Eragon laughed, turning to press his face against Saphira's warm foreleg. You know, every time I dare to think I know you, you end up surprising me. How did you cause that tremor?

I don't know, Saphira said wistfully. It's a good trick though; don't you think? She shifted her weight to her other side; then said, We have company.

Eragon straightened, and welcomed their visitors. "Hello Nasuada; Your Majesty." He bowed to each of them, and relayed Saphira's own greetings.

"That was masterful, a few minutes ago," King Orrin commended with a healthy pat on Eragon's shoulder. "It's a pity that Arya wasn't here to help, though."

"Oh, yes," Eragon replied stiffly. He'd forgotten for the moment that Arya had departed for Ellesmera only two days previously. She's probably leagues away by now. He'd been far too tired to scry her of late, and hoped she remained in good health.

"So, what do you think about the Lethrblaka?" Nasuada asked casually. Her direct gaze spoke of just how important the information was. Depending on how difficult the Lethrblaka were to defeat, it could affect the plans they made for rescuing Katrina, and, if he survived, Sloan.

"They're cunning, I'll give them that," Eragon answered gruffly. "Their mental armor is impressive, and kind of alien. It seems smooth and seamless, but stick like burrs, if that makes any sense. They are not to be underestimated, that's for sure."

Nasuada nodded curtly, and stepped closer. "Will you require any assistance in your upcoming mission?"

"I doubt that," Eragon said confidently. "They're tough, but not unmanageable." The words felt dry in his mouth, and he couldn't really say that he trusted them. Still, he didn't want any more people involved in the business than necessary.

"Enough of the serious talk, now," Orrin cut in. "I won't leave the courtyard in shambles for long, so we should either make way for the servants, or start tidying up. As it happens, I've come up with a new chemical that I'd like to try out on the debris. I'll go fetch it." With that, he left.

Nasuada shrugged, and bent to pick up a branch that fell during the skirmish. "He does have a point," she offered in explanation. "You are free to leave, if you want. I know that you must be exhausted after this afternoon, on top of preparing to depart for Dras Leona."

"No," Eragon declined, shaking his head. "This mess won't go anywhere if we don't all pitch in." He helped Nasuada lift the fallen limb, and carried it out. This is going to take a while, he mumbled to Saphira.

That may be true, but it's a nice change of pace, don't you think?

Eragon grinned. Aye, that it is.

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Roran was beginning to get a headache.

If it wasn't one thing, it was another, and he was tiring of the constant bickering and complaints that everyone brought before him. It wasn't that he disliked sorting out the problems that the people of Carvahall had, but they were so small and insignificant, at times! Yes, he may have had to do something more important at the time, but he helped Lynafell rescue her doll from the depths of a well. He needed rest, but that didn't stop him from traipsing through a field in pursuit of a runaway goat belonging to Jaerie. Not surprisingly, he hadn't refused aid to old Gertrude in moving a monstrous pot up to her quarters on the third floor.

In fact, that was why he was late to get out to the courtyard to battle the Lethrblaka, along with every other able-bodied man. He'd arrived after hearing shouts and cries coming from that direction. Gasping for air after rushing through the palace, and leaning against the doorframe for support, he'd watched Eragon slay the creature circling him and Saphira menacingly. The first beast was already lying dead on the ground, though how anyone brought the ungainly thing down baffled him.

When Eragon brought down his foe, it seemed instantaneous. Saphira sent an earthquake towards it, and a muscle twitched in his cousin's face. The Lethrblaka dropped like a stone.

Eragon's power secretly scared Roran. Magic had been known to corrupt those who used it—look at King Galbatorix, or Shades—and the fact that the same force manifested itself in the person he'd resided with for most of his life unnerved him. If I had power like that, he'd often think to himself on lonely nights. Though it frightened him, he still yearned to have a weapon that could do his bidding so easily. Not even the Ra'zac could beat me.

Roran hadn't originally seen why Eragon needed so much time in preparation. In his mind, they would have easy access to their lair from Saphira's back, and they would storm in with swords drawn, slaying all those who dared keep him from Katrina. Gallantly, he'd rescue his love from the clutches of their enemies, then fly away to freedom after slaughtering the Ra'zac and their steeds. Of course, they'd have had help from the armies at the Varden's disposal, which would make it that much easier.

Now, after seeing the Varden operating for the past few days, he knew better. No help could be spared to rescue Katrina and her father, though it may have aided in wiping out an enemy. There was simply too much to be done close to home, and everyone was still cleaning up from the battle at the Burning Plains. So, it would be just Saphira, Eragon, and himself, flying off to Helgrind. In fact, Helgrind itself was another major reason they couldn't take extra help: it was simply too forbidding. When he finally learned what it was, he saw that it couldn't be penetrated from the ground, and they would need to attack it from the air, which meant that not many people could go, since Saphira could only take so many people. After discussing his original plan with Eragon, he pointed out that stealth would be much better than charging in with battle cries, for the Ra'zac would far out number them on their own turf, and they were formidable enough already. When Roran asked why he couldn't simply kill them with magic, Eragon explained how he had to break through the mental defense anyone put up before he could kill them, which posed another obstacle in the plan. Altogether, it was confusing.

Now, the Ra'zac had come to Surda, to eradicate everyone within range. Well, not the Ra'zac specifically, but the Lethrblaka, their parents. It seemed that for once, King Galbatorix wanted humans atop the foul creatures. Nasuada formulated a defense against the attack, and explained every part in detail to all present. Eragon missed the meeting, but Roran noticed that Saphira was present, and assumed that she would relay everything to her Rider telepathically. The shock from seeing a living, fire-breathing, intelligent dragon in their midst had finally begun to subside, but he remained in awe of her. What he wouldn't give to have a dragon of his own…

Roran cleared his head of these thoughts; he had to help clean up the courtyard. He trotted over next to his cousin and waited for him to acknowledge his presence. Eragon was silent; Roran presumed he was in conversation with Saphira. Still, he waited patiently, hefting a large portion of rock onto a pile. As he passed the time, he observed the courtyard. No one was killed, though one or two men suffered burns from Saphira's fire, and several others had wounds. The trees and flowerbeds took most of the damage, with trees missing limbs and beds swept clear; in actuality, the walls hadn't been damaged as much, because the arrows merely ricocheted off an embedded themselves harmlessly in the ground or broke.

"I wouldn't put that rock on that mound," Eragon advised. Roran looked up, startled by his cousin's sudden speech. "That one's for decoration. We're only putting organic things on that heap, to burn them later tonight."

"Oh, thanks." Still flustered, Roran couldn't think of much else to say. "I'm sorry I didn't help fight much," he tried.

"It's no problem," Eragon replied. "We managed just fine. I'm sure you were off keeping everyone from killing each other in their new homes." He said it with a smile. "Nasuada spends more time than she'd like doing just that. It seems stressfull."

"I was lugging Gertrude's pot into her new room," Roran explained.

Learn to delegate these tasks, Saphira suggested. You've had much on your plate, and the people of Carvahall need to learn to be independent. You should gently tell them to work out their own problems, since you will soon be leaving, and unable to look after these newborn kittens.

"I'm sure they can take care of themselves," Roran started. "And they're certainly not kittens. They're just—battered. By what we've been through."

"Saphira has a point, you know," Eragon said. Apparently, Saphira projected her voice so both of them could understand her. "Why don't you hold a meeting, and work something out between them all." His idea had merit, all right.

All at once, everyone's heads snapped up as a shriek rang through the palace.