Julia sat on the ground, shaking from the ordeal. She pulled her legs up into her chest, laid her head on her knees, and took several deep breaths.

The sound of footsteps caused her to look up quickly. A tall man, dressed completely in black, wearing a black cloak, and carrying a large bow approached her. She pushed herself back against a tree and looked at the man warily.

"Shh…its ok, I'm not going to hurt you," whispered the man. He stopped several feet away from Julia and slowly put his bow on the ground as a sign that he wasn't going to harm her.

He stood back up and studied the girl carefully. Her long brown curls fell wildly over her youthful features. Her slender frame was curled up and her hands were clutching her legs to her chest. She looked up at him with a pair of big blue eyes that made his heartbeat quicken.

He took another step towards her and he was pleased to find that she didn't back up this time.

Julia was terrified, but this man had saved her life. His black hair fell into his blue eyes, which looked to be kind and full of sympathy. She decided that, had he wanted to harm her, he'd have done it already.

He took a couple more steps until he was right in front of her.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?" His voice was soft and full of concern.

Julia shook her head, "I…I don't think so."

She made to stand up and he quickly stepped forward and offered his hand to help her. Julia took it and stood up. Her legs shook a bit and the man tightened his grip on her hand to help steady her.

When Julia felt stable she let go of his hand and looked up at him. He was taller than her by a couple inches and very well built. The cloak covered his broad shoulders and she had felt his strength when he had helped her up.

The man couldn't keep his eyes off of her. After several long seconds he got a hold of himself and cleared his throat, "I'm Murtagh, and you are?"

"Julia…my name is Julia."

Suddenly a familiar voice, both to Murtagh and Julia, came from the forest.

"Hey Murtagh, where'd you run off to so quickly?"

Julia couldn't believe her eyes. It was Eragon!

She ran towards him, yelling, "Eragon?! You're alive!"

"Julia?!"

She ran into his arms, half crying and half laughing.

Murtagh stood back as the couple embraced. He gave a quiet sigh. Eragon always seemed to get the girl.

Julia pulled back and got a good look at Eragon.

"I wasn't sure whether or not you had escaped! I came home and everything was burned to the ground. Garrow…your uncle…he's…he's-"

"Dead, I know…I found him. I thought you had been killed too."

"What happened to you Eragon? Why did the Raz'acz come after you? Why did they kill Garrow? Why…why…"

The rest of the sentence was lost in sobs. Julia couldn't contain it anymore. The death of her father and the incident with the Urgals had emotionally scarred her, and it was all coming out now.

Eragon just stood there, holding her. He ran his hands through her hair and slowly rocked her back and forth. Eragon felt guilty for having to fight back a smile, but he had never seen anyone go through so many emotions so quickly.

Eventually Julia regained her composure, brushed away her tears, and managed a smile.

Murtagh was the first to speak, "I was going to introduce you two, but it appears you've already met."

Eragon rested his arm on Julia's shoulder and said, "Julia was taken in by my uncle 2 years ago. She's been like a sister to me ever since."

For some reason the disappointed expression on Murtagh's face disappeared and was replaced with a pleasant smile.

Julia smiled at Eragon, then looked back at Murtagh, "When my parents passed away, Eragon's uncle agreed to take me in."

Suddenly Julia remembered the big shadow she had seen earlier. Could it have been a…? No, it's impossible.

She stepped back and looked at both Murtagh and Eragon. "Before the Urgals captured me I heard rumors about a Dragon Rider. Earlier I saw a shadow…you don't think…"

"You're looking at him" said Eragon with a huge smile.

Unfortunately for Eragon, Julia was looking at Murtagh.

Her face lit up and she said excitedly, "Murtagh? You're the Dragon Rider? I can't believe it, a real Dragon Rider! No wonder Eragon ran off with you! I take it your on the way to the Varden, I mean the king is bound to be looking-"

Julia's sentence was cut off by Murtagh's deep and bark-like laugh. Confused, Julia looked at Eragon, who was examining his shoes.

"What…what's so funny?" she directed at Murtagh.

Murtagh smiled and pointed at Eragon.

"What? What do you mean? Are you…" then it hit Julia, "Eragon is the Dragon Rider?! But that can't be. Dragon Riders are…well…tall, strong, muscular and they know magic. Eragon isn't…um…can't do magic." Julia had almost said 'Eragon isn't any of those', but she caught herself. She was almost two years older than Eragon and she loved him dearly, but he didn't seem to have any of the characteristics that matched those of a Dragon Rider.

She looked at Eragon, who was growing redder around his ears by the second.

Murtagh was still smiling and had a smug and slightly cocky expression on his face. He was flattered that she had mistaken him for a Dragon Rider and that she found him strong and muscular. He found himself standing a little taller and puffing his chest out a little more.

Julia realized that what she had said had upset Eragon. "Eragon, I'm sorry for what I said. I still think of you as my little brother, so it's hard for me to realize that you're growing up." He looked up at her and Julia noticed how much he had changed.

The little baby fat he had was gone and replaced with lean muscle. His jaw was prominent and strong and his arms were tanned and muscular. Her little brother wasn't so little anymore and he had become a man.

Eragon couldn't stay mad at Julia. He understood that she knew him as a small, skinny farm boy. Over the last month he had turned into a muscular, strong Dragon Rider. Heck, he didn't even know himself anymore!

Eragon smiled at Julia, "Don't worry about it", and then he added with a mischievous grin, "The only downside is that you'll never beat me at sparring again."

Julia laughed, "We'll see about that little brother."

Julia was a very gifted swordswoman. Where she'd learned it, she didn't know. As a matter of fact, Julia knew nothing about her childhood. She couldn't even remember her real parents. Part of her knew that they had been evil and that they did something terrible.

When she was fifteen years old she found herself running in the Spine and she didn't know how she got there. Julia knew who she was, but it was as though almost all of her memories for the first fifteen years of her life had been erased.

A kind old couple found her and took her in. She only lived with them for a year, then they passed away, and that's when she went to live with Garrow. Julia told no one that the old couple hadn't really been her parents, not even Eragon. She always had an uneasy feeling about her past and who she was.

"I see the Rider," said Julia "…but there seems to be something missing…"

Eragon looked into the sky and thought, Saphira, there's someone I want you to meet. Make the entrance a good one.

I'm on my way.

Seconds later Julia heard rumbling in the forest. She backed away and put Murtagh and Eragon between the rumbling and her. Suddenly the ground shook and trees were falling over. A huge blue dragon came charging straight at them. Julia let out a gasp and covered her mouth with her hands. The beast came to sudden halt inches in front of Eragon. She lifted up her graceful head and let out a piercing roar. Her mouth filled with razor sharp teeth.

How was that for an entrance?, gloated Saphira, looking at Eragon.

Show off.

Eragon looked at Julia who had such a look of terror on her face, he had to laugh.

Saphira, this is my-

Adoptive sister, I know. Our minds were linked, so I'm caught up on who she is.

Eragon smiled, You know some people would consider that eavesdropping.

Saphira growled in reply and lowered her head to Eragon.

Julia was still frozen in shock.

"Come here, she won't bite…hard."

Julia gave Eragon a reproachful look and inched herself towards the dragon.

Saphira moved her head and faced Julia. She let out a puff of smoke, which made Julia jump and run back behind Murtagh.

Both Murtagh and Eragon were laughing.

Julia shot both of them the meanest look she could muster and walked towards the dragon again. She reached out with her hand and pet the dragon's nose, to which Saphira hummed contently.

"She's…she's…beautiful. I've never seen a more magnificent creature."

Saphira sighed, I like her.

You like anyone who calls you a 'beautiful, magnificent, creature', laughed Eragon.

No, that's not why. She has a good mind and soul…I can tell.

Now don't invade her mind Saphira. You know you shouldn't be doing that.

I'm not. I mean, I can't. She's somehow blocked it, but the small part of her mind I can see tells me that she has nothing but good intentions.

Blocked her mind? But…how could she do that…why would she do that? Many questions coursed through Eragon due to Saphira's discovery.

I don't know. But I suggest you don't question her about it. Whether she blocked it intentionally or unintentionally, I sense there's a painful reason for it.