I do not own the Inheritance Cycle.
5/30/23 - Previously mulitple chapters that have been edited and combined.

Please let me know your thoughts throughout the story, I'd love to hear from you! :)

Enjoy,


The Malingerer Merchant

Saphira let out a deafening roar.

Her neck bent down toward the ground and with her tail arched, she dove into the green crowns of the tree, like a fish jumping into water. She rose up, not a moment later in a spiral, with a something in her grip.

Saphira was a fierce sort of beauty as she arched into the clouds and dropped the wiggling something into the air. The rising sun glistened off her violet-blue scales as she bowed back, and painted the cloud-streaked sky in lavender and pink and gold. She snapped at the something, her teeth snapping mere inches from it, before grabbing it once more. The scream the something was letting out was cut off in a moment they both disappeared high into the clouds.

Rose watched in silence, her mouth agape, as the something appeared from above once again and plummeted toward the ground. This time Saphira did not dive after the now silent form, as it disappeared into the foliage below. There was a dull thumping and then a short silence before the frantic outcry of men could be heard.

Rose didn't even want to imagine what they were seeing.

She turned away with small shake and mindtouched Thorn, calling out to him. She knew he could hear her, she felt determination surge from him as he acknowledged her though he did not answer her back but instead began to climb higher into the heavens.

Saphira lunged past them, her wings whistling in the air, towards the trees once more. As she neared a volley of arrow arced into the air, only to be blown away as Saphira spread her wings and blew them away, angerly snapping and snarling at the tops of trees.

Thorn had risen enough now that a misty veil of clouds enveloped them both and she saw nothing more than a curling of color. Rose swept her gaze up to the back of Thorn's head, feeling faint, and knew that she wouldn't dare look down now. With a deep breath she closed her eyes and called out to him again but he continued to ignore her and turned, angling himself back down until the clouds were again hanging above them.

Thorn began to circle down towards the woodland below and though Rose was not looking she could hear Saphira's continued spat; the roars were rather hard not to hear. Then without so much of a warning, Thorn dived, forcing Rose to grab desperately onto his, and stopped just as quickly, snapping at Saphira's head. With a snarl, Thorn back away as Saphira turned her attention to him, her tail swinging in surprise.

Saphira growled and twisted away, returning her fury to the unseen men below but Thorn took another swipe at her, fully gaining her attention this time. Slowly Saphira's upper lip curled in warning and she snarled an objection, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous light, which made Rose think that the tales she heard of monstrous dragons might just be true. There they hovered, mere feet from each other, in, what Rose could only describe as, a silent battle, and just then, Saphira swirled around and flew into the clouds, clipping Thorn with her wing.

For his part, Thorn seemed unbothered by this, and bellowed at the trees before flying away. He flew just beneath the cloud cover, the tips of his wings occasionally disappearing in their mists. As he flew, Rose could feel his emotions settling into a more reliable state and her body to unfreeze as her mind began to clear, allowing her to think again. Below them, she could only see the green crowns of trees. Thorn was flying away from the city of Gil'ead and towards the east. Still though he was distantly detached and far too silent, Rose could not feel the slightest ting of emotion from him.

Rose took a deep breath, hoping that it would still her shaking hands. She knew that somebody would have had to tell to the guards about where they were planning to meet. It seemed all too likely that Dormnad was the one who told but an echo of Tornac voice kept warning her not to make a hasty judgment and she turned the thought away, her thoughts turning instead to the man she thought she had recognized. She had believed, that he was someone might have known before but without the knowledge of where however, even if he did know and recognize her, it was not possible for him to know their plans. Rose prayed that he was, as she thought the night before, nobody important and that they misunderstood the situation.

But how had the King's men known that they would be there? And, by the gods, why would the King ally himself urgals? Rose was certain that the disgusting beasts and the King were working together, the soldiers seemed to be familiar with the creatures. If that were the case, the King must believe himself to be in an ill position indeed, and she wondered if word of Thorn or Saphira had gotten to him.

Her frown deepened as she looked past Thorn to the land below them. They were now passing over a sparse forest; small figures of deer could occasionally be seen darting between the crowns of trees. A small brook winded around the trunks, bubbling over large stones, a creature was squatted on its shore. She thought it to be a bear and wondered if the creatures had yet woken from their winter slumber, and wondered if Eragon would know. He seemed to know the habits of beast better than she.

As she thought of her brother, she wondered what had happened to him. If he was truly gone or perhaps captured, she knew she could not dream of leaving for the Varden without him. Not only would she have Selena's wrath but many others' as well. What sort of person would leave their fellow, and their brother no less, to such a fate? Rose knew she could not leave him however she didn't know where or what happened to him, nonetheless how to get him back. That is if she could at all.

There were too many questions, too many mysteries for her to work though, and for a time she picked at a knot on the saddle, thinking over her own thoughts until she gave up she looked at Thorn and considered trying to talk to him but was silenced as she realized that whatever it was that he had done or said to Saphira caused the dragon to leave Eragon behind. Rose tried to think of what could be said to make Thorn leave her if their roles had been reversed and thought of nothing. Timidly, she called after him, Thorn? What did you say to Saphira?

Her question was met by a long silence, and then, Are you alright?

Rose studied her still shaking hands which felt like ice. I believe that I will live, she said, feeling muddied and heavy. You didn't answer me, though, what did you say to Saphira?

The truth, he said after a moment of silence.

She didn't appear to take the truth all too well.

No, he said, she did not.

Rose bit her lip and went silent, closing her eyes. Please, tell me what happened to Eragon, she requested after a moment, if you do not mind.

I'm not completely sure of that myself, Thorn told her. Soon we will be returning to the land. You can ask Saphira then, if she is willing to talk. As he promised it was not long after Thorn said this that he began to descend towards a small breaking in the trees. Rose saw that to the north of them a massive body of water sparkled in the sunlight from which a fat, blue river snaked towards the south. She recognized the river almost immediately, having been studying the map during her travels, as the Ramr. It snaked down near the capital and there its water churned a dull brown but this far north the river was a vibrant blue and shone like glass.

Landing near the banks of Isenstar Lake, Thorn walked slowly towards the waters and began to drink, a sound of satisfaction came from deep within his grumbling chest. Rose slid from his back and crouched on the muddy shore, and she dipped her hands into the cool water and splashed her face, trying to force some sense into herself. After rubbing her cheeks for a moment, she stared into the distorted refection and then stood, drying her hands on her thighs.

When Rose turned she saw that Saphira was staring down at her balefully which startled her so much that she nearly fell onto the water. The dragon's crystal blue eyes cold and full of a strange raging light and her long tongue was flickered in and out between her sharp, very large teeth. Rose backed down the bank and would have kept going, fleeing to its water had Thorn not growled at her in warning. Saphira snapped her head up and pinned Thorn with that stare instead, and though Rose was quite grateful she was not no long the target of the dragon's wrath, she didn't dare move. Her body was shaking from head to toe.

Rose didn't hear what Saphira said to Thorn but heard the roar she let out in reply. Rose stepped back, splashing the water, and Saphira turned back to her, and a slow burn crossed her mind almost like the feeling of being seated too close to a fire. For a brief moment she thought that was going to combust. She heard Thorn let out another rumbling growl and snap his teeth at the blue dragon, and the feeling ebbed as Saphira stepped back, one of her wings hanging limply at her side. This made her believe that the feeling came from Saphira trying to mindtouch her.

Rose looked between the dragons, and gripping the handle of her sword with a shaking hand, she ran quickly to Thorn's side. What's wrong with her? she asked him. I have not ever seen her behave in such a way. It nearly frightened me to death!

Thorn waited to reply until she stepped out of the banking beside him. She blames you for Eragon's capture, he told her simply. She thinks that if you had held onto him or tried to stop him, he wouldn't had jumped from my back to help her.

Her stomach sunk to, what felt like, her toes, and for a long moment she felt that she could not think. He was taken then, she said when her mind began to work again. I had feared that he might have been but I had hoped he had gotten away.

Thorn said nothing for a time, but his tail swept across the ground when Saphira swung her head in his direction. She blames me as well as she has just informed me, he told her. It seems to everyone's fault but his own. He paused. No, especially his own.

You are talking to her? Rose looked up at him with a frown.

I'm trying to reason with her, Thorn said asSaphira continued to glower and snarl. Mind you, I did say that I am trying.

Rose felt herself nod ever so slightly, still afraid to make quick movement, and as silently as she could, she walked around Thorn and sat down at the edge of the water, hidden from Saphira's fury. Peeking up at the dragons she saw that they were staring at each other both showing signs of agitation. Thorn's snarl had turned into a faint curl of his upper lip and his tail was flickering back and forth, occasionally hitting his legs. Slowly, he was beginning to relax into a crotch but his tail never stopped moving. Saphira though, Rose felt was harder to read, her tongue continued to flicker and her claws anxiously kneaded the ground. Unlike Thorn she seemed ready to take flight at a moment's notice and her gaze was continuously on the sky to the west- towards Gil'ead.

Rose watched the exchange uncertainly before unclipping her blade and with a cold shock, she stared at it. One of the dragon's growls, she wasn't certain whose, pulled her from the numbness, and she ran her fingers over the blade. During the skirmish, she had forgotten that it was there and that she might be able to use it. How could she had been so thoughtless- so completely idiotic? How many times had Tornac told her to have her blade ready in moments of danger and that one moment of thoughtlessness could lead to doom? Tornac had trained her for moments as before- however, and this thought came low and creepily into her mind- she didn't know many times as she had been forced to rely on another's protection throughout her life, creating a habit of running and hoping but she knew better now because Tornac had trained to be better than some helpless child.

She had been far too shocking by the urgals and their monstrous faces, by the simple fact that they had been trapped in that valley without any true way to escape- Thorn was too far to swoop down, and only Eragon knew where Saphira was at that time. None of these things, however was no excuse for her carelessness. It was almost like Tornac's death all over again - she had the ability to make a difference but she was not enough when that moment came, and now Eragon was gone because of it.

Rose felt like cursing but instead grabbed a small stone at her feet and tossed into the lake into the lake, and then another and another. What exactly could she had done, though? She didn't even know what happened. The dragons likely had a better idea but Thorn was being difficult and wouldn't say, and while she could try to talk with Saphira, it was likely that she was still livid. Thinking of the dragons she turned to check on them; she hadn't heard snarling lately and was beginning to think that Saphira had calmed down.

She hadn't.

If anything, Saphira appeared antsier than she had before, truly looking as if she was about to fly away however her wing hung limply at her side. Rose frown, thinking that the dragon wouldn't be going anywhere, and slowly stood on shaking legs to make her way over to check on Saphira. The stones slipped beneath her feet and she almost fell over more than once.

"It would be best if you allowed me to check on your wing, Saphira," she stated as she regained her footing. "You shan't be flying far if you've injured it."

Saphira snaked her head towards her but it was Thorn that said, It's nothing major. Don't worry about it.

Rose edged closer, her fear vanishing as annoyance took it' place. She had conversations with Saphira like this quite a number of times before, and while before it bothered her very little before, now she simply exasperated by it. Was she not capable of talking with Saphira without Thorn playing messenger? She struggled to push the feeling away but when she spoke she could hear the anger in her words, "Best to hedge our bets. If there is nothing wrong, then we shall know for certain."

Saphira, despite being as irritated she was, did let Rose look over her wing. As her fingers slid carefully over the thin velvety skin and felt Saphira twitch as she ran her fingers over a slight bump near the thicker base near her body where the wing connected. She thought that strange that any part of a dragon could be fragile and that it was a miracle that dragons flew at all, being as big as they were. Birds she could understand, they were light, nimble creatures but the two dragons in front of here were nothing like birds.

Rose looked closer and saw the dark, almost black, patching of a bruise. Saphira moved her wing away and when she looked up, she saw the dragon looking at her as if to say: 'I told you so.' She blinked back at her before sighing, content to know that there was no real damage had been done to Saphira.

Soon conversation moved to what they would do next, and Rose spent much of this time glancing between the two dragons as they glowered at each other in an argument she was not part of and what she did hear was majorly revised by Thorn.

"You two are worse than children," she huffed when Saphira nipped at his flank. "Spatting at each other is getting us nowhere."

Saphira barred her teeth, looking down at her. As the dragon's head lowered, Rose a pressure in her head that was soft and fiery, though this time, it did not feel like it would burn her. This is ridiculous, a low and slivery voice said. I will not continue to speak through the means of a messenger. We are getting nowhere.

Silently Rose agreed with the statement. Thorn, knowing this, snorted smoke into the air and whacked the ground near her feet with his tail.

I will return to Gil'ead, continued Saphira, alone if I must. I will tear apart every tower, every building, to get Eragon back.

"You shan't be going alone," Rose said with cough and waved the smoke away. "I'm not going to stay here and do nothing nor shall I leave for the south with only Thorn."

Thorn grumbled unhappily. I will not allow you to simply walk into that place!

"I mean you no affront, Thorn, but you are not my keeper," she said. "You do not decide my life for me. If I chose to return, I will, however I shall do so with as much precaution as possible."

Thorn grumbled deep from within his chest, his tail sweeping across the ground faster than before. How? asked he grouchily.

Rose frowned and looked down at her hands. "I'm not certain as of yet," she said honestly. "I do wish to return to the valley before this day ends. It would do us good to get a layout of the land and see what has happened there."

There could be somebody there waiting for you to do just that, Thorn said pointedly, his grumble deepening.

"If that is so than we shall have to be that much more careful," said Rose as she folded her hands in front of her. "Now that we know that they know we are here, we can prepare ourselves better. They caught us off guard today and they shan't be expecting a return to that place."

Still, Thorn said in firm tone, I will not take you into such a risk.

You may not be willing, she said only to him through their mindtouch, but I'm willing to wage my bets that Saphira is. She values getting Eragon back much more than my safety. If you refuse to take me, I shall ask her. She looked up at him but he was not looking at her, his tail switching through the air angerly. Mind you, I would rather you be me but I shall do what I must if means that the King will not touch Eragon. I cannot allow the King to use him without, at least, trying to stop it from happening. I'm not going to allow myself to be a part of his games if I can do something about it.

Thorn then fixed his gaze on her with such intensity that she for certain that was going to burst into flame right then and there. He thumped his tail against the ground rather loudly and then stood up and walked to the stream. He took a long draft from the water and lay near its edges, and was quiet for a very, very long time. We will go together but remember, little one, he said to Rose in a steely tone, when we fly there that, I am warning you now that you may very well be playing his game already and don't even know it.

Rose frowned at him but said nothing more about the matter because perhaps he was right, and perhaps she was still playing into the King's games. There was no way of knowing.

.

It was nearly midday before they set out to return to the valley. When they got there, Thorn glided above the crowns of the trees for time, checking to see if anything moved, despite the fact that Saphira had dived past them moments before and was already below scouting out the area, and reported it to be clear. Rose was not going to argue with him, however, she felt bad enough as it was for threating to leave Thorn behind while she and Saphira looked about. His behavior towards her did not help any- he had barely even looked at her and remained uncharacteristically distant.

When nothing moved below them except for the woodland creatures that scampered about, which Thorn had watched closely for a time, he swooped down to the ground. The dragon cast an uneasy glance around and growled threateningly at the tree trucks, just for good measure, before squatting down and letting Rose slide from his back.

The small paddock was a different sight compared to what was seen earlier that morning. The briar patch Eragon had catch aflame was now burnt to smoldering ash, sharp pieces of something, Rose didn't want look too closely, were sticking out. It appeared as if the fire had spread to nearby bushes and tall grasses, though now these too were nothing but smokeless char. The unpleasant smell of burned meat hung in the air, so thick in some areas that Rose could almost taste it. She coughed, and covered her mouth and nose with the sleeve of her jerkin.

Around her she could now hear the faint burbling of Ramr River and bird song and the high-pitched squeal of Saphira's claws on the stone. Rose glance up at the dragon, who was flickering her tongue into the air, and she turned to the path leading towards Gil'ead and peered down it. Thankfully she did not see the crumbled body Saphira had drop in her rage, all she could see were broken branches and dismayed looking foliage.

The blue dragon was now standing atop the strange boulder overlooking the valley where the paths met up. Rose looked at the stone for quite some time, not truly seeing it but just staring, before looking up at Saphira. She wondered for a moment if it had been foolish not to have tried to stop the dragon from flying ahead of them- but then again what could Rose do to stop her? She must have gotten here with enough time to already seen all she wished to, and was now looking as if she rather bored, her head snaking down from the rock.

Turning away from the dragon, she looked at Thorn with unease but he was walking about slowly, nudging the ground every so often with his claws and purposely not paying her the slightest bit of attention. Seeing as he still putout, she turned away only to turn back to him and at that moment he let out a menacing growl.

We are not alone, he told her.

Remembering her sword this time, she pulled it out and walked, with Thorn closely dogging her steps, with the blade held firmly in her hands. Something rustled from within a brush, cracking a branch and dislodging leave, and from between the branches near the bottom of the bush Rose could see a large mud-covered boot. It moved, and a croaking voice from within the bush called, "Put that damned oversized knife down, missy, before you poke somebody's eye out!"

Rose nearly fell to the ground with fright. Taking a deep breath, she tremblingly raised the point of her sword at the bush. Her blood pulsed in her ears, and she took a deep breath and she tried to calm herself. "Come on out, Dormnad," she said her voice quivering, as Saphira hopped down from the stone and advanced slowly as if she were stalking prey. "I only wish to talk."

"If you only wanna talk, why you them dragons all eh flanking yeh?" the voice in the bush said. "Call 'em off and put that damn thing down, and then we'll talk like civilized humans, yeah?"

Rose looked from Thorn to Saphira in silence and then slowly drew back her sword, letting it rest at her side. If the worst came then the dragons could simply take care if Dormnad on their own terms, and she decided that she would certainly let them. "My sword is down," she told the bush.

"I an't blind," said the voice in the bush drily and slowly Dormnad stepped out from behind the bush looking as grizzly as the day before though she noticed that he now lacked the overpowering bitter smell of ale. He held no weapon. "I can see what you're doing."

"Forgive my asking but what are you doing out here?" she asked, fingering the hilt of her sword and eyed him warily, thinking that perhaps the Empire had sent him out here. They had yet to meet anyone else, and when she was so certain that there had to be more people than just this man. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was and perhaps they were watching from with the underbrush "We were supposed to meet hours ago but instead a group of soldiers met us. I was certain you wouldn't show."

Dormnad gave her a critical look and shook his head. "You don't have to play th-that thing you women do," he said. "Messin' with words and the likes. Say it straight, girlie, you think it were me that told but I didn't tell the Empire. How they found out is a mystery and fer your sake it better not stay that way!"

Rose's eyebrow knitted together as she looked at him questioningly. "You didn't tell them?"

"I'd be riskin' too much if I did," Dormnad said frankly. He shrugged and glanced at the dragons, his face slowly paling. "I thought there was only one of them things."

Rose shook her head and looked at Thorn, biting her lip with unease as he looked poked around the foliage. She was still waiting for soldiers to jump out from the canopies of leaves and though none did she didn't relax. They shouldn't just be standing here. It seemed to her as if they were asking, waiting, for something to attack.

"Where's that boy?" Dormnad asked. "We should get going if we're to get there before next year."

"He's gone," said Rose. "The soldiers took him."

He snapped his head around and looked at her with widened eyes. "What?"

"We came to meet you this morning but instead we were ambushed by soldiers and urgals. They attacked us and when we tried to escape, Eragon disappeared. The only explanation that we can come up with is that he is being held captive." She gave him a hard look.

Dormnad frowned and looked back at Thorn, who was eyeing the man's head, his tongue flickering menacingly over his lips. "There's a bunch dead Urgals in that there bush-" he pointed to a shaking finger to the burned bush "-and there's a dead man up that path. Least I think it was a man," he said. "I figured something happened but I didn't know that they got one of you. You're both Riders then, are yeh?"

Rose merely looked at him through narrowed eyes. "The only person who knew we would be here is you," she stated.

He jolted slightly and held up his hands as if he were surrendering, looking between her and the dragons. His hands were shaking notably now. "It weren't me!" he said to her fervently. "Imma drunk not a snitch! You're goin' to have the point your finger elsewhere, girly!"

Rose mindtouched Thorn hoping for his help but he neither did or said anything. He wasn't going to assist her in the least; likely still simmering over their earlier argument. "There's nothing to prove that it was not you."

"No, there an't," he said, "but there an't anything provin' it were me, is there?"

Rose met his eyes and slowly shook her head. "I suppose you have a point."

Thorn snorted above her but continued his silence.

"You were bloody stupid to come back here," Dormnad told her after a moment. "If them soldiers attacked you now, you'd be dog meat! What made you think that they wouldn't still be here?"

Rose shrugged and moved her hair from her face. "Nothing," she said. "I hoped that no one was here, that perhaps they would think we are too smart to return."

"Hopin' an't gonna get you too far." He sighed and tugged at his beard. "There were five of them that way," he said waving his hand toward the path. "I took care of them and then I concealed meself. I was goin' to wait fer a time to see what happened. Nothin' yet but maybe more of 'em are comin'. But don't know how many more of 'em there are, and I an't wantin' to find out."

"You are going back to Gil'ead then?" she asked, as Saphira stepped away to step down the path and Thorn simply moved closer to her, his chest now bumping against the back of her head. The dragons seemed to like hearing that there soldiers still about much as she did. Her grip on her sword tightened.

"Nay, little miss," he said, swinging a pack over his shoulders. "Imma leavin'. My cover's probably been blown, and I an't got a reason to stay here now. It'd be best to get home to me family. If you an't comin', well, then best a luck to yeh."

"You cannot simply leave," Rose said, looking at him in disbelief as he began to walk away.

"Well," said Dormnad over his shoulder, "I am."

Rose walked after him. Thorn trailing just behind her; she could feel his breathe streaming through her hair. "You agreed to take us to the Varden," she tried to reason. "You cannot take back you word as if it means nothing! I need your help!"

"Help fer what? To save that boy?" Dormnad asked, turning to her, walking backwards down the path. His face shimmering with sweat. "I never agreed to that, girly! I'll take you to them Varden but I'm leaving now. You have a choice: you can with me or you can stay here and try to save him. Don't know why you'd bother you'll probably just die tryin'."

"What would you do if your brother were taken? You surely cannot say that you would leave him behind to face that fate," she said lowly, her hands clenching into fists.

"You say that boy's your brother? That musta been one interestin' childhood, eh?" he asked, his eyebrows disappearing into his wayward hair. His fingers grasped the straps of his packs. " I know what you're sayin', I do, and I wish you all the luck in Alagaƫsia, girly. If all of the land is depending upon you and your brother to free them, you'll be needin' that luck but I still an't bettin' on the either of yeh. Don't go lookin' at me like that, I can't help you save him, you're going to have do that on your own. I'm useless when it comes to fightin'! Always get stabbed, I do!"

Saphira snarled but it was quickly cut off by Thorn thumping his tail against the ground. He huffed into Rose's hair and then stalked away. She took a deep breath and said, "Are you not part of the people who need protection from the King?" she tried again, her tone taking a sweet quality, thinking that perhaps she could reason with him. "I cannot change Alagaƫsia on my own, if I am forced to fight my brother and the King. Surely, there is something that you can do to help us."

"And you're about as convincin' as a rock," he told her harshly, and he turned on his heel and strode away with very fast pace. "Last chance, missy."

"I would rather hit you with a rock," she muttered severely, her hand tightening on the hilt of her sword, following after him.

Dormnad simply laughed. "I'll remember that," he said with a wave of his hand, and then when he rounded the corner, she stopped following him.

Once Dormnad was gone from her sight completely, Rose turned away and walked moodily up to Thorn, and not waiting for him to lower himself, she grabbed onto the leg strap of the saddle and forcibly clambered up onto his back. Thorn snorted and swung his massive head around to watch her as she quietly cursed the man who had insulted her before running off to save his own rump. The sniveling coward!

She tightened the straps of the saddle around her legs. Let's go before any of those soldiers Dormnad was talking about show up, she said to Thorn. And thank you, Thorn, for helping me back there. I love the unwavering support you always seem to give!

The dragon grumbled from deep within in chest. Do not attack me, I am not your enemy, he said. What was I to do?

She faltered, not knowing what he could have done and grumbled darkly as she prepared for the jolt of him taking to the skies. Only he did not, rather he shook himself jostling her as if he were trying to shake her from his back. She shrieked and scrambled for something to hold onto until he stilled, and then without warning he leapt into the sky before she had a chance to catch her breath. She scrambled atop him, trying to pull herself straighten herself using a spike of bone that jolted from the base of his neck. And once she did, she looked beyond her, still feeling rather cross, didn't try to talk to Thorn.

They remained silence for the rest of the flight which was a rather long one. Saphira flew ahead, dodging in out of clouds, until a decent place to land was found, and she turned in a wide arch, Thorn following after. Rose didn't quite know where they were but knew it was past Isenstar Lake, in a small valley resting near one of the many runoffs of the Ramr River.

When they landed, Rose didn't bother to set up much of a camp. She collected wood for a fire but didn't make one abandoning the pile wood in a heap, to sit by the waterside lost in her own thoughts. It seemed to her that not many people were striving under the Kings' ruling and thought that perhaps Dormnad would be willing to help her or at least Eragon, as they were both Riders. However, she seemed to have miscalculated the misery she had seen during her travels. Dormnad seemed to want nothing to do with her. He was a faintheart, as Tornac would have called him.

It is better that he left, said Thorn as he walked up to rest behind her. There is no telling what might have happened if you convinced him to help. He probably would have left you when you needed him most.

Rose nodded. Her earlier anger at him had dissolved leaving her feeling oddly empty, and she took a long draft from her waterskin which was now nearly empty. It would be dark soon and she should start that fire and boil more of the barley water before then. Still, she did not move, watching as the dragon stepped into deep water, and flicker his tail in and out of its depths. He turned and blinked at her, and she felt a wave of mischief rise within him and, quicker than she could move, he used his tail to splash a wave of water onto shore, soaking her.

She shrieked in surprise, and looked up at him through dripping hair, her eyes wide and mouth agape. He grumbled from deep within his chest, his red eyes gleaming as he rammed his tail into the water. Again, he soaked her and without warning, another wave of water washed over her and soaked her thoroughly.

"Stop it, Thorn! I mean it!" She shot up to her feet, scrambling away as he made to have another go at her but by that time she stood far from the dragon. He grumbled from deep withing his chest, and eyed her as she trying to get out of her wet clothes but they stuck to her making her skin crawl. "By the gods, you are not funny, you overgrown menace!" she called to him shivering, and dared to look his way and saw that he was standing innocently in the water, head resting on the surface of the water. She glowered at him and went back to struggling with her clothes and after a long time was finally able to get them off and quickly change, though she was thoroughly chilled.

She left her hair in a dripping braid down her back and began focus on creating a fire. While stacking the wood, she felt Thorn lean over her, water dripping from his scales and onto her head. Her anger rose within her and swatted him away with a stick.

"Go away!" she huffed, banishing the stick in front of her, and thankfully, he did, laying on the ground close to her and thumping his tail. When she was certain that he'd stay there, she focused on coaxing a flame.

You are never going to get that fire going if you keep dripping water on it, he told her when a wisp of flame sputtered out for the third time.

Oh, she said icily, well, I would very much like you to give it a try! You're a mighty fire-breathing dragon after all, so get to it!

He blew smoke into her face and turned away to look at the riverside in reply, and soon she had a small, very feeble flame that she carefully persuaded into staying with stringy kindling. The flames licked the wood as and as it rose up, she leaned back and unbraided her hair before laying out her soaking clothing to dry. By now the darkness was complete, and the glow from the fire was the only thing that penetrated it; there were no stars that night and no glow from any city or town or farmhouse. Rose realized that she was in the wilds totally and completely away from human life for the first time in her life and shivered.

She looked at Thorn and Saphira, both were resting not from the fire, barely within the reach of its light and both looked rather rigid and annoyed. Saphira had spent most of that evening flying around above them, and only returned after the sun had set.

Rose swallowed away the lump in her throat and mindtouched Thorn. I am sorry, Thorn, she said after a moment, for my words before. I should have said what I said and for that I apologize.

Thorn looked up and blinked before looking away again. He held his emotion close and gave nothing away. We'll get Eragon back, he said after a time. Somehow, we will come up with a plan. Whether or not it will work is a different matter.

Talking to Saphira again, are you?

No, Thorn said thumping his tail lightly against the ground. She refuses to speak to me.

Rose took in this information and nodded. What shall we do then?

I've been thinking about that and I think we should scout the area in the morning, he told her. Neither Saphira nor I can get into the city without raising alarm and I will not let you go now that they are looking. He met her gaze with one eye and blinked slowly, calmly. Saphira cannot leave Eragon and she will do whatever she can to get him back, even if it means going in herself. I don't think it is wise to let her do this.

For a time, Rose thought over his words and slowly began to frown. There may be a point where I have to go into Gil'ead, Thorn, she said. We still do not know who told on us, and I do not think it is wise to allow that person to walk about with that information. I still think Dormnad-

Thorn shook himself noisily and settled closer to the dirt. Forget about Dormnad! I could smell the fear off of him and that only begun after he got a good look at Saphira and me. We scared him away, it wasn't guilt, it was fear of what we might do. He looked slightly humored with his tail thumping and his eyes glistening but when he continued his tone was serious, We'll worry about the rest when the time comes.

Who was it, then?

I don't know, Thorn said a little snappishly. If you continuing worrying about it, it will only lead us into trouble. Leave it alone and worry about it after we know we are on more balanced grounding.

Rose closed her eyes and let out a loud breathe. If you say so, she said, running her fingers through her damp hair, trying to untangle the knots. I still think we should try to find out but I'll do it your way, for now.

They fell quiet, listening to Saphira's breathing and the chirping tune of frogs and then Thorn snorted loudly and the night's song stopped. Rose looked up at him, setting her freshly untangled hair over her shoulder. The scales on his head glistened in fragments as he lifted it and looked at her gravely. Rose?

Yes?

As a warning, if you ever threaten to leave me behind again, he told her seriously, I'll drop you into a lake.

She looked at him and, blinking, she said, I cannot swim.

I know.

Biting her lip, she turned away and picked up a pot. I'll try to remember that next time, she said as she moved through the tall grass to fill the pot with water to boil. After setting the pot as close to the fire as she dared, she sat against Thorn's bulk and watched the flames, occasionally tossing in a pine cone and watching it pop and sputter or putting on more wood. They didn't talk after that but listened to the resuming choirs of night critters click and hum, until sometime very late into the night when she fell asleep.

.

That next day came in slowly. The early dawn's light sheltered by an iron grey overcast of clouds, and Rose woke, much later than she intended, and struggled over the fire before setting water to boil. She then sat on her bedroll in a subdued daze as she struggled with tangles in her hair. For a long time, she didn't know how long, she braided and rebraided her hair until it hit her that the water was boiling, and had been for quite some time.

She jumped to her feet and hurried over to the fire, tying off her hair with a strap of discarded fabric. Looking down at the rumbling water, she felt like cursing herself. It would take an age for the pot to cool enough to touch and whatever time she had wasted doing nothing, and now dealing with this, was sorely needed elsewhere. Rose wondered where her wits had run off to because they surely were not with her now.

That is not going to work, Thorn said when she took out her sword. She planned on using to shift the pot out the fire.

She narrowed her eyes. Do you have a better idea?

The dragon swung his tail and puffed himself up, looking rather smug. I do not, he said in humored voice.

"Useless dragon," she muttered as she slid the blade between the pot and its handle, and pulled, praying that it wouldn't tip but Thorn was proven correct and the pot remained where it was. Her blade however did not, and lost its hold, swinging towards her at an arc at an alarming rate. She leapt back with a sheik, and dropped her sword to the ground.

Thorn grumbled in amusement.

Rose swung around to look at him. You could help me, you know, she told sharply.

Thorn merely whacked his tail against the ground, his laugher continuing. There are problems that are worth solving on your own, he told her, if only to humor those around you.

Rose huffed and searched over the encampment for something to help her, Thorn certainly would not. She didn't dare kick the pot out of the flame, she could only see that ending with burnt toes, and she had already looked for the bowls, thinking that she could scoop the water out, but they were nowhere to be seen, and she knew that propping the pot with her sword would be not good either; the pot was too heavy. She bit her lip as she thought about the problem before she walked up to the pile of bags near Thorn's rear, dodging his thumping tail. Carefully, she looked through Eragon's bags, which was a challenge as many of his things were simply shoved into them, until she found what she was searching for.

For quite some time she considered the carefully wrapped sword before slowly picking it out of Eragon's bags. The silver wrap around its handle felt cold and strange in her hand and she fought the urge to drop it. It was an extravagant blade with a large egg sized ruby, etched designs- she was surprised that these were symbols and not terrible scenes of death. The sword's sheath was as ornate as the blade it held with a dropped silver border and smaller gems that lined its center. Rose slowly brought blade out of its casing, eying the gleaming, very beautiful garnet colored blade with contempt. She wondered for a moment what 'Zar'roc' meant, thinking that it could very well mean 'Death Blade,' or 'Gutripper' which sounded very accurate in her option.

She didn't understand the necessity of naming a sword herself but she remembered once hearing Tornac say it was an honor to the blade, that things of such honor should have a name to honor it by, and yet she could never think of a proper name for her own blade and so left it unnamed. Tornac had named her blade for her and had never told her. It seemed like something he would do.

Looking at the pot for a moment, she wondered if it was really about the honor of the blade or the feelings it brought the person who held it. Perhaps it was like naming a horse, it made the creature something important, something that was easier to call it by other than just 'horse' or in this case 'sword'.

With a frown she turned away and began to walk back to the fire. Looking at the pot, she wondered if it was really about the honor of the blade or the feelings it brought the person who held it. Perhaps it was like naming a horse, it made the creature something important, something that was easier to call it by other than just 'horse' or in this case 'sword'.

Rose shook herself and bit her lip nervously. If Tornac were here to witness her doing as she was about to so, she'd never hear the end of the dishonor she was doing to these swords. Her sword more so but anything her father once held could have no less honor. With this in mind, she placed both of the swords back in their scabbards and moved until she was standing over the pot and carefully slid her sword under the handle, and then lifting it up, she used Zar'roc to slid through the other end. She slid the swords as far as she dared and, struggling, carefully pulled the pot from its place by the fire. The pot caught on a stone and tipped over, spilling the boiled water across the grass.

Thorn again made a throaty sound that meant he was laughing. I told you, he said.

She ignored him, staring at the empty pot before tossing Zar'roc to ground beside it. The sword slid out its sheath but she would deal with that later. She buckled her own sword onto her belt, and cursing her luck walked to the stream. Do you know when Saphira going to return, or did she not say? she asked, filling her waterskin.

She did not say, said Thorn.

Rose nodded and kicked the hot pot to the riverside, and she pulled the cord she had tied her hair back with and lopped it around the handle. Holding both ends of the thick cord, she dipped the pot into the water where it hissed violently.

Saphira had left to go hunting the moment Rose woke up and stated that she was going to make some warm to eat. Before then the dragon had been hissing at the air and fluttering her wings anxiously about. It was a guilty relief to have her gone and though Rose had been worried that the dragon might fly off and try to save Eragon on her own, Thorn reassured her that while Saphira would do anything to save Eragon, she at least was being reasonable about it.

When she was certain that the pot had cooled, she returned to the camp and began packing. Not long later, Saphira returned, landing with a rebounding thud that made Rose's heart leap into her throat and looked at Saphira as the blue dragon nudged something with her snout. Then she rose to her full height, leaving Rose feeling suddenly very small, and blinked at her.

"I had forgotten that I had left that here," Rose said softly when she realized what Saphira was getting at. She frowned and tilted her head at the dragon as she picked up Zar'roc. "It's nearly noon, surely, hunting could not have taken you so long."

Saphira's blazing conscience touched her own as she lowered her head to Rose's level, fully taking her in. I was not out hunting, she said, but at Gil'ead.

Rose felt her face drain of blood, and felt as if that blood continued to sink into the ground beneath her. She shifted from foot-to-foot, not quite certain of what to say, her mind blank of thought. "Why?" she asked at last, her voice hardly louder than a whisper.

You and Thorn were otherwise occupied, she said, and I could not sit and wait any longer. I had to see if I could make contact with Eragon.

"And did you?" Rose asked, running her fingers over Zar'roc's handle. "Make contact with Eragon, I mean?"

Saphira blinked slowly, and said, No. I flew for some time thinking that maybe it was too early for him to be awake but even as the day wore on, I felt nothing of him. I'm worried. She was silent for a moment and then her chest puffed out and opened her eyes fully. I saw many other things though, things that might interest you.

Which would be what? said Thorn in mild interest as he joined the conversation.

Rose turned to him as he looked over from the stony riverbed where he had taken to relaxing not long ago. A tingle of curiosity from him drifted through her as he began to swish his tail in the water, his head hovering just over the rocks. He snorted and shook himself.

Those two-leggeds are controlling the passage on the roads, said Saphira. No one can go in or out of the city without their permission. Even more two-leggeds are traveling through the woods searching.

"They are looking for us," said Rose. She knew that at some point the soldiers would get together and start a search for the dragons and herself, but hearing that they were was completely different matter.

Most likely, said Thorn unbothered the news. Saphira and I are faster than those silly beasts they ride, you'd do yourself good by remembering that.

Rose nodded, some of her fears calming, and waited for Saphira to continue. When she did not, Rose asked, "Did you happen to see whether or not they were headed our way?"

They have, Saphira told her, but they are far off yet.

Biting her lip, Rose turned to Thorn though he made no move that he had heard what had been said. "It may be best for us to go," she muttered, "before those soldiers get close. There's no reason to tempt fate."

There was a sort of silent agreement from both of the dragons, and Rose soon found herself and the dragons equipped to fly. Her stomach twisted and turned in on itself as if it were a coiling snake. She wished quite suddenly that she hadn't of eaten that biscuit earlier that morning. Her unease continued long after Thorn took flight, and she took to watching the back of his head, watching how the pale golden light glistened off of his scales in tiny glaring fragments, as she tried to calm herself.

They had no real plan, nothing to ensure that the risks they were about to take would be not be any more damaging than the previous one. All that they had truly decided on was that they were going to fly around Gil'ead, and for what? Rose was not all to certain. Perhaps they would see some sort of hint that Eragon was still there, or maybe one of the dragons or herself might just think of something of real use. If fate was with them, they would see something of use and be able to use that knowledge. Rose did not know what they could do, short of breaking into Gil'ead's prison and searching for Eragon theirselves. This was in her mind an outlandish idea, a laughable one even, but it was the only thing she could think of.

That wouldn't work either, Thorn told her.

At least I'm trying to think of something, she said testily. And though I would ask you for your option I have a feeling you would rather just enjoy yourself as you watched me struggle.

Thorn was silent for a moment, his wings beating against the air like muted thunder, and Rose turned away from him, looking instead at the ground. Her stomach resumed its sickening twisting after a few moments of watching the green tops of evergreens far below, and she was forced to look away.

Thorn remained silent but she could feel his awareness prickling against her own. After a time, he spoke, I meant you no insult earlier.

Rose didn't look at him but kept her eyes on the pale apex of the horizon, her jaw set. She didn't wish to speak to him at that moment, she knew that if she did, she would forgive him and she did not wish to forgive him. Long after her annoyance passed, when she could see the rising tower of Gil'ead coming close, she sighed and looked at again the smallest spine at the base of his skull. She studying it and sighed. I know, she said finally.

The loud beating of wings stopped as Thorn gliding on a draft of wind, his head winding down to the ground, and then he pumped his wings and brought himself higher. Look down, he said.

When she did, she gasped and looked round below them. There are so many of them, she said watching the tiny figures of teeming soldiers scout the woodland paths. They had smaller creatures with them- hounds, perhaps, searching for their trail. They look like ants.

Thorn grumbled deeply from within his chest in agreement. With so many of them out here, it means that there are less to guard the city.

Rose nodded, and then turned in the saddle with a gasp. Dormnad!

Thorn huffed and swung his head around to look at her with one large, gleaming eye. I have told you, he said wearily, as if he were telling a child for the countless time not to do something. It was not him. He did not smell like fear until after he saw both Saphira and myself.

I know what you told me! Rose snapped. I was not thinking about that but rather I was thinking that if they get Dormnad, they might force information from him.

I'm not worried about what he might say about us, Thorn told her. There were enough eyes that saw us to have reported to someone of higher rank by now.

Rose closed her eyes, and bit back a resort. I know, Thorn, believe me, I know. That's not I'm worried about, she said. If he is caught, providing he hasn't been already, they might extract information only he knows, like the Varden's whereabouts or that the newly fledged Riders are siblings. I'd rather they didn't know where we plan to go and Dormnad knows this information because we told him.

Are you not worried about his wellbeing at all?

Why would I be? she said, looking at him blandly. After the way he treated us, I would rather forget him all together but so far, my thoughtlessness has caused nothing except trouble. She looked down at her hands. I would rather that we did not take any more unnecessary risks.

Thorn's head swayed and he grumbled. Thinking about going after that two-legged is a risk within itself.

Which risk is worse? she said sharply. The one where we allow a vast amount of information running about or the one where we contain that information and try to protect it?

For a moment Thorn was silent, and then he said, Or perhaps it would much more simple to end the stream to that information.

Rose frowned, not quite certain what to say to that. If that stream was a direct threat and had he betray our trust, perhaps, she said after a moment. So far, however, the only crime Dormnad has committed is being a coward and that is not reason enough.

As they drew closer to Gil'ead, Thorn remained silent. She could feel him and left him alone, returning to gazing mindlessly at the marching soldiers below. The closer they got to the city, the more crowded the paths became, some were even gated off with soldiers monitoring the in and out go of civilians.

Saphira says that she will search for him, Thorn said. She has seen enough of Gil'ead for the day and will find us in the evening.

Rose started and turned to Thorn with a gasp. Those soldiers will see her, and if they attack-

Then she will fly away, Thorn interrupted calmly. Do not underestimate what we dragons can do.

I am not- Rose shook her head, cutting herself off. It's perilous, Thorn. I don't think it's a good idea for us to separate. If she's attacked then we cannot help her.

I know, he said, but she wishes to do this. This way perhaps we can scout the city a little more and she can find Dormnad. If she doesn't, we have plans to meet up.

. Evening is hours away, she said feeling sicker than before. A lot could happen in those hours.

Thorn was silent for a time, both of them watching Saphira as she fly in a different direction. Do you trust me? he asked.

Startled, she looked away from Saphira's retreating form and looked at his scales. Its not that I don't trust you-

Then try not doubt me, he interrupted, and I will try not to doubt you.

Rose bit her lip, and looked down at the many dots that were soldiers. There were so many of them, simply milling about for something not to happen. There was too much for her to doubt, too much that could go wrong. Far too many uncertainties. If Saphira was injured or taken, they would not know until it was too late. No matter what Thorn's plan was, whatever it was that he might have concocted with Saphira, she was uncertain it would work. The soldier's fear of a dragon could cause them to do anything, it could cause them to remain hidden or take action that might mean disaster for either side. Saphira leaving into that, that complete uncertainty, was perhaps much more senseless than Rose forgetting about her sword.

Rose continued to watch the crowds, continued to think of all the uncertainties, until she said at last, It is not you I doubt.