Uhh I should add this just in case. First part starts out in Arya's PoV and then goes to Eragon.
It was warm in Du Weldenvarden and the air was humid and sticky like honey. The clouds were as white as cotton and the sky was a rich blue where everything seemed peaceful.
The forest moved as one with the earth. The forest's trees grew strong and healthy and plants bloomed perfectly when their season came. A mixture of all their scents collided into an almost nauseating smell that would make any human's head ache.
And further down, deep in Du Weldenvarden was the city of Ellesméra, the main capital of Du Weldenvarden where Wild exotic species roamed and where rare tree's as ancient as time still grew.
And in the main elves stronghold was their queen, Arya Dröttningu, who was speaking to her Ambassador, Vanir.
Arya was even more beautiful than how normal elves looked. Her slanted forest green eyes shone brightly with burning determination that rivalled any human, dwarf, Urgal and even her people. Her long raven coloured hair was back in one with a solid gold hair pin in the shape of a flying raven keeping it from flowing on her narrow shoulders. She was wearing a light grey tunic with small ruby encrusted gems running parallel across each other, with a cream coloured shawl wrapped across her shoulders. She wore navy blue pants that hugged her thighs closely and brown boots that working men should wear and not women. But Arya didn't care. Why should she? She wasn't human and even if she was, who was going to stop her? It was her body and she could do what she wanted with it. But there was one thing she would probably change. . .
"Must I wear this absurd thing across my shoulders?"
"You don't have to. But you must today because it's a token from queen Nasuada to show that we are still willing to fight with her and the new Empire. To show that we still remember our allegiance to Nasuada." Vanir said, smiling at Arya's discomfort.
Arya removed the shawl from her shoulders and held it up to the sunlight that was streaming in through the building. Her right eye twitched slightly and she folded the shawl and handed it back to Vanir.
"Why not give me something that I could use to fight? How would this help against an enemy?"
"You could wrap it around their head and behead them?"
Arya looked at Vanir with very little expression and then at the shawl.
He has a point you know came the deep voice of Fírnen, her dragon, and she could feel his amusement spreading to her and she smiled a smile that could stop birds in mid-flight so that they could gape at her.
"Very well, I will wear it. It's not like Nasuada is coming here anyway"
"You're right, she isn't," said Vanir, handing the shawl back to Arya who took it back with her slim fingers, although reluctantly. "But one of the elders is coming to meet with you soon. He should be here by midday. . .
Here he goes again said Fírnen and Arya could almost feel him roll his warm amber eyes.
Behave. I know we've listen to him discuss this before but it helps to pay attention.
Are you sure I cannot eat him?
Fírnen!
Hmph. Did you hear from Saphira and Eragon?
Yes. Saphira wishes you well and wishes to see you soon. As does Eragon said Arya and a twinge of sadness lingered between them.
" . . . And is the banquet ready?" said Vanir, urgency in his tone.
"Yes I spoke to the catering staff four days ago. I'm sure they won't forget" said Arya turning her back on Vanir gracefully and rolling her eyes.
"And is the entertainment ready as well?" asked Vanir.
"Yes," said Arya and she turned around to face him. "Everything is prepared Vanir, the Entertainment is prepared, the topics that I am to discuss are ready, and the trees have been tended to. Everything is ready. Now- Help, Arya Dröttningu. Eragon, Son of Brom, needs you- if that's all you- Vanir?" said Arya, looking at him.
Vanir raised one of his slanted eyebrows, his eyes focusing on Arya intently.
"Are you alright Arya?"
"Yes, I am. Why are you looking at me like that?"
Little one, do you not remember what you just said? Fírnen said curiously.
Of course, I said now if that's all-
No little one, just after you said the word now, you said 'Help, Arya Dröttningu. Eragon, son of Brom, needs you.
Eragon needs my help? Do you think this is to do with Orthíad?
I suspect it is. I guess we should get ready to go.
Wait Fírnen. We can't just leave. One of the elders is coming to meet with me and I can't blow this off. I'd be ignoring my duty as queen.
Arya are you listening to yourself? This isn't the time to sit with elders and act like nothing is wrong. Eragon and Saphira are in trouble. It may not be your responsibility as queen, but it is your responsibility to protect every race of Alagaësia as a Shur'tugal.
Arya knew Fírnen was right. It was her duty as a Shur'tugal to keep peace in Alagaësia and here, a fellow Shur'tugal needed her help. But this wasn't just any Shur'tugal. This was Eragon. A person that knew her better than anyone and the one that she had shared her true name with. After so long of not seeing each other how would he be? More mature? How would she be?
But we won't even be able to get there in time. It'll take at least two days to get there.
As long as it doesn't storm then all will be well and we should get there in less than that said Fírnen.
But it will still take a day. And if Eragon and Saphira are truly in danger, they may not have that long. And not only have they confirmed that something is a foot in Orthíad; we need to know what made me say that message.
"Arya?" said Vanir stepping towards her. "Arya, your hand it's . . . Glowing"
Arya brought her left palm that marked the Gedwëy ignasia to her face and she remained silent but inside, questions upon questions welled up like a disastrous storm getting ready to wreak havoc upon prosperous lands.
Help Eragon, son of Brom Said a voice. It sounded child-like, yet held power. It reminded Arya of Elva, the witch child that Eragon had (Although unintentionally) more or less cursed.
Arya's Gedwëy ignasia was glowing a feint leaf green colour and pulsing with a steady rhythm like a heartbeat.
Why is this happening?
It seems we know where the message came from said Fírnen.
"I do not like this . . . But we must go" Arya said, making up her mind there and then. Eragon and Saphira were in trouble and they needed her help. She made a move to walk but Vanir caught her by the elbow and squeezed.
"Think before you act Arya. Not only have we got an elder coming to meet us but what if it is a trap? In all the history of the riders, has the Gedwëy ignasia done what it's doing right now?"
Arya stared into Vanir's eyes. She stared at them and imagined digging her nails through his pupils, right through his sockets and tugging. But instead, she just stared and tugged her arm free of his grip.
"Your suggestion has been heard. But I'm leaving. It's my duty as a Shur'tugal"
"That may be, however you are also a queen. You knew what you were getting yourself into when you accepted the role!"
Arya raised one of her slanted eyebrows and turned her back on Vanir. "The next time you put your hand on me again, be prepared to look at a stump."
Are you sure I cannot eat him? Fírnen said in an exasperated tone.
No. I'll meet you by the training ground my Bjartskular said Arya and she sent as much love as she could between their connection.
Arya started walking out of the building less like a queen but more like a warrior about to enter battle. She wrapped the shawl from Nasuada around her neck and focused on the path a head of her.
Just hold on a little longer Eragon.
Sounds of chains rustling across some sort of stone, granite maybe? And the sound of dripping water rushing out from somewhere and hitting the ground, echoing across the room. With a groan, Eragon slowly opened his eyes. He moved them to his left and right, up and down and rolled them in their sockets. He blinked repeatedly before fully surveying his surroundings.
He was in a very spacious room that could be filled with at least thirty barrels of mead stacked in rows of five. The walls looked like they were indeed made of granite, their grainy texture showing even in the dim candle light that hung above him. The floor was made of concrete and Eragon guessed that the concrete was added recently because of the smell that lingered in his nose. But amongst the concrete smell, he could also smell a lingering smell of sweat, blood and a stench only found from a decomposing corpse. The smells kept wafting towards Eragon's nose relentlessly, making him gag.
Trying to distract himself from the smell, Eragon looked to his left and right. His hands were in thick chains that could hold an Urgal's torso. He tried to shake them free because they were too big for his hands and they should have been falling off and landing with a Clank! Towards the ground but they stuck to his hands like a babe suckling on its mother's breast.
Saphira! Eragon cried.
But there was a deafening silence within Eragon's mind and the feeling of emptiness washed over him.
He was a fool for not searching for wards. Eragon tried to make an excuse, He'd been away for so long and so what that he'd forget to search? He wasn't really expecting to find anything in Orthíad. But what would Arya say? She'd probably stare at him with those green eyes coldly and ignore him. The fact was that he had been careless and he should have known better.
"So, you've finally risen?" said a voice to Eragon's right.
Eragon looked to his right, towards the darkness and he made out the outline of a person. The voice was familiar to his ears but it couldn't be him.
"Where am I?" said Eragon, his voice hoarse. "And if you're the person I think you are why are you here?"
The voice chuckled a humourless laugh and Eragon was certain it was him.
"Is that a way to greet your sibling?" said Murtagh. "As for your question on why I am here, well, that's not really any of your business at the moment. As for where we are? I'm sure we've been captured by someone that really wants us dead"
Eragon sighed and fixed his gaze on Murtagh's outline. Because of his elfish vision, he could see clearer in the dark than a human could, so he could pick out that Murtagh had grown since he'd last seen him all those years ago. He seemed stockier, like he'd been lifting boulders and his hair was the same length the last time Eragon had seen him.
Without realising, Eragon was smiling like a fool.
"I can't say I'm not happy to see you. I just wish the situation was-"
"Better?"
"Aye."
Eragon licked his dry lips and tugged at his chains. "How long have I been here?"
"A day"
Eragon tugged harder on his chains, determined to break free. "What do you mean a day? Why didn't you wake me up before then?"
"Do I look like your guardian? Plus if you haven't noticed," Murtagh pulled on his own chains, "I'm tied up as well."
With one final tug, Eragon rested his head on the cold wall and looked up at the single candle light. He watched as the flames licked the ceiling playfully and it reminded him of Saphira.
"How's Thorn?" asked Eragon.
Murtagh was silent for a while. Eragon was about to berate himself some more before Murtagh spoke.
"I told him to stay away and let me go in alone. He didn't like it but he respected my wishes"
"I did the same thing with Saphira. Why don't we listen to our other halves?" said Eragon amused.
"It must be in our blood" said Murtagh.
"Aye. . ."
"So why are you here?" asked Murtagh after a short silence.
"You tell me why you're here first and then I'll tell you"
Murtagh sighed and Eragon saw his outline shift.
"Why do you never make things simple. I've told you that I'm here for reasons of my own. I don't need you to meddle in my affairs"
"Fine." said Eragon Coldly.
"That was a very childish reaction. And to think that I thought you grew"
"Of course I've grown! In more ways th-
Bang!
A stream of light shone through a door on Eragon's left. Eragon swiftly turned his head to face the light through squinted eyes. His eyes searched the door for any signs of a person. He tilted his head to the right, bringing his left ear up so that he could hear clearer. He could hear footsteps descending down stairs but whoever was walking had a distinctive limp in their walk. After the person would take a step, it almost sounded like they'd hop with the other step.
The footsteps were close now and before Eragon knew it, a figure was standing by the door.
The figure was wearing a burgundy cloak, their face hidden from view because they were wearing a hood, with tattered pants that looked like they were damaged in battle but never repaired, and they wore nothing on their feet.
The figure walked from the door slowly, the limp becoming more noticeable. The figure literally hoped after taking a step and Eragon could see that the figure's right foot had been damaged by something sharp. A large gash ran along the toes and Eragon was surprised to see that whoever this was still had them. They were sure to get infected soon, but the figure didn't seem to care.
The figure stopped in the middle of the room where they could see both Eragon and Murtagh.
"Have you any idea what you've done to us? How much you've angered our gods? How much restraint I've held not to kill you both when I got my chance?" said a raspy voice, and the figure started to pace. "I and others ran from Dras-Leona after you," the figure pointed a bony finger in Eragon's direction, "you destroyed our place of worship and killed our god's gifts" The figure stopped pacing and looked in Eragon's direction. "Oh I should have fought with the rest in Dras-Leona and tried to at least kill you. But if I hadn't of run, I would never have found those that I believed to have been extinct forever. It was then that I knew the gods had given us another chance to succeed. And this time you won't meddle in our affairs! Your dragon is trapped outside and cannot get in so there won't be any distractions." The figure looked in Murtagh's direction and a chill ran down Eragon's spine.
The figure walked up close to Murtagh before they stopped nose to nose.
"And you. You already killed four of the god's gifts but yet you still haunt them like a child having nightmares. What have they ever done to you! Nothing! Yet you hunt them and destroy them. Does it make you feel better about yourself picking on those weaker than you? To know that they have no chance of surviving if you kill them off before they even peck the flesh off your bones!"
"Well . . . yes it does actually. They don't deserve to live. The Ra'zac are not gods, they are monsters that hunt on innocent people that live their own normal lives. What do you say to that? Those people never did anything to them, yet the Ra'zac killed them because they believe themselves to be the superior race"
The figure slapped Murtagh hard on the right cheek and cocked their head back, howling at the ceiling.
"You DARE disrespect the gods?" The figure walked away from Murtagh and walked up to Eragon.
The figure walked until they were nose to nose with Eragon.
The figure smelt horrible, like a rotting finger about to drop off. Eragon could see the figure more closely and could see that they had feminine features, from their small mouth, straight nose and their small brown eyes. The figure smiled and Eragon saw that she was missing her two front teeth, one of her right incisors and her left molar and her breath smelt like that of a wet dog.
"And you. I'm sure you want to hurt my children as well don't you?"
"Untie me and I'll show you" said Eragon.
The woman chuckled and sighed. "Dragon riders, always meddling in people's affairs"
"We have to in order to stop people like you"
"People like me? You mean people that worship their own set of Gods? Because that's all we're doing you know. Except our god is the true god. And soon people will see the true light" The figure moved to Eragon's left ear and nibbled on it.
Eragon brought his head back against the wall and, with a thud, head-butted the woman.
The woman stumbled back and laughed menacingly.
"Oh I like you indeed. You will be the first to die, Dragon rider. You will pay for killing our leader" The figure spat on the ground.
"You worship monsters!"
"And I believe in them. Who are you to say what I can worship and what I cannot?"
The Figure walked towards the door she had come in and stood there, her back turned on them.
"Your luck has run out Eragon Kingkiller and Murtagh Kingkiller. I hereby sentence you to death. Your execution will happen at dusk" the figure said and then she closed the door behind her, the light fading ever slowly.
