Author's Note: During a very long taxi-ride from a certain airport to a certain place I like to call Purgatory Academy, I was death-bored and decided to come up with a list of 'songs' for the couples in my stories. Really, a rather pointless venture, in truth, but let me tell you, when you're bored, it was actually pretty fun. Each couple had a different song per story, because their relationships changed over the series. (This is mostly for the few people I've done some PMing with and all…more about me than about the story. If this bothers you, skip down to the chapter.)

For Daughter of Earth and Sky:

Rune/Súndavar – "Hold My Hand" – by New Found Glory (A typical 'I have a crush on you' boy-band song. I just think they're too cute in this story for a deep, meaningful song. They're still like little kids.)

Eragon/Rune – "Hero, Heroine" – by Boys Like Girls (Again, one of those cute little songs about the guy drooling over the girl. I also thought this one fit because of the whole "I feel like a hero, and you are my heroine" thing…you know. Because they are.)

Murtagh/Rune – "My Heart Will Go On" – by…Celine Dion?? Anyways, it's on the Titanic soundtrack. (Just a really pretty song I liked and thought the part 'near, far, wherever you are, you're here in my heart and my heart will go on' kinda fit them.)

For Son of Wrath and Fire:

Rune/Súndavar – "Where Will You Go?" – by Evanescence (Beautiful song…I cried the first time I heard it, for no apparent reason. I just think the lyrics fit them, what with the Sun/cutting/selfhate and Rune/comforting thing going on between them in this story)

Eragon/Rune – "Bring Me To Life" – by Evanescence (Pretty self explanatory. She's sleeping…he wakes her up. Yah. Another good song, though.)

Vanir/Shay – "Hate (I Really Don't Like You)" – by Plain White T's (I don't know about this one. I was trying to find one where the guy was trying to convince himself he didn't like the girl, but this is the best my challenged mind could come up with. Plus I really, really like this song.)

For Child of Trust and Betrayal:

Rune/Súndavar – "All The Way" – by Busted (One of those 'make up your mind' stories, where the girl is all unsure and the guy wants to go at it. It's just so them. I wanted to find a darker song, for what happens later in the story, but that would give the story away, so I didn't.)

Eragon/Rune – "Dance Inside" – by The All American Rejects (Cute song. Mostly from what they did/didn't do in the chapter "So Easy". I just thought it sorta fit, because it's sorta about…special stuff, sorta about music, and sorta about love.)

Vanir/Shay – "Far Away" – by Nickleback (Again, self explanatory. Just listen to the lyrics with this couple in mind and you'll see the connection. Actually…a reviewer gave me the idea for this one…who was it? Raise your hand.)

Súndavar/Taten – "Dirty Little Secret" – The All American Rejects (I couldn't resist on this one. Nothing more to be said.)

Okay, enough pointless ranting. Onto the point. Oh, by the way, please don't flame me for this. Hearts, Kittie.

Slate's eyes were wide, staring in wonder. Matrix watched him. The giant chamber glowed with blue light. Bits of light, like little fairies, floated around in the air, no heavier than a feather. Saphira sniffed at one and sneezed.

The chamber echoed with cries of the lost. Laughter, screams, tears…all swirled and twisted into a single life-song. The chamber echoed with memories and dreams, half-heard mutterings that were there for a moment, then gone for an eternity before surfacing again.

Slate ran a claw along the wall. Brilliant pictures were carved in the walls, images telling the tales of dragons gone past. Wind and Fire were portrayed as celestial beings, holding each other tenderly as the first dragon egg slipped into the world from their union. Fire glowed on the walls as an almost living thing. Each picture had been carved painstakingly by dragon claws, images of the great race's past.

Both young dragons were at a loss for words. Glaedr had taught them about their race, but…never like this. He had told them of the blood and fear of the times before the Blood Oath. Never the beauty, the love…

Saphira turned to the source of the blue light that illuminated the chamber. A crystal, towering ove the head of even Matrix. It glittered with light and luminescence, swirling as if a mist has held behind it's surface.

The rock at Kuthian, the young dragon breathed.

Matrix snorted. A crude term, she said. Draclings, this is our beginning. This is the Motherstone.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Tears?"

Súndavar looked up from where he laid, curled into a ball on the alley ground. The figure above was tall, clad in a black cloak. Two wine-colored eyes stared down at him.

"Come, Shadow. Men don't cry. Get to your feet."

Súndavar backed away in fright. He blinked quietly at the man, his fire-eyes twisting. One glimpse of those spinning orbs would send most people screaming about a demon. But the man only smiled, holding out a hand.

"Take it, Shadow," he urged. "I won't hurt you."

Súndavar reached for his hand, then drew away. "Who are you?"

"Someone who knows you, Shadow. Someone who understands what you're going through and wants you to succeed."

The hand didn't waver, as Súndavar stared into the two eyes above him. After moments that dragged into hours, he placed his own hand in the weathered one offered to him.

The man smiled wider, and pulled him to his feet. "Stand back, Shadow," he said. "Let me look at you."

Súndavar was too confused to protest as the hooded man circled him, muttering. Súndavar couldn't catch the words, but an occasional 'strong', or 'not a kid anymore' slipped to him as he watched the man warily.

The man hugged him. Súndavar stiffened, and the man laughed.

"I suppose you aren't used to hugs, are you?"

"…Rune hugged me. But not often. Who are you?"

"Rune. She is the one with the copper hair?" the man asked. His hood remained up.

"…Yes. How do you know her? If you've hurt her, I swear upon the blood of my father that—"

The man laughed harder, not a mocking laugh, but a relieved one. "I'm afraid my blood isn't up for swearing upon. Not yet, anyway," he said. He removed his hood. "My name is Ieran. I believe we know each other."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Rune peered around the door to the barn. She gave a stifled cry of joy. "Eridor!"

Beyond the barn, in a small, round pen, her horse ran in dizzying circles. Around and around he went. Every once in a while he would rear and scream at the sky. Tawnyclaw's talons tightened on Rune's shoulder.

The horse saw her and whinnied. Eragon tried to catch Rune's arm, but she slipped away and ran to her mount.

"Beauty," she whispered to him.

"He is a beauty, isn't he?" asked a voice. Rune spun, coming face to face with a man garbed in workman's clothes and wearing a grin. "I bought him a while ago from some slave dealers. Him and a couple other horses." He plucked a piece of straw from Eridor's feed bucket and chewed on it. "Too bad he can't be ridden. He's wild as the wind, lassie."

As if to prove his point, Eridor let out an angry whinny and threw himself against the fence to get to his maiden.

Eragon and Vanir joined Rune at the pen. Vanir stared at the horse for a moment, then at the man.

"How much for him?" Eragon asked.

The man laughed. "Lad, the horse can't be ridden. I've tried breeding it with my mares, and it refuses. It's worthless, in all respects."

"Then why keep it?" Vanir pointed out.

The man scratched the back of his neck nervously. "…He's got a wild spirit. 'Shame to kill something like that. I had hoped to race him, when I bought him, but he won't let anyone near him."

Rune bit her lip. "I'll buy him from you," she offered. "Name a price."

"If you're looking for a horse, I've others that are suitable for a lass like yourself," the man said with a shake of his head. "I can't sell a horse that will kill you, just getting on him. Give me a bad name."

"I'll bet anything he'll let me ride him," she insisted.

The man sighed. "Lass…"

"No, it's okay," Eragon excused. "Let it go, doll."

Rune narrowed her eyes at being called doll. Tawnyclaw tried to scratch at Eragon with one talon, but his other was latched securely to Rune's shoulder, and he lost his balance. After righting himself with several wing-beats in Rune's face, he screeched.

"I'll race him for you," Rune said finally. "If I win, I get the horse. You'll get the proceeds. If I lose, you're no worse off."

The man shook his head. "Where are you all from, anyways? I've not seen you around the city."

"We're travelers," Eragon explained. "We'll be in the city for a few days, looking for some friends."

The man sighed. "I'm going against my better judgment, but if you want to race the horse," he said to Rune, "I'll not stop you. My own children have moved on. If you want to, you can stay here for a few days, until the race, while you're searching for your friends." He held up a finger. "But if you come to harm, I'll not be held responsible. And if you win – which I daresay is impossible, on a horse like that – the horse is yours. But the proceeds are mine. I've a helluva bill run up. If I didn't need the money, I wouldn't agree to it."

Rune nodded eagerly, and met Eridor's eyes.

We'll win.

"Ric!"

The man – Ric, apparently – turned to the sound of the voice. A thin, pale girl was running towards him, her pale hair streaming behind her like ribbon in the wind. She reached him, saw the quests, and curtsied daintily, before turning back to the man. "Martha says to tell you she's beginning supper."

He nodded. "Lenori, these are—"

"Dove," said Rune.

"Hunter," said Vanir.

"Eric. We're travelers," said Eragon.

Lenori smiled at them, but looked a tiny bit frightful of their sudden appearance.

"Tell Martha they'll be staying with us for a few days."

"Yes, Ric," Lenori said, darting off.

He watched her leave, then turned back to his guests. "We only have one extra room," he stated.

Rune smiled. "It's better than sleeping outside."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Rune felt the moonlight on her skin as she stood by Eridor's pen. The horse was still running in circles.

"You remember me, right?"

Eridor whinnied lovingly, arching his neck. Look how dashing I am, he seemed to say.

"Thou dragonheart," she giggled. "We'll win, won't we? And you'll be mine again."

"Again?" came whisper.

Rune gasped and turned. Lenori stood in the moonlight, looking like a ghost.

"You startled me!" Rune cried.

Lenori drew away. "I…I'm sorry." She looked about to cry.

"No, it's…it's okay," Rune soothed. "I'm fine. Stand with me."

Lenori moved to lean against the fence with Rune. She looked very pale in the moonlight, almost sickly.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?" she asked.

Rune nodded. "More than you know."

Lenori smiled softly. "Ric bought him for me."

"Your father?"

"Ric isn't my father. I'm adopted," Lenori explained. She smiled softly. "I have…possessions."

"What?"

Lenori sighed tiredly. "Sometimes my body is seized by a force I can't describe. My father thought it was the spirits of Helgrind, and wanted me to prophesy for him. But I couldn't. I don't think it's spirits, I think I'm just sick. My true father…he didn't like that. My mother died, and Martha was my wet nurse."

"Who is your father?" Rune blurted. Then she blushed. "Sorry. I shouldn't ask. I barely know you."

Lenori shrugged. "It doesn't matter," she said softly. "My last name is Tabor, if that means anything to you."

Rune paled.

"I suppose he has lovers my age, now."

Rune touched Lenori's shoulder. "How about we go inside?" she asked. "It's cold."

Lenori nodded. "Very well, Dove."

Rune led the way inside. "Oh, by the way?"

"Yes?"

"My name is Rune."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Slate touched his nose to the Motherstone and felt a shock go through him, down to the tip of his tail.

What is it? He asked in wonder.

Matrix grinned. She is Hope, dracling. She is where our life goes when we have lived it.

Saphira stared at the Motherstone, her heart beating wildly. Beneath the crystal surface, lights glowed and pulsed and twisted. Life-light.

Is this where dead people go? Slate asked suddenly.

Matrix laughed. No. This is…this is everything, Slate. It is the beginning. When each of us dies, our soul is snuffed out. But our…essence…the love and hate and memories that made us who we were…that is what you see before you. With each memory that is added to Hope, and hence to the Motherstone, it grows stronger.

Do the elves know of this? Saphira asked.

Perhaps. I know not, Matrix said with a shrug. None can come here, and no dragon who does will tell the tale. So I assume they know nothing of this place.

Saphira breathed in the atmosphere. It was beautiful, here. A deep sense of agelessness settled over her. The life-song that the chamber sung rang in her ears and in her heart, and she began to hum along with the tune.

The Well of Souls, she sang. I have reached the Well of Souls.