Hello loves, It's been a long time since I've written a chapter of this story, but it is has been my wish for a long time to finish it, and I intend to make that wish come true. I have not abandoned it. I have the story pretty much plotlined now and it hasn't faded from my memory. It feels very good to be writing this again. I will be in college in a few weeks again, but in my free time I hope to write more of these chapters. Enjoy and much love to all of my readers.

Arya led Eragon through wide expanses of forest for miles until the trees cleared out into a wide expanse of plains cut by a jagged blue river; a river that cut through Eragon's early memories like a knife. He smiled at the distant familiarity of the land however. It was midday when he heard a distant horn and spotted a sight that made his heart leap out of his chest. It was the dwarf clan Dûrgrimst Ingeitum. They were gathered on the edge of the water. The clan's leader stood at the head of the mass, axe in hand giving instructions to his men. With his elven vision, Eragon could tell who it was: Orik.

Saphira noticed as well and released a jet of bright blue flame in excitement and greeting. After a moment of discombobulation from the dwarves, they saw the emerald Thorn swoop high above and returned to a state of ease. Realizing then who the second dragon must be, excitement immediately shook through the ranks of short bearded men. An uproar ensued, silenced by Orik. Eragon and Arya neared the clan. When they arrived at the river, both riders faces were distinguishable.

"Eragon!" Eragon grinned broadly and waved while Saphira let out another joyous jet of flame.

"Let's go down for a while," he sent the telepathic message to Arya. She looked back and nodded and then they swooped downwards. Landing next to her, Eragon tried to look as professional as he could next to the elf queen. The clan rushed towards the two riders yelling and whooping and blowing their horns. Orik stretched his arms out as Eragon walked towards him. He wrapped the dwarf man in a tight hug.

"Over a century you hid in your trees and here you are standing before me again, my blood brother." Orik grinned with tears in his eyes, which landed on his beard.

"It has been a long time indeed, and I have missed you through all of it!"

"Why? Why have you returned? I recall the prophecy that the witch Angela gave you all those years ago. Was it all for naught?"

"It was or it must have been, or perhaps the weight of the responsibility of mine to this land overpowered it. Whatever the case, I am back and plan to stay back for the foreseeable future or for as long as I am needed." Orik spit out in tears.

"You are very much needed here my dear brother," and they hugged again for the third time. Arya cut in now.

"Eragon has come to help us here when times have grown dark. We must bring peace and restore the balance amongst the four races as I have told you before. These are grave times. We must act with caution and act swiftly. There is little time to waste."

"That I understand, my lady. Times have been harder than rock, yet Eragon has arrived and my hope is restored. I feel destiny is on your side, Eragon. Therefore, what do you say to a little celebration?" Arya's gaze grew stern and she turned her head away in objection. "Oh, come here! One would certainly befit the occasion! Let us shine our lanterns into this bleak darkness and rejoice in the coming of a hero and an old friend. I'm sure your dragons could use a rest." Arya's expression grew thoughtful. Then she looked from the eager dwarves to the eager Eragon.

"Very well." They cheered and clanked their axes.

"Then bring on the mead! Let us prepare a little feast for our honored guests!"

They talked and drank and danced to music for the rest of the evening until the sun set and the sky grew dark. They caught Eragon up on the events that had transpored within their clan over the last century, the rest of the world, and much of the news not told to him by Arya.

There was news of a new people who had come into the land. Though they had close to no information on the newcomers, Eragon's interest peaked when he heard the only information came from Carvahal, his birth town. The new guests were not welcome. In fact, they were highly feared, for whatever these people were, they were not human nor elf nor dwarf nor Urgal. They were ghostlike, whispy beings that hanted the city, having been seen in a few other towns as well, traveling east. No one had enough evidence to confirm these stories however and Eragon decided to dismiss them for now as nothing more than a popular ghost story. He would maintain an open mindset, however, and if stories persisted he would even look into things closer. He would love to visit his birthplace and meet his relatives. In the maintime, he learned he would be leaving with Arya to return to Ellesméra, then to the newly developed establishment in the Hadarac desert where the Council of Riders and Dragons would congregate to make decisions on their next course of action.

When the night grew so dark that only the fire illuminated the faces of the lot, and then the fire turned to embers, Eragon took leave with a last embrace from his clan brother.

"We will meet again soon, I should think," Orik told him with a pat on the shoulder. He nodded his head in agreement. Then he looked to Arya, who walked to Firnen. Eragon waved and hopped onto Saphira's gently swaying back. She had made her night with an entire barrel of mead. Happily and with half lidded eyes, her foggy consciousness leaned into his.

Let's go, little one. They did not have enough food for Firnen and I, and we're hungry.

We'll have time for you to hunt when we get to Ellesméra. They took off into the night until they grew tired. They camped in the desert, making fire out of minerals in the sand and magic.

When Arya set up her spread, Eragon watched her with concealed longing. He thought once more of how they had exchanged true names and wondered how hers had changed if at all. He would never try to use it. Will we ever be together? What will I have to do in order to earn her affections and how long must I wait? He ignored the listening mind of Saphira. Arya turned to him, noticing his gaze had lingered on her for a moment more than normal and gave him a questioning look.

"What is wrong?" His heart jolted in surprise. It was time to improvise.

"Things have certainly changed here. It feels as if this world has turned into something completely different while in my life the world has been standing still." She smiled.

"Indeed, the land has grown in many ways, more than I ever would have imagined. Times might be grave, however I have seen men, dwarves and urgals learn more, and rise to great heights. Men have risen most of all in my opinion and next the urgals. You should be very proud. I think now though, you might understand more of what it is to live a timeless life." Eragon smiled politely. Intending to bridge the gap between them, he took a bold approach.

"I forget sometimes that I'm half human. I have lived with elves for more than six times my life in this land. I think of myself mostly as an elf with a few lingering human tendencies." Noticing her mistake, Arya apologized for her previous comment.

"I forgot momentarily the lifestyle you have adopted. I see you have grown very much, Eragon. Then she smiled at him. His heart leapt once more. His victory was met with peaceful quiet as they stared out into the night in thought. "I think though," she added "that your appearance hasn't changed much. You look more elven, leaner, but never older." He grinned at that.

"Little has changed with you in my eyes either." Her smile widened meekly. Then with a pause, he let the words he had been hiding slip out. "Not even your beauty." That had gone too far, he forgot his eyes had lingered on her too long before. Now he had given the true subject of his gaze away. Unsettled, she gave one last wonderful smile.

"I have gotten older, Eragon." With that, she turned to untie her bedthings and long silence ensued.

Eragon! Saphira's urgent thoughts echoed off the walls in his mind. She had been licking Firnen's head. No wonder his emotions had been on the rise.

I wanted to tell her how I felt.

It was not your place!

Why can't I tell the one I love my feelings for her? What cruel world is this? He let his exasperation show.

It is not the time. We have a mission and a duty to the world. If we make relations with Arya tense now, it will only cause hardship.

That's not fair. Firnen and you are fine.

That is not the way with Arya. I'm talking with Firnen now. She feels unsettled and uneasy.

Ugh. His insides bunched up. This was the opposite of what he wished for, and her disapproval hurt.

It might seem cruel now, but that doesn't mean it will be like this forever. What good would have come from letting her know the fact she already knows?

I understand that. It slipped out. I just wish it would work.

I know, little one.

Thinking now that Eragon jeopardized his friendship with the elf queen, he decided to go to sleep with his heart longing for closure. They said a quick goodnight and Eragon let darkness gently surround him.

Next Chapter: Ellesméra