Thanks all for reading. As the chapter title suggests, this chapter focuses on the Blood-oath Celebration.

Disclaimer: I only own Florina and Kuldra.

Hope you guys enjoy!

"Concentrate, Eragon and Florina."

"Sorry, Master." They both mumbled. Though she was able to write, she had to learn how to write in the ancient language as well. She had not slept the night before as the nightmares kept coming. She would often have at least two a night. But not all of them were of her mother, now. Since she had made her new blade, she had been having dreams of events that happened in the past as well as ones she knew could not have happened yet. The most recent one was of a near future. But how she knew this, she was unsure. All she remembered was a crimson sky and in the center of her vision was a dragon with scales that shone blood-red coals in the waning light. The last thing she had seen was Saphira and Eragon engaging the Rider, shooting into the sky from the battalion of dwarves to her left. She longed to join the fight, but knew she had to protect the Varden from the Twins who had not died.

She clutched at her right side as Eragon broke the nib of his quill and Oromis clutched his right arm. She reached for Kuldra and found her mind barred by impenetrable barriers. They both looked at their master. "What's happened to them?" She demanded. She could feel Kuldra returning with Glaedr, but she wouldn't speak to her.

"I know not. Glaedr returns, but he refused to talk to me." Oromis answered, while standing and taking Naegling from his wall. He strode outside and watched the sky for the gold dragon. Florina stood by his side, praying against the worst. The two gold dragons came into view. Glaedr descended first. Florina saw the gash on his right foreleg and the blood running down it. She looked immediately at Kuldra and saw a gash, from beneath her wing to her right back leg. The moment the two dragons had landed, she and Oromis rushed forward. She skidded to a stop next to him when both dragons growled at them. Both gold dragons moved to the edge of the forest, Kuldra supporting her father, where they promptly turned their backs to the Riders and cleaned their wounds. Oromis took Florina's hand and guided her to the clover where they both knelt. She was aware of Eragon watching them, but she focused on Kuldra. She extended her consciousness toward her partner's and found the wall still there. She waited, not saying a word while the sun set behind them. She didn't move when Oromis was finally allowed to heal Glaedr. Nor did she listen to the words that were spoken between him and Eragon.

"How will I be able to face her?" Kuldra finally said. Eragon had been gone about thirty minutes.

"What do you mean?" Kuldra remained silent.

"Do you know why the Stone of Broken Eggs is named such?" Kuldra asked, evading the subject. She continued when Florina remained silent. "The elves tracked us there and killed us while we slept. They shattered our eggs with their magic and made blood rain down into the forest that day." Florina still said nothing. "Aren't you going to say something?"

"Will you let me heal you?"

"Leave off!"

"Then I shall remain a mute statue." Kuldra hissed and turned her back to her again. Florina waited in silence. Finally:

"She attacked him."

"Why?"

"I am not sure. But I think it had something to do with her wanting him to be her mate."

"Did she attack you?"

"Only in retaliation. I attacked her after she had injured him. I could not let her hurt him. He is my father."

"I understand." Kuldra turned and lifted her wing, keeping it raised. Florina stood and approached. She examined it carefully. The blow was by claw and had torn the muscle beneath Kuldra's hide. She knew she had to knit the muscle back together. She took a breath and extended her consciousness, touching the small lives and taking as much energy as she dared to fuel the spell. She had mastered Oromis's meditation a few days ago. Eragon had been there and was crushed when she had told Oromis the news. Oromis had told the young man not to fear. She had sat past the allotted time, struggling to master it. After that, she and Oromis left Eragon alone while Oromis had her experience one of the greatest secrets of magic. Now she was using it to heal the one she loved beyond all things, even if it meant the death of some.

"It itches." Kuldra complained as the muscles and skin and nerves knitted back together and Florina ended the spell. She had felt three plants die and had almost killed a frog in the stream. "What do I say to her?"

"You tell her you had to protect your family." Florina climbed onto Kuldra's back and rested in the groove where the saddle usually sat. "Come on, we need to work on our gifts for the Blood-oath Celebration." Florina got into her crouched position and Kuldra took to the sky.

She twisted and attempted to look in the mirror at herself. She was in a muted gold, full length dress that had a neckline that stopped a couple of inches above her breasts. She did not have the half undershirt on and a pair of short leggings, making her feel as if she did not have much clothing on her body. "Why did I let Arya talk me into wearing this?" She asked the golden dragon who was sitting in her bed.

"Arya didn't want to have only her mother for company." The gold dragon replied lazily. Florina sighed and went to her closet. A knock at her door stopped her from pulling out one of the outfits she usually wore to training.

"Come in." She said and closed her closet in defeat. Lifaen walked in, a white lined, golden rose in his hand. Florina didn't miss the blush that rose to his cheeks at the sight of her.

"You look lovely, Florina." He said and tucked the rose into her hair so only part of it was down. It was her turn to blush and she fidgeted. She noticed he was in the nicest clothes he could find.

"You look fine as well." She finally responded. He offered his arm and she took it. Kuldra met them outside and Lifaen led them to the Menoa Tree where he had given Florina the golden rose. They stood with Eragon, Saphira, Arya, and Orik and waited. Rhunön was there as well. Florina saw Oromis standing next to Glaedr who was sitting among the roots of the tree. Florina fidgeted with her dress again, feeling the grass beneath her bare feet. She could feel the rose in her hair and her stomach twisted in knots.

She looked at the elves around them and noticed Vanir near them. He walked over to them and touched his fingers to his lips and greeted her. She finished the greeting. She felt Eragon tense beside her. "Florina-elda." She nodded for him to continue. "I would like to apologize for my behavior. I thought that Eragon Shadeslayer was Vrael's successor and so was disheartened. I am glad that Kuldra chose you and was not under any influence. I will help you however I can in this fight." He made the gesture of fealty to her, glared at Eragon, bowed to Arya, and walked away. Florina turned back to her companions, remaining silent. She could feel Eragon seething that he had been belittled in such a manner.

Then, at the stroke of midnight, Islanzadí pointed her left hand at the moon and a white orb gathered above her palm from the lanterns on the Menoa Tree. The elven queen then strode along the root to the tree's trunk and placed the orb in the hollow. She heard Arya laugh and tell Eragon that it had begun and would end when the werelight expended itself. She didn't remember much after that with any clarity or sense of time. The event she did remember, she was never sure when they occurred. She remembered dancing with several different elf men, but mostly with Lifaen.

She remembered the gifts everyone gave. She remembered Arya's and her mother's poems which everyone gathered to listen to. Lifaen had carved a replica of Ellesméra. Orik offered a puzzle of fifty-eight interlocking pieces. Rhunön gave an unbreakable shield, steel thread gloves that would allow the wearer to handle molten lead and other such items, and a sculpture of a wren in flight that was painted with such skill that it looked alive.

Lifaen told her later that she had presented her gift on the second day of the celebration. She had used Rhunön's forge to create dragon sculpture so delicate that it would have easily broken in the hands of a lesser master. It had several dragons, each painted a different color, flying around a twisting column of colors. Once it had been set on the table, Florina used a torch to light a small wire at its base. The result was a glowing sculpture that made the dragons look like they were flying around a column of their eggs. The elves were delighted by the skill and commented much on the sculpture that they kept it in sight so all could see. Kuldra's gift was a large dragon egg made with the shards of the eggs from the Stone of Broken Eggs. It reminded them all why they were there and the elves commented greatly on its beauty.

She remembered seeing and talking to many elves who were able to identify her as the leader of the Riders, though, they were more interested in talking with the dragons than with their Riders. She clearly remembered the looks of distrust in the eyes of some of the older elves and wondered what they knew and what they were thinking. She barely remembered Oromis taking her and Eragon aside and making them promise to return to the celebration only when they could recite the spells of changing. In that silence, she remembered Eragon suffering two attacks from his back and only she, Saphira, and Kuldra sat with him.

There was one event that she never told anyone about that she remembered with great clarity. She and Kuldra had just returned to the celebration when Lifaen pulled her aside into the darkness. She remembered feeling her heart pounding in her chest. Once they were far enough away, he had cupped her face in one hand and raised it to face his. She remember that he smelled like oak in the spring and she could never place the taste of his lips. She didn't know how long they stood there in the darkness, but she knew that once they broke apart, she was breathless. She knew he had brushed her hair back and straightened flower before kissing her lightly again and leading her back to the celebration in time to hear Eragon's poem. Then, once again, everything was a blur.

Saphira made a sculpture of rock that when lit, flickered and gave the illusion of movement. Glaedr offered a carving of Ellesméra from above. Oromis offered the completed scroll he had worked on in so many of their lessons. Then she remembered Islanzadí standing upon the shelf of roots and addressing them all. Florina listened with rapt attention as she stood next to Oromis and Eragon. Then the elves cleared a large swatch and two elf maidens whom Oromis named Iduna and Nëya, stepped forward and, in one synchronous motion, unclasped their cloaks. Florina gazed at the dragon tattooed on their bodies that appeared whole when they entwined their arms and hands. The scales reminded her of the offerings she and Kuldra had given. Then they began to dance. She watched in awe as the dragon pulled itself free of the elves' skin. The dragons' humming grew louder as the dragon turned its gaze on her and Eragon. Together, the two Riders raised their palms with the gwedëy ignasia.

"Our gift so you may both do what you must." They heard from the dragon who then bent his neck and touched their palms. A spark jumped between the three and both Riders went rigid as incandescent heat poured through their bodies. She remembered her vision flashing many colors and seeing clear images of her mother again. She heard again, "Our gift to you," before she blacked out. She woke in Lifaen's arms, Oromis right beside her. She watched Eragon taken back to his tree house a moment before following her master back to the tree and helping him complete the ceremony with Saphira, Kuldra, and Glaedr. The last few hours were a blur to her. She vaguely remembered Saphira leaving. Once the sun had risen in the east and the werelight has extinguished, she remembered no more.

Thoughts, everyone? Did I do alright with the celebration? Thanks for reading and please review