Thank you to everyone who reviewed. And i want to send a special thank you to Claro y Volcan for you very spirited review. Please know that I really enjoyed writing that scene.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inheritance Cycle

Enjoy!

She stood with her arms crossed. Before her stood the leader of the Varden, the man who claimed that he had not ordered her tortured at the hands of the magicians. Not that much torture had happened to her. The Twins were still in the infirmary, talking nonsense due to her well placed spell. "If you speak true, then where is my father, Caleb Morinsson? He sent a letter telling a certain merchant to watch for me should I visit Terim. Where is he, if you speak true and you are Ajihad and the leader of the Varden?"

"I was hoping you could tell me, Florina Emilysdaughter. Where is Caleb and where is your mother?"

"My father was supposed to be coming here to help you so I could help my mother."

"What happened to your mother?"

"What happened to my father?"

"Your father is not here, Woman. Now what happened to your mother? Why were you with Brom and another young Rider?"

"I was with them so that I could possibly gain the knowledge I need to save my mother. Without it, I have no chance."

"Where do you think she is?"

"She is a spell caster." Florina said. Kuldra watched from her place behind Florina. They had not left the great chamber since Florina had freed her and the man had named himself. That had been a couple of hours ago.

"Did she know of us?"

"Only what my father told her, which was very little. Only he knew where your front door is. So, if he is not here, than what have you done with my father, Ajihad?"

"I have been waiting for at least a year for you and your family to join us."

"It was too dangerous. If we had fled, the Empire would have known. On my last trip to Dras-Leona, an Empire spy found me and tried to get some information out of me. Your messenger never showed up. It was after I got home that I found it burnt and my mother gone and my father barely alive. We were nearly crushed by the roof as it fell in on us. What do you have to say now? I know my father would have come to you through Surda."

"I have known for the past six months that your house was destroyed. I waited a month for Caleb to arrive. When he didn't, I sent that letter to Jeod. Caleb left it in my care should something happen."

"What are you saying?"

"Your father is dead, Florina."

"I can't believe he is dead." Florina was curled against Kuldra in the dragon hold above Tronjheim. She was cocooned in a blanket while Kuldra covered her with her wing. The young Rider sobbed silently. No one except Ajihad knew that she was here and she wanted to keep it that way for the time being.

"His must have been the death Angela foretold."

"Then what is the secret that is supposed to make this easier?"

"Maybe Ajihad has the answer to that. Maybe he bears the secret."

"He does look familiar. But I can't place him. It's like in Terim, the longer I was there, the more my memory was unlocked. Mama must have concealed more than she said she had."

"You did well with magicians last night. It was their faults."

"Thank you,"

"Rider Florina, are you in here?"

"Who is that?"

"A young woman. She has the same features as Ajihad. Maybe his child.

"What does she want?" Florina felt the gold dragon adjust and she knew that Kuldra had showed the tented wing to the woman.

"My father wishes to speak with you. I am to take you and your dragon to him if you wish. It is still dark outside. No one will see you." Florina sighed and tapped Kuldra's belly, their signal to let her out. Kuldra lifted her wing and Florina stepped off the bed. Florina grabbed her sword and then nodded to the young woman. Florina examined her as she saddled Kuldra. She was only seventeen, but she looked as if she knew more than a seventeen ought to. When she was done, Florina held a hand to her. "No, I,"

"By the time you reach the bottom again, light will be coming in. I do not want to be seen by the rest of the Varden until I need be. Now come on."

"As you wish." Florina helped the woman into the saddle and then climbed up herself. Once she was situated, Kuldra took flight. The woman kept her eyes closed the whole while. Florina didn't and let her know when they had landed. "This way." She said once she was on the ground again. Florina and Kuldra followed quickly. It was only moments before they were standing outside a cedar door. The woman opened the door and bowed the pair in. Ajihad was standing behind his desk, his back to them.

"You wanted to see us." Florina said, sitting down without being told to. She was not one of his subordinates and would act as she saw fit.

"I did. I wanted to tell you that Hrothgar knows of you and Kuldra. Once we are done here, he would like to speak with you as well." Florina nodded and rotated her hand in a gesture to continue. "I want you to tell me how you knew the man was an imposter."

"Simple, he told me the wrong code. He did not give me the rhyme I gave Jeod in Terim."

"It is as I feared. There is a traitor among us." Florina raised an eyebrow. "There are two codes. One is real, the other is false. I only gave the false one to a select few. But I was also foolish in not thinking that the traitor could have been eavesdropping on us." He sighed. "But those are not your troubles. You are not the leader of the Varden, but the Varden's hope. You and this boy, Eragon, and his dragon. The four of you are the hope of Alagaësia. I know that you wish to be alone to grieve, but you cannot be hiding. We had no knowledge of this second egg. How did you come by it?"

"My father found it in the ocean, in the cove near Kuasta when I was a little girl. It hatched for me when I turned eighteen. Five months later, my mother was taken. A month after that, I met up with Eragon and Brom."

"Yes, you have told me this before. How well can you fight?"

"I can beat Brom and Eragon in a two on one fight. Other than having to save my neck, I haven't had much cause to fight."

"I wonder, would you care to be tested in those abilities. It is obvious you are close to a master in magic. The Twins have only just regained normal speech."

"I will be wary of them, Uncle." Her eyes widened. "Where did that come from?"

"Another locked memory?"

"Maybe. But why would I be calling him uncle? I have no relation to him."

"It has been many years since I have heard that name put to me. The last I heard it was when I would visit you and your family from time to time. Nasuada would come with me as well. I would imagine she looks slightly familiar to you."

"You would be imagining right. But why would I know you as my uncle?"

"That is what Caleb and I came up with. I befriended him before I became leader of the Varden. Once I had become the leader, I asked him to make the weapons for us and I visited so that if you ever came here alone, you would not feel alone among strangers." He had just hit the nail on the head. That was the exact reason she had not wanted to reveal herself yet. With her father dead, she had no one.

"The secret that would help ease the pain." Kuldra commented. "Does it help having someone that you know in this strange place?"

"You mean besides you?" Florina joked. Kuldra snorted, releasing miniscule jets of flame. "Yes it does."

"These are yours then, by inheritance." Florina looked at him, confused. "These came to me via messenger from Orrin. They were given to him from a travel worn man. The man told Orrin that they must be sent directly to me and handled by his most trusted messenger. He also told Orrin that no other hands must touch it, aside from the messenger's, before it got to me. There was a message for me with it instructing me to give them to you should you ever come to us."

"And then?"

"He collapsed at Orrin's feet. He died a day later. The parcel had already been on its way to me." Ajihad pulled a familiar looking sack from beneath his desk. Florina stood and took it. She opened it and saw her father's prized tools. She broke into tears again. Ajihad rounded the desk and held her, letting her cry into his shirt. For her, it was now official that Caleb was dead. Aside from Kuldra, her mother and Ajihad and Nasuada, she had no one else. Kuldra pulled the both of them into a hug, humming, trying to give her Rider comfort. They stood like this for minutes before Florina finally pulled away, drying her dark eyes. Ajihad suppressed a shiver.

"Is there anything else?"

"No. Hopefully, Brom is still alive. According to you, he and Eragon were heading south last you saw them. Brom knows where we are. He will bring Eragon and Saphira here when they are ready. But, Florina, are you ready? You are older and have seen the politicians of the world. They are no different here. As a Rider, you have expectations you must fulfill. Men will be asking your hand or how to appease a young woman's family so he may ask her hand. Mothers will want blessings from you."

"That is if they even dare come near me. The people of Kuasta thought me odd because of my dark eyes. And you cannot hide how unsettled you are by them. I am a Rider, yes, but I may still be feared. But, I will help how I can."

"That is all I ask. I am glad you know that you are free of the powers here. I wish you to remain that way."

"The Twins?"

"Will leave you alone, I assume. You did beat them at their own game after all. Orik!" Florina jumped as the door behind her banged open and the dwarf walked in.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Your king wishes to speak with Rider Florina and Dragon Kuldra. Lead them there. Then, I would like you to be her guide until she has acquainted herself with the layout of Tronjheim."

"Sir." The dwarf bowed and then turned to her. "This way, Rider." Florina held onto the sack and followed Orik out and down the hall. They didn't speak as he led her through the central chamber and down another hall. He stopped outside two granite doors with a seven pointed crown carved across them. "Mine king has declared this a private audience as an act of faith. Be respectful. He is wise, but quick to anger and sees keenly into the minds of men."

"Thank you, Orik." Orik bowed them in. Florina walked beside Kuldra. The throne room was more of a cave than a hall. She was aware of the stone kings watching them as they passed. Once they had passed the forty-one statues, Florina's eyes fell on the black marble throne before her. Upon the blocky throne sat an old dwarf. Upon his head rested a gold helm with rubies and diamonds. His grim face was partially covered with a beard that went over his chest and was tucked into his belt. Upon his lap rested a war hammer. She inclined her head and then met his flinty, piercing gaze.

"So, you are one of the new Riders."

"I am."

"I see you do not pay tribute to me."

"You are not my king." Florina said simply.

"You have a quick tongue."

"I am a merchant. I must be able to sell my wares."

"That is mighty true. Ajihad has told me some of what has driven you here. But I sense a different reason."

"The black king stole my mother from me, as well as my home. I want them back."

"I see. So that is why you fight? You only want to take back what is yours? What if this new Rider joins the black king?"

"Then I will kill him and the king and then return to my home and take up my father's trade."

"Why not take the crown for yourself?"

"No land should have a monarch that does not die in a natural course." Hrothgar smiled.

"Ajihad has told me that you wished to be left alone to grieve. Have you grieved fully?"

"I have. I will show myself to the Varden. But I fight with them, not for them. If Ajihad should fall, I have no interest in taking his place."

"A wise answer to an unasked question. Should this new Rider come here, he could learn much from you."

"Only what he wants to learn." Hrothgar turned to Kuldra.

"I have not forgotten you, Great Hunter of the Skies. Do you share your Rider's views? Do you agree that she can return to the life she had before?"

"Tell him that I know what you wish. And that we both know that you cannot have that life again. But tell him that I will protect you whatever you wish, even from him. Should any dwarf try to harm you, should any being try to harm you, they will taste my fire and feel my claw. The black king himself will wish he had not taken your mother. Tell the king that should I be angered, my anger will not be abated until I have destroyed the one who caused it." Florina relayed her message, not missing the smoke coming from Kuldra's nostrils. Hrothgar chuckled.

"The fury of dragons has not abated over time. That is good for you will need it. If Galbatorix cannot get his other two eggs to hatch, he will try to turn your Rider. You must have the strength to keep her from the cowardly monster."

"Do not worry for our safety."

"You may go. And do not worry about your Rider's safety in these halls, Dragon. She is mine guest and will be treated as such."

"Thank you, Majesty." Florina inclined her head and the king dismissed them. Florina and Kuldra walked back the way they had come and then followed Orik back outside where light was slowly starting to creep into the cave.

For those of you who are wondering, yes ERagon and Murtagh will be appearing in the next chapter. THanks for readin and please please please review.