Touché

Lira: Lyra has finally posted this next chapter.

Lyra: I try.

Lira: No you don't.

Lyra: I've been busy.

Lira: So have I.

Lira/Lyra: Sorry.

Lyra: Anyway…

Lira:…On with ficcie.

Disclaimer: Lyra and Lira do not own Eragon or anything by Libba Bray.

Felicity snuggled closer to the warm material next to her head. It was firm, yet soft. She liked it. It was more comfortable than her dresses, her silken sheets, or anything she had at home. She needed to tell her parents to get it for her. But what was it?

Felicity's pale, gray eyes opened to see that the thing she was so comfortable against was a chest. A male chest, to be exact.

Felicity's eyes went wide.

"Oh bloody," the blonde whispered. How'd she get here? Who was this man? The room didn't look like anything from her mansion. What…

Then everything rushed back to Felicity. Going to the Realms, ending up in this strange world, injuring the man, how he had tried to get into her mind. Felicity looked up to the man's face. What was his name again? Some strange name she had never even heard of before. Murtagh? Yes, that was it.

Felicity scooted away from the older man and found the floor. Luckily, all her clothes were still on. That was good as it meant the man hadn't done anything to her. Now, where was everyone else?

"You're up very early."

Felicity turned around to see Murtagh sitting up in his bed.

"So are you," Felicity replied. Her eyes, as usual, showed little as little emotion as possible as she stared into Murtagh's equally emotionless eyes.

"You woke me up," Murtagh stated blandly.

"You woke me up too," Felicity volleyed back.

"Oh really? How?" Murtagh asked.

"You're a loud snorer," Felicity told him after a pause. Okay, this wasn't exactly true, but, "Your chest is too warm," sounded like something Ann would say. And Felicity Worthington certainly wasn't Ann Bradshaw.

"I've never heard anyone complain about it before," Murtagh muttered, a little taken aback.

The staring contest continued in silence for a few more minutes. Felicity may not have known it, but Murtagh was sizing her up. Examining her outward appearance, for he did not wish to enter her mind again, Murtagh couldn't help but notice that Felicity made milk look dark with those pale eyes and that platinum-blond hair. Murtagh had thought Galbatorix was pale, but this girl put his coloring to shame. A corner of his mind also noted that he had never considered the king beautiful in a strange way as he did this girl.

"You're very pale," Murtagh remarked because he wanted to break the silence and he couldn't think of anything better to say.

"You're very dark," Felicity replied.

"Touché."

"Thank you."

"If you practice archery," Murtagh began, "they why are you so pale?" He had her now.

"Why are you so dark?" Felicity volleyed back, evading the question.

"I'm outside a lot," Murtagh simply stated.

Felicity blinked at the same time Murtagh did.

"Who are you really?" Murtagh asked her.

"Now, wouldn't you like to know," Felicity responded smugly.

"Yes, actually," Murtagh said.

"Your loss," Felicity replied with a shrug.

Surda

"So that's why there's a dragon here," Kartik exclaimed, nodding and looking stern.

Simon was sitting in the corner, still very shaken. He wasn't used to this kind of thing. Dragons belonged in legends, and dragon belonged in fantasy novels. Dragon most definitely did NOT belong outside of a tent in which Simon was currently sitting.

"Yes, now," the female elf named Arya started to say, "will you tell us about your being in Alagaësia?"

"So that's what this place is called," Kartik mumbled, looking around the tent.

"What kind of name is Alagaësia?" Simon questioned.

"What kind of name is England?" Angela retorted.

Simon made a pouting face at the herbalist and said, "You'd better not be giving my Gemma poison."

"Now, why would I do that?" Angela asked, looking a little too happy.

Simon just stared moodily at the female.

"Could you be quiet and let the boy tell his tale?" Nasuada put in.

"Thank you, Lady Nasuada," Kartik said with a smile.

Nasuada nodded her head in response.

Kartik told the story. He told of everything that had happened with Pippa and how they had all three gone into the garden with Ann and Felicity.

"Speaking of which, where are Miss Worthington and Miss Bradshaw?" Simon inquired.

"They must be somewhere in this world," Eragon put in. "I just hope neither of them is with Galbatorix."

"That would be disastrous," Arya agreed.

Nasuada stood up. "I'm going to alert the Varden about these two missing girls. Simon, Kartik, I need you to come with me so you can give descriptions of the two."

Kartik nodded and started to follow Nasuada out of the tent. Simon looked at the unconscious red-head lying on the bed. "What about my Gemma?"

A hand fell on his shoulder. "Do not worry," Eragon insisted. "I will keep a close watch on her."

Simon looked straight into Eragon's eyes and could see the truth in that statement. Simon felt that he could trust this other man. "If anything happens to her, I shall make you pay dearly," Simon threatened.

Eragon just smiled.

Lyra: That's the end of chapter three. Yep, the guy with Felicity is Murtagh, and she's stuck with old Galby.

Lira: That's definitely not good.

Lyra: No, it is not. The next chapter should come up next weekend.

Lira: Hopefully, it will.

Lyra/Lira: Review!