Prologue

The night breeze was cool as Eragon stood at the great open hole in the side of his rooms looking out over the beauty of Doru Araeba. This city was the home of his birth, on his sixteenth birthday his dragon Saphira had hatched for him, he was a few years older than most new riders, already skilled with the bow and he had some competence with the sword, he was also well versed in the ancient language for most adopted the elven language and that of magic when they first arrived on the island of Vroengard. As he stood there in only the thin loose fitting linen trousers he wore when sleeping he watched as three dragons spread their wings and took to the sky winging their way to the mainland. From behind him he heard soft footsteps and then a pair of slender but strong arms slip under his arms and around his waist followed closely by a chin on his shoulder, the scent of pine needles that he knew all to well filled his nostrils as he breathed in, a smile forming on his lips, he looked at the woman who had embraced him from behind "did I wake you, my love?"

A mass of ebony hair fell across his chest as she tilted her head to kiss his cheek "no my darling I needed to use the washroom and saw you standing here when I returned and simply couldn't resist holding you in my arms?"

He managed to twist his body around without breaking her circled arms so he was facing her "is that so?" He smirked and kissed her on the nose before he began to think about all that had happened that day when the first rays of the new dawn had begun to lay their gentle embrace upon the majestic city of the riders. He had arisen gone to the washroom in his chambers and performed his usual routine before eating a breakfast of an apple, some brown peasant bread with hazelnut butter and washed the lot down with a cup of water. He had then decided to forgo his usual morning workout which he knew his master Orimis would disapprove of especially for skipping the Rimgar, but as he told himself if he could not forgo exercise that would make him sweat and smell on his wedding day then when could he, so instead he dressed and went looking for his brother whom he found talking to a silver haired elf in one of the smaller council chambers adjoining the main council grand hall; they appeared to be having quite a heated discussion with a large roll of parchment unfurled upon the oak table, Murtagh had looked up as the door opened to see his brother standing in the doorway and he smiled "good morning brother." The elf straightened and looked at Eragon who bowed "Ebrithil Evindal I hope you are well?"

The elf said nothing instead he looked back at Murtagh "we shall continue this discussion later Murtagh." And with that he strode out of the room passing Eragon without a word.

"What was that about?" Asked Eragon as he walked over to the table

"Nothing you need to worry about little brother especially not on your wedding day." But Eragon wasn't fooled he had caught sight of the map and recognised it as one of the city and its outlying areas.

"Come now brother you have done something to annoy Evindal."

"It's him that's annoying me." He sighed giving in "Everyday Galbatorix and the damned forsworn draw closer to our gates and what's left of the council refuse to look to the defences of the city."

"Can you blame them brother you spent nearly two and a half years with your father and Galbatorix and then you return with Brom who is battered, bruised and bleeding, and you claim that Galbatorix is amassing power and will soon be descending upon us."

Murtagh sighed "today is not the day to be worrying about this, after all it is your wedding day."

Eragon grinned sheepishly "I have a question to ask you with regards to that."

"And what would you ask of me?"

"Stand beside me today?" Asked Eragon

"As I have done for so many years it would be my pleasure brother. But who is to perform the ceremony?"

"I was going to ask Lord Kirian to join Arya and me but I saw him along with masters Zuri and Ronan fly toward the mainland so that only leaves masters Evindal, Vrael and Orimis on the island."

"You might as well ask Vrael or Orimis, Evindal plans on leaving the island today to join the other elders on the mainland."

Eragon sighed "and so begins the fall of the riders."

In the early afternoon of that day, Evindal mounted on his midnight blue dragon Astanos and left Vroengard. Soon after Eragon and Murtagh along with their mother Selena and Eragon's father and Murtagh's stepfather Brom, were summoned to the grand council hall where they found their masters Orimis and Vrael with their dragons Glaedr and Umaroth as well as five other riders, this first was Thuviel an elf of some five centuries, he had lost his dragon to Galbatorix and the forsworn only a few months ago in a skirmish on the edge of the silver wood, the next pair were Caleb and his mate Celeste with their brother dragons Iromûngr and Jormungandr, the last two riders were Darius a large dark skinned human who not only carried his traditional riders sword which was a monstrous two handed bronze colour that was slung across his back but at his waist hung a vicious and wickedly curved single bladed battle axe; his bronze dragon Leviathan was towering behind him. The final rider was a relatively young elf named Nadara she was perhaps a hundred and twenty years Eragon and Murtagh's junior though she was still ninety-five years of age, but she had gained great respect from all the riders for her vast wealth of knowledge as she possessed a unique ability that allowed her to perfectly recall anything she had previously read or seen, she could also do it when searching through other's memories and thoughts. It had been she who had trawled Murtagh's mind after he returned from his service to Galbatorix and it was she along with Eragon who vouched for him when others wished to turn him away.

As the doors to the council hall closed Vrael looked at them "Ahh good you have arrived, now we can get down to business. As you all know councilman Evindal left for the mainland this afternoon to aid the other elders in the fight against Galbatorix and his traitorous group." He rubbed his forehead before he continued "it is my opinion and that of Orimis Elda along with Glaedr and Umaroth that they shall not return, from Murtagh's report when he came back to us the traitors had already acquired over forty Eldunari of both wild and bonded dragons and enslaved them to their will." At this all eyes briefly turned to Murtagh before shifting back to Vrael. "I have called you all here for a single purpose. Thuviel, Caleb, Celeste, Darius, Nadara, Brom and Selena I along with Orimis would like to offer you each a seat on the council of Elder Riders." He looked at Eragon and Murtagh. "There is a reason we have not offered this position to you, but we shall speak of it after."

Orimis was the next to speak. "So, what say each of you?"

One after another they each gave their acceptance and Vrael smiled. "Good that is a weight lifted and now Eragon and Murtagh, Orimis and I have tasks for each of you." He looked sternly at the brothers, "these tasks are vital for war is coming to Vroengard and to our fair city of Doru Araeba."

He felt Arya press herself tighter against him and he snapped back to the present leaving his memories for another day. They only had this one night together as husband and wife before he had to leave on Vrael's mission, and he was determined to be present for every moment of this single wonderful night.