Ice Witch

Disclaimer: I do not own Eragon. No, that honor was reserved for Mr. Christopher Paolini.

Chapter 1: Arranged Marriage

"Father!" shrieked Miranda. "What is this?"

Galbatorix looked into his daughter's stormy grey eyes. "What is what?"

Miranda angrily tossed back her shimmering red hair and recited: "By order of His Majesty King Galbatorix, Her Royal Highness Miranda Icewitch is to marry Lord Fartenal in three weeks' time."

"Where did you hear this?"

Miranda stared at him. "You can't hide everything. Servants found it while cleaning your chambers. You could have at least told me!" she finally lost her temper. "Do you know how old he is? He could be my father. He's almost sixty!"

"Miranda." He looked her straight in the eye. "Lord Fartenal is one of my few lords who silently defies me. A royal marriage would certainly strengthen the ties."

"Strengthen ties? Strengthen ties?" Miranda glared at him and stormed off.

"Where are you going?"

"Why would I tell you?"

Galbatorix sighed and rubbed his forehead. Miranda was his pride and joy, his beloved daughter. She would make a great ruler one day, but her temper was terrifying.

He watched her storm out of the throne room. Her long, fiery red hair swished behind her as her grey eyes blazed. Some guards tried to stop her and waited for Galbatorix's approval to let her exit, but she clenched and opened her fist. The guards fell down as the ground froze over with ice.

Miranda exited the throne room, slamming the great double doors behind her. Stomping down a corridor, she stopped at a large door.

"Open up!" she shouted irritably.

"Miranda? Is that you?"

"Who do you think it is? Open up!"

The door opened. Murtagh, son of Morzan looked at her. "Okay, what'd he do?"

She stormed past him into the grand rooms. Throwing herself into an armchair, Miranda spoke. "Do you know how old Lord Fartenal is?" Murtagh nodded. "I'm in an arranged marriage with him."

"What? Why?" Murtagh was shocked.

"I know! It's supposed to 'strengthen ties' between him and Father. It's so unfair!"

"You can't marry him!"

Miranda sighed. "I know. Murtagh. I know."

A sharp knock on the door made everyone look up. "Enter," called Murtagh.

A soldier walked in. "Murtagh, His Majesty King Galbatorix requests your presence at a banquet tonight.."

Murtagh looked at Miranda nervously. She rolled her eyes and stood.

"What would the occasion be?"

"Oh! Your highness, I didn't see you." He bowed. "The banquet is in honor of Murtagh's eighteenth birthday."

Murtagh sighed. "I accept. Tell his majesty I'll be there." The soldier left.

"I sense a plot." Miranda sniffed the air.

"As do I. The only plan we can make and actually follow through with is to find out his plan and thwart it later."

"I agree. Now I have to go, but I promise I'll be at the banquet. Moral support."

Well then, I think we can all guess that this takes place before Eragon and Murtagh meet.

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