Disclaimer: I do not own The Inheritance Cycle, everything belongs to Christopher Paolini and anyone else this may concern.
WARNING: This fanfic is rated "M" for graphic violence, several dark scenes riddled throughout the story, and a few (perhaps more than that) detailed, but hopefully tasteful, sex scenes (coming soon).
Read at your own risk!
Author's Note: A few wee words of introduction, I will say with some of them being – First off, this is an AU of Brisingr and takes place after Eragon, Roran, and Saphira defeat the Raz'zak and rescue Katrina. Everything is different after that and you might as well discard the whole book if you continue reading this. I might incorporate one or two plot points into my story but they will not be exactly the same.
Next and most importantly, this is NOT AxE. Not that I have anything against it, but I decided to branch out into a new and unexplored territory inspired by my own fanfiction one-shot: EragonXKatrina. Perhaps one of the most unused characters (even Jarsha the Messenger Boy is used more than her!).
Katrina seems almost a secondary character or even a prop and often dies at the hand of some renegade Shade or Murtagh. Poor Murty! So as you can probably guess, Eragon is fated to get together with Katrina in this story. Plus, I am trying to keep things unique and different so be prepared for a wild ride!
Chapter 1: Unforeseen Consequences
Crap! Eragon thought.
Clenching his fists in frustration, he spotted the last person on earth he ever needed to see right now: Sloan. Katrina's father, the whole reason why she was betrayed to the diabolical Raz'zak, was chained to the wall and certainly looked worse off for it. It was a good thing the old coot was out cold, otherwise Eragon's reaction would not be so calm.
Normally, the Dragon Rider would not feel so angry at the butcher. True, they were always at odds always for some obscure reason or another. But Eragon had heard Roran's tales of how the Village of Carvahal was ruined by a traitor – Sloan – and overrun by enemy soldiers. Roran and the villagers had to put up a fierce fight but were forced to evacuate lest more return and overwhelm them.
However, Katrina got kidnapped in the dead of night and was never seen again for months until now. Roran had had to go through much blood, sweat, and toil to get her and Eragon had to experience a lot too, in the overall scheme of things. Needless to say, Eragon was not the happiest soul in the world to see Sloan limp in the dungeon cell.
"Eragon!" A voice called out, withdrawing him from his reverie. "What have you found?"
"Nothing!" Eragon barked, a little too loudly out of annoyance and uncertainty.
He did not want to reveal Sloan's presence for this would only make things far more complicated. Roran would want revenge for Katrina's sake and that of the village. Sloan would argue that he was just acting in the best interests of his daughter, who everyone knew was the only thing important to him other than his knives and meat. It was a bitter irony that the man's own logic got him beaten up like this and, Eragon could tell upon a closer look, blind.
Eragon sighed in defeat, not knowing what to do. So caught up in his conflict was he, that Eragon failed to hear the approaching footsteps until it was too late. The door burst open and Roran entered. Eragon whirled around trying to block the body from view, but Roran was faster and glanced swiftly over Eragon's shoulder. His face darkened.
"Why are you hiding him from me, cousin?" Roran said quietly.
Eragon clenched his fists.
Double crap! He swore inwardly.
"Look, Roran," He said hurriedly. "We don't need this right now. The old codger is already blind and beaten up badly. He's chained in a dark and disgusting cell. What more revenge could you want by leaving him here to rot?"
"A public trial for his crimes and an execution?" Roran retorted. "He deserves no less, and even more for what he has done."
Eragon took a deep breath to calm himself down. He knew that if they stayed here arguing much longer than it would do Katrina and the Varden no good. In addition, they would only put themselves in more danger than they should be. Arya and Nasuada would kill him for taking so long when they could have left already.
"Saphira cannot afford to carry four people, with one severely injured," Eragon replied. "She can barely carry three as it is and the flight was taxing on her. Not to mention evading Imperial soldiers along the way. We could not bring Sloan with us to the Varden, and we are wasting enough time as it is."
Roran bristled.
"Wasting time?" He snapped. "Do you not know that it is because of this dratted old fool that we had to make this trip in the first place?"
"If revenge is what you want than kill him now and let's be off," Eragon shot back. "We cannot afford to take him with us. It's far too risky."
"No!" Roran barked. "Sloan must receive a public trial or it defeats the whole purpose. The village must be avenged."
"To hell with the village!" Eragon hissed, now getting annoyed with Roran's thinking. "We have to go now! The battle took a lot out of Saphira and me, and we can't possibly carry Roran as well. What part of that do you not understand, Roran? Katrina must get to safety or all of this will be in vain! Have you taken leave of your senses?"
Roran's face turned purple with rage.
"How dare you mock me!" He fumed. "You cannot possibly comprehend all of the things that I went through to get to this point in time. I will not pass up this opportunity while I still have the chance. Or has your high and mighty titles and fame of being a Dragon Rider, so blinded you to common sense?"
"Leave Saphira out of this!" Eragon growled, taking a step forward furiously.
Roran was now glaring daggers at Eragon and had clenched his own fists, stepping forward with an evident look of ill intent. Just as Roran was about to swing a fist in his direction, Eragon's enhanced elvish senses alerted him of a rustle of movement from the fallen Raz'zak. A cold hand of panic gripped his heart and he spun about darting through the doorway.
"Come back here you coward!" Roran seethed.
Eragon ignored him as he ran to the movement, watching in alarm as the Raz'zak that ran away limped into the alcove and dragged out a battle horn. Eragon's eyes widened in horror as the Raz'zak placed the horn to his beak. It must have been enchanted to work for the demon, for a shrill cross between the sound of a bugle and a sharp whistle filled the air.
Time slowed.
Eragon's legs felt like they were made of lead, but his hand yanked up into the air, unbidden. To Eragon's stunned surprise, a beam of dark purple light shot out of it and struck down the dark beast only seconds after it blew the horn. Eragon froze and his mind reeled as the Raz'zak dropped dead before him.
Katrina, standing bewildered in the doorway to the dungeons, worked her mouth but nothing came out. Eragon could feel Roran's eyes on him, but was too shocked to make sense of things. As if things weren't surprising enough, it was Katrina who broke the silence with a look of sudden fear on her face.
"Footsteps!" She hissed, drawing back in alarm. "Someone's coming!"
"Damn it!" Roran growled.
Eragon shook himself out of his dazed stupor, he was so awe-struck and filled with disbelief that he had used magic without casting a spell that he had to reset his brain before it could work.
Saphira! Eragon cried. What's going on?
Saphira was quick on the uptake and replied in seconds.
An Imperial Patrol! Saphira answered worriedly. Led by a few of those monster priests. We must away swiftly, Little One.
Aye, Eragon said, and quickly turned back to Roran and Katrina who were watching him with a concerned expression.
"We have to go now, Roran," Eragon said. "We can't take him with us!"
Roran hesitated but the sound of footsteps quickened.
"Go!" Roran commanded, a look of solid resolution in his eyes. "Take Katrina and leave without me. I shall provide a distraction."
"What are you talking about, love?" Katrina asked, her voice cracking. "Whose coming? Where are we? One minute I was being tortured and the next..."
Eragon's heart lurched at Katrina's words and he winced, realising she would take a while to heal after her gruelling experience. His gears ticking, Eragon looked back at Roran. Their eyes met for the fraction of a sentence and Eragon realised why he wanted to stay behind. Oddly enough, Eragon realised he wasn't bothered by it. Perhaps he was too anxious to be gone to care. Oh, well...
"Alright," Eragon said, sucking in a sharp breath. "Take care, cousin."
"Same to you, Eragon," Roran said solemnly.
The blacksmith-turned-hero-and-leader, tightened his grip on his hammer, strengthening his resolve. Knowing that he didn't have much time left, Eragon gave Katrina a look that said 'act now, talk later' and guided her gently but firmly by the hand outside.
It was growing dark. Night had fallen but there were no stars, only stormy grey clouds billowing in the distance and approaching fast. The footsteps were now thundering down towards them accompanied by the sound of clinking chainmail, rattling armour, and spears as the Imperial patrol lead by the now-shouting and cursing priests hurried forward.
Stepping outside of the dungeon, Eragon paused for the fraction of a second. Glimpsing the enemy and realising that he was severely outnumbered, he took one last look over his shoulder at Roran, took in a deep breath. Katrina yelped in surprise as he gathered her up in his arms with one blurred flourish, and sprang forward like a dear on the run to Saphira. His dragon stood stock still, crouching low and ready for takeoff.
Thanks to the darkness and shadows, the patrol hadn't spotted him yet. Also, it was due to the gift of the dragons he had received in Du Weldenvarden that enabled him to run at an extra-fast pace, much faster than normal. Of course, he was slowed down some by Katrina in his arms. And it was only his hand clamped down on her mouth that stopped her from screaming in fright at the sight of the mighty azure dragon before them. They were almost there when the patrol spotted them.
"There they are, men!" A priest shrieked. "Get them!"
Come on, Roran! Come on! Eragon breathed, not daring to look at the soldiers as if that would make them run faster.
He was almost there! Wait for it... Wait for it...
"Over here, you bastards!" Roran bellowed.
Oh, sweet relief! Eragon sighed, only pausing now for a split second to take in the soldier's expression. Lady Luck seemed on their side this time, for the patrol froze and swung their gaze to Roran. Their eyes widened in terror to see the giant of a man, his face red with rage and eyes glaring in fury, raising a lethal-looking war hammer in defiance. Fear transformed to realization as they finally discovered who he was.
"My lords, it is Roran Stronghammer!" One of them squeaked.
The priests' faces lit up and Eragon cringed but hesitated no longer as they all bustled forward forgetting about him. Roran's hammer flew, smashing into the face of a priest resulting in a sickening crunch and a blood-curdling scream. Not lingering a minute longer, Eragon swung a startled Katrina onto Saphira's back.
At least the young woman was smart enough to stay quiet, although her eyes were wide in horror and alarm. Eragon winced as Roran roared in anger, swinging and smashing his famous weapon. The soldiers crumpled down around him like rag dolls while the priests cowered in fear.
"Protect her!" Roran called out, seemingly to no one.
But with a heavy heart, Eragon understood as time sped up again and he pulled himself up onto the saddle.
Saphira, fly! Eragon commanded, wasting no time with asking her permission.
Saphira obeyed, a look of respect in her eyes for the stubborn but brave two-legged mortal who would sacrifice himself for revenge and what he thought was justice. Eragon watched in sadness as more soldiers poured out from Hellgrind, and Roran was overwhelmed. Patting Saphira's side gratefully, he braced himself for the long and fast flight ahead – against a fierce wind.
X~X~X~X~X~X~X
Crack!
Eragon awoke with a start. Drenched in a cold sweat and feeling wretched, he rubbed his eyes only to gasp as he felt a sudden tugging sensation in his gut. Instincts kicking in, he realised in the nick of time that Saphira had been knocked out of the sky somehow. Fright woke him up fast and his hands shot forward.
Unfortunately, in the confusion of the moment he did not pay heed to where he held Katrina as he simply wanted to keep her from falling off Saphira. Much to his embarrassment, he was horrified to realise that his right hand had snaked around her waist grasping her breast while his left hand latched around her stomach going south.
"Shit!" Eragon exclaimed.
Blood rushed to his skin and he tried to stop his brain from shutting down, but he had to wait for Saphira to regain her balance. Sucking in a deep breath to calm his frazzled nerves, he glanced around taking stock of things and realised that they were in the middle of yet another storm.
Dark, angry clouds unleashed torrents of rainfall upon the earth. Thunder rumbled all around them like an enraged beast, while fork lightning struck the earth at irregular intervals.
Finally, Saphira was steady in the air again. Not so much daring to breath, Eragon awkwardly removed his hands from Katrina and diverted them to the saddle next to Katrina's legs. Should bad come to worse, he could wrap his arms around her waist to stop her from falling.
Stranger than strange, Eragon blushed furiously at the thought – his heart going pitter-patter at the mental image of himself embracing Katrina. But he shoved the thought away brutally, not wanting to dig up suppressed memories.
Shifting to get comfortable, he prepared himself for an awkward flight. Much to his dismay and growing alarm, it ended fast. Several moments prior, everything happened in a rush. Eragon checked out Saphira for wounds and was worried to learn that her breathing was ragged.
Even worse, her flying growing slower as if she was sinking. The young man wanted to smack himself on the forehead but didn't for the specific reason that they were slowing down: The storm. The freak blast of weather was crackling with sheer power of nature's wrath.
Eragon's worry mounted when he realised with a sinking feeling of dread that Saphira was zigzagging in an uneven pattern. Thunder grew louder and louder, now rattling out his ear drums. He could feel Katrina rigid against him. Wanting to comfort her but not know how, he reached out and awkwardly patted her leg.
And none too soon, for in that moment of calm – lightning struck, literally. Eragon gasped and Katrina shrieked in terror as a bolt of fork lightning blasted them out of the sky. Saphira rolled and let out a roar of panic, but the sound was startlingly did under the storm.
Eragon got the breath knocked out of him as Katrina flew out of the saddle, her tattered dress tearing on one of Saphira's spikes. The Dragon Rider was just able to grasp her leg in the nick of time, his whole body freezing with shock as he got an unorthodox view of beneath her dress.
Eragon felt like he would die with shame. He was glad that Katrina didn't seem to notice for everything spiralled downwards after that. Propelled out of Saphira's saddle by the ferocity of the wind and rain, they plummeted downwards blowing like a feather in the breeze as they fell to the side and down...
Saphira! Eragon cried, completely giving in to his frantic thoughts...
...and then everything went black!
To Be Continued
A/N: So there's the first chapter and more is on the way. Like it? Love it? Hate it? Leave a review and comment on your opinion so that I can make this story even better yet!