((Man, Lust is an angsty boi.))

He wasn't sure how long the gathered crowd had been waiting when he arrived, but GB took a look around at the many humans and turned right around, walking around a tent. Blue had sighed, but continued on to address the only skeletons there as to the reason behind it.
Both of them were quickly jarred by the abrupt scream sounding from the tent everyone gathered around, Alter standing straight and marching over to address Blue before he decided to throw himself inside out of concern.

Soon enough, GB walked out on four legs, moving to sit beside the utterly still Saphira.
What's going on? He quested nervously, still unsettled by that piercing wail.
Elain is in labor. I believe it is a daughter. She answered simply.

Humans scream that much? He shuddered, bones faintly rattling.
Yes. Came the curt reply.
Seeing that she clearly wasn't in the mood for conversation, GB settled down with all his legs tucked beneath him, choosing to stare at the tent and shiver at the smell of pungent blood.

He had never before witnessed a human birth, and he was quickly finding that such events were rather eerie to see. So many men standing and sitting around, not a word spoken, nothing to break the silence save for the woman's broken screams. The air was heavy with the smell, occasionally wafting out every time someone stepped in or out of the tent.
He had one word for it: Haunting.

GB was quiet in his observation, looking on as Blue decided to help hand out baked goods either of his make or given to him by Alter, the queen helping clean and imbue the rags with healing magic as they ran through them. There was always more blood. How was there so much blood..

After some time of listening to the periodic howls of pain, GB found himself falling asleep despite it. His sockets.. slowly.. slid shut.

. • ° ° • .

Blue stiffened when the small, wobbling cry rang out from the tent, familiar in the most primal of ways. He knew what that cry meant, and given the roar that erupted from the gathered crowd, they knew just as well as he did.

The loud cheers clearly jolted GB awake from across the small clearing of tents, stumbling to his feet and shaking his skull as Saphira remained in her sigil.

Blue then felt dread at the wailing, the cheers quickly dying as everyone else heard them. Nearly a dozen voices, all keening in loss.
In moments, he saw Arya step out of the tent and bolt towards Eragon, slowing down only paces away.

It took him a moment to realize Alter was already there, having raced over as well.
"What's happened?!" One of the boys beside the human Rider practically shouted at her, reaching out only for her to spin and twist his arm around.

Blue found himself walking over even as she pushed the young man into the crowd and walked away, Alter reassuring them that the child will be alright. Blue was then close enough to catch Eragon's question of the elf.
She faced the boy with reddened eyes.
"The child is healthy, but she was born with a cat lip. You have to heal her, Eragon."

He was bewildered, thinking back on his lessons of anatomy in an attempt to understand what such a thing was.
A voice weighed in on his thoughts.
It is a deformity in the upper lip and palate, forming a gap where there should be none.

Blue coughed into his hand as images played in his mind. I have to help him! He realized, the thought augmented by the yearning deity.
It is not our place. Oromis explained with a hint of melancholy. Arya would not have insisted Eragon complete this task otherwise. The village trusts Eragon. They do not trust our kinds.

He was about to argue when GB contacted him.
Blue- oh shi- Master Oromis. He stumbled mentally upon sensing the elder.
Ask your question, little one. Spoke the great, sonorous voice of the gold dragon.
Now shy, GB hesitantly went on.
I fell asleep when I shouldn't have, and I uh, don't know what's going on.

The child's born with a deformity and they only trust Eragon to fix it. Blue explained, exasperated.
But that's dangerous?!
I know! Blue agreed.
You do not yet comprehend the fear humans have of other races. If we dare to involve ourselves in the healing of the child's cat lip, we will be accused of replacing the infant with a changeling.

Blue fought the urge to pace anxiously, freezing up when Eragon emerged from the tent carrying a bundle of rags in his arms, the human healer and Arya on either side of him.
Others pointed, two more moving closer yet stopping short when the boy shook his head at them. Blue had only seen helplessness so profound once before in his long, continuously Reset life. And he felt himself go cold at the sight.

Something inside him snapped and he jogged to catch up, falling in step beside Alter, who trailed behind the three with Lust at his side. Soon enough, the ground faintly shook as Saphira strode after them, GB hesitantly at her side.

Soldiers on either side of the strange procession darted to the sides and stood at attention as they made their way to the human's tent.

Eventually they arrived, everyone stopping at the entrance as the only humans shuffled inside, murmuring to each other as everyone stood around outside. It was clear they couldn't go in, yet so many clearly wanted to.

Soon enough they found themselves sitting on the ground, Saphira curling beside the tent and GB in front, walling them in and preventing any crowds from getting too close. They sat in tense silence, aware that the fate of a newborn was at hand.
It uncannily reminded him of another time where such a fate was made Eragon's responsibility.

Blue glanced around and spotted the familiar star-child, sitting silently beside a tent a little way's off, clothed in black with a veil over her face, but her aura was powerful and unmistakable. He could feel when her eyes met his lights, even though he couldn't see through the veil.

He then twisted around in surprise upon hearing footsteps, seeing a tall, bearded man and what must have been his sons- one of which had been the one that tried to attack Arya- stepping over GB's tail to join the congregation. They must have been the family of the infant, all three watching GB warily even as the skeleblaster studied them.

The staring contest ended when a purple figure hesitantly walked up to the other side of GB's skull, murmuring nervously as he blinked. He then lifted himself, revealing Muffet with her shockingly long hair braided instead of in buns, gasping slightly at the sight of him. She darted over with Cupcake hot on her heels, GB settling back down.
"We were worried when you weren't there. We thought you disappeared again."

"I am so sorry about that. I was caught up in all this. A human had a child, but she was born with a deformity and the humans trust none of us to heal it except Eragon, and that's mostly because he grew up with them all. I just want to be here in case he needs us. Any of us…" He lowered his voice even further, just to be sure the humans couldn't hear.
"I don't think he's skilled enough to be working that sort of magic on his own."

"Why can't you help him now?" Muffet asked, glancing at the others. "Any of you? If he's not competent in green mag-" "Not green magic." Lust interrupted, scooting closer. "Spells. Alagaësian magic. The two of us don't know nearly enough of it, but we're here if he needs anything else. I.. I already can't believe we weren't allowed to help a mother have her child. They wouldn't even let the elf take her pain." He scowled.

Alter rested a hand on his kneecap. "Elain will pull through. I can feel it. She has dealt with this sort of pain before; she has two sons already."
"I know, but we were there, we could have helped-"
"What matters right now is making sure that daughter of hers has a good life ahead of her." Blue pointed out.
Lust sighed, staring at the sky.
"... You're right. I still hate it but you're right."

The silence lengthened between them before Muffet cautiously posed another question. "How different is the magic here? I haven't noticed anything."
"It doesn't affect us too much, actually. Our magic is the same, but theirs is.." Lust paused, looking for the right words. Blue finished for him instead.
"The magic here is dictated by a language and a few rules. It relies on the energy of one's self, and to exceed that limit is to die. However, most of us do have more than enough energy to get things done." He smiled reassuringly.

Muffet pondered this. "So.. it is like human spells?"
"No. Human magic back home was centered on their Souls and only certain Souls had specific magics available to them, whereas in Alagaësia, anyone who can use magic can use it, and their only limitations are how many words of the ancient language they know."

"Ancient language?"
"No one knows it's name. If someone did, they would have control over.. really anything. It is a language of power. Even if you speak it without magic, you cannot lie, and anything can understand your intent when you speak it, regardless of whether or not they know the words you used. A key difference though, is that so far it likes to get in us monsters' minds. After a while of being here, words just start to come to you. Someone will speak it and it can be hard to notice that they are not speaking a language you are supposed to know. No one is entirely sure what causes this phenomenon, but I have heard a few theories. Namely being that because we are made of magic, Alagaësia's magic becomes a part of us. No other race in this world is made of magic like we are. Not even dragons."

"No one?" She asked, baffled at the concept. Blue shook his skull.
"We are strangers in a strange land." Alter murmured. Lust just hugged himself. "It makes magic feel rarified here. It's weird. Only a few humans out of all of them can even use it, and they also have to be taught how. It's.. it feels backwards. You're supposed to be taught how to control your magic, not how to use it at all!"

Blue nodded sagely. "It takes getting used to, I'll admit that. But at the very least, it's freeing. We don't have to be limited by who and what we are to do the things we want. I don't have to use a blue or orange attack as nightlight if I wanted one, I can simply just- Böllr garjzla!" He waved his hand and a round, bluish white orb of light appeared before him, hovering in place before he waved again and it disappeared.
"Anyone can do that. That is the true blessing of Alagaësia's magic for us."

Lust huffed, whipping out his hand and focusing before trying to copy Blue's words. "Bayllr-" "No, böllr."
He hesitated, staring at Blue with an unreadable expression.
"Böllr?"
"Yes."
"Böllr garjzla." He immediately flinched back when a faintly lilac orb appeared in his hand.
"That was shockingly easy."

Alter then promptly repeated it himself, a faintly lavender orb hovering in front of him before vanishing. "It never ceases to amaze me." He admitted. "I have only chosen to learn spells for healing that green magic alone struggles with, but the ease with which it happens amazes me."

All the lights were now extinguished, and Lust regarded Muffet. "You try."
She blinked at him, mouth open to speak yet no words came out. She then slowly cupped two of her hands and frowned at them.

"Bayl- no… bo?" "Böllr." Blue gently reminded.
"I'm sorry, it's just so odd. Casting spells like a human." She giggled at the thought before trying again. "Bal, bahl, böl- böl! Böllr. Böllr garjzla." She gasped when a purplish orb appeared in her hands, leaning more towards violet than lavender.

She cupped it, poking it with a free hand. "It doesn't feel like an attack." She noted. "It feels.."
"Like energy?" Lust suggested.
"I guess so." She agreed placidly.
Cupcake then tapped the ground with a foreleg and chittered, frowning as she attempted to copy the spell without actually speaking.
A pinkish sphere wobbled into existence, shaky before stabilizing.

"Oh Cupcake, I would be very careful!" Blue gasped, sockets wide. "It can easily go haywire without spoken words to guide it! I don't doubt you can use it, I would use it sparingly and with great focus."
They let their little orbs fade as the smaller spider chittered a question. Muffet translated.
"How does it go haywire?"

"Because words give it direction where thoughts easily shift about. It's as simple as looking to light a fire in a pit and looking at someone else and because you are briefly focused on that person, they are lit on fire instead. Even if you didn't want to, this magic is too fickle. Most magicians of this world are taught that it can only work in spoken spells, just to avoid the grave mistakes that happen when one tries to think it. I would be careful. Very, very careful." He explained with a seriousness the two had never before seen from him.

Cupcake clicked to herself for a moment, then posed another question for Muffet to translate.
"If she cannot use this magic as easily as others, can you at least teach us that mind trick? It would be nice, being able to speak for herself around other races." She smiled faintly.

Blue winced at that. "I can show you how to do that, but it can be an unsettling experience. It can even be dangerous. In this world, touching minds is fairly common, and worse, because we are in the middle of a war it is also a dangerous weapon. One can take control of another's body or break another's mind. Reaching out to others leaves you vulnerable to such attacks. Even if that turns you away from the idea, I think it would still be necessary that you learn how to defend yourself. The Empire really likes to target monsters. We are stronger here. The difference is genuinely startling."

"I don't feel any stronger than usual." Muffet pointed out confusedly."
"No, you're not any stronger, it's the humans here that are much weaker than the ones back home." Lust corrected. "They are slower and weaker, and most of them don't even have their own magic. The closest race to the humans of our worlds are apparently the elves, but they are immortal and lack the fear and hate humans have. It's just.. different."

He glanced at the family glancing their way cautiously before going on. "The humans between here and home even look different. Heads are smaller here, they're generally kind of shorter, little things like that."
"You've seen humans before? In.. your Underground?" Her face twisted up at the notion.

"And outside of it." Lust confirmed. She stared.
"You broke the Barrier?"
"No. That never actually happened." He laughed brokenly, rubbing his humerus. "Everyone was too sex hungry to capture human Souls anymore. They just lived with us until they got sick and died or were fucked to death."

She flinched at that, bewildered.
"Due to a dangerously low population and Hope levels in his universe, a chemical was synthesized to induce a constant heat in monsters. It worked for just about everyone, but had.. side effects." Blue explained to her softly.
"Please don't judge him for that which he had no control over."

Lust sighed. "I'm sorry, I just get so angry sometimes. Almost everyone else got to experience the Surface in their AU's, but we were just too obsessed with sex and kids to even try. Don't get me wrong, children are a blessing, but they don't deserve to be born into a prison that lacks the space for them to grow up. It's unfair."

"I.. I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that." She worked out, still reeling from the very concept.
He just stared off into the distance in silence. Alter placed a hand on his shoulder without a word.

In the ensuing quiet, they all could hear the quiet singing that began from inside the tent, staring at it as the voice inside fell into a simple lullaby. Blue squinted for a moment before he recognized the words and nodded to himself in satisfaction.

"...Why is there singing?" Muffet asked.
"Spells are spells, whether they are sung or not. He's working on a newborn, so it makes sense he should sing." Blue explained to her, swaying slightly to the simple tune.

They weren't sure how long they had been sitting there, but the sky above was dark, only the faint light of the stars and Moon illuminating the drying earth, faint streaks the only signs left of the storm that had ravaged the camp the night before.
Something about the song, or perhaps thr magic itself, forbid conversation.

A crowd had begun to gather around the tent, held back by the wall GB's form put up, humans looking on in curiosity, murmuring as soldiers and villagers alike spoke of the happenings inside.

The conversation silenced when the dragon beside the tent began to hum, her deep, rumbling voice shaking the air in cadence to the cradle song. A little while later, the others blinked out of their individual trances when Blue started humming along as well. Muffet and Cupcake were confused, recognizing that it wasn't his voice, but something deeper, melodic. His eyelights were burning brighter, now a vivid cerulean under his half-lidded sockets.

Shortly after he joined, GB followed, the loud notes shaking the air just as much as Saphira's quaking rumble. Something about the chorus was enchanting, the others adding their song. The two spiders were left confused, wanting to join in somehow, yet not understanding how they were singing without their voices.

Muffet eventually gave up and softly sang, struggling to replicate the strange words at first, though with each repeating verse it became easier, flowing almost naturally when Cupcake joined, squeaking and chirping in tune.

Whatever force it was that made them sing, that same power made them smile, lightening the air with specks of light, thrumming with a power she had never before seen. It wrapped them up in itself and asked for only their voices in return for this timeless moment.

She couldn't describe it beyond something that felt faintly like a web, one that invited her in to weave more of itself, a web that was really a tapestry, eternally weaving itself on and on, it's entirety something beyond her comprehension.
It felt.. inspiring. Inspiring and frightening.

Something in her and yet beyond her gave her a specific feeling about this moment, that this was good, what was happening in that tent had a distinct meaning that she could not yet grasp, but it was important to know, at the very least. It was baffling.

The bats in the night sky squeaked and chirped above, oblivious to the transcendent power flowing through the individuals astride the earth. She was nothing but a conduit for something beyond her ken. It simply told her that this was Alagaësia, you are a new thread of this tapestry. Welcome home.

The words flowed in and out of her, charged with power, bolstered by the wordless hymns of the skeletons, more than she had ever before seen in her life, strengthened by dragons, a race she could never have imagined meeting.

The words sometimes changed, but the light, simple tune remained the same. Somehow she began to sing perfectly along, even when the words changed, she sang them. It was as though she no longer commanded magic, commanded herself, but rather, it commanded her, and she felt no fear of it.

In time, the sky lightened, and the distant melodies of morning birds filled the air somewhere beyond their circle, feathered wings flapping alongside leathery ones. Muffet abruptly found herself disconnected from the force driving her, gasping and falling back as heavy silence filled the air. Cupcake was aware enough to catch her, giving her the time to sit back up.

"What happened there?" She whispered hoarsely, shocked now that her thoughts were under her control.
"I don't know." Lust whispered back with wide sockets.

"Wyrda is strong around Eragon." Blue explained simply. "And Wyrda is interwoven with the magic here as well. It likes to draw us in. This world is still adapting to us. It has never had creatures made of magic before, at least, not to anyone's knowledge. It takes a while to get used to it. If you keep your wits about you, you can separate yourself from the flow when it happens, but what would be the point?" He chuckled softly. "I like to think our good intentions help direct the flow of these moments."

"It felt so.. otherworldly." Alter murmured.
"It sort of is for us, isn't it?" Blue pointed out.
"I suppose you're right." The older agreed, hand over his sternum. "Have you experienced this often?"
"Not too much, but I've learned to understand it. It's the same thing that allows us to sense the future. There is good and bad to it." He grimaced then. "Unfortunately, the bad is that we can sense when things are to come and are unable to do anything about it."
"Seriously?" Lust asked.

Blue levelled his gaze at him, somber. "We felt that Ajihad would die and Nasuada would take his place. We felt that Hrothgar would die and Orik take his place. We felt that Murtagh would suffer, he would be forced to fight for a cause he despised. Horror even saw a vision of Thorn long before the red dragon hatched for Murtagh. We couldn't do anything, not even warn him. We even knew Brom was Eragon's father and couldn't tell him. That is the curse this world's magic has put on us. Not even the gods can overcome it." There were tears in his sockets as steps sounded and the flap to the tent shifted.

Everyone still sitting found their feet then, out stepping the human boy with a bundle of stained linens in his arms. He locked eyes with the large, bearded man a few feet away, the obvious father twisting up his face in fear and worry. Eragon strode over and presented the bundle to the man.

The man froze, then his face shifted into tears. It was hard to tell if it was pain or not at first, but when the boy handed the cloth over, it became clear that it was pure, unadulterated relief. Joy after hours of intense fear.

The gathered monsters shuffled closer, Eragon murmuring. "My hands are too bloody for this kind of work, but I'm glad I was able to help."
"I can't believe it…. I can't believe it." The father whispered before looking up. "Elain and I are forevermore in your debt. If-" "There is no debt. I only did what anyone would if they had the ability."
"But you were the one who healed her, and it's to you I'm grateful."

Eragon hesitated at that, then inclined his head.
"What will you name her?"
The burly human smiled tearfully at the infant.
"If it's agreeable to Elain, I thought we might call her Hope."

"Hope… A good name, that." Eragon then grunted as suddenly arms wrapped around him. Alter lifted him off the ground with a teary smile.
"You've done something I could never do." The queen whispered. "Thank you."

With that, he set the boy on his feet and backed away. "My apologies. I let my emotions get the best of me."
"It's alright. I was expecting Blue to do that, though."
"Oh no, I'm waiting my turn." Blue explained with a devious grin. Eragon dared smile slightly, Blue turning to urge everyone away to give the father a sense of privacy. The human Rider faced the man again.

"How is Elain?"
"Tired, but well." Came the reply before the two young men drew near to see the child, the woman behind Eragon leaning in to see as well.
He gave them space as more humans gathered to see the babe. It was then that Blue abruptly tackled Eragon, the human huffing as the wind left him, leaning back in response.
"You did good! Fantastically, even!" Blue exclaimed.
"You haven't even seen her!"
"I don't need to! I can feel it."

He pulled back to grin. "She will be happy, Eragon. You've done well, and I feel no one could have done better."
At that, the boy smiled. "Thank you."
Muffet finally gasped, a pair of hands flying to her face. "That's what I felt!"
Blue released Eragon to smile at her. "It gets easier to recognize with time. It's really incredible, isn't it?"

"It was like I was a part of some web I couldn't see the end of, it just wove me into it.." She breathed, staring blankly at the tent. Blue reached out and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"That is Wyrda, Muffet. We have all been woven into it. Think of it as this world's way to welcome us as part of it."
She held a hand to her face. "It certainly felt like that." She admitted curiously.

He nodded, stepping back and looking at the crowd around the father and newborn. They had parted before the presence of the elves, allowing Eragon's guards to peer at the child and look over his work, murmuring small blessings over the girl.

Muffet's gasp drew their attention to the side, revealing a skeleton covered in bark, shaded in hues of green and blue as the branches emerging from their backside held purples and yellows amid their greenery. A single, enormous purple and yellow blossom dangled it's petals above their skull as the treeskeleton approached, a small, veiled figure next to them.

"Cicállaé." Blue greeted kindly. "You sensed what's happened here?"
"We did." Came the dual-voiced reply, branches twitching as they locked gazes with the alarmed father. "We want to see her."
That said, they turned and slowly approached the child, arriving just as the last elf parted.

Everyone was silent as they regarded the infant.
"She has a powerful future ahead of her." Cicállaé warned. "She was born with something that would have cursed her for life. However, magic has touched her today. She is changed. She will bring magic to your valley. You would do well to welcome it. Shunning such things have cruel outcomes, especially when they come under titles of Hope." With that eerie prophecy, a branch swung down and allowed Elva to step up on it, wobbling slightly as it lifted her so that her face was level with the man's arms. She studied Hope ominously before turning and hopping off, walking away without a word.

She paused when she passed Eragon, turning to stare at him through her veil. He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head, to which she nodded sharply and continued down the path. Cicállaé strode after her, branches stretching out around them as leaves fluttered before writhing into the semblance of wings and settling against their backside.

Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief, having found they had been holding it in the treeskeleton's presence.
"Who was that?" Muffet whispered, amazed.
"Dream and Nightmare somehow in one body. I don't know how that works." Lust explained cautiously.

"Twin brothers." Blue added. "They are gods alone, but due to how they were created in the past by their mother, they are slowly becoming one." He explained sadly.
"Created?" She echoed.
"Their mother was a tree. Slain by Nightmare eons ago." Alter spoke mournfully.

"And you never thought to ask why." Blue sighed.
Alter winced, looking away. "Right foolishness on my part."
"It's in the past now. I just hope you won't let it stand in the way of getting to know him now."
"I will not. I have wanted to approach him, but something about him feels so.. oppressive. Then again, the two always seem to be together now." He shook his skull, disappointed in himself.

"Hm." Blue glanced back at Eragon, who had meandered off to speak with Arya.
"He should be getting to bed now. He's been awake all night, and he needs to keep his strength up." He raised his voice slightly.
"Then tell him." Lust gestured.
"He heard me." Blue snickered.
"But he's-" "Has the strength, speed and senses like an elf; he hears me, Lust. And he's tired!" He turned to cross his arms, to which Eragon waved him off, heading back into his tent.

"I'll handle anything that comes up while you rest!"
"The gesture is appreciated, but I know you have been awake just as I have been." Eragon called.
Blue gasped scandalously. "I haven't been working spells in that time!"
The human paused at the entrance, glancing back with an amused glint in his eyes, then retreated into the shadows.
"My oh my, he really tried to call me out there, didn't he?"

"He had a point, you've been awake all night humming." Lust pointed out.
"I've stayed awake for five days straight before, I can handle one night." He smirked. "Duty calls and all of that."
"How were you awake that long?" Lust scoffed, arms crossed.
Blue's expression soured. "Ink." He said simply. "The dunce needs a leash at nearly all times; Dream and I sometimes took turns. I just happened to have the misfortune of needing to return home and carry out my duties there as well."

"That's unhealthy." Alter frowned.
"What's unhealthy is the havoc he's likely wrecked on the Multiverse without the two of us watching him." He quipped back, walking off.
"I feel like I should be worried about that." Lust marveled.
"You're lucky to be so far from him." Blue added before freezing where he stood.

"Are you alright?" Alter called, intending to walk over when GB jerked upright, sockets wide open.
"Whoa. Okay." Lust tugged both Alter and Muffet back, alarmed. GB turned to look at Blue, who stared back. There were a few seconds of near silence before a distant sound like thunder reached them. The crowds fell silent.

"What's happening?" Muffet asked, tense.
"No idea, might be an attack." Lust whispered.
Everyone was still as GB peered up at the sky, wings half raised, as though at any moment he could launch himself upward.
Saphira shifted in place, raising her head to listen.

The sound came again, this time louder, the baritone rumble felt more than it was heard. The skeleblaster shivered, eyelights nearly filling their sockets as Saphira snorted. Muffet flinched when she spoke.
Well?

It came back again, this time thundering, shaking the ground. GB pawed at the earth and Blue shouted. "Everyone with ears; cover them!"

Just in time, those gathered reacted just as GB threw back his skull and roared, the sound vibrating the air and threatening to shake everything apart before he vanished in a blue flash, the sound going with him.
Two seconds later, the roar resumed, now coming from the sky as the skeleblaster flew at top speed to something on the horizon.

"What was that?" Muffet cried, her own voice sounding faint to her.
"Everyone may relax, we are not under attack!" Blue shouted, stilling much of the panic happening around them.
"What was that?!" A voice hollered.

Blue glanced at the alarmed faces, then smirked.
"That was a Riderless dragon, and he comes to fight for us."

. • ° ° • .

They circled each other in the open air, calling out excited greetings to one another, nipping tails and rolling about on the currents, slowly gliding closer to the assortment of tents, trumpeting in joy.

Soldiers scattered to get out of the way as they flew in, GB landing with a skip and a slide, Draco jogging to a stop. With that, the two nuzzled one another, crooning.
"You scared the hell outta me." GB dared to admit. "Saphira and Eragon saw them fall. I didn't know if you were okay."

Draco cracked open one socket. "I was tossed off like a damn feather. Tried to help at first, but the little prick kept blasting my skull. I was worried I'd get in the way then. I tried to blast them from further off, but they flew up in the clouds and next thing I knew, Oromis was dead and Gleadr was.." He stopped, growling softly.
"I panicked. Shortcut back to Ellesméra. I didn't want to leave you alone. I was- I was a coward."

GB nipped him. "You would have died if you stayed. Galbatorix had possessed Murtagh to kill them, and he would have killed you too. Blue showed me the memories. He's too strong. You were not a fucking coward, it was a tactical retreat."
"I left the elves defenseless!"
"They're collectively stronger than him, he was probably only there so he didn't lose his only real weapon against Eragon."

Draco growled, the sound sending pebbles bouncing on the ground.
"I hate this." He finally hissed, feeling helpless.
"I know. I know. I hate it too." GB agreed, kneading the dirt. "But we have to persevere. He WILL die."
"..He will die." He sighed, glancing out at the crowd gathering a dozen feet away, full of wide eyes.
"Is.. Glaedr okay?"

GB chuckled, the sound akin to grindstones.
"You won't believe it. Abyss somehow created a crystal that allowed Reaper to put Oromis's dead Soul in. He's alive! Kinda. Still, I don't think Glaedr could be more grateful."
Draco stared at him for a long moment.
"I gotta see this."

The skeleblaster twisted and skipped away a few paces. "Blue's got them right now!" He honked, bouncing on his feet.
"I'm right here!" Said skeleton called out from between them, GB pausing in his excitement to blink at him.

Draco hummed, bending over to regard him.
"They're both alive?"
Keep it down! You never know who's listening. Blue practically barked, choosing to respond with thoughts.
Humans don't know Wingdings. He retorted in kind, snorting.
It's possible that spies can have their memories investigated, and you and I both know that Galbatorix has skeletons on his side. We must be cautious. Blue warned.

Grumbling to himself, Draco reluctantly agreed.
It's ridiculous, but fine. You have a point. Either way, where are they?
They're in my inventory. Blue waved vaguely.
Draco recoiled slightly. Are you sure that's safe? They're alive!
They are crystals. Blue reminded him. And neither of them have experienced any adverse effects.

The skeledragon studied him for a moment, noting the strange new eddies and currents of the other's thoughts, unknown whispers lingering in the background.
They don't have a problem with being in stasis? He questioned.
That's the thing. GB spoke up. They're not quite in stasis. Because they're alive, they're awake and aware. Just.. constantly touching his mind to a certain degree.

At this, Draco straightened, huffing in surprise.
Blue chuckled. They wish to greet you properly, without me in between, but we should meet Nasuada first. I've no doubt she's worried about that ruckus. Eragon's asleep and I haven't fully explained what happened. Would you like to meet her?
Casting his gaze about the crowds, he nodded slightly. I can handle that.

GB pranced in place and clacked his muzzle to Draco's, crooning. I think you'll like her, she's an impressive woman.
The larger hummed, and the pair moved to follow Blue as he led them through the tents, the crowd parting before them as Draco's footsteps shook the ground.

After a while of traversing the paths, being gawked at by humans and sometimes a dwarf or Urgal, even occasionally a strange, large cat that would disappear back into the crowds, they arrived in a broad space before a red pavilion, a small group standing in front of it.

Oh crap, if Orrin's here, the nobles probably are too. GB noted, cringing slightly.
How bad is that? Draco asked.
There's like a hundred of them. It's just annoying.
Do I have to meet them?
Not really, you'll probably scare them.
No, they don't want to meet a dragon. Blue explained.

Bowing, he then gestured to the pair.
"King Orrin, Lady Nasuada; this is Draco Dauthíblaka, the only Riderless dragon among us and GB's mate. He trained alongside us in Ellesméra so that he could better fight alongside us against the Empire."

Both humans nodded, then proceeded to bow and curtsey to the dragon, whose sockets widened.
Is this normal?? He silently demanded.
No?? I think it's just- you're uh, not bonded or something?? GB replied, equally bewildered.
"It is an honor that you chose to fight alongside us, Dragon." Orrin greeted as he stood.
I'm allowed to talk to them, right? He asked Blue.
Yes.

Draco straightened and huffed, reaching out with his thoughts and pausing when the king threw up barriers just as the woman hesitantly lowered hers. He waited for the man to drop his guard, which took an awkward pause before it happened.

I am glad to know that my arrival here is welcomed, and I am honored to be held in such regards here. However, I ask that you extend the same courtesy to me as you do Saphira and GB, as I consider us equals. It is true I don't appreciate being attached to a two-legged, but neither am I like the wild dragons of Alagaësia. My kind consider ourselves civilized, and if we had not, I likely would have refused to involve myself in any of this at all. My only wish here is to see Galbatorix dead, so that we don't have to live under the shadow of a human like a mouse beneath a hawk. He explained as eloquently as he could, glancing between the two with an even gaze before he retreated from their minds.

"We are still most gratuitous for your assistance, as we are still ailing on our side of the conflict against the Empire. We may have the main body of the Wyrdaí Islingrya on our side, but our warriors are only human, and we do not have the natural strength and elegance of the elves." Nasuada pointed out.

That is why I flew here when Glaedr fell. It was decided upon in case it happened, and unfortunately it did. I was well aware that the elves are stronger, just as much as I know that they have the gods of Destruction and Death with them, who are more than enough to support them in case Galbatorix sends his monsters against them. And even then, Error has the ability to ask the rest of us for help in case it becomes necessary. For those reasons and others is why I'm here. He silently dug his talons into the earth as he spoke.

"Your reasoning is most sound, O Dragon." Orrin nodded. "But I must pose the question: What is it that you ask of us in return for your alliance?"
Draco shifted in place, moving so that his skull was closer and his gaze solely on the king.

I want to be able to choose a cattle or swine from your herds whenever I want should I get tired of deer. It will not be often, but I would like the variety. He glanced at Nasuada, including her in the request.

"How many do you require for a full meal?" Orrin quested, a crease in his brow.
One or two. Three or four if I'm starving. He answered simply.
"The Varden is capable and willing to sustain your appetite, Draco." Nasuada nodded. The skeledragon focused his attention on the king, who shifted in place before he relented.
"You may also pick your meals from Surda's herds, should you choose."

Returning to his fully upright position, Draco nodded.
I appreciate your generosity. He said, glancing out at those gathered at the edges of the clearing.
Is there anything more that needs to be discussed? I'm tired, and my wings are sore from flying across Alagaësia.
"No, I don't believe there is anything more of note to discuss between us." Orrin agreed before raising his voice. "That said, Draco Dauthíblaka, I welcome your alliance with Surda's troops."
"And I, your alliance with the Varden." Nasuada added.

Draco squinted as the crowd erupted in cheers. GB simply leaned on him, trilling softly.
It's quiet enough near Eragon's tent by now. He said. It should be safe to bring out Oromis and Glaedr between his and Blue's tents.
Standing up, Draco curled a wing around him.
Let's go then. I hate all this fancy talk. Afterwards I'm having a cow, though. I'm seriously getting tired of deer all the time. I miss the food back home.

GB leaned down and picked up Blue, who proceeded to complain about the mode of transport until they took off, wings buffeting the tents below before they were gliding across the camp towards the area where the tents were a little more spread out. The earth quaked as they landed, and Saphira lifted her head briefly to regard them, snorted, and laid back down.

Blue was set on his feet again, to which he sighed, walking over until he was in-between his own and Eragon's tent, quietly erecting wards to prevent eavesdropping as GB sat behind him, Draco taking up the space in front.
After making sure no one would be trying to sneak in or take a look at the skeleton in the middle, he reached into his inventory and pulled out a simple rucksack they all recognized.