Now for those of you who like good capitalization, I have a good excuse for any mistakes in this chapter: my usual shift key is halfway broken. In other words, I cannot type fast if I want to get all the capitalization right, and I hate slow typing. So I apologize for any mistakes.

Disclaimer: Using the caps lock key is annoying. You all know very well what I would say anyways, don't you?

Bhronnë poked his head into the tent once more to watch over Arya. Saphira's voice rang in his mind and he winced. Would she ever learn to not be so loud? What happened, Bhronnë? Are you and Arya alright?

I won't be if you keep yelling at me that loud, I may go mind-deaf. He teased. We are fine. Some man just tried to assassinate me… his blood is still on my foot. I need to clean that.

Don't get it in the tent! Eragon said, entering the conversation. He made the two dragons go quiet, staring at him in his mind. What? He asked innocently.

That was the thought of a queer man, Eragon. Saphira commented, bursting into a hearty dragon laughter. All birds around them quieted.

Sorry. I just wouldn't like to step in a puddle of blood in bare feet. He mused, telling Saphira to land so that he could dismount while she and Bhronnë found some prey.

--

Finding that her faint trace of self grew no stronger, Arya continued her slow pace, bored. She knew that things such as people and creatures were interfering with the amount of trace, but she couldn't help it. Feeling a pull to the left, this was the direction she followed.

Her head was turned sideways so she could not see what was in front of her and she walked into something. Gasping in surprise, she saw the white door.

Two white doors, actually.

She groaned, slapping her hand to her forehead. Why this? Arya began to pace.

"It isn't that hard. Both will take you back, one just… takes longer." Ajihad said, walking up to Arya's pacing form. "Pick one, young elf. See how well your instincts are rounded."

Arya walked up to one door, sensing her own presence. Switching to the other door, she stepped close to it. It was as if she were miles away, just as far as the other one.

Deciding upon a childish method, she stepped back and spun around with her eyes closed. "Am I facing the doors?" Ajihad grunted an "aye," and Arya approached with her arms outstretched. A palm found a door handle and she opened it.

"Goodbye, passed loved ones." She murmured, and stepped into blackness. Opening her eyes, she found she was falling. Not quite noticing, she stayed silent and lay back on the air, putting her hands behind her head as if she were laying on them and crossed her ankles. She now just had to wait for the fall to end.

--

Eragon sat down next to Arya. He could feel a light touch of her presence now. Not nearly enough to communicate with her, but enough to know that she will live. He smiled, tears of joy coming to his eyes. Walking out of the tent, he left her unguarded and went to Nasuada's pavilion.

First, Eragon peeked in. What he saw was not something he wanted to see between Nasuada and Murtagh. I will be waiting for you on the sparring fields. He told his half brother before quickly ending the contact. He had the two Heart of Hearts with him, as he always did, around his neck in a pouch.

After about an hour, Eragon saw Murtagh walk out to the field. He had a slight limp due to the injury he sustained from the knife accident, but Eragon had payed attention to the outside world while watching over Arya. He knew all about the subject.

"Would you like to spar?"Murtagh said, drawing Zar'roc, which had returned to its former glory. Eragon shrugged.

"Why not? I can talk to you while I fight." He raised Brisingr and the sapphire blade flew at Murtagh. Murtagh barely blocked the blow as Eragon began to speak.

"We can go to rescue the dragon egg today if you like." Eragon said. Murtagh looked puzzled. "I thought you were watching over Arya."

"Her dragon can do that. Right now it is priority to get the egg before someone else does." Murtagh nodded, parrying a blow from Eragon by a hair's breadth. He was panting and his opponent seemed not tired in the least, even after sparring for an hour.

"I know you're elf now, but even an elf cannot sustain such energy!" Murtagh gasped. Surely he knew this, since he was a quarter through his transformation into an elf himself.

Eragon shrugged. "Five years fighting against elves by birth built up endurance." Of course this was not the case, but Murtagh seemed to take that answer for now. Eragon held his sword to his opponent's throat, winning the spar.

Murtagh slipped from the grip and called Thorn. Saphira arrived with him in moments, both of them licking their faces of blood from their hunting.

Leaping onto their backs, the Riders flew to Urû'baen.

-

Eragon and Murtagh walked back to back through the dark castle, Murtagh leading the way since he knew the passages. They arrived at the throne room in minutes.

"All spells and wards Galbatorix cast should be gone now, but be careful." Eragon nodded and stepped cautiously onto the tile. He all-out sprinted to where the egg was kept, behind the throne. There it sat, gray and speckled. Eragon stowed it away into a bag and ran back to Murtagh.

"That was easy." He said in an odd tone, as if there should have been more to it. There wasn't however, so the confused Riders replaced themselves onto their dragons and left the empty city.

"Can you tell its gender?" Murtagh asked. Eragon attempted to contact the egg like Bhronnë had with Arya, but no luck. He sensed no sex chromosomes whatsoever. He shook his head. A thought came to mind and Saphira was shocked at him. Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean it…

No, don't be. Saphira puffed smoke out her nostrils, letting it hit Eragon's face. For all I know you may be right. I can't sense the gender either.

-

The egg was brought back safely. Katrina was waiting in Eragon's tent with a large plate of fruits and a pint of ale. She smiled at him. "What's in the bag?"

Eragon looked to the tent flap, making sure nobody was there. All the same he muttered, "Atra nosu waíse vardo fra eld hórnya." May we be warded from listeners. He pulled out the gray egg, holding it in one hand. Katrina gasped at its splendor. He offered her to hold it, and she took the opportunity as he reached for some fruit.

"I think the dragon likes me." Katrina said. "It's purring."

Eragon looked up and his mouth hung open. A piece of chewed fruit fell from his mouth. "Is it male or female?"

"I can't tell. Is that bad?"

"No. but it's good to know it can communicate with you. Katrina… you must be the next Rider." At that the egg cracked slightly. "And it looks like you will be receiving training from your brothers-in-law."

Sorry for the shortness. Look to the bottom of your screen, to the chapter guide. There's another chapter, isn't there? –smiles- Yep, there is! Okay, go on to read the next one… I got bored with this scenario so I skipped ahead a few years…

I appreciate reviews.