Hello. This is my second fanfic, so please try and be patient with me. I'll do my best. Please review!
Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon. However, seeing as how he isn't in the story yet, I don't really see a problem. Love you.
Chapter 1: Betrayal
Wrapping the egg carefully in a cloth she tucked it safely in her tunic and sprinted away to the safety of the trees ahead. This was the moment she was waiting for, and, knowing it was coming, had been prepared for it. As she ran through the vast trees she muttered words of the Ancient Language that triggered the traps laid; traps of ancient power, of earth and fire, wind and water. Occasionally she looked back, none of them were within range of her traps but she knew within moments they would be… and soon enough she heard the anguished cries of the first three men as they suddenly caught fire.
Random combustion… I like it.
Thought you might…
She smiled up at the sky and urged her body onwards as she struggled. Coping was harder after using magic and she was rapidly losing energy.
The thud of five men falling signaled that her earthen trap had been set off, and she grimaced to herself at the fate she had caused them.
Well it's there own fault they were following me; they should have known what would befall them.
Using the last of her energy she ran the last bit and leaped nimbly into what appeared to be a large tree… and disappeared. Leaving behind deep grooves in the earth that ended abruptly.
Outside, in the forest, fifteen more men of the empire died.
Seven were suffocated as they suddenly found their throats blocked by some unseen pressure. They were left clawing at their necks as the rest continued on, as the training depicted.
Another eight died as their ribs were crushed and pierced their hearts from the force of twenty tons of water that suddenly rocketed up from underneath them as geyser suddenly appeared, snapping their bodies easily.
Within moments, her pursuers were all dead, their bodies left to be found by passing merchants or the next guard to come looking for them.
"We made it. Just like you said we would." Ané smiled and took out the egg, admiring the jade green light that it seemed to give off. Polishing it the way you would a trophy she set it on the stand that she had prepared earlier and examined her surroundings. It was a wooden cabin and had only been here once to deliver the stand. The person who lived here was obviously male; the house was littered with mugs of mead, dirty tunics, and stale food. She could tell it once been an impressive place; a hearth complete with a bureau was in one corner with several smudged paintings scattered across it. Several scrolls were located on five shelves that took up a whole wall, and two of the tables were covered with parchment and ink.
She forgot about her surroundings when a boy walked through a side door, dripping wet. "Why do you insist on going to Beor Mountains through that door? You should know by now its opens upon the lake!" Chuckling to herself she motioned towards the stand. "My quest was completed, what about yours? Did you get the egg?"
His somber expression told her all she needed to know. "How bad was it?" Shrugging off her question he pulled off his shirt revealing a particularly fit body for a fourteen year old, however it also revealed several deep scratches and a couple bruises. "Erran! Why didn't you heal yourself?"
In a low voice, as if someone was trying to listen in, he murmured "didn't have time…"
Ané leaned in, "What's wrong? Seriously Erran, what happened?" All the spark of joy and wonder that had been in her eyes only a moment ago had disappeared in an instant. Erran shook his head, slipping on a new, dry shirt devoid of tears and dirt. Getting up she placed a hand lovingly on his shoulder, "You know you can tell me anything, right?"
He looked up at her and whispered, so softly she could hardly hear it. "He betrayed us. He betrayed us and I trusted him." Shaking his head, he wiped away the tears that were forming at the corners of his eyes, "I… trusted him…" he hiccupped and clipped on a new sword, dagger and pouch.
Looking into his watery eyes, she drew him close to her, "Who did it Erran? Who betrayed us?" He sniffled and sighed as she asked him that, but Erran merely shook his head instead of answering.
A chuckle, low and menacing filled the room, causing Erran to hiccup harder, shaking under Ané's firm grip. "I betrayed you, Ané. I needed power, and you could not give it to me. However, someone else could. His conditions are to give me any dragon eggs we may acquire and he'll spare me some troops to wield as I see fit. The egg, Ané, give it to me."
Ané turned, gasping as she recognized the voice.
Meh.. it's not all that great, but I assure you it gets better!