You want history?

Eragon returned to the camp where Vanir was sitting quietly against Saphira's saddle bags fiddling with the straps of his splint. He took a deep breath not knowing what to say, Vanir spoke first however.

"Why do you trust him so much?" He asked in the ancient language, looking up to look Eragon right in the eyes.

Eragon was taken aback by both the question and the calmness in Vanir's voice.

After Eragon didn't reply Vanir continued. "I've already apologised for my behaviour in Ellesméra, you had forgiven me. The only reason you brought it up again was to discredit me after I questioned Murtagh. So I ask you again, why do you trust him?"

Eragon was again shocked; he wished Vanir hadn't been speaking in the ancient language. Choosing his words carefully Eragon said "you are very perceptive; first with Brom and now this!"

Vanir simply glared at Eragon until he continued. "Ok you're right I did do that and I'm really sorry. If Murtagh did change his true name then he would be a valuable asset for the Varden, to turn him away would be foolishness".

"And inviting him into the Varden while his loyalties remain unclear would be equally foolish!" Vanir countered. "So why do you trust him?"

Eragon sighed, "You know that we were friends. He was a good person and I believe that deep down he still is".

Vanir stared at Eragon with such an intensity it seemed to Eragon that the elf was trying to see into his very soul. Instinctively Eragon through barriers up around his mind.

"And that's it, you were friends? There is no more to it?" Vanir asked sceptically.

Eragon started to say there was nothing else to it but he choked on his words as the ancient language prevented him from lying.

"Yes maybe there is a little bit more to it but it's personal. I'm allowed to have my own secrets just like you! You don't see me storming around like a little brat and getting mad because you won't tell me about why you moved away from Osilon!" he yelled.

Vanir looked as though Eragon had slapped him in the face. He dropped his head and at his feet."You're right, I'm sorry," he mumbled so quietly Eragon hardly heard him.

Looking at Vanir, Eragon suddenly felt guilty for his outburst.

Saphira, what do I do? he asked.

The dragoness answered immediately, I don't see that you have done anything wrong; he was the one prying into your business. She fixed her large eyes to Eragon, studying him carefully, however if you feel that bad about it apologise for bringing it up and tell him that if he ever needs to talk about it you'll be there to listen.

Following Saphira's advise Eragon sat down facing Vanir and said, "Forgive me Vanir-Vor, it was wrong of me to bring up a part of your past I knew was painful, I'm sorry. If you ever need a friend to talk to I'll be there for you".

"Thank you," Vanir said, without looking up from the ground.

Eragon moved uncomfortably, umm, shall we be going then? He asked Saphira.

They both looked at Vanir who was absentmindedly drawing shaped in the dirt with his finger. Just wait, Saphira said, he could be about to open up to us.

Doubt it, Eragon replied.

"Ok I'll tell you what happened, but first I want you to make a promise to me," Vanir said, looking up at Eragon.

Eragon looked at Saphira, he felt smugness flowing though their mental like, he allowed her a small smile before turning back to Vanir and nodding.

"It happened before you were born, but my story takes place in your home town, Carvahall, the villagers at the Varden no doubt still remember the people in it so I want you to promise me that you'll never speak of what I'm going to tell you".

Eragon was both shocked and curious. He swore to Vanir in the ancient language that he wouldn't repeat a word.

Vanir nodded, "Very well then, as you know my sister Lita and I grew up in Osilin." He seemed more confident to share his story now Eragon had sworn not to repeat it.

"Osilon is a fairly large city but it is not as big as Ellesméra. Lita and I were the only children there, we had to entertain ourselves. We use to go on camping trips and exploring, our mother wasn't overly strict, as long as we stayed in Du Weldenvarden she didn't mind".

Eragon couldn't see where the story was going but he listened with interest anyway.

"At the time there weren't many children in Ellesméra, Arya was one of them, but one day Lita decided she wanted to meet more children so we left Du Weldenvarden and went to Ceunon. It was wonderful, we couldn't believe it there were children everywhere!

"Wait," Eragon interrupted, "the two of you use to travel that far together, how old were you? Surely that was dangerous?"

Vanir seemed irritated by the interruption, "we were about nine, and elves are stronger than humans, it is the same with our children, Lita and I were more than capable of handling ourselves.

"Anyway, we didn't get caught so we kept going back, then one trip we went all the way up to Carvahall. It was wonderful; it was so different to anything I'd ever seen in Du Weldenvarden. I'm sure you can understand what I mean?" he asked looking at Eragon.

Eragon smiled grimly remembering the culture shock he had felt when he had first stepped foot in Du Weldenvarden. "Aye, I understand exactly what you mean".

Vanir continued, "We visited Carvahall a few more times but then I turned twenty and didn't have time. In Osilin when an elf turns twenty they begin their study. We learn about writing, history, the human language, politics, magic and swordplay." He finished the list with a small smile, if Eragon hadn't already known it wouldn't have been difficult to pick Vanir's favourite subject.

"I studied for about seven decades before I finally gave it up. I was sick of reading about great adventures, I wanted my own. I told my mother I was leaving to see the world so I could further my studies. She would have been happy for me to go if it wasn't for Morzan.

"It is probably hard for you to understand as you weren't born at the time but when Morzan was at the height of his power he was even more feared than Galbatorix. I'm not saying Morzan was stronger than Galbatorix, far from it, but Galbatorix really left Urû'baen and wasn't considered as much of a threat. At this time Morzan was just beginning to grow his reputation, the elves in Du Weldenvarden were scared but there were many humans who were still unaware of him.

"It took me five years but eventually after promising I'd keep my head down and be careful my mother finally let me go. The first place I decided to visit was Carvahall. I wanted to see how it had changed and then relax for a while before I decided where to go next".

"Had it changed?" Eragon asked, who had found himself engrossed in the story and eager to learn more about Carvahall's past.

Vanir laughed, "not at all! The shops and buildings were all exactly the same; the only change was the people. The people I had known were mostly all gone but their children and grand-children remained. This was only about twenty five years ago so I'm sure it would have been the same as the Carvahall you knew.

Eragon found it surreal to imagine that Vanir possibly knew some of the villagers from Carvahall, it was if his two lives were coming together. Vanir could know Garrow,

Marian, Horst, Elain, Sloan or possibly even his mother.

"When I arrived in Carvahall I went to the tavern looking for a place to stay. While I was waiting for the owner to find me a room a met a girl called Raye".

Eragon thought hard, he was positive he hadn't ever met anyone in Carvahall called Raye.

"Raye was beautiful; she had long black hair and blue eyes. She was so kind and caring, she thought I was just a usual traveller and she kept doing everything she could to make me feel welcome in Carvahall. Sometimes she had a bit of a temper though." Vanir said with a fond smile.
There was a strange look in Vanir's eyes; a look Eragon was used to seeing in Roran's eyes every time he looked at his wife Katrina. "You loved her," it wasn't a question.

Vanir nodded, "I knew it was stupid, I had studied many stories about elves and humans who fell in love, they all ended in disaster, but I couldn't help it, just like you can't help it with Arya."

Vanir looked up at Eragon as if daring him to deny it, he didn't.

"Before long I told her the truth, she didn't care, I wish she had it would have been so much easier".

Vanir seemed close to tears now; he took a few deep breaths before continuing. "One day Raye introduced to her best friend. One look into her mind told me she was a powerful sorceress, although she didn't know it at the time, her name was Selena."

Eragon let out a slight gasp, after a quick warning from Saphira he tried to rearrange his face into a more neutral look but inside his mind was roaring. Vanir knew my mother...

"So you know the name then?" Vanir asked, looking curious but not suspicious.

Eragon thought madly to keep his voice calm, "Selena was Morzan's Black Hand and Murtagh's mother".

"Did Murtagh tell you that?" Vanir asked.

Eragon nodded.

"Did he tell you how she and Morzan met?"

"He said they met in a small town while Morzan was travelling on the king's business. Morzan showed her some kindness as a ploy to gain her confidence and then when he left she went with him".

Vanir nodded, "that's what I think too. It would have been easy for Morzan to sense Selena's power as I had, he must have realised how valuable she would have been to him".

Eragon was starting to feel sick, he felt Saphira's mind in his trying to calm him down. "So what happened then?" he asked not sure if he wanted to hear the rest.

"Raye was positive we could trust Selena, so I told her the truth about who I was, what I could do and who she was".

Eragon was shocked; it was hard to imagine a softer, caring Vanir who didn't hold onto his secrets so tightly.

"I started to help her with her magic, I had just only taught her how to reach for the magic in her mind when he came". Vanir's eyebrows came together in a scroll. He had a fiery look of pure hatred in his eyes that scared Eragon.

"At first he was surprised at how quickly she seemed too pick up magic, but then she told him that her friend's boyfriend was an elf and that he had been helping her".

Eragon was aware that his finger nails were digging into his palms so bad they were starting to bleed. He was aware that Saphira was trying to talk to him, but he didn't care. The only thing he could hear was Vanir's words.

"Morzan asked Selena how to find me. Then one night before I had even realised we were in danger the two of them, Selena and Morzan, showed up at the place Raye and I were staying.

"Morzan, he was truly incredible, he was so strong and his magic was so powerful. I knew I couldn't defeat him but I did my best to hold him off, at least until Raye could escape. She almost did, she made it to the doorway but then Selena stopped her and brought her back to Morzan! Her own best friend!"

Vanir was crying now, Eragon's brain seemed to have turned off, his whole body had gone numb.

"Selena held Raye and Morzan..." Vanir couldn't finish; he didn't have to.

"I don't know how I escaped; I remember I just had a sudden burst of energy. I through myself out the window and ran. Morzan never tried to chase he, I think he had seem enough in my mind to know that I wouldn't have known anything important.

"When I got back to Osilon I was desperate for revenge, I wanted to hunt Morzan down. My family was scared and eventually my mother sent me to live in Ellesméra so I could live under the watchful eye of the royal family and also start a new life".

Eragon was trying to recover from the information he had just heard. He had been told awful stories about his mother before but none quite as horrible as this. He couldn't imagine why she would possibly help a man she barley know kill her best friend.

"And that is why you hate Murtagh," Eragon realised.

Vanir yelled "his parents killed Raye!"

Eragon was trying to keep calm; he suspected that Saphira was helping by soothing his emotions. "His parents, not him!"

Vanir didn't say anything, he simply glared into the distance.

Little-one you have to say something, if Murtagh has changed his true name and is returning to the Varden the leaders are going to need to show faith in him. As ambassador Vanir is an important figure to the Varden now whether he likes it or not, Saphira said.

I know, Eragon sighed inwardly unsure of what to say.

"Do you trust me?" He asked.

Eragon, what are you doing! Please don't say anything stupid! Saphira shrieked.

Vanir looked confused. "Eragon, I've hardly told anyone that story before".

"So that's a yes?" Eragon asked.

"Yes," Vanir said with a slightly confused look upon his face.

Eragon took a deep breath, "then I'll answer your original question".

Eragon! No... Saphira warned.

"I trust Murtagh because of the reasons I said before, he was a good friend but you were right there is more to it. Murtagh is my half brother, Selena was my mother".

Vanir's face was impossible to read. Eragon waited uncertainly for his reaction. After what seemed an eternity to Eragon, Vanir opened his mouth to speak but Eragon never got a chance to hear what he was going to say because at that moment their attention was caught by a loud crack coming from Saphira's saddle bags. Vanir jumped violently and turned around; looking at Eragon he reached into the bags and pulled out the green egg.

Eragon's heart seemed to stop when he saw that the egg was cracked, it was hatching.