This chapter is in Brom's POV and takes place three days after the battle. Enjoy.

Brom paced back and forth within the confines of Tronjhiem's western gate. Ajihad was set to return soon and wished that all who could, be there when he and his men return from chasing down the remaining Urgals who had fled when Durza was slain. The Rider who had been reported to have been there was also gone, having fled into the tunnels after Dwervevindr's impressive display of magic. Brom hadn't seen these. He and Kai had been preparing the infirmary for the injured they knew would be arriving after the battle. Brom paused in his pacing when Eragon and Saphira arrived. He had been injured by Durza as he was slain. Arya and Saphira had broken the Isidar Mithrim to reach him which had distracted the Shade long enough for Eragon to run him through the heart. Brom's eyes fell on Arya. She is the one who had told him about the other Rider and that it was Briar who had refused help. Both knew that Briar had been told information in that moment and that she had to act quickly. Brom began pacing again, keeping his eyes on the tunnel. Dwervevindr was standing in for Briar whom had been in the infirmary for the past three days, lost in fevered dreams. Kai was sitting next to her, refusing to leave the other woman for reasons only known to the two of them.

"DO NOT LET THE TWINS NEAR AJIHAD!" Briar's voice echoed in the mountain. Dwervevindr looked back to the city as did Brom and Arya. Eragon was looking at Brom and the elf for an explanation. Arya looked at Brom.

"Could this be part of her dreams or information she got from the Rider?" He asked her.

"I don't know. But I would not leave anything to chance." Arya said as she looked back towards the tunnel. "She had been able to barely warn me of Durza." Brom looked at the tunnel as Dwervevindr jumped into the air, taking Brom with him. Brom didn't question as he saw the second motion of activity as Ajiahd's group began making their way towards the city. Brom drew his sword and laid as flat as he could as the dragon flew towards the two groups who were now fighting. Brom pointed Ajihad out to the dragon. He surged forward and scooped up the Varden leader. Ajihad bent his legs to avoid a blade and received a cut down his calf. Dwervevindr angled back to the city and Eragon and Saphira began fighting back the others. Not that there were any to fight. The moment Ajihad had been lifted from the fighting, the Urgals had moved back into the tunnels. Brom looked back to see if Eragon had lifted the Twins from the fighting, but he was inspecting the ground and Brom could not see the purple robes of the magicians. Dwervevindr landed gently, setting Ajihad down among the ranks of men Jörmundur had summoned. Brom jumped from the dragon's back and went to the leader of the Varden as Arya healed his leg.

"Thank you, my friend." Ajihad said to him. "If not for you, I might have been slain."

"It was not Brom who saved your life, But Briar." Eragon said as he jumped from Saphira's back. "Just before you returned, her voice echoed through the mountain with a warning about the Twins who are not among the dead."

"But she is still in the infirmary." Ajihad responded, puzzled at the news.

"She must have had a moment of clarity." Arya said. "I will go and look in on her now. Maybe Kai will have information."

"I'll come with you." Brom and Ajihad said together. Dwerevevindr said nothing and went to guard the tunnel the Urgals had come out from.

Brom sat on the other side of the bed, his daughter's hand firmly in his own. She wasn't tossing and turning anymore like she had been the three days before she saved Ajihad's life. In fact, she had calmed when she had heard Ajihad's voice above her. He had come to thank Briar, thinking she was awake because of the warning. But still she slept and it had Brom worried. He knew that he could take her to the elves, but there was a chance that there was little that they could do. Not even his old master may not be able to help her. She needed to help herself now. Ajihad was more worried about the twins now that he knew that Briar would be alright, or so Angela said. Brom didn't like the witch much, but Eragon seemed to trust her and she was the one to care for him while the rest of the healers had tended to Briar's wounds led by Kai.

Brom looked at his newest student. She was sleeping with her head on the bed, next to Briar's legs. Her dragon was asleep on Briar's legs with a wing draped lazily over Kai's head. She had worked through the night to heal Briar using her strange methods. Brom guessed that she came from the desert people and was probably kin of Ajihad's through some relative or other. It was obvious to the old Rider that this young woman and his daughter had a special kind of friendship Briar never would have had if she had stayed in Caravhall with him. She also wouldn't be in the sort of danger she was in either because she never would have found Dwervevindr's egg. For the moment, their friendship was a blessing. All the healers agreed that it was mostly through Kai's strange methods that Briar pulled through. They also said that the Rider's arm would heal and she would be able to use it again. Though, it would take a lot of hard work on her part. They had needed to call in a magician who wasn't helping with the cleanup to come and stitch the muscle in her shoulder back together. None came and Eragon had thought of Angela who had kicked everyone out and tended to Briar using strange methods of her own. In the end, Briar was never going to be the same young woman she had been before this battle. The scars on her shoulder and her arm would always be with her, reminders that she had fought another Rider in real battle, and lived to tell the tale. Not there was much of a tale to tell unless she met this Rider again.

Eragon and Arya entered the room, their loud talking waking Kai and her dragon. Briar moved slightly. Brom looked at the two.

"What is the meaning of this?" He demanded.

"I have a way that might wake her." Arya said as she moved around Kai to reach the head of the bed. "I thought of it last night." Arya placed a light hand on Bria's brow and the young Rider began to squirm at the pressure. Arya released her and Briar settled. Eragon looked at her in confusion. Arya tried again, this time with both Kai and Brom holding the Rider's hands. Briar still twisted from the elf's hand. "Eragon,"

"He can stay, Arya. He knows that I have some magic. What are the words?" Brom said as he replaced Arya's hand with his own. Briar didn't move, as if she recognized her father's touch. Brom called on his magic and repeated the words Arya had told him in the ancient language. "Open your mind, Child of Mine. You are safe and there is yet peace in the world for you. Feel the safety and security of those around you. Please, Briar, wake up." He added at the end and removed his hand. Arya handed him a piece of bread. Kai rubbed Briar's hand, trying to tell the Rider that she was surrounded by friends. They waited for what felt like hours to Brom, waiting for Briar to open her eyes.

"I will come, Osthato Chetowä." Briar whispered suddenly in the ancient language. Arya looked at her at the sound of her voice, as did the others. Kai squeezed Briar's hand tightly and cried in delight when the pressure was returned. Brom placed his hand again on Briar's head and she turned it and opened her eyes. He could see pain in them, but he was happy to be seeing them at all. "Dad,"

"Hello my darling." He said, eyes crinkling in a smile. She smiled, but not much. "How are you feeling?" He asked as he helped her sit up. Arya arranged pillows behind her while Kai got water. Eragon stayed at the foot of her bed, staying out of the way.

"Like shit." Briar answered, her voice stronger now that she had taken a long drink from the cup Kai was putting on a table. "I ache everywhere and it feels like my shoulder is on fire." Briar winced as Kai forced her arm into a sling.

"You're not going to be able to use your left arm for some time, Briar." Kai said and the Rider looked at her. "The muscle had to be stitched back together. Not to mention that your arm was cut open."

"The whole fight, it was a distraction to lure me and Eragon from the safety of numbers. Durza was supposed to recapture Eragon and the Rider had come for me. She almost had me. Dwervevindr did something to save me. He's okay, right?" Brom chuckled at the worry that jumped to his daughter's eyes as he felt her reach out for her dragon. It eased and he assumed she had found him. "What happened to the Rider? Is she dead?"

"She escaped." Arya said, pulling up a nearby chair. "Durza was slain as I'm sure you guessed. Ajihad is safe as well." Briar raised an eyebrow.

"You had a moment of strength during whatever curse the Rider had brought upon you," Eragon explained, "and warned us of the Twins and their betrayal. Brom and Dwervevindr were able to pull Ajihad from the attack that would have killed him."

"The Twins are the ones who have been reporting to Galbatorix. They are the reason our supply ships and caravans have never made it to Surda." Briar said. "I don't know why I didn't see it before."

"They had us all fooled." Kai said. "You didn't like them, and that might have been enough to keep them on their toes when you were here."

"I don't want to think what would have happened if I had let them examine our minds." Briar said with a sigh and leaned back against the pillows. They all sat in silence and soon, soft snores were being heard. Brom smiled and Eragon helped him reposition Briar to where she was laying comfortably and Eragon and Arya left. Brom stood and clasped Kai on the shoulder before leaving. Knowing Briar was going to pull through was enough for him for now. Right now, he needed to reach into the past.

So both children of this once great Rider are alive, but maybe not well. Hehehe, thanks for reading and please review.