Eragon sat in his throne in the back of his cave, next to where Saphira would nest, the shadows almost completely obscuring his face. His throne was made of wood to support the bottom, seat, and arms. But gold was embedded where his head rested. Saphira was by his side, in her nest snoozing with puffs of smoke escaping her nostrils, her sides rising and falling in rhythm. When she heard Fírek and I enter the cave, she woke. She swiveled her neck upwards, and fixed one almost boulder sized, sapphire eye on her son and his Rider.

A silent message passed between mother and son.

'What did she say?' I asked him.

'She is troubled by Kayna, but says for some reason she is troubled by you more,' he said gazing down his snout at me.

'Why? What did I ever do?' I asked no one but myself, and I brushed a strand of blonde hair away from my face and readjusted my headband.

"We will wait for Marilis and Saeria but for now please, tell me about your trip," Eragon said with a smile I thought didn't fit the occasion. "How was Nasuada?"

The way he asked about Nasuada and not King Orrin concerned me, maybe he had his own suspicions about Surda's king.

"Well," I explained. "We first arrived in Surda, two days after our departure. Kaida and Fírek had coordinated us to land in Aberon's western fields where we would track up to the city and then request an audience with his majesty."

Eragon brought his hands up to his recently shaved chin and  quickly nodded me on.

"But when we arrived, King Orrin was there...with his army," I said with a huff. "We asked him why he had gathered his army, and he didn't respond. I have reason to believe that he and his army were just about ready to march to Ileria and attack, until he saw us and we reported some of his Rider were to return soon."

Eragon sighed heavily, and gnawed on his nails. "You didn't push the subject?"

I shook my head, "I didn't want to anger him. Even with two dragons, we were outnumbered."

He nodded again. "Very wise. I must send my spies. I have never wished to use this tactic, but we have to see if your theory is true, I suspected that he would be angered when Murtagh and Thorn returned for a short visit. But now maybe he will change his tactics if Adurna and Orayl are going back to Surda."

I nodded. Adurna and Orayl and their dragons were due back in two days, a graduation was to be held.

Just then, Marilis and Saeria landed out on the ledge, I knew she would be late, she never was one for even the slightest of punishments. She was agitated, and kept shaking as she dismounted Saeria, who followed her in for support. When they entered the cave she mouthed, 'I'm scared,' to me and I murmured back, 'I know.'

Fírek was greeting Saeria when Eragon clapped his hands together and said, "Ahh Marilis. Finally time for your punishments. But first let me see your swords."

Eragon gestured up with his hands.

I drew my sword, Feahthum, It was a shimmering dark and light green all at the same time and I regretted giving it to my leader. 

"In the sheathe please Celest," he said.

I nodded and re-sheathed Feahthum before unbuckling it around my waist.

I reluctantly handed Eragon the sheathe and all. He examined it for a few moments, brushing his pointer finger up and down it's handle. Then he sat it on the ground by the base of his throne.

Our new Riders swords were just as strong, thin, and lightweight as the old ones. On this island the first Riders had found a new metal called Dragon-Beam Steel that was steel formed deep in the Earth that the Riders had forged with magic.

Marilis, as I had done, fidgeted with her sword before handing it up. Eragon did the same as he did with mine.

"Taking your swords away is only part of your punishment," said Eragon. "I'm making you two get Kayna whatever she would like for the next two days. She has a punishment too. She is to leave you alone everyday after you serve her, unless it is important. I put a spell on her for any other reason to bother you."

"Thank you Eragon," Marilis and I said together with wild smiles and a bow.

"You start tomorrow. You may be off. Enjoy the rest of your free period," Eragon dismissed us with a flick of his hand and an amused glimmer in his eyes.

We then bowed our goodbyes and walked out to the landing, Fírek and Saeria pounded outside after us. I climbed  Fírek's fore leg and shoulder before pulling myself erect in the saddle and pulling the leg straps tight around my calves.

'At least he's not making you guys clean up after the jousting horses' stalls. Remember when that happened with Ronyn and Ryker?' Fírek asked as we glided down to the patio.

I laughed, 'Yes I remember! They smelled like urine and poop all week! Even taking a shower didn't work.'

I snorted loudly before realizing hwo gross it sounded and holding my hand up to my nose. I then started to laugh again.

Marilis, Saeria, Fírek and I met up with Halle and Kaida on the opposite side of the courtyard where they chatted with each other secluded from the rest of the Riders. We all enjoyed the rest of our free period together with our dragons and close friends.

"What did Eragon say?" Halle asked once we had sat down on the stone together.

Marilis and I looked at each other and laughed. I then explained to her and Kaida exactly what had occurred.

Halle snorted, "At least the priss of Dragon Riders wont be able to talk to us anymore. She's so annoying."

We all gave a little laugh and agreed that that was true.

The last few minutes of our free period went along as we practiced our magic. Marilis was clumsy with her spells and Halle practically remembered none of them. My flaw with magic was still the pronunciations of words, which Marilis and Halle thought was quite odd considering it's my race's main language.

The rest of the day went as planned, had our other three classes then we got to choose the activity we would practice until dinner. Mostly everyone would spar or practice their magic, but a few would practice their archery or fly, which I usually chose. That night, I had decided to fly with  Fírek.

He took off from the courtyard, and winged around the Riders' Hall, and in the direction of the forest. The evening air was chilly, and Fírek tried to keep me from chilling by gliding and slowing down his wing beats.

'When we go home, I want you to meet my mom,' I told Fírek.

The one depressing thing about becoming a Rider was once your dragon hatched, you were taken away immediately, and you never were aloud to see your family before you left. You were taken away by the farrier Rider, and brought to Oromis Isle, where you would train for a year and a half.

'I would like that. I'm sure your father was a good man Celest,' he tried to comfort me.

My hair was starting to freeze at the tips.

"I'm sure he was too Fírek.'

He turned tail and began to fly back to the Riders' Hall for dinner. My stomach was now growling, and dinner started to sound good. I was also ready to get un-chilled.

Halle and Marilis were politely waiting for me at the entrance to the Hall with Kaida and Saeria. Fírek roared with joy as he saw his friends, and dipped his neck downward, my stomach lurching, at least there was nothing in it otherwise I would have vomited. 

Fírek's claws scraped the stone of the courtyard, sparks flying. He settled for me to dismount.

"I'm starving!" I exclaimed as I sprinted with Marilis and Halle towards the door to the Hall.

The dragons would be brought their fresh kill in their caves.

"Me too!" Halle and Marilis said at the same time.

We heaved open the heavy oak doors to the Hall and trotted inside.

The inside of the Riders' Halle was paved with stone bricks in the shape of a giant dome. Torches lit the walls all along the interior. Then the classes were inside the other oak doors that were also lining the walls, the sword-play room having glass to see inside, there you could see everyone eating at their tables.

We raced across to the dining hall and barged inside, no one took notice. We looked for empty seats and we all sat next to each other, where a bowl of delicious beef stew was placed in front of Halle and Marilis, and a vegetable salad for me. Wine was also placed in front of us. I scarffed down my salad, I didn't care if it wasn't lady like, I was starving. 

After dinner, I found Ryker as I exited the dining hall, where servants were putting away the tables.   Halle and Marilis both knew I wanted to spend alone time with him, so they stayed well away from us.

"Ryker?" I said. "Mind if I tag along?"

Ryker spun around from a conversation with Ronyn to see me. He gave his friend 'this look' which Ronyn must have understood because he left to find his other friends.

"Sure princess," he said. "Ronyn has to setup the game of capture the flag for after the graduation."

That was true, Ronyn was on Eragon's Riders' Committee, which planned the activities for graduations, and capture the flag had kind of become a tradition.

We talked about the fight with Kayna earlier in the day, in Ryker and Shana's cave. Ryker thought I had a good reason to punch her, even though Eragon thought I hadn't.

I stayed with Ryker until lights out at 1:00 am(but if anyone wanted to go to sleep earlier they could.) Nothing special happened that night like I had hoped. At least not that I was aware of until morning.  

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Another cliff hanger MWAHAHAHA!!!!!:) keep readin:)