Galbatorix catches my eye as he enters the room where I am being kept.

"I brought someone to see you," he sneers. My heart lifts when my partner-of-my-life, my Rider is brought in. I reach out toward her with my mind.

I missed you, little one...

And I you, Jura. She winces and I notice a patch of blood on her tunic.

You are hurt! Why did you not heal it?

I cannot. Before I can question this, Galbatorix steps steps forward.

"Listen to me, well, Dragon. You have something I want. Now, you can give it to me, or your Rider will be punished."

My Rider lifts her head slightly. Do not give him what he wants!

But –

Do not give him anything. Promise!

I promise.

"I want your Eldunarí, dragon. Your heart of hearts." My mind reels at this prospect.

"Never!" Both my Rider and I shout. My chains jangle as they strain from being ripped from the wall. But they are reinforced with magic and I cannot move.

"So let it be, then, dragon." He motions to his men, and they bring forth my Rider. She is shoved roughly to the ground and the Traitor draws a knife. He places the knife on my Rider's arm and brings it down the length of her arm. Blood wells from the slice left by the knife. Galbatorix whispers a spell which causes the wound to immediately fester and become infected. He places his and on her limb and squeezes. My Rider screams.

Stop it!

"Give me your heart of hearts."

No!

"So be it." He lifts her up and throws her against a stone pillar. We all can hear several bones crunch. He summons fire and burns her right hand, the one with her gedwëy ignasia on it. She tries to hold back her screams as her hand shrivels and dies.

The Oath Breaker steps over to her and picks her up again. He turns to his men.

"You may have your way with her." The men eagerly step toward my Rider. They rip off her clothes and humiliate her as has never been done to her before. When they are finished, she lays on the floor trembling, drenched in blood and other substances. Galbatorix sneers again and leans down to her, looking up at me.

"Just give me one little thing, it's all I ask. Your heart of hearts, dragon, and her suffering will stop."

I reach out to my Rider again. As I come in contact with her mind, I feel the waves of pain and anguish flooding off of her.

Little one?

She doesn't answer. I gaze at Galbatorix with all the loathing I can muster.

"Well?"

I begin to shake as I disgorge my heart of hearts. I can feel it coming up, I heave to get it out of my throat and into my jaws. Before I let it go just yet, I question Galbatorix.

You won't hurt her anymore?You said her suffering would stop.

"Aye, it will," he answers. I open my impressive maw and let the gem-like essence of my being fall into a bag one of the soldiers are holding. Galbatorix reaches over to my Rider and slits her throat.

NO! YOU LIAR, YOU BREAKER OF OATHS, TRAITOR, I'LL KILL YOU, I WILL!! I struggle fruitlessly against my chains. I feel broken, my partner-of-my-life is gone, passed into the void. I breathe fire at the foul being who took my Rider from me. He blocks it with a spell and leaves.

I am alone. I tear into my own flesh with my claws and teeth, and wait until I, too, pass into the void. But even as I breathe my last breath, I realize that I cannot leave the world and join my Rider. I am trapped in my own Eldunarí. To be used for more terrible things than I could imagine. I am broken.

I have lost my soul.

* * *

Author's note: Well, that was kind of intense, for me, at least. I was re-reading Brisingr the other day and I got to the part where Eragon and Saphira are being told of the Eldunarí and how Galbatorix tortured Riders until their dragons gave him their heart-of-hearts, and this little plot bunny pooped in my head. So I wrote it and I hope you enjoyed it.