Chapter 1

Galbatorix

"Insolent brat! You've wasted thousands of dollars on yourself. Don't you think of yourself as selfish? This WILL be the last time you fail; the next will be the last thing you ever do."The black tyrant roared at a girl from on his black throne that he stole. His black stolen dragon was peering at her with a hazel colored eye that was dull but had flames in the depths.

A girl that looked about 12 but was really tall kneeled in front of him with an unreadable expression. She had blood staining the black shirt she wore and the tan trousers she wore were completely blood-red. She hung her head with her face hidden but under, her eyes were shining in defiance. She was slight, almost just skin and bone but no bones were showing. Her eyes were a shocking blue instead of the usual brown or close to it as the people of this land commonly had. Her hair was a dirty blonde and was very short, only reaching her earlobes.

"Return to your home, I do not wish to see you." Galbatorix dismissed her in anger and watched as she rose and swiftly walked across the throne room and exited. He sighed, his mask of anger and strength fading. He leaned in his throne, wondering what he had done wrong. His own daughter despised him and did whatever she could to defy him openly whenever she could. It wasn't that the tyrant king didn't love her, he did, but it was that he wasn't sure what the word 'love' meant anymore. His own dragon was in fact, not his own. The dragon also despised him and it was weary to have to have a mind link with him. All that the black king was certain of was that the black dragon wouldn't leave him, no matter if he did release him. It was better to have a forced rider then no rider at all, Shruikan had grown use to having him as a rider, and he would not leave.

Alex

As Alex hurried out of the throne room with every ounce of pride she had, the great black dragon's mind extended to her's, brushing it. "Youngling, it is not wise to rebel." Was all he said.

Alex's head flicked up in a fast bird-like movement that betrayed the fact that she was not purely human. "Thank you." She placed two fingers to her mouth and twisted her hand in the way that she had learned elves had used as a gesture of respect.

Shruikan blinked and removed his great claw from the entrance of the doorway. Alex tipped her head in farewell to the servant that was standing by the door and continued out of the castle. Once out, she started running, fast, faster and more even then any human could ever do. Instead of taking the road as most would expect, she veered off into the forest, hidden from view.

For three days and three nights, she continued running, hiding from time to time when she saw someone with her better-then-normal eyesight. She slowed as a small hut came into view. She calmly opened the door and stepped in.

The hut was very sparse in luxuries with just a ring for a fire, a spit and a straw bed. There was a hole in the straw of the hut wall that acted as a window. A rustle in the bushes made Alex turn suddenly.

She walked out and looked into the darkening forest around her while squinting,"Eskia?" she called out in a soprano voice.

A large white head poked through the bushes and made Alex squeak as the snout pushed her over, the rest of a small dragon emerged from the bushes with the moonlight glinting off of the pure white scales of the dragon.

"Who else, a rabbit perhaps?" A deep rumbling voice joked lightly. Eskia nudged his rider until she flopped into the river, "You need a bath." He sternly told the girl with his sapphire eyes twinkling.

Alex stood up from the lake dripping wet," What? I don't get a 'welcome home' or a 'I missed you'? You know, dragons are supposed to miss their riders." She placed her hands on her hips.

Eskia sighed," Fine little one, I missed you very much and the moon wouldn't shine correctly since the day you left, the sun seems to frown as it considers the empty cold hut in the middle of the Spine." Eskia chuckled, it sounded like a waterfall,"Do you need it more dramatic?" He looked at his dripping wet rider.

Alex rolled her eyes," No, but thanks, I feel sooo welcomed now." She ducked under and got to work cleaning the week of mud, grit and blood from herself and her clothes.

Eskia chuckled and walked back into the gloomy forest. Alex stepped out and dried herself off, changing to a fresh tunic and trousers to wait for her dragon. Her hair had changed from the dirty blonde to a starlight-color, white blonde in other words. Her skin was paler, but still pretty much tan.

Eskia came back with a limp deer in his mouth and his white scales still brilliantly white and bright.

Alex laughed and almost literally floated from her seat by the small river to Eskia and gently pried the deer form his mouth before starting a small fire to cook it. In the distance, a red spark flew in the air.

Alex immediately tensed," Eskia go, Thorn and Murtagh are coming."

Eskia huffed and turned, soon he disappeared into the gloom.

Alex busied herself cutting up the deer in hope to ruin the obvious dragon claw marks. She then ran outside and covered all of Eskia's tracks as the obvious red dot grew larger and larger until the full shape of the enslaved (mentally at least) dragon appeared with his rider on back.

"Princess, I have arrived." Murtagh announced in a very loud voice.

Alex kept a straight face as she bowed," Welcome rider! Would you like some tea, straight from the river of course and deer ribs right of the fire?" She and Murtagh both laughed with Thorn's content hums joining,

"Why are you here?" Alex asked as she slid a large piece of the deer to Murtagh and started gnawing on her piece.

"Galbatorix has sent me on a mission since the dragon; Saphira refuses to break for him." Murtagh's face became clouded. "I am sent to retrieve the rider"

Alex frowned," But is rider not Eragon and is he not your brother?"

Murtagh sighs," no matter who it is, I have to retrieve him. Alas, the king makes us do things we do not wish to." He looked at her," I'm here to tell you to…
he hesitated," be careful."

Alex froze for a fraction of a second thinking he had found out about Eskia but then relaxed, if he had, Galbatorix would be here instead of him. Alex made an innocent expression," What do you mean?"

Murtagh flicked a piece of wood into the fire," Galbatorix wasn't kidding when he said that this mistake was to be your last. Don't fail the next one please; I know you can do it." He looked at Alex with pleading eyes," You're the only sane person Thorn and I know." With that he leapt on top of the great red dragon.

As Thorn spread his wings and prepared to take flight, he lowered his snout and touched it to Alex's brow," Take care…little sister." He then lifted his bulk into the air and flew off.

As Thorn became nothing but a red speck in the dark night, Eskia's blue eyes shone though the darkness before the rest of him appeared.

"Little one." He placed his snout on top of Alex's head. She had lowered her head and a single tear was shed, like a small diamond, it slowly trailed from her face and cracked into a million pieces as it hit the forest floor.

"I wish we didn't have to hide part ourselves away Eskia. I wish we didn't have to kill, I wish we could make things right." Alex hugged her knees;" I wish someone could tell us what to do."

Eskia huffed," Little one, for a dragon, he never obeys others but will listen. Be like a dragon rider, tough like a rock but as gentle as a willow. Listen but do not obey. Let's start by rescuing that dragon, Saphira and escorting her back to her rider. Then we can join the Varden and see where it leads."

Alex dried her face with new determination in her eyes," Yes let's rescue Saphira."