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Chapter 34: First-Timer

Good morning, Eragon gently whispered into Saphira's ear. Today is our big day. Saphira groaned and turned over, knocking Draken into his father.

"Ugh," he whimpered in his sleep. Eragon growled lovingly at his family.

Come on, he said, it is morning! Get up!

Can I please have five more moments? Saphira asked groggily. Eragon snorted.

Fine then, Eragon laughed. Have it your way. He lowered his head and chomped down on one of her horns that lined her face.

Stop, Saphira moaned, trying to push him away with her paws.

Not until you wake, Eragon chimed in. Does this sound familiar some how?

It does, Saphira replied, yawning. She slowly lowered her head to lick her child.

Time to wake, Draken, she whispered to him.

"Do I have to?" Draken replied, yawning widely. "It is still early."

The sun is up and bright, son, Eragon mentioned. It is actually pretty late. Rise.

"In a little while," Draken groaned, tossing his head back against his mother and shutting his eyes. Eragon shot out a plume of smoke.

Then I will make you, Eragon chuckled out, reaching down with his mouth to scoop up his son. Draken growled and chirped loudly as Eragon hoisted him up to his feet. Today is a big day for all of us. We must prepare for it. Thorn and Murtagh want to spend some time with us all before our wedding so we need to clean up and be ready to leave.

"Where are we going to go, father?" Draken asked intently, brushing against Eragon's left forearm.

We are going to journey through the forest, Saphira stepped in. Eragon and Murtagh will be preparing for our ceremony while you take a flying lesson with Thorn.

"Can you not teach me?" Draken asked, widening his eyes into a begging look.

I will more than likely come along, Saphira replied kindly. It depends on what gets done. Now we have to get ready! The wedding is tonight just before sunset.

- - - - -

"Who are you?" an Elfin guard asked the four men dressed in brown cloaks. One suddenly raised his hand to reveal the Gedwey Insignia.

"We are here for Eragon," he said politely. "There is an important matter for us to discuss."

"What of?" the guard dug deeper, gripping the hilt of his sword. Suddenly, the man with the mark placed his other hand inside of his cloak to pull out a dagger and jab it into the poor elf's heart.

- - - - -

"This is a perfect place, brother!" Murtagh exclaimed happily. They both stared in wonder at the stage they had built up beside the stream and directly in front of the weeping willow where Eragon and Saphira's names were carved in.

"It is as beautiful as the day we found it," Eragon replied, dusting off his hands. "In a few hours I will be known as Mister Eragon Brightscales."

"It suits you," Murtagh joked. They watched as Saphira , who was in human form, walked up to the stage to set a few decorations on top and around it.

"It looked marvelous, love," Eragon called to her.

"Thank you," she replied with a humble bow. Suddenly, Draken jumped onto the stage and tripped over one of his legs, knocking him into a solid white vase with white roses sticking out of it. Both Saphira, Eragon, and Murtagh watched in pain and shock as the vase tumbled down to earth, shattering into a million pieces just in front of Draken.

"Sorry," Draken murmured, slowly climbing to his feet. "I did not mean to…?"

"Are you hurt?" Eragon asked.

"No father," Draken replied. "It was an accident."

"I know son," Eragon muttered.

I am sorry, Eragon, Thorn's voice clicked into his head. You trusted me to watch him and I…?

It is okay, Thon, Eragon comforted. Accidents happen. We are almost done here, so I am going to send Draken back over to you until we are finished.

Very well, Thorn replied kindly. Do you think he is ready to fly?

With his size yes, Eragon muttered, but with his clumsiness, no.

We will work on it in time, friend, Thorn said confidently. No task is impossible.

No but some can prove to be rather difficult, Eragon laughed out. "Draken? Go back to Thorn and wait there for us, okay?"

"Yes father," Draken sighed. "Are you angry?"

"I cannot be upset towards you," Eragon said with a smile. Draken carefully hopped off of the stage that Eragon and Murtagh built and waddled into the woods to Thorn who was just fifty feet away.

- - - - -

"By the stream, you say?" one of the cloaked figures asked an elf who was literally hogtied and hanging upside-down in an oak tree,

"Who are you?" the elf asked with anger burning in his eyes. The first cloaked figure approached him with a dagger in his right hand.

"The last thing you will ever see!"

- - - - -

"Do you suppose that I am ready, mother?" Draken asked, turning his head to gaze at his parents, who had changed back into dragon form.

Remember what I told you last night son, Eragon reminded. You are as big as you feel. Now you have three great fliers…?

Two, Saphira snapped out mockingly. You do not count as a great flier. Good yes, but great? That may be asking too much!

Hold your tongue, love, Eragon shot back. If I remember correctly, we both tied on our last race together.

It was only because I let you, Saphira whispered to herself. Eragon shook her off.

Listen son, he explained, flapping open his wings. Thorn and Saphira did the same. You must use gentle strokes to gain lift. If you flap as if you have gone mad, you will fall like a stone. First, you need to make sure that you can beat your wings in unison.

"Unison?" Draken asked. "At the same time?"

Yes, Eragon said, nodding his head. Thorn will demonstrate the proper take off and you will follow after him. Thorn?

Okay, the red dragon muttered, crouching low to the ground. In one motion, Thorn leapt into the air and brought his wings down in one large stroke against the air to lift him higher.

Your turn, Saphira butted in. Draken growled and flapped his wings a few times. He crouched and leapt up into the air, but he forgot to flap his wings and fell straight back to the ground.

You cannot fly without wings, son, Eragon chuckled, reaching down to pick his son up to his feet again. Care to try again?

"I will not give up!" Draken hissed to himself. He crouched and leapt again, flapping both of his wings in one motion. Eragon and Saphira watched as Draken continued to climb upward until he was right next to Thorn in the sky.

Very good, nephew, Thorn cheered, as he flew beside him. You are a good learner.

"Do you think so?" Draken asked. Once again, he forgot to flap and began falling again.

Flap, child! Thorn screamed, but Draken panicked and tucked his wings against him. He squealed in fear as the ground came closer.

Eragon! Saphira cried. He is falling! Do something. Eragon roared into the sky and leapt into the air in hope to catch his son, but he knew that he would not be able to rescue him.

NO! Thorn roared to Eragon, tucking in his wings to dive after him. The forest was approaching quickly and Thorn doubted if he could catch him in time, but he refused to stand by while he fell to his death. Draken still refused to open his wings and Thorn was pushing himself downward as fast as he possibly could go to catch up to him.

You have to open your wings! Thorn yelled. Draken continued to plummet and showed no sign of even listening to him.

I am scared, Draken suddenly said to Thorn.

Listen to me, Thorn screamed over the wind. Open your wings to slow your decent. If you do not, you will be killed. Do you want your family to mourn your death?

No! Draken replied. Thorn watched as he opened his wings and held them out. The air caught against them and lifted him up, narrowly hitting the top of a birch tree.

Do not do that again, youngling! Thorn yelled. What were you thinking?

"I do not know, " Draken replied. "I suppose that I merely forgot."

Well forgetfulness can lead to your downfall, child, Thorn scolded. You could have been…?

KILLED! Eragon suddenly roared in, flying beside him and Draken. Son! What would have happened to you if Thorn was not in the air? You could have been taken from us! How can you possibly forget to flap your wings when you are thousands of feet above the ground?

That was very irresponsible, son, Saphira yelled as well. We almost lost you if it were not for Thorn.

"I do not know what came over me," Draken said, this time flapping as he was talking. "Perhaps it was just accidental."

Breaking a vase was accidental, Eragon said, still aggravated. Forgetting to do the one thing that can save your life falls under the category of sheer madness!

I think he has learned his lesson, Thorn cut in. It was a mistake, but it looks as if he is doing quite well on his own now.

You are to not fly unless me, Thorn, or your mother are beside you, Eragon scorned. I will not lose you to this…stupidity!

"F…fat…father," Draken stuttered, hurt by Eragon's words. "I have disappointed you." Eragon watched as Draken shuddered in the air; he knew that his child was upset by the words that came from his mouth. It was foolish, but it was also his first attempt.

Son, Eragon came in, calmer this time. Forgive me. I just worry for you.

"I know father," Draken sniffled. "I will never fail you again."

Son, Saphira stepped in. If you never fail us, how will you learn? Mistakes make one stronger.

Your mother is right, little one, Eragon mentioned. Do not make us such a promise. We are just glad that you are safe. He watched as Draken tilted his wings to bank in closer to him.

"It should never happen again."

- - - - - - -

Arya sat with her head in her hands, sobbing silently.

"His heart did belong to her," she whispered. "I knew it." Suddenly, four cloaked figured barged into the small hut that she was in and drew out their daggers.

"Arya?" The leader asked. "Do you not have a wedding to attend?"

"Who are you?" she asked, taking to her defensive stance. "How do you know my name?"

"You are coming with us," another cloaked figure ordered, reaching out to grab the elf. She twisted around and planted a hard kick to his chest, knocking him back and into a wooden table. The other three stood around her with their daggers drawn.

"We want you alive!" the leader said kindly. "Come with us and you will be unharmed."

"How did you even get in here?" Arya yelled. "This place is shielded by magic."

"Fool!" the leader yelled back, pulling off the hood of his cloak. "I was trained in this place."

PEACE!