Author's Note: Oooooo…new Sunsun/Rune song: "Faint" by Linkin (Lincoln??) Park. Sorry, had to say that. Ignore my randomness. We are strange sometimes. Hearts, Kittie the Strange

"I hate you."

Ieran looked at Súndavar with nothing but love in his eyes. "That's fine. I would hate me too."

Súndavar mounted the horse Ieran had bought for him, sliding into the black leather saddle and staring at the man who had caused his birth. Ieran glanced at him, then mounted his own horse.

"So."

"If you expect a civil conversation with me, you're going to be disappointed," Súndavar said huffily.

Ieran smiled and shrugged, letting his son call the shots.

"I don't even know why you're here," Súndavar continued. "You don't actually think I would be happy to see you, or something?"

"No. But you need me."

"I don't need you," Súndavar growled. "I've made it without you since I was little. You were supposed to be dead."

"Oh? What have you been doing, all this time?"

"I've been making it out, no thanks to you."

Ieran raised an eyebrow with a smile. "I couldn't help you. I was supposed to be dead, remember?"

Súndavar tried to cross his arms over his chest, but got tangled in his horse's reigns. He untied himself quickly and snorted, trying to preserve whatever dignity he had left.

"So you've been making it out alright, then," Ieran repeated. "I suppose that makes since. You always had good instincts."

Súndavar flicked his hair over his shoulder haughtily. His mind was bursting with questions, but his pride wouldn't allow him to ask any of them.

"So your name is Ieran," he said finally. "Doesn't that mean 'demon' or something?"

Ieran laughed. "You've been studying."

"I have," Súndavar said snottily. "So you got cursed with a terrible name so you gave me one?"

"What's wrong with Shadow?"

"What's not wrong about it?" Súndavar cried.

Ieran looked at him and shrugged. "Don't look at me like that."

"Don't tell me what I can't do."

"Very well. If you're wondering about your name, I gave it to you because it's what you were."

"What?"

"You were a Shadow, Súndavar. I couldn't get away from you. You haunted me. Your face was in my mind every moment." Ieran looked at his son. "You weren't supposed to exist. No offence, but it would have made my life easier."

"Then why marry my mother in the first place?"

"We weren't married. I barely knew her." From the shame on Ieran's face, Súndavar knew he had hit a spot.

"Oh." The Rider-Shade bit his lip, cocking his head. He reached out to his father for a moment, then thought better of it. He inspected his father quietly. Ieran was young—early thirties, probably—with a handsome face and maroon eyes. His hair was red—Shade's hair—and his features were not at all unlike Súndavar's own. The same stubborn jaw, eyebrows that looked like they frowned too much, and pale skin.

"You must be sixteen by now," Ieran said after a long silence.

"Just. What about you?"

"Thirty. I'll be thirty-one in a few months."

Súndavar paused. "But that would make you—"

"Fourteen, at your conception, yes. I was fifteen when you were born."

Súndavar scratched the back of his neck nervously. "And I thought I had it bad for Rune…"

"You and Rune are lovers?"

"Well…not…yet…" Súndavar admitted. "She's stubborn."

Ieran laughed. "That's good. Don't rush women. I did, and I paid."

"Paid with me, you mean."

Ieran looked at him, then smiled. "I suppose."

There was a moment of silence. "Hey, Ieran?"

"Yes?"

"What…what about my mother? Who was she?"

"A prisoner of his Highness," Ieran said. "An elf girl."

"Oh. What was her name?"

"Freya. She was…probably about thirty years older than me."

Súndavar paled. "Uh…eww."

Ieran laughed, and Súndavar laughed with him.

"Rune is younger than me," Súndavar said. "She's probably about the worst sweetheart you'd ever meet. But I love her."

"I knew her Highness when she was little," Ieran said. "She was always stubborn. She pulled Durza's hair when he refused to make her a birthday cake."

Súndavar laughed, envisioning a four year old version of Rune being bold enough to pull a Shade's hair.

"What did he do?" Súndavar asked.

"He yelled at her. She yelled louder."

Súndavar grinned. "I would say 'That's my girl', but if she heard me I'd be dead before I could screw her. And that'd be no fun at all."

Ieran smiled back, but then his eyes grew serious. "Súndavar…your hair."

"What?" Súndavar ran his fingers through his midnight hair.

Ieran rode up next to him and reached out. He plucked a hair from Súndavar's head and held it out.

Súndavar's eyes widened. "…Did…did you always have red hair?"

"No," Ieran said. "I had black. Like you."

The hair's roots were the color of blood that looked almost like ink. Súndavar stared at it in horror.

"What's happening to me?"

Ieran blinked very slowly. "I'm not sure," he said quietly. "But I think I know where we can find out."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"You've found your father!"

The same white room, the same light filtering in from arched windows. The familiar white eyes and blonde curls.

Súndavar wanted to hug her. "Lex!"

She smiled sweetly. "Well, you remember my name. It's good to see you too."

He grinned. "You've been watching me?"

"Of course."

"Lex? Are you really dead?"

She shrugged. "Hope never dies, Sún."

He rolled his eyes. "That doesn't answer my question," he said, but he let it go. "You seem…better."

She shrugged. "What is that supposed to mean? Dead is dead."

"But Hope never dies," he shot back at her.

She smiled.

"So…will I come here every night, now?" he asked. "Will I dream of you constantly?"

"It matters," Lexi said. "I don't actually know. Like I said, I'm a memory."

"But you seem…real."

"If I'm real to you, then I'll never fade entirely, will I?" She asked. "Maybe if you believe in me enough you'll be able to touch me."

He reached out. His hand passed through her chest, but his arm tingled. She laughed. "Stop! That tickles. Plus you shouldn't stick your hand there."

He pulled away quickly and they both laughed.

Lexia moved to peer out the window. "Ike!" she cried. "It's morning. Good light, Súndavar. I'll see you soon."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Let's go riding, beauty."

Eridor watched Rune, then bucked and screamed to the sky. His hooves clashed at the air like he was trying to beat the life from it.

Rune's eyes widened and she jumped away, stumbling and falling into his water trough.

Eragon laughed as Rune scampered out of the water, her skirt dripping.

She scowled at him, pulling off her dress and throwing it at him. He dodged the wet fabric, before staring at her in her boy's breeches and tight under-shirt that left nothing to his imagination.

She folded her arms over her chest angrily. She turned back to Eridor. The horse was prancing in angry circles.

"What do you suppose is wrong with—" Rune began, before realizing Eragon was staring at her chest. She stuck out her tongue at him. "Stop gawking. It isn't as if you haven't seen them before."

Eragon shrugged, and Rune muttered something about 'boys' and 'the only thing they think about', before turning to watch her angry horse.

Eragon stepped towards her and slipped his arm around her bare shoulders. She looked at him for a moment. Their eyes caught.

"Eragon…I ca—"

He kissed her on the lips. She felt his tongue in her mouth.

"Oh! Uhm, excuse me…"

Rune gasped and turned. Lenori stood there, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"I didn't mean to…interrupt…uhm, anything."

Rune shoved Eragon in the chest. "Actually, Lenori?" she glared at her Rider lover. "I'm glad you did."

Lenori chewed nervously on her lip. "Martha…uhm…told me to ask you what you'd like for dinner…"

Rune smiled. "Let's help her with it, Lenori. I've always wanted to learn to cook."

Lenori nodded quietly and turned on her heels. Rune followed.

Eragon stood there, feeling like an idiot.

What did I do?

Author's Note: Eck. Sorry it's short, but I must be off and won't be able to update any time but now over the weekend. So I'll end it here. More on Matrix and the Draclings in the next chap. And Shay. I forgot about her for a second there… Hearts, Kittie