A Twist Of Fate

Italics =thoughts

Prologue

At some point in life everyone has to make a decision that will change everything. Little did Selena know, she was making one such decision.

"You must leave tonight." Selena said softly.

Two women sat at a fine table in a large room with stone walls. Several small stools, chairs and other furnishings were scattered around. A small fire crackled a few feet away from them.

The first woman was named Selena. She had a fair complexion, with brown hair that reached her shoulders. She was fairly pale and her gray eyes reflected deep sorrow. She wore a long black dress with white lace along the ridges.

The other who was sitting across from her was a slightly plump woman who looked around a decade older than Selena. Her name was Margret. Margret was assigned to be Selena's childs nursemaid. She had a worried look on her face.

Selena was pregnant with her second child. Her firstborn, whom was named Murtagh, was in the ajacent room, sleeping.

"But Mistress." The nurse cried softly, "You are ill and Morzan will be enraged if he finds Murtagh and myself are missing."

Selena put a hand up to silence the her. "It must be done, I will not allow anymore suffering to fall upon Murtagh."she said, her expression hardening. "And what of your unborn child, should he suffer in Murtagh's stead." The nurse snapped. Selena lowered her eyes. Why was fate so cruel as to make her choose between her children

"We must do what we can with what we have." Selena said solemnly

She had been slowly crafting a plan that would get Murtagh away from the monster she called a husband. When Morzan had cut open Murtagh's back in a fit of rage the line was drawn.

What she hadn't planned on was her becoming pregnant again.

Selena was forced to make a choice. Send Murtagh away with the Margret, who had taken care of him for most of his life. Or to go to her brother, whom was named Garrow, give birth to her child, and beg him to raise it. Either way she was saving one life, and condemning another.

She rose and began walking towards the door that led to Murtaghs room. She pushed it open with a small creak and gazed upon her child. He was small, only 3 years of age. He had black hair and wore simple undergarments as he slept. He was covered by a layer of fine silk. Selena paused for a moment and simply watched the rise and fall of his chest as he slept. She was broken out of her trance when a hand touched her shoulder. She looked back to see the face of her childs nursemaid gazing at her anxiously.

"Are you sure you wish to do this Selena?"

Selena hesitated, looked down, and then great reluctance sighed.

"I must."

The nursemaid nodded slowly and then made to wake up Murtagh. The boy squirmed a little as the nurse shook him. He opened his gray eyes that were a mirror image of his mothers, only a little darker.

"Momma?" he asked tiredly.

"I'm Right here baby, its okay. I need you to get up, we need to go away for a little while."

Murtagh looked at her questioningly his small eyebrows furrowed together. The nurse picked him up and began to dress him. Selena took this time to gaze around Murtaghs room. It was fairly luxurious , with fine carpeting that had an array of designs all around it, stone walls with only a single painting of herself and Murtagh as a baby. A small toy wooden sword lay on the floor near her feet.

The small child was soon dressed and was watching his mother through half lidded eyes. Selena picked him up and beckoned for the nursemaid to follow her. She weaved through the hallways of the castle they were in, paintings of countless battles hung throughout the halls of the dark castle Selena calls home. Hundreds of different thoughts were going through the dark haired girls head.

Will they have enough food, what if Murtagh gets sick, what if Morzan finds them

She shook her head ridding it of those thoughts. Morzan was chasing a stolen dragon egg and would not be back for some time. The odds that he would find Murtagh were slim to none. That didn't stop her worrying though

Only when the stench of dung and hay reached her did she realise they had reached the stables, the nurse trailed a few feet behind her looking solemn. Packs filled with supplies were leaning by the stable as Selena walked by. Murtagh gave a small cry as she handed him to the Nurse and began saddling one of the horses. The horse was pure black and was very lean.

"This is the fastest horse I have" Selena said as she was fiddling with the straps. She began strapping the different packs onto the horse.

"Where will we go?" the nurse asked.

Selena thought for a moment then said "Go to Carvahall and speak to a farmer by the name of Garrow." she handed the nurse a large sack of gold coins, "Please, ask Garrow to raise him. He and Marian are good people."

"When they take him in what should I do?" the nurse asked.

Selena thought it over, "Go to Gil'ead, Once my child is born I will come and see you and we will find a way for all of us to escape Morzan's clutches."

She took Murtagh from Margret and said, "Your going to be going away for a little while okay." She attempted to smile at him. Murtaghs eyes widened and he clutched her tightly and buried his face in her chest. She could hear his muffled cries for her to stay.

"Shh its okay we'll see eachother soon okay I promise." she crooned.

Selena watched as Margret climbed into the saddle and placed her feet in the stirrups, trying to get a feel for riding. She pulled Murtagh away from her chest and looked at his tearstained face. Their eyes met one last time and she kissed him on the forehead, before handing him to the anxious nursemaid.

She watched them ride out of the stables and into the dark of night.

I swear it...I swear, we will see eachother again.

Sadly that promise would be broken.

Several weeks had passed since Margret and Murtagh had left, and Morzan had not returned.

Selena had given birth to a small baby boy with brown eyes and a small tuft of brown hair on his head. He had a smile that seemed to be able to brighten an entire room. Selena though was a different story.

An unknown sickness had seemed to strike her after she had given birth. Countless different healers and herbalists came and attempted to find out what ailed her, but alas no one seemed to be able to find a cure. Despite her sickness though she doted on her newborn every chance she got.

Whenever she held him her face would light up and it would seem as if she perfectly fine, if only for a few moments.

It was a particularly gloomy afternoon. It had rained all morning and it seemed to become more and more of a torrent as time went by. It was then as Selena cradled Eragon, that she heard a familiar beat of wings.

Her heartbeat quickened and she held Eragon tighter as she listened to the wingbeats get louder and louder. In fact the sound was almost deafening.

I don't remember his dragon being this loud

She pondered this as she listened to rythemic sound of wingbeats came closer and closer.

It sounded as if the wings were many times the size of Morzans Dragon. And it was then that she had a realization

The King.

Galbatorix was coming here, but why? He rarely left Uru'baen unless it was a matter of extreme importance, why would he come here. She thought over this for several minutes.

What if Murtaghs been found, or what if the king found out I sent him away.

She heard a deafening crash that signaled the kings landing. I quickly called one of the servants from the hallway and instructed him to show The King to her room. The servants eyes widened and he quickly left to do as he was told.

Selena began to come up with a variety of scenario's in which she or her children would be punished. She heard footsteps down the hallway from her room and quickly schooled her features. She held her baby tight to her chest.

Galbatorix entered her doorway.

He had black hair and a handsome face. He wore a black tunic with gold embroidiry. His crown rested on the top of his forehead and several sapphires and emeralds in the center of it. But his most prominent feature were his eyes.

His black eyes seemed to be able to stare directly into your souls, take your every secret.

Selena shivered slightly as his gaze fell on her.

He walked in with slow deliberate steps, as Selena gazed at his face he had a look of sorrow etched in his features.

"Ah Selena." he said, "It has been a long time since we have last spoken, and I wish I had brought better news"

His voice was smooth and deep, though it was hard to tell if his sorrow was genuine or not.

"I'm afraid that during his search for the stolen dragon egg your husband was killed in battle with the traitor's." said the king shaking his head slightly.

Selena gaped. He's gone

A thousand different emotions clouded her thoughts varying from joy, to sadness, to relief.

"It saddens me greatly to bring such tidings, especially on one such occaison that should be joyous." His gaze fell to the baby sleeping in Selena's arms.

Getting over her astonishment Selena looked down at the child in her arms. "Aye it brings me great sorrow that Morzan could not meet his child." she said,closing her eyes tightly , giving off an impression of sorrow. "Tell me, where is your eldest child, he should hear this as well."She looked up at Galbatorix, thought for a moment and said in an angry tone, "The nurse whom I charged with taking care of the boy took him, I could not give chase for I may have injured this one."

Selena watched the Kings expression carefully. His face contorted with rage, and he yelled, "That is unnacceptable, I shall have all guards on watch for your child and this nurse I can assure you."

She waited until The Kings ire had lessened and then asked, "Forgive me my king but I am weary,my illness plagues me, and I have much to think on. Were there any other tidings you wished to convey." Selena said tiredly.

Galbatorix's eyes flashed

He smiled as he asked," Nay, I understand, I will take my leave. I'm sure you have much to think on." He turned as if to leave, then abruptly halted. "Actually." he said, turning his black eyes back to her, " I have one request, May I see your child."

She hesitated then spoke, "Of course."

The king smiled and made his way over to the bed where she and the child lay. Cradling the toddler in her arms, Selena lifted him over to Galbatorix. He reached and grasped the child under its arms. The baby's brown eyes opened and met The Kings. They locked gazes for a moment, the child looking at The King curiously. He reached out a small chubby hand to touch his face until Galbatorix shook his head and gazed at Selena.

His expression shifted so suddenly she couldn't have seen it coming. A violent attack on her mind suddenly struck and she couldn't raise her defenses quick enough. She panicked trying to resist him as he ravaged her mind. All her deeds as the black hand, her first meeting with Morzan, every single bit of her being was found out.

In one final act of defiance she managed to close off 2 things. Her expierences with Brom, and Murtaghs location. She smirked through the pain and finally everything went dark.

The child as if sensing his mothers distress began to wail lowdly in Galbatorix's arms.

Galbatorix looked down on the unconcious Selena and sneered. She was planning to betray Morzan and through Morzan, she was betraying him. Returning his attention to the crying toddler in his arms, he thought over what to do with the child.

Morzan is gone,I suppose his child would be a decent replacement

The King barked "Enter!" at the entrance of the large room. At his command two figures entered the room. They had long black cloaks that covered there entire body and walked in a hunched position. One was slightly taller than the other. Galbatorix held out the crying toddler, "Take this." he ordered, "And bring it to Uru'baen, take it to Barst's residence and tell him I will arrive shortly."

"Yesssss my King." the shorter one replied and took the babe from the dark haired man.

The two figures left quickly and Galbatorix made to leave. As he reached the doorway to Selena's room, he gazed toward her, uttered a single word.

Selena's body stiffened for a moment than went completely limp.