A/N: I wrote Bitter Reunion because I was bored, but then I accidentally fell in love with the idea. There's actually an extremely long story behind it. So I am taking my simple one-shot idea and running with it. Yay! I'll update when I can, so…. yeah.

Rebecca's POV

After he left I sat down at the little table in the middle of the room and bawled. I cried my poor little heart out, or would have, if I hadn't given it away already. I thought I had gotten over it. I couldn't exactly forget him entirely (not with little Anna running around, looking exactly like her father), but I could at least forget part of him. But that was forgetting part of me as well.

I realized that even after all he had put me through (whether he realized it or not) I had never, not for a moment, stopped loving him.

I had loved him as I watched through the window of "our" tower, where he had sworn to meet me, as he rode away, away from the castle, the king, even Tornac's lifeless corpse. Away from me.

I loved him when he didn't return.

I loved him when I found out I was pregnant with Anna. Sure, I stormed around the castle, cursing him and shouting and swearing and scaring all the other servants, but never has a woman (well, I suppose I was still just a girl) cursed or sworn or shouted so lovingly.

I had loved him when my parents found out I was pregnant, and disowned me, ashamed to even speak my name.

I had loved him when Anna was born. One of my first thoughts when I held her for the first time was she looks like her father. I wish he were here to see that.

I had loved him when times were difficult, when I lived on the streets with my newborn baby until Rosemary and Carter had taken me in.

I had loved him even during those sleepless nights, when I lay in bed, wide-awake, being tormented with the ghost of the past.

I had loved him when things got better; when Carter and Rosemary left me the inn and retired, when Anna had grown up so much I could scarcely believe it.

I had loved him even when I saw his face everywhere I looked in the city, when it was announced a dragon had hatched, when I saw what he was becoming.

And I loved him now.

Love has been described as the most beautiful, pure, sacred thing in the world. But for me, it just hurt. No, it destroyed.

I felt as though my heart had been torn out, as though I was ill, as though I would never be happy again. But I had to be happy. For Anna.

Anna.

A terrible thought crossed my mind. Oh, please, no, I begged. Not that. Keep her secret. Keep her safe. I silently pleaded with every god or goddess I had ever heard of. But I knew it was no use. I would have to leave.

I remembered the old lessons Murtagh used to give me. Mostly they focused on my mind, on never allowing anyone in it. He had mentioned that the King was perhaps the best mind reader in the world. Nothing could be hidden from him. Nothing.

And Murtagh knew about Anna.

I stood. We would have to run. If Galbatorix knew about her, what would he do? I had to protect her. I had to keep her secret, safe, and happy. Her happiness was incredibly important to me. She would never be happy if she were forced to live in that horrible castle, the same way I had been during my youth. And she would never be happy if she were dead.

I ran back out into the main room. "Becca, are you alright?" asked Marie, looking shocked. "You look awful. Are you ill?" Marie had been my best friend ever since I had come here. She deserved the truth, or part of it.

"I have to go," I said quickly and quietly. "Anna and I. We have to get out."

She just nodded. "I suppose I couldn't ask where?"

I shook my head. "No. I don't even know. But…could you help me?" She nodded again.

We quietly left the crowded room and went upstairs, to where the rooms were. I poked me head into one that was vacant at the moment. Anna was happily playing with the dolls Carli had graciously made for her, along with her friend Katlyn.

"Anna sweetheart?" I asked, trying to hide my worry. "We need to go, alright?"

"Where are we going?" she asked, her wide blue eyes looking innocently up at me.

"It's a surprise," I said simply.

"I love surprises!" She smiled a wide, heart-breaking beautiful smiled. "When are we going?"

"In a second. Get all your stuff together, okay? Put it all in your pack. I'll see you in a second."

"You are so lucky," said Katlyn enviously as I ran down the hall to where I slept and stuffed everything I could into two cloth bags.

"We should change your appearance," said Marie. "You're curly hair's too noticeable."

"We don't have time," I said quickly. "I'll change it later. For now we've just got to get out of the city. Fast." I grabbed the last of my possessions and walked back to where Anna was playing. "Are you ready, love?"

"Yep!" She put the pack on her back. "Ouch. Heavy." Marie took it from her.

"Thanks," I said. "Anna, we're going downstairs."

We went down to the bakery area. I dropped my bags on the counter. "I'll be right back." I practically flew down the hall behind the counter, into a back room where I had kept all my money hidden. I briefly counted it up, and then went back to the main room. I scooped up my two bags, then Marie handed me another one. "Food," she said quietly. "You'll need it."

"What would I do without you?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'd get along fine." We went out the back door, and into the stables. "Take my horse," said Marie. "He's faster than yours."

"Thank you, once again." We both quickly had the saddle and the bags on him. He was a strong horse, but I still worried that he wouldn't be able to carry us both.

I got on him, and Marie handed Anna up to me. "Hold on right there, sweetie," I said, gesturing toward a place she could hold onto on the saddle. I turned to Marie. "Thank you for everything. You've been amazing."

"I have relatives in Furnost," she whispered. "They can get you to wherever you need to go. Ask around for Jill and Hunter Jaredson. I suggest you go to the Varden. Rumor has it they're currently in the capital city of Surda."

"Take care." I briefly embraced her with one arm, then grabbed the reins and kicked the horse. He tore out of the stables and down the streets, toward the southern city gate.

Murtagh's POV

I screamed aloud again. I had long since given up on trying to hold the screams or the tears back. The pain slowly, oh so slowly, began to ebb away. I lay on the cold stone floor, panting.

Galbatorix took a step forward. "What is it?" He roared. "What are you hiding?"

"N-nothing, my lord, I – I swear. Please…no-"

I felt another stab of pain. I was at his mercy. I was writhing on the floor, and everything I felt, or tasted or smelled or heard or saw or even inhaled was pain. He pulled out of my mind, more slowly than the last time.

"I thought we were over this a long time ago, boy," he spat. "You haven't hidden anything from me for nearly a year or so."

"And I'm still not-"

"LIAR!"

I screamed, more loudly than before. He kept it up for several minutes, and then pulled out of my mind all at once. "If you won't tell me," he said slowly, with a wry smile, "perhaps your dragon will. Guards!"

Two men with spears entered the room. They were also holding onto chains attached to Thorn, who looked terrifying and angry, but was also totally restrained.

Thorn, I tried to tell him quickly. Don't tell him about Anna. Or Rebecca. Please, don't, not now. He can't know, he must not –

I will keep your secret.

I sighed. Thank you.

"What is he hiding from me, beast?" asked Galbatorix.

Hiding? Well, let's see…he is the one who broke the vase in the hallway by the kitchens, has he told you that? He's dreadfully clumsy, I've always said – Thorn was suddenly jerking around unnaturally, roaring and howling in pain.

"You know what I mean!" the King bellowed.

He continued to torture him. I winced. He was the most annoying creature on the face of the earth, but nevertheless, I did care for him, to some extent. And he was suffering. All because of me.

The bond between us was strong, and seeing him tortured proved to be too much. "Stop!" I yelled. "It's the Varden! I – I met up with them, behind your back, and-" I was back on the ground in a second.

"You lie!" he screeched. "The oaths you swore would prevent you from doing so, and there are no memories of that in your mind. No, boy, you're trying to protect someone if you ask me…"

The pain was worse now, and getting worse all the times. I didn't understand what else he said, and I didn't try. My defenses were slipping, all the careful barriers I had put up around my loved ones would be gone in an instant. "No…"

"That's it?" he asked incredulously. "A girl? You foolish little…wait. There's more." He continued searching. "You've got a daughter." He said a moment later. "You fathered a child before you ran away. And you're still in love with the mother." He laughed loudly. "Wonderful."

Perhaps it was, for him. This gave him absolute control, a control he hadn't had before. I would never try to fight again. There was nothing I wouldn't do to keep them both safe. Nothing.

He called the guards in. I was vaguely aware of him describing Rebecca and Anna, and of them leaving the room in search of more guards to find and retrieve them. Galbatorix said something, but I didn't hear it. What point was there to hearing? Or to life?

Don't show him how you feel, said a voice in my head.

Go away.

Did you see what I just did for you? You're such an ungrateful-

Leave me alone!

It was quiet for a while, then, You're scaring me.

How so?

You look…dead. You care too much about this Rebecca girl, if you ask me. Anna as well.

How could I not care? I love Rebecca, I've loved her for a long time. And Anna…Anna is my child. I, through some accident or miracle, call it what you will, created that beautiful, innocent, pure little girl. And now, I'm going to be the one who destroys her.

Perhaps some good will come of this.

I doubt it.

Rebecca's POV

We raced through the city.

"Mommy, I'm scared," said Anna after a moment. "Slow down!"

"Mommy can't slow down right now, honey," I said, trying to sound soothing. "Just close your eyes and hold on tight. I'm not going to let you fall."

She held on tighter. I took the reigns in one hand and wrapped my free arm around her. She was crying. "Sh sh shhh, it's alright love. Don't cry, we're almost there." And we were. We were approaching the gate quickly now. I stopped in front of it. "We need to get through," I said quickly, without dismounting.

The guard rolled his eyes. "Of course yeh, do, otherwise yeh wouldn' be here, would yeh? Well, what business do yeh have through teh gate?"

"There's been a family crisis, I need to get back to Belatona. We were here visiting some old friends."

He raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Her name is Marie," I answered quickly. "She works at an inn not too far from here."

"Your husband wit' you?"

I stiffened slightly and hoped he wouldn't notice. "He's dead."

"Hmmm…" there was something else in his eyes now, the eyes that looked over me carefully. "Yeh know, there's a price teh get outta the city."

A price? I doubted it. But I really didn't have time to argue. "What is it?"

He grinned. I realized what he was implying. I almost fell off the horse. "Absolutely not!" I cried. Hoping to scare him, I continued, "Why, when I tell my husband about you he'll-"

"You said he was dead," said the guard, looking puzzled.

He was right. I swore under my breath. I had never been good at lying. "No I didn't," I denied, hoping this guard was as stupid as he looked.

"Yes you did!"

"No I didn't. Now, are you going to let me through or not?"

He thought for a moment. "Well, I s'pose so. Although, perhaps if you had a little something for a poor guard…?"

"Here," I said, thrusting a few copper coins at him I had dug out of my pocket. "Now, it really is urgent I get home."

He slowly opened the gate, then stood back and saluted smartly. "There yeh go, ma'am."

"Hey you! Stop!" I heard a rough voice from behind us cry. I didn't bother looking back, and instead tore out of the city at top speed.

The sound of horse hooves followed us through the gates. Anna was sobbing now. "I'm scared. Slow down Mommy! Slow!"

"Mommy can't slow down just yet," I said breathlessly. She continued to cry.

Murtagh's POV

I was in agony. Galbatorix had scryed the scene, and as punishment, I was forced to watch. They were racing across the plains just outside the city. I knew that they could not escape. Their horse was older, weaker, and had more to carry. The King's horses were trained better, so were the King's horsemen.

Anna was crying. My love had one arm wrapped around her, and was whispering something in her ear, obviously trying to calm her. The sight broke my heart. At least, it would have, if I even had a heart. Any heart I had had been given to Rebecca, or perhaps lost somewhere while I was in the service of this horrible man.

They were catching up.

Rebecca urgently whispered something else into Anna's ear. The girl stopped crying, and was instead listened intently. She nodded.

I realized suddenly what they were going to do. They would both die, this was madness. But it might be the only chance Rebecca would have to save her, no, our child.

It happened very quickly. She threw a few bags off the back of the horse, lightening its load. Then she threw herself off. She hit the ground with a dull thud; she'll have broken bones when she gets here. She drew a knife out of a pocket, and held it out. It slashed the leg of the first horse to get to her, and it stumbled. She clutched her left arm tightly against her; she had landed on it hard when she fell. The horseman leapt off his beast as it fell to the ground, drew his sword and came at her. He grabbed her; she slashed out almost blindly with the knife she clutched in her good hand. He laughed and twisted it out of her grasp, holding his own large sword up against her delicate, fragile neck.

She yelled something, looking fierce, though she must feel terrified. The other horsemen gathered around her; one hit her over the head and she blacked out. I made a mental note to kill him when they returned. They argued for a while, and then one slung her tiny figure onto his horse. They all rode up north, back to the city, the man whose horse she had hurt sharing a ride with another.

Not one of them glanced backward at the tiny girl on the old horse, slowly getting smaller and smaller as they rode south.

A/N: So…there you go, I guess. What do you think? Please review! Please! You can have cookies if you do, and they're nice and warm and melt-y. Yum. I'll update when I can, but I go back to school tomorrow, so I'm not sure when that will be.