I woke up sweaty and cold with a pounding headache. I had had a terrible dream and all I could remember from it was that I was drowning in a pool of blood. It had shook me more than it should have. Until the events from the night before hit me, and everything starts to make sense. The guard, the new rider, the man in the black cloak, who I had killed, and Vocko.

Vocko!

Sitting up quickly, I grab my head as it starts spinning. Or was it the room? Either way, I could not pay any attention to it as I slid my legs off the bed and start to stand up. But, the dizziness gets the best of me and I have to lean over and place my head in my hands.

Suddenly, something else joins the headache in my mind as Vascar's panicked emotions invade my thoughts.

'Talia! You're okay!'

'Yes, I think so....', I answer sluggishly.

That's all he needs as his mind completely engulfs mine, his emotions molding with mine, and I can feel just how worried he was. Sending out any comforting thoughts I can, I reassure him that I am fine. But he doesn't listen as instead he beats himself up for not being there.

'Vascar there isn't anything you could have done-'

'I could have ripped him limb from limb for even thinking about harming you. I should not have left your side Talia', Vascar growls.

I sigh, then reply, 'maybe, but there is nothing we can do now, except to get me out of this room. Where am I anyways?'

'The infirmary', Vascar says, 'you had a nasty wound on your head. But, because you are a rider, they were allowed to use magic to heal it.'

Unconsciously, I lift my hand up and touch the back of my head, the source of my pounding pain. That must have been where the wound was. It made sense since the last thing I remember from last night was falling backwards and blacking out.

Vascar prods me with his mind, then says, 'not last night....', he must have been paying attention to my thoughts.

'What do you mean, "not last night"?', I say, feeling like my stomach had turned to lead.

'Talia, you've been unconscious for three days.'

I can't help but let out a sharp gasp. Three days? How could I have been unconsciously for three days? Now that I realized this, I could feel the ache of hunger in my gut and how dry and sticky my tongue felt.

As soon as I came to this realization, the door to my room swings open and in walks two people. One, a lady I did not recognize, followed by Oromis. His face was one of complete concern.

"Talia! I'm so glad you are alright", he said when he noticed I was awake. I couldn't help smiling despite the situation I had just been through.

'I will stay quiet while you explain the situation', Vascar says when I tell him that Oromis had arrived.

Chuckling, I tease back, 'that's a first.'

He grumbles something unintelligible but otherwise keeps to his word. Like he expected, Oromis wanted the whole story. A part of me felt like he already knew what was going on, but just wanted to see if my point of view fit in with the story they had compiled.

Oromis kept quiet as I told my story, and the healer buzzed around me, checking out everything to make sure I really was alright. When I finished with shaking breath of how I had slain the man, Oromis's eyes acquired an understanding gaze as he nods his head.

"That is what we had basically figured from what we found when we arrived. When your mind went blank, Vascar contacted Glaedr and I in a panic to come help. But, by time we had arrived, the whole situation was already over. When you fell, your head received a nasty gash on a piece of uneven stone, if not immediately treated, you would have died. That is why you are here.

"Now, on to touchier subjects. The man who you dueled", Oromis continues, and I could tell he was staying away from the fact that I had killed him, "indeed did send those two boys as a diversion. Many kids in the city dream of becoming riders so it would not be hard to find some to try and break into the building. But, no one expected the eldest boy to actually be chosen. He is now in his own quarters waiting for the egg to hatch. But, back to the point, it seems the man wanted to sneak into the egg building unnoticed, but after that we don't know what he had planned. I guess we never will."

I cough a little, trying to repress a sob. I had to be strong, I hadn't done anything wrong. It was in self defense, I was protecting-

"Vocko", I say looking at Oromis. His gaze darkens as he looks down and closes his eyes.

"The boy did not make it. His bonded pair is taking it especially hard. We already expect that Paríndor has gone mad from this traumatic experience."

Now it is impossible to restrain myself. A strangled sound escapes my lips as a multitude of emotions hit me at once. Sadness at Vocko's death, anger at the man who murdered him, and a deep feeling of melancholy. If I lost Vascar..... I could see how Paríndor had gone mad.

'Do not worry little one, I will never leave you, I promise.'

Smiling a sad smile to myself, I say back, 'I love you Vascar.'

'And I, you. Forever.'

"Excuse me", a small voice says to my right, it was the healer, "but you are free to go...... I'm sorry for your loss."

I just nod my head before walking out with Oromis. He says nothing, for which I was grateful, I did not need pity, I just needed someone there with me. As soon as we walked out the front doors, I was ambushed by a large orange dragon. Vascar nuzzled his snout into my chest as I hugged his head tight. He was the company I really wanted at the moment.

"Well, this is where I will leave you Talia. You can take the day off training tomorrow if you'd-", Oromis begins, but I cut him off.

"No! I mean no.... I'd rather continue my training. Nothing will be accomplished by sitting at home doing nothing."

Oromis smiles knowingly, as if he expected my answer, before nodding and climbing up Glaedr. Who of which I did not notice behind Vascar.

'You are a strong warrior Talia', Glaedr says nodding his head at me, 'I admire you for that. You are a good student.'

'Thank you Glaedr-elda', I say back honored.

He shoots out a puff of smoke before launching into the air out of sight. I looked to Vascar and instantly we knew where we were going to go. Climbing onto his back, we launch into the sky and head towards the large cliff into which we had become so accustomed to flying to.

~*~

Laying against up against Vascar's side, I was finally able to let everything out, but no tears wanted to come. My mind was completely blank. I had only known Vocko for a few hours, yet seeing his innocent life ripped from him like that... It was overwhelming. And all for a few dragon eggs.

All I wanted to do was to sit and bury my head into Vascar's side and allow him to comfort me, so that's what I did. We sat up there and talked for hours, slowly draining away my anger and sadness, to be replaced by an empty feeling somewhere in my chest. Part was from Vocko, the other from my innocence being shattered by taking the life of another, no matter how despicable.

'Talia, do not beat yourself up. You did it in self defense, nothing more. One day, when we are full riders, we will have to do it again to protect others. Just like you were doing that night. You are not a monster', Vascar says as a sigh for the millionth time, or so it seemed. Reaching up, I scratch his neck and he starts to hum.

As his hums grow louder, I notice another sound start to combine with his, the pounding of wings. Jarnunvösk squeezes through the whole and Galbatorix climbs off of her back. At first I was slightly annoyed, for I just wanted to be with Vascar alone, but as soon as he opened up his arms, I could not help rushing into them and letting him envelope me in a comforting hug, tucking my head into his chest.

Slowly, he started to stroke my hair, which had been let down when I was in the infirmary. He slowly started twirling a strand, not saying a word just standing there. Jarnunvösk presses her mind up against mine then pulls away, also not saying anything, just showing her amount of caring for me. I take it in, but do not focus on it much, for standing here with Galbatorix, I feel a strange feeling rise up in my gut. It forces it's way into my heart and masks the empty feeling I had been experiencing. It was still there, just overshadowed.

Looking up, I focus on those black eyes, so confident, yet now tinged with sadness. Here standing before me was my friend, probably my best friend, who I had known now for over a month. We have always been able to talk about anything and everything.

Sensing my thoughts, Vascar says in a low voice, 'Talia......', not giving away much but just warning. But, I do not listen as I force up my courage before it desserts me entirely.

Propping up on my toes, I lean in and kiss him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

AN: HEY GUYS (please don't kill me!) I CAN HONESTLY SAY I HAVE BEEN WAITING TO WRITE THIS PART FOR A WHILE NOW, BUT INSTEAD, IM BREAKING IT INTO TWO DIFFERENT CHAPTERS!!!!!!!!!!!! SO IF YOU ARE EXCITED OR SQUEALED LIKE I DID AT THIS PART OR JUST PLAIN OLD LIKE THIS STORY, THEN PLEASE........

READ/COMMENT/VOTE

THANKA YOUUU

~Bert

P.s. Still smiling from that part :)