Okay, there is some sexual/pregnancy humor in this…laughing is imminent. Also, on a sad note, my temporary retirement has been pushed up to next week, which means that I may not get to finish this story for a while. I will still work on it and post whenever I possibly can, but I do not know when that will be. I am sorry for breaking the promise, but I will get out as many as I can before this Thursday. I will stop this story between chapter 90 and 100. I will really miss you guys.

Chapter 85: A Lovely Conversation

Morning came as the large family slept in their living room. Lunalese had laid her precious egg and was sleeping with it underneath her claws while Draken had himself propped up against her belly. Eragon morphed into dragon form to keep Saphira warm while she slept against him. All were asleep, except for Equinox and her new friend.

Why are you not sleeping? Guardian asked the magenta dragoness. She sniffed and shook her head.

"I have my reasons," she said shyly. Guardian bobbed his head and turned to look out the window. "You miss her, huh?"

Daily, Equinox. She climbed to her feet and flopped down beside the large birdlike creature. I wish I could just see her one more time.

"I know," Equinox whispered. "It is in the past, friend. Do not dwell over it for your entire life."

I must. I made the mistake of placing my heart in the way of caution; for that mistake she paid the price.

"Guardian, you were not the one at fault." The wyvern growled and lowered his head.

Then why do I feel so guilty? Equinox looked up at him and showed her teeth compassionately.

"I do not know, Guardian." She turned to see Draken smile in his sleep. "I have a nephew."

Nonsense, Guardian said with a chuckle. Nephews only come from human species. You only have a dragonet, not a nephew.

"I am confused. Murtagh is my uncle and he calls me his niece…?"

Murtagh? The rider of Thorn? Equinox nodded his head. Oh wow. I remember him. I met Thorn on my journey to Arian's home.

"I hope he was pleasant towards you," Equinox said with a pleasant growl. The wyvern nodded.

Very. Equinox, Murtagh calls you his niece simply because you would be his if you were human. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't Murtagh Eragon's sibling.

"Yes."

There you have it. When Saphira gives birth to her child, that youngling will become his nephew…or niece depending on the gender. Equinox hummed and lowered her head back down.

"How do you know so much about humans, Guardian?"

Arian taught me everything when we were together. She answered any questions that entered my mind. He sighed in remembrance of the child. She was very wise for her age. Equinox sighed as well and turned her attention back to her brother.

"I wonder what it is like."

I'm sorry?

"I wonder what it is like to have a child of your own." Guardian chuckled softly in her mind.

My dear dragon, I do not even know.

"Surly you have had the chance to mate with one of the females…?"

No, Guardian said with a gentle laugh. They found me too…unique for their tastes. I tried numerous times to gain the attention of a female, but they were more impressed with the soldiers of our race. I was always last in the picking.

"I am sorry," Equinox muttered. Guardian chuckled again and laid his feathery head down.

Do not be. I thought that our females were rather ugly creatures. Equinox could not help but laugh at the cruel humor he sent out.

"That is not nice…?"

Neither is forcing me to be the last in line, but I never complained. They both chuckled, but quickly silenced when they heard Saphira stir in her sleep.

"So you have never mated?" Guardian was caught off guard by the question and nearly choked on his tongue.

Well…eh…that is not true. Equinox lowered her head. You see, there was one time when a female wyvern by the name of Lisben was after me, even though she was not in heat. I did not learn until afterwards that she belonged to Recioh.

"You mated with the leader's female?" Equinox said, wide eyed at the feat he had accomplished. He nodded and turned away in embarrassment.

We…um…never quite finished though.

"I do not understand…?"

We started, but Recioh pulled me out before I…you know. Equinox chuckled again and placed her head to her paws.

"At least you got to see what it was like." Guardian snickered and brought his head back around.

Not really, he sighed. We were only bonded for a mere second or two. He laughed again. She told me that I pleased her more in one second than Recioh could in a lifetime…I consider that an accomplishment. They both laughed at the awkward conversation that the two were holding.

"How come Recioh did not kill you then?"

That bird told me that he needed troops, Guardian chuckled out. He almost pushed me back inside, but I refused to do it for him.

Well, I suppose that does not qualify to call you a slattern does it? Equinox laughed to him mentally. He chuckled as well and turned to look down at her.

Excuse me! Males do not get the title as slattern…?

"What term do the males get?" Guardian chuckled and opened his beak slightly.

We get no term. Equinox shook her head.

"Well that is not fair!"

Life sometimes is not. Both chuckled again. I still wish that I could engage in that bonding ritual out of love and not instinct. Equinox sighed and looked down at her paws.

"So do I," she muttered. "I never know if I will find one in the first place."

You will. Have patience.

"Easy for you to say…you at least came close to it…?"

Actually it is easy for me to say. I am the last as well as you. Besides or physical differences, we are quite the same. Equinox brought her glance back to Guardian and showed her teeth to him.

"I suppose so." She turned to see the sun rising over the hillside. "It is almost time for our family to wake."

Our?

"Yes," Equinox reassured. "If you are living here, should you not be considered my brother?" Guardian chuckled and bobbed his head. He could still sense Equinox's loneliness, but it had diminished quite substantially.

I suppose sibling will be fine, he murmured as the sun rose higher, splashing bright rays of sunlight onto Saphira's eyelids. She fluttered her eyes open and gently stroked Eragon's giant shoulder with her hand.

"Good morning," Equinox told Saphira. She nodded her head and smiled. "How are you today?" Suddenly, Saphira's face paled, forcing the elf to cover her mouth and sprint towards the bathroom. Equinox could hear several loud coughs from her mother, but they subsided after a few moments. Eragon shot his head up and quickly morphed into human form to chase after his wife.

"Are you okay?" he called to her. He turned the corner to see Saphira vomiting in the bathtub.

"I am sorry," she muttered. "I did not know where it would go!" Eragon quickly grabbed a towel and soaked it in cool water. He lifted Saphira up to wipe her mouth clean.

"It is okay, darling," Eragon said with a gentle laugh. "Welcome to the first few weeks of pregnancy."

"I do not like it," Saphira spat out. "The only time I retched was in dragon form after eating one of those rice cakes Orik fed me after the Burning Plains." Eragon sighed and picked her up to her feet. "I am sorry for bringing him up."

"Do not be sorry," Eragon comforted. "Orik was a prideful fighter; death took him honorably." She sat down on the toilet seat and turned to face her vomit, which Eragon quickly washed down the drain with fresh water from the faucet.

"It just came too quickly. If I had an hour's notice like in dragon form, I could have just disposed of it outside."

"Forget about this," Eragon said kindly. "Whatever happens between now and birth, I will clean up willingly." Saphira smiled again and rested her hands on her partilly swollen belly.

"I have thought of a name."

"Really? A man or woman's?"
"I know it will be a male…because I asked for one."

"Well tell me!" Saphira turned her eyes away in thought and brought them back to Eragon's.

"Eiden?"

"Eiden Shadeslayer," Eragon repeated in thought. "I do not know…?"

"Neither do I. Does it not sound rather evil?"

"It does for some strange reason, even though it fits. What about Bowen?"

"Roran?"

"No, Bowen!" Saphira lifted her head up. "It means 'sky warrior' in the ancient language."

"I have never heard that word before…?"

"Oromis told me it," Eragon informed. "It sounds more joyful than Eiden, don't you think?"

"I do like the sound of Eiden, Eragon," Saphira protested. "It sounds…powerful."

"That is my concern. I do not want our children to be forced to live lives like we did by their names."

"Good point." Eragon placed his hand on Saphira's belly and gently massaged it. "Bowen would fit better."

"If we decide so, our next child will bear the name Eiden."

"Very well!" Saphira said with excitement. She turned to see Lunalese outside licking the outer shell of her new egg. "Eragon, we are grandparents."

"Isn't it incredible," Draken suddenly said outside. "Draecion, Lord of the dragons!" Since it was now morning, everyone could get a pure look at the stone Luna had laid. The casing was a light brown color with gold spider webbed from the top of the shell all the way down to the bottom. There was also a slight orange tint along the sides, but the brown color overpowered it. "He is beautiful."

"Did it hurt?" Eragon asked. Lunalese shook her head.

It was uncomfortable, she explained, but it was not too bad. Eragon turned to see Saphira cock her head in an odd look.

"Why was I cursed with the pain?"

Remember what the dragons said? Eragon told her mentally. You have been cursed with feeling the pain of both styles of labor.

"Oh joy," she said sarcastically. "Gods, I miss being a complete dragon…but only for that reason."

How bad did it hurt you, Saphira?

Imagine urinating a boulder and multiply it. Lunalese cocked her head and turned to the stone.

Well that is the size of a boulder and it didn't hurt.

"Shut up."

Warning to all of you: On my next chapter, I am going to shoot ahead a few years, after Draecion's hatching and WAY after Bowen's birth. Not sure of the timespan, but it will get interesting. Stay with me!

PEACE!