I thought it would be fun to add Gila. I know someone will probably say "But Murtagh is mine!!" I hadn't planned to give Murtagh a love interest, and I still don't think I will, but I thought I'd give him a previous love interest to show why he's so grumpy and cautious now. You might hear more about her in the future.. again, I don't know how far I'll go with this story.

Murtagh walked slowly beside the Urgals. An uneasy knot formed in his stomach. Was it from fear of the king? ..No, Galbatorix didn't frighten him after so many years of being forced to follow his orders. Perhaps it was because he didn't know how the people of Urû'baen would react to his reappearance. He knew he had stirred much hope for the people of the Empire when he left, but that wasn't what bothered him either. It was, he realized, having to live in the home he had abandoned once again.

They arrived at the main gate. The guard on duty was looking at the ground and didn't notice them until they were feet away from him. He looked up, his eyes searching the group frantically, then he rested his gaze on Murtagh.

Murtagh's eyes widened. Before him stood the guard who had opened the very gate of his escape. And now he was opening it for his capture. Their eyes locked, and they exchanged meaningful glances. The guard reached over and opened the gate, then said to the Twins, "I will accompany you to Galbatorix."

He fell in step beside Murtagh, and for a while they were silent. Then: "Galbatorix said he was attempting to capture you, but.. I didn't think.." His voice trailed off.

Murtagh looked away. "Freedom is nice, if you were wondering."

The smallest of smiles replaced the guard's grim expression. "But much too short."

Murtagh looked at him up and down. He had let his beard grow to a fair amount, and his light brown hair reached to his shoulders. "You look different, Jyen. But still much like your sister."

Jyen stopped momentarily at the mention of his sibling. "Gila was much prettier than I."

A soft chuckle escaped Murtagh. Then, growing serious, Jyen said, "I thought you planned to avoid the Varden at all costs."

"I did." He grimaced at the memory. "But Eragon--you know Eragon, right? I bet he's the gossip of Urû'baen-- forced me. I told him I wasn't going to the Varden, so I accompanied him to Farthen Dûr, but there was no choice afterward."

Jyen's mouth went crooked. "What happened then?"

"I was locked up," Murtagh replied flatly. "They don't treat you so kindly when your father is a murderer."

Jyen seemed eager to change the subject. "How did they capture you?"

Murtagh described the events of the last few days. He did leave a few details out for the sake of the Varden. Jyen was an old companion of Murtagh's, but he couldn't say he completely trusted him.

They arrived at a large castle. It was colored with black and gray, looming over Urû'baen. Soldiers stood at the entrance, giving them hostile looks, but they seemed to recognize the Twins. The ones guarding two massive black doors moved aside.

Inside, the floor was pearly black, the walls around them a dull gray. The main room had very little in it, many small passageways twisting away to different areas of the castle. Jyen gave Murtagh one last look, then said to the entire group, "Well, you know the way. I shall be at my post." And with that, he walked off.

The Twins walked down a passage to the right, as if by instinct. Murtagh and the Urgals followed, Murtagh grimacing as he recalled things from his childhood.

The corridor opened to a large room, a black throne placed in the middle of its pearly floors. In front of the throne, a man was kneeling. Murtagh couldn't identify his exact words, but he could tell he was pleading for life.

In the throne sat the man who was the center of Murtagh's bad memories. Galbatorix watched the man in front of him, looking at him with a sneer. After listening to his pleads for a while, he snapped his fingers. The man on the floor was pulled up by two soldiers and taken away.

A heartless chuckle escaped Galbatorix, then he looked over a their group. Murtagh was behind an Urgal so the king couldn't see him, so Galbatorix demanded, "Well? Did you get him?"

The Urgal stepped aside to reveal Murtagh, and a wide smile stretched out the king's face. "Murtagh."

"Galbatorix." Murtagh just blinked at him.

He stood and slowly walked over to him. "I haven't seen you since you ran away." He squinted at Murtagh. "You look different, but still much like Morzan."

Murtagh grimaced and bit back a retort. He examined the king instead. Galbatorix had never been handsome, but he hadn't struck Murtagh as ugly before. His eyes were deep and hollowed, giving it a piercing look that was hard to stare at. They had no pupil, either that or it was a pupil, because the entire eye was black, with no white you see in that of a normal person. His nose was sharp, giving him slight resemblance to a hawk. His mouth was small and defiant, curved in a tight smile. Lastly, he had no hair. He was bald, but not like the Twins' gleaming heads. The king's scalp was covered with gray and brown blotches, reminding Murtagh a bit of mold.

Without warning, Galbatorix disturbed Murtagh's mind. Murtagh tried to shove him back, but to no avail. Instead, he tried to concentrate on something else. He chose the memory of Nasuada in his cell, and the scene played over and over in his head. This seemed to distract Galbatorix for a while, but afterward he simply brushed it aside and leafed through Murtagh's memories. He examined his trip with Eragon closely, watching with most interest their fights. The king laughed when Murtagh revealed his father to Eragon, seeing Eragon's shocked expression. Galbatorix barely looked at the Varden episodes, seeing as Murtagh wasn't highly thought of in the Varden until days ago and didn't know much more than Galbatorix himself.

Afterward, the king stepped back with a grin. His expression was taunting. "Nasuada.." Galbatorix let the name roll of his tongue and fall through the air. Then he turned to the Twins. "Did you get anything out of Eragon?"

The Twins described Eragon's life on his farm for fifteen years. They talked about his cousin, Roran, who Galbatorix seemed quite interested in. "We'll see what we can squeeze out of him as well," he said thoughtfully.

Then the Twins said, "And we found out something we think you'll find quite pleasing." They paused. "His mother is Selena."

Galbatorix's eyes widened and his smile became tangled. He ran his tongue over his teeth once, then looked at Murtagh, who was shocked. "Looks like someone has a brother."

Murtagh didn't reply, too lost in thought. Eragon was his brother! All that time they were together, and he hadn't known. He thought he should feel pity for Eragon, but he only felt happy. Someone finally had his life! His father, even the same scar on their backs! If Murtagh had been the one taken to Carvahall, and Eragon to the Empire, their lives could very well have been reversed.

Galbatorix was still looking at Murtagh. "Well, what an exciting turn of events." He ran his eyes over Murtagh, deciding something. "For now.. you're my prisoner. Unless you want to pledge loyalty to me."

Murtagh looked at him with disgust. "I'll take the cell."

The cell was small, entirely black, and full of things Murtagh couldn't define. A sticky substance layered the floor, making it difficult for Murtagh to pace around without his boots sticking to the floor. In a corner, there was a gooey green thing Murtagh didn't dare touch. His bed was small, spots of gray and brown, much like Galbatorix's head, dotted the spread.

There was much to think about after that day, hence Murtagh's pacing. He and Eragon being brothers.. It made sense, but it was a huge surprise. It explained his mother's absence after three years; she left to give birth to Eragon! That meant Eragon was around sixteen. There was a slight resemblance between them, but.. Brothers! Why was it that all these secrets tied around family members?

Days past with Murtagh in the cell. Two meals came a day, a small bit of meat and bread. He was becoming very bored, but he refused to pledge loyalty to Galbatorix.

Finally, a messenger came to him, saying the king wanted to have lunch with him. Lunch.. he hadn't had a proper lunch in so long. His meals came sometime after breakfast and before lunch, and the other was after lunch and before dinner. He accepted, and was guided by the messenger to a large room.

The room was, amazingly, black. A long gray table sat in the middle, Galbatorix seated at the main seat. He directed Murtagh to sit beside him, but Murtagh seated himself a few chairs away.

"Murtagh," said Galbatorix in a silky voice. "What do you think my plan is for Eragon?"

Murtagh blinked. "To kill him."

The king raised a bony finger. "Wrong," he corrected. "My plan is to train Eragon, to make him fit and one of the greatest Riders, under me, of course. See, the old Riders weren't good examples for their people. They were old, fat, and weak. My dream is for the Riders to be near perfect, to make those who follow them feel they are the most powerful in the land. I hope to rebuild the Riders, but to make them better." He paused. "Perhaps it's better if I show you."

Galbatorix entered his mind, but he was a lot gentler than before. He showed Murtagh pictures of Riders and their dragons, standing proudly before the people of Alagaësia. They were all very fit and oddly young, and stood beneath Galbatorix, who also stood bedside his dragon, Shruikan. The people beneath crowded around, cheering and singing their joy.

The king let the image soak in before pulling away. "What do you think?"

"It's.. amazing," Murtagh admitted. "But how are you going to get all those Riders?"

Galbatorix leaned back in his chair. "The remaining dragon eggs are male. If I can get them to mate with Saphira, she will be the mother of a new generation of dragons."

Murtagh considered it. "How are you going to get Saphira's children, then?"

The king waved a hand. "Details, details. The point is, do you want to help make this fantasy a reality?"

He hesitated. The image was wonderful, but he was still loyal to the Varden.. wasn't he? But maybe they want this as well. Perhaps he would even be doing them a favor. But Murtagh knew it would be foolish to decide anything without the help of the Varden. "I do, but.."

"But you want to be loyal to the Varden," Galbatorix guessed.

"Yes."

He sighed. "Don't you think the Varden want this as well? Perhaps you'd be helping them."

Murtagh looked at him with astonishment. It was as if he was inside his brain! But he could sense something wrong with the king's proposal. "No," Murtagh said at last. "I will not swear loyalty to you."

Anger flared in Galbatorix's eyes. He yelled a few words in the ancient language, and Murtagh froze. It was as if the king had extracted a part of him. An important part, but one he had never seen. His head began to throb, and he had a strong urge to obey Galbatorix. Murtagh's body began to shake with the effort to ignore the urge, and he saw Galbatorix grin evilly. "Oh," he said as silky as ever. "It looks like I found your true name. A very odd name, I'll admit, but this puts you under my complete control." His grin began to widen, as if he were thinking of the possibilities.

"No.. I won't.. Obey."

"Oh, yes you will." Galbatorix stood and walked over to Murtagh, putting his lips beside Murtagh's ear. "You will swear loyalty to me in the ancient language."

Murtagh gritted his teeth to keep the words from leaving his mouth, but they escaped nonetheless. Afterward, he felt as if a huge amount of energy had escaped him, and he collapsed to the floor.

"Well, Mr. Morzanson," said Galbatorix, looking down at him viciously. "It looks as if you're mine now."

What did you think? How was Galbatorix's description? At first, I wanted to reference with the movie, but when I got to that part I decided to screw it and do whatever came to mind. I had first wanted to make Murtagh pledge to him in the NEXT chapter, but this one was too small for my liking. Anyway, what did you think? Is it getting better, worst? I need to know these things!