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Disclaimer: Sadly, I can not get Christopher to sell me Eragon, Eldest, or the Inheritance series. I try, I try…


"So, you came back. And in one piece this time I see…"

"Who invited you here, Brenol?"

"Oh, touchy are we? Well I can see that Nika still tries to prove herself. I thought you learned you lesson when you had the, oh what are they calling it now? Accident?"

"You have no right to bring up that subject."

Eragon dimly listened to the argument coming from outside the room, trying to discern the new voice. He propped himself up on his elbows and blinked at the bright morning light coming through a glass pane cracked open in the wall.

"I don't? But why? Such a sad story is fitting for such a sad person."

"I ask for no pity, and receive none. Though there are none such as you who will not let it go."

"I can't let it go? I am not the one covering their face with a strip of cloth. If you have let it go, then why do you insist on hiding the marks of your past?"

He began to pull the linens off of him and went to stand up. He got up too fast though and fell back on the mattress. Once more he got up, slower this time, and stretched him limbs and got reacquainted with the new surroundings. Saphira was still fast asleep in her corner, so Eragon went to the basin of water that was provided for him to wash his face. He knelt over the basin and let the water drip back off of him and into the bowl, all the while listening to the argument which was beginning to become heated.

He heard a sharp intake of breath and "How dare you." Between what sounded like clenched teeth.

"Oh yes. The others can forget their past in an instant, but you cling on… you just won't let go! Why can't you be more like your beautiful sister, or fight like your brother? They can bring honor to your family, but you… you're usless." Eragon heard the man put an emphasis on the last word. That for Eragon was the most he could listen too without defending Nika.

"You never deserved your wings, Brenol. You received them out of sheer sympathy."

He had just stepped into the hallway when a door two feet down slammed open and a man stormed out and rushed down the passage. Eragon watched the feathers on the man's back as he rounded a corner with a look of disgust. He headed towards the room and put his hand around the edge of the door, not wanting to disturb any other goings on in the room.

"Nika, are you in here?" avoiding the topic of the argument in case she was offended that he eavesdropped. Now that Eragon thought about it, he felt that he had violated her privacy.

Well I couldn't help it… it just so happened that I heard their conversation from my room.

He peered around the edge and took a single step in the room. Before he could locate Nika, he doubled over in pain and fell to the floor. The bright light had once more hit Eragon, but this time it was derived of anger and sadness. He grabbed his head with both hands and tried to gain enough control to hopefully settle her down.

"Stop…. please…. Nika…. NIKA!" he shouted and instantly the light faded and Eragon felt as if he could breathe again. He found himself facing the floor and a cold sweat ran down his back. He looked forward and all he could see from his perspective was one of Nika's bandaged legs and a scrap of cloth which he soon recognized as the blindfold that tied around her head. He then saw a hand come down and gently pick up the cloth.

"I am terribly sorry you had to hear that Eragon. I… he…" Nika tried to explain.

"It's alright. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It is your choice. But… you aren't useless. You should never believe that, no matter who tells you." Eragon panted and picked himself up and held onto the door for support. He looked up to see Nika in her blindfold again, though it was ripped in one place on the front.

"Thank you…" she whispered to him and she stepped forward to grasp his hand. Eragon stopped shaking and his body heat returned to normal temperature. Up close, Eragon could see that her face was streaked with tears. "And you have the right to know. I have heard from my father that we will discuss plans for the war today." Nika straightened up and returned to her previous reserved posture. "It will be in the meeting hall when the sun peaks, so please try not to be late. And… would you care to join me tonight on the deck? It is a good place for tales under the moon." Nika added that last part quietly.

Eragon smiled and accepted the offer. "I would enjoy that. And the meeting room is… where?"

"Oh, in the hall where we ate last night. If you still have trouble finding it, one of us will be around." She walked past Eragon but she stopped only a few feet away and said "Besides, we do need to know each other if we plan to stop this war, right?" and then she hurried off.

I don't think I will ever understand these people.

Yes, they are quite confusing.

Awake now? You missed quite an episode.

Or did I? Dragons have better hearing than you know.

Saphira's head snaked out of the room where she had been sleeping, which stared at Eragon for a moment before the rest of her body followed along.

It will definitely be interesting to find out our mission. I wonder where we will go…

That's not all you'll find out today, now is it?

Well then, I guess dragons do have good hearing.

You should never have doubted. What are you planning to do today until the meeting?

Oh, just walk around the town, see more of what these people are like. You?

Hmmm… I am not sure.

Alright, then I will meet you in the meeting room at noon.

Eragon headed down the hallway where everyone else was disappearing to and found that it led outdoors. He walked around the side of the house and found a gate, which he opened and made his way to the road. Passing by the houses, he noticed more and more that the winged people would stop and smile, or sometimes stare at him, as though they had never seen the likes of a wingless grown man. Ignoring the slightly unnerving attention, Eragon walked onwards. Then he noticed another reason why he stood out.

I am wearing a bright green robe. I should really change, so that I don't stand out too much like I am now.

He hurried back to the house and ran up to his room, and found to his surprise, a white sleeveless tunic and a pair of white pants. The puzzling matter was that they both fit perfectly and felt as if they had been tailored to his exact shape. More of their odd magic I suppose, and he put the matter from his mind.

Once again he exited his room and paced down the road where he received less stares and grins, but he still received them all the same. An intersection came before him where the two largest roads met, and Eragon was forced to choose between them. In one direction, noise and laughter ambled up from what seemed to be a market or town gathering. In the other direction were more houses and the path to what Eragon remembered as the courtyard.

He chose the direction of the bustling noise and strolled off down the cobbled street. The commotion was pleasant to Eragon, reminding him of Carvahall back where he hoped his home still was. There were stalls set up along the walls and backs of houses, but it all seemed different to Eragon. When he came up close to a stall where somebody was currently browsing, he noticed that no money was exchanged. They did not barter or trade, which completely set Eragon astray. Its like they all just… agree with each other or something. It's one giant support chain, where everyone relies on one another. Thoroughly amazed at this concept, he could do nothing more than wish the world he knew could cooperate such as this one did.

He stayed around there for a while, enjoying what familiarity there was in the busy market. Soon, just as he finished watching some kids play around the streets with a bright red ball, he realized that the sun was high in the sky and dawning close to noon. In no hurry to leave the peaceful atmosphere, he dragged himself away from the square and back to the house.

He entered the main foyer of the house and found it crowded with many more winged people talking and greeting one another. As he headed toward the meeting room, people hushed and whispered as Eragon passed by them. The great oak doors of the room stood him and he took a deep breath before pushing one open. He found that Saphira had already arrived and was seated behind a chair, supposedly Eragon's, he figured.

I see you are not late for the meeting. Do anything interesting?

This place in magnificent little one! I have flown around and explored, and there is a magic no elf could imitate around them. It is…wonderful.

Good, it sounds like you had fun. Did you know they had no exchange system? They all just give each other what they need, and I suppose they all in turn help one another. I wish our world could learn to trust one another like that back home…

These people work in their own ways Eragon, do not become too hopeful.

Eragon sighed, I know. So are you ready for the meeting?

I just don't know.

No, I suppose we don't.

Both oak doors opened and the stream of people came in and took a seat around the table. It looked like a confusing mob of white clothes and feathers to Eragon as around twenty people came into the room. As the last few were coming in, Eragon was relieved when he finally recognized three faces. Dourle came in first, followed by Amean who held the door open for Nika who brought up the behind. All three walked over to Eragon and pulled out the chairs next to him. Nika seated herself to his right, Dourle next to her, and Amean came over to his left.

Here goes nothing.

Don't you mean everything?

What do we have left to loose?

Everything.


Okay! Hope you all like the chapter! (Is it just me, or are these getting longer and longer?) Please review! And thanks to all that do - again!