a/n: okay, this is my last time saying this. this applies for the rest of the fic.

also, i know these chapters are short. i intended it that way. i'm mostly busy so i don't have the time to write as much and anyway, i like these short chapters. it makes me feel like i'm making progress. but i made this one a little bit longer, so i hope this can appease you a bit. have fun!

disclaimer: i do not own eragon.


Eragon was silent a few moments. "…is that all?"

Surprised gray eyes turned to him, wide-eyed. "Is that all? Eragon, my mother died."

"I don't understand."

"What a surprise," Roran muttered with a roll of his eyes. "What don't you understand? She's dead, Eragon. Meaning, meaning I won't be able to see her again. She's not going to be there. Meaning I won't be able to hear her anymore in the mornings, I won't be able to eat the food she makes. I won't be able to hear her sing outside. We won't be able to talk or spend time together. It hasn't been that long but I just...

"I miss her.."

"Oh," Eragon spoke to break the silence that had fallen. "I guess that is kind of bad."

"What the fuck."

Eragon frowned, not understanding why the boy was getting so upset. "Everything dies. It is the way of the world. It is a part of life."

"Why, because your master said so?" Roran asked mockingly, causing Eragon's frown to deepen.

"You watch your tone. My master—"

Roran blew up. "I don't care about your stupid master, Eragon! What the hell, you think I would be crying here for nothing? What if it was him that died? What would you say then?"

Eragon stilled and stared at Roran as if he was crazy. That was… impossible. He couldn't think of his master dying. His master was… eternal. He was too solid, too bigger than anything to be cut down so easily.

So it was impossible for him to think of his master just being—

Gone.

Roran scoffed. "That's what I thought. Unlike you, I can't just turn off my emotions whenever I want."

"That's nonsense, I don't turn off anything."

"That's not what I—ugh. Go away, Eragon, I don't want to see you right now."

"But—"

"GO AWAY!"

Sniffling, Roran turned and disappeared from over the ledge, leaving Eragon to stare up at where he was, waiting for him to turn back and say this was a joke. Although, he didn't know a joke to hurt this bad.

Eragon stood slowly. He felt a sudden urge to reach out and punch the boy. And not one of his playful little jabs, either. This one, he wanted it to hurt. How dare Roran disrespect his master! Eragon's master had been the one to take care of him. He was the one to find Eragon abandoned in the Spine as a baby and take him in.

Instead, he turned and dashed away, heading back for the haven of his trees.