Pömnuria Hjarta er medh Ono
A/N: Thank you so much for the support! I wanted to give a HUGE shout out to all my worldly readers! It's so flattering to know so many people from so many countries are at least considering to read my story! You have no idea how it feels. Also, I apologize about my typos and mistakes. I don't catch them when I'm writing, but I'll try to be more aware of my errors so those who are annoyed by it don't have to suffer through it. That being said, I hope you're not put off by all the talking the characters are doing! There's much action planned for future chapters (some really soon) and I think you may appreciate the time it took to get to the more exciting events of this story. Keep up your lovely hopes for me!
I love my muse for being so awesome, but in all reality, she nearly wants me to end every chapter with a fruity magic dragon ride. ;) Regardless, she helps me write, which helps me update faster so you guys can read the new chapters. So, lots of thanks to Suma Susaki!
Disclaimer: I don't, and never will own Inheritance. But my version of Thorn is much funnier and I enjoy him a lot.
ENJOY!
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"You wish to what?" Jörmundur blanched. The Queen merely raised an eyebrow at her most trusted council member, waiting for him to think up an appropriate response to her suggestion. He pressed his lips together, drawing his brow into a frown. "You can't be serious, my Lady."
"Quite, actually," she responded calmly.
Jörmundur rubbed his forehead wearily, feeling less than comforted by his young Queen's decision. "I realize that you have much faith in the boy, but Murtagh Morzansson is a traitor and a murderer. To have him sit in on an important council meeting with the leaders of the land… It's unheard of! They would question your judgment in an instant! Everything we've worked towards would be instantly revoked and I refuse to see our hierarchy crumble because of him."
"Your worries are not unfounded," Nasuada admitted. "But Alagaësia needs a Rider. With Eragon gone, you know as well as I how difficult it has been for us to reestablish the Empire under our new reign. Word travels so slowly and new enforcements are difficult to uphold when the people beyond our own city limits are so reluctant for change. Are you expecting me to ignore the opportunity that has literally fallen into our laps?"
"There must be other options than him," Jörmundur tried. "I realize that Arya is not an option beyond the woods of Du Weldonvarden, but what about the other elf riders? In a few years they could be trained to do the job that Eragon left behind."
"In a few years any budding uprisings that have been stewing for years will be too large for any young Rider to handle," Nasuada snapped. "Eragon has not abandoned us. He has his own duties to uphold to better our nation in his own way. He will come to our aid if the need is great enough. Murtagh is here now. He could be essential to helping this nation come together in the way we need it to and we'd be foolish not to consider his help."
The older man sat back in the chair he had pulled up to the council table in the throne room beside Nasuada. When she requested for him to meet her there, he had figured she would want to discuss the Red Rider. He didn't imagine the extensiveness of her plans for him. He glanced back over at the Queen's chair, taking in her calm and patient exterior as she awaited his response. How beautifully admirable you've become in your years, Nasuada, he thought.
"Your intentions are quite clear, my Lady," he said wearily. "But I am afraid others will not see everything quite the way you do. They will need a more… direct sort of convincing."
"And what might you suggest I do?" the Queen inquired, folding her hands beneath her chin. The man folded his arms comfortably.
"Nothing."
Nasuada stared at him. "Nothing?"
"Nothing," Jörmundur agreed. "If you expect the leaders to trust him as an accepted Rider of Alagaësia, then he must be the one to prove to them why they should trust him. You've placed him upon a long and difficult path, regardless of your intentions, and if he chooses to follow the path open before him, he will experience many trials and disappointments. Changing the opinion of all the people in a nation from a murderer to a protector is a feat most men could never even touch upon."
"Murtagh is no mere man," Nasuada said, confidence lacing her voice. "Of all people I've come to know, he is the most unfortunate by means of fate, but despite his trails and obstacles, he has learned to rise above the unfavorable. Of all men, he will be the one to rise to the challenge."
Jörmundur smiled to himself. "If anybody could convince them of his potential redemption, it would be you, my Queen," he said. "I just hope they are open enough to your ideas."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
There was something quite relaxing about the dragon keep now that the castle was no longer Galbatorix's. It was an extensive room with so many possible places for Thorn to go, but despite the options, the dragon chose to spend his time on the floor closest to the door. He remembered countless long nights that he spent in keep curled up in a small top cave, disturbed from sleep by the deep rumble of the great black dragon as he slowly moved his way out of the castle to fly the skies at night. He would go every night. The doors would open with a heavy thump and the sound of Shruikan's scales sliding across the stone as he exited the castle would reverberate against the cold stone walls loud enough for him to hear from his cave. Thorn recalled curling as close to himself as possible, watching with unrested nerves incase the dragon would choose attack him for his next meal. He had touched the older dragon's mind only once when he was merely a hatchling, but the dragon's mind was much too dark for him to handle. It took weeks talking with Murtagh to calm Thorn down enough not to bolt at the merest sight of him. Thorn always took refuge in the dragon's keep since the larger dragon had outgrown it years before Thorn's egg was laid, and he felt safest in a place where he knew he couldn't be reached.
Despite the fear he had of him, Thorn never felt a sense of hate for the black dragon, only sadness. He knew that the dragon wished more than anything to escape the world he was forced into, to escape the madness that controlled his mind every day. When Thorn had helped Saphira distract him long enough that the Elf-Queen could pierce him in the eye, he had prayed that the poor beast might find salvation and peace in the world that came after. He knew in his heart that they were doing Shruikan a favor, and he'd never since then forgotten it.
In their time away from the land that they learned to fear and hate, Thorn realized that there was much more to the world than the darkness that seemed to follow him around under the rule of Galbatorix. Many nights he and his Rider stayed up talking through everything that ailed them, anything that pulled against the insides of their hearts or screamed in the back of their minds, and for the first two years, that was all they did. They flew, they talked, and they started to find peace. Thorn learned of kindness vicariously through Murtagh as he spoke to the people of the lands they visited, and learned to let what darkened his mind fade away into the past. He may have been born into a life of torture, but the outcome turned out good. He had his Rider, and that was all he ever needed.
Over time, like their true names, their relationship began to change. When he was younger, Murtagh was his beacon of light, his only connection to a world that was sane in his mind, and he knew his presence brought the same desperate comfort to Murtagh as well. Their connection was built upon a foundation of need, of a desperate desire for something real amongst the fog of insanity. As they traveled the world on a whim that was their own, Thorn began to feel less burdened by the life he lived, and began to accept the more lighthearted aspects of life. Murtagh took more convincing, but as a pair, they waded their way back into the rays of the sun.
Despite their progress, the return to Alagaësia wasn't one he wanted. Their reluctance was clear amongst the desperation, but Thorn could feel his wings shake as he counted the peaks of the Spine. They had begun to heal, and he knew they were better than before, but neither could deny the distinct aversion to the land of their birth. Thorn felt more distrustful in the valley overlooking Uru'baen, nervous as he watched his Rider make his return to the city of their hate by himself. He could count the following night of silence as one upon his list of worst experiences in his life.
But laying in the hay within the dragon keep, Thorn felt a small sense of comfort. The place still unnerved him, and sleep did not come easily, but he felt much safer than before. He knew Murtagh was busy looking up information in the libraries, and risking his well-being in turn for a chance to see a new side of the people he once hated, but he still felt uneasy without his Rider by his side. In his time away, he had thought over Murtagh's suggestion a multitude of times, realizing that despite his anxiety to confront his demons, he wanted it just as badly as Murtagh did. He had a feeling that his Rider would know his response before he gave it, so he kept to himself for the afternoon, flying the corridor that led to the keep for exercise. He was preparing to lie his head down to wait for Murtagh's return when he received an unexpected visitor.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you," the Queen said quietly, closing the door softly behind her. Thorn lifted his head in response, noting that her guards did not follow her inside the keep. He eyed her suspiciously for a short moment before replacing his head on the hay with a small sigh. Nasuada correctly took the response as an invite, moving closer to where he lay. "I came looking for your Rider, but I'm assuming he's out somewhere else?" she inquired.
He should be back soon, Thorn offered timidly. He was still unused to the idea of opening his mind to people other than Murtagh, but the Queen's mind was one of kind firmness, and the solidity gave him some comfort. She smiled at the sound of his voice, which put a warm feeling inside his chest.
"Thank you for your knowledge," she told him kindly. "I hope it's not too much to ask, but may I share some time in here? Even a Queen needs to escape the world every once in a while."
You are welcome, Thorn told her. She nodded in gratitude, taking up a place in the hay beside him. Unlike the last time she sat beside him, she sat farther away from him, giving him some space. He didn't mind her presence, but he did appreciate her mindfulness of how he may feel about her.
"Are you comfortable here?" Nasuada asked, glancing around the keep to be sure everything was being kept well-stocked.
Yes, thank you. The hay is warm and the water clean, Thorn responded.
"That's good," she nodded. "Aren't you getting hungry? I could have some venison brought up for you to eat, if you'd like."
There is no need for that. I will hunt in a few days when my belly craves it. Nasuada nodded understandingly. But thank you.
"You are quite polite," she noted. The dragon stirred a bit in embarrassment.
No reason not to be, he responded logically. She smiled.
"It's nice," she commented. "I suppose since your Rider isn't here, I could ask you what I meant to ask him."
Is it about what you were speaking of in the Throne Room? he inquired.
Nasuada smiled. "I see there are little secrets left for me to tell you."
I was not listening in on purpose, but I cannot deny that I was paying attention. Thorn admitted. Your words reverberate through the keep.
"I see," she said. "And what is your opinion?"
It may be too early to have us at your meeting, Majesty, the dragon said bluntly. But I know Murtagh intends to try and make a difference in Alagaësia, if just to find acceptance among those we consider our people. He, and I, want to see it through that we could fly to any part of the land and find quiet acceptance and peace. It may be a hard-reached dream, but it is ours. Forcing acceptance would not be the best course of action.
Nasuada took a moment to digest his words. The dragon watched her from where he laid his head, taking note of the small changes amid her expression. He realized that she accepted what he told her with aplomb and consideration, but she wasn't about to give up with her initial plan. He felt some admiration for her tenacity.
"I understand," she spoke thoughtfully. "And I will keep that in consideration for what I plan for the future. I noticed that you both seem much… calmer than the last time we spoke after the battle with Galbatorix. I know you had a hard time when you were under his control, I'm happy things are better for you now."
Thorn noted her change of topic, but accepted it gracefully. He knew she'd be interested in what had changed for them, but he had expected her to ask Murtagh, not him. The shift in his expectations left him feeling quite shy.
We saw a lot of what the world had to offer on our travels. There was more than the darkness that we experienced in Uru'baen, and that helped us let go of most of our anger. Thorn thought for a moment. Also, Murtagh spoke of you a lot. But don't tell him that I told you that.
She blushed prettily, a lovely bright hue lighting up her dark cheeks. "Is that so," she said quietly. "It'll be our secret then."
The dragon lifted his head off the ground so that he could view the Queen better. Could I request something of you, Nasuada-Queen? he inquired. Nasuada recognized the serious tone in his voice, nodding her head in response. My Rider is one with a fragile heart. Despite what we've done, he feels the effects of his actions deep within him, and he tries to hide how greatly it hurts him. If there is a way… I would request for you to accept him for how he is and remain as a solid support on the days that he may fall under the pressure of his own past. You ask so much of him, this should be adequate request in return.
Nasuada thought for a long moment, observing the dragon before her in what Thorn thought to be different eyes. He shifted uncomfortably waiting for her response. "You care for him greatly, don't you, Thorn?" she finally asked.
The dragon ducked his head in slight embarrassment. He is my brother in every way except appearance.
"Every time I have the privilege to meet another of your kind, I am pleasantly surprised every time," Nasuada admitted. "You have a beautiful soul, Thorn, and I will gladly do as you ask."
Thank you, Majesty, he told her genuinely. He leaned down to touch his nose against her brow, a soft an affectionate motion that was not lost upon the Queen. Thorn pulled back after the short moment, tucking his head against his body in a brief moment of shyness. It was weird for him to express such open gentleness to anyone other than his Rider, but he felt like she deserved to know how much he appreciated her commitment. That's all I ask, he told her quietly. You may ask me anything you wish, if you'd like.
"Thank you," she responded. "I am curious about your travels, which I'm sure you recognize. You have grown much since I last saw you, which is unsurprising." She cast a glance along the spine of Thorn, her gaze slightly unnerving him. He hadn't had unfamiliar eyes looking at him so closely for years. He worried what she might think of the scars he still bore upon his hide. "Your tail," Nasuada said, noticing the unnatural and ragged heal upon the thick base of his tail, cutting it off short just a few feet from the length she expected his tail to be. Thorn slowly moved it away from her view, hiding it behind his body. "Did that happen on your travels?" she inquired.
No. It's much older, he responded with a touch of deep set remorse. I keep it as a reminder. One that I deserve more than any other. He recalled the battle he received his injury, the pain that shot through his body like liquid fire as the great golden dragon snapped off the end of his tail with his great maw. Murtagh had asked him once if he wanted it healed, but Thorn had refused. It was his burden to carry, knowing that he had killed the last of the Old dragons. He could tell when he glanced over at the Queen that she realized what he referred to. We all have our scars to carry, he told her, noticing her glance down at her own forearms hidden by the silky fabric of her dress. Some more meaningful than others.
"I see…" she whispered. "And this shapes you as a character? You and Murtagh?"
You as well, Nasuada-Queen, Thorn reminded her. We are all learning what is significant enough to continue to remember, and what is worth living for.
"You sound as though you found peace beyond the borders of Alagaësia," she said quietly. "Why did you return?"
There are many things we have not told you, Majesty, Thorn told her, meeting her eyes again. The biggest perhaps the reason we have returned. Up until now, we did not believe we were ready to face the people who scorned us, and to be honest, I still do not believe we are ready. Nasuada listened closely to the words Thorn offered was surprised he was even forthcoming with the knowledge at all, especially with how vague and stubborn Murtagh was about it.
During our travels we went far and wide, even trying to cross the great sea by ourselves. We paid heed to every warning given to us, but found ourselves walking into danger by our own curiosity. I regret such a foolhardy decision now, but regret does nothing to solve our problem, Thorn cringed as his voice started to sound a tad desperate. We need your help, Nasuada-Queen.
"What could you possibly need my help with?" the Queen asked, feeling on edge by what the dragon was telling her.
Thorn lowered his head in a pleading manner, one that burned against his pride as a dragon, but there was only so much he could do to help his Rider. We need information, knowledge, anything that may help us figure out what may have happened and how to break its hold on Murtagh.
Nasuada's face paled at the knowledge. "Break what?"
Thorn's eyes bore into hers, a strange look of distress coloring the dragon's ruby eyes. The curse of the Urgal King.
