Disclaimer: Don't own Eragon.

I've edited this chapter so it may be a mite shorter, but it's for the good of the characters.

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Meliana had finished scrubbing the remaining pots and pans when Alycie arrived in the kitchen a few minutes later, much to her dismay.

"I was going to help you finish," she said, walking to her friend.

"Don't worry, it was quick, and now I am done," said Meliana, gesturing at the pile of clean dishes. She wiped her hands on her apron and lifted a stack of plates off of the counter. "I'll just put them away."

"Let me put them away. You've done enough," insisted Alycie.

"No. I got you into trouble; I'll finish your task," said her friend. Alycie smiled at her.

"Thank you, Meliana. You're a good friend with a good heart," she said. "But even you can't stop me from helping a little."

"Fine! Take the water bin out if it unsettles you so much to have me do you a favor!" said the blonde, laughing incredulously and pointing at the metal tub of murky, dirty water.

Alycie took it, her arms sagging with the weight of the water, and she walked back out into the hallway, retracing her steps to the servant's entrance in the back of the palace. She managed to kick the wooden door open, stepping out to dump the water onto the ground. She looked up and screamed.

A hand quickly covered her mouth to stifle the sound and her eyes widened. The tub of water fell to the ground, spilling its contents everywhere. Alycie pryed the hand away.

"Garrick," she breathed.

"He's dead," responded her brother. His sea-green eyes were wide and scared. A purple bruise was rising around the left one.

Alycie reached up to touch the bruise, then her hand moved behind his ear. She felt his matted hair, something wet and sticky coming into contact with her flesh. She withdrew her hand quickly, staring in horror. In the light coming from the doorway, the substance glistened red.

"Garrick...you're...you've..." She was at a loss for words. Her arms moved around his waist and she held him close. "What happened?"

"He's d-dead...I...I killed him..." stuttered Garrick.

"You what?" asked Alycie, looking up into his eyes.

"He...he wouldn't let me go," said Garrick. He was shaking violently in Alycie's embrace. "I-I asked him if I could go out...in the Golden Globe pub...and...a-and he said 'o-of course not, you're a filthy slave. W-w-what kind of slave owner w-would I be if I let s-slaves roam free? Then they wouldn't b-be slaves at all.' He said it was b-best to keep my identity. So...I-I-I told him that being a slave wasn't my identity...a-and he hit me with his mug (he was drunk at the time) for contradicting. He got my eye, as you see. S-so I...I...I smashed a stool...and...broke off a l-leg...but then he slammed my head into the counter...and...I fell...so...I...took the leg while he was laughing...and...struck him down...b-but I didn't see that it broke at an angle and...a-and...he's dead, Alycie. I stabbed him through with the leg of the stool." The shaking intensified. Alycie tried to hold him steady.

"No, no, you didn't kill him," said Alycie, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"I did, Alycie! I'm not lying! And he was just l-lying there...staring up at me..."

"It wasn't your fault. It was an accident," cooed his sister.

"IT WASN'T A BLOODY ACCIDENT, ALYCIE! I KILLED HIM!" shouted Garrick. Alycie stepped back in fright. She had never heard her brother yell at her in anger. His eyes were wide. "NO MATTER HOW YOU TRY AND DENY IT, YOUR BROTHER IS A COLD-BLOODED MURDERER!" Alycie stared at him, her skin pale in the moonlight. Garrick calmed, his gaze softening. He held out a hand towards his sister, but dropped it, bowing his head in shame. "I just...don't know what to do..." he said, clenching his fists. Alycie stepped towards him, putting a hand on his arm soothingly.

"You're not a murderer, Garrick," she said quietly.

"I am. I know it, you know it, the barman knows it..." Alycie stiffened.

"How many people saw you do this?" she asked suddenly. Garrick thought.

"The barman, some drunks, and a boy around your age," he listed.

"This is serious, Garrick. You have to get out of Dras-Leona now, tonight. The barman will have turned you in. I know him, and he's one to inform Galbatorix's soldiers immediately."

"And what about you? I can't leave you here. They'll interrogate Kurik, and he's got the loosest tongue of anyone I've ever met. They'll capture you too."

"I'll get out on my own. Now we must move quickly. Go past the wall and sneak out before they have a chance to shut the gates. I will leave as soon as I can and meet you out in the plains." Garrick nodded. He pulled his sister in close in a hug, kissing her on the cheek.

"I won't be caught. I am free now," he said. His head filled with the light as this simple statement revealed something to him. "I'm free," he repeated, surprised.

"Yes, you are. But you won't be for too long if you don't get out of those gates," said Alycie. "Go."

"I will see you again!" shouted Garrick as he took off like a crazy man across the grounds, running out of the gate and into the streets of Dras-Leona, screeching once in triumph.

"He'd better get some sense or else they'll catch him," muttered Alycie to herself. She picked up the fallen tub and walked quickly back inside.

Meliana was gone when she returned the tub to the kitchen, much to her frustration. The servants' quarters was nearly silent. The few voices floating through the darkness belonged to those who had obviously slacked off during the day, as all of the others were asleep as soon as they hit their mat. Alycie slipped inside quietly, inching over to her sleeping friend. She couldn't bear to leave her behind.

"Meliana," she hissed, shaking the blonde, who groaned and sat up finally.

"What is it?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Get up, I have to show you something important," said Alycie.

"This better be good," grumbled Meliana, standing and crossing her arms. Alycie tossed her a dress.

"It's outside in the cold. You won't want to wear your nightgown," she said.

"I take it back. This better be spectacular," said Meliana, undressing and slipping into the dress Alycie had thrown to her.

They stepped quietly out of the servants' quarters, tiptoeing along the hallway, sticking to the shadows. They both knew what Vivaria would do to them if she caught them out of bed at night. They stepped out of the back door, Alycie closing it and taking Meliana's hand, making her way to the gate. When they reached the street, Meliana halted.

"What are you showing me?" she demanded of her friend.

"It's just a little farther, but it's outside of the wall," said Alycie, starting to walk again. Meliana pulled her hand away.

"I'm not setting one foot outside of that wall," she said shortly. "You can keep whatever your grand discovery is to yourself."

"Meliana please, it's urgent," said Alycie, her eyes widening.

"Tell me now what it is!" said Meliana angrily.

"...I can't, until we get out of that wall," said Alycie.

"Tell me or I'm not going."

"...Meliana..."

"Tell me." Alycie sighed.

"Garrick's escaped and the soldiers are searching for him," she said. Meliana cocked her head to the side in puzzlement.

"And what does that have to do with us?"

"We're going to meet him in the plains," said Alycie hesitantly. Meliana gasped.

"You were taking me out of Dras-Leona?" she exclaimed.

"No, just beyond the wall until we found Garrick. Now please, Meliana, be quiet or they'll hear us," shushed Alycie softly.

"No! Do you realize how much trouble we would be in if we escaped? Vivaria would bury us alive, or lock us up, or murder us!"

"Not if we get out of here," said Alycie through clenched teeth.

"You're mad!" said Meliana. "I'll tell them you're escaping! I'll not go!"

"Fine, Meliana, I was trying to help you, but you won't accept it!" said Alycie heatedly.

"Oh, really?" asked Meliana. "That sounds familiar." Alycie opened her mouth.

"Meliana, this is the matter of freedom, not stupid dishes!"

"No, no, I can't," said Meliana. They stood in silence for a minute.

"You won't tell them I've gone, will you?" asked Alycie. Meliana sighed.

"I wasn't going to," she admitted. Alycie nodded.

"I suppose this is goodbye, then. For better or worse," she said.

"Hopefully better," said Meliana. They embraced, and then Alycie looked sadly at her friend.

"You're sure you won't come?" she asked.

"I've lived my entire life as a slave. I don't know how I'd cope with anything else," said Meliana, shrugging. "I don't yearn for it the way you do. I live in a palace. My dreams are done." Alycie nodded.

"As long as you're happy," she said. "Goodbye, friend."

"I pray for your success," said Meliana. With that, Alycie turned on her heel and left what had been her home for eight years.

She felt as if she were a paper doll held up by strings. She had been secured, strung up at every possible point so that she hung perfectly in the air. Now, it seemed as if a great amount of those strings had been cut, and she was merely floating by the few thin strands that remained, one mere cut away from falling.

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