Disclaimer: NO money not mine

Shortly after the white dragon egg hatched Sahkur-rah had everyone gather into the tree house. She needed to explain what was going to have to happen before they could revive the fetus. She waited until everyone was sitting in a circle before she began.

"Well the good news is that the fetus can be brought back, the bad news is that Galbatorix used such powerfully dark and twisted magic in order to do what he did that in order to break the spell equally dark magic will have to be used. I do not have enough energy alone to break this spell, however I can break it I will just need all of you to call on your elementals and receive energy from them and give that energy to me. I will not be able to receive elemental energy directly because of the twisted nature of this magic. If I were to use elemental magic then I would most likely wind up killing the fetus. I will have to age the fetus slightly in order to give it a better chance of thriving, which can be done before hand. The fetus was removed from its mother about two weeks before it should have been."

"If anyone should break the spell on the child why must it be you? Shouldn't the parent do this?"

"There are a couple of reasons why you should not do this Oromis, first of all I will have to have a blood sacrifice from two people, out of necessity neither of them can be the one to release the child. One of the people that I will need blood from will have to be the fetus' parent. So that rules you out to release the child. The other reason is that I am part dragon, and this kind of magic requires a great price from the caster in order for it to be undone. Because I am part dragon I will be shielded from this very unpleasant aspect for the most part. Elves humans and dwarfs have no immunity to this magic and would suffer horribly from the price that is exacted."

"What is the price that must be paid?"

"That is of no concern to you. I will be far better off than anyone else here."

"Will you need to be healed afterwards?"

"Yes but you will not be able to heal me. It is not a physical price that is paid but what can be called a spiritual price."

"How do you mean."

"To do this kind of magic costs the person a bit of their soul, to undo it will scar my soul but it would destroy anyone who is not part dragon."

"When is this to be done?"

"I should think that that will be up to Oromis. It is his child and it will be his life that will be changing because of this. When he feels ready to take on the responsibilities that will be required of him then we shall do this."

"I am ready to have my child now."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes I want this responsibility now."

"Very well, Oromis Roran and Eragon and your dragons should get ready to call on your elementals while I age the fetus a bit. It will take an hour at most. I will also need a small knife for later on."

Eragon sat down and concentrated calmly on his elemental water before he felt it contact him. It was an odd sensation, it was a being older than time. It was intelligent in its own way and was very perceptive. He felt it enter his mind, he let it. It explored what he had been doing for the last while and he felt its approval. He felt it brush against his most recent memories and he felt it pained with sympathy for the fetus and what the knowledge had driven Oromis to. He felt it examine the fetus and agree that what had to be done should be done. He felt it open up its never ending power to him so that it could be given to Sahkur-rah. Eventually Sahkur-rah told them that it was time to release the child.

She had them sit in a circle around her. Oromis was on his right with Glaedr between him and Oromis, Roran was on his left with Saphira between them, and Silvress was between Roran and Oromis. Before they began Sahkur-rah looked at Oromis.

"Before we begin I should know who else I must take blood from. The choice is up to you Oromis but it should be someone that you know you can trust with your child's welfare because there will be a bond between this person and your child somewhat akin to a parents bond with a child."

Oromis was silent in thought for some time. Eventually he looked up and sent a questioning thought to Eragon.

Would you be willing to give your blood and have this bond?

You would not mind me having a bond with your child?

No I would not

Then I will be happy to do this

"I choose Eragon for the other blood sacrifice."

Roran looked at Oromis oddly, as if he felt put out about something. Eragon could not tell what though but he was not given time to ponder as Sahkur-rah had begun undoing the spell. Eragon could feel the twisted magic as it was summoned; he began to freely give her the power that the elemental was giving to him. He felt it getting sucked up as if into a vacuum as Sahkur-rah continued to undo the spell that was placed around the fetus. Eragon felt a rip in the magic, he cried out in pain as the twisted magic began to tear at itself. He could see Sahkur-rah being surrounded by the black magic. As she continued her chant it coalesced around her. Eventually she grabbed the knife that had been laying by her side and signaled to them to hold out their hands.

"By the fathers blood life was given, by the fathers blood life was taken, by the fathers blood life is given again." She slashed Oromis' hand diagonally first one way and then the other in an x and then tilted it so that the blood was dripping over the container that held the unborn child. She then pulled Eragons hand closer so that she could cut it easier.

"By the mothers blood life was given, by the mothers' life and blood life was taken, by the others blood life is given again." Sahkur-rah repeated the motions that she had on Oromis and placed his hand with the dripping wound over the unborn child.

"By the blood and pain the sacrifice was made, by the blood and pain the sacrifice is unmade. Return this child to life from undeath. Return."

There was a great rushing sound as the dark spell undid itself. The container that held the child disappeared and there was an explosion of light. When Eragon could see again he saw the child on the floor. At first he thought that the spell had not worked but then the child twitched. It began to move. Finally it began to breath and with its first breath the child began crying. Oromis was there before Eragon could move and was holding the child in his arms and comforting him. He felt the child calm and sleep. Eragon did not understand why he felt the child's emotions at first but then he realized that it was because of the spell. He had been bonded with the child the way a parent would be but she had not told him what kind of parent. It would make sense that an elf parent would feel the child's emotions since they were capable of communicating with thoughts. It would also make sense for him to be bonded in the same way as an elf parent was because the child was an elf. Eragon stood up and noticed for the first time that Sahkur-rah was sitting in the corner shivering. This was unusual for her because she was normally so calm and well collected. Murtagh was sitting beside her with an arm over her shoulders. Eragon sat down beside them.

"Are you going to be all right?"

"Y-y-yes, I'll b-b-be f-fine. I'm just reacting to the soul scarring. I'll be cold for a while, until I heal from it."

"Its ok, I've got her. You should go and check on the others."

Eragon looked and saw Roran leave the tree house. He left after him determined to discover what had him upset.

"Roran, wait up." Roran increased his pace.

"Roran would you please slow down"

His pace quickened again. Eragon was getting impatient, he could out run Roran in two seconds and not feel winded but he would rather that he had slowed down on his own. So Eragon sent a thought to him.

Roran will you please slow down

No

What has you so upset?

Nothing

No not nothing now will you tell me?

No

Roran

But Roran had blocked him out. Eragon growled in frustration. He turned and headed back to the tree house to check on Oromis and the baby. He could tell that the child was getting hungry by now. What ever was bothering Roran he could work it out on his own.

After the spell had been done Oromis had for the briefest time thought that it had not worked until the child had started twitching and moving. He was by the child's side immediately and had picked it up to lull it into sleep. He had not put the child down since. He had been rather harsh to Roran when Roran had insisted that he be the one to make the other blood sacrifice because he would not listen. He had known Eragon far longer than he had Roran and he knew that he could trust Eragon with his child's life, he knew Roran well enough to be surprised by his occasional bouts of childishness. Yes according to humans Roran was a man but he was stubborn and occasionally childish. Eragon had been shouldering the burden of rebuilding the riders for so long that he rarely acted like a child anymore. Roran could not work up the nerve to tell him when he was being irrational or to try to stop him when he was doing something potentially dangerous, Eragon did. Eragon, because of his training, had sympathy for all life forms and would be less likely to react in anger to a child, Roran he felt afraid would. So he had chosen Eragon over Roran for the blood sacrifice. Oromis could tell that Eragon was coming back to the tree house. Oromis knew he would want to check on the child. That was something else that made him decide that Eragon was a better choice; he did not feel jealous or selfish at the thought of sharing his child with Eragon. He knew that Eragon would not take his child from him. He sat on the floor of his room and began to sing an extra room that would be attached to his room for the infant. Oromis heard Eragon step inside and he nodded his head for him to sit beside him. He gave the baby to Eragon to hold. Eragon took the child in his arms. Oromis could feel his delight and wonder with the sleeping child. Soon Eragon joined him in making an addition for the child.

What are you going to call him?

I have not thought of anything to name a baby in so long I have almost forgotten what names are good for children

I think it goes without question that it should be elf.

Yes, how about Yawinedee?

Sounds too much like yawn

Maybe Seraphint

I don't know, Orleun

Hmm no I knew someone called that and he was mean. Orlandeus

How about Orlando?

Yes that would be good. Orlando.

Oromis took the child that Eragon held out for him as they continued working. He was pleased; he had his son Orlando with him and a good friend whom he could trust to help him raise him. Oromis was happier than he had been in a long time.

Murtagh was worried about the beautiful woman whom he had just learned was named Sahkur-rah. He was worried because she was so cold and yet he was pleased that he could help her. When he first met her he did not think it was possible that she would ever need help from anyone but he knew that he was wrong now because she needed his help and he felt both humble and pleased that he could be of help to her. He had helped her to the bed that he had woken up in and had covered her with as many blankets as he could find. He had then gotten some hot soup for her and was now lying next to her on top of the covers helping her eat it.He knew that she probably could eat it by herself but he had wanted to help her as much as possible and considering how cold she was it probably was best for her to stay under the covers. He had finally fed her all of the soup and was just starting to give her some of the hot liquid he had also gotten for her when she looked at him curiously.

"I wanted to ask you before but how can you see my wings?"

"Well I open my eyes and I saw them attached to your back."

"I mean I keep them disguised so that no one can see them unless I have to use them. To everyone else it looks like I don't have wings and when I do use them it looks like they are emerging from my back. But you can see past the magic I used, how?"

Murtagh had to consider the question for sometime, he finally came to the conclusion that he had no idea.

Roran was pissed off to say the least. He was older and more responsible that Eragon and yet that elf had chosen to trust Eragon over him with the well-being of his child. If the child wound up dead or worse than dead it would be Eragons fault and he would not be above saying 'I told you so.' Roran wandered through the forest. He was a rider just like Eragon; No not just like Eragon, he was better than Eragon, and yet he was overshadowed and ignored because of Eragon. The Elves loved his cousin because he was a rider, should they not also love him? But he was not even liked. The elves loved Eragon and ignored him. He was not amused. He broke a branch over his leg. He had been wandering for hours now. He had not noticed before but he had somehow wound up at the stone of broken eggs. He snorted. He had been so happy to find that dammed egg. He had thought that being a rider would be great but no, it wasn't. He should have left that egg where he had found it.

Do you really regret having me for a dragon?

I'm not in the mood for talking Silvress.

Doesn't matter the dragon said calmly as he settled down beside Roran

I am in the mood for talking

I won't listen

You can keep your cousins and the others out but you can not keep me out. Do you regret having me for a dragon?

Yes

Would you rather I had not hatched?

Yes, then I wouldn't have to have my faced rubbed in the fact that everyone likes Eragon better than me.

Do you truly believe that that is the case?

Yes!

It's not. Oromis knows Eragon better than you and trusts him. Can you blame a parent for wanting only people they can trust around their child?

No but-

Eragon had to go through a lot before Vanir respected him, Vanir told me the entire story. He did not just get his respect he had to earn it.

So what it doesn't explain why Oromis trusts someone who is barely more than a child over an adult.

To Oromis you are both children, he is a couple of centuries old. He chose the one he knows better and can trust better. Given time he will know and trust you but given your attitude lately it is no wonder that he would choose your brother. I have yet to see him throw a temper tantrum. Silvress did not have any venom in his voice, he never did but he was serious.

Would you like to see a tantrum, I could arrange that after all the king will be looking for a new rider and we could do just as well as that idiot Murtagh I imagine that they will throw one if I join up with the king.

Are you crazy! Silvress snarled in a voice of extreme anger getting yourself enslaved to that maniac will prove nothing but what a moron you are.

But at least I could make you shut up.

Fine be a child but know this, you go to that maniac you go alone, I will not lift a talon to help you. Silvress turned to fly away but gave one last departing thought you could have at least come up with a better name than Silvress for me. It is a horribly disgusting name that means bed wetter in the Dwarven language.

Before Roran had a chance to apologize the young dragon had taken off.

Roran sat down on the grass and cried. He had alienated the only person that had cared about him at the moment and had given him a name that meant bed wetter to add insult to injury.

Sahkur-rah felt warm and safe and content. She was still reacting to the scarring that her soul had received from undoing the dark magic but she felt better. Of course it could have something to do with having a healthy young man resting beside her on the bed that knew about her wings and was not disgusted by them as so many from her old land had been. She was resting at the moment, listening to his heart beating. She felt at peace and content. That was when Rorans dragon Silvress flew in the window. He was in a towering rage. Eressmiss and Glaedr both looked up.

I need a fight. That idiot has me so angry that I feel as if I'll set fire to the first person who looks at me funny.

Very well hatchling I'll spar with you in order to save the others from your anger

I am grateful for that Glaedr

Soon the two dragons were out of the tree house engaged in a ferocious mock battle.

So what do you think, should Roran be an idiot and try to find the king or should he grow up?