Niham - Heya! No problems! Thanks for telling! I usually do split my stories up like I've done now on this chapter. I just forget about it. I agree with you that it is not the easiest to read when it is all in one bunch. I hope you like it better now )
Masterarcher - Hello fellow-Murtagh Maffia! lol Thanks for the comment! Glad you liked it! Am still exited about your story! MORE! haha
Brix - snort Haha thanks! I like cookies :P
Electric-monk14, Aeronnen & Jenckles - Bows Thank you, thank you! )
Again! Please ignore random mistakes. I hope it's not impossible to read. + I hope you still like it! hehehe Still let me know your thoughts, but spare yourself for rudeness!
Oh... and I have Arya as she is in the movie. Because I actually like her a bit more there then in the book.
I KNOW the whole Murtagh swearing a new oath to Eragon, Arya etc... is done very "easily" like a snap with a finger, I just could not come up with something else at the moment. Please ignore that fact. At least try he-he. That is one thing I wont be satisfied with this story. I wished that part could be more "belivable", but I couldn't let it take forever (because how long would Galbatorix actually let his dragon rider be gone from the fortress? Especially when he doesn't know where Murtagh and Thorn is)
2.
The night had come two hours ago when Eragon woke. He had a creepy feeling that someone was watching him. He sat up right and looked in Murtagh's direction and thought he was going to have a heart attack when he saw him looking right back at him.
"Damn... Don't do that" Eragon breathed out in relief and stood up.
"Do what?" Murtagh muttered. Eragon just looked darkly at him.
"How do you feel?" he asked Galbatorix's dragon rider.
"Better. I guess I better enjoy it as long as I have it because I am dead meat now, thanks to you" Murtagh said coldly and shifted.
"No need to thank" Eragon muttered as he sat down beside his old friend. It was a weird atmosphere around them now. The fact that Eragon had just kidnapped Galbatorix's slave was one thing, but the thought of them being in family was eating them up from inside.
"Why should I be thankful, Eragon? Do you think it helps having me here?" Murtagh looked at Eragon with sad eyes.
"Well he can't do you much harm when you're here" Eragon stated as he eyed the blue marks around Murtagh's neck.
"Whatever happened to you?" Eragon mumbled. Murtagh couldn't look Eragon in the eyes and shifted his gaze to the form of his sleeping dragon.
"I know you must hate me for what I have done and I don't expect anything less. You love Saphira don't you?" Murtagh's question surprised Eragon a bit. To him it was obvious.
"Yes... of course" he answered quietly.
"Would you do anything for her?" Murtagh continued and it was obvious where he was heading. Eragon thought a long time although he knew he didn't really need that.
"Absolutely" Eragon bit his bottom lip and made eye contact with Murtagh.
"Well that is exactly how it is with me and Thorn. I love Thorn too much to let Galbatorix do him anything, so I have to do this. And him knowing our true names and making us swear in the ancient language gives us no other choice" the dark haired man finished and stood up.
"It's just a language. It's not worth ruining two lives" Eragon said quietly. All of a sudden pain shot through the scar on Murtagh's back as if someone had cut up the scar again with a sword. It left Murtagh breathless and Eragon had to hold him so he didn't fall. Thorn had woken and stared at them.
What was that? the red dragon asked anxiously as Murtagh came over to him. I don't know... But it hurt for a second and then it was gone again Murtagh looked sadly at his dragon.
"Murtagh?" Eragon looked down at the other dragon rider,
"The green egg. Did you send it?". Murtagh looked up at this, remembering now that he had seen the green dragon before he had passed out,
"I... I did... It hatched? For Arya?". Eragon nodded and smiled.
What's her name? Thorn asked, sounding quite interested.
"Auntyrclaug. And it's a he" Eragon told, making Murtagh grin. Thorn grumbled annoyed.
"You got a lovesick dragon there I see" Eragon snorted.
Oh well. Saphira isn't too bad either Thorn mumbled to Murtagh.
Minutes passed without anyone saying anything. Eragon was looking at some fellow campers not far away while Murtagh knelt by Thorn.
"Eragon?" Roran came into their camp area without warning and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Murtagh and Thorn.
"What in the world are those traitors doing here?" Roran was heading for Murtagh with his fist clenched, but backed away as Thorn shot up and roared at him.
"Roran! Shut up!" Eragon pulled his cousin away from the red dragon.
"I took him here" Eragon explained.
"You kidnapped him?" Roran asked in disbelief.
"I wouldn't call it kidnapping..." Eragon mumbled and looked over at Murtagh. No one said anything.
"Then what would you call it?" Murtagh said with a calm voice and found his way over to them, Roran watching his every step. Before Eragon could answer, Murtagh continued.
"I am not going to lie to you Eragon. Nothing have ever pained me as much as it did to take Galbatorix side. I know I wont be able to kill you in battle no matter what Galbatorix will do to me, but you have made it so much worse now. I can't go back to Galbatorix now..." he paused,
"And I can't stay here". Eragon and Roran shared eye contact before they both turned to Murtagh.
"I got an idea" Roran said. Thorn was now standing behind Murtagh and Saphira close by.
"We know you have your oaths to Galbatorix. And we... well... at least Eragon means you're not truly evil. We need your help, Murtagh. If my cousin..." Roran looked at Eragon,
"Your brother..." he turned to look at Murtagh. Eragon and Murtagh shared a short uneasy glance before Roran continued,
"Is right about you, why can you not turn to our side? But without letting Galbatorix knowing?" Roran grinned oddly. Saphira made something that sounded like a cough.
"Return to your side? Without Galbatorix knowing? And how do you suppose that will work?" Murtagh mocked.
"That I will not tell you before we can trust you and believe that you are on our side" Roran said.
"Arya?" Eragon turned and looked at the elven woman standing by a tree. Auntyrclaug was lurking in the forest behind her. He knew she had been listening all the time.
"Will you get me the highest rated dwarf in this place as quick as you can? And bring him here with you?" Eragon asked friendly and Arya nodded,
"Be sure no one else finds out what is going on."
"So. What are you planing to do with me?" Murtagh stood beside Eragon and watched the peaceful surroundings.
"I want you to swear to someone that represents each race that is here today. Eragon and me for us humans, Arya for the elves and this dwarf we find for... the dwarfs, that you will hold your oath to us and break yours with Galbatorix, without him knowing" Roran stood right in front of Murtagh, staring at him with a serious look on his face. Murtagh didn't answer, but seemed to be thinking hard.
Thorn. What are we going to do? Murtagh turned to his dragon.
I think you should first find out what they do if we refuse to swear a new oath Thorn told his beloved rider. Murtagh nodded and turned to the two others.
"What are you going to do with us if we refuse?" Murtagh locked eyes with Eragon.
You know what must be done if they wont Saphiras' voice entered Eragon's mind. He nodded and pulled his sword out and pointed it to Murtagh's heart.
"You know I don't want to do this, Murtagh. But if you refuse it would be to the best for all of us to end all of your oaths" Eragon whispered sadly. Murtagh just looked at the sword pointing at him as if it was made of rubber.
"Why didn't that answer surprise me? Anyway, have you forgotten that I too got powers now?" a tiny smile appeared on his lips for a second that only Eragon saw.
"Well... Honestly, yes... I had" both Eragon and Murtagh snorted.
"But... I see your point" Murtagh dried the grin off his face.
Thorn! Help please! Murtagh looked at them like a living question mark.
I don't really know what to do myself! Thorn said annoyed.
"Do you expect we should decide this right now?" Murtagh turned to Roran.
"Yes" Roran said short. Again it was silent and Eragon felt how his heart was beating like a maniac in him now. It was obvious that Murtagh was having a difficult discussion with Thorn now. Although riders could read other dragons' minds, he only did it when it was needed. He would let Murtagh and Thorn discuss in peace.
A new hour passed before Eragon could see Arya returning with a dwarf in the distant.
Murtagh turned and locked eyes with Eragon again. The young dragon rider could see how troubled Murtagh was now and he hoped with every fiber of him that he would chose right.
"Neither me or Thorn can see how this will turn out good. But..." Murtagh sat down on his knees and took a deep breath. Eragon knelt beside him.
"... I don't want to turn into my father" Murtagh whispered to Eragon. Eragon's eyes turned huge. Arya was getting closer by the second.
"You will help us?" he was smiling widely now. Murtagh smiled, but only for a second. He had a bad feeling about this, but he felt it was his time to make his own choices. Eragon pulled him into a quick hug, before realeasing him again. None of them said anything and a weird silence lay over them.
Did he just hug me? Murtagh lifted a surprised eyebrow.
"You told the truth" everyone looked up in surprise as the dark voice of the dwarf drew every ones attention. The small man looked at Murtagh with furious eyes.
"I am Bolrak" the dwarf made a tiny bow with his head to Roran and Eragon.
"What are these two doing here?" Bolrak pointed at Murtagh and Thorn. Eragon told about how he had found Murtagh and brought him here and kept him and his dragon secret for almost two days now. He also told about their plan and Murtagh and Thorns promise to make a new oath. Bolrak eyed Murtagh a long time.
"You kidnapped him?" the dwarf asked and both Roran and Murtagh chocke on a laughter at this, making Eragon blush. Murtagh then looked at the beautiful red haired elf.
"Arya? Can you forgive us for our disloyalty and believe us when we say we will keep our oath to you? And break our oath with King Galbatorix?" Murtagh asked the elf. Arya stepped forward and knelt by Murtagh who was still sitting on the ground. She looked him over and took her time. She took hold of Murtagh's hand and gave her answer.
"I believe you are a good person, Murtagh. You have saved me, Eragon and Saphira more then once and although your disloyalty have been painful to us all, but probably most to Eragon... I take your oaths seriously and I will not let Galbatorix hurt you any longer" Arya ended and stood up, pulling Murtagh up with her.
"I will let it be Eragons decision whether to accept your oaths..." Roran smiled,
"Although I am pretty sure you don't need to be all-knowing to know his answer."
Do you think we are doing the right thing, Saphira? Eragon asked his dragon.
Only time will show, right? Saphira walked up to Murtagh and lowered her head to come in same eye level as him.
"I wish I could undo all this, Eragon. Sometimes I even wish I had let you and Saphira alone. Maybe it all would have been better now then" Murtagh mumbled.
"Are you kidding me?" Eragon finally smiled,
"If you had not come in the first place we would have been dead long time ago. I don't trust you fully yet, but I do enough to give you a last chance. If you break this oath I can't spare you" Eragon walked over to Murtagh.
"If we really are of the same blood, I think it is time for you to show me that that is something I can be proud of" Eragon ended and extended his hand to Murtagh. They were silent again before Murtagh took his hand, but he wasn't smiling.
"I can't imagine sharing my blood would be something to be proud of, but you can trust me. And you can trust Thorn" he finished.