Eragon turned and paced in the opposite direction when he ran out of room he sighed, turned, and continued pacing. This had been the same for the past four hours. Back and forth, back and forth, sighing every time he reached a wall.

Saphira grumbled even she was bored of this and verging on annoyed.

Eragon, stop pacing, meditate, voice your thoughts! She finally exclaimed Eragon grinned wryly those words were often what he told his most...energetic student, and what Oromis had told him all those years ago. Eragon stopped pacing and sat curled up against the wall. A snagli slid up to him, it was huge, the shell alone must have been five, six foot. The size aside, this snagli was not trying to attack him. Eragon had chosen the one island in the little cluster with snagli living on it, there were seven in total, a family.

Saphira growled, knowing that Eragon wanted to be alone even from the snagli, and the snagli slid away.

I don't understand why you chose this island. You had the choice of every single island and yet you did not choose a descent sized one, no the smallest inhabitable one, and chose the only one with snagli and tell me I can't eat them! Its just unfair! She exclaimed trying to distract him.

It was unsuccessful. But he smiled anyway to appease her. He thought back to the time when they had left they had travelled down the Edda river for five days before they reached the sea, then for seven more days all the elves, Eldunari, along with Eragon and Saphira had searched with their minds and eventually flown to any discovered prospective islands. After dismissing two or three they had discovered this place a cluster of small islands surrounded by ocean with a larger land mass in the centre. The main bulk of land was for teaching and living, for the students, the largest outlying island had a bridge to the main island and was guest housing, then two similar sized islands were homes for the Eldunari and Eggs.

The elves that had come with them had built a small town on one island and all lived there, now all the elves that were not riders were gone it was for extra guest housing. Eragon had one of the smallest and the most reclusive island of them all right on the edge of the group the elves had tried to dissuade him saying it was dangerous but Eragon dismissed them and, soon realising arguing with a rider and dragon was fruitless, they gave up.

Eragon stood and wandered through his house it was simple. There were two sections. One side of the house was big enough to hold Saphira when storms came or she wanted to sleep inside, the other had three floors, with a bedroom, a scrying room, and a study that no one but Eragon had been in, he also had a second study on the mainland. He also had a kitchen and dining area, he had a seating area and a balcony, to see the sun set, a beach to relax and the sea to swim in. He loved it. To him it was perfect. The house and building was perfect but it was empty he wanted someone in here but she was someone who it was unlikely never would be for some time.

Arya.

He walked into his second study, the most impressive room in the house, the walls were shelves piled high with scroll after scroll of random facts, or languages. It was a sight no one but he and Saphira had seen, no student was allowed in his house, but whenever a student was ready to leave they first flew here to thank him, it was the done thing you weren't ready to leave until you had set foot in his island. The protector elves had visited once or twice each but no one had ever set foot in his study. He sat at his desk in the middle of the room and opened the draw. Inside were two bound piles of parchment he opened the larger of the two on the first page was a fairth of himself, Garrow, Roran and his aunt, a memory from when he was three the next page was just Roran and Garrow then Roran and Katrina with Ismira then on the following pages was a fairth from an image taken each year one of which was taken outside the newly built house, Roran's newly built house. He flicked to the back and reached the funerals, he shut the book and put it in a draw.

He had scryied Nasuada weekly discussing running of the country, any problems she'd had or just having a friendly face to talk to. That still went on now, just with descendants. When Nasuada had inevitably died, though living for much longer than normal, a man named Jhonsen came to the throne Nasuada had introduced the two of them but as soon as she died they had argued so the meetings stopped but when Brin, a girl he knew to be Murtagh's and Nasuada's daughter but was known as her adopted daughter to avoid unwanted questions, came of age Nasuada's 'adopted' daughter became the rightful queen and the meetings started up again.

He hadn't talked to Arya in weeks because it was too painful, they were both busy and had no time, but these were just the excuses they gave to themselves. They both knew that it was because it hurt too much they couldn't say much in case they were overheard and the dragons had to talk to through them, it was also a very tiring process.

Murtagh he also hadn't talked to in weeks because it was getting harder and harder to find him when he was free, he had returned from his trips to the north and established a home for himself north of Carvahall, he was one of the riders in that area, he helped out whenever he was needed.

The last two thoughts didn't help his pacing matter.

To distract himself he pulled the other book towards him and opened it to the end of the first half he added another ancient word to his list the shut the book. It had all the ancient language words he knew in it. He sat in the chair until he could bear it no longer he turned to face the back wall, the one with the door. On it were lots of fairths amongst them some of Arya, Nasuada, Murtagh, Garrow, Oromis, Saphira, Glaedr, Roran, Katrina, Ismira and of course Brom.

His thoughts now stuck on Arya he reached for the magically hidden chain around his neck and pulled it out from under his shirt he opened the locked attached and opened it. Inside was a tiny, tiny book he thought the spell in the ancient language and the book became normal sized. He opened the first page and stared. It was his best fairth of Arya he had ever made on the next page was a fairth of Brom smoking his pipe. The rest of the book was full of those he remembered; Angela, Nasuada, Murtagh, Elva, everyone, there was even a fairth of the Varden encampment and Farthen Dur. He flicked through and stopped on the page with his old farm on he stared at it for a few seconds then flitted out the room too fast for the eye to see and sat on Saphira's claw.

Should we? he asked.

I want to go as much as you. I know you'd already be packed and flying if it wasn't for the eggs and Eldunari, talk to Blodhgarm, he'll help. Saphira told him Eragon leaped onto her back without a saddle and flew quickly to the neighbouring island. He was waiting. Eragon slid off Saphira and exchanged the formal elven greetings with him.

"What brings you here Eragon, Saphira?" he asked curiously in the ancient language, to set an example to the students this was the language most widely spoken here when possible.

"I need your opinion on a matter." Eragon admitted Saphira didn't bother interrupting to change it to 'we need'. They were one person now practically. Blodhgarm nodded indicating they should continue.

We wish to return to Alagaesia to visit old, very old, friends. Saphira informed him.

"And your sense of duty to the eggs and Eldunari and students is preventing your departure, am I correct?" he checked Eragon and Saphira nodded in unison causing the elf to smile slightly "If that was all, I would say go, go right away, but I am guessing you have no doubt reached the same hurdle I have. The students." the elf paused and thought about the situation. "We are all aware of the situation the Riders are in. We have plenty of graduated students, but the last three rounds of eggs have failed to hatch." he paused and Eragon thought back on the last three egg 'rounds'.

The first had been ten years ago, all four eggs, one for each race, had returned unhatched, every two and a half years they sent another group of four eggs, each time they were returned, unhatched. No one was quite sure what to do. Then, five years after the first round of unhatched eggs, four abandoned eggs were found, some riders had been investigating an area of the Boers, and they found these eggs. No one knew where they had come from, whether they were related, or anything about them. These four had hatched to four orphans. One Elf, one Human, one Dwarf, one Urgal. They were nearing their final stage in training. They should be graduating to full riders in a few weeks. The rider ambassador, Ismira, had come to collect the new eggs and they were being circulated at the moment, but after a month, they had still not hatched. Eragon sighed.

"I will stay until the riders have graduated. Then they can travel to the mainland with their four mentors, I will stay for a while longer then leave also. When the eggs hatch next, be it tomorrow, or next century, I will be here when needed. It is not as though we are short on riders, we have one hundred and ninety six rider and dragon pairs, and that is no small number. If these eggs hatch, we will have two hundred. Not as many a Vrael, but still an impressive collection none the less."

"I am sorry Ebrithil, but I agree, you should stay until they graduate." when Blodhgarm's dragon had first hatched, the first of the elves in the new regime, it had felt strange to Eragon to have the older, more experienced elf call him 'master' but, after this to the elf this, they came to the decision it was necessary. Until they graduated he was Ebrithil, after, he was Eragon, or Eragon-elda, it was not necessary for him to be called Ebrithil when graduated.

This was the reason Eragon felt so shocked at being called such by Blodhgarm at the moment. He realised, the elf really wanted Eragon to be able to return back to Alagaesia. His home. No. he thought. This was his home now.

Eragon sighed, for a different reason to what his old student thought, he had forgotten he was there. The Blue rider had sighed simply because he remembered what his uncle and Brom both had said; 'home is where the heart is.' if he stuck true to that, 'home' was in Du Weldenvarden.

"No, I understand. I knew it would never had worked." the old student watched his teacher concernedly.

"It will be a three months at the most," the elf consoled Eragon reached up to pat the snout of the elf's dragon, he was called Aryan and was the colour of fire. In the glow of the sunset he glistened and did look like he was on fire.

"Do you think Adanna and Grecian are nearly ready?" Eragon asked and smiled as a fond look crossed the old elf's face, as he thought of his students.

"Very well. I do not want them to leave," he smiled and Eragon laughed.

"Much the same as with your past students then."

"No, its stronger. I think I see part of myself in them." Blodhgarm laughed "It must be that she is an elf, and Grecian being the mate of Aryan helps too."

"No, doubt." Eragon agreed, thinking it did little for him, they still went their separate ways.

"Ebrithil, I have a question- Sorry, Ebrithil, I did not mean to interrupt." Adanna entered the elf's study freezing when she saw the leader of the riders, and quickly apologised, Eragon excused himself.

"No, don't go, I will never stop the asking of a question." he stood, exchanged the elven greetings and left the room, to the sound of;

"No, do not worry yourself, he too had a question and I am sure yours is of equal importance. Please have a seat, would you like some tea?" Eragon smiled to himself and climbed onto Saphira's back, she had grown, not the largest dragon he had seen, she was still smaller than Glaedr had been and there was one wild dragon which Eragon had thought, due to the colour and sheer size, had been another mountain. He was understood to be over one thousand years old. Eragon had never spoken to him, he had never moved as far as Eragon was aware, but his size was undeniable impressive.

Swim before sparring? Saphira asked distracting him.

Do we have time? Eragon asked.

Depends how fast you fly. Saphira replied and sped towards to the calm lagoon area where he found the other three students and two of the other teachers lying in the sun, swimming and relaxing Saphira dove into the water, creating very little disturbance for her size and then surfaced propelling herself long in the water by her tail.

SAPHIRA! That does not count as a swim! That is a drenching! Eragon exclaimed much to her amusement Eragon slid off her back and into the water. He swam to the shore and drying himself he lay beside the others relaxing in the sun.

He did not dare to close his eyes though.

The Elven queen sighed mentally.

You are so lucky Firnen. She groaned feeling him fly above Du Weldenvarden he found the meeting hall and laughed.

It is almost over, no? He replied then was distracted by another dragon in the skies he flew over to join the lone rider who smiled.

"Firnen-elda! Where is your rider?" the new rider called over to him.

Still in an insufferably boring council meeting. Dying a slow and painful death by politics. Arya replied directly to the trio in the sky from the meeting room.

Arya Drotting. The rider greeted her.

Ambassador Ismira Shur'tugal. Arya greeted in response I will be with you in a few hours, hopefully. You are in your normal rooms, Firnen will show you, and feel free to do what you want. The time is, as always yours. We will talk later. The queen regretfully withdrew the mental contact .

"Sorry to be keeping you attention your majesty." Lord Wilthe stated scornfully he had never been fond of the Elven Queen.

"Forgive me, the Rider ambassador has just arrived." she replied.

"And..?" the lord asked.

"And I did not get a chance to speak with her, as I thought my presence was required here. From your response I gather my assumption was correct. Now shall we continue as you were so eager to? That way I can find out what she has to say all the sooner, and then relate what she has told me to you." she gestured at Lady Loretta who hid a smile. Most of the court hid a smile. She was loved as queen because she stood her ground and had a way of twisting words that put any in their place while seeming to be completely innocent. It was a trait needed in an Elven Queen. Any royalty for that matter.

Politics.

AN: So, please tell me what you think...