For those of you who don't know… I LISTEN TO EMO MUSIC! That's right, I listen to tear-worthy, pain-ridden, usually slow paced or else really angry-sounding emo music. However, this chapter has been in my head for ages, I knew what I wanted to happen. Problem? I had to find a happy song. (gonk) Do you know what I had to listen to? DO YOU? Brittany Spears! Jessica Simpson! Backstreet Boys!

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Okay, so I listen to the emo songs the last one have anyway. Not my point! I sacrificed for this chapter…

I also sat on it for a week. I had it finished last Friday, only a couple of hours after I updated the first time. You all are fabulous, but I like being ahead, so I know you won't shoot me when I have to delay because I had writer's block. That being said, WEEEEE!!!!!! Lots and lots of reviews/hits! You all make me so happy… Please keep it up!

Disclaimer: Despite NightSkyForLife's fabulous claim that caused my suite mate next door to run and check that I wasn't choking to death(I was taking a drink when I read the e-mail alert), I don't own a thing other than Amy and Jadia. However, I am possibly the last person to find out that the third dragon egg really is green! SQUEEE!

"You are cranky today."

Amy twitched at Eragon's observation from where she sat cross-legged in Oromis's glade, a week after the dinner and dance. "Excuse me…?" she said, her voice soft and dangerous.

"You heard me. You are more irritable than normal." Without waiting for a response, he sat down in a mirror posture of her across from her, leaning forward more than she was since she had her laptop balanced on a lap table in front of her. He narrowed his eyes at her and said, "What's more, Jadia won't tell me what has you so cranky, nor will Saphira, and I know they know. So out with it. What are you so up in arms about?"

"You are a conceited asshole," she said flippantly as a reply, turning her attention back to what she was doing. Her very expensive headphones weren't even completely over her ears, just the right one was with the left pressed against her neck. If one glanced at her computer's screen, they would see bars of music floating by and hear it very muffled coming from her headset. It had taken some very, very carefully worded magic to put a spell of preservation on all of Amy's musical equipment that was irreplaceable in this world, and another equally carefully worded piece of magic to find a way for the battery of her laptop to absorb energy. Now she was able to work when she had free time…

…which Eragon seemed to determine not to give her. "You tell me that every day," he reminded her casually, "Now what are you really upset about?"

Blowing her current breath out so her lips made the frustrated, horsey noise, Amy finally gave up and said, "I have musician's block, okay? It's about to drive me insane."

"Musician's block?"

"It's kinda like writer's block… Actually, right now it is exactly like writer's block." Amy glared at her laptop and hit a few keys, making the song start over again. "I have the instruments and the melody. I just have no words. Everything I come up with is all… melancholy, I guess is the best word…but my melody is bright and happy. It's for the big festival coming up, too, so I really want to get it right," she explained with a forlorn sigh.

"You know, Oromis is getting horribly annoyed with you being distracted," Eragon said casually as he watched her type, only to pause, shake her head, and hit another key several times and return to glaring at the screen. "You were completely zoning out during his lecture about dwarf history."

"Uh huh…" was her unintelligent mumble; he could tell she was hidden in her own thoughts at the moment.

Taking a chance that she wasn't paying attention, he added, "You and Murtagh both have been acting odd. One minute you are all calm and quiet, then you are bouncing off the walls and frustrated." As if on cue, her head snapped up, and he was amused to see that her jaw had dropped. "You're catching flies," he joked partially. In reality, they had been acting weird around each other, Amy more than his half-brother.

She clenched her jaw shut and glowered at him. "I don't know what you are insinuating, and I don't know to know," she hissed at him, and then her eyes brightened up for a moment. Eragon could almost see Amy think. Before he could comment, she was furiously typing. She paused and restarted her song again, obviously playing with wording and notes, melody and harmonies. He was dismayed to see her frowning again.

"I hate my muse…" she finally muttered, sighing as she stopped typing.

Eragon tilted his head and said, "I'm taking it your musician's block is gone?"

"Yep." She was still scowling at her laptop. When he cleared his throat and made a motion with his hand, she said absently, "Oh, it's finished now, but the problem is that my muse made it a duet between a guy and a girl. I don't do duets, and I certainly don't have a partner…Can you even do a duet at this festival?"

"I believe so…" Eragon said with a shrug, "You'd have to ask Oromis. And why not ask Murtagh to be your partner? He's a bit frazzled trying to figure out what to do, considering you have to turn in a piece of music or a poem that could potentially become a song." He saw her stiffen and quirked a brow. "Amy… Murtagh hasn't hurt you or anything, has he?"

"What? No!" she instantly cried out harshly, looking at him with flashing eyes, a sign Eragon recognized as her being at her peak of temper. He held up his hands as a sign of surrender. She eyed him for another long moment that felt like a century to Eragon before she turned her attention back to her laptop. He stood up and left then, not wanting to be at the end of her temper again. However, he couldn't help but wonder when Amy had started rushing to Murtagh's defense, and he still didn't think that her being stuck on a song was why she was so cranky, not with the way she reacted to Murtagh's name. Saphira was laughing at him, which didn't make him feel any better.

He didn't think about what had happened in the meadow for over a month, too distracted by watching Amy and Murtagh dance around each other, especially in weapons practice. It was obvious Murtagh was trying to stay on Amy's good side, even as it became clear that Amy wouldn't attack Murtagh like she would his little brother, verbally or physically. It was like a strange game of fox and hare; the fox didn't want to startle the hare away, while the hare didn't want to run away and have the fox give chase. Oromis just shook his head and scolded both of them for their inattention. It was like neither of them was capable of concentrating.

Running his hand through his hair in frustration, Eragon tried to figure out what was wrong with his half-brother and the young girl he had come to think of as his sister. Beside him, Arya touched his arm in a silent inquiry. He smiled at her reassuringly, a silent answer that he was alright. Before they could do much more, Brom darted out from in front of them shrieking, "Uncle Murt, Uncle Murt!" Both elf and Rider chuckled at their son's refusal to try and learn his uncle's name correctly.

Murtagh never seemed to mind. Even now, he bent down and picked up Brom, tossing him briefly in the air and spinning them both around before he held him in his arms like he was still a toddler rather than six going on seven. "Well, look what I caught," he mused out loud, plenty loud enough for the boy's parents to hear. "I think it's a delicate little princeling."

"I am not!" Brom instantly protested. Poor boy had inherited both parents' fair features, and he stubbornly tried to be as rough and tumble as possible to spite it. Even now, Arya had to be careful to dress him in earth-toned garments that wouldn't show all but the worst dirt, and even those were rumbled and wrinkled by the end of the day.

Arya laughed as she approached and smoothed her son's dark hair from where the wind had caused it to stick straight up. "Well, you are a prince," she reminded him in amusement, before having to take a second, startled look at Murtagh. For as long as anyone could remember, the man had dressed entirely in black, almost as if in mourning of all the lives lost in the war, including the kings he had slain. However, today his shirt was a dark gray that could never be mistaken for a washed-out black, the tunic over it a dark teal only a few shades darker than Amy's gown from over a month prior. Only his leggings, boots, and belt had remained his customary brown. Even Zar'roc's crimson sheath was nowhere to be seen. Admittedly, she almost had to hide Brisingr from Eragon to keep him from wearing it, but Murtagh was another matter and she never even tried to suggest that he leave Zar'roc in his room. For him to be without it…

"Arya, you look like I have changed to match Blödhgarm," Murtagh gently reminded her she was staring as he set Brom back down. The little half-elf boy tugged at his mother's hand, finally letting her shake her head and pull herself out of her stupor.

"I'm sorry, Murtagh, you appearance just… startled me," she told him, with a sincere smile. Ever since the end of the war, Arya had mellowed and been able to find joy again. Brom's birth had released a maternal calm to her that was far more eased than the one she had forced herself into long ago. It left her able to smile and laugh more, though a part of her always seemed guarded.

Her brother-in-law ruefully smiled in understanding. Murtagh knew that his clothes were going to earn him many reactions like Arya's. Before he could continue their conversation, they heard Amy's familiar voice shout from behind them, "Hey!" even as Eragon joined them.

When Arya and Eragon saw Amy's outfit, they shared looks of equal bafflement as they took another glance from Murtagh to Amy again.

Ever since the dinner and dance, Amy had stuck to leggings and tunics again, not even going near a dress. However, here she was today in another one that she had to have had a hand in designing. The material was floating and rippled every time she moved, though the bodice clung to her fairly well. Three different colored layers of fabric were accented by the other layers peaking out, the hem of the skirt that reached a couple of inches above her knee equally as fluttery as the piece skimming her collar. Perhaps because it was summer and the air was warm, her sleeves were only a few inches long, leaving her pale arms exposed for the first time since winter, even as the collar left her collarbone and neck exposed for a change. The jewelry Murtagh had made her of silver, freshwater pearls, and an odd blue-green stone hung from ears, neck, and wrist alike, matching the white, pale blue-green, and blue green of her dress's layers perfectly. White leggings and the familiar heather gray formal boots covered her legs and feet, so she was still decently covered, but at the same time there was something very whimsical about her. Perhaps it was the way her hair was pulled to the right side of her neck so it draped over that shoulder in barely tamed curls, a pair of flower barrettes helping the sides stay tame, or even the way she had left her make-up light and effortless-looking, though a sharp eye could pick out the shades over her eyes and on her cheeks and the gloss on her lips.

"You planned to match," Eragon accused them mildly. He really couldn't complain; he was in his formal crimson tunic that matched Arya's wine dress subtly.

Amy blinked and furrowed her brow before noticing Murtagh. Her jaw dropped in mild outrage, and she fisted her hands on her hips as she stood, legs akimbo, in front of him. "Why did you have to choose today to avert from normal?" she scolded, "Now everyone's going to think we did this on purpose."

Murtagh held up one hand defensively even as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Eragon thought to Saphira as she appeared with the other two dragons, She must have ignored me and not sought Murtagh out to do the duet.

Really? What makes you say so?

Eragon faltered, not sure how he had drawn that conclusion, but still fairly sure he was right. He noted that Amy had her bag that she stored her "laptop" in over her shoulder, so he knew she was playing something off of it, but he wasn't sure what. He pondered over Saphira's question as they joined in with the other elves, laughing and dancing to the music others created or listening to poetry being recited. It wasn't as overwhelming as the Blood Oath Ceremony had been, nor was it supposed to be. Instead, this was just a happy gathering, celebrating life. He could understand why Amy didn't want to use her normal kind of music for this setting.

He also could understand why she waited to have her turn to present her song. If she lost herself to that inner well of sorrow that she held, no one would notice now as the wine continued to flow and more elves became light-spirited and more forgiving. Finally, though, she couldn't protest to the small group of followers her violin solos had earned her. Sighing, she set her case down near an empty log that performers were using to sit their drinks on when it was their turn. One elf who had remained sober to keep an eye out for those who would make a liquor more powerful than the drinker wanted while they performed promised no one would touch her bag or machine except for her. She smiled and thanked him before pulling out her laptop and beginning to click away. A few of her followers shifted impatiently, and were relieved when she walked away from her laptop, setting something in her ear as she walked back to the log she had been sitting on beside Murtagh.

Come to think of it, Murtagh looked very amused about something, Eragon noted. It was only when Amy said, "Play," that he realized that a device similar to the one in her ear was also in Murtagh's.

Before he could analyze it further, the laptop whirled to life. "Up…up…up…upside down." The harmony of slightly distorted voices was both male and female, and it was followed by an odd instrument scaling up as a distorted male voice repeated, "Upside down." The group came back to repeat the two words, but this time a beat finally emerged as it wound down.

"My grades are down from A's to D's. I'm way behind in History," Amy's sweet voice filled the clearing, and everyone turned to look at her. She was sitting beside Murtagh still, bumping her shoulder against his as she looked at him coyly beneath her eyelashes, surprising those who knew her. Unexpectedly, she grabbed his hand as she stood up, facing him with their arms outstretched, held together only by her grip on his wrist. "I've lost myself in fantasies," she crooned as she pulled him up with little resistance from him, holding their joined arms up so that everyone could see her fingers slowly entwining with his, "of you and me together."

Before Murtagh could do more than smile, Amy had pulled away and began to do an odd step that involved her rocking her weight back and forth, which only made her skirt swish gracefully with the movement. "I don't know why, but dreaming's all I do," she mused. Murtagh obviously didn't have the patience to wait for her to return, for he immediately caught up with her, resting his hands lightly on her shoulders, making her stop. "I won't get by on mere imagination," she warned, pulling away to turn around and face him with a pout.

The pout didn't last long as he forced her to spin around like a top. She laughed and continued to sing, "Upside down, bouncing off the ceiling; inside out, stranger to this feeling. Got no clue, what I should do, but I'll go crazy if I can't get next to you…" He had been guiding her in a simple enough dance, one that didn't move either of them much. It didn't take a genius to figure out he was keeping her suitably distracted from delving too deeply into her emotions even as it entertained the crowd. However, now she forced herself to walk to the opposite side of the circle of watchers that had formed. "To you…" she trailed off again.

With a sly smile, Murtagh began shifting his weight from side to side to match Amy's as she kept moving as if she were going to dart to one side. "My teacher says to concentrate. So what? His name, something the Great," Murtagh seemed to tease her with his lyrics, his own mellow voice complimenting hers in a way that made everyone pay more attention to them as a couple rather than as individuals working together.

As if on cue, Amy finally darted to the side, only to freeze when Murtagh followed her. "The kings and queens will have to wait, 'cause I don't have forever," she answered him with a soft, laughing trill to her notes as she backed up to where she was. However, he didn't let her just retreat, instead charging forward though she tried to dart away. "I wish that I could walk right up to you," she continued breathlessly, only stopping her rapid steps when he had her firmly in his arms, though he kept his hands right between her shoulder blades. Almost hesitantly, she raised her own hands and traced his jaw line as she finished the inter-chorus, "Each time I try, the same old hesitation."

Murtagh lowered his hands to her hips and lifted her up, spinning her around like he had Brom earlier for the first couple of lines of the chorus, this time joining his voice with hers. Once he set her down, they repeated the same, simple dance they had done before. Do they realize how much in love they look?Eragon wondered.

A better question would be if they realize how much in love they are,Saphira corrected him mildly. Before he could begin to interrogate her, he noticed the music had drastically slowed down when Amy trailed off with the last few words of the chorus.

The pair of Riders was standing with their hand twined together in the air, foreheads pressed together. Amy had all her weight on one foot, the other bent forward slightly, making her look like a young maiden anticipating her first kiss. "Somehow, some day, you will love me too," she breathed out, her eyes half-closed even as Murtagh's expression mirrored hers, though her smile was shy while his was almost smug. "One day will be the day when all my dreams come true," she finished as they shifted to where her arms were around his neck, his hands on her waist.

Before anyone could coo at the loving image, Murtagh's hands twitched. The music sped back up even as Amy shrieked in laughter and tried to squirm away from the larger and stronger man. He kept her in his hold, tickling her again and causing her to laugh again even as the distorted extra's on her laptop repeated, "Upside down," a couple of times. Finally, she pulled away enough to shake her finger as if she were scolding him as she caught her breath. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him to spin them around in a turn through the beginning of the chorus again. However, Amy interrupted their simple dance when the chorus cut off in the middle of the last line to repeat again by raising her hands to his shoulders. She pulled herself up into a modified hand-stand before she swung back down to the ground behind him, having kept her body faced inward so that she was facing his back, landing with only a mild "thump." She smiled at him triumphantly as he turned around to face her again and he pulled her back to him with a proud smile. They did what Amy would later describe to Arya as a couple's cha-cha, and then they began to turn again as the right-before-last line repeated itself.

The song had an abrupt stopping spot, right after the last line cut off. Murtagh had pulled Amy's leg over his hip and tipped her backwards to a thirty degree angle, his hand resting lightly on her knee still as other hand wrapped around the small of her back to steady her. She was left to balance on the ball of her grounded foot with her heel hovering just over the ground, that same leg slipping between Murtagh's. Her arms were loosely wrapped around his neck, and their foreheads were touching again. Both were smiling as they panted for breath, obviously proud of themselves.

Claps rang out from the elves and from Eragon, even as the dragons showed their approval with roars. Before anyone could approach the pair, another melody filled the air, that of an instrument none of those listening but one were familiar with.

"Oh fuck…" Amy hissed, trying to squirm away from Murtagh and ignoring the gasps of those around her at her language. She had to stop that song, she had to! She was such a moron for locking her computer down after the duet started…

...and now you have to wait to find out what happens next! Because yes, once again I am sitting on a finished chapter! However, I can POSSIBLY be persuaded into posting early… Say, if the reviews hit 75 before Thursday? Otherwise, you are stuck waiting to see why Amy is freaked out on Friday. And because the story is rated "T" I'm allowed to use the "f" word once! That being said, I'm finding the Murtagh in my head when he does inner monologues likes that word, so I'm having to be very, very careful...

For those who recognized the song, you get bonus points if you name it in a review. Admittedly, I goobered with like, two, of the lyrics, but otherwise I left it intact. But you see what I had to submit myself to? I had to drag myself back before I was even a teenager to find a decent song. Ugh…

The PhotoBucket album listed in the previous chapter has been updated with Amy's hair clips and dress from this chapter. I HIGHLY suggest looking at the dress at least, since I can't accurately describe the design worth a flip.