At dawn after they contacted Eragon and Saphira, Ayiana and Kveykva continued their trip to Farthen Dur. Swerving around the large mountains, Kveykva flew fast and steady the whole day, arriving at the waterfall that hid the entrance to Farthen Dur when it would be sunset out on the plains. But here in the valley it was already night for a few hours. Kveykva landed on the far side of the lake, the only place where there was room for her to land, and quickly lay down so that Ayiana could slide off. As soon as she was on ground Ayiana ran over to the thunderous waterfall, grabbed a large stone from the many that lined the lake, pounded it three times against the side of the mountain while yelling "Aí varden abr du Shur'tugalar gata vanta." Before long, the waterfall split into two halves as the large doors behind it opened. Upon entering the large tunnel leading to Farthen Dur she spotted multiple dwarves standing there, umong them, King Orik.
"Nal, Grimstnzborith Orik!" Ayiana said in greetings to Orik as she bowed her head to the dwarven king.
"Greeting, Rider Ayiana and Dragon Kveykva!" Orik replied. "It is late, and I hope you shall find your old cave above Tronjheim still suitable for you both."
"Is it really to late in the day to search the tunnels for our armor?" Ayiana asked.
"Yes, most of the other dwarves lay in bed sleeping. In the morning I shall aid you in your search, but for now, please do rest."
Ayiana bowed her heaed once more. "We thank you for your hospitality. We will head to the hold above the Star Sapphire and meet you under it in the morning." She said as she climbed into the saddle.
"Very well. Sleep well tonight, then in the morning we shall find your armor." King Orik said as he and the other dwarves walked off.
For a time Kveykva seemed to follow the small group of dwarves. But when they reached the city mountain the dwarves continued through the large doors while Kveykva took flight. When they landed on the top of the Star Sapphire Kveykva looked down at it and tapped it with a claw.
'The dwarves did something to this, the colors differ from the last time we were here.' She observed.
Sliding off of Kveykva Ayiana took a closer look at the gem beneath her feet. "Indeed. I am amazed that the dwarves changed it, we will have to ask Orik in the morning about it." She replied. "Now, which cave?"
Kveykva walked across the large gem and went into a large cave on the ground. Ayiana followed close behind her and lay next to her as Kveykva fell asleep. The two woke early in the morning and prepared to set off to wait under the Dragon Hold.
"Ready to get our armor?" Ayiana asked as she climbed into the saddle.
'Of course.' Came Kveykvas reply as she reared and took to the air. Within a minuete they were waiting for Orik in the center of Tronjheims' bottom floor. Before long Orik and a few other dwarves appeared.
"Shall we head off, King Orik? War is fast approaching the Varden and we cannot afford to loose Eragon and Saphira if Galbatorix himself flies into battle alongside Murtagh and Thorn." Ayiana said.
"Of course Argetlam, but one question. Why do you need dwarf guides if you know where your armor is?" Orik asked.
"We have not been here for about a hundred years. Chances are we will find the armor but get lost on the way. We decided that with the help of dwarves we can eliminate the getting lost factor." Ayiana replied.
"All right then, let us be off!" Orik said.
Ayiana nodded as she led the group through the large doors that opened into the tunneels beyond. No one spoke as they searched empty chamber after empty chamber and the only sounds were breaths and Kveykvas claws and scales scrapping against the ground.
"Are you sure that we didn't move it into the treasury?" one dwarf asked Ayiana.
Looking back to the dwarf Ayiana said, "Trust me, it is not. If any dwarf found our armor they would be jumping around bragging for years, for there is no other armor like it."
After a few more hours of fruitless searching Ayiana opened the door to a chamber they didn't yet check. Suddenly the dark tunnel was flooded with light that poured from the room. Stepping in once her eyes grew used to the light Ayianas face lit up with a smile.
"Found it!" she called over her shoulder as she grabbed Kveykvas' head piece.
Kveykva growled in delight when the dwarves jaws dropped as they set eyes on the armor.
"You were right, there is no other armor like this. How did you make it?" Orik asked.
"Magic." Came the simple reply.
Ayiana walked around to make sure there were no missinng pieces. Smiling that everything was there she examined her own armor.
The chain mail tunic and leggings were made from black diamonds she had summoned from the ground and shaped into the armor with magic. On her black diamond helm was a silver lightning bolt ontop of a golden sword. The same insignia was on Kveykvas headpiece. She smiled as she tried on her armor to see if it still fit her; it did. With the dwarves help Kveykva was soon covered in the custom made, black diamond armor.
"Now I know what you meant when you said that if it was found the dwarves would be jumping for joy." Orik said as they headed back to the surface.
"Indeed. I don't know of any other armor pieces made from gems." Ayiana said.
"You should teach our magicians how to do that one day."
"If we both survive this war, I shall be happy to."
"It is a pity that you couldn't stay longer, Farthen Dur has changed much since your last visit."
"We noticed a bit if that. You have changed the Star Sapphire."
Orik looked at Ayiana and smiled. "No, we never changed it. When Eragon defeated Durza, Arya and Saphira shattered it in ordere to save him. Saphira made a promise to us dwarves that she would fix the Star Sapphire that she broke. And on my coronation she made it as you see it now." He looked up as they reached Tronjheim. "We added her name to the egde next to its original maker, Dûrok Ornthrond."
Ayiana chuckled a bit as she gazed up at the large gem. "I remember when he was working on it, how obsessed he was."
Orik looked at Ayiana in disbelief. "Oh, what I would have gived only to see him work on it!"
Ayiana giggled a bit more. "Ah, how obsessed he was with it. He would be almost in a fit knowing that it serves as the floor of the Dragon Hold, only the fact that it wouldn't scratch with the claws of dragons going over it would have kept him from going insane."
"Really? Why is that?"
"When he was working on it not even dust was able to touch it before he went insane over how dirty it was. After a few years on it he gave up on his war with dust and summoned a rider, me, to cast a spell on it to prevent dirt from staying on its surface. A side effect I never foresaw was that it would be impossible to scratch when he finished it. It seems that the spell still holds strong."
Oriks booming laughter filled the air. "So he hated dust now?"
"King Orik, he feared that the dust would make his chisel slip and he would make a wrong cut. Whenever he did a rider would have to come and fix it for him. But he never let anyone touch it either. He let riders protect it with their spells but if anyone dared touch it, you would have thought that the world was going to end the way he went at you." Ayiana said, watching Oriks' expression.
"How would you know that?"
"Well, when he did this I was amazed at the skill he put into it. One day my curiosity got the better of me and I slid a finger over a petal." Ayiana closed her eyes and winced as she confessed that.
"Never touched it again until it was finished then?"
"No, he never even let me see it after that."
'Enough chat of men long dead, battle fast approaches and we are not there to give aid.' Kveykva said.
"Of course, the Varden are nearing Belatona." Ayiana said. "I am sorry, but we must leave. Thank you again for your hospitaliy." Ayiana said as she climbed into the saddle.
"Safe flight Argetlam!" Orik said as Kveykva started walking to the tunnel that opened by the lake.
Within an hour Kveykva took flight and headed straight towards Belatona and the Varden. Kveykva flew for two straight days, stopping only for a drink of water and a light snack on the way. By sunset the second day, the Vardens camp was in sight. Landing a few moments later Lady Nasuada came and showed them the tent she had put up for them.
"Sleep well, for tomorrow we fight in Belatona." She said as she turned to leave.
"Sleep well, Kveykva."
'Sleep well, Ayiana.'