Getting better and better again, starting to come back to my usual writing styles. By the way, for those of you who aren't aware, I may be Indian but I was brought up in England so I use British English therefore my grammer and spelling is slightly different to that of American English.

The rest of the day was spent once again in lessons, with Kuldr teaching the history of Alagaesia accompanied by some of the older Eldunari and the older elves. Of course he was leading the lesson but with the help of the Eldunari he had the full details and accounts of everything that happened. While Kuldr was teaching history, Saphia and Blodhgarm were teaching magic, they had quickly discovered that the elves had been teaching the humans and the dwarves much about the speech and wording of the Ancient Language, although their energy wasn't the same, the humans and dwarves could do as they asked of them relatively simply.

Saphia left most of the talking to Blodhgarm, content with just doing most of the demonstrations and challenging each of them mentally, the talking that she did do was mainly that of correcting the wording of phrases in order to maximise the effect and reduce the energy it took for the spell to work. It was difficult as the students all varied in intelligence and that led to her having to speak more than she'd liked. One of the reasons she wasn't sent with Blodhgarm to help Eragon was simply because she was unable to communicate well. She sighed as she carried on teaching; speech came so easily to people like Blodhgarm, Kuldr and Eragon... even Murtagh found it easier than her, she didn't mind it but it would be nice of them to strike up a conversation now and again, she mainly spent her time speaking with Saphira and Aninya, other than teaching her time was spent with the patient, he had been recovering slightly, shivering and shaking now and again, movement was positive. She had decided not to use magic for risk of damaging him or invigorating a response from his conscious, she had sensed a great and powerful strength within him and she was scared of what might happen. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder, jolting back to her surroundings she realised it was Blodhgarm

"Are you tired Saphia?" he asked "If you are then I don't mind continuing the lesson without you, besides there's only a few minutes left, Eragon said to be back by seven and that is only in twenty minutes time" he suggested to her, smiling that wolfish smile of his

"N... No I am fine" she started, stuttering 'What's wrong with me, his magic never affected me before' she thought "But I... I think I shall go inside, me head is hurting slightly and I could do with some food before the ceremony tonight"

Blodhgarm smiled again "Very well, I shall see you tonight then" he told her before turning his attention back to the lesson, carrying on with testing each of their abilities. After a few minutes he ended the lesson and began to walk back to the hall, he entered the main room and sat down for some dinner, a few moments later he was joined by Kuldr "Evening cousin" he said

"And to you Blodhgarm, are you attending the ceremony?" Kuldr replied

"Yes, it seems like an interesting evening, it would be an honour to witness a dragon egg hatching, will you be planning to come?" Blodhgarm replied, posing the last question delicately

"I... I'm not sure at this moment in time... It... it brings back memories and I don't know if I could handle it..." Kuldr said

"There would be no shame for you not to show yourself... Eragon and Saphira won't be happy but they would understand" Blodhgarm replied reassuringly

"Admittedly they would... but as the oldest living rider at the moment it would be disrespectful for me not to be there..." Kuldr told him, getting up "Well then... I shall see you there" Kuldr said as he sighed. He headed back to his room, a conflicted look upon his face. He got changed and dressed in his formal clothes, knowing that everybody else was doing the same. He was preparing himself mentally; it would be difficult, witnessing the same thing happen again... seeing something that was once his own... he knew it would be painful for him and he knew it would be difficult but he would have to attend, it would be strange for him not to show himself. He washed his face and looked in the mirror, he then started speaking, words of the ancient language flowed from his lips... when he was finished his hair wad cut and his wolf ears were protruding from his head, his sharp canines were slightly sharper and his face radiated with a slight light. He wore a deep blue embroidered tunic he had the elves make for him in Ellesméra; a rich silver pattern was sewn into the arms, in the shape of a dragon. 'Now I look the part... If I am to witness the hatching I shall do so as I am meant to, proud and watchful not cowering and sulking in the corner' he thought to himself.

The time had come, he was ready and he began to walk outside, he saw Eragon on the way and jogged over to him "Evening Eragon... where exactly is the ceremony?" he asked, slightly unsure

"Well, it's over by River Brom, we have prepared a podium in the river and one by one, the people who aren't bound with a dragon like I am to Saphira, shall enter and touch the egg... I hope you know that includes you... I apologise for being insensitive by Saphira insisted that you, Saphia and Blodhgarm especially touched the egg" Eragon told him

"Yes I did, thank you Eragon, Kuldr Vodhr... I know I have no right to ask this of you but for the sake of myself I would only prefer one of you three to see the egg hatch to... you shall understand why when you see the egg yourself"

"Very well... I... I shall do so" Kuldr replied mentally, both to Saphira and Eragon before once again carrying on to his destination.

"I hope you have made the right choices Saphira..." Eragon told her

"Believe me little one when I say that this is something I cannot hope to get wrong" Saphira replied to him sternly, a hint of fear and anger in her tone

Eragon receded slightly in his mind "I am sorry Saphira, I am just worried"

"As am I... I shall meet you there, the ceremony is starting soon!" Saphira replied, ending the conversation, taking off from her room in the dragon tower and flying out towards the river. The entire hall had gathered outside and she landed by the egg. A deep blue sapphire coloured egg, a few moments later on either side of her landed Thorn and Fírnen following which walked up their respective riders.

She began the ceremony with a simple speech and one by one the elves walked up and each of them was rejected... next stepped up Nasuada... the egg quivered... but no, it did not hatch. The same happened for Orik and Katrina and Ismira, next came Roran. At his touch the egg began to shake violently, Roran's eyes grew wide but suddenly the egg stopped... it was not to be, Roran held his gaze for long before moving away. Then stepped up Aninya and Kaira, touching the egg one by one... even less of a quiver for it was not meant to be... the same for Rhunon.

Finally, there were three elves left to touch the egg, Saphia Blodhgarm and Kuldr. Saphia stepped forward. At her touch the egg began to glow, brighter and brighter... but not shaking, there was nothing to be done as the egg began shining brighter with every passing second until suddenly all light stopped... the egg remained intact. Nothing had happened; she looked disappointed, dismayed and slightly curious and then she walked away, her head hung low.

Next came up Blodhgarm, upon his touch the egg shook, a slight hint of a crack appeared and light began shining through it, everybody around him grew interested and edged closer... the light slowly and quietly subsided, leaving a scar on the surface of the egg... the egg had not chosen Blodhgarm and Blodhgarm walked away.

Finally walked up Kuldr, a regretful look in his eyes yet he held his head high and his posture upright. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. He raised his left hand and placed it upon the egg... for a while nothing happened, until a brilliant blue light shone from the crack in the egg... Kuldr remained fixed in his position for a long period as slowly and surely a cracking sound could be heard, the single scar began to dig deeper and deeper and spread out like veins across the eggs surface. The blue light shone greater and greater, a darker blue light replaced it, then a lighter one and again a darker light. His left palm began to glow as he felt his mark change... a boiling hot wave of heat came bursting from his hands the eggs surface began to melt away, showing a darker blue interior that cracked and split into five pieces. And in the centre of the broken egg shells... lay a dark blue dragon.

An interesting thing to have happened...

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Animesh