Ria stared intently out her window, awaiting Vanilor's signal. It was the evening after Galbatorix left for Dras Leona, and the perfect time for Ria to disappear...he never would suspect it. There it was...a glimmer in the sky, and then it shot down toward the ground. Ria smiled mischievously, and pried her window open. She saw Vanilor approaching swiftly, and readied herself to leave. The guards would never suspect it, they had gotten accustomed to Ria's late night rides on her dragon...little did they know...

She was dressed for the occasion, and had her knapsack stuffed to the brim with all she would need. Ria had slowly accumulated everything, it had to be done that way, because people would suspect something if all of a sudden she needed a month's worth of supplies. She was dressed in a forest green tunic, and black leather breaches that cut off where her knee-high combat boots started. They were simple in style, but made of the most durable material. Ria had her sword at her hip in her scabbard, daggers in her boots, and a bow and quiver slung across her back. Her hair was tied up intricately by a series of leather strips, and hidden in her hair was a small knife. She wore tight leather gloves over her hands to hide the Gedway Ignasia that shone on her right palm.

Vanilor hovered close to the window, and Ria jumped onto his back and settled into the black molded saddle. It would be a while before they hit the ground, as she planned on making it to the Beor mountains...that was where the Varden was rumored to be. Then they were off, ascending into the sky rapidly and smoothly, until they were high enough to be mistaken for a bird.

Ria had fallen asleep in the saddle, so she failed to notice that she was descending into the treetops of grove, until she felt the force of her dragon landing.

Gee, thanks. You could have told me before you landed...I almost fell out of the saddle.

It's not my fault that someone fell asleep. Came Thalynil's reply.

Where are we?

Looks like we're heading towards Gil'ead

Gil'ead! Vanilor, we are trying to get to the Beor mountains, not Gil'ead! We could easily get caught! We don't exactly blend in.

Galbatorix will be expecting us to go to the Mountains, Ria. It would only be sensible to look there, seeing as on the other side of the mountains is Surda. It would be smarter to detour first.

You're right. Ria dismounted and looked around. Vanilor let off a smug sound and Ria rolled her eyes at the huge beast.

Ria started a fire, and Vanilor took off to go find some food. She took her bow and quiver off, and unsheathed all her weapons except the daggers in her boots. She wrapped herself up in her cloak, and settled on a log by the fire. Ria contented herself to thinking about how she would find the Varden, and she knew she was pretty much alone in finding them. Neither she nor Vanilor knew where exactly it was, so she could only hope to find aid along the way.

She must have been very caught up in her musings, because she did not hear the man approach her. Ria was caught off guard when she felt a dagger pressed to her throat, and a harsh hand holding onto her neck.

"Who are you? And why do you follow us?" The voice was young, but filled with a familiar gravity. Just then, another man walked into the clearing. He was very young, maybe 16 or 17, and carried a sense of power that struck a chord in Ria's mind.

He went towards her knapsack which she had set near her, and he began to search through it.

"What do you think your doing." Ria snapped. "I am not following you, and you have no right going through my stuff... And if you would so very kindly take the knife off my throat, it would be appreciated."

"She works for the kingdom." Said the one behind her, "The crest on the bag...she not only works for the kingdom, but she is close to the King. That is his personal seal on that bag."

"Used to." She corrected him, "You think I would truly serve murder like Galbatorix? No one in their right mind would truthfully serve him."

Come quickly, I'm in trouble Ria called her dragon incase things got ugly.

I'm already here, Came Vanilor's protective reply. A gust of wind signaled to her that he had landed, and she heard a gasp come from both men. Ria seized her opportunity...She slid her hand up and seized her attackers hand along with the dagger, then she ducked out of his grasp and faced him. She barred his arm and he sank to his knees under the pain and pressure. She gasped.

Ria immediately released the tan attackers hand, and she dropped his dagger. Just then a sapphire dragon landed near her, and Vanilor luged forward protectively.

"Vanilor! Don't." The dragon stopped, looking disappointed.

"Ria?" Murtagh stood up and stared back at her.

"You know her?" The man behind her asked.

What's going on?

Hold on Vanilor.

"What! But she works for the kingdom-"

"She won't harm us Eragon." He said shortly.

Eragon reluctantly released her, and Ria looked at Murtagh gratefully. She then smiled with relief and hugged him. He was clearly surprised, but hugged her back anyway.

"I had thought you were dead." Ria let go of him and smiled out of relief, gratitude, and happiness.

"It is great to see you in such high spirits Ria."

"At the moment I am, but I am worried for my safety." She looked at Eragon. She knew that he was the rider that Galbatorix had talked to his advisor about. "It won't be long before the King tracks me down, and I must get to the Varden quickly."

Care to explain to who he is? Vanilor asked, clearly agitated as he flicked his tail around and stared cautiously at the other dragon.

Murtagh, he used to live at the castle before I became a rider.

"I am heading to the Varden as well," Eragon said. "I must get to Gil'ead as soon as possible. There is someone there who could help us." He still inspected her warily.

"If it helps. What I said about Galbatorix is true. I did work for him, but no longer do. He will be after me as soon as he realizes that I am gone, and he will want me dead."

"Then I guess we are all in a similar situation." Murtagh added. "I will be willing to let you accompany us if Eragon approves it, afterall, we are traveling together."

"She can join us," Eragon turned back to her, "But it doesn't mean that I'll trust you fully."

"I understand." She nodded curtly.

"Do you mind if we camp in this spot with you for tonight?" Murtagh looked at her hopefully, she could see that he had many questions for her.

"Of course."

"Great, I'll get the horses." Eragon walked into the shade of the trees, and came back a few minutes later with two horses.

"What is your dragons name?"

"Saphira." Eragon answered, carving a piece of stick. The firelight danced on his thoughtful face. "Yours?"

"Vanilor. He's a male, and about a year old."

"What exactly did you do for Galbatorix?"

Ria sighed heavily and looked around her, hoping Murtagh would come back with the wood he set out to find. "It is not really something that I wish to discuss at this moment. I don't wish to be rude, but I am sure you understand."

He nodded. "Do you swordfight."

"I have a sword, don't I?" She gave him a half smirk.

"Are you any good?"

"Trained by a master swordsman….though I never beat him."

"Care to dual? I need some practice." He got up and unsheathed his sword.

Ria froze. The firelight shone off the blood red blade that Eragon held majesticly in front of him, she gasped and cast her eyes over at Vanilor who was lying about thirty feet away.

"What's wrong?"

"That is Morzan's blade, where did you get it?"

"From the man who taught me all I know…..Brom."

"Brom," Ria shook her head thoughtfully, trying to remember where she had heard the name before, but nothing came to mind. "He sounds so familiar……but how he came to have the sword is unfamiliar to me. It must have been when Morzan was killed-"

"Brom was the one."

"Who killed him?……of course! Now I remember, that must be why Mur-"

"Hey guys," Murtagh came into the clearing wearing a grim expression. He cast Ria a hostile look, and turned to add more wood to the fire.

Eragon narrowed his eyes at them, knowing that they were hiding something, but he shook his head and went off to talk to Saphira. Vanilor was off hunting again, so Ria folded her legs up to her chest and stared into the fire. A moment later Murtagh sat havily beside her.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" He said in a harsh whisper.

"What do you mean." Ria looked at him in confusion.

"What do I mean!" He narrowed his eyes at her, "If I hadn't walked into the clearing at the moment I did, you would have told him."

"Told him what Murtagh? You aren't making any sense." Ria whispered back angrily.

"Honestly Ria, you can't be that naïve….told him that I'm Morzan's son."

"You mean you haven't told him?"

"Of course not."

"Why?"

"The same reason that you haven't told him your exact role in Galbatorix's court after I left." He prodded the fire, trying to focus his gaze away from her piercing one. "Also, the same reason why you haven't told me."

"And what is that reason Murtagh!" She asked harshly.

"Because he would see you as a traitor, and have an even more reason not to trust you," He scowled, "because you think that what has happened in the past, and what you were, will effect how he sees you….how everyone sees you."

Ria dug her heal into the grass, and frowned, "Do you see me as a traitor?"

"No." He looked back at her, "I know that you tried to better your position at the castle…..all that matters now, is that you got out of Galbatorix's rule."

"Thank you Murtagh……It was you, that I mostly had worried would think of me badly. I did what I had to do, and thank you for respecting that." She lowered her eyes, and heaved a sigh.

"Why do you care what I think?" Murtagh asked with a sardonic smile.

"Because you're my only friend right now." There was more, but Ria could never say it. It would make her too weak and vulnerable, and she hated being weak and vulnerable.