Disclaimer: Christopher Paolini still owns everything

Author's Note: Seeing as some of you are assuming that Orrin is going to attempt to kill Murtagh I decided it was time for an image makeover. Hope you enjoyed these fluffy chapters, they were fun to write. Next one is back to Murtagh :)

Nasuada's mind was racing with regret. If only I had told him. Everything could have been different. He wouldn't have gone into that awful cave, and been mixed up with all this magic and curses and dragons. It would have been simple and maybe we could have been happy. He would have just been plain Murtagh, not the "red rider" or "son of Morzan." He would have been safe. He could have been mine. Her reverie was interrupted by Orrin.

"What is it?" His voice brought Nasuada back to herself. She hoped he hadn't guessed what she was thinking. Is it that obvious?

"What? Nothing. What's what?"

King Orrin looked at her strangely. "You flower…You said you had a favorite"

"Oh yes. I did." He was far too close to her. She stepped lightly out of the gazebo. "It's this one." She plucked a purple blossom from a nearby bush. He was beside her in an instant smacking it from her hand

"Don't touch it! It's poisonous." He killed the flower with his foot. It was Nasuada's turn to look confused. She'd handled these flowers all the time. She picked another. "It's not poisonous."

Orrin snatched it away. "It's Nightshade. It's deadly." His fist clenched, crushing the flower.

"Not always," Nasuada argued, "many plants are considered Nightshade; potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants to name just a few."

Orrin stroked her hair. "But why take the risk? You should always avoid anything that might hurt you."

"Lots of things might hurt me," she countered, "I can't be sheltered all my life. It's worth the risk."

"You aren't sure of this. Admit it."

"Maybe," she conceded, "sometimes you have to trust your own instincts."

"Nightshade can never be trusted!" Orrin roared

"You can't judge him by his family!" Nasuada was equally passionate.

"I judge him by his own actions." Orrin spoke with finality

"He can't control his curse."

" Ha! His destiny you mean?" His voice was bitter and mocking

"He didn't choose to side with Galbatorix!"

"He doesn't try very hard to resist him."

"He's irresistible!" Nasuada flushed as she realized her mistake. "Galbatorix that is…I mean not Galbatorix himself. Just that…his powers make him irresistible. No. Wait. That's not right. That's not what I meant. I meant--" I'm babbling like an idiot.

Orrin chuckled despite himself. "So you admit it?"

Nasuada struggled to make sense of her scrambled thoughts. "No! I don't admit anything! I… sound deranged…just don't think… coherent thoughts anymore… that all Nightshade is poisonous."

"Nasuada," his voice was almost gentle "I'm not talking about flowers."

She was silent. Neither am I. He walked to a nearby fountain and sat on its edge. Nasuada sat beside him.

"Why him? There are…better…other men to choose from."

For once she was at a loss for words. He's right. "I…love him…he…needs me…" She shrugged helplessly. "I really don't know."

Orrin pressed on. "How can he mean so much to you…when I mean so little? What has he done? Besides betray you, break your hurt, main soldiers, orphan children and spread terror…"

Nasuada lowered her eyes shyly. "He was my first kiss."

Orrin exploded. " I was your first kiss!!!" She doesn't remember?!"The first time I met you…the day I fell in love…here in this garden. That's why I took you here tonight…I was planning to propose…" His face fell. "You don't remember?"

"Orrin…how can you expect me to remember…that was years ago. We were children…"

He bit back tears. "You're still a child. You don't know what you want or what you're doing. You make hasty, stupid decisions based on your bleeding heart!"

"Are you sure it happened? I just don't remember…."

She was silenced as he crushed his lips against hers.

"Remember this."