A/N: It has been so long, I know. But I wasn't sure where this was going until the original piece, Enchanted, had involved both Vanir and Aura again. Anyway, if you read the first chapter, thank you. I hope you enjoy it and I would really love some reviews.

Aura spent the month in utter misery, failing in her flying lessons and not paying attention to what Saphira told her.

It was a great relief to both her dam and sire when she was reunited with Vanir and became herself once more. The day the elves had arrived, Aura had been lying in a dejected heap on top of Urû'baen's castle as usual. Her tail had lost its energy and her scales had lost their spark, although that was probably because the young indigo dragoness did not wash or clean her scales anymore. The only times they shone were when Saphira became annoyed with the unkempt appearance of the hatchling and cleaned Aura's scales with her own tongue.

But there was something different about that day. It had begun just like a normal day, except for the absence of her nest-mates. Eragon and Saphira were sat together on the opposite side of the roof to her, but Groenur, her sire, was there, not far off, dozing in the sun. Although there was an almost tangible sign which made Aura's heart inexplicably leap. Although she lay with her snout on her legs, Aura's eyes were wide and searching for whatever was creating the seed of happiness within her. Every so often she drew a long breath and tasted the air and then she found it. That scent of pine needles and lavender that she so knew and loved. She shook herself as she stood, getting her unused muscles ready for flight. If she stretched her neck over the stone crenulations, she could see them coming closer, so she pushed herself of from the roof and opened her wings to slow her fall as she spiralled towards the ground. Her eyes singled him out among the crowd near the front of the queue of elves going into the castle.

Vanir had been eager to see Aura and had ensured he would be one of the first to enter the castle. He did not plan on making the proper acquaintances with the Queen of Alagaësia as he knew he should. The first thing he would do would be to find the purple dragon he had missed since she left. Then he would visit Nasuada and apologise for his lack of manners. For Vanir life without Aura had been much the same as it had been before she'd hatched. Except he was even more arrogant and surly if that was possible. Whenever someone asked him something, he responded with vicious answers and was constantly grumpy.

He looked up as claws wrapped around his midriff and he was jerked into the air. A great shout of 'Vanir!' echoed off the surrounding buildings but he soon realised that the great, hulking dragoness spoke in his mind and no-one else had heard her. Alongside her shout, Aura released a jet of purple flames, which awed Vanir, as they steadily rose through the air and back towards the rooftop. When she had left him, she had still been too young to breathe fire and dragon fire was a sight he had only seen afar during the Battle at Gil'ead and the Battle at Urû'baen.

"You breathe fire!"

An amused Aura replied with an unneeded, Yes.

"I missed you, Aura," Vanir called to her.

She growled lowly, and replied, We speak with our minds, Vanir.

"But it is dishonourable to speak as such. Only Dragons and Riders do so…" Vanir trailed off as he saw her eyes darken in anger.

I consider you, Vanir, as if you were my Rider so we shall speak with our minds.

Vanir felt her mental embrace full of love as he quietly replied in her mind, for the first time, Okay, my dragon.

The two of them would never live in each other's minds as Dragon and Rider's did. They were not linked as Vanir did not carry the Gedway Ignasia but they were as close to soul partners as they could be.

Aura dropped Vanir on the roof and landed beside him, buffeting him with winds that threatened to knock him down. There was only time for a muffled greeting to Eragon and Saphira before Aura demanded Vanir to climb onto her back.

What? I can't do that!

Aura just stared at him until he gave in, unable to resist the puppy-dog eyes she was giving him. It was with great trepidation that he seated himself in the hollow at the base of neck, gingerly gripping one of the spines on her neck.

"Careful you don't get you skin stripped off by her scales," Eragon yelled as they took off.

"What?" Vanir shouted back in fear.

Relax, Vanir, we're not going far.

Vanir heard the mischievous tone and tried to quell his rising sense of foreboding. He had no idea where they were going and no means to direct Aura. He was completely under her control and they both knew it. Aura rose lazily, barely using her wings, just relying on a warm updraft of air and directing herself with her tail, which once more wagged a little excessively.

She circled a few times at their destination but Vanir still did not know what it was due to the layer of cloud underneath them. Without warning, Aura tipped forwards and tucked her massive wings into her body, as they practically fell towards the ground where a large lake was situated. Before they plummeted to their deaths, Aura flared her wings and slowed them enough that they broke no bones as they hit the water. The cold surged into Vanir instantly and as his numb hands froze the torrent of water pulling at him, threatened to make him lose his tenuous grip on Aura's spine.

Aura rose to the surface and looked back at the sodden elf on her back, whose black hair was slicked back with water. She spouted water from her mouth, sending it upwards like a fountain and chuckled at his appearance.

And what was the point of that, Aura?

Now, I am clean, she replied cheerily, indicating her once more sparkling scales with her tail. And I am back to my usual self, just like you.

And she was right. Whilst Aura was jolly and radiant again, Vanir was not behaving arrogantly, in fact he was humbled by his relationship with the purple dragon.

Aura idly swam through the water and climbed onto the bank to let the sun dry her scales. Vanir slid down from her back and rubbed her scales affectionately before leaning back against her side and falling asleep in the warm sunshine. After all he didn't have to apologise to Queen Nasuada now; it wasn't his fault. Aura, however, would have to apologise for kidnapping one of the Queen's soldiers and not allowing him to pay the proper respects.