Reviewer Response: I love your idea of having Eragon fight his sister, however, I have decided to stay true to Angela's fortune reading and since he has left Alagaesia, he must stay away. But, I promise, Lifaen and Delinnea will not be fighting her. hehehe

Enjoy!


Blood splattered her face as the Rider fell to her feet. She had been taking her anger out on him since the elf had arrived. The elf was a mystery she couldn't figure out. He had come to her, claiming to be her husband, but she would remember if she had taken a husband, or mate as he called it. He had been her warden. A warden that had fallen in love with their prisoner. If that were the case, why hadn't he freed her before. Unless he had given his oath in the ancient language that he would forever guard her, until she died. She looked at the Rider at her feet. He refused to give her any information and he always tried his hardest not to look at her. she would remember him if they had a personal connection. Maybe he had a hard time keeping secrets if forced to lie. She would break him eventually. He had tried to capture her in the forest, Murtagh had told her. That information only told her that they didn't have the confidence that they could kill her. she would use that to her advantage.

"Majesty, an army has arrived on the plains. An army of Riders." A Rider interrupted her thoughts. "They have run up the white flag and wish to speak to you."

"Very well. Bring my blade to the dragon hold. Kuldra and I will go out to meet them."

"Yes, Majesty."

"And summon the Riders from the borders! I will not be defeated in my own castle."


Delinnëa shifted in Evarínya's saddle. Next to her, Garrow held the stick which the white flag was attached to. He and Dwerva were still.

"Be calm, Nëa. This is the first time you have confronted your mother and you need to do so as the leader of the Riders and not as her daughter. Do you understand that?"

"I know what I have to do." Delinnëa snapped at her dragon. "But I don't know if I can. That is the problem."

"Do what you have to do, Nëa. You can do this. You are strong. You must demand her surrender and the end to this war. You are strong enough to do this." The concussion of dragon flaps drove down on their ears. From the sound of it, there were two dragons. Nëa placed a hand on the hilt of her sword. It was her father's. She had taken it to use after he had left and taken her mother's sword with him. Now that she had it, Lifaen was defenseless should he get free. Delinnëa took a deep breath and placed her hands in her lap. Garrow looked at her and nodded. He was older than her as both a Rider and a living person. He was one of the first to become a Rider after Galbatorix had died. In fact, Dwerva had hatched for him first when his father had visited Arya who had been ferrying the eggs across the Empire. At that point, Florina and Lifaen had still been working to restore Vroengard. Garrow should be the one negotiating the queen's surrender, not her. "Be strong."

The gold dragon she knew well landed feet from them followed by a maroon one that she didn't know. She guessed this had to be Edan, the Rider who had been missing and whose loyalties had been questioned. Until now. He had to have been a prisoner at first. Like Angela. Like Alia, Naridan, and Riflen. Sila and Cobalt as well. They needed them back. And Lifaen. They needed Florina to surrender and give Nadara back the throne. It was the only way for this to end peacefully.

Kuldra's head snaked into the air before moving enough to reveal Florina's face. Her dark eyes were cold and it made Delinnëa shiver as she remembered the coldness that she had seen when she asked about her grandfather. It was something she should never have done. The coldness was accented by the blood splattered across the queen's face. Delinnëa took a deep breath to steady herself as Florina and Edan climbed down from their dragons' saddles. She and Garrow did the same and the four of them walked to the middle ground. The dragons stayed behind but also in the minds of their Riders.

"You are bold to have sought an audience with me." Florina said once they were five feet apart. "You are bold to have come to my Empire at all knowing that I will not give you any mercy. But you have the white flag and that is the only thing saving you right now."

"Florina Selenasdaughter," Delinnëa started, fingering her necklace and remembering the woman who had raised her. "We have come for your surrender. If you do not surrender and release your prisoners and give the throne back to Nadara and her family, peacefully, then we will besiege your city and force you to surrender. If we must, then we will kill you." Florina began laughing.

"This must be your first time negotiating in a war, Child." She laughed. The laugh sent a chill down Delinnëa's spine. "You have the confidence of a new kitten. You see the city behind me, it is defended by dozens of Riders that equal the number of Riders behind you. You are young. You do not have the training that the Riders at my command have. Surrender? You do not have what it takes to make me surrender to you." Florina turned to Garrow. "I have left your family and your people alone. Do not endanger them in this manner. The same goes for the Dwarves and the Urgals. This is a Rider's war, but if they stand against me as the elves did, they will suffer the same fate as the elves. I am not the one who started this war. That falls on you and the Riders you sent to kidnap my people. If anyone is to surrender, it will be you and we will negotiate a peace. And the first thing I ask is that you stand down and the Rider's under your command follow me. Any who resist will be dealt with appropriately. I'll give you until the morning to decide."

"I agree," Garrow said, "this is a Rider's war. It is a Rider's war started by your father decades ago. We will end this and save you and your people from your own madness and his." Florina's face wrinkled into a sneer.

"So, that is what you choose. Very well. You have chosen your fate." Florina turned on her heel and walked back to Kuldra. Delinnëa had to hold herself back from chasing after her mother as multiple wing beats sounded as Riders landed in the city. Kuldra took to the air, Kilana following, and the two flew back into the city. The image of her mother's bloodied face was now forever imprinted on the young Rider's mind. Now, she would have to fight her. She wasn't going to be able to fight her mother. She should never have taken her mother's place as leader of the Rider's.


Arya ended the spell with a shout of frustration. The city around her was empty. It was one of hers that had been abandoned when Florina had invaded Du Weldenvarden. Fírnen had need to stop to rest. Now they were too late to stop Delinnëa from riding out against her mother. Now Ilirea was besieged and the Riders of Vroengard were going to die because of the loss of hope.

Arya pulled the diamond laid flower from her pocket. She had taken it from Delinnëa's necklace one night before Florina had attacked them. Now she was glad she did. But it also served to remind her of her friend. Arya had given the pendant to her to keep her safe from Galbatorix. But it seemed he had gotten ahold of her anyway. Seeing the pendant also reminded Arya of the promise she had made when the twins were born. Florina had made her promise to watch after her children should something happen to her and Lifaen. Oromis was now missing and so she had failed in that. But there was still a chance to save Delinnëa.

"Come on, Fírnen. We have to get to Delinnëa before the fighting starts."

Arya pocketed the pendant and jumped back into the dragon's saddle. Fírnen jumped into the air as Arya strapped herself in and tied her hair in its leather band, an accessory she hadn't worn in over two hundred years.


"How long did you think this ruse would last, Elf?" Florina spat as she knocked him to the ground. "Did you honestly hope that you could keep me distracted long enough to let your daughter defeat me." The elf got back to his feet, his chains rattling.

"I did not come here as a distraction." He said, slipping into the ancient language.

"Your people can twist the truth." She said and kicked his knees, angered that he wasn't even defending himself. He had been found as a spy. "The sad thing for you is, Lifaen, is that your precious daughter is going to die." She knelt next to his bloody face and whispered. "And it is going to be your fault. Delinnëa will die because you chose to come here instead of keeping her where she would be safe." Florina stood. "Put him in a tower. Make sure he can watch the bloodshed that follows." Two Riders picked up the beaten elf and dragged him away. She scowled. He hadn't even fought back. "Well, his daughter will pay the price." She told Kuldra as she began walking towards her rooms to change. She was still bloody from the interrogation before the negotiation and now she had more on her from the beating she had just given the elf.

"I thought you wanted their loyalty." Kuldra answered.

"Mamma!"

"Who's there?" Florina spun, drawing her sword.

"Mamma, look!" Florina spun again, looking for the child whose voice was in her mind.

"Brave One?" Kuldra's voice.

"What are you trying to do, fly like a dragon?" A woman's voice answered. Florina spun in the hall again, looking for mother and child. No one was in the hall with her.

A green meadow sprawled out before her. Dragons and Riders were spread out across it. With her was her gold dragon. A five-year-old girl was climbing up the dragon's leg. She felt herself smile before turning back to the set of Riders before her. They had come to Vroengard five years ago, just after her children had been born. They still had a lot to learn before they received their Rider's blades.

"Mamma, look!" She looked back to her daughter. She and her brother looked so much like her except for one feature. They had their father's sea green eyes. The black-haired girl was standing on the dragon's snout, high in the air courtesy of the dragon. She waved her at mother and jumped from the dragon's head only to be caught, gently, by said dragon. She laughed at the pout as the child was placed in her waiting arms. She adjusted the girl so she was on her hip.

"What are you trying to do, fly like a dragon?" She heard herself say. The little girl laughed with her and she turned back to the Riders she was teaching, her daughter still on her hip.


Just FYI, this last bit was a memory. This will be ending soon, just not sure how. Hmmm, Thanks for reading and please review.