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 27, revised.

Thank you and enjoy!

DragonRider2000

With a stretch, Raya opened her eyes and blinked at the sunlight pouring through the opening of her hiding spot. She heard Shacour pawing at the ground, but she didn't feel like moving. She was quite comfortable where she was, but what bothered her was that she couldn't hear Sasha moving around making breakfast, but she had the distinct uncomfortable feeling of being watched…

"Ahh!" She cried, bolting into a seated position as the events of the previous day flooded back to her, and she noticed that her blanket had somehow migrated from Sacar to her. She looked slowly around met the amused stare of Sacar Liastrin. She blushed, and looked down at the blanket, frowning.

"You were cold, I wasn't." He said simply, crossing his legs and resting his hurt arm on his knee while he fed the tiny fire with his other hand.

"Thanks… how long have you been awake?"

"An hour or two. I've been keeping watch, but there's not much to watch for. You picked a good hiding spot."

It unnerved her that he'd been awake and she'd been so sound asleep she hadn't noticed. Her dreams had been troubled, consisting of blurred images and overpowering feelings, among them the feeling of safety. Even when she was trying desperately to escape a prison in her dream there had been a shadow of a figure beside her that was also trying to escape. Besides the feelings of desperation and despair from being unable to escape, she felt at the same time safe and comforted. What it meant, she couldn't tell, but she hardly felt rested.

Sacar was watching her curiously as she racked her brain trying to remember her dream, and then he smiled. "Hey, don't hurt yourself. As far as I know, we still have a ways to go."

Raya eyed him, and then began rolling her blanket.

"Yes, we do. We have to meet up with my cousin, and somehow get you a horse."

"Your cousin? That's good news." He sounded genuinely relieved.

"What, you don't like my company?" She said sarcastically, standing and tying her blanket to her saddle.

Kabarak? She had no idea if he could hear her or not, as she still wasn't comfortable with the mind extension thing.

Good morning, Raya. Are you close? We are very worried.

We are close to leaving my hiding spot. But we need another horse, so I'm trying to decide if I should venture into Feinster again.

No, that's not a good idea. Sasha said that she would go instead when you met up with us so you can stay with Taya.

But I also want to find out what happened yesterday, and I was the one responsible. I think I should be the one to go back.

I could tell you that you couldn't go back at all and that we will have to pick up another horse along the way.

Then I'll just go into town to get the information I need.

Raya, stop being silly.

I'm not being silly, Kabarak! This is important to me.

"Hey, are you ok?" Sacar's voice snapped her from her conversation with Kabarak, and she replied hurriedly,

"I'm just thinking about how I'm going to do this. Should I take you back to my cousin before I go into Feinster to get you a horse, or should I leave you here and go now and then meet up with my cousin? It's a perplexing thought."

"You might be recognized in Feinster, so I don't like either of those ideas." Sacar replied coolly. "There's no point in you risking everything just to get me a horse."

"What is it with you and everybody else being worried about me?" Raya snapped, feeling truly annoyed. "I can take care of myself pretty well, thank you very much."

She snatched Shacour's reins and was about to lead him out when Sacar grabbed her arm.

"Raya, listen to me. It's not a good idea." He stared right into her eyes, almost demanding that she listen to him. "I know that town. Everyone will be suspicious of everyone, and anyone who looks even slightly familiar from the event will be detained. I will walk before I let you go out there. There's another option that you're forgetting. Not everyone lives in town and there are outlying farms, some a few miles from here. We can go to one of those."

Raya still hesitated. He didn't know the second reason why she wanted to go into Feinster… but she was outweighing her safety verses information. Kabarak was right. She was being silly.

Sacar must have seen the change in her eyes, because he smiled slightly. "That's better. I'll put out the fire while you go see if the coast is clear… without the horse." He added, realizing she could take advantage of being out to ride to town. Raya nodded, and dropped Shacour's reins and disappeared outside. She crested the hill they were hidden by, and looked around the land and the sky carefully. There was no sign of a dragon or of an army, and there was no longer smoke rising from Feinster. The sky was absolutely clear with nothing unusual to be seen. Her senses told her to be careful but that the danger had passed, so she went back down the hill and was about to join Sacar when Kabarak's voice rang in her mind.

Raya. Sasha is on her way into Feinster for a horse. You and our new companion should meet me as soon as possible.

Dang it! Why did she do that? Well, tell her to keep an ear out for a man called Siranus Liastrin and also for his son Sacar.

So that's the other reason you wanted to go in? I see. I will tell her. Be careful.

He sent an image of their hiding spot to her, and she nodded to herself and walked up to Sacar.

"We will meet up with my cousin first, if you don't mind. Then we will explain what's going on." She took Shacour's reins again and led him out into the open, and the horse seemed glad to be out in the sun. Sacar followed, agreeing with her. He obviously had no idea what she really meant, and there was no reason why he should. She was curious to know what he would think of Kabarak, and vice versa.

Raya mounted first and then helped Sacar swing up behind her. Shacour pulled at the bit impatiently, and she let him have his head, and the horse started off at a quick walk. Raya directed him towards Sasha and Kabarak's hideout, and after a while with Sacar's permission she let Shacour trot.

"You alright back there?" She asked, and Sacar grunted in response.

"It's not the most comfortable ride I've ever had, but then I've never ridden a horse double with a wounded arm. So I guess I'm alright."

Raya smiled.

After a bit of a ride at a steady pace, the terrain began to change. Then they came to an old road, hardly visible in the grass. Raya made Shacour follow it, and she walked him on the side of the road so they wouldn't leave tracks.

"How do you know where we are supposed to go? Weren't you separated yesterday?" Sacar asked suddenly, sounding all of a sudden suspicious. Raya nodded.

"Yes, I left my cousin before Feinster and have never seen the place we are going. But I know where it is."

"That's a little too mysterious for my liking."

"You'll see. As I said, I'll explain when we get there."

"Alright." He didn't sound sure about it at all, but Raya couldn't oblige him any further. Suddenly she turned Shacour to the left and followed a little creek. Then she stopped a few feet from the edge of a little pool, and she whistled softly. Behind the pool was a forest of dense growing trees, nurtured by the pool.

Come. Kabarak said, and she clicked to the horse, which walked forward carefully, his ears pricked forward and his neck tense.

"Here we are." Raya said quietly, and lightly hopped off Shacour at the edge of the wood, and in confusion Sacar dismounted as well. Raya led the horse forward, and they were suddenly in a hollow space and there was Taya, lying asleep on the ground covered by a blanket, and Gypsie the horse was staring at them with wide eyes and stiff body. Both horses nickered to each other and Raya smiled. Sasha had left a few supplies at the camp, and as Raya tied Shacour by Gypsie she looked around at Sasha's handiwork. Her cousin had cleared away the little bit of brush on the ground between the trees and had torn little trees up so it wasn't so crowded, but she'd left the area mostly alone and set up camp around the natural growth of the trees. She'd used the brush and some of wood for the fire, which she'd put out before leaving.

"Is that your cousin?" Sacar asked in shock, and Raya shook her head.

"No, that's my sister. She's very sick."

"Wait… you didn't say anything about a sister. Do you even have a cousin that you're travelling with?"

"Yes, she will be along soon. She went into Feinster to get you a horse." Raya knelt beside Taya and looked at her sadly. "It's a long story."

"Well I think I'm owed an explanation." Sacar said quietly, crossing his arms. "After all, I'm in it for the duration. Are you escaping from somewhere? You were being chased by the Red Rider, and that's not usual. Who are you? Why are you so important to the Red Rider?"

Anytime now, Kabarak. Raya thought, wondering where the dragon was.

"You're right. We are escaping to the Varden, and running from the Red Rider. This woman, my sister, is Taya Corsallen."

Sacar's face went ashen, and Raya continued. "She is-"

"I know who she is." Sacar said in astonishment, sounding cold and surprised at the same time.

Do you? A voice emanated through his mind like a gong and he shrank back, looking instinctively up. His eyes widened in almost horror as he locked gazes with Kabarak, who was perched on a large branch of one of the trees. His tail was twitching madly, and he was staring unblinkingly at Sacar.

Do you really know who she is? I think not. He spread his wings and glided to the ground beside his rider and he arched his neck.

I am Kabarak, partner of Taya Corsallen. Yes she is the daughter of Galbatorix. But her cause is far nobler and much greater. I will tell you her story, which leads into mine and that of her sister Raya, and Sasha her cousin.

To Raya, Sacar seemed to be handling the situation fairly well. He had not collapsed in fear, ran away screaming, or exploded in rage. He was standing perfectly still, his eyes wide, his face pale, and Raya could practically see his heart beating against his chest. Kabarak's entrance had been expertly timed, serious and theatrical, perfectly fitting the situation. Raya doubted she could do a better job of convincing the boy of the truth of their journey and of their dispositions. It'd be hard to imagine being lied to by a dragon, especially the last one in the world that was supposed to be in Galbatorix's hands, still waiting to hatch.

She stole my egg and escaped her father's clutches. She fled to Dras'leona on her way to the Varden where she met Raya, the sister she never knew she had, and her mother's family. I hatched for her while she was in Dras'leona. Galbatorix had been searching high and low for her since she disappeared and an accident led Murtagh and Thorn to Dras'leona. Taya hid me and stood against Murtagh, who was armed with a poison that apparently kills its victims slowly. He choked my rider with this poison and left, and now she is dying. We must reach the Varden before the poison kills her. I've never met any human aside from these three, but you seem like a decent enough young fellow. Your conduct towards Raya has been admirable, and I trust her judgment that she would not pick up anyone unworthy of our company. The dragon sniffed. Make sure my trust in her is not put to the test.

Sacar stared blankly at him for a long moment, and then he narrowed his eyes.

"Only if you say please." He said simply, and Raya gaped at him in astonishment.

Kabarak made a deep, strange rumbling noise in his throat, and he closed his eyes and then hummed very lightly. He opened his eyes immediately and nodded his head once.

You will do, I think. What are you called, two-legs?

"My name is Sacar Liastrin. And I didn't necessarily come with Raya of my own accord. I was dazed, and thrown onto her horse by a friend without my consent."

That doesn't really matter, you cannot go back now. Even if I didn't like you, and I do, we wouldn't cast you off by yourself. Not until the Varden, at least.

"Thanks…"

Raya couldn't help but smile. She could always trust Kabarak to settle an issue. Now Sasha just needed to get back so they could move on.

"I've only ever heard bad things about Princess Corsallen." Sacar said slowly. "And with her being Galbatorix's daughter my father and I took those things for granted. This is the last thing I ever expected to be a part of."

"It's not easy." Raya agreed softly. "I've never been in so much danger, all the time. If Murtagh got his hands on Taya now she would be taken back to Galbatorix to suffer even more… if that's possible. What I don't understand is why he left her where she was after he poisoned her, and now he wants her back. Or at least I think that's what he wants. Since Dras'leona Galbatorix has not been able to find her, as Taya has been hidden and out of his reach. But when Murtagh saw me, he went crazy. Was it because I look like Taya? Or was there something else?"

Sacar listened to her talk, more to herself than to him, but he was beginning to understand his situation a little better. Yes, it did make sense that Murtagh would try to capture Raya since she looked like the King's daughter that he'd attempted to kill. It even made sense that a person so close to Galbatorix, like Taya Corsallen, would see through him and steal the last hope of the world. And Galbatorix was a rider; so why not his daughter?

From a ways off there came a whistle, and Raya jumped up in relief. Kabarak hummed again, and at Sacar's questioning look, Raya answered,

"My cousin is back."

They heard a splash, and could see movement through the trees. Sacar had his hand on his sword just in case, as he didn't know this strange cousin, and he was used to the idea of being deceived. It irked him slightly that Raya didn't seem at all worried. He couldn't read a dragon's emotions, so he had no idea what Kabarak was thinking.

Sasha entered the little clearing riding Chester and leading a saddled and bridled dun with two white socks on its hind legs and a long flowing black mane and tail. Chester halted and Sasha immediately turned her full attention on Sacar, who stared back defiantly.

"So you're the cause of all this trouble." Sasha growled, and Raya glanced sharply at her, surprised by her harsh tone. Sasha ignored Raya and proceeded to gracefully dismount and stand in front of Sacar with her arms crossed.

"I can't say I even imagined what to expect, but I certainly wasn't expecting you." Sasha paused, and smiled ever so slightly. Raya barely caught the expression, but when she did she knew that Sasha was only putting on a show, which was highly uncharacteristic of her.

"Undoubtedly now you know our situation. My cousins are the daughters of Galbatorix. Taya is the last rider of Alagaesia. We must get to the Varden as soon as possible before Galbatorix's poison kills her and we lose both her and Kabarak. Taya never liked Galbatorix… and she learned recently that he killed her mother, Queen Lenya Corsan, because she was a spy working for the Varden. We are being hunted, and if we are caught our fate is most certainly torture and death. I'm sorry to inform you that you were tossed into a very dangerous adventure."

Sasha reached out with one hand towards Sacar, who hesitantly grasped it.

"I'm Sasha Tatanya. I got Feinster's version of what happened yesterday, so I know you didn't have a choice in coming with Raya. At least that's what I gathered from what I was told. Here, this horse is for you. Her name is Mirax." Sasha handed the dun's reins to him after releasing his hand. Sacar seemed to be somewhat in a daze, Sasha's dramatic change taking him by surprise.

"Sadly her owner's home and barn were destroyed in the fire yesterday. The man had too many animals and not enough space, and although he seemed fond of this one, his use for her was small. She was a good price, no less." Sasha explained. "You look as if you know this horse?"

"I do." Sacar said, stroking the mare's forehead. "I'm sorry to hear of Tenar's loss. He's a good man, and a friend of my father's. He bought Mirax only for pleasure riding, so I see why he decided to sell her. He never would have otherwise."

Sasha nodded. "He said as much."

"So did you get into town without any trouble?" Raya asked curiously. "They would have been wary of strangers."

"That they were, but they believed my story well enough. I told them that my pack horse had broken its leg along the road, so I made my way to Feinster to find a new horse. I'd seen the smoke yesterday from a distance, so I hurried to see if the town was still there. Obviously it was. They liked my story, and since I didn't have another horse and I brought most of Gypsie's pack gear they really believed me and I was pointed in the direction of the man names Tenar, who was a nice fellow and sold me Mirax. He also explained all that he knew about yesterday." Sasha finally looked at Raya, and her expression was relieved and annoyed.

"I knew it wasn't a good idea for you to be the one to go into town. But I hardly guessed that Murtagh would be there. I'm just glad you're alright." She looked back at Sacar. "I already know your name, Sacar. Raya asked me through Kabarak to find out about your father. I'm sorry to have to tell you that he was taken prisoner by the imperials during the confusion yesterday. Tenar made it sound like he fought hard after you and Raya escaped, but then he was wounded and captured. Tenar guessed that since he'd stood up to Murtagh the soldiers knew he could be important."

Sacar stood rigidly, looking down at Mirax's nose. Sasha let silence reign for a moment and then she broke it with an encouraging smile.

"We will find him, Sacar. There's always a chance that he will be released and make it to the Varden. Ironically we are heading in the same direction as Murtagh, which is also unnerving. We may yet find your father."

"Did you meet the storekeeper there? He was the one who helped us escape." Raya questioned. To their surprise Sasha shook her head.

"No, he was gone. Tenar said he left in a hurry not long after the imperials retreated. He stayed long enough to help put the fires out and make arrangements for his store and possessions, then he saddled his horse and took a load of provisions and left town. Everyone suspects that he went after your father, Sacar. That there is another man we should be on the lookout for." Sasha patted Chester on his neck, and then tied him to one of the trees.

"Now, since the initial greeting and the most important information has been discussed, it is time to get a move on, kids. I'm hoping we can make it a ways before dark. We can talk more on the way." Sasha said, and Raya nodded. Sacar was still looking blankly at Mirax's nose, and Sasha frowned, then shrugged and walked over to Taya.

Kabarak had kept silent the whole time since Sasha's arrival as he had nothing relevant to add, and now he spread his wings and flew to one of the tree branches again and perched himself there to watch the preparations, since he couldn't do anything else.

Raya hesitated, and then she slowly reached out and touched Sacar on the shoulder. He froze and looked slightly down at her, and she smiled faintly. "Come on, the sooner we leave the sooner we will find him. I'm going to help Sasha, so why don't you move your stuff from Shacour to Mirax?"

He nodded slowly, and Raya turned around and did exactly what she said she'd do. Sacar watched her for a moment, wondering, and then he led his horse over to hers and switched his pack over. Needless to say he was overwhelmed, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. Never in his wildest dreams had he encountered such a group, or even such a danger… all because he'd not wanted a pretty girl to get hurt and also because of Bran Eirac. What had that man been thinking when he'd tossed Sacar, barely conscious, onto a strange girl's horse? He too had obviously not wanted Raya to be caught up in the fighting. Sacar hoped that one day he would be able to ask his friend why he'd done what he did.

Sacar glanced over at Raya, seeing in his mind's eye her standing above him, facing the red rider after Sacar had been unable to touch him. She hadn't known that her knife would in fact wound him, but she'd still protected Sacar, putting his life before hers.

He rarely ever had any friends, especially not ones his age, since he and his father moved around a lot. Sacar understood loyalty and he'd encountered strong friendships, but he'd never met anyone like Raya Corsallen. She might be the daughter of an evil king, but he knew there was far more to her than that. There was power there for sure, since she could hurt a rider. What else was there that bothered him?

He had a lot of time to figure it out. The Varden were still a ways away. But he found on looking at his situation that he didn't mind it very much, aside from his father being a prisoner. So far as he could tell these were honest people… and creatures. He realized that when Raya had seemed to go into a daze earlier that she'd been talking with Kabarak. That was how she knew where to find the camp.

Sacar shivered. He was a part of the company of the last dragon and rider.

Eragon shifted his reins to his other hand and looked up at the sky.

"Arya, please tell us who it is we are sidetracking to meet. This secrecy is useless." He demanded, not for the first time. He knew Arya well enough to know that once she made up her mind she could not be swayed, but he still hoped and tried. Her silence about their side trip and the person they were supposed to meet was irritating, as it was taking them longer to return to the Varden, and for him to return to Saphira. Roran he knew felt the same way, as he was longer away from Katrina.

"It is not useless. As I've said before, you will see when we meet."

"Is it someone we know?" Eragon pushed, switching over to the Ancient Language in hopes that she would reveal something important. Yet Arya looked back at him with a blank expression.

"No." She answered simply, also in the Ancient Language. "Nor would you have ever met if circumstances had been different." With that, Arya fell silent again and nothing Eragon said could get her to speak. He looked at Roran, who shrugged.

"I despise waiting." Roran said softly, even though he knew that Arya could hear him. Eragon nodded in agreement, and went back to thinking. By Arya's calculation they would meet up with the mysterious person in two or three days.

He forced himself not to think about it, and instead turned his thoughts to Raya Cavrona and her own situation. Had she escaped Murtagh? He thought so. He would know because of his wards around her if she'd been captured.

Eragon sighed, and looked up at the sky again. He would just have to wait and see.