The world was growing lighter for Shruikan. He had been reunited with Eila, who was now bonded with Eylörís. He met Arya, who had been the one to slay and free his body. She was bonded to Fírnen, who was one of the most positive dragons he's ever met.

If he could smile, he would. Right now, they are above the clouds with all fifteen eggs in tow. For the first time in a long time, he's felt hopeful about the future, even though he had to be strapped down to the second saddle seat on Fírnen's back. Never again would he feel the wind under his wings. It's okay, though. He was in good care.

The Elf was pleasant to him, which was not what he was expecting initially. After all, he had done so many terrible things to her race. He felt like he didn't deserve the kindness she had shown him. Returning to Ellesméra for the first time in over a century would be hard. It's where Körim, his original Rider, was slain. He could only hope that he was buried or sent off in some other honorable burial. Perhaps Arya knew.

She seemed to know a lot of things.

His mind drifted to their departure from Ilirea. Queen Nasuada had gifted both Eila and Arya with waxed woolen cloaks to protect from the dampness of the clouds above. She had come earlier to deliver travel rations and their more private goodbyes.

He watched the Elf become stiff when Nasuada asked if she could touch her abdomen to feel for the baby. Arya, surprisingly agreed, but despised every second of it. What a strange woman.

What an interesting child who seemed to hold intelligence beyond his age.

He thought of Solembum, who appeared as a boy. He too was intelligent and odd, but delightful still, in the mystery of it all. Shruikan felt like he now could appreciate the birds, the trees, the sound of the wind that blew through the grass…

He's finally free…

And it made Eila cry happily for him. She is the only good thing Galbatorix ever created from his twisted ways. He hopes she can heal as well. It'll take more time for her, though. She doesn't have the luxury of an Eldunarí. She has scars that constantly remind her of the things her father did to her.

He poisoned her, he beat her, he burned her, he whipped her, he cursed her, he tortured her, he cut her, he praised her, he gave gifts to her, he educated her, he fed her, he clothed her… but he never told her that he loved her.

In truth, he never loved her, and deep down Eila knew it. Except somewhere within her, she still loved him because he is her father.

Poor girl. Shruikan knows he's thankful she has Eylörís now to help her heal. Maybe once the little violet-eyed girl turns up again… maybe he can befriend her. He's afraid Eila has moved on… his only friend since Körim died has grown up and moved on… and that hurt him terribly, almost as much as the death of his true Rider. He understood. She needed to spend time with her own dragon and not get caught up trying to help him…

"People can have more than one friend." Arya said suddenly from her saddle. She unbuckled her legs, turned around, buckled them again then looked down at him, folding her arms across the backrest, beads of water soaking into her already-damp sleeves. Her hair was wet too. It was a thickly cloudy day, and they had all gotten absolutely wet when they passed the cloud layer. Now… now they all had been introduced to the beautiful world above those giant masses of floating water. Flying northwards luckily meant that the sun wasn't in their eyes. "She still loves you, Shruikan. You both have been through too much together for her to just… forget you."

"And, Lady Elf, I wasn't sharing my thoughts with you." He said defensively in a futile attempt to save his pride.

"Yes, but I could feel it. I know what it's like to lose someone I love. I know what it's like to have to say goodbye to someone I love as they left for an adventure beyond our map. Your feelings are powerful, and I, too, am bonded with a dragon. That makes me extra sensitive to the things people are feeling." She smiled correctively. "I'm not trying to be rude. I'm not trying to hurt you either. I'm only trying to help."

"I appreciate it immensely. If it brings you any comfort, the father of your child, Eragon, will return. He has been touched by the Menoa Tree. She has tethered him to this place, to Alagaësia. He must owe her a favor."

Arya pursed her lips, her brow creasing. "Two things, how do you know my child is Eragon's and what do you mean, 'he has been touched by the Menoa Tree'?"

"No need to be attitudinal, though I know you're confused and also that you get irritated when you're confused." He said and both of them heard Fírnen chuckle.

"But to answer your first question, I remember what he smells like, what he feels like in the non-physical sense. I recognize those sensations in you. It is easy to see that your belly has begun to swell with the child, though it's not obvious. All someone would have to do is look with a keen eye. That's beside the point, however. What I mean to convey is that the more the child grows, the more his presence feels like Eragon."

He saw the flicker of anxiety on her features when he mentioned how much her body had changed. She sat up straighter, and removed one arm from the backrest, only to place it on her belly, no doubt.

"To answer your second question, the Menoa Tree touched Eragon. When, exactly, I am uncertain, but I felt her presence… around him, in his aura, so to speak, when he was near. My first Rider had memories of the tree and her extensive consciousness. Through him, I know what she feels like. Why she was attached to the father of your child, I do not know, but this attachment is enough to change, reset or even reverse the course of events. I would urge you to speak with her, though, if she will listen to you."

Concern flashed across Arya's face while she processed such news. What did Eragon do to be touched by the Menoa Tree? Worry suddenly gripped her. He didn't disrespect her and make her angry, did he?

"You seem very young when you become lost in thought." Shruikan noted.

"I didn't ask." She said absently.

"I'm not trying to be rude, I'm only trying to help." He echoed from her earlier words to him.

"No need to be attitudinal." She looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"I am growing ever fond of you, Lady Elf." He said in a fascinated tone. "I hope your child takes after you in the field of banter, I know you are holding back." He tested.

"Shruikan…" she began, stopped, then sighed.

"You have to hold back because you are Queen. I understand." He truly did. "Royalty is often restricting. The poor are freer than good Kings and Queens, I've learned. You have the option to tailor your Queenship into what you want it to be because Elves understand that same truth. You are not as caged as you may believe."

"Neither are you." She said, finally looking at him. "I'm not sure what to expect from my people once we arrive, but I am going to defend both you and Eila if it comes down to hostilities. I'm sure the Eldunarí will be sympathetic to you, though."

"Pity is not something I desire." He said without humor.

"That makes two of us, then." She answered, her eyes drifting to the clouds. She flinched slightly and looked down. She must have felt her baby do something, he concluded. "And yet I fear it's bound to happen. Only two people know I'm pregnant. Only one knows you're alive, and none know about Eila's parentage. There's too many… new topics I'm bringing home with me. I worry about the stable peace Ellesméra has slipped back into since the war has ended."

"I am your guest. What happens to me, happens. If it is decided that I shall die, I am content with that outcome. I feel almost complete again now that I know Eila is healthy and well. She's been through so much more than a young woman her age should ever have to go through. In fact, nobody should ever have to go through what she's experienced in her lifetime."

Arya nodded sadly. "She's only opened up to me twice about her past, and I know what you say is true. I've only seen the tip of the mountain." She sighed with a soft smile. "I have a strange feeling about the future now. I might be removed from my seat as Queen, which I would be okay with. I have spent years with negative connotations of Queenship in my mind, only to find that it's not as bad as I thought. I will step down at some point, if I'm not removed." She chuckled, but her expression became suddenly serious. "I will defend both you and Eila. Neither of you had a choice and both of you were… enslaved."

"I appreciate your mindset and your outlook, Lady Elf. Those will take you far. They already have." He said wisely.

"You're welcome. I like to fight for the things I believe in." Her smile remained, then faded as she looked out at the sky. The sun was already becoming heavily hung in the sky. They've been in flight all day.

Silence drifted in over them, and she once again unbuckled her legs to turn around.

"Thank you for speaking with me." He said gently.

"You're welcome. If you ever need to talk more, let me know. I feel the sudden need to be with myself at the moment, though."

"Is something wrong?" He asked curiously.

"No. You've given me new things to think about and I need to process them, that's all. Thank you for telling me about Eragon and the Menoa tree. I doubt she will listen to my calls, but I need to at least try when we return." She responded, sounding suddenly weary. It was only then that he truly realized how much was going on. He didn't know how much else aside from the mechanisms he was involved with, but he knew she had quite a lot more on her mind than what meets the eye.

"Then I will leave you be. I am enjoying the sensation of flying again. I feel… indescribably happy." He smiled internally. While his Eldunarí was too big for his untouched and unaltered self, he felt… full somehow. He had Eila's affections and Arya was warming up. Fírnen was friendly and Eylörís was kind but cautious. He's making friends.

"I'm beyond words to express how delighted I am to hear that." She smiled to herself, then reached back and patted the stone he was encased in.

"Me too." He sighed happily. "Now, go finish your pondering. I'll leave you be." He promised, earning a quiet hum of contentment from her.

He felt their contact slip away as she lost herself to her mind, and suddenly, the world seemed blissfully quiet.

All is well above the clouds… and he is content with that.

A/N: Yes, yes, I know this one is super short. I've been trying to adapt to being back at work and due to said work being outside in the heat, I've accidentally made myself sick two days out of the three so far this week. I also get super weird when it comes to change, so it was probably nerves too.

And look at that! We finished the chapter alphabet! I've also changed this story to a mature rating. I have... things... planned. The next chapter will be longer, though it's hard to write when all the characters are doing is traveling. Not much goes on.

For those of you who have read this far: You're amazing. I had no idea I would be here now, writing passionately about the same story line. Most of the fanfiction I write ends up being a few chapters of a largely unfinished story. I might post some things I've written for Elva when she grows into an adult. I don't see many fics about Elva. She needs love too.

Anyways, thank you! I'm going to go eat something now, because I've forgotten :)

-Lady Arlo