I'm sorry I haven't updated in awhile again. I'm going on an exchange to France for 1 year, and I have 16 days until I leave now so things have been hectic. I'll try to update more because I don't want to keep it longer when I'm in France. The story is almost done anyways, so I'll try to update every day, if not than every few days. Either way there's only 5 chapters left so it should be done before I go.

Before anything can be said about this chapter 'being randomly put in here for no reason', this chapter does have relevance, despite what you may think :)

And after editing this grammatically as well as adding some details, I think it came out ok. Enjoy.

Later that same day, Darcie wandered down to the Dragonhold. When she entered the enlarged barn, she saw it was totally empty of any inhabitants. There was hint of a fight with the bedding on the cement floor ruffled around oddly and a few dents in the stone wall. She closed her eyes and tried to locate Kazryth, but his mind was sealed. She was confused; where had both Kazryth and Saphira had gone? Where could Kazryth have gone if Eragon was out with Saphira?

Where are you?

There was no response. This alone worried Darcie; she had been busy in meetings with the council and Nasuada all day along with Eragon. He had disappeared, saying something about 'visiting Saphira'. Darcie couldn't imagine Kazryth following the two, it would be something extremely rude on his part and he knew it.

Kazryth?

Darcie was starting to wonder if the dragon realized leaving her hanging was almost as rude as following Eragon and Saphira. As soon as she thought this, though, a green dot appeared over the horizon in the open expanse south of the city. It got bigger, and eventually Darcie saw Kazryth lowering his flight to the ground. He gracefully landed with a defined faint plump vibrating through the sandy ground. Darcie neared her dragon and saw something draped over Kazryth's back. It was totally limp and had big blotches of red throughout it.

"Eragon?" Darcie realized, stunned. She got nearer and saw his tunic, head, and parts of his pants were bloodied.

He groaned in response.

"What happened?" she asked, looking from Eragon's deformed figure to Kazryth.

Eragon and Saphira came across a group of survivors from the Empire's army. They were ambushed.

"Where's Saphira?" Darcie noticed, looking past Kazryth towards the horizon.

Determined to rid of every last soldier; she's still by the river fighting off the rest.

"What happened to Eragon?"

A few swords sliced him and a knife stabbed him in his back and decided to fight back. He got a lot of hits to his chest, legs, and one blow to the head. When he tried to run, he nearly got hit by a flurry of arrows. He's lucky to be alive, even with Saphira's strength with him.

Kazryth turned his head and carefully picked up Eragon by the back of his tunic and laid him on the ground.

It would be wise to get healers while he's conscious, the boy has lost enough blood as it is.

Darcie looked from Kazryth to Eragon, unsure. She couldn't leave him, yet he was too heavy – and too bloody – to carry, and it would be wrong to drag him.

I'll watch him; you should go get Arya if she is free.

Darcie then ran from the Dragonhold, tripping over a rock along the way. She ran around clutters of the Varden, who stopped to watch her hurry through the streets, confused and curious. Ignoring the looks and road blocks, she kept running until she found a large tent at the end of the camp.

"Arya!" she called, panting for breath. Within moments, the elf-woman opened the tent flaps and walked out, standing in front of Darcie.

"What has happened?"

Darcie cough and the inhaled, still trying to catch her breath while her throat burned, completely dry. "Eragon... attacked... barely conscious."

"Where is he?" Arya cut in.

"With Kazryth... Dragonhold behind castle... goodness, this camp is large!"

Without another word, Arya broke into a fast run, leaving Darcie behind to catch her breath. Darcie then walked back down the long series of paths and managed to make it back to the Dragonhold without problems. By the time she had gotten to the building, Eragon's limp body had been taken into the castle. She then entered the stone structure and saw Kazryth circling on the spot.



"What're you doing?" Darcie asked, trying not to laugh. He looked like a guard dog finding its spot before lying down. She felt his unease, but didn't question it.

Thinking.

"Really? I didn't notice." My tone had a sarcastic edge, but it was true; I didn't notice he was thinking. He had blocked most of his mind from me.

Is that sarcasm? And, I know it's funny coming from me, but it's probably not the best time for that.

"No, I was just implying I didn't notice – you know how you read my thoughts constantly..."

Right.

"Well, I suppose I will see you tomorrow," Darcie said, figuring it'd be best if she gave him his space, physically, until he was in a better mood.

I apologize, I have no intention to drive you away...

"It's alright," Darcie responded with a smile. "Besides, those two women that are looking after the twins don't know the first thing about feeding them, I swear..." She turned on her heel and walked off, heading towards the camp.