The Next Generation, an Inheritance Cycle and Lord of The Rings crossover

New Riders

When he invited their guests to join their celebrations, Aragorn had decided that what they had told him was true regardless of how unbelievable it sounded. They chatted, he introduced them to his sons, and he told them more about middle earth and the various races that lived there. He also told them about the war that had taken place seventeen years before. He explained what hobbits were since he suspected that they had never seen them before. He noticed when the meal was set on the table that the elves ate no meat and that Eragon the rider who appeared to be part elf and part human ate very little meat. They also brought out a very large piece of meat to the dragon Saphira.

Eragon also said more about the lands he had come from and that if it seemed like it was necessary he could alter the spell that that bonded the dragons to the various other races to include the hobbits. He would just have to contact Queen Nasuada the queen of the people where he came from, and get her to get Arya the queen of the elves to contact him before he did it.

Aragorn explained that most hobbits didn't seek adventure and were content to stay in their homes in the shire. Eragon said if it becomes necessary to add them it could be done. Aragorn saw that Eragon also chatted with the hobbits learning their names and more about them. Partway through the celebration, Eragon requested to leave the table claiming he was checking on the dragon eggs that were stored in the cargo hold of his ship. He didn't take long.

Shortly after he returned Eragon seemed to become distracted as if his attention was elsewhere. Aragorn assumed that he must be talking to Saphira since Eragon had explained that they use telepathy to communicate. When Eragon finished talking to her he said to everyone, "Saphira just informed me that when she checked on the eggs she noticed that two were stirring. This means that we have the next riders among us,"

Eragon turned to him and said, "Aragorn, I suspect That Arathorn will be one of them since riders are usually chosen when they are in their teens,"

Although he was considering what his son being one of Eragon's Students could mean Aragorn said, "Go fetch the eggs then so we will see who your first students are,"

While Eragon left to get the eggs Aragorn thought about what he would do if Arathorn was the first new rider that Eragon would train. Aragorn realized that Arathorn would not be able to be the next king if he became a rider since Eragon had said that the riders were free of authority separate from the various races of the land. Eragon had also said that riders were immortal so he knew that his son would most likely outlive all his friends and family.

When he was still considering all this Eragon returned carrying two round objects that he knew must be the eggs. One was gold, and the other was red. First Arathorn touched the red egg, and nothing happened. Eragon passed him the gold one. For a moment nothing happened but then the egg started shaking. Finally, the red egg was passed to the rest of the children until a 14-year-old hobbit named Frodo; (Sam's son) touched the egg.

Like the gold one, it started shaking. Everyone watched as cracks appeared on the eggs, eventually, pieces fell off the top of the eggs, and a small head poked out of each egg. When the dragons crawled out of their eggs the two new riders reached toward their dragons. When the boys' hands touched their dragons the boys looked like they were in pain and both boys went unconscious. When his son passed out Aragorn jumped up from his chair.

Eragon who had still been standing watching the two boys walked over to Aragorn and said, "Don't worry, they will be fine this always happens when a rider first touches their dragon, that is how the bond is created between them. When he wakes you will see a mark similar to this on his hand,"

Eragon removed his right glove and showed Aragorn a silver mark on the palm of his hand and said that it was called the gedwëy ignasia. He also said that in the ancient language of his homeland, that meant shining palm. Moments after Eragon finished speaking the two boys woke up.

Arathorn glanced at his left hand and saw a silver mark on it. Eragon explained about the gedwëy ignasia and showed him his own. Arathorn started reaching his hand toward his dragon again but he hesitated and he looked at Eragon. Eragon said, "Go ahead it won't hurt this time," Seeing Arathorn and Frodo with their dragon hatchlings brought a small smile to Eragon's face.

It also reminded him of when Saphira had hatched for him. That seemed like so long ago, Eragon had known very little about dragons then and he'd had no-one to explain what was going on. He'd been so clueless that he'd thought Saphira's egg was a gemstone until she hatched from it. His life had changed so much since then, now it seemed a new chapter was beginning.

As he watched his son and his dragon Aragorn turned to Eragon and said, "I understand that you need somewhere to train the new riders, now more than before since you have two students already. I have thought about your dilemma and decided the best option based on what you have said is Rivendell. After the war, all the elves that used to live there left these lands and the valley has sat abandoned ever since,"