When Eragon first opened his eyes, all he saw was a deep dark green in his field of vision. Nothing more than that deep dark green. Groaning, he rolled over to the side, and saw a bag and some blankets. His head felt like it was on fire and his arms were sore. Finally, he gathered his strength and sat up. The world around him spun in circles and he closed his eyes until he felt the dizziness retreat. Opening his eyes again, he found himself in a clearing in a forest. Next to him was a pond and there was some bags and blankets on the floor around him. Confused, he tried to stand as he supported his body with his arms but he fell down. Looking at his legs, he found them bandaged and very sore.

Where am I? was the question that raced through his mind.

Saphira! Eragon screamed hoping she would hear him but there was nobody there.

She must be too far away, thought Eragon as he looked around more. He realized that he wasn't in the clothes he was wearing but new ones. Somebody had changed his clothes and had bandaged him. But who? He racked his brains for memories of what happened. First I was riding with the elves, then I saw some dark clouds, then they approached and then the… sandstorm hit. Of course, the sandstorm! They must have knocked me unconscious and that explains the wounds. But who did this? Who was in the desert that rescued me? It couldn't have been the elves because they aren't around here. And where is Saphira?

The more Eragon thought about this, the weirder this situation got. How did he get here, in a forest when the last place he's been was the desert. This must be Du Weldenvarden, he finally realized for this is the only thing that was close to the desert that had trees.

Then he was finally in the land of the elves. Amazed, Eragon looked around. The forest seemed no difference from the Spine yet he could tell that the trees were old and they carried stories and secrets within them, from long ago. The air even felt more magical than the Spine. Eragon sat in astonishment at the foliage and the lush vegetation. It was just so beautiful, especially after weeks of traveling in sand. The air was fresh and for once, he didn't feel the roughness of the sand. The soft sweet grass he was sitting on was a wonderful and a welcomed change. He could even hear birds singing their harmonic tune off in the distance of the forest with their sharp yet sweet chirps. He looked up but there was no sky, only the emergent of the trees. But rays of sunlight shone through the top layers and hit the forest floor.

Rustling from the bushes around him brought him back to reality. Listening closely, he knew someone was coming. Quickly, he searched for a place to hide. But there was none and with his bandaged legs, it would be a miracle just for him to get up. He fell back down to the ground and pulled the blanket over him. He closed his eyes again and listened.

"But Emerlden, I don't want to stay here any longer," said a distant voice. Eragon kept his eyes closed and pretended to be asleep. He heard footsteps in the clearing, but there was more than one. There were two sets of footsteps. One was loud and gigantic, the other small and one of a person or maybe an elf. The thought of seeing elves that could possibly help him excited Eragon but he knew better than to make himself known to the enemy. Brom had taught him more than enough to know what to expect under these circumstances.

When the pair entered the clearing, the big footsteps stopped, the little one was walking towards him and the bag. Eragon had his eyes closed and pretended to be asleep. He slowed his breathing and listened. The person stopped in front of the bag and seemed to open it and searching for something inside it. Eragon tried to peak out of his closed eyelids. Opening it slightly, all he saw was red hair. Then the thing turned around suddenly and Eragon closed his eyes quickly again in fear of getting caught. Listening, he heard no movement and hoped to whatever gods out there the person didn't know he was awake.

"So your awake, about time." The person sounded female to Eragon. But who was she talking to? Hopefully it wasn't him. Well he was the only one asleep but was she talking to him. The answer to the question was soon revealed as he still closed his eyes, hoping she wasn't talking to him.

"Yeah I'm talking to you. I know your awake so just don't pretend anymore," said the stern voice again. How did she know, thought Eragon. Finally he opened his eyes to a girl around fifteen with long red hair. The thing that surprised him the most was that this girl was the boy he had hit earlier with a rock.

But that cant is. She was definitely a boy back then, unless… Of course, the hat. She wore a hat to make people think she's a boy and she was wearing boy's clothing. Eragon looked at her with wide eyes. She was about half a head shorter than he was with long red hair up to her waist. It was flame red. She couldn't have been older than fifteen. She looked small and frail to Eragon but the expression on her face was not one of an inferior and frightened child. It was one of a very annoyed adult. What bothered him the most were her eyes. They were so green that it blended perfectly with the forest and filled with knowledge and secrets that it almost scared him to look at them. Her eyes were that of emeralds, glistening on her tanned face. She would have been perfect, except for her nose, which was scattered with freckles. It was comical to Eragon that such a commanding person would have something as childish as freckles along her nose. It was also rather funny and surprising that her eyebrows and eyelashes were all red too. Relief ran through Eragon as he looked at the girl and laughed at her to himself. Laughter really was the best medicine.

"May I ask your name, miss," Eragon acted like a gentleman to the girl. Although as a farm boy, he never really knew manners, Arya had spent the last week or so teaching him manners so that when he does meet the elf queen, he'll be prepared and not disgrace himself or the name of the riders.

Eliena was rather taken back at the sudden show of manners. But she didn't show it on her face. Instead, she looked thoughtful to Eragon and he thought he had said something wrong. Looking around, he saw that there was nothing else in the clearing except her. So what made the other footsteps he had heard? It must have been her dragon…thought Eragon as his attention came back to her.

"My name is Naul," she didn't know why she lied but she just did. Of course, she never wanted this rider to find out about her. Then she would have to go through all that of him wanting to make her a rider and work for the Varden and all that stuff. He already knew she had a dragon because of that little incident where Emerlden rescued her. And he definitely recognized her from those boyish costumes. If he knew more about her, like her name and such, she was a goner.

"You must be Eragon. Well I see you have rested and mostly healed so it was nice meeting you. Well good luck on being a rider. Bye," Eliena spoke quickly as she gathered her stuff and stuffed it in her bag. She wanted to get out of there and she wanted to get out of there fast. Nothing was worse than getting to know other people. It wasn't one of her good qualities. Eragon watched with amazement and amusement as the girl packed blankets and shirts and a very worn book into a small woven bag. She definitely moved with speed.

"You can keep the blanket," the girl pointed to the blanket that he was under. "And the clothes too. It was too big for me but it fits you fine. And your regular clothes are by the pool," Eragon saw her blush just a tiny bit on her tanned skin as she pointed to his clothes. Eragon blushed too. She had taken his clothes off and had bandaged him.

"Well it was nice meeting you." She swung her bag over her thin shoulders and walked towards the woods.

"Um…miss, are you going to leave?" asked Eragon. He knew the answer to the question even before he asked but he was surprised that the girl would leave as soon as he woke. What was going on?

"Yes I am," snapped the girl. "What do you think I'm doing? And don't call me miss. The name is Kell."

"Wait, I thought it was Naul," Eragon knew she wasn't telling the truth when she said her name. Now he was positive she wasn't telling the truth. Who could forget their own name?

She swore out loud with some good chosen words, some that Eragon had never heard before. "Fine whatever. It's whatever name you want it to be. Well I'll see you." Eliena started walking again.

"Um… miss, where am I?" Eragon knew he was just trying to stall but he did it anyways. He knew that he didn't want her to leave. She apparently, already knew who he was and he wanted to know who she was. She was definitely a rider and then she could help him and the elves and the Varden. Another rider has risen and it's his job as the first rider to make her help him, the elves and the Varden destroy Galbatorix and start a new kingdom with the riders.

"Your in the elves forest. Its just half a day's walk to the desert if you walk south," snapped the girl. Her back was still to him and she started walking again.

"Wait," Eragon called out again.

Finally, she turned around, clearly angry. "What do you want? Look, I did all that I was supposed to do. I rescued you, I healed you and I waited for you to get better. Now I don't have to stay in this damp place and I don't have to anymore. You're not going to get killed by some beast and if you do, I don't really care now because I want to go home!"

Eliena's face was flushed with anger. She wanted to get out of that forest as soon as possible. It gave her the creeps and it was way too damp for her likings. It was also really cold. And Emerlden was already enjoying the desert while she was stuck here talking to a rider who in the end will want her to join his side of the war that is silently brewing in Alagaësia.

"Will you join the Varden and fight with us?" he asked quickly, after her outburst. He couldn't afford to lose an opportunity like this. She had a dragon and defeating Galbatorix two on one is much faster than just doing it himself.

"WHAT? Of course not! Why would I want to risk my life to fight the kingdom?"

"Because it would create a better kingdom, where people wont die and where innocent children wont lose their parents as they blink. The kingdom now is dieing along with its people. We need to stop it and fight it. We need to fight the Urgals and Galbatorix so that the kingdom will be safe and the people safe. You were given a dragon to protect the people, not back down and live a safe life. Risking your life and dieing for a noble cause is better than living a safe life doing absolutely nothing to help. You're a rider so become one and learn to help the people around you and the ones you love." Eragon didn't know where the whole entire speech came from but he knew Brom would have been proud of him for that speech.

Looking at the girl, she showed no signs or emotions as she faced him, her face blank. Then, she turned her back and slowly walked out of the clearing.

Eragon shouted back, "Look at what your giving up, a chance to save someone, a chance to make a difference in someone's life. You're turning your back on someone who you could've saved. Don't turn your back on it!"

But there was no answer since all he could hear was her footsteps through the forest. Eragon gave a sigh. You can't win them all.

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I'm sooo sorry it took this long to put up another chapter. I had finals and stuff and I just didnt have time. Well that was a long chapter and I hope everyone liked it. See I did keep my promise of Eragon waking up. Well thanks for the reviews and please review some more.

Love,

Lale