Disclaimer - The characters do not belong to me; however, the scenario does. Credit to where credit is due.

Notes - This is my first ever fanfic, and as of such, it has not been betaed. If there are any mistakes, please point them out. I tried to stay as true to the book as possible. This chapter was a long time in coming again. A confession to make; I don't actually have a full plot set out for this story, so I'm just going with it. Thank you all for reviewing, those who did, and those who added me to whatever list. It really means a lot, and gives me that incentive to carry on going. Translations at the bottom.


Eragon cupped water from the lake, splashing it onto his face. He relished the cold, blinking a few times until he felt wide awake enough to deal with that day. Crouching down at the side of the pool, he contemplated scrying Roran, but decided that nothing much could have happened in a week. Besides, he had bigger things to worry about.

He glanced at Saphira, straightening himself and nodding.

We should go tell them now.

They had decided that the pair could not stay in the hall with the hatchlings, but they could make camp a little away. If they wanted to attack, it didn't really matter where they were, after all. The hall had wards though, and despite their mischievousness, the little dragons did listen on occasion. Eragon laid a hand on the pommel of his sword, clambering gracefully onto Saphira's back. They flew more leisurely this time, not having to worry about just who had breached their safe ground.

Eragon saw Murtagh and Thorn before they could land, and was fairly surprised when the crimson dragon leapt into the air to join them. Saphira hovered, powerful wings beating against a warm current of air, waiting for the younger to climb to her height.

"Have you and your companions reached a decision, dear brother?" Murtagh called out, not presuming to use their thoughts.

"We have. How are you so sure that it is a positive one? It seems almost as if you expected us to say yes, considering you flying beside us." Eragon raised an eyebrow.

Murtagh laughed at that, motioning towards the pass that they had travelled over. "Much quicker to leave if things turned sour, that is all. Does that mean that we may stay?" A hesitant look was directed at Eragon, before Murtagh schooled his features back into a blank slate.

"You are to keep your camp at least a league from the hall at all times. You may only see the hatchlings when accompanied by Saphira and I; not any of the elves, just the pair of us. Hunt your own food, and drink from the lake that spans almost the whole valley," he said clearly. "Do you accept these terms?"

For a few seconds, there was silence, until Murtagh nodded.

"We do."

"One other thing, however. Both of you must open your mind to me, so I can see if any treachery is afoot," Eragon announced, almost stiffly. He had done such a thing before, but he didn't enjoy it. It was a personal place, one's mind, and he was loathe to delve into that sanctuary.

Murtagh chuckled, flashing an almost relaxed grin at Eragon. "Any treachery is afoot? Brother, I would not dare come into such a place if it was. You know as well as I do, that while I could beat you alone, the Eldunarís' combined strength would be more than enough to drop me dead on the spot. But I will allow you to check." Thorn flew back to land, tail lashing and sending a boulder rolling away from his bulk. Eragon fought the urge to roll his eyes at the comment.

He has grown since we last saw him, Eragon.

At least this time it's natural.

Saphira landed a few dozen feet away, lowering herself as Eragon slid off and approached the other two. Murtagh did the same, tilting his head upwards a little.

"Hurry, and get it over with," he grumbled, fingers gripping onto his own belt tightly. Eragon nodded, moving and placing two fingers on his half-brother's forehead. It wasn't necessary, but it felt right.

He encountered an iron wall of resistance as he tried to enter the mind, until it was relaxed.

Force of habit.

Murtagh's words were cool to hear. Eragon's defences were firmly in place, but within Murtagh's head, it was a simple matter to hear him, even if he couldn't respond. He was determined to get this over with as soon as possible. Pushing further, feeling something almost like cold sensation surrounding him, he methodically searched through recent memories. It was more like a breeze, or a gust of Saphira's wings, than anything dangerous. He did his best not to look more than needed, but things still came out at him.

He saw what could have been only a relation of the fanghur attacking Thorn after emerging from the dirt, felt Murtagh's pain and pure terror as he desperately tried to heal his bond-mate's huge gash in his underbelly, and wept mental tears as a silent vigil was kept throughout the night. Eragon shifted from place to place, waiting for any walls to come down, and by the end he was slightly trembling. Taking a step back, he broke the mental connection, a hand laying upon Saphira's foreleg.

"What was that thing?" he asked, eyes straying to the jagged scar that was just visible on Thorn's side.

"We only have a little idea. After we slayed it, it decomposed within a few hours. We think it was a saurrdýr, and made sure to stay many, many leagues away from where it attacked," Murtagh explained, subconsciously placing a hand on Thorn's side, brushing across the scales.

It will take a lot more than an oversized worm to kill me, Thorn boomed out, though his head did twist round to lightly nudge Murtagh with his snout. Eragon shifted from one leg to another.

"Your mind is clean, Murtagh. You may stay in the valley with us, provided that you behave," he grinned, relaxing a little for the first time since the pair had arrived. He hadn't wanted to break his word, and while he knew that none of his other companions were happy with it, he was almost looking forward to having another Rider in the valley.

It might take years for any of the eggs he had left with Arya to hatch for someone. It could be an urgal or a dwarf, or an elf. Eragon didn't regret adding the two other races to the pact with the dragons, but he knew that it might cause some communication issues. Besides, he and Murtagh had shared quite a few months in each other's company, even if it wasn't all good. He felt like the other's dry wit would be a welcome relief from the flowery words of the elves in the coming years.

Murtagh lazily swung himself back onto Thorn. "We will choose a place to set up a home. You don't have to worry about your hatchlings, though we would like to meet them when there is chance. Thorn wasn't small for long." There was a dark tone in his last words, but Eragon nodded his head in understanding, flying back to the hall with Saphira.

He didn't mistrust Murtagh; however, just as Glaedr had said, he let the pair fly in front and to the side of them, loathe to turn his back on a potential enemy.

When do you think they can meet the younglings, little one?

I don't think the elves will let them anywhere near for a good few weeks, no matter what I say. They will have to be patient. There will be many other dragons born here in the coming years. The chances to see them grow from newly shelled to your size will be many.

Saphira snorted lightly, though she didn't speak her thoughts straight away to her Rider. He tapped his knuckles on one of the spines on the ridge of her back.

What is so amusing?

They may become the size I am now, but by then I will be even bigger. None of them will match the brilliance of my scales,she preened, touching down besides the hall. They had left the other two about a league and a half back, though Thorn was slightly visible even from this distance. Eragon chuckled, sliding down from her.

You will always be the most beautiful dragon in my eyes, Saphira. None can compare. He placed his forehead on the side of her throat, a hand resting in a dip.

I wonder what my one shall look like, she mused absently, curling her wings up by her sides. Whether more like it's father, or it's mother.

We shall know soon enough, Eragon assured, placing his pack just inside the hall. He was just walking out when he was pounced upon, bowled over to the ground by the purple hatchling and the two greys. Saphira let out a booming laugh.

Defeated by three hatchlings!

Eragon just grinned.


Translations

saurrdýr - mudbeast