Disclaimer:I don't own the characters; they all belong to Christopher Paolini except Amaya and other characters you don't recognize as Paolini's.
Author's note: WARNING: Brisingr spoilers!! This story is supposed to take place during Brisingr and further, so spoilers will appear. Of course, some things maybe won't be like in the books, but that you will see. It's rated M mostly because of the language and some crazy ideas from Amaya and others. Don't tell me I didn't warn you.
"Amaya, you're the most stupid person in the world!" an older, gray-haired woman yelled through the house.
"Thanks! Tell me something I don't know already, grandma!" the girl yelled back. She nervously ran her fingers through her long black hair.
"I told you curiosity will kill you one day! I told you!" Amaya's grandmother frowned.
"Yeah, whatever. You don't have to annoy me too! I'm already freaking out!" Amaya's dark brown eyes shined dangerously.
"I still can't believe it! If you hadn't asked for your true name, this wouldn't have happened!" the older woman sat on the chair and rolled her eyes "Well, now deal with it."
"I wanted to know my real name! I didn't expect the king will discover it!" Amaya stood in the middle of the room, clutching her long black dress with her fingers.
"You didn't expect lots of things, my child." grandma said "You're pretty foolish for a magician. I don't know how you survive."
"I didn't know it will happen, okay? How many times do I have to say?" Amaya yelled "I was sure no one can break into my mind…"
"You didn't think on the king." grandma sighed "What does he want from you anyway?"
"Apparently he wants me to serve the Dragon Rider!" Amaya said "The Rider failed to do something and now I'm supposed to go with him…to help him or to watch what he's doing. I think the king will tell him my true name."
"Amaya, this is inexcusable!" grandma looked at her accusingly "It's your fault! How are you going to get out of that situation?"
"Look, I hope this won't last long. We just need to get rid of those stupid rebels and I'm free!" Amaya said.
"Don't be so sure! You became king's slave and who knows what he will ask you to do." grandma crossed her arms "Well, we can't help you…we'll be waiting for you. I hope you survive."
"Right." Amaya smiled bitterly and went out of the house.
"Ah, Amaya, you're here!" Galbatorix smiled when Amaya entered the throne room.
"My Lord." she bowed "May I ask you a question?"
"Sure." the king said "What is it?"
"Will you tell my true name to the Rider?" she asked, looking all the time at the floor.
"Well, Amaya, I hope you understand I appreciate what you are doing for me." he said "But, you see, you'll be spending most of the time with Murtagh so the only way to make you truly useful for him is to tell him your true name."
"Great!" Amaya said through her teeth.
"However, don't forget you answer to me too." he smiled "I'll make sure Murtagh uses your true name only if really necessary."
"Why? I've always been loyal to you, my Lord." Amaya looked at the king "Don't you trust me?"
"I do, but you never know when something could change. However, I planned to do it like this before you came." he said coldly "I didn't choose you for this. You did. It's not my fault you were too curious about your true name. But thank you on that. I'll send a gift to your family for this favor. From now on, you're staying here and do what you're told, alright?"
"Yes, my Lord." Amaya bit her lip not to say what was really on her mind.
"Good." Galbatorix smiled "You can go now."
"Fuck this!" Amaya kicked the table in her room. She was furious; furious with herself and furious with whole world. After few moments of destroying things in the room, she sat on the floor and hugged her knees. Someone opened the door and she looked up.
"What the fuck do you want, Dragon Rider?" she looked at Murtagh and smiled bitterly.
"You must be Amaya." he looked around the room, not surprised by how everything was.
"Wow, Dragon Rider is being smart!" she rolled her eyes.
"Shut up." he warned her "Don't you think you're not in position to make me angry?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, mighty Dragon Rider!" she got up and walked closer to him "You might now my true name, but you know nothing about me and what I'm capable of!"
"Are you threatening me?" he laughed "I've heard you're crazy, but this…"
"What? Who told you that?" she raised an eyebrow.
"Everyone." he smiled "They're already making fun of you, so why do you want to give them more material?"
"I'm not crazy!" she yelled "I don't give a fuck what they think! Including you, Dragon Rider!"
"Stop calling me like that!" his face went rigid "I came to tell you you're coming with me today."
"Coming where?" she was surprised "We have a task to do, already? But I just got here!"
"Oh, come on! Do you think Galbatorix cares?" he said.
"Ok, ok!" she calmed down a bit and realized what a mess she made "Fuck! I hate my life!"
"Why don't you kill yourself then?" he looked at her.
"Oh, and make everyone happy? No way!" she rolled her eyes and shrugged "Unless you want to kill me."
"Whatever." he said "Just be in front of the castle in ten minutes."
"Ten minutes?" she looked at him in disbelief "You can't be serious! Don't you know anything about women? I need more time to get ready!"
"Listen, bitch. Stop whining and do as I say." he said coldly "Or I'll make you wish you're dead."
"Really?" she looked at him curiously "Now you're forcing me to come late!"
"Just be there." he rolled his eyes and went out of the room. Amaya looked after him and smiled to herself.
"Dragon Rider…that must be interesting." she thought with excitement "I'll finally see a dragon closely!"
Amaya came out of the castle a few minutes late. Murtagh was already standing there and touching Thorn's leg.
"A dragon! A real dragon!" Amaya ran to Thorn like a child and placed her arms around dragon's neck. Murtagh didn't expect her to do that so he wasn't sure how Thorn will react on this. No one dared to do it before. But Thorn seemed to enjoy it.
"Aww, you're so sweet!" Amaya smiled to Thorn.
"Oh, come on!" Murtagh complained "He's a dragon! Not a dog!"
"Well, I still think he's sweet." she said and looked at Thorn's eyes "Why are you so sad, my love?"
"Hey! He's not your dragon. Leave him alone." said Murtagh.
"Why isn't he answering me?" Amaya was worried "What's wrong with him?"
"It's none of your business!" Murtagh yelled and Thorn gently rubbed his nose against Amaya's chest.
"Ah, whatever. He likes me." Amaya smiled.
"He does." Murtagh said quietly, placing his hand on Thorn's head.
"His name is Thorn, right?" she looked at Murtagh "I bet you named him like that."
"Yes." Murtagh said.
"It's a nice name actually." she smiled "I had a cat once. Her name was Black Death."
"Did Galbatorix tell you anything about Thorn?" he asked.
"Umm, not really." Amaya said "Is there anything he was supposed to tell me?"
"I don't know." Murtagh said "Do you have something to ask?"
"Actually, yes. Thorn grew up so fast…but I see he is not like other dragons." Amaya said "Well, not that I know any other dragons…just what I heard."
"Thorn stayed young in his mind…and you don't want to know what Galbatorix did to him." Murtagh sighed "You can't even imagine how it is for him."
"Oh, you poor little thing!" Amaya touched Thorn again "But will he ever be like other dragons? I mean the body and mind of proper age?"
"He will. But it will never be the same." Murtagh said "How would you feel if someone tortured you from the day you were born…when everything just seems wrong and doesn't make sense? That's why I can't make him talk to me. He sends an image sometimes but it's not…not right."
"How do you communicate then?" Amaya asked.
"You could never understand a bond between dragon and a rider. There are always feelings and sings that only a rider can understand about his dragon." Murtagh said and then his voice changed back to coldness "We have to go. Come on."
Amaya patted Thorn's leg and took a deep breath to stop tears from coming to her eyes. She couldn't believe that the king was so cruel with a dragon. She knew Galbatorix tortured people and that was okay with her but torturing dragons? That was something unforgivable. She thought about it all the way while she and Murtagh were flying on Thorn's back.
"I can't feel anything strange." said Amaya "Are you sure someone saw a dragon here? Maybe they saw a big bird."
"I don't care." Murtagh said "The only thing important here is that we are doing something…searching for a dragon, not that we find her actually."
"Oh, okay." Amaya shrugged "That's fine with me. But I have a question."
"What now?" he looked at her.
"Well, you're a Rider so you probably know more spells than I do." she said "So I was wondering…did you ever use magic for fun?"
"For fun?" he frowned "You're really weird."
"Oh, come on!" she laughed "Don't tell me you never used magic for fun!"
"Where's fun in magic?" he asked "Do you enjoy killing people or what?"
"Well, that's relative." she smiled "But you have to try it! There are spells that can make you feel so good that you just want to lie down and enjoy the sensation. Then you see nothing else but things you want to see."
"Huh. Isn't it easier just to get drunk?" he asked.
"I tried that one too but it's not the same." she said "You have to see the world clearer, not blurry!"
"Whatever." he said coldly "What were you doing these years…working as Galbatorix's magician or playing with magic?"
"Both!" she smiled "And I've been a magician for four years…mostly taking care of the king's enemies in the Empire. Stupid villagers thought they can be heroes! So my job was something between working and having fun!"
"Oh, so you did just easy tasks." he said "I really have no idea why king chose you for this."
"He chose me because I was stupid enough to know my true name." she rolled her eyes "I was curious…and I thought no one will find out. I'm good enough in keeping others out of my mind but the king…he's just too strong."
"Your true name is not nice." he suddenly said.
"Huh. Thanks." she said annoyed "I don't feel like talking about it. Why don't we just concentrate on what we are doing, or better on what we're not doing?"
"As you want." he said as Thorn took them further across the land in their search for Eragon and Saphira.