Chapter 10

So you kissed Arya Kayda said. Eragon could tell that there was some smug in her voice.

It appears I have Eragon said, with a longing look in his eyes.

I thought you did not like her

I thought that too...wait, did you think this was going to happen?...Is that why you had me accept Arya's request?

A dragon works in mysterious ways Eragon, ways humans can never understand Kayda said, as she soared over the forest tops of Du Weldenvarden. The dark green leaves were falling to the green grass because of Kayda's flight. The dragon would be approaching the mighty castle of the capital city soon, perhaps in a minute or two.

And I thought that a dragon and its rider was supposed to share everything Eragon said. He was a little angry at the fact that Kayda kept something from him. They had been taught by both Oromis and Brom that sharing everything was a key aspect of being a Dragon Rider.

Don't be mad little one, it all worked out in the end didn't it?

Well I suppose it did. Kayda was swooping down, below the forest tops to the lush grass of the forest which lied before the castle. Kayda had landed in between the castle gates and the castle doors. There was key difference between both. The castle gates lead to the courtyard while the castle doors led to the interior of the castle itself, which included the castle throne room, the dining room, and other important rooms the castle had.

Eragon quickly leapt off his sapphire dragon and went to open the castle doors but was surprised to find them locked and immovable. I thought that I had been granted access to the castle...King Evandar had said it himself.

Maybe there is something happening within, that the king does not want you to see perhaps... Kayda suggested. Eragon was thinking of that too, but he had some trouble accepting it as fact. Evandar would never do something like this, he was a kindhearted fellow not one to keep important things away from Eragon. Eragon looked up towards the domed ceiling of the castle, at the top of the dome he saw a glass semi-sphere which would serve as the top of the dome. The Elven monarch at the time would use this to see what time of day it was, for usually they would spend much time on the throne serving their people.

Kayda, if we can't go inside the castle, then maybe we can at least see the happenings going on inside

Say no more my rider Kayda said as she crouched down a bit to help Eragon get on her back easier, which Eragon did quickly. Before Kayda started flying, Eragon made sure that he cast a spell which made them so quiet that not even elven ears can hear the duo. The dragon then flapped her wings which brought them to the top and Eragon first cast a spell over himself to reduce the impact of him jumping down on the dome and he cast another spell to make himself be able to stick onto the dome.

Shouldn't spent more time practicing my spells

You're the one that asked Arya

I know

And now you regret spending time with her?

I don't think now is the time to be talking about this Eragon then stopped the conversation there by limiting their connection until only that small tendril remained, the same tendril that would always be there. Eragon made a small leap from Kayda's back and landed on the slope of the sphere before the glass semi-sphere started. Eragon then started his climb slowly and quietly, even though he had done the spell, but safety first.

Eragon started to see the elves inside mingling about but he didn't care about that all he wanted to see where Arya was. Why was she in such a rush? What could be this celebration about that even Eragon was not invited but Arya is?

There! Eragon yelled in his mind as he spotted Arya down below. She was wearing a beautiful dress with her mother's arm around her guiding her around the throne room.

I thought that Arya didn't like her mother...but now they're suddenly friends?

Eragon laid there in shock as he saw the two females mingling from person to person...where was Evandar? Now Eragon switched his target from following Arya to finding her father.

When Eragon was trying to find the king of the elves he then saw familiar figures amongst the crowd, Oromis and Brom.

If Brom and Oromis are here...then where is Saphira and Glaedr?

What are you doing? A dragon's voice boomed Eragon's head. It wasn't Kayda's.

Glaedr...hello

Answer the question Eragon

Well you see...the door was not working...and being the intelligible student of yours I am, I figured out spells to help me see what is happening down in the castle

This meeting does not involve you or you Kayda The said dragon, made a snort. Eragon did not know what that meant.

"Elves!" A voice from down below proclaimed. Eragon concentrated on that voice that turned out to be Islanzadi, not quite who Eragon was looking for...but maybe she could give some insight to what might be happening.

Eragon trust me, you do not want to know what is happening here

What could be happening that even I would not want to know As Eragon's mentor already know, the young Dragon Rider was a curious boy and wanted to know everything about everything.

"As you all may know, this celebration is a very important one, one that shall be commemorated for centuries to come-"

Eragon, you must leave, the purpose of this celebration will not bring you any satisfaction just sorrow

Little one, we should listen to him Kayda said, siding with the much older golden dragon

Whose side are you on Kayda? Eragon accused. He was becoming tired, the amount of energy he was putting into this spells was becoming more and more apparent to Eragon. But he chose to ignore it for now.

"We are here today to celebrate the birthday of my beautiful daughter Arya!" The queen proclaimed proudly.

Oh so its just Arya's birthday...wait why would you not want me to know about this?

Eragon this is your last warning

Last warning for what?

"And as you all know, Arya shall be of marrying age in one year, and today shall not only celebrate her birthday it shall also celebrate the engagement of her with our loyal house Valtharos heir Ayen!" She proudly proclaimed.

Life as it exists right now stopped for Eragon. "What?" He softly said. Then everything started to hit Eragon right in his face. Everything started to spin around his head, taunting him. Every event in his head started to link together, why Arya's mother had become furious with her.

Eragon!

It wasn't because she wanted a nice quaint daughter, its because she wanted her daughter in perfect condition for the engagement celebration. Why King Evandar had left so quickly. The energy that was being given to the energy was become more apparent. The king didn't leave because he

Eragon!

The said teenager started to slip slowly from the glass semi-sphere, Kayda swooped in to catch obviously distracted Dragon Rider but it was too late, as Eragon started his 100-feet fall to the lush grass that awaited his 13 year old body.

Eragon! Kayda yelled in a desperate attempt to reach her rider in time but only grabbed Eragon's tunic which ripped immediately and only served to slow his fall.

Eragon hit the ground with a loud thump which the elves inside noticed, mostly because Oromis and Brom started running through the crowd into the courtyard and were astonished to see that their worst thoughts had become a reality. Oromis immediately began to heal him but he could only stop the bleeding caused by the broken rib which had pierced the lung. He could do nothing about the broken arm and broken foot.

Kayda had already landed before Oromis and Brom had arrived. While Oromis tried to heal Eragon, Brom had tried to calm Kayda. The blue dragon had been very concerned about her rider and had been showing it in a rather bad way.

Elves began to crowd around Eragon and Oromis. Evandar and Islanzadi had somehow made it at the front. The elves were muttering amongst themselves about what had happened even the monarchs were wondering as well. Oromis looked around at the crowd and quickly yelled for a medic room to be prepared for Eragon.

Eragon's eyes opened slightly and he saw a glimpse of Arya coming to the front of crowd of elves and pulling the sleeve of her father's tunic asking him or rather begging him to tell him what had happened before quickly being expunged back into the darkness.


Eragon awoke on a floor. He immediately noticed how cold and damp the floor was. He looked to his right, he saw bars...dungeon bars.

What's happening?

"Kayda?" Eragon said trying to get up but failing. He asked once again "Kayda?!"

The urgency in his voice was becoming more and more apparent.

"Kayda?!"

Eragon heard a shake of chains to his left. Eragon turned to his left and saw a pair of feet in the light while the rest of the body was plunged in the darkness. Eragon quickly noticed the chains around his ankle that led into the darkness.

Eragon got up, the weight that was on him that did not let get up was gone, and crawled away from the chained feet. "Who are you?" He asked softly.

He heard another rattle of chains again and a hand thrusted out of the darkness quickly that Eragon flinched. The hand beckoned Eragon to come closer. Eragon looked around the dungeon and saw chains hanging from the ceilings and noticed some bones laying around in the dungeon.

Human bones?

The hand beckoned Eragon to come closer again with the same rattle of chains. Eragon decided to come closer to the hand and the feet. Eragon started to wonder what the chained person looked like, if they ever decided to come out of the dark. Eragon crawled closer to the chains, quickly noticing the amount of distance that was between the two.

Eragon was near the hand now and noticed how skinny the wrist of the hand was and the size of the hand itself. "Hello?" Eragon asked expectantly.

The hand beckoned Eragon to get even closer. Am I not close enough? Eragon scooted closer in response.

The hand quickly grabbed Eragon's arm and drew him into the darkness, with a scream coming from Eragon.

In the darkness, Eragon was not standing. What had just happened?

He was now very frightened. He beckoned for everyone in his life to come.

"Kayda?!"

"Oromis?!"

"Brom?!"

"King Evandar?!"

Eragon was getting desperate.

"Queen Islanzadi?!"

"Faolin?!" Who knows? Maybe Faolin could be Eragon's knight in shining armor. With no one coming to his aid, Eragon started walking across the darkness. He had no way of knowing which direction he was going in. There was only darkness. He had not know how long he had been walking. He had no sense of time here.

He started yelling again, falling on his knees, begging for anyone to come pull him out of this nightmare of a reality.

"Arya?!" Eragon yelled. "Please Arya! Come save me please!" He yelled, his face against to what he presumed to be the ground to which he could press his face against.

He brought his upper body back up and rested on his shins. Tears began to slither down his eyes. "Please...anyone...save me...please," He said now sobbing. Eragon felt a pressure crushing himself against each other until he couldn't breathe anymore. Then it stopped. What happened? The pressure was so much that Eragon thought he was going to die...if he wasn't already dead. Maybe he had died and the gods are playing with him before they send him to the afterlife.

Eragon opened his eyes again to find himself looking at the face of man. A familiar man.

"Father?"

The said man opened his eyes and looked up at Eragon. His eyes were baggy and the bags were dark. Eragon looked down at what his father was wearing and saw rags that where barely covering his body. His eyes were bloodshot and were not the same white as it had been when Eragon had last saw his father...when his father left him in Du Weldenvarden. Chains adorned his arms and his legs with his body being decorated with scars with some wounds open with blood coming out. Some wounds had even began festering.

"Eragon?...you finally came," He chuckled, blood came dripping out of his mouth, with a fit of coughing coming afterwards. His body was decorated with scars and open wounds. There were some open wounds that had began festering.

"Came for what?" Eragon replied. He did not what else to respond with. How is you supposed to be talking to his father after how many years? Maybe this isn't reality at all...maybe this is just some form of torture being inflicted onto Eragon.

"That is difficult to explain...but allow me to look at you," Vrael said looking up and down. "My, you have grown up," Vrael chuckled. How could one as injured as Vrael still be able to have a sense of humor in this terrible situation. "Son-"

"Don't you dare," Eragon said, anger clear in his voice. "Don't you dare call me your son! You dare call me your son after how many years? You dare consider you to be my father after how many years?" Eragon yelled. "You abandoned me in that damned forest with those damned elves and you still consider yourself to be my father?!" Eragon said. Years of anger and hate against his damned father made itself known. Years of that same hate and anger made in that damned forest made itself known.

Eragon started punching his father. Tears falling from his eyes onto the dark floor or whatever it was.

"Eragon," Vrael said. "I know how you must feel and those feelings are justified," He said. Vrael continued "But now is not the time, I promise you there is a time for you to unleash these mighty feelings of yours, but now is not the time," Vrael said.

Eragon wiped his tears and sat down on his knees. He always hated this sitting position when he was younger but now it felt more natural and less achy. "Then what is it time for?" Eragon asked

"I don't have much time to speak to you, I didn't anticipate the demons would enforce a shield for the mind," Vrael said. He saw that Eragon was about to open his mouth to speak and acted before he did. "And there is no questions during this time Eragon," A lot boom occurred and the father and son felt a pressure being put on the two. "The shield is enforcing again," Vrael said. "But there for now I can only say this...the demons are coming Eragon...the demons are coming,"

"What?"

A bright light bathed the entire surroundings. Eragon covered his eyes to protect them from being blinded.

"Good luck my son, we will meet again," A voice boomed along with the light


Eragon awoke with a start with his eyes being blinded once again by the light that poured into the room from the window in the back. Eragon went to cover his eyes with his right arm only to find burning pain covering his arm and working its way across his chest.

The room Eragon was in was green in its color as well as forest-y. It reminded him a lot of Du Weldenvarden. Is that where he was now? Eragon made to get up but again found searing pain come from one of his feet.

You broke your foot and arm in the fall Eragon

Kayda!?

Aye it is me Kayda said. Eragon could sense some anger in his dragon's voice. It was if she was furious with her rider.

Ah it is so good to hear your voice again

And yours too little one, but you have some explaining to do

Explain what Kayda?

How come during your bed-ridden sleep, your mind was completely cut off from our connection? Not even our small tendril of connection remained

...if the small tendril did not remain then how we both alive right now

That is what you have to explain little one

Eragon heard a creak to his left in the on the opposite side of the window, where the light was pouring in.

Arya made her into the medic room with a vase of green flowers in her hand, flowers which matched her brilliant emerald green eyes. All the while humming a sweet tune out loud.

"Arya?"

Arya urned her head and her eyes were filled with immediate surprise and astonishment. The vase of flowers was dropped and Arya made a quick way over to Eragon enveloping the young Dragon Rider in a tight hug. "Arya?" Eragon barely was able to muster the name out loud with how tight he was being hugged.

It may have been tight, but Eragon did enjoy the hug very much.

Arya finally let go of Eragon and looked at him with longing eyes. "Eragon," She said. "Its been some time," She said quietly. "I missed you," She said again, with such honest sincerity in her voice.

"How long has it been Arya?"

Arya didn't answer. She looked down and away from Eragon's gaze. "Arya how long has it been?" Eragon asked once again with more urgency in his voice. Arya stood up from the bed and walked to the window in the back and gazed out of it. With Arya's walk, Eragon was given the chance to see how much Arya had grown.

"Arya, how long has it been?" He said once again.

"One..."

"One what"

"One year,"


Hello again my faithful readers.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm proud of myself of putting out chapters like this. It has been two so far but who knows maybe another chapter will come out tomorrow.

But anyway I'm quite tired so I'll keep this short.

Please review, I like reading them, even if its negative.

And don't worry I remember what I said last chapter about responding to reviews.

Buddy: Thank you my guy, I appreciate your review, means a lot that you think of me this way hehe.

Alright I think that should be all

Oooh I'm still looking for beta reader so please PM if you wanna beta read

If you have an idea that you think could be good for this story, PM me or drop a review about it.

Alright now that is all

Goodbye my readers, maybe I'll see you tomorrow or maybe I'll see you in a week who knows.

Alright bye bye