" Sapphire's eyes widened when she saw how much her brother had changed. His eyes looked darker now and he looked like a pychopath.
"Father....?" Brom indicated with his head somewhere in the house.
"In there. He's been waiting for you." Sapphire ran into the house and into Roran's room. She ran into Roran's bedroom, right when he placed his book down.
"Father!!" His eyes widened.
"Sapphire! You returned!" Tears went down her face as she hugged her father. But a loud roar of pain reached both of their ears. Sapphire's heart skipped a couple of beats.
"Arian!!" Running out of her fathers room, Sapphire ran outside to see Arian shaking his head in pain.
'Arian! Whats wrong?'
'When I see that boy, I'm going to bite his head off!' Sapphire looked at Brom, who had a sliver of glass in his hand. It had blood on it.
"Brom! What did you do?!"
"So you are a DragonRider as well. I hate DragonRiders!!" Brom screamed that and Roran appeared limping in the doorway.
"Whats going on out here?" Roran's eyes widened when he saw Arian lower his head and slightly nudge Sapphire, who looked at his wounded eye in concern.
"Father. Sapphire has become a DragonRider!" Roran smiled warmly.
"Good." With a shudder, Roran's eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed onto the ground. Sapphire's eyes widened in alarm.
"Father!!" Arian even let out a little growl of surprise. Sapphire knelt beside him, and felt his pulse. She then drew back her hand with a gasp.
'Arian....He's.....' She couldn't bring herself to say the word outloud. Brom looked at Roran, then to Sapphire.
"You killed him!"
"No I didn't!"
"Yes you did Sapphire! He knew he was going to die! He was waiting for you to return home!"
"Don't blame father's death on me Brom!"
"I am blaming it on you! If you hadn't come back, he would still be alive!" Arian moaned in pain as more pulsed through his wounded eye.
'Sapphire, I know this is your home. But we should leave. Before we get anymore injuries.' Sapphire nodded.
'Yes. I agree.' Sapphire climbed onto Arian's back, despite how much Brom was ranting at her, and flew off.
Sapphire blinked tears out of her eyes. The sun was gone now. Turning around she saw Arian curled up around her bed. The remains of his dinner lay a few feet away. 'I know what my decision is. I am sorry Mardonio.......I know fathers death had a huge toll on you, but you should never have blamed me for his death. For that, I am going to side with the other Riders.'
'I'm happy you chose that Sapphire.'
'Arian! You were supposed to be asleep!'
'Heh, well, a dragon can pretend to be asleep.' Sapphire laughed, then sighed.
'We won't go to them, until it is almost time for the battle, okay Arian?'
'I'll take you to your word on that.'
'You have my word.' Arian nodded his head and closed his eyes. He was really sleeping now.
~In Ellesmera~
"What do you mean? After Eragon left, all of Alagaesia was in peace?!" Jayden yelled at Murtagh, Eragon, and Arya. Murtagh sighed.
"Jayden, we just spent the lat 13 hours downplaying all the events that took place." Jayden rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, I know. But look at Alagaesia now! There's no way it is peaceful! A DragonRider can't even leave Ellesmera or Du Weldenvarden without stressing that he is going to get captured and him and his dragon be threatened into being whipped unless they obey the rules! So don't even tell me it is peaceful, father!" Eragon sighed.
"He has a point Murtagh." Arya looked at Jayden.
"I think your missing the basic point here, Jayden. The humans didn't get the knowledge of this "technology" as their calling it, until 25 years ago. Mardonio, their leader, became creative one day and created what they call an engine. That is what runs the ships now. Are you following me so far, Jayden?"
"Yes. Except the part on who this Mardonio is." Arya sighed.
"I guess we can call him the king of the humans in a way." Eragon looked at Arya.
"Are you telling me, this is going to be a repeat of Galbatorix?"
"No, Eragon. It is not going to be a repeat of Galbatorix. When Murtagh told me that this Mardonio hated DragonRiders, I looked more into his past. I hate to be the one to tell you this, Eragon, but he is Roran's son. Brom." Eragon's eyes widened.
"You mean that sweet little boy Eragon and I saw 200 centuries ago?" Murtagh voiced Eragon's thoughts.
"Yes."
"Then how is he still alive?!" Murtagh yelled.
"10 years after Eragon left, I blessed him. Don't you remember suggesting that to me, Murtagh? So that he could still be alive when Eragon came back."
"I know I suggested it, but I didn't mean for you to actually do it! And why did he turn evil?!" Arya sighed.
"I heard from Katrina 5 years after that. On that day, Roran had collapsed in Carvahall and was running a very high fever. The following year, when Sapphire finally returned, Roran died. Katrina told me that was the last day she ever saw her daughter." Eragon then clapped his hands.
"Thats where I've heard her name before!"
"Who?" Arya asked in confusion.
"Sapphire. She's still alive. She's a DragonRider." Arya nodded her head.
"So that is the last missing one from Saphira's eggs. Which reminds me, I was meaning to ask Saphira something. Can you call her Eragon?" Eragon nodded and reached out with his mind, until he found Saphira.
'Saphira. Arya wants to see you.'
'I will come.' Within moments Saphira appeared, with Thorn and Luna following her. Landing on the ground, Saphira looked right at Arya.
"Saphira I wanted to ask for your permission to make all your eggs DragonRider eggs." Saphira narrowed her eyes.
'Arya I made 7 of them ones who will not hatch until they sense their rider. Two have hatched. That leaves 5 more.'
"But Saphira if all of them were ones with riders then there would 14 DragonRiders!" Saphira snorted.
'I understand why you would want so many DragonRiders. For Eragon's battle against Alagaesia, that he is going to wage soon.' Arya nodded.
"So you understand my reasoning?" Saphira's sides heaved a sigh.
'Alright. But if any of them die in battle, Arya, you will be the one I come after. It won't matter how my rider feels about you, I will kill you.' Saphira lifted her wings and flew off then. Eragon looked at Arya.
"At least leave 4 riderless Arya."
"You want wild dragons, Eragon?" Eragon sighed.
"Not really, but from what I've heard they were really great fighters."
"Yeah, but they weren't able to be controlled." Murtagh coughed into his fist.
"Eragon, I have to say I'm on Arya's side for this one. We don't want the wild ones to suddenly switch sides and start attacking us in the midst of battle." Eragon sighed.
"You all have a point. Fine. Make then all rider eggs, Arya, and then lets see if we can find their riders." Eragon stood up and walked away from them. From the events Arya and Murtagh explained, Roran's death, Arya becoming queen, Murtagh leading the Varden for a lot of years, the development of technology in Alagaesia, and now this new war about to begin. He had missed so much in the span of 200 centuries and yet he only looks a few years older than what he did 200 centuries ago. 'Can I return Alagaesia back to the way it once was? Or will this be my last battle in my long life? I will soon find out.'
Alright review! I know I didn't exactly mention what all happened, but at the end there it basically shows what they talked about. And it also has Roran's death and how Arian lost his sight in that one eye. But can that be fixed?? Review!!
