Fear. Fear as Saphira had never felt. Hours had past since the episodes with the Kull and she still felt fear. Brom sat beside her as she curled

around him, protective as a mother. The medics wanted to tend to her first but she had insisted they tend to Brom first. Now she was affraid, for

Vrael stood before her. His massive dragon stood behind him, starring at her with eyes that said," Why? Why did you let him attack them? This

could of been completely avvoided. Think next time." Then he lowered his head and breathed on her. She was immediately calmed, something about

him made her calm. He said," Calm down, little one. They are dead and you are safe. There is no need for you to be trembling as you are." She

replied,"Because of me and my stupidity my Rider is near death. Is that reason to be calm?" The dragon's whose name she did not know eyes bulged

as her showed her a memory.

-Memory-

Fifty. There were fifty of these turncoats. His mentor was gone and he was alone with his Rider and these turncoat dragons. They had not meant to do

this. They were forced into it. By that man. He yelled," Traitors! If you think to beat me you are far from right. I was fully grown far after you were born!

If you are so confident then, COME!" They flew at him in a group, flying as one. He growled and opened his maw and breathed on them the flame of his

lungs. He scorched five of them, jumpging he spun around and hit at them with his tail. It didn't work, they dodged and then engulfed him. Pain in his

wings. They were shreding his wings with there claws. Then then he heard his partener of body and soul cast a spell. The turncoats were lifted off him

and he jumped onto his feet. Vrael stood with his sword drawn looking at them as they hovered in air. Then he hurrled them thirty feet away, the strain

evedent on his face. He growled as Vrael healed him, then he jumped to avvenge his hurts. They would pay for that, then something hit his back. He

was thrown half accross the valley. Then he looked back to see a dragon inches from his Rider. He had seconds until the dragon killed Vrael. He jumped

with all his strength, and landed in front of the dragon. Vrael was thrown back from the shock of the hit. Piercing pain. It had hurt little at first then it

was getting worse until it felt as if they had hit his Eldunari. He fell to his side and tried to inhale so he could breath fire. He had lost all the air in his

lungs. He was losing consiousness, the last thing was," Vrael... I'm sorry." He woke up on the ground to find the dragons standing in front of a

gargantuan dragon. It was Anurin's dragon, Kelvestia. His mentor and comanion had come o save him. The dragons were looking at him, not sure what

to do next. Anurin raised his arm and yelled," Wait, do not attack us, we mean you no harm. The man who inprisoned you has no more power. You are

free." That was the last thing he heard when he again lost conciousness.

He said,"As you can see we all make mistakes. Even Vraeil and I, in our youth made hundreds of these slips. So rest easy, Brom is okay. Thanks to

you." It comforted her to know that if not for her Brom would be dead. Then she fell asleep, embracing Brom mind and body.

-Brom-

He looked at the ceiling with a look of sickness. He had not been strong enough. He had boasted and he had failed. And now the Grond Festival

was being held back for him to recover. But that didn't matter because he had almost got Saphira killed. Killed. She would be gone for good,

never to return. He would be alone. His eyes began to water as he remembered how evil the Kull were. They were killing her and laughing about

it. They found joy in others pain, and liked to cause it. Then he looked over and saw Saphira lying on her chest. He reached with his mind and

touched hers. She woke with a start and growled weakly. Then she looked at him, saying," Hello Brom. I am sorry for what happened yesterday. It

was not your fault." He looked at her and said," Of course it was my fault. I was to weak! I almost got you killed." Saphira was stunned that he

thought so, it was not as if she was on the ground bleeding to death. She said more things to calm Brom down, and eventually it worked. He lay

down and began sleeping again. Unfortunately Saphira had wanted to bathe in the ocean, but she was not about to leave her rider alone in

order to get clean. She would gladly wait a hundred years without a bath if it meant she could help Brom. Vrale had left and hour ago but now

he had returned. He said in his rich accent," Is he better yet. I can not delay the Grand Festival much longer." She said within the confines of her

mind," I don't know if he wants to go to the Grand Festival anymore." Vrael sighed," It does not surprise me. Unfortuantely every Rider must be

present." She looked at him as if saying," I said he doesn't want to if you know what's good for you, you will leave immediately." She did not say this

of course, it would be disrespectful. Vrael looked at Brom, saying," Brom, how are you?" He didn't answer at once but finally," It wasn't always

like this. There was a time when all I cared about was her... but now." Vrael looked at him with curiosity. Saphira just shook her head. Then

Brom began speaking again," Then that night. They came and slaugtered the whole town." Then he looked at Vrael and yelled," Why! Why was I

singled out? Huh!? Why was I left to live with this misery? I have lived alone with this for two years!" Vrael said as calmly as ever," I understand

Brom." Brom's hair stood on end with anger, giving him a rather wild apperence." How in the world could you possibly understand!? Your the

head Rider, everyone respects you! I have to live with the knowledge that he is out there, searching for me! My whole life has been lived with

agony of the knowing that I have no one! My family kicked me out! I was living on my own for years when I found Saphira. The solitude drove me

nearly mad! How could you understand! How could you understand my pain!?!" Then he seemed to realize Saphira for the first time, for he said,"

Then you hatched. You brougt me back to sanity. You were the first being that truely cared for me. You never left my side..." Brom seemed to be

in pain," I have tried so hard to make my family love me, but Saphira gave of her own accord." Vrael walked over to him and said," Such is the

nature of the Riders bond with Dragons. Never let her die Brom, for without her your life is less than worthless to you." Then he left and Brom

looked at Saphira, tears streaming on his face. He said outloud," Why do you love me so much?" With her mind she said,"What is not to love? All

but her and your mother hated you, yet you loved everyone. Your father was cruel but you always forgave him. In my egg all I wanted was a Rider who

wanted only the good of others. You are that person Brom, you care not for yourself but for others. Rest easy and know that I will never stop loving

you." Tears still in his eyes he fell asleep, comfortable with Saphira.

Hours later he woke and got dressed. Forgetting the past night except for her, his mother, and Saphira. He woke Saphira slowly and told her

that they needed to get going. She got up and stretched, almost chipping the wall on the other side of the room. Then Brom climbed onto her

back and again set out for the Grand Festival. It took them about ten minutes to reach the clearing, in which time Brom and Saphira exchanged

apologies for recent avents. Then they were at the clearing, and Brom couldn't hated it more if he wished. All he wanted to do was fly, with

Saphira, to see his family, his mother, and her. Then all was lost in an enormous fireball cast by Vrael to get everyone's attention. It of course

worked and everyon looked up at him. He said," Now that everyone is her, let us delay no furthur. Atra thornessa frysta. Let this begin." Ans all

was cheering as the Riders and all ran to the center were the tapistries hung. Brom began running with them but almost triped, a strong arm

caught him. He looked to stare into the cold eyes of Morzan. Morzan just let him go and ran past him without actually showing intrest in him.

Brom ran after him, being more careful now. In the crowd he saw Lindra, the elf whom had saved him and Saphira. He considered going over to

her but decided better of it. They were now under the canopy of tapistries and the festivities began. Fires, lights, music, flashing colors,

everything was blurry to Brom. Nothing seemed solid anymore, except for the canopy itself. He consumed a drink that he didn't know what was.

One thing he was certain of after that drink was that an elf by the name of Fintharu was his best friend ever. They sat in an alcove and he said,"

H-hey man, man, you-you know somethin'." At first he sat there as if it were a trick question, then said," I-I-I think I love you man." Brom

thought about that for a moment then remembered that Fintharu had consumed at least four times as much as he had. He said," N-no man I-I

think I-I-I'm I'm drunk. Drunk. I am drunk." He replied," N-no man no. That w-was not s-supossssed to be alcobolic." Brom looked at him and that

convinced him, he had never heard an elf mispronounce something. Also he was beginning to wonder if he was gay. So Brom got up and left,

rude as it was Fintharu might as well be dead for how drunk he was. Then something changed, as if someone had prematurly destroyed a

tapistry and the light fell only on him. And a woman in the far corner of the Festival, sitting alone. Alone, just as he was. Alnoe and with no one

to talk to. He decided then and there to go and talk to this woman, no matter what she would think. He walked over in surprisingly a balanced

manner, considering how much alcohol he had consumed. He stopped beside her and touched her shoulder, she spun around and looked at him.

Something about her seemed somewhat familiar, like a half forgotten song. Then it came to him, bursting with it's own brilliance. He yelled,"

Silthari, w-what are you doing here?" Her look transformed from cold suspision to love in all it's abundance. She jumped up and immediately

embraced him, as he did her. She said," Brom, oh how I have missed you." He could not believe that Silthari was here. Silthari the love of his

youth.