Disclaimer: None of this is mine! NONE!

I promised a fairth scene last update, so here we go, the (in)famous fairth scene rewritten!

Chapter 35: To Reflect the Inside

Lessons with Ash, Serylda and Oromis took most of the day. After doing the Rimgar and a bit of meditation with Ash, the Riders had a bit of respite while waiting for Oromis – time which they put to good use by talking about the answer to Oromis' question the previous day.

They were fighting to stop the pain and suffering that Galbatorix and his Forsworn inflicted over the past hundred years. No war could rival the scope of missery he has caused, and he had to be stopped. They could not simply wait for them to die. They must not gain enough power to kill or enslave all races. And they had to save the dragons.

A wave of sadness hit Roran. To save a dying race, they might have to kill seven of them – Shruikan and the Forsworn's dragons.

Once the discussion turned to Shades and Urgals, Roran listened with more interest. They learned the true nature of the strange, horned race, and were made to realize that being a member of a certain race set them in stone. Not all Urgals were bloodthirsty monsters. Not all elves were made of stoic perfection.

It was enough to make them all quietly contemplate on their hard-set beliefs.

Oromis drilled them on the ancient language by afternoon, before they were moved back to Ash who was with Serylda this time. The half-sisters drilled them with basic practices in magic that could also be used in the middle of combat. Serylda also drilled them on what they have learned while sparring with the other elves, and was openly displeased upon hearing about Vanir's open display of hatred.

"Many young elves do think too highly of their station," she said. "But you must persevere. If you prove your worth to them, it will be for the best."

"How can we? We are humans," Eragon grumbled. "They are elves."

Serylda gave them one of her rare smiles. "I know that you will find a way."

After a light sparring session with her – which still hurt terribly – Serylda ushered them to Ash before she departed for her hut. She discussed forms of energy like light, heat, electricity and gravity. The half-elf taught them the easier ways of harnessing this energy and how it can help the young Riders hone their ability to use magic more efficiently.

They learned easier ways to kill with magic, and learned strategies that meant raising only an army of magic users without warriors to protect them would not be a good idea. Roran took special note of that with Askanir's help. The information would come in handy should he have to lead a group of warriors and magicians. It was also good to note that not all magicians had a good grasp of magic like the majority of elves and all Riders. Du Vrangr Gata was proof of that.

They were also instructed in ward-making, but only Nasuada seemed to have performed the spells properly enough to meet Ash's expectations, but it didn't matter. They were assured that they all had their gifts, and they must hone everything they have in the best that they can.

Once, Eragon asked about how Galbatorix and his Forsworn gained so much strength.

Roran was so eager to hear about the explanation of the king's fearsome power, but sadly Ash drew away from her pupils, murmuring something about a discussion that must be done in due time, claiming that they were not ready for it.

Katrina caught her eye, and she was still as lovely as ever. She smiled slightly. We cannot expect them to spoon-feed us with information, she mused.

They also learned something so chilling – that after being assessed by the twins, the Riders were deemed knowledgeable in all aspects of magic, including wards, which was why other magicians like Faolin were not ordered to set up defenses around them.

And no one even dared tell Brom.

Treachery, Askanir hissed. Their treachery runs deeper than we expected.

During a brief respite, Ash also started explaining what manner of creatures the Ra'zac were, and their life cycle which led to their transformation into the Lethrblaka, the winged mounts that the dragons battled in Helgrind. The more he learned, the more Roran felt pleased that those monsters were done for.

"Knowing the nature of your enemies is always important," Ash concluded. "Even if you grow powerful as time goes by, you must not grow arrogant or overconfident. Even the weakest warrior can strike a lucky blow against the most dangerous person."

"What chills me is that Galbatorix may have other Ra'zac aside from the two that we've killed – and the Lethrblaka," mused Nasuada, her eyes darkening.

Ash nodded grimly. "And on the same vein, it is also possible that the king has concealed his own set of dragon eggs. It has been the elves' and the Varden's suspicion for some time now, but none of our spies managed to confirm it yet." She paused with a smile. "Nevermind. We must abandon unpleasant topics, even for a time. You are young. It does not do to dwell on darkness for such a long time."

"What will we be doing?" Roran asked. "Will we be doing more magic?"

"Will this be less… harsh than our usual training?" asked Murtagh.

Ash frowned. "My training is not harsh," she said sharply. "I believe that you shall find our next activity more… enjoyable. Stay where you are. I shall be fetching our tools."

Roran watched her retreating form before addressing his friends. "Have you any ideas about what she has in store for us?"

Eragon rubbed his forehead. "Whatever it is, I hope that it is not as… prying as her first activity with us." He shuddered lightly.

Murtagh grimaced. He glared at Roran, though. "He might talk about more incriminating things that were blamed upon us."

Roran smiled, missing the good old days back on the farm. Could they still return to a life like that? "Of course not," he said, replying to Murtagh and his question both.

Ash returned, arms laden with a dozen stone tablets half a foot wide and an entire foot high. She presented one each to the Riders with a smile. "When you first arrived here, I recalled that one of you was quite interested in a fairth. I believe that you would enjoy making one."

Katrina leaned forward, her eyes shining like silvery pools of light. "Yes, I am sure that we will!"

Ash smiled and proceeded to instruct them. She finished with asking them to look upon their surroundings to see something worth preserving. Roran looked around, scouting for something that he would like to preserve for all time. He saw Eragon deep in contemplation, a small frown on his brow. He caught Murtagh's eye. The other boy nodded before looking away.

Arya and Nasuada moved to clusters of flowers, as if interested in recreating their image. Roran locked eyes with Katrina, who smiled so beautifully that it reminded him of the easier times he had in the home that they were all forced to leave behind.

It was like an entire alternate lifetime flashed within his mind.

It was a lifetime where Sloan's bitterness would have kept them apart. Emboldened by the possibilities that their future now held, he finally knew something worth preserving. He wanted to preserve her smile – so free of worries about what could have been and what could be. It was a smile meant for him and only him.

He felt something shifting within him. He couldn't figure out exactly what it was, and Askanir was uncomfortably quiet. He could have used his dragon's quips and comments.

"Hail, Riders!"

Murtagh looked up, jerked out of his thoughts. He was recalling the memory of a recent night that felt so long ago – a night where the sky was lit up with flames from six dragons, illuminating a certain girl's beautiful face. It mixed with Thorn's memories of the same night.

Orik strode toward them with Faolin, both with big smiles on their faces. The dwarf's beard was freshly trimmed and braided. His hair was tied back in a small ponytail, and he looked fresh while wearing a new red and brown tunic courtesy of the elves. The golden thread glittered in the sunlight. There was no sign of his condition the previous night.

The Riders exchanged the traditional greeting with Arya as Oromis and Serylda went out of their huts to join the group. Ash nodded to the newcomers with a smile. "To what may we attribute this unexpected visit?" she asked softly. "You are both welcome to our humble abode, of course. But as you can see, I am in the midst of working with our young Riders here, and it is a very important task."

"I apologize for disturbing you and your instruction, Ash-elda," Faolin began.

"The fault is mine," Orik said. He nodded to the Riders and gave Murtagh an uneasy look. "As your queen may have mentioned, I was sent here by Hrothgar to ensure that his adopted sons – and by extension, the other Riders – are receiving the instruction that they are due. I have no doubts about your capabilities to do this, but I need to see their training with my own eyes so that I can at least provide him with a true account of events."

"The things we teach them are not to be shared with anyone else," Serylda said sharply. "The secrets of the Riders are for the Riders. That is why they are secrets."

"I understand that. Really, Rider, I do." Orik crossed his arms. "These are turbulent times. That, I am also aware of. Stones that have long been fixed and solid are now growing more unstable as the days pass. All of us must adapt to survive, and so much depends on these young ones here. We dwarves as a race have a right to verify that their training proceed as promised, especially as two of them are of our blood now."

Ash glanced at Oromis. "You know, Father, it is not an unreasonable request."

Serylda gave Orik a strange look, as if the elf was reassessing him. She nodded. "You are a very well-spoken one, Master Dwarf."

Oromis nodded with a glint of understanding in his pale eyes. "Very well. May I assume, then, Master Dwarf, that this is a matter of duty for you and your clan?"

"Duty and honor both, Rider," Orik said proudly.

"I know how dwarves regard duty and honor. Will neither allow you to yield on this point?"

"I fear not, Oromis-elda."

Oromis gave his daughters a silencing glance. "Very well. You may stay and watch today for the duration of this lesson. Will that satisfy you?"

"Are you nearing the end of this lesson?" demanded Faolin.

Oromis raised a slender eyebrow. "We have just begun, Faolin Jofurr."

The elf nodded to Orik, who said, "Very well. I shall be satisfied for the moment."

After a few more words being exchanged, Oromis and Serylda retreated back to their huts. Ash smiled. "Now attend, young Riders. I want you to visualize the fairth that you want to create. Keep your mind open for the possibilities."

Murtagh gripped his stone tablet, hoping that Faolin and Orik would not judge their work too harshly. We have to prove that our masters are very good teachers, he said, trying to keep the mental image of a certain memory away from his friends.

He focused as much of the memory in his mind, shutting off everything else aside from a thread of connection to Thorn. He began voicing the spell in the ancient language, pouring out his repressed feelings for Nasuada and the wonder that he felt on that magical night with the sky alight with dragonfire.

The fairth depicted the night through Murtagh's eye, him sitting by the campfire beside her, and the sky awash in the vivid colors of the sparkling dragons and their flame. The image perfectly captured the moment, with Nasuada bathed in the light of so many fires, illuminating her warm beauty. It enhanced her features, depicting her as the most beautiful woman he has met. It also played with her flaws – the way she tried to always appear in command while thinly veiling insecurity and pain.

Someone he quietly vowed to protect in any way that he can.

Finally, you are showing more sense about this situation, Thorn noted.

Shut up,barked Murtagh. Look who is talking.

Ash's lips curled into a quiet smile. "Show your work to everyone," she said. "Check for flaws, see how you could do it better. While I can teach you the spell and tell you more about focus, you as fellow pupils must also give each other advice."

The first to submit her work would be Katrina. It was an image of a memory that was also quietly burned in Murtagh's mind, though not with the intensity of the memory he affixed on his fairth. It was an image of the first time the Carvahall Riders and their dragons met Arya, Nasuada, Firnen and Solaris. The way their scales glittered was the image most captured in the moment, and once again Murtagh was dragged to simpler times.

Next was Arya, presenting the moment as it appeared to her – Riders bent down on their slabs of stone, deep in thought about how to start working on their fairth and with Ash overlooking them. As they passed the image around, Murtagh noted with a wry grin that Eragon's image was the clearest, the most focused.

Nasuada was the next one to share her work, and Murtagh's stomach did a flip when he saw it, since it was similar to his own fairth, but the scene was depicted through her eyes. The sky alight with dragon fire was a faded background, and the main subject of the fairth was him, bathed in semi-darkness, the light of the campfire and the flames on the sky reflected vividly in his eyes.

Murtagh felt a strange moment of dread once he was asked to show his fairth to his friends. It was passed to Eragon and Roran, who could barely contain their snickers. Katrina and Arya shot Nasuada knowing looks, though. They passed the fairth to her last, and she gave him an unreadable look as she handed the fairth to Ash before she flushed and turned away.

The half-elven Rider's lips twitched in amusement. "I feel like I am getting to know all of you more through your fairths," she said happily. "Though it is just a glimpse of the real people that you are, I am glad to know a little about what is truly within your minds."

"I remember Father saying that a fairth reflects the creator in its own way," Faolin explained knowingly. "The way that an image is depicted and what exactly the image is usually shows you a part of what is going on in one's mind."

"Correct," Ash said with an approving tone. "It seems like having Faolin and Orik would also give us a few more insights about our lessons. You should visit us more. It would also give you a better glimpse of our pupils' progress."

Roran's hands couldn't stop trembling as his friends appraised his work. He did his best to capture Katrina's face, holding the memory of her smile as clear as he could in his mind's eye when he created the fairth. He was sure that it was not a perfect recreation of the moment but he hoped it captured everything he wished to – and maybe more.

You are thinking too much like the heroes in the tales Brom used to tell you, Askanir commented dryly.

How do you know about those stories? And do stop it, I am not thinking like a hero, growled Roran.

We share thoughts. Askanir was definitely more than amused. I also gained insights on the memories that you had before we met.

Eragon and Murtagh gave him twin approving grins. Though their faces were not perfect copies of each other like some twins that Brom's tales spoke of, they had the same mischievously knowing sparkle in their eyes.

Last to see the fairth was Katrina. Her silver eyes locked onto his violet ones, and he felt frozen on the spot. Then Katrina broke into a big smile – one that made his knees go weak. "I never expected you to think so highly of me, Roran," she said, though her voice didn't sound exactly like what she implied. "For you to capture something as mundane as my smile? That is a pleasant surprise."

"You are beautiful when you smile," Roran blurted out before he could stop himself. I am an idiot.

Not just an idiot. You are a very good example of letting one's mouth overtake his better judgement, Askanir said with approval.

You're my dragon, you're supposed to side with me!

But I am siding with you!

"And humans say that elves are strange," Faolin said with a sidelong glance at Orik.

"Humans are strange. Elves are strange. Even dwarves are strange," Ash said. "Every person is strange in his or her own manner."

Katrina smiled even wider. "Why thank you," she told Roran. "That is very sweet of you."

Roran flushed, shuffling his feet. He did not know how to respond. Luckily, Murtagh seemed to notice his discomfort. He gave his twin a meaningful look. "Now, Eragon, why don't you show us your masterpiece?"

"It is not a masterpiece!" argued Eragon.

Thankful for the distraction, Roran joined in the teasing of his cousin. "Come now, dear brother," he began as he always did when they were little. "We all shared our works of art. You must show us your fairth too!"

Eragon felt nervous. He created his fairth without really thinking about it. All he did was pour his growing feeling of affection and adoration toward Arya into his work, creating a beautiful yet imperfect image of her. She was bathed in firelight, sitting on a grassy plain with a smile on her face. She was the Arya that Eragon knew – beautiful, spirited and not quite like your regular elf.

"Why Eragon," Murtagh began, with Roran peering over his shoulder with a grin. All the friendly mocking in his voice was gone, replaced by genuine interest. "This is a work of art. If you were not a Rider, you could have made a living by creating fairth portraits of people!"

"Show it to us," Katrina said, her elated smile still lingering on her face.

The fairth was passed to the three girls, who looked at it with different expressions. Eragon's eyes could only focus on Arya's face, though. Her emerald eyes were wide with surprise – whether pleasant or not, he could not tell. Nobody spoke as the last fairth was handed to Ash for her to assess.

Arya's eyes seemed to burn a hole through Eragon. He hoped that he did not anger her. I only wished to portray something worth showing to the world.

You have shown her your adoration. Saphira sounded worried. It is worth preserving, but what do you think is she feeling right now?

I do not want to anger her!

Then why did you create that – that fairth?

I was not thinking straight.

Arya's expression softened. "Eragon," she began, then hesitated. She wore small, demure smile that was different from her usual one. "We shall talk later. There is a time and a place for this."

Relief coursed through Eragon. "Of course, Arya Drottningu," he said. "Forgive me for crossing any line that I should not have. I shall await our talk."

Sorry, it's kind of short. I was away for a couple of days to take advantage of the beautiful summer and the last few weeks that I'll be having weekends as my days off from work! It feels kind of like a random filler but I hope this moves the Riders' relationships forward a little.

Well, at least Arya didn't throw a fit this time.

As for the mirroring of Himeria's situation... Yep! Glad someone noticed it! XD And the HP fic might come a little later this month after I settle another schedule change.

Glad that you guys love Oromis' daughters, I was a little nervous that you might not like them that much...

Elva may indeed be a good candidate for a Rider... someday. She has unique skills and it feels like she was marked for greatness in the original series too, and I was kind of hoping for some sort of epilogue where she becomes one in Inheritance. Erk.

Anyway, I finally figured out that I have to split Brisingr in two parts, and the first would be called Bloodwar. And the Riders will be having their separate missions that I'm also keeping secret for now, but it might involve a dwarf god though there isn't a coronation in the future.

Aren't Murtagh and Thorn adorable? Thorn's like Murtagh's annoying little brother (since Eragon isn't annoying)

We'll be having loads of fun in the BOC, and we'll be hearing from the dragons next chapter! I might put in Saphira's POV regarding Eragon and Arya's conversation.

I'm really tempted to have Arya assault Vanir just because he initially irritated me in Eldest before he decided to grow up -_-

Anyway, got to go now, greet your moms a happy mother's day for me, okay?

Read and review, as always!