Review Responses: Snowlily246- Hopefully this chapter answers your question.

And in case you all did not catch on, Kuldra is three months older than Saphira.

Disclaimer: I only own Florina and Kuldra

Enjoy

"Mama, Papa, this is Kuldra." The gold dragon dipped her head in greeting.

"They look nothing like you except for the way their bodies look. Why is that?" Kuldra asked in the privacy of their minds.

"Emily is not my birth mother. She gave my father permission to sleep with another woman with the condition that she got to raise the child as her own." Florina explained to her dragon.

"Will you talk to them for me?"

"They want to hear from you." Kuldra huffed and Florina turned to her parents. "Open your minds so she may speak with you."

"Greetings, Caleb and Emily."

"Greetings Kuldra, daughter of the wind." Caleb greeted. "I am honored that you should bless my family by choosing my daughter as your Rider."

"She is of strong mind and heart. It is I who am honored. And do not think that it is a debt owed because you saved me from the water."

"I would never think that." Caleb said. Kuldra turned to Emily.

"I am thankful to you for letting Florina be born. You have proven yourself a noble woman."

"I only wished for a child of my own to raise." Kuldra retreated from their minds.

"She is still in pain about you not being born from her."

"She wanted to feel the joy of carrying a child herself." Florina told the four month old dragon. "Let us let go of these depressing thoughts." She turned to her parents. "I got a missive from them." Florina said and she sat against Kuldra's leg.

"Oh, and what do they want?" Caleb asked, sitting beside Emily on a log."

"The usual. They said they will meet me next month in Dras-Leona. Are you going to do what they ask and go Tronjheim?"

"No. I will stay here until I am forced to flee." He stood and walked back to the city. A moment later, Emily followed, leaving Florina and Kuldra alone.

"What is wrong, Little One?"

"I worry for them, that's all. Right now, they seem safe, but the Empire and Galbatorix know that we supply the Varden with the weapons they need. What if they send soldiers to arrest us? I want them to go, but that will only tip off the Empire."

"Florina, they are adults. Your mother uses magic and your father is a great warrior."

"You examined their memories!" Florina admonished.

"Only slightly. It was on instinct. I had to know if they meant me harm."

"If they had meant you harm, you wouldn't be here now. Or both of us would be in Galbatorix's court and being tortured because I would never swear to that oath-breaker." They sat in silence, enjoying each other's presence.

She hummed to herself as she worked the metal. She had to make spear heads and poleax heads for the Varden. They wanted a never ending stream of weapons and it was beginning to wear on her. Her father was busy making arrowheads. They had finished the swords the day before as those had taken the longest. She wanted to talk to him, but he refused to talk to her after she had asked if he would flee. She didn't want to leave with nothing else said between them.

"I want to come with you." Kuldra suddenly said to her.

"What, all the way to the city?"

"Why not?"

"No."

"Why will you not let me accompany you?"

"Dras-Leona is where the most of Galbatorix's servants gather. If they see you, they will know that a new Rider is about and then we will have all his servants looking for us."

"But I want to be with you."

"I know you do." Florina was silent a moment. "You can accompany me to the top of the mountain, but no farther. I plan on taking a ferry across the lake. That should lessen the days we are apart."

"No, go the usual way. If you are being watched, they will suspect you know that something is wrong and they will arrest your father and his mate and you when you return. Can't I wait in the trees surrounding the lake?"

"You'll be seen."

"Do not worry about me. Please?" Florina nearly laughed aloud at Kuldra's use of the word.

"Very well. But you must promise to stay hidden, do you understand?"

"I will and I do."

"Be careful, Florina."

"I will, Papa. Do not worry about me. Worry about you and Mama. Keep the both of you safe."

"I want you to take this." He produced a stone, a dawn-red sapphire lined with silver. "They will know you by this. But I want you to have it. Your mother has put some energy in it and I recommend you add to it when you can." He slipped it over her head and she hugged him. "Try not to take too long."

"I'll try." She said. He watched as she climbed onto the wagon and flicked the reins. What he had not told her was that also in that stone was his memory of the night of her birth and of her true father. He had begged Emily to put hers in as well, but she refused saying that his would be enough. She had placed certain spells that would let Florina access the memory only when she was ready to see it, never before.

Florina felt Caleb's eyes on her back and she couldn't help but feeling that something was going to happen and it was going to upset her world. She shook it off and once she was far enough from the city, she called Kuldra to her. "Walk beside the horses."

"Why can't we fly?"

"You are too young to be able to carry all this weight. Plus, I cannot leave the horses or arrive without the wagon without causing suspicion." Florina tugged her gloves on and got a better grip on the reins.

"They scurry around so much."

"You better be high enough not to be seen." Florina grumbled. The market was getting ready to close for the month and the Varden had yet to show themselves to her. It didn't help that her dragon, being so curious about humans, had decided to circle the city to watch them.

"What is going on there?" Kuldra gave her a memory and Florina sighed.

"A slave auction. Don't do anything stupid. There is nothing we can do to help them."

"You are fairer than any elf." A voice whispered next to her. She jumped with a start and looked. It was a young man and he was leaning against the booth.

"I think you may be mistaken about that, Friend. But, what can I do for you?" He looked at her and she could see the puzzlement in his face. Without him noticing, she extended her consciousness towards her customer. She tried not to let the worry show in her eyes as she retreated back into her own mind.

"I would like your stock of weapons."

"I am sorry, but they have already been purchased and await their new owner." She said carefully, making sure not to let anything slip. One of the soldiers walked by.

"Start packing your wares, Smith." He said.

"Yes Sir." She replied and began locking her trunks and loading them onto the wagon. Exactly half of her stock was left. "Kuldra, go back to the northern edge of the lake. I will meet you there."

"Take the ferry. I will wait for you in the mountains."

"I am sorry, but I have nothing to sell you." She said. The young man didn't leave.

"Who are these weapons for?"

"Pardon?"

"Who are these for?"

"I don't know. He never tells me his name." Florina was beginning to get worried. The soldier who had told her to pack up was walking back their way.

"You will tell me or I will throw you in the dungeons."

"And who are you to threaten this lady?" The soldier asked as he drew level with them. The young man didn't answer. The soldier grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and dragged him with him up the street. Florina hurried and left the city.

"Smoke comes from the city." Florina looked up. She had been watching the road after having noticed that it had been destroyed. A knot formed in her stomach and she flicked the reins and the horses went faster.

"Hide in the forest. Do not come to me unless I call."

"But,"

"No! It may be nothing. But I am not going to take the chance. Wait for me to call you."

"As you wish." The five month old dragon grumbled and flew off. Florina slowed the horses as she neared the gate. The soldiers had a sad look in their eyes when they saw her. When she asked, they wouldn't tell her the cause of the smoke. The knot tightened. She hurried the horses through the streets to her home and found it in ruins. She stopped the horses, jumped off the wagon, and ran into what once had been the kitchen. She searched everywhere for her parents. She ran into the forge which was still partly intact. She found her father unconscious on the ground.

"Papa. Papa, wake up." She shook him and he groaned, but opened his eyes. She smiled.

"Florina, you're alive." She nodded as she helped him up. "They took your mother."

"Who did?"

"The king's blasted spell casters. No, not out the front. Grab that sack and help me into the forest. I'm supposed to be dead. There is nothing of value in the house." Florina obeyed and they snuck out the back and into the forest. Once they were clear of the city, the forge collapsed in on itself, supposedly burying them. Florina choked back a sob and continued into the forest. Once they were a good distance, they stopped and Kuldra joined them.

"We have to go after her."

"She is being taken straight to Galbatorix. You do not have the power to defeat him and free her. You need Dragon Rider training and there is only one man still alive able to give you that. If you ride Kuldra, you should reach Palancar Valley in about a month. Last I heard, he was hiding there. His name is Brom. Find him and convince him that you are who you say you are."

"What about you?"

"I will be fine. Just go."

She sat next to the trail and watched as Kuldra did acrobatics in the air. The sight amused her because the dragon was doing it for her own enjoyment. They had been at the mountains outside of Palancar Valley for a few days now. They had arrived in time to see two shadowed figures ride toward Yazuac. That had been about four days ago now. She looked up as she heard rocks clatter down the slope. "Who is coming, Kuldra?"

"Two legs with two four legs. One is old, the other has not yet reached manhood. There is a dragon with them with sapphire scales."

"Have you been seen by it?"

"No. I am too far up. But they are heading in your direction." Florina watched the two travelers through Kuldra's eyes as they made their descent. It was midday when they finally reached the bottom. She watched them as they examined the trails.

"They went to Yazuac." She told them, standing up. The old man drew his sword while the boy drew his bow. "Peace, I am a friend. I am looking for a man named Brom."

"And what do you want with him?" The old man asked, his eyes narrow.

"The path is always changing." She said. His eyes widened.

"The wanderers always find a way." He replied, lowering his sword. "How do you know that?"

"We have friends in common. Now, you asked why I was looking for you, Brom. Here is my answer." Kuldra landed behind Florina. "My name is Florina. This is Kuldra. I have come to learn from you, Old One." The boy whispered something to Brom. She looked him over. He had dark hair and eye brows and intense brown eyes. She could see his muscles beneath his clothes, worn as they were, and also the pain of a loss. She recognized it. She felt the same pain.

The boy ignored her and turned to Brom. "How do we know she can be trusted?"

"She can be. Besides, she might prove a good teacher for you as well."

"Who is she talking about when she said that you have friends in common?"

"Eragon that is one thing you are not going to learn from me. That is not my secret to share with you. Just know that she can be trusted."

"What is your dragon's name?" The woman called to them. Eragon didn't answer. Brom nudged his elbow.

"Be polite. She gave us their names. It is only fair that you give yours and Saphira's."

The boy turned to her. "My name is Eragon. She is Saphira."

"I am glad to meet you, Saphira. And honored. I thought that Kuldra was the last female of her race. And I must admit, so did she."

"She says that she is glad to meet another dragon free of Galbatorix." Florina turned to Brom.

"I will ride with you. I have few provisions, but I am willing to share with the both of you."

"You did not bring a horse?"

"No. I didn't have time to spend months crossing Alagaësia to get here."

"And what is so important you chose to go without a horse?" Eragon asked, suspicious.

"Galbatorix's spell casters took my mother while I was away at market. The only way for me to save her is to learn how to be a Dragon Rider. Training my father says I can only get from you, Brom." She looked at him. "I know who you are, Argetlam." She said silently just outside of his mental barriers. He scowled.

"She comes with us." She nodded and walked to the Anora River and filled her waterskin. The other two followed her example and the dragons drank their fill. Brom mounted his horse and Florina climbed up after him and placed a hand around his waist. "We have much to discuss."

"It's a good thing we have a long journey a head of us."

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