Sorry about the late update. I am in my last semester for my associates degree so classes have been a little hectic. I will try to get another chapter out this weekend (fingers crossed). I can promise that I will finish my story it wont drop off and leave you hanging.

As they were returning back to Horst's house after Arya's two victories, they were pelted with question about their sword fight.

"By learning you meant sword fighting" asked Roran

"Who was your masters?" asked Baldor

"Where did you get that sword?" asked Horst

"Who would train a girl? "Asked Albriech

Both Arya and Eragon turned to them with a look in their eyes …looking almost nervous. "Do you guys not remember our deal?" sighed an exhausted Eragon

"No more questions" said Horst "Come on lets go and eat Elaine had breakfast started when we came to find you."

At breakfast there was bacon, sausage, egg, bread and cheese. Once again Eragon and Arya received strange looks for the lack of meat on their plates but the questions had stemmed off.

"Do you wish to go for a hike in the Spine?" asked Eragon

"I would be delighted." Replied Arya

"I think Sapphira is lonely despite what she says."

"I agree."

Contacting Sapphira "Arya and I are coming into the Spine meet us at the falls?" hearing an affirmative he cut connection with her and nodded his head towards Arya.

As the silent conversation carried on between the couple everyone else at the table watched their interaction with a smiles and curiosity. Before long the couple stood from the table saying they were going for a walk both giving off the vibe that they didn't wish to be followed. As they climbed the trail into the Spine the small village continued as if they had never showed up.

Roran needing to clear his head after the last two days' worth of events decided to head out to the farm. As he showed all that was left was a square of ashes that used to be a barn, a meadow that had once been the field and a pile of wood that had been his home since his mother died. Emotions surged forth and little by little he let some of them go but he wasn't ready to let go of his anger towards his cousin fully.

Meanwhile, in Carvahall two cloaked figures arrived in the main square, they traveled asking about both Roran and Eragon to anyone and everyone. As Horst heard he sent Baldor to retrieve Roran and send him to the Spine to both hide and warn Eragon to stay out of town.

In the Spine, Sapphira had headed towards the couple for a flight only for her to catch the smell of the Raz'ac on the wind. Sending her warning to them they decided to stay in the Spine until they figured out what the beasts knew and their plans.

As Roran made his way up the Spine, Arya and Eragon used scrying spells to view the events in Carvahall. They saw the townsfolk being harassed by the soldiers looking for information about both Eragon and Roran. Eventually, Eragon scryed his cousin in order to accidently run across him. Following his memory to about a three miles away from where he seen his cousin hiking he ran across him and listened to his already known account of the village. As the party sat around the small fire they ate dinner falling asleep within minutes. Hours later they were awoke to the smell of smoke and made an attempt to get out of reach of the windblown suffocating shadow from the below. The next morning they were visited by Baldor.

"The Grain house was set afire last night by the soldiers."

"What?!" exclaimed the shocked refugees

"They are asking about you wanting to know about all of you and that stone from last year."

"Who was lost in the fire?" mourned Roran

"Thorson, Angleson and Parson"

"The soldiers are terrorizing the village for information about you two."

"What type of questions are they asking?" implied Arya

"Where's Roran? Have you heard from Eragon or Brom? And something about an elf?"

Tensing at the word elf Arya was relieved to know that the Raz'ac did not know that they had not left Du Welden varden or were in Surda.

However that relief would be short lived as events continued on.