Dear Readers,

The beginning of this story is under reconstruction. When you read a chapter that has nothing at all to do with what you have just read, please keep in mind that is the previous version of the story and I am redoing it as quickly as I can. I apologize for the inconveniance. I am not trying to confuse you! Later on, after chapter 28, things mostly fit together with the revised chapters of the story.

This is Chapter 20, revised.

Thank you and enjoy!

DragonRider2000

"It's hard to believe that there is so much nothing out here." Sasha commented.

It was evening on their first day of travelling, and they had stopped at sunset to set up camp, as they were not used to any routine and they had the extra hassle of their unconscious companion to get used to. Their camp was nestled at the bottom of a hill, where they had found a little pond and wispy trees surrounding it. Kabarak had immediately gone off to hunt, keeping close enough for contact with Sasha and Raya, and the two had proceeded to dismount Taya and set up camp. It took a while, as the whole process was foreign to them, but by the time Kabarak flew back with their dinner Sasha had succeeded in building a tiny fire and Raya had set up their tent and the horses were un-tacked and watered.

Yes, it is. And we have much more to see before our travels end. Kabarak replied lightly as he crunched on a bone. At first the girls' reception to his idea of dinner had been of disgust, but his argument was that they might as well eat what they could hunt and catch and save their packed food for when there was nothing to hunt. After that he had to encourage them to skin the rabbits he'd caught, and he mentally thanked Taya for teaching them such a task before their journey.

Now, their dinner was over and they were sitting around the fire, all of them tired and sore, but satisfied.

"How far do you think we've come?" Raya asked Kabarak, and the dragon paused.

That is something I cannot tell, as I was in my cramped travelling compartment most of the day. That will not be the case tomorrow, however. I refuse. I do know though from my observation while hunting, that we are nowhere close to other living humans. We are very much alone, which is good. Our direction is on point, but I do not know how long it will take us to get to the next town. Hopefully our sense of distance will heighten, or we will be very much caught off guard when we pass civilization.

Raya raised an eyebrow at his long response. "You don't even have a guess of how far we went?"

The dragon turned his head to stare at her, and she held up her hands in defense.

"Alright, never mind. Sorry I asked. So, now what?"

"I think Kabarak should tell us everything he needs to tell us, especially what he knows about Taya's decision to let this happen to her." Sasha replied, her tone almost angry. Kabarak's jaws cracked loudly on the bone he was chewing on, and both girls jumped at the noise.

I don't appreciate that tone any more than Taya would, Sasha. You are just sore because you believed her when she said she was fine yesterday. But you are right; it is time for me to tell you everything.

He scooted the bone fragments away from him and curled up closer to Taya's side, laying his head on the ground and looking at Sasha and Raya with his green eyes intensely fixed on them.

You both know that since I was named, Taya's strength began leaving her. At first we thought it was due to stress and lack of sleep, but then she realized that through her link with Murtagh, which is actually quite strong, she could feel him coming closer to her, and to us. I believe from the time she blocked me from Thorn she guessed something like this might happen. I could do nothing as Murtagh came closer and closer, except help her through it. She spent much of her energy on weaving wards around all three of us, once she knew we would not be able to leave before Murtagh found us.

At this Raya and Sasha gaped at him, but he continued without pausing.

This made her very weak, obviously, but it accomplished what she needed it to, which was extra protection around us if something was to befall her. She knew yesterday morning that Murtagh would arrive that day, so when Colt and Dierik invited you to dinner, she saw that opportunity and made you take it. What better way to get you both out of the picture and away safely for enough time? She didn't think Murtagh, or Galbatorix would kill her. She'd caused Galbatorix too much grief to merit a quick death. What neither of them realized or knew was her connection to you, and her bonding with me. She is counting on us to get her to the Varden, more specifically to Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular.

"Did she honestly think that he would do anything for her after the way she rejected him?" Sasha asked incredulously, catching the other two off guard.

Explain, Sasha.

"It was only a few weeks ago that Eragon was here and somehow ended up at the Tempest, and when he asked her to travel with him to the Varden, she refused in a very slighting manner. Do you think he's just going to heal her after that?"

"Now wait a second." Raya frowned at her cousin. "What makes you think he won't? She's the Last Rider, for goodness sakes! She told him the time wasn't right for her to leave. That was the truth, although now I wish we had left with him. He couldn't push the subject because he was surprised by her refusal. Besides, he's the free Dragon Rider. Peace is his primary goal."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that he would have no peace from anyone if he didn't save her life. And he can't afford not to."

"What if his business had taken two more weeks? Or what if they had stayed in Dras'leona longer? He could have stopped Murtagh and none of this would have happened! But no, he had to leave... what if his being in Dras'leona also had to do with Murtagh coming so quickly? Someone could have found out about him being here and-"

Sasha! Kabarak snapped, lifting his head and shaking it angrily. Listen to yourself! You are speaking nonsense. I cannot believe you are laying blame on a person who is wholly on our side, and is one of the only people in Alagaesia who can save Taya! Perhaps we should just leave you behind, we'd probably be better off without having to listen to your moody nonsense.

Sasha looked as if she'd been slapped in the face, and Kabarak slowly lowered his head back to the ground and said softly,

Enough of this. It is time to rest.

They heard the sadness in his tone, and Sasha suddenly stood up.

"Where are you going?" Raya asked with concern as Sasha walked away, out of the firelight.

"I'll be back." Was Sasha's reply, and Raya looked back at Kabarak as if for help, but the green dragon had closed his eyes. Raya sighed and lay down on her back, looking up at the stars, thinking. Surely that wasn't all Kabarak had to tell them, but with the way the conversation had gone… well, Raya hoped she was right.

Sasha didn't walk far before she stopped and stared across the vast expanse of land before her, shadowed by a half moon and lighted by the stars.

How could she blame Eragon Shadeslayer for her cousin's condition? He had not even known who she was, had no idea that she had such ties to Galbatorix and to Murtagh, and his business was nothing that had to do with them. It was chance that had brought him to The Tempest's Shelter, and chance that Taya had even recognized him for who he was. She could not judge him for leaving when he had. She could not even judge him for his reaction to Taya's refusal to accompany him and his companions to the Varden.

Yet why had she?

Sasha hugged herself, closing her eyes tightly. She knew the answer. Because she had left Taya to herself when she had known something was wrong. Sasha blamed herself for what had happened. But one does not easily blame oneself in situations like the one Sasha found herself in, and so she was trying to outwardly lay the blame on someone else, someone close and important but wholly unrelated to it all.

Sasha opened her eyes as a new thought came to her, and she shuddered. Memories were a powerful thing. Losing Taya reminded her of someone else she had lost, and she remembered clearly the blame she had laid on herself during the following weeks and months. Only, she had not lost Taya completely…

'She is counting on us to get her to the Varden'. Kabarak's words echoed through her mind, and Sasha knew what she had to do. She had the ability, the strength to save her cousin when she had previously failed her. She could take the blame she was putting on herself and use that resolve to do everything she had to do to get Taya to safety, to healing hands. Taya trusted her, and was trusting that she would act as the adult, not the petty child. Sasha had to make sure she kept that trust and did not fail her cousin again… did not fail those she loved again.

Sasha turned and walked back to the fire, and Raya sat up on her elbows when she heard her approach.

"Are you ok?" The younger girl asked concernedly, and to her surprise Sasha smiled.

"Now I am. After a little soul searching, I realized what my problem was and figured out how to change it. Go to sleep, Raya. I'm right behind you."

Raya raised an eyebrow, then shrugged her shoulders and lay back down. Sasha looked over at Kabarak, who had not moved from his position next to Taya. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be asleep, so she didn't disturb him. Sasha followed Raya's example and laid down on her bedroll, closing her eyes and quickly falling asleep.

After a few minutes Kabarak opened his eyes and looked over at Sasha, noticing her even breathing. Satisfied that she was asleep, he stood and edged out of camp to hunt again. He had his own 'soul-searching' to do, and that was best done by flying and hunting.

Three days later they came in sight of the town of Belatona, a day or two earlier than they had thought they would. Raya rode by herself into the town to get a few supplies, while Sasha rode around the town as far from it as she could. Kabarak kept a clear mental connection with Raya throughout the day, making sure nothing happened to her. The risk of sending Raya into the town was small and Raya had grudgingly admitted that she had been in Belatona before and she remembered the different streets. Besides that, she knew how to be careful.

Sasha and Kabarak had only been in their hiding spot on the other side of the town for a little over an hour when Raya rode up.

"Well, there isn't anything on the town boards that I found about Taya, or us. Eragon and Roran Stronghammer's posters are still up, with a higher reward. A man I talked to while I purchased the supplies said he hadn't heard of any movement from the Empire or the Varden armies in a while. This seemed to worry him, and I can't say I blame him. So, if his intelligence is correct, our adventure should be fairly uneventful." Raya looked at her sister, who was still situated in front of Sasha.

"How is she?" Raya asked, causing Sasha to sigh.

"As I told you before you went into Belatona, she is the same. The mark where he choked her is getting darker, which I am guessing means the poison is working. Other than that, nothing is different."

"Well, let's go then. We can get a few more miles in before we have to stop again." Raya turned Shacour and rode off at a trot. Before Sasha followed her, Kabarak extricated himself from his travelling box and alighted on Gypsie's back, on top of the packs. The mare turned her head to look back at the dragon curiously, but Kabarak had done this before so she didn't seem to mind. All of the horses had become used Kabarak flitting around, landing on them, running around them and so forth, so hopefully if a tense situation was to arise the humans would not have to worry about the horses spooking at the dragon.

If we continue to make such good time, we may be able to make it to the Varden with a few days to spare. Kabarak said, but Sasha noticed his half-hearted tone and questioned him on it.

I may try to be positive, but I am noticing something different through my link with Taya. It is… darker. The poison is burning inside of her, this I can feel easily. She is blocked from me, yes, but there are still things that I can sense… for how long, I do not know. I wish we knew how long the poison takes to kill its victim.

"We'll get through this, Kabarak. Try not to worry about it."

You're speaking to the King's court. The dragon retorted, catching her by surprise. Sasha didn't reply, knowing what he was going through and knowing that comforting words would be useless. Who knew if they really were going to make it through this? They were all miserable, especially when they thought about the end of the road, because they didn't know where it would really end. But Sasha could almost sense something else driving them forward. Their journey revolved around urgency… to save the life of one they loved.

"Love is a powerful thing. Sometimes it drives you to do things you never thought you could. There is more to it than we will ever understand. It is not something you give lightly. You give it to those you trust, those you care about strongly. It is rooted by the deepest friendship, and bursts forth in beautiful colors to light up your life. There is happiness there that no evil can grasp and shatter. Love is a journey, and it only grows stronger. It starts as something small, and then becomes something so much bigger.

It is not something you give lightly. You give it to those you trust, those you care about strongly."