Chapter 21- We Visit Everyone (But One) on the List that Now Seems Permanently Attached to Eragon's Hand…

CN: Never make a long list when most of the people on it are in the same place that you are. Why? Because it's a waste of ink.

I sighed contemptuously for what seemed like the millionth time that hour and looked around me. We were in Feinster inside of a bright orange tent right outside of the small but imposing castle and left tower of the Feinster fortress. Orrin was still droning on about batterys; Id made the fatal mistake earlier of telling him about them and when we'd finally asked him the question that we were meant to all he said was, "I don't talk about that; nasty stuff it is." And then went on about something-or-other metal controlled casing again.

Thankfully Angela and Solembum walked, or should I say strolled in rather leisurely, through the flap. She winked at me and Eragon and then said to King Orrin, "The Lady Nasuada requests you in the dining hall." He hurried of looking rather like a big but scrawny beetle.

We then turned to Angela and Solembum, talk, talk, talk. Conclusion; they just keep saying the riddle Solembum said before.

Then to Nasuada who said we should have talked to her father and predecessor Ajihad who was currently dead. Thankfully she accepted me much better than Islanzadi did as she trusted Eragon completely and knew his decisions were for the best.

Then to Elva who Saphira tried to talk to but in turn she just said to find the eldunari.

As we finally reached our tent Arya came rushing back saying she had important news from Gilderien (Islanzadi wasn't much help). She said that he said that the Rock of Kuthian and the Vault of Souls were inside each other and to get to them you had to travel to the mountain Edoc'sil where we should find it but with caution; ware ye the weather.

Later that night

"Guys I have another theory."

"Oh no, you and your theories," cried Saphira in mock terror.

"Save me," squealed Eragon.

"Har, har, Im laughing my head off," I said sarcastically hoping to get a longer answer from him as before he was unusually quiet. I guess he just couldn't resist the chance to annoy me.

"Kay," grunted Arya.

"Well I don't know where it came from but I as thinking about true names and the idea of true signs came into my head."

"Maybe truths come to junction as well as peoples lives then," said Eragon pointedly.

"Well think about it; if everyone has true names then the Liduen Kvaedhi (the elven poetic script; an alphabet of shapes and words) for their names will be also theirs and twice as powerful."

"Yeah, I can see how that would work," said Eragon thoughtfully.

"We just have to hope Galbatorix knows nothing of them," I said.

"Lets hope," replied Saphira solemnly.

"Well, let's say these were real," contributed Arya surprisingly. "Then they'd be intertwined with destiny wouldn't they?"

"I suppose so yes," replied Eragon not quite seeing where this was going.

"So then destiny could be some sort of magick? An explanation to why these weird things have happened; and they could be connected to gemstones too. I mean destiny goes back for ever, this could all have been planned to by something greater than us and everything else in this universe and the next."

"I thought elves didn't believe in gods?" I said confused.

"We don't but that doesn't mean they're aren't other superior things out there that we are yet to discover," she concluded looking rather embarrassed. And with that thought lingering on all of our minds we went to bed.

The Next Day

Eragon set off at first light to see his young nephew as I watched through bleary eyes.

Then at about ten in the morning when we were all finally up, he came rushing back saying, "I am an uncle, I am an uncle, I am an uncle. Guys, Im an uncle; Rorans son; Lanyor; I've got a nephew."

I grinned; Saphira baring her fangs too. Even Arya offered a rare true smile. Eragon beamed back at all of us. "And now were going to Tronjheim at Farthen Dur to find Orik and Jeod. One of Nasuada's messengers ambushed me with the news that he's studying the Isidar Mithrim. (Star Rose, a precious huge floor made entirely out of crystal by an ancient dwarf smith.) So we can find him there."

Before we started to pack I put on the anklet very carefully so everyone could see. It was the one Arya had noticed earlier back home on earth. I smiled wryly and felt a shooting surge of guilt; I hadn't thought of home for ages. This anklet held magic. Little did everyone know but the gems were real. It was a long line of silver with a clasp on either end. The gems were emeralds in different shapes and shades. I loved it…

When we were all finally packed and ready to go Roran and a couple of other soldiers came galloping up to us leading three other horses and running behind them were the twelve elves Islanzadi sent to protect Eragon and Arya. Roran said, "Stop don't go on Saphira! We've had word that Murtagh and Thorn are patrolling the skies so you'll need these horses to get to the dwarves home quickly."

"Thanks Roran," smiled Eragon taking the reins. As Roran and the soldiers went back to Feinster Blodgharm came forward. Eragon merely nodded and swung onto to his horse. Then promptly fell backwards off the end. "Im used to Saphira and I haven't been on a horse for ages" he protested looking pointedly at Snowfire who Roran was riding. Blodhgarm guffawed and I laughed with him. Arya smirked; the ghost of a proper smile lingering in her eyes.

"Its not my fault!" he said smiling as well now.

"Huh! Ironic," I snorted.

He faked a pout in my direction.

"Observational skills," I reminded him. "You have to do it AND maintain it. You're out of practice."

He pouted even more.

Saphira swooped down from the hill she was soaring around and pushed us along a bit with her wing, "Come on," she said.

"Yes Saphira," Eragon and I chorused.

Then it was her turn to pout.