"Alyson, you'll be fine."

"But I've never been to a Ball before," I confessed to Collin as his dismounted. We had been flying for hours from the arena, which I found out had been in the Hadarac Desert, and we were now somewhere on the bank of a river. The daylight was fading and the wind was beginning to pick up, I knew everyone was annoyed with me ad all my pestering question about the Ball, but I was really unsure what to expect.

"It'll be easy," Serena said," Mine went by so fast, I barely remember it."

"Mine was a disaster," Collin chuckled," Being the first one here, I was like an alien, no one here knew anything about humans from Earth. They were so afraid and confused, most of the night was awkward silence."

"Many dragons thought me to be different than themselves from being hatched on Earth," Razor admitted. "It took time for them to come realize that Alagaeisa is in my blood."

"What exactly happens at a ball?," I asked for about the eighth time.

Collin's head dropped and he took a deep sigh," Well... Queen Nasuada introduces you to the court and you mingle with people. Basically what you did today except it will be at a Ball."

"I feel like you aren't tel-..." I was interrupting by the ring of cell phone. A Phone call? Who is calling me? I looked at the caller ID: Mom. My heart sped up, What do I say? What do I tell her? Will she know I'm lying? Shit! I forgot to call her! But how much time has it been? A few hours is... I DON'T KNOW!

"Hello," I answered, clearing my throat, trying to sound casual.

"Alyson? Oh, it's so great to hear you!," My mom voice was choppy with static.

"Mom? Hello? Can you hear me?"

"I c-...you didn't...me... I was... -ick."

"Mom? I can't hear you. I have bad reception," I said loudly into the receiver.

"Hel... can y-... me?," her voice was cutting in and out making it impossible to understand.

"I love you, mom. I miss you," my heart clenched. I missed them so much and to hear her only made it worse and the guilt all more real.

"...love...too...

"Bye, mom," I clicked the end call and inhaled sharply, hoping it would hold back my tears; thankfully, I kept it under control.

"Acorn, I feel your sorrow," Luna seemed sad too.

"I miss home," I admitted. "I miss my family and it's only been like 3 hours!"

"I, too am longing for home, the sweet embrace of trees."

"We'll go back soon," I spoke mostly to myself.

"Soon."

"Are you okay?," Serena looked worried

"Yeah," I sighed and did a half smile," I'm good."

A silence washed over us as we sat at the waters edge, listening to the sound of the water trickling down stream. After a few minutes, Collin got up to find some wood for a fire, which Ashley insisted on helping him with and Diamond went with them. Razor then wandered away to be by himself, leaving Serena and I with our dragons.

"How come there are no like guards or anything with us to keep us safe?," I was curious.

"Guards?," Serena snickered. "Why would we need those?"

"Well, I read the Eragon books and," I paused thinking on how to phrase my words," ...and Alagaesia is known for being dangerous."

"Yes," Serena nodded," that was the case when Tarathi lived here. It was dark under Gallobrix's reign, but when Nasuada became High Queen, that all changed. I wasn't here, obviously, but I've heard stories, heard terrible things," Serena shook her head," But now, crime is down and Alagaesian society is at it's peak."

"So there are no thieves that will come at us in the night?"

Serena chuckled," Not with four dragons, unless they are crazy."

I nodded, forming another question in my head so we could keep the conversation going, I hated the silence. "What's with them?," I gestured to where Ashley and Collin had left. "Are they like... a thing?

"Them?," Serena stretched. " They used to be togehter. Ashley was the second Rider of Earth so Collin took her under his wing and they clicked, I guess."

"Used to be? So they aren't anymore?" Serena raised a suggestive eyebrow, making me get defensive. "No! No, I don't mean it like that! It's just... whenever I see him he is with her and whenever I talk to him, she glares. I was just wondering." I spoke the words confidently, but I knew that they were somewhat untrue. Ashley and Collin? Gross! She is terrible! How could he be with someone so mean and rude?

Serena help her hands up," No judgment. I'll admit that I though he was sexy when I first met him, but now I see him as a friend. But to answer our question, no, they aren't together anymore."

"What happened?"

"Well, I guess you could say it was you: the Final Rider of Earth. Collin was determined to find you, he was working nonstop, he did nothing but sleep, eat and research. He never really saw Ashley, which she wasn't really used to not getting attention so it caused some problems. They split up around a year ago and Ashley has dated a few other guys, but everyone knows she still fawns over Collin. And now that he has found The Final Rider, maybe they'll get back together."

"Oh...," was all I could day. Back together? Collin and Ashley?

"Sounds as if you may be jealous, Acorn," Luna snickered.

"What?! No! I'm not jealous... Why would I be jealous?"

"You like Collin, Alyson. It is obvious to me."

"Luna, I don't like him! He is just some random kid that forced me to coming to a random place that I will soon forget when we leave."

"If you say so."

Another voice interjected," Perhaps Razor will mate with Diamond again as well." Verona.

"Razor and Diamond?," Luna was caught off guard.

"Oh yes, they have mated several times, she has even laid eggs from his seed."

"But they aren't together!," I was shocked.

"It's different for dragons," Serena explained," It is about convenience and extending the species. Most dragons see mating as a duty, not as an act of love or passion."

I turned to Luna," Do you see it that way?"

"Well, I see the need to help my bloodline live on, but I would need to approve of my mate."

"I feel the same," Verona said.

"What about you Serena? Any cute boys here in Alagaesia that have snatched your heart?"

"Me?," she laughed," No. No one here is interested in me."

"That is untrue," Verona countered," That boy at the market was very fond of you."

"That's because I go there and buy stuff."

"I see the way he talks to you, it is not in the way of friendship."

Serena rolled her yes," Dragons." We both laughed as Collin and Ashley rejoined us with stick and twigs.

"What did I miss?"

"Nothing," Serena said catching her breath.

Collin started a fire using magic, it was hypnotic the way he spoke the words and moved his arms, sparking the flame. With the heat, the wind didn't seem so bad.

"So this ball...," I heard everyone give a small groan," What? Come on! I'm nervous!"

"And that's good," Collin said," but you shouldn't be this nervous! It will be fine. Tomorrow when we get to Ilirea, you will be taken care of and you'll be so swept away that you wont even remember it until it starts ... lets all get some sleep. Tomorrow is a big day!"

Luna was getting better at her flying: she was steadier, smoother, and faster. I was proud of her she was already learning from just being around dragons, I loved seeing her here. She was always giddy, she was beginning to be more talkative, almost like she was coming our of her shell. I could tell she was happy here, but I knew she was still just as nervous as me to meet people and make a good first impression.

We were flying to Ilirea, and my nerves were on edge like always. I had nearly forgotten about everything when we were flying, Alagaesia was so breath taking. It was so vast and scattered, but I thought it was more beautiful than anything I had ever seen at home, besides my mountains. The land seemed dry and dead, but the longer I stared, I could see the life breeding within the death. I saw small animals running beneath us, people with odd looking carts wave up at me, and the river was sparkling with the sun showing our reflection.

"Alyson...," my head snapped up from the ground. "Ahead. Ilirea."

I peered around Luna's horns and saw a small dark dot in the distance. Really? That's it? I thought it would be bigger...

We crept up on the city and the closer we got, the more I regretted my thoughts. The city was marvelous with huge spiraling towers and a castle unlike any I have ever read about. I had never seen a castle before, but I doubted I would ever see one as perfect as this. It towered over the city, bigger than the city itself, it was made of light brown stones and there were gold flags flying from the towers. The city was so lively, people bustling through the crowded streets, children laughing and playing but the best thing was the dragons. They flew threw the city like futuristic cars, all going different direction but never colliding with one another. I knew they were dragons just by inference, I couldn't actually tell, they were just flying colors rushing around. The city was more than I had expected, I wanted to just sit here and look at it in awe, but the others didn't share my appreciation.

"Stay close," I was told before they all plummeted into the city.

Oh crap.

Luna followed them, zipping through the alleys, brushing past other dragons, struggling to keep up with Verona, Razor, and Diamond. I felt like I was Harry Potter during a Qudditch tournament, having to follow an unpredictable seeker. The group was swerving and dodging, so focused on the castle, they didn't even see Luna and I falling behind.

I was about to call to them when Luna collided with something and we were falling. I closed my eyes and let out scream and clung to her and we tousled with the whatever we had hit, I felt like I was falling of her back so I gripped tighter my mouth never closing. I opened my eyes to see flashes of green claws mixed with white scales, then red.

I closed my eyes again in fear," LUNA!" I heard a roar and then Luna and I hit the ground with a heavy thud. I reopened my eyes to see we were surrounded by dust, I coughed and blinked the dirt from my eyes. "Luna? Luna!"

I tried to move my leg protested with pain, I couldn't move it. Luna had landed on top of it and her weight was crushing it. "Luna?," I shook her but she was unresponsive. "Luna!... LUNA!" I was frantic but stuck, I was trying to slide off her back as best I could to not distort my leg, but my hand slipped on her scale and I fell. My leg pulsated with torment and I let out a gasp from the unbearable agony I felt. My hand was wet and sticky from Luna's scales, I turned it over to see the palm only for my heart split in two. Blood. It was blood. "LUNA!"

"Are you alright?," A voice was talking to me but it was faint. "I'm so sorry, we didn't see you! Are you okay?"

"LUNA!," I was fighting to look at her face, fighting to see her, fighting against the searing pain. I pushed Luna's heaving stomach while puling my leg from under her, grunting with effort mixed with discomfort.

"Stop! Stop!," I heard but didn't care, my leg was free. Luna, please! PLEASE LUNA! Please... "No, stop!"

I tried to stand with my leg protesting, the shooting sensation had dimmed now that I wasn't under a dragon, but it still hurt too much to stand.

"HELP! HELP!," I screamed desperately, hoping someone would hear. "COLLIN! SERENA! ASHLEY!"

Immediately I felt an arm wrap around my waist and my arm being controlled to wrap around a neck. I glanced at my rescuer, but took no time in really looking at them. With their support I stood and saw my dragon, my Luna. She was laying on the ground like she had been thrown and forgotten, her pure white scales were stained with blood. I let out another cry and there were tears running down my face.

"Please...Please," I hobbled around her leg to her face. Please. Oh god, please! Don't do this. Don't do this to me! "Please, Luna.."

Her face only made me sob harder, she had a gash along her cheek that was oozing blood. Her eyes were closed and I slide down the leg of my human cane to the ground and pulled myself to her.

"Luna..." my lip was quivering and my eyes were blurry. I stroked her face and leaned into her, letting my tears fall onto her scales. "Please! Luna! You can't do this, please!" I cradled her head in my lap, she was limp and so lifeless that I assumed the worst. NO! PLEASE!

I turned to my assistant, to beg them to do something, but there was no one there. I looked around and saw that they were next to Luna's stomach, their head was hidden, but I heard them speaking in a hushed tone.

"What are you doing? GET AWAY FROM HER!," rage replaced my sorrow. "GET AWAY!"

The figure didn't move, they continued to talk in a low voice, slowly moving down to Luna's tail. I saw a small flash of a bright light and for the first time I really looked at the person. It was a boy, he had blonde hair that was curling at the tips, he wasn't muscular but he wasn't scrawny. He kept his eyes on Luna as he walked around her, his eyes scanning her. He crotched again and began talking, but no to me, to himself; he was peaking in the ancient language but I didn't know what it meant. The bright white light returned and then faded, he stood and came to her head; he didn't look to me once, but kneeled in front of Luna and placed his hands on her cut, closed his eyes and started chanting. I held my breath as the white light blinded me but once it faded Luna's face was as it was, the cut was healed there was no signs of her even having a gash.

"How did you do that?," I was in awe.

He turned to me,"Now it's your turn," he placed his hands on my leg and I flinched and drew away. He looked at me, his gray eyes were sincere and sweet, " I'm not going to hurt you."

"Who are you?," I asked him angrily No way am I going to just let some random kid 'heal' me.

"Does it matter? I want to help you."

"Stranger danger."

He sighed and placed his hands in his lap," I am just trying to clean up the mess I made."

My eyes widened," You did this?," I squeaked.

He didn't meet my stare," Yes. I am eternally sorry. We didn't see you and then..."

"You did this."

"We are sorry. If it helps, your dragon is healed. All her injuries are gone, she just need some rest but she will make a full recovery."

"We? Who is we?"

The boy looked behind his shoulder and from the shadows of the alley emerged a fairly large green dragon. My memory flashed with the sight of green claws then the red, the blood, Luna's blood.

"You..."

The dragon's head bowed in shame," My humblest apologies, miss. I am a terrible flyer and I did not see your dragon...," the sad voice cracked as she spoke.

"How did you not see us!," I was still angry. "It's impossible to NOT see us!"

"As I said miss, I am a terrible flyer..."

"That is no excuse! You practically gutted my dragon!"

"Stop!," the boy was now upset," We are sorry for our misfortunate collision, but we have apologized, healed your dragon and I plan to heal you. You will not speak to my dragon that way again."

His sudden anger scared me, moments ago his eyes were soft but now they flared with his own anger; his jaw was tight and he looked like a completely different person in a a matter of seconds.

"I'm sorry," I managed to say. I can't believe I am apologizing... YOU HIT ME! Fucking dick.

His eyes returned to calm gray pools," Now, may I heal your leg?"

"I still don't know who you are."

"I'm Quinten."

"Quinten?"

"Yes, and this is my faithful companion Erea."

"It is regrettable to meet under this circumstances, but it is a pleasure nonetheless," the dragon, Erea said shyly.

I nodded, mostly thinking about the situation I was in, I am vulnerable to them. They could have just hit and ran, but they stayed and healed Luna. They might not be as bad as I thought, but I don't know if I can trust anyone here.

"When will Luna wake up?"

Quinten looked at Luna," She needs rest, but she should wake soon."

"How can I trust you?"

"I told you my name, didn't I? So no more stranger danger, we're friends."

"Are we?," I was skeptical.

"Well, not until I learn your name," he smiled. He was truly gorgeous, normally my heart would speed up, but in this situation it was on pause. Damn, if I would have known Alagaesia was full of hot guys, I would have found Luna sooner. Luna.. I turned to my dragon, her breathing had sped up and I could see her chest rising and falling as she slumbered.

"Alyson," I turned back to him.

"Alyson?... I've never seen you before," he was looking through his memories for a trace of me, but came up blank.

"Do you know everyone in Alagaesia?"

"No," he admitted," but I know most Riders."

"Not all," I smiled mockingly.

"Apparently" he smirked. "But by the look of your dragon, she is small so you must be a new Rider."

"She's not that small."

Quinten chuckled," No, she is not... so, your leg?" I reluctantly let him touch my leg and he did his magic like he had done before, the light glowed and when he was done, my leg had no more pain.

"Thank you," I stood up.

"It is the least we could do after causing the affliction."

Erea came closer to us, away from her security of the darkness. She was so beautiful, one of my favorite shades of teal: half blue and green.

"I hope you are feeling better?," her shy voice entered my mind.

"Yes, thank you," I responded, it was hard to stay mad on a creature that seems so fragile.

"Where are you headed? We could perhaps give you a lift?"

"I'm not leaving Luna here!"

"No, we wouldn't lea-..."

"ALYSON!," a loud voice from above interrupted: Collin.

"COLLIN!," I waved so he could see me. Razor them did a nose dive towards me and landed roughly so as to not step on Luna; Collin had hopped off Razor before he had landed.

"Alyson! Are you alright? What happened? Are you hurt?," he rushed to me.

"No, I'm fine. I'm good."

His eyes fixed on Luna,"What wrong with Luna! What the hell happened!?," he turned to me, then saw Quinten. His eyes went stern and his face tightened,"Quinten."

"Rider Collin," Quinten bowed mockingly.

"Did you do this?," Collin scoffed," What am I saying, of course you did. Wherever there is a mess, there's Quinten."

Erea let out a low rumble to which Razor repeated louder, both dragons looked ready to pounce. What did I miss?

"It was an accident," Quinten said with his jaw clenched.

"When isn't it an accident?," Collin looked back to me," Are you alright? Hurt?"

"No, I'm fine, really."

"Good, let's go," he grabbed my arm. I had never seen Collin like this, so obsessive and angry, I didn't like it.

"What about Luna," I shook him off.

Collin went and examined her, while the dragons kept their eyes locked.

"So you know Collin?," I turned to Quinten.

"I know most Riders... unfortunately," he muttered. "You know him?"

"My escort."

"Well he is doing a fine job," he mocked.

"Just like you do with flying," I retorted.

His eyes widened then a smirk spread his lips," Touché."

"Luna is fine, I assume that Quinten healed her with his attempt at magic after attacking?," Collin rejoined us.

Quinten rolled his eyes," We did not attack!"

"Then why is there blood all over Luna, but I see none on your dragon."

Quinten's eyes once again flared with anger," It was unfortunate. The white dragon is much smaller than Erea, Erea didn't even realize that she was there."

"Not surprising."

Erea then roared so ferociously, I nearly pissed myself but Razor retorted with a loud deep roar that shook the buildings so I held it in.

"I'm sensing some tension here," I said stupidly.

Collin and Quinten both glanced to me," Let's go," Collin grabbed me again. "We're going to be late."

"What about Luna?"

"Razor will carry her."

"Can he do that?"

"Yes. Luna is still relatively small."

I glanced back at Quinten who had now mounted Erea, I wanted to thank him again so I reached out to them. "Thank you. Both of you."

Both Erea and Quinten were alarmed by my intrusion, but he turned to me and nodded before Erea took flight.

Collin grumbled," Good riddance," as he mounted Razor and helped me on too.

I wonder what the story behind that is...

I sat behind Collin, ready to go before he took my arms and wrapped them around his torso. My heart sped up by being so close to him, I was thankful that I was behind him and he couldn't see the redness rise to my cheeks. Razor carefuly placed Luna in his massive paws before rising from the ground and flying to the castle.

So, yeah... New Chapter. I hope you all like it and leave a review.

I was recently reading a fan fiction that had links to the pictures to give the readers a proper visual of the character. I thought it was brilliant, so I have adapted that idea. I made a blog with the pictures:

foreveryourscharacterpics .BlogSpot .com

The only thing is that this site doesn't let me post links so to get to the blog you have to get rid of the spaces between the periods. If anyne had difficulty, let me know and I will PM you the link.

I hope you like it! Leave a Review and let me know what you think!

Thank you!