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Meirin was being held in his own tree, after we barred the windows and enchanted the doors, though, and we also asked Quin and his apprentice, Santeri, to guard him. All Riders, Elders, apprentices, everyone, were invited to the center of Skulblaka Hjerta, the multi-cultural town, Allr Hjerta. I was currently sitting at the High Council's table, while all the Riders, elvish, dwarvish, Urgal, and human, milled around, trying to find friends and question their knowledge of the situation. I was speaking with Arya, but when she saw Eragon, she quickly flitted over to his side at the High Riders table. I turned my attention to Murtagh and Raweru, but they were deep in conversation, with pained looks on their faces.

I wasn't the type to be snoopy, but I heard snippets of their talk. "How is mother? Is she feeling well?" I frowned. I knew that Raweru's father was Murtagh, but if Raweru wanted to know how Nasuada was, why didn't she just visit her mom? Murtagh had married Nasuada two weeks after she became queen, so he couldn't have... "I bear horrid news, Raweru. I'm sorry my daughter, but... Mistra has passed on." He did. He had gone behind Nasuada and had a child with some woman called Mistra! And Raweru was the product of this. Now I knew why Raweru had looked so familiar when I first met her; she had the same features as Murtagh. They shared cloud-gray eyes, though Raweru's were more light, and her hair had the same black-brown tint as Murtagh. How did I not see it before? I knew I couldn't tell them I had overheard, they would become angry, and we had enough problems, so I knew to stay silent. I wish my life wasn't so complicated.

Eragon suddenly souted, "Riders! Please calm down! I will now tell you why you are here and the full extent of our problem. I believe you are all are familiar with Meirin, werecat Rider. Well, he has been rather insufferable lately, and has even threatened and attacked the High Council." Many shocked mutters rang through the room, and Eragon continued, "He has been detained, but if we move against him, the werecats may take offense, and after the drought that pulled the Urgal and werecat communities closer, it would result in a war of all races. Urgals and werecats would face the dwarves, humans, and elves, but even when it is three against two, the Urgals based their religion and life along war and battle, and the werecats have unimaginable power. We tell you this to prepare you; hard times may lie before us. More whispering occurred, this time worry also a key factor, but now, the Riders were yelling and some even drew their swords against one another.

I looked to Eragon and silently asked him to speak, and he nodded. I stood, put my arms out, and summoned a storm from the skies. When pure white clouds already overhead began to spark with lightning, the racket below faded, but not entirely. The biggest problem was a knot of Urgals, dwarves, and humans, all arguing, and at least one from each race were fighting, sword to sword. I glared at them, and I levitated on the winds out of my seat and over the quarreling Riders, and screamed, "Enough!" Individual bolts of lightning flew from my outstretched fingers and hit their swords, and with a few yelps, they clattered to the ground. I again yelled, "Enough. We have a possible battle already. We don't need to divide ourselves. Now I believe that the Head Rider was about to speak." "That's right. I am." But this voice wasn't Eragon's. It was Meirin! He was standing on the high walls, smiling like a maniac down at the Riders. Eragon pushed himself into the air, right in front of me, and I glared at him. Did he think I needed protecting? I pulled in front of him and hissed in his ear, "This is my battle, now." He growled, "You should show me more respect." I didn't reply, but turned back to Meirin.

I pointed a threatening finger tipped with lightning at him and yelled, "You! All Riders; beware! This is Meirin, the one we must protect Alegasia from!" A roar of approval came from below, and Raweru was suddenly on a levitating rock next to me. We glared at Meirin, and Raweru yelled, "Barzuln! Surrender to us now, my student." Laughed and said mockingly, "Oh, yes mighty Riders! Ha! Fight me, and I'll win. If I lose, which I won't, you will be faced with a war. So defend yourselves!" He suddenly attacked, using a poisoned dart, but I easily dodged. Another figure was right next to Raweru though, an Urgal Rider, who quickly took a mace and swung wildly at Raweru. She yelled, but only in surprise. She had easily ducked, and drew her sword, Arget, and now faced the Urgal, who I might mention is a Kull. I had my own problems, though. Meirin was now swinging his sword with deadly accuracy, but I drew Laufsblad and fended off the blows. He had been studying my fighting technique! He knew my moves well.

I shot a quick glance at the High Table, but only Arya was still there, but as I looked, she leaped into the crowd of fighting Riders below. Eragon and Murtagh were already trying to pull the Riders apart, but even with the help of the Word, it was still too much. I saw Meirin touch the ground quickly, and a transparent barrier, only visible from the inside, rise into a dome, and kept Raweru, Meirin, me, and the five Urgals who had joined us on the wall where we were. I looked at Raweru, who had knocked out one of the Kull, and exchanging a glance, we knew what to do. We charged towards each other, then past each other. I tackled one Kull, then yelled, "Malthinae!" And restrained another. I saw Raweru exchanging easy, quick blows with her student. She had taught him everything he knew, but not everything she knew. I continued to fight the Urgals, who didn't pose much of a challenge, but I was careful not to hurt them extensively. They still were Riders, and I wasn't sure about something. On the last Urgal, I saw his eyes, but instead of the usual black, they were glazed pale, and I crawled behind him, touched his back, and muttered, "Letta." I had felt a flow of magic controlling him, and when I ended it, the Urgal stumbled and blinked, obviously confused.

I nodded at him, and he realized who I was, and beat a fist on his bare chest. I narrowed my eyes, and he seemed to understand my silent message; help your friends recover. He walked to the restrained Urgals, and I ran to aid Raweru. She required no help, though. Meirin lay on his back, his sword far to his left, and Arget at his chest. Raweru looked at me, smiled, and said, "About time. So what do we do about him?" I shrugged, but Raweru was suddenly on her back, and Arget clattered to the ground. Meirin got up, and yelled, "Risa!" And before I could stop him, he flew through his barrier and yelled, "All werecats and Urgals shall fight you now! Beware all who oppose me!"

~Hour Later~ ~Raweru's POV~

"Listen to me! Meirin will go straight to the werecats for support! We must stop him before he reaches them!" I yelled again to the other Elders, pounding my fist on the table for emphasis, but Arya shook her head and said, "It's too late. Right after he left, his dragon followed him. They would have met in the Hadarac and doubled their speed. The werecats mainly reside in the foothills of the Spine, so he will have to pass through Uru'baen, or at least close. We should contact Stronghammer; he is currently visiting. He could postpone Meirin's plans long enough for us to cut off his escape." I glared at Arya, and growled, "I taught the young werecat; I know how he thinks. He will lead us off, making us think the obvious, then do the exact opposite!" Father had been silent, but now, he motioned for me to stop, and said, "Arya is right." I glared at Murtagh and said, "Don't act so blind! Use your mind, Arya, Murtagh. Vraela, where do you stand on this?" Vraela had been tapping the table, green lights playing and twisting on her fingers like rings. But now, she looked between Arya, Murtagh, and me, but then looked down again. I noticed she was ignoring Eragon again. What did he do this time?

I spoke again, "Everyone, think. If you wanted your people's support, and your enemies knew, would you go directly to where your foes expect? No. You would find the safest, trickiest route. I say this now; he has some sort of plan, and it will only bring us trouble." Arya opened her mouth to protest or argue, but I continued, "Don't even say it. I know I'm being disrespectful, but you should give me a chance, here." Vraela spoke out, "Yes, Eragon. Don't be the fool I've taken you for before. Use the brain you were given." Okay, she might have gone a little too far. Eragon, who was already in a horrid mood, said, "Arya, Murtagh, and I will be going to cut off Meirin, but you two can manage Skulblaka Hjerta." Vraela shot out of her seat, knocking down her chair, and yelled, "No! I will not be demoted to defending the impenetrable!" I did the same and said, "We are Elder Riders! Let the others watch home! I started this by training Meirin, and I'm going to finish it!" I had never been good about rules, and now, Eragon's order seemed extremely insignificant, and more than usual. I wanted to stop Meirin, and not even the Word was going to stop me.

He said, "You both are reckless! You are rash, and never listen! For that, you will stay here!" Vraela took a throwing knife from her boot, which I found unsettling, and threw it with such perfect accuracy, it landed just between two of Eragon's fingers. While he stared in awe at the knife, she walked out. I glared at Eragon, enraged, and said in my fury, "Barzuln! Follow your child, Eragon!" Arya had given birth to a miscarriage, and this put Eragon into a fit. "Get out!" "I was leaving anyway." And I prepared to fly away with Vraela in search for Meirin.

I decided to take my favorite approach; trickery. I sighed, defeated, and said, "Ugh! I am tired of this place! Why can't I go?" Vraela caught my eye, and she realized what I was doing, and so joined in. "Yes, Head Rider. Why?" Eragon looked down at the table and said, "Raweru, you are... reckless, rash. You may take this fight too far. And Vraela, you have been working hard lately, and deserve a break." She growled, "I work hard because I want to, and I will stop working hard when I want too!" She was getting extremely angry, and I knew she wasn't acting anymore. She took a throwing knife from her boot, which I felt was slightly scary, and threw it with perfect accuracy, will the blade embedding itself in the tabletop just between Eragon's hands. He saw them, stared for a moment, then turned to yell at her, but she had already walked out the door. I sighed, and said, "Eragon, you are thick-headed. You know that, right?" He glared at me and said forcefully, "Stay... In... Alfa Hjerta. And that is an order you shouldn't disobey." I knew this was too far, but I said, "Barzuln, Eragon. Follow your child." Eragon screamed, "Get out!" I retorted, "I was going anyway!" Eragon was still upset, because Arya had given birth to a miscariage.

Barzuln- dwarvish curse; curse with many misfortunes

Malthinae- bind; hold

Letta- stop