Lucky for all of you, this week happens to be finals week and I had time to update early. Enjoy!

Oh, I was also asked why Emily told Florina's big secret to Galbatorix. Simply, I've had it plan since she was captured. For all of you who haven't been able to guess it yet, Emily is the first betrayel foretold by Angela back in chapter 9: Fates.

Disclaimer: I do not own Alegaesia or any of its original inhabitants. I only own Florina, Kuldra, and Emily

Enjoy!

"Florina," Florina looked up from setting the last piece of dragon armor on the ground and toward sapphire dragon and her Rider coming from the battle field. The bearded man was heading straight for them. She recognized one as the man who had killed the Twins. Florina grabbed onto Kuldra's neck spike and the gold dragon leapt in to the air, covering the distance in two bounds. They arrived in time to see the man pull his arm back. Florina made to stop him.

"No," Eragon said and the man punched him. Eragon rolled away from the blow, knowing it would break the man's knuckles otherwise. The young Rider still grimaced in pain. "I guess I deserved that."

"That you did." The man answered. She could see faint similarities between the changed Rider and the bearded man. "We have to talk."

"Now?"

"It can't wait. The Ra'zac captured Katrina and I need your help to rescue her. They've had her ever since we left Carvahall." Florina looked at him and could see that he was torn between his duty to her and to Nasuada and to his family, which she was also, apparently, a part of. She placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered in the ancient language,

"I will deal with Nasuada. Report to her and then go." He nodded and faced the man.

"There's something I need to do first, and then we can talk. All right? You can accompany us if you want."

"I'll come." The five of them walked in silence. Florina tried not to listen, but she couldn't help it.

"I missed you." Eragon finally said. The man faltered and then nodded.

"This is Saphira, right? Jeod said that was her name." The dragons looked at him. He bore their scrutiny without flinching.

"She says that she has always wanted to meet my nest-mate." Eragon said for the sapphire dragon.

"She speaks!" Florina chuckled.

"What? Did you think we were as mute as rock lizards?" Kuldra said directly to him.

"I beg your pardon. I didn't know dragons were so intelligent." Kuldra snorted. "First Ra'zac and magicians, now dwarves, Riders, and talking dragons. It seems the whole world has gone mad. But where are my manners?" He turned to Florina. "My name is Roran Stronghammer, my Lady." He bowed to her.

"You do not have to bow to me, Roran. I am Florina Golden Rider. I am the leader of the Dragon Riders." They reached the pavilion. Eragon swept back the flap and the two men let Florina enter first, Kuldra in her mind. Then Eragon ducked inside followed by Roran and Saphira's head. Nasuada stopped midsentence when she saw them.

"Where were you?" She demanded of Eragon. "We thought you were dead, or worse."

"Not quite. I didn't mean to worry you. I was tired and forgot to lower my barriers." He brought Roran forward. "Nasuada, I would like to introduce mine and Florina's cousin, Roran." Nasuada's and Arya's eyes went wide. "Ajihad may have mentioned him to you. Roran, Lady Nasuada, leader of the Varden and my liegelord. And this is Arya Svit-kona, the elves' ambassador." Roran bowed to each of them.

"It is an honor to meet Eragon's cousin."

Then Eragon explained that the entire village was on the ship. Once help for them was established, Nasuada demanded to know about the other Rider. For Roran's sake, Eragon recounted a brief history of the dragon eggs, two of which were now hatched. He included that Florina's father had found Kuldra in the cove near their home. He also explained about Murtagh and Morzan. A pit grew in Florina's stomach as he described the fight between him and the other Rider. Nasuada guessed it was Murtagh on account that the Twins had had been alive. Eragon told what had happened that day. Finally, he ended with the theft of Zar'roc and the revelation that Murtagh and Eragon were brothers. But he wasn't finished. "I also told him that Florina is our half-sister and that her mother was also Selena, mine and Murtagh's mother." She straightened from the pole she was leaning against and walked over to the younger Rider. Before anyone could blink, a slap rang through the air.

"You fool! You had no right to reveal that to him! I told you the name of my mother in confidence!" No one stopped her as she struck him again, in shock as they were. "Now he is going to tell Galbatorix! Emily is as good as dead now! You've just killed my mother!" She stopped when she felt Arya's hand holding her wrist which had been positioned to strike the young Rider again.

"Peace, Florina." She said in the ancient language. "You yourself never gave Murtagh your name and so the spell you cast on yourself still holds. Galbatorix will still need Emily to know your name. There is still hope that she can be saved." Florina's shoulders slumped, the fight leaving her.

"I am sorry, Florina." Eragon said in the ancient language. "I did not know. It was a sudden thing that I could not contain. I do not know what spell you cast, but I pray that it holds until you remove it." Florina nodded and exited the tent. Arya turned to Eragon as he and Roran turned to leave.

"Do not allow this to trouble you over much, Eragon-elda. You are not your father, nor your brother. Their shame is not yours. But you may want to beg forgiveness from Florina. That is your shame." Eragon thanked them and the cousins exited the tent. Nasuada looked at Arya.

"Caleb was born in Kuasta. As far as I know, and from what Father told me, no one in Kuasta is ever born with eyes such as hers. And I do not see the features in Eragon and Roran that I see in her that are not her mother's. Is it possible she is," Arya stopped her.

"If it is so, there is nothing we can do about it except hope that Emily remains strong. If Florina is his child, then Emily knows it. If he learns of it, the next time, it might be Galbatorix coming to claim his daughter and then all is lost."

"I understand."

"He had no right to do that to me. He knows I told him that in confidence."

"Peace, Florina. I am sure he did not mean to reveal your mother to Murtagh. Let us just be glad of the spell you placed on yourself and our enemy does not know your name. The only ones able to give our names and they not be forgotten are few. Namely you, Arya, your mother, and me. Not even Nasuada can claim that right."

"But that is what I fear. When Galbatorix learns who my birth mother is, he will be able to put the pieces together. He will know that Emily is barren and not my real mother. Who knows what he will do to her then?"

"Florina!" Florina looked at her dragon in time to be pinned to the ground with an ivory claw. "Enough of this talk. We know your mother is strong. No matter what is said, she is still your mother and you her daughter. She will not betray you. And Eragon has not betrayed you. Your family is who you wish it to be and is not always bound by blood." Florina turned her head away as Kuldra released her.

"Florina?" Eragon's face appeared above her.

"What do you want?" She asked, getting off the ground. The sun was rising and she had been in the middle of her morning exercises when Kuldra had knocked her to the ground.

"I want to apologize." He said in the ancient language. "I should not have told Murtagh that the three of us share a mother without your permission. I do not regret doing it, however. I feel it will give them pause when contemplating what to do. You are stronger than me and Murtagh. He fled because you were coming to my aid. You would have been able to defeat him. I do not regret what I did, but I cry your pardon for letting it be a slip of the tongue." Florina looked at him and sighed. She wished she could still be mad at him. But she couldn't. Even before it was true, she had always thought of the younger Rider as her little brother and was never able to stay mad at him for long.

"I forgive you." She replied in the ancient language. She looked and saw Saphira and Roran waiting. The sun was rising and they needed to be gone before the rest of the Varden woke and saw him leave. At the moment, not even Nasuada knew of his rescue mission. She still had to come up with what to tell the leader of the Varden. "Go on, before the sun and the Varden rise. I will handle Nasuada. Remember, you are under my leadership and have been since the day Saphira hatched, even if we had not known it then." Eragon nodded and trotted over to his cousin. She watched the dragon take flight and then returned to her daily routine. When she was done, she washed and tied back her hair, placing the rose in it. She had decided to always keep it with her, no matter the situation. Then she picked up the golden hued sword. She was surprised that it had not broken in all the fighting it had endured. It was not even nicked where it had met other blades. The slim blade she had made to match the one she had lost gave her an idea. She had no idea how long Eragon would be gone, but she was going to use what time she had to make him a new one. But first, she had to figure out what Rhunön had done to the blade to make it so sturdy. "Was it the song she sang?"

"Lady Golden Rider." She grimaced. She had hoped to have more time to figure out what to say to Nasuada. She turned as Jarsha approached her tent.

"Yes, Jarsha?"

"The Lady Nasuada would like to see you in her pavilion."

"Tell her that I come." The boy scampered off. Florina and Kuldra followed behind slowly. She still had to find out what to tell Nasuada. She finally decided on the truth, or part of it, as the pavilion came into view. Florina entered followed by Kuldra's head. Florina waited in silence while the young woman studied maps of the land. After about ten minutes, Florina cleared her throat. "You asked to see me?"

"Where has Eragon gone off to?"

"I sent him on a mission."

"Without my permission to go?"

"It was necessary to forego your permission." Florina said evasively, knowing that the dragon-child hid behind the dark panels behind Nasuada. Nasuada finally looked at her.

"What is so damned important that you sent my vassal and his dragon into the Empire?" She yelled. Florina didn't flinch.

"His safety and that of his family." She answered calmly. "The Ra'zac have Roran's betrothed. They took her to get to Roran so they could use him to get to Eragon. That is why they went back to the village. They went back to get Roran to use against Eragon. Throw Katrina into the mix. If she is thrown onto the battlefield and the deal for her safety is the surrender of Eragon, what do you think he is going to do? He will surrender himself to Galbatorix to ensure that Roran and Katrina are safe. It is necessary that they go and save her from Helgrind. I do not regret sending him."

"My opinion should have been asked."

"Would you have let him go if we had asked you? Would you have risked your Dragon Rider for the life of one woman? If we had asked you, we would have lost four lives."

Florina turned on her heel and followed Kuldra's head out of the pavilion. "And what about you? Should we be concerned that Galbatorix has Emily in his dungeons and that he will use her against you?" Florina stopped mid-step.

"No," she answered, not turning to face the other woman. "You do not have to worry about him using her against me because he does not know that she raised the Golden Rider." She exited the tent, leaving Nasuada at a loss for words.

Well, hehehe. Do we have any predictions? Thanks for reading and please review. They give me the wisdom i need.