Chapter 1- Fortress

WARNING! This fan fiction contains incest and sexual scenes- not for the faint-hearted! Slash- Galbatorix/ Eragon, and definite Eragon/Murtagh. Don't like it? Tough, don't read it! It is set directly after the battle of the burning plains in Eldest. Compliments and characters to Christopher Paolini- consider Eragon/Murtagh! Thanks for reading- what the hell, read on and see what you think!

'Saphira! Can you see anything?' Eragon called with his mind, to his circling sapphire dragon up above.

It was almost midnight, and they had been searching for hours- Eragon from the ground, Saphira above it.

Seven months after the Battle of the Burning Plains and the Varden were desperately searching for the new whereabouts of King Galbatorix since he had fled Uru'baen. It was likely that he had used magic to blend his new territory into the environment, so as not to be recognised by his numerous enemies. But it wasn't just Galbatorix they sought. The king still owned the last dragon egg- and the last chance to recreate the dragons. Saphira was the only female dragon in existence and therefore very important indeed.

'Eragon! Eragon! I see it! I'll fly down and show you!' Saphira said excitedly.

Once in flight above the treetops, Eragon could see a shimmery force, almost completely invisible to the naked eye- but not to a dragon's and its Rider's eyes. It encircled a medium-sized fortress with many armed patrolling guards. Only one window glowed with magical devilish-red light: king Galbatorix's rooms.

Saphira tactfully flew lower so Eragon could figure out how to get in. as they passed the force field again, Eragon poked his hand through safely and concurred that they could pass through easily. Saphira picked out a conspicuous wide lawn and landed quietly.

Eragon hopped off, his bow and arrow ready strung and a replacement blade sharp. A resounding shout warned him of the danger. Instantly, he was surrounded.

But they wouldn't give up without a fight. Saphira roasted them with her fiery breath, Eragon massacring mercilessly with magic, bow and sword. They raced past hoards of Urgals, forcing themselves through to Galbatorix's rooms. But it was not to be.

"STOP!" a voice, evil and full of darkness, ordered. Eragon stopped in his tracks, spellbound to the earth. Saphira whirled around viciously to protect him and was encased like quicksand by the same spell. No-one could do that to both a full-size dragon and a Rider, no-one but-

"Galbatorix." Eragon spat.

The king was deathly pale, tall, thin and cold, dressed in crimson and gold robes, his creeping long fingers curled around a silver sword with a ruby in its pommel.

"Well, I never suspected you to join me. Won't the Varden be devastated by your deaths!" he cackled, high and malevolent.

Eragon struggled against the dark magic desperately, using every word in the Ancient Language he knew, as both a curse and to release himself. The king snapped his fingers.

"A nice freezing dungeon should do them both good, I think. And call my servant. Maybe he'll change his mind tonight. I need some amusement before bed."

The spell was released, but not before Galbatorix had vanished and Eragon had been sufficiently chained up. Saphira was restrained by imaginative threats to her Rider, letting her enemies shackle her too, like a dog.

Once Eragon was in a single dirty cell, and Saphira far away, he was left alone. He sat in a muddy puddle, trailing stiff manacles. Staring into the scummy water, he looked at the disgruntled, blonde-haired, sapphire-eyed boy that was his reflection. They had knocked him up a little earlier, and a few scars now flecked his face. He'd took the punishment, shamed that he couldn't retaliate.

He splashed the puddle angrily, huddling up with his knees. How dare they treat a Rider this way! And his precious dragon, the last female! Galbatorix would not get away with this.

Two hours later, and Eragon's cell door slid open, revealing a dark figure.

"Eragon."

He looked up, and familiarity flooded back to him with that one word. Memories and sudden realisation from long ago, tumbles of feelings- anger, hate, distrust, and lust. The tangled, spiky brown hair, matched with enchanting green eyes and strong face hiding all his troubles and his past so bravely.

Eragon's brother, Murtagh.