The first time Vivien met Shruikan, she was eight.
It was her punishment for failing a lesson that her teachers had set up for her. The sight of him that first time never went far from her mind. One of the reasons was because of why it happened, and what it represented. Even as an eight year old, Vivien knew that it was because she had failed her father. The girl had woken up late, so she had no proper time to get ready for her lessons. Vivien had then lost a practice fight with her instructor quicker than usual when she started to cry. Her father had drilled into her countless times that the only correct setting for tears was when dealing with certain people, and that they should always serve a purpose. Many such lessons had been poured into the young girl's head throughout the years. Her mother had not been in contact with her since she was a few months old, so the sole parental attention she received was form her father.
The fact that he was her father was not known by many for many years. It was not until one day, when Vivien was ten that the world was allowed to know who she was.
"Vivien, sweetheart, I have something to tell you," Galbatorix said, in a much better mood than usual. Vivien was wary of his mood. At ten, she had seen enough of her father to know that no matter what mood he put on for show, there was no telling what he was actually planning. Advisors had been talked to in that tone, right before they were melted into a puddle for aggravating the king some months previous.
"Yes, Father?" Vivien asked hesitantly. From the form he had addressed her in; she assumed that she was allowed to call him Father, for the moment. As they did on most nights, they were dining privately in her quarters in Uru'baen. These nights were the only occasions that he imposed a dress code on the ten year old. The king said that she was a proper lady, and she would either wear the wardrobe of one or she would not dine at all with him. There was really no choice for Vivien; she would do anything to be with her father.
"As you know, those idiots of advisors are pushing me to name an heir, just to follow protocol. After much thought, I decided that there was no reason for me to name one of the nobles as such, when I have you. Starting in a week's time, you will be the official heir of the Broddring Kingdom. There will be a ceremony for it then, and you will have to begin interacting in the court," her father did not even ask her what she thought of it, as usual. He decided something, the rest of them scrambled around to make it work. Vivien could barely contain her excitement at this news, however. Finally, her father would be admitting to her existence, his only child. Vivien smiled widely at her father, knowing that if it was not for her recent progress in her lessons, she would not be allowed this honor. It was nice to know that assassinating her first member of the Varden had gone as he hoped.