I know you all have been waiting patiently. Things are about to speed up, I promise. Fore now, we get into the story. Enjoy!

She watched as the subject of her scrying moved gracefully through forms taught to her by a strange teacher. She was not in a part of the forest that she was familiar with. She looked different, older. "Of course she would look older now. It has been five years since I have seen her." Her thoughts returned to the night a few years ago when she felt someone's eyes on her. She was sure that it had been Arya. She was the only one that would try to find her. She wouldn't be surprised if she had been looking for her for the past five years. She let the spell go and turned to her bags. Galbatorix had just arrived from the castle in Ilirea where his brother was king. But he was returning immediately and taking her with him. There was trouble brewing and the royal family was being gathered in the main castle. She had managed to learn enough in the past two years to interact with others beside the castle staff. Galbatorix had let her out into the city if she wished. Outside the castle gates, she had a bigger guard. The thing that made her the most uncomfortable was the people bowing to her. She was considered a noble of the court and as such was greatly respected. Though, the thoughts of some told her that they only respected her out of fear of Galbatorix's wrath.

She tucked the book in the last bag and nodded to the guard her readiness as he stepped in the door. Galbatorix had agreed to let her ride to the castle and so she had small bags to go onto the saddle. But the majority of her clothes had been packed into trunks and placed on the carriage that he was going to ride in. She belted on her sword and clasped her cloak as she exited the rooms and followed the guard down the stairs. They were leaving before dawn to avoid bandits. A magician was hiding the luggage with a spell. She had agreed to do it, but the prince wouldn't hear of it. She had heard talk of them meeting up with the prince's two nephews and they would all travel together. She checked her hair one last time, to make sure that it was covering her ears and then pulled up her hood. Then, she waited for Galbatorix to join them.

"So you are returning to the castle in Ilirea. I won't be able to contact you there."

"Of course you will, Durza. Just be careful not to let the dragon see you. She hasn't told me, but I did read that dragons are honor bound to kill Shades. They even had a special guild for them."

"I am aware of the dangers. If it comes to her life or mine, let's just say that it will have to depend on who wins."

"Just remember, I still need her for what I have planned."

"Yes, you are going to take the throne from your brother. How do you plan to do that with his heir still alive?"

"Do not question my plans, Durza." Galbatorix said softly. He knew that with his nephew, Eragon, still alive, killing Brom would not give him the throne. They both had to die for Galbatorix to be able to put himself on the throne. He knew that Morzan would back him. His other nephew would have no choice but to follow his father. But Eragon would fight back. He would be determined to avenge his father.

"I was merely wondering, my Lord."

"Well don't wonder. And keep an ear open for rumors of the dragon. We don't need the people knowing that one still lives and was living in the forest."

"They will not be looking for a pointy-eared woman in the castle. But I will do as you ask."

"Good. Now, I must be going. We are meeting my nephews a little ways from the city and we're all going to travel to the capitol together. Who knows, maybe there will be an accident on the way there." He swept out of the study and down the hall. When he exited the castle, the rain had started. Saphira was sitting on the stone steps just under the eaves of the building. The carriage and her horse were waiting. She looked up at the opening door and stood, curtsying as she did so. He nodded and she went to her horse and mounted it. He walked briskly to the carriage and climbed in. When he was ready, they left. The guard around them was small enough that they would not draw attention to themselves.

They made it out of the city without incident and made their way to a knoll where they were to wait. They found the two princes and an old man with them. The young men looked almost identical. The younger of the two had brown hair and brown eyes that seemed to bore into the soul. The older one had black hair and darker brown eyes. The old man was wrinkled and had white hair. Saphira gently cast her mind out to them and found them guarded. She nodded and retreated back to her own mind. She had felt no evil intentions from them, but they did seem to be looking for something besides her caravan. She watched as the young men greeted Galbatorix with a hug and the old man bowed. Then Galbatorix turned to her and motioned her forward. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she pulled back her hood to reveal her black hair and slanted eyes.

"Eragon, Murtagh, Oromis, this is Saphira. I found her in a ruined home a couple of years ago. Both of her parents were dead. She is living with me now. Saphira, Crown Prince Eragon, Prince Murtagh, and Oromis." He pointed to each in turn. Saphira bowed to the two princes and nodded her greeting to Oromis. She felt three minds approach hers. She blocked her mind and watched the surprise in their eyes.

"It is nice to meet you all." She said. "His Highness has spoken highly of his family."

"It is nice to meet you as well, Saphira." Eragon said. "I wish we could say the same of you, but this is the first we've heard of you."

"That would be my fault." Galbatorix said. "I fear that her family was attacked for some reason and I wanted to keep her safe. If they knew that she was staying with me, she may not have been as safe as she has been."

"A wise move." Oromis praised. Saphira felt she was going to throw up. She wanted nothing more than to be away from everyone and be back in the forest, trying to find where her family had gone. "But another would be us moving on. From what King Brom has said, there is danger all around us." Galbatorix nodded and climbed back into the carriage while Saphira and their guard mounted their horses and Eragon's group mounted their horses. Saphira stayed close to the carriage, keeping her hood up to keep her hair from getting soaked.

Eragon watched Saphira from across the fire. They were going to follow the river to Ilirea. They felt that was the safest thing since bandits had started attacking travelers. But he didn't trust her. She had not been there when they had stopped by on their trip to Carvahall. She spoke and acted as a noble. To an untrained eye, she would appear a noble. But to Eragon, he wasn't sure what she was. "She could be a bandit herself for all we know and is using my uncle." He thought bitterly. "Then there are her eyes. They are slanted and she keeps her ears covered with her hair. She is not human, not entirely at least."

"If it's bothering you so much, just ask her." Murtagh interrupted.

"And say what? Tell me the truth and I won't throw you in jail when we reach Ilirea. And what would that show Uncle? He'll think I don't trust him."

"I don't."

"What do you mean you don't?"

"Exactly that. When we visited him on our way north, he seemed distracted by something. I'm not sure what it was. It may have been her. Or it could have been something else. The man who ordered the attack on you and Aunt Selena is still out there. And now he has a dragon."

"You can't really think that the man behind the twisted flame is Uncle Galbatorix."

"I'm not sure. All I know is that he is hiding something. But as for Saphira, ask her about her features. Maybe she can tell you where she is from." Eragon sat a moment more before moving from his place by the fire to where Saphira leaned against a boulder.

"Do I need to bow to you?" She asked him, her voice barely above a whisper.

"That would be too dangerous right now. When we get home though, you will. May I sit?" She nodded and he sat next to her. She was looking at the sky. They stayed silent a moment while Eragon thought of the words he needed. "You have, interesting features. You kind of look like one of the people of the forest."

"My mother lived in the desert where the dragons were rumored to have lived as well." She answered.

"The dragons lived in the desert?"

"Yes, so my mother told me. The forest grew too small for them and they were given sanctuary in the desert and the mountains. She was trading in the north when she met my father. And you can guess the rest."

"Yes I can. What happened to them?"

"We were attacked on our way home. They were killed. I only survived because I had decided to sleep in a thicket that night."

"Do you know who attacked you?"

"All I remember is a twisted flame stitched onto their tunics." Eragon said nothing. It sounded too much like the attack that took his mother from him. It was no coincidence. Someone was trying to usurp the throne.

"Well, get some sleep." She nodded and he returned to his place by the fire. She continued to stare at the sky. She was watching the air currents and imagining herself flying on them. The spot between her shoulder blades ached. She wanted so bad to fly again. But she had to do what Galbatorix wanted of her.

"Soon," she thought, "soon."

A shout roused her from the deep sleep she had been enjoying. She pulled her sword out of its sheath and tumbled out of the tent and into someone else. The person turned and she saw the twisting flame. She growled and ran him through before he had a chance to defend himself. She took a moment to look around and saw that they were under attack. She saw Galbatorix using his sword with deadly ease. Eragon and Murtagh were fighting back to back in a ring of enemies. Oromis was fighting alone. All the soldiers that Galbatorix had brought with him were dead, except for one. Her personal guard. He was cutting his way to her, trying to fulfill his duty. She jumped to Oromis's aid and fought back to back with him, the forms her father had taught coming back to her with ease and practice. Eragon and Murtagh were separated from each other and surrounded by thick knots of enemies. Then she and Oromis were separated and surrounded.

She cut them down with ease, but more kept coming. Every time she looked toward Eragon, he was becoming more and more overwhelmed. She needed to get to him or he would die. She used a stone to crush the skulls of several soldiers and then cut a swath to Eragon. He had lost his sword by now and was watching his enemies. She took a quick look around and saw that Eragon was surrounded by the greatest amount of enemies. She used her magic to kill some of them and then jumped into the middle. The prince was exhausted. She had to be careful not to reveal too much of her true nature. But she could also tell that he had been using magic after he had lost his sword. There was only one thing left she could do and she had to do it quickly.

"Brisingr!" She yelled needlessly and flames spurted from her fingertips, burning the soldiers alive in a bright blue fire. She let the spell go when she felt all of the enemies' minds disappear and then turned to Eragon. He wasn't injured, but he was exhausted and close to death. Oromis and Murtagh rushed up to them and took Eragon from her. She stood and walked back to the destroyed camp where she collapsed into her guard's arms. "Damn," she thought, "this spell must be taking more from me than I thought." But her heart told her that wasn't the case.

*laughs evilly* Can't wait for your thoughts on this chapter. Three reviews will reveal the near future. Thanks for reading and please review.