Chapter Nine

Suspicious Characters

Disclaimer: See Chapter Two

Elizabeth awoke slowly, and cautiously ready too experience gargantuan amounts of pain from the many injuries she'd have from falling down the flight of stairs.

Oddly, she felt fine, better than she'd felt in…ever.

A door slid open, and Elizabeth cracked her eyes open slightly, and saw a raven-haired woman with emerald eyes.

She stopped by Elizabeth's bed as Elizabeth sat up and blinked around in confusion.

'Are you well?' The woman asked Elizabeth in concern.

Elizabeth looked at her, and noticed for the first time, the person standing beside her.

He had blue-black fur growing all over his entire body, yellowish eyes, and fang like canines.

Shit, shit, shit! They caught me again, I'm back in a lab! They've got an Eraser to guard me! Thought Elizabeth in terror, then the fear hardened, into a cold, hard, core of determination.

I'm not going too die in a cage, I'll be damned if I submit too that again. She thought, and, without warning, Elizabeth attacked.

The fight that followed could hardly be described as fair.

Arya and Blödhgarm, were far stronger than any human, although, Elizabeth certainly gave them a surprise.

Coupled with the fact that Saphira was in the room, and both Arya and Blödhgarm were also far faster than any human, and had magic powers, it was a forgone conclusion that Elizabeth would end up on her back staring up the blade of a sword.

The real surprise was how long it took for Arya and Blödhgarm too defeat Elizabeth.

Taken off-guard by Elizabeth's attack, Blödhgarm hesitated, and Elizabeth delivered a blistering upper-cut too his chin for the split second mistake, sending the elf reeling.

A split second later, Arya got a firm grip on Elizabeth's arm and attempted too restrain her.

Elizabeth stamped backwards with her heel , crushing Arya's toes beneath the blow.

Arya hissed in pain, but pulled Elizabeth in closer, restraining her arms.

Elizabeth slammed her head backwards into Arya's face, causing her too release Elizabeth; a involuntary reaction, at the unexpected, underhand blow.

Elizabeth drove an elbow backwards, hitting Arya in the ribs, before Blödhgarm attacked her, aiming his rigid fingers at Elizabeth's solar plexus.

Elizabeth jumped into the air, and over the blow, expecting Blödhgarm to overbalance.

A telling mistake, as Blödhgarm reached up and caught hold of her ankle, and yanked down sharply.

Elizabeth hit the floor, and swept her leg in an arc wildly, hitting Blödhgarm in the ankle and causing him too fall.

Then the slithering hiss of a sword being drawn.

Elizabeth attempted too jack-knife to her feet, but ended up staring down the blade of a sword.

'Up.' Commanded Arya coolly, her sword held lightly, pointing at Elizabeth's throat.

Elizabeth stood warily, glancing around, and seeing a large window behind her too her right.

'Try it, and your friend dies.' Said Arya coldly, seeing Elizabeth's intent.

The doors banged open, and eleven other elves entered the room, weapons at the ready.

Elizabeth blinked three times in confusion. Then the penny dropped.

'Oh.' She said, remembering where she was as Saphira paced over behind the elves.

Elizabeth blushed deep red in embarrassment, and hung her head.

'Explain yourself girl.' Said Arya in a dangerously flat voice.

Elizabeth sighed. 'Long story short: For the majority of my life, I've been locked in a cage and guarded by creatures that look a helluva lot like your friend there, and I thought I was back in that hellhole.' Said Elizabeth nodding towards Blödhgarm, who'd climbed too his feet.

'I'll give you this girl, you're strong, I've taken body blows from full grown men, and none of them hit as hard as you did.' Said Blödhgarm, rubbing his jaw where Elizabeth had landed her uppercut.

'So, an honest mistake on your part?' Asked Arya with a note of disbelief.

Elizabeth shrugged. 'Hey, if you don't believe me, take a look through my memories, then say you wouldn't have struck first and asked questions later.' Challenged Elizabeth.

Arya stared directly into Elizabeth's eyes for what seemed like forever, but was really about five minutes.

'By the black bones of Galbatorix…' Whispered Arya, blinking back involuntary tears, and growing visibly paler.

Elizabeth was tactful enough too remain silent.

A great sapphire eye surveyed Elizabeth from the side.

Elizabeth froze, and her heart went into overdrive.

Ohshitohshitohshit, I'm dragon food now, what to do, what to do…

Elizabeth's eyes flicked around the room, looking for a weapon, or an escape root.

Blödhgarm smirked. 'Saphira, I'd back off a bit, she hits hard when she's scared.' Said Blödhgarm knowingly.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes skyward. Such a wit. She thought sarcastically; then:

I'd better not do anything stupid, or I might very well be back on the menu.

Saphira watched impassively as the strange-winged-girl-round-ears-two-legs struck out at Blödhgarm.

She wouldn't pose a threat in a upfront fight, but with the element of surprise she was holding off both Arya and Blödhgarm.

After five seconds the fight ended just as Saphira had expected it too: the strange-winged-girl-round-ears-two-legs flat on her back, staring up at Arya along the blade of Arya's sword.

Words were exchanged, and Saphira felt Arya probe the strange-winged-girl-round-ears-two-legs, dark-pain filled-cynical-alien-frightened-mind.

After a long pause, Saphira felt Arya withdraw, and could feel how troubled Arya was.

Saphira, my mother spoke the truth, this girl, and I suspect her companion as well, are from another world, they came here seeking help from Eragon, they fled an ambush by a force Galbatorix's soldiers that were trying too flank my mother's army, two of their other companions were captured, and Murtagh has taken them, but I don't know where. Said Arya telepathically to Saphira, Blödhgarm, and the other elves.

What did you see? Asked Saphira concerned for how troubled Arya felt.

I don't want to talk about it Saphira, it reminds me too much of Gil'ead. Replied Arya.

Saphira brought her head in closer and surveyed the girl with one sapphire eye.

'Saphira, I'd back off a bit, she hits hard when she's scared.' Said Blödhgarm knowingly.

Such a wit. Thought the girl sarcastically, then: I better not do anything stupid, or I might very well be back on the menu.

Saphira chuckled quietly, then a flicker of movement caught her attention.

The strange-winged-male-youth-round-ears-two-legs had sat up groggily, and was staring in confusion at his legs, which had been healed while he was unconscious.

He hadn't noticed anyone else around yet, so he spread his wings as wide as he could and stretched them slightly further causing the joints too crack loudly, then he looked around and noticed Saphira, the girl and the elves.

Saphira felt a moment of confused terror when he beheld Blödhgarm and Saphira.

The girl stepped in though.

'Torque relax, no-one here's going to take a swing at you if you don't do anything stupid.' Said the girl seriously.

The young man,-Torque relaxed visibly, but remained taut as a bow-string, eyeing Saphira and Blödhgarm warily.

An awkward silence fell.

Suddenly, Elizabeth's stomach gave a loud grumble, shortly followed by Torques.

'What is there in the way of food around here?' Asked Elizabeth.

Arya ignored the question and walked over too the only other occupied bed in the room.

'Vakna.' She said quietly, and the bed's occupant stirred, then sat up.

'Arya, what happened?' Asked the young man in the bed, as he sat up.

Elizabeth put his age at about seventeen.

'You got in my way you idiot, you're lucky you didn't kill us both.' Said Elizabeth shortly, as she recognized the young man as the same one who she'd crashed into on the castle wall.

Blödhgarm shot Elizabeth a withering look.

'If it wasn't for the fact you don't have a clue who this young man is, and you're knew too this world I'd kill you myself for your disrespect.' Said Blödhgarm deadly serious.

'He's the reason I took a tumble down an eighty foot flight of stairs, I think I'm entitled to hold a grudge.' Replied Elizabeth tersely.

'Who is he anyway?' Asked Torque from over at his bed, where he was cautiously climbing out of his bed onto his feet, testing the leg he'd broken when he'd roundhouse kicked Saphira.

'My name is Eragon, who're you?' Asked Eragon as he too climbed out of his bed, only more confidently than Torque was.

'Someone who had a broken leg before they fell unconscious.' Said Torque in confusion as he flexed his leg experimentally.

'Our healers healed your wounds while you were unconscious, your leg is as good as before you broke it; But I must say, you're a foolhardy one, no-one in their right mind would try and fight a dragon with nothing but their bare hands.' Said Arya in explanation.

Saphira hissed in irritation, her headache had gotten worse.

Elizabeth's eyebrows shot up when Arya said the young man was Eragon.

'The Dragon Rider, right?' Asked Elizabeth, just to make sure.

'That is correct girl, and you'd do well to remember it.' Said Blödhgarm.

Elizabeth ignored the dark-pelted elf.

Torque opened his mouth too ask a question, but was stopped by Arya's raised hand.

'Enough, we shall take these matters before Nasuada, it will make things easier if you only have to explain once.' Said Arya with a note of finality.

Naturally, Elizabeth and Torque continued as if Arya hadn't spoken.

'No, we need Eragon's help, two of our friends have been captured and we need Eragon's help finding them; The more time we waste, the less likely that they'll still be alive if and when we find them.' Protested Torque defiantly.

'There will be food.' Said Arya, recognising instantly that the pair had little or no respect for someone who tried to use authority over them without earning their respect.

A brief silence followed this statement.

'Well, I guess a couple of hours couldn't hurt…' Said Elizabeth uncertainly.

'Works for me.' Said Torque, standing up.

Gah… I had a really bad case of Writers Block shortly after finishing the fight scene, which is my excuse for the long period between posts.

Well, hope you enjoyed reading.

Incidentally, this story hasn't had a single review yet so could I please get at least one for the story so far.

And something substantial too please.

And on that note: Review, I'm working on Chapter Ten.