"Eragon, can I talk to you for a minute?" Murtagh asked. The remaining group had finally reached the castle.
"Certainly, Murtagh." They headed out onto the balcony for some privacy. "What's on your mind? Or should I ask: who's on your mind?"
"You know how I've spent a couple of weeks away these past couple of years?"
"The same time, but not this year?" Eragon nodded.
"I've been spending those weeks with Onóra. The last time she talked about what she knew of her father and the sword he left behind. When I returned to the Varden, Brom was talking about a sword with a blue-green blade with aquamarines and sapphires on the hilt. It was then that I made the connection. The sword Brom described is Azura, the sword Onóra has."
"Is that why you didn't go this year?" Eragon studied his friend.
"I knew there had to be a reason Onóra didn't know who her father was. I knew I wouldn't have been able to keep silent." Murtagh looked into the distance and the setting sun.
"Is that the only reason?" Eragon had a feeling Murtagh wasn't telling the whole truth.
"She belongs to someone else. She bears a soulmate mark. Besides, the daughter of Brom and sister of Eragon couldn't possibly be interested in the son of Morzan. I might as well be the son of Galbatorix." Murtagh sounded defeated. He had felt a connection to Onóra; one that was hard to explain. That connection seemed to have shattered. First when she had mentioned the soulmate mark, and second when he had learned of her family.
"Perhaps you're right, Murtagh, but you never gave her the chance to prove you wrong." Eragon left Murtagh to his thoughts.
"Onóra?" Arya found Onóra out in the garden. "Are you alright?"
"No." Onóra looked at her friend. "I now know who my father is and I'm glad about it."
"But?"
"I can't stop thinking about someone." Onóra sat down on a bench next to a rose bush.
"Murtagh?" Onóra had told Arya about her meeting up with Murtagh each year.
"He didn't show this year but now he's here with Brom and Eragon."
"I'm sure he has a good reason why he didn't show. Give him a chance to explain." Arya said before heading back inside.
"Onóra, Arya is right. I'm sure he has his reasons for not showing; just let him explain before you write him off." Eirwen said when she poked her head over the hedges that lined the garden.
"I know, Eirwen." Onóra thought for a moment. She stood up and walked toward her dragon.
"But?" Eirwen knew that look.
"Onóra, Arya said I'd find you out here." Eragon approached the two.
"Yes, Eragon?"
"Can I talk you about something?" He rubbed Eirwen's nose.
"Sure, what's up?" Onóra wondered what he had to say.
"It's about Murtagh." He watched her reaction. "Something he told me is bothering me."
"What did he say?" Onóra wasn't sure where this was going.
"He said that you have a soulmate mark?"
"Yes, I do." She showed him her right forearm. "Oromis said that once my soulmate becomes a dragon rider the mark will be complete. His dragon's mark will only appear on my arm after he takes his first flight. It will appear on his after his dragon's first flight. So, besides the fact that you're my brother, it's safe to assume that it's not you." Onóra explained what Oromis had told her.
"So, it's also safe to assume that there's at least one more dragon rider out there and that there's an egg waiting for its rider." Eragon thought for a moment. "This is what Murtagh meant when he said that you belonged to someone else."
"Both Arya and Eirwen say that I should give Murtagh a chance to explain why he didn't show this year. I guess if she believes I belong to someone else, he already has." Onóra looked up at Eirwen. "What's the point, Eirwen, if I really am destined to be with someone? What's the point of falling for Murtagh when my soulmate had already been chosen?"
"Be patient, Onóra, listen to what your heart is telling you." Eirwen knew that Murtagh was destined to be a dragon rider. She knew that his egg was other there somewhere.
"Murtagh is a dragon rider." Onóra hadn't meant to blurt it out.
"What?" Eragon looked at her. "No he's not."
"Maybe not yet, but once his egg finds him…" Onóra couldn't believe what she was saying. "He's not the only one. There are two eggs out there somewhere."
"She's right about that, Eragon." Brom had heard the tail-end of the conversation. "There are two eggs left and Galbatorix has them both."
"Does he know about Eirwen?" Onóra asked.
"No. I managed to hide it from him. Right before I left Amelia to form the Varden, I sent the egg here ahead of Oromis. Magic concealed it until Oromis came; he held on to it until he felt its rider." Brom smiled at Onóra; she was – is – as unique as her dragon.
"If the eggs are with Galbatorix, then how are we to get them to their riders?" Eragon knew that that task was going to be tricking, not to mention dangerous.
"I've already taken care of that." There was a glint in Brom's eyes. "Now the trick will be finding the riders."
Just one rider." Eragon mentioned. "Well according to Onóra, she already knows who one of the riders is." Brom looked at Onóra.
"Who?"
"What are you three up to?" Arya and Murtagh walked out to join them.
"Who is the dragon rider, Onóra?" Brom ignored the two newcomers.
"What I'd like to know is how she knows." Eragon added.
"One of the dragon riders is the son of Morzan." Onóra looked at Murtagh. "I don't know how I know. I just know that I do."
"What are you saying?" Murtagh locked eyes with Onóra. The connection he'd felt the first time he met her seemed to grow stronger.
"I'm saying that you, Murtagh, are a dragon rider… or at least you will be when the egg finds you." Onóra couldn't seem to break away from Murtagh's gaze.
"Lady Onóra, your mother would like to see you." One of the maids came out. Onóra followed her into the castle.
"Is she right, Brom?" Murtagh was still finding it hard to believe.
"She could be. She's been trained by Oromis, so it's safe to assume that he's taught her how to listen to what magic tells her." Brom replied.
"It's not something I taught her." Oromis walked up to the group. "She's been intuned with magic even before she became a dragon rider. I've just had to remind her that she needs to listen to what is being said."
"If she can understand magic, then why couldn't she figure out who her father was? Why can't she figure out who her soulmate is?" Murtagh asked.
"There are some things that the heart chooses not to understand until the time is right. Even when her soulmate mark is complete, she has every right to deny the man. She may choose another but neither one will be happy." Oromis answered. He was speaking directly to Murtagh but tried to make it sound like general information. He watched the young man digest the words. Murtagh understood that that last part was directed at him but he didn't understand what its meaning was.
"Onóra, what are your intentions?" Amelia asked as her daughter approached the bed.
"What do you mean?" Onóra sat in the chair next to her mother.
"About the Varden."
"You know how I feel, Mother." Onóra paused. She tried to think about her mother's viewpoint. "I feel trapped here. There's nothing left for me to learn here. Mother, please."
"No. I'm sorry, but I can't let you join the Varden. I let your father go and now I wish I hadn't. Onóra, I won't allow you to go with them when they leave. I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry you feel that way. I'll respect your wishes for now. I don't want to cause you pain or disrespect you, but I belong with the Varden. I belong next to my brother." Onóra stood to leave. She turned back to face her mother. "I am a grown woman, but I will respect you wishes for now." She repeated and then left.
"Onóra, is everything alright?" Arya met her at the bottom of the stairs.
"Yes, I just need to get away for a little while." Onóra headed outside. "Eirwen." She called for her dragon. Eirwen landed in front of her.
"When will you be back?" Arya asked. Brom was standing behind her and Eragon and Murtagh were standing in the doorway.
"When I no longer feel trapped by my mother's need to hold onto me because she's too scared to let go. When I no longer feel trapped by my mother's refusal to let me live my own life." She climbed onto Eirwen.
"Onóra, what's going on?" Brom stepped forward.
"She's afraid I won't return; she's afraid that I'll be like my father." A tear flowed down her cheek. "She doesn't understand this anymore; she doesn't support any of it." Brom stepped back as Eirwen moved to take off. They all watched Onóra and Eirwen head toward the woods.
"She won't come back until you three leave. Lady Amelia has told her, once again, that she is not allowed to join the Varden." Arya knew that's why Onóra had been summoned to her mother. "Onóra's right: Lady Amelia has forgotten the oppression and so she doesn't understand Onóra's need to join the Varden and fight against Galbatorix. Lady Amelia believes that they – we – are safe here."
"Aren't you?" Murtagh spoke up. He hadn't thought to worry about Onóra while she was here, but knew that she'd longed to join the Varden.
"For now. If the Varden fails to defeat Galbatorix and his men, it's only a matter of time before he tries to conquer us." Arya knew what was at stake. "Oromis and myself have tried to convince Lady Amelia to let Onóra join the Varden; to add another dragon to the side of good. We've both failed. There will come a day when Onóra will no longer feel the need to respect her mother's wishes. She's been a dragon rider for two years, but she's not ready to go up against Galbatorix. She will never be ready if she doesn't get the training she needs from the Varden."
"Let me talk to Amelia; let me try to explain the situation." Brom suggested.
"You can try, but I doubt it will work." Arya didn't have high hopes.
"Eragon?!" Eragon heard Saphira's cry.
"Saphira, what is it?" He noticed that she sounded panicked.
"It's Onóra. She's been kidnapped!" Just then Saphira and Eirwen were seen heading their way.
"By who?" Eragon didn't want to alarm anyone just yet.
"I don't know." The dragons landed.
"Where's Onóra?" Murtagh asked. Eirwen fell to the ground. "Eirwen" Murtagh placed a hand on the dragon's head.
"I should have never left her." Murtagh jumped a little when he heard Eirwen's thoughts.
"Murtagh?" Arya looked at him. "What is it?"
"Eirwen, can you hear me?" He ignored her question and focused on the dragon.
"I never should have left her, Murtagh." Eirwen looked at him.
"Murtagh, can you communicate with Eirwen?" Brom asked. Murtagh nodded, but he was definitely confused.
"Let me go!" Onóra struggled with the men. "You have no idea who you're dealing with!"
"Shut her up!" The biggest one of the group yelled. He was tall and muscular; he was a fighter. Onóra noted that he probably wouldn't look so bad if he cleaned himself up a little. The two next to her, however, had no chance at looking even halfway decent.
"There will be people looking for me." Onóra said. They hadn't taken her sword but they also hadn't seen the marks; they had no idea that she was a dragon rider.
"Oh, shut up. A spy of Galbatorix had no one searching for them." The leader replied.
"A spy for Galbatorix? Me?" Onóra had to swallow the bile that threatened to come up. She had been following these three because she had suspected them of being spies.
"Why were you following us?" one of the men next to her asked. She didn't like the way he was looking at her.
"I thought you were spies." Onóra looked at the leader. "You're not from around here and you've been hiding in the shadows. Who are you?"
"First, who are you if you're not a spy?" The leader approached her.
"I am Lady Onóra, daughter of Lady Amelia and friend of Princess Arya." She replied proudly.
"Oh, brothers, we're in the presence of a lady." The leader mocked.
"Now that I've told you who I am; who are you and why are you here?" She glared at the leader.
"We're looking for someone." The one to her right stated. He looked to be the youngest of the three.
"I was born here, maybe I can help you find who you're looking for." She moved away from the one on her left.
"The person we're looking for isn't from here. In fact he's only been here for less than a day." Onóra knew that the mad had to be talking about one of three people. One of the brothers got up and went to the opening.
"Are you Varden?" She had to know before she revealed any information. The silence grew thick.
"Onóra, where are you?" She heard Eragon and that startled her.
"I'm in the caves; the farthest one from the path. There are three men; they thought I was a spy for Galbatorix." She kept her cool.
"Someone's coming." The brother came back from the opening.
"Onóra, I'm coming in." This time the voice was Eirwen.
"Wrong. They're already here. I told you, you didn't know who you were dealing with." Onóra stood up.
"Sit down!" The leader struck her with the back of his hand. There came a loud roar just as she stumbled backwards.
"Onóra!" Murtagh came flying off Eirwen's back and ran to her. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I think so." She could feel something warm running down her cheek.
"Let me." He took a piece of cloth from his bag and wiped away the blood. The connection grew stronger; both could feel that. "Which one of the stupid brothers struck her!?" He turned and looked at the men. "I always knew three were all brawn and no brain."
"You know these three?" Onóra watched Murtagh. There was a feeling she couldn't explain.
"Yes, they're Varden." He looked back at her. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm fine, just a little confused." She made her way to Eirwen. "I'm sorry, Eirwen, I shouldn't have sent you away." Eirwen nudged her to let her know that it was okay.
"We're looking for Brom. He sent us on a mission and when we returned they said he had come here." The leader watched Onóra and the dragon.
"The eggs?" Onóra looked at the men. They nodded. "Did you get them?"\
"It wasn't easy, but yes, we got them." The leader handed her the satchel.
"Red and green." Onóra sat them on the ground and studied them. "Murtagh, this one belongs to you." She held the green egg out.
"Are you sure?" He took the egg. It felt cold. Just then Brom, Eragon, and Arya came running into the cave. They stopped when they noticed what Murtagh was holding.
"I see you three managed to get the eggs away from Galbatorix." Brom said. "Onóra, are you alright?" He noticed the cut on her cheek.
"I'm fine, Brom. It was all just a misunderstanding." She smiled.
"Yeah, but if you ever strike her again…!" Murtagh got in the leader's face. Everyone went silent; they'd never seen Murtagh so angry before (not even when the Varden "arrested" him).
"Brother?" Onóra said as Eragon pulled her into a hug.
"Are you truly alright, Onóra?" Eragon silently asked; he pulled back to look her in the eyes.
"I'm fine, Brother." Onóra smiled. So far only they knew about the fact that they could communicate telepathically. "Should we tell Brom about this?" She asked.
"And Oromis." Eragon replied.
"Brother?" The three men looked at Onóra and Eragon.
"She is a dragon rider and therefore a sister." Eragon said. It still wasn't something that needed to be known yet; if word got to Galbatorix about the relationship between Onóra, Brom, and himself there was no telling what might happen.
"So if Murtagh is really a dragon rider, that would make him our brother." Onóra added. She know what Eragon was thinking. These men had kidnapped her so she had no reason to trust them. She was starting to regret handing Murtagh that egg in front of them, even though it was the wrong one.
"Onóra, your mother is worried about you. We should return home." Arya spoke up. Onóra slung the satchel over her shoulder and they headed toward the opening.
"You three wait here until we return. We'll travel back together." Brom said before following the others. Murtagh placed the egg back in the satchel with the other one. "I'll take the horses; the four of you can fly on ahead." Brom said when they reached the bottom of the mountain. Murtagh climbed up behind Onóra and Arya went with Eragon. They stayed above Brom; none of them really trusting the three men in the cave.
"Why did you give me the green egg?" Murtagh asked after a while.
"I didn't trust them to know your true egg, just as Eragon didn't trust them to know the truth about me really being his sister."
"So my egg is in the satchel?" Murtagh still couldn't believe that he was a dragon rider.
"The red one is yours. The green one belongs to Arya." Onóra knew who the other dragon rider was as soon as she touched the egg. She didn't dare mention that her right forearm had burned when she touched the red egg.
"What's going on between you and Eragon?" Murtagh had noticed that something had happened.
"It's hard to explain." Onóra wasn't even sure why she could hear Eragon and communicate with him like she can with Eirwen. She leaned back against him. "Why didn't you come?"
"I got to thinking about the soulmate mark and what that meant." He pulled her in tighter. "I didn't think that the daughter of Brom could be interested in the son of Morzan."
"You knew who my father was?" She tensed.
"Not until I returned to the Varden last time; when I heard Brom talking to Eragon about Azura." He explained. They landed just a little ways from the castle.
"Here." Onóra handed Murtagh the red egg. "Arya, this belongs to you." She handed the satchel over to Arya and then climbed back up onto Eirwen.
"Where are you going?" Brom asked.
"To spend the night at Oromis' place. Tell Mother that I'm alright and that I'm still respecting her wishes." Eirwen took off for Oromis' house.
"Onóra, it's time you return home." Onóra was standing next to Eirwen when Oromis came out of the house. "It's been two days; you can't avoid them forever. They're leaving tomorrow; it's time Brom, Eragon, and Murtagh return to the Varden. More than obeying your mother's wishes, you need to remain here. Arya is going to need training before she's ready to rejoin the Varden as a dragon rider."
"Eragon can train her." Onóra understood what he was saying but that didn't mean she liked it.
"You know things that he doesn't; you need to stay here with Arya until she's ready to rejoin the Varden." Oromis repeated. Onóra nodded; resigned to agree with him.
"Alright, I know. I'll head home tonight." She headed into the woods. There was so much going on in her head that she couldn't seem to figure anything out.
"Do you think Oromis told her that you're leaving tomorrow?" Lady Amelia was talking with Brom.
"I'm sure he has. Amelia, don't let the past keep you from letting her become the woman she is destined to become." He turned to face her.
"You don't understand, Brom." Amelia turned her back to him.
"Maybe not, but the father in me wants both Eragon and Onóra as far from all of this as possible. The warrior in me knows that there will never be peace in Algaesia without their help. I sent you here because, 20 years ago, this was a safe place. If we don't stop Galbatorix now, no place will be safe." He tried to reason with her.
"Stop him without my daughter!" She spun to face him, fear and anger clear in her eyes.
"I wish we could. I wish that we didn't need the four young dragon riders, but we do. We need them because we need the dragons. There's no way to defeat him without them." Brom knew and understood the pain and fear Amelia was feeling, because he felt it too.
"Find another way!"
"There is no other way, Amelia. If there were then Galbatorix would already be dead. If Onóra joins the Varden – when she joins – I will not only have one, but two children putting their lives at risk. You worry about one but I worry about two." He left after that; he knew that she wasn't going to give in and change her mind.
"Wait! What do mean 'when'?" Amelia stopped him in the hall.
"You know she won't always respect your wishes. She will join the Varden one day and I hope it will be with your blessing." This time when he walked away, she didn't stop him. He knew she'd given her something to think about.
"Onóra?" Murtagh had watched her approach the castle but she had settled in the open field.
"What is it, Murtagh?" She continued to look at the stars.
"I need to tell you something." He paused. "I can hear Eirwen's thoughts when she wants me to."
"What?" She looked at Eirwen who nodded. She stood up and faced Murtagh.
"I foundn out the other day after you were kidnapped." He stepped closer.
"You're leaving tomorrow?" She asked.
"First thing in the morning." He stepped closer again.
"I wish I could go with you, but I can't. Oromis is right, I need to stay here with Arya when her egg hatches. The day is coming when my mother can't hold me back any longer." He ran a thumb gently across the cut on her cheek.
"I wish that you could come with us, too. That way at least I could see you every day and know that you're alright." He ran his thumb over her lips and did something he's been wanting to do for a long time. He kissed her. The moment their lips touched, everything else was forgotten. Onóra pulled herself tighter against him as she lost all senses to his touch. The kiss didn't last long enough for Onóra, because as suddenly as it happened it ended. Murtagh remembered the soulmate mark.
"Murtagh?" He turned his back one her and walked into the castle without a word.
The next morning, Arya, Amelia, and Onóra headed out to say their goodbyes. The scene was all too familiar for Amelia and Brom. "Onóra, listen to your mother. I know it's hard right now but you will know when it's time for you to join us." Brom hugged his daughter.
"Take care, Brom." Onóra hated to see her father leave.
"We'll be seeing you soon, Onóra." Eragon approached them. Brom made his way to Arya while Murtagh and Amelia stood awkwardly beside each other.
"Just when I found you both… Take care, brother. I'll be seeing you." The brother and sister hugged before moving to the last and hardest good-byes.
"This is all too familiar, Brom." Amelia and Brom stood face to face.
"Yes, but I promise that if I survive this and we defeat Galbatorix, I will come home to you." He kissed her forehead before pulling her into his arms.
"Promise me something else: that when Onóra joins the Varden, you'll protect her; that she'll survive." Amelia said.
"I promise." He held her tighter.
"I'll be seeing you, Eragon." Arya said as they stood facing each other. "When we're ready, my dragon and I will rejoin the Varden."
"When you do, make sure you bring Onóra and Eirwen with you. We need them just as much as we need you." Eragon wasn't saying what he really wanted to say.
"I'll try." Arya hugged him, an unspoken acknowledgement of feelings between them.
"Goodbye, Onóra." Murtagh extended his hand to her. Disappointed, she shook it. "We'll always be friends. That's the best we'll ever be."
"Sure." Onóra responded, her voice straining from fighting back the tears. As soon as he kissed her last night, she knew the truth. "Goodbye, Murtagh, take care of that egg." He nodded and then the six said their final goodbyes. The women watched as the men headed into the distance. "Friends? You are my soulmate, Murtagh." Onóra whispered when the men disappeared from sight.
"Onóra?" Eirwen saw the look in her eyes.