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Disclaimer - Disclaimer – I don't own the Inheritance Cycle or any of Paolini's characters BUT I do own my characters such as Thamus and Alexus!

Thanks to all my readers and carry on reviewing.

Sorry for the exceptionally long wait! I was at the Olympics then on holiday and school is starting! Not enough hours in the day! Enjoy!

Chapter 10 – Alexus

They opened the door and Murtagh's heart felt like it was pounding out of his chest. "Lord Alexus! I am sorry to have kept you waiting; I was busy with very important business," Murtagh apologised trying to keep his voice steady despite his nerves.

"Ah you must be Damien, chief of guards," Alexus said offering his hand. Murtagh carefully shook it and nodded in reply.

"Please sit down," Thamus said directing Murtagh to his usual chair. Murtagh sat down and tried to avoid Alexus' gaze.

"Why did you want to see me, sire?" Murtagh asked praying not to be recognised, while waiting for an answer.

"As you are the head of guards here; I thought you might know about an escaped prisoner. His name is Murtagh," Alexus said and Murtagh did a fake gasp. He remembered what he had heard Thamus say and played along with that. "Murtagh! That scum bag! He was a prisoner here when I was assistant head of guards; I've only just been promoted you see. Anyway, he escaped while we were debating what to do with him. We tried everything to keep him here but he escaped whatever we did. Murtagh explained hoping his lie was believable. "Well this is amazing!" Alexus exclaimed wearing his customary manic grin. That look caused all the memories that he had been hiding deep down to resurface and flood into his mind. He fought the images with all his might but they just kept on coming. It all end with Alexus' manic laugh and branding Murtagh all over his body. He tried to scream out but no sound could escape his lips. He momentarily returned to the present and saw Thamus leaning over him. He became blurred then Murtagh blacked out from the pressure of fighting the images.

His eyes snapped open and he was laid down in one of the guest rooms. He tried to sit up but his arm was wrenched back. He looked back over his shoulder and his wrist was shackled to the bed post. He eventually managed to negotiate himself into a sitting position and lent back against the headboard. He sat there for a while trying to formulate an escape route. Somehow Alexus must have worked out who he was; and that was not good. Defiantly very bad, actually very bad was probably and understatement. He sighed and lent back against the headboard. The door creaked open and Katherine walked in carrying a tray. "Murty, I am so glad you are awake," she said running over and kissing him on the forehead. "I thought I had lost you again," she cried placing the tray on the table.

"What happened?" Murtagh asked trying to turn to face Katherine.

"Well, Thamus says that you went completely blank and wouldn't respond to anything. He called for me and a came in just as you completely blacked out and fell to the floor. I laid you on your side and you threw up screaming something about the fire and the dragon. Alexus cut it away and we rolled you onto your back. Alexus' gaze lingered on the brand but didn't connect it. Soon after you started shaking and a guard picked you up to carry you to a guest room. As Alexuus stood up he spotted the scar on your back and recognised you. He demanded that you should be locked in a dungeon but Thamus and I argued that you were in no state to be a dungeon and when I shouted that if you want him to live through this then he needs to be in a comfortable room, he gave in and let you stay here. Alexus knocked you out with some sort of drug and you've been out cold for hours," Katherine explained stroking Murtagh's forehead. Katherine lent close and whispered in Murtagh's ear. "Thamus is stalling Alexus; he can't leave for a few days. You need to stay here and act trapped for one visit so he doesn't suspect," she whispered and quickly pulled something out of her pocket and slid it into his. "It's the key to the shackle; when you escape hide in the tunnels and I will bring you food and updates. He'll be coming soon so you need something to eat," she leant over and picked up the tray. It was some bread and soup and Murtagh greedily ate it all and Katherine left with the tray. Murtagh sat there dozing with his head resting on the headboard. He was snapped awake by the door slamming shut; Alexus stood to where Murtagh was tied. He wore an incredibly smug expression and laughed when he reached the bed. "I found you; you little bastard! Do you know how bad I looked when you escaped?" Alexus shouted and Murtagh laughed.

"Oh, I do! And I enjoyed it immensely," Murtagh said smiling. He gasped for breath when Alexus kicked him in the side.

"I don't think you are in a position to talk to me like that," Alexus growled. Murtagh just smiled in response.

"And when has that ever stopped me?" he said kneeing Alexus in the stomach. Alexus doubled over clutching his stomach.

"I hate you Murtagh," Alexus snarled straightening up.

"I hate you too," Murtagh said smiling. Alexus muttered angrily and punched Murtagh in the face. He stormed out of the room bawling at guards and Murtagh stretched and tested his jaw. "He does not leave that room!" Alexus bellowed. "If you even hear him move then shout me immediately!" A guard built up the courage to speak to the raging Alexus.

"Sire but he can move around like a spirit," the courageous guard murmured.

"He is a normal prisoner and is to be treated like the scoundrel he is. He is not a vengeful spirit!" Alexus screamed his yells increasing in volume.

"Sorry, s, s, sorry," the guard hurriedly apologised. Murtagh continued stretching his jaw to find nothing was broken; luckily. He smiled at the fury he had caused Alexus and the fear and somewhat awe he had inspired here. Now it was time to wait.

Murtagh waited a few hours before sliding the key out of his pocket. He quickly unlocked the cuff and gently rested it on the pillow. Murtagh opened the door to the passages but spotted pen and paper on the desk. He wrote a little note to Alexus on a piece; it read "Goodbye Alexus! Have fun with Galbatorix! Murtagh Morzanson." He left it on the pillow and slowly shut the passage door behind him. He sat near the door waiting for his escape to be discovered. He drifted in and out of sleep until he heard a scream. It was Kitten's. He was about the jump out of the passages when he heard her shout. "He's gone! The prisoners escaped," she screamed. Within seconds Alexus was charging into the room, fury etched into his face. "How could you let this happen?" he shouted and the new head of guards pinning him to the wall.
"I, I, I don't know. He never left the room," the terrified guard stammered. He let go and the guard fell to the floor. He stumbled up from the floor and stood straight but a few steps behind Alexus. He walked up to the bed a d spotted the note. He picked it up of the pillow and read it. He screamed and scrunched up the note and threw it at the guard. "Find him! Now!" Alexus yelled and stormed out of the room. Murtagh laughed quietly and snuck through the passages into his cave.

He was so bored; in the caves there was nothing to do. The wall of his cave was coated with holes and knives stuck out of some of them and strange angles. He heard little footsteps heading through the passages and rolled off his bed while trying to make himself look presentable. She walked in, her pencil heels clacking on the stone floor. "Murtagh, have you not washed again?" she sighed laying the tray on the table.
"I don't see the point; no one's going to see me and if they do; my hygiene isn't going to be at the top of our priorities," he moaned, trying in vain to straighten out his blue shirt. He patted it and a cloud of dust fell to the floor. She sighed again, "That is it! You're having a bath, young man," she exclaimed pulling out the copper tub stowed away in the corner of the room. It was coated in cobwebs and spiders prowled the fragile network. Murtagh laughed and went to hug her. "I'm serious, Murty," she claimed as he walked towards her. "You need to wash," she insisted. She started running the water out of the spring her had turned into a tap. "I am not getting in there," Murtagh protested sitting on his bed. She rinsed it out watching the cobwebs and spiders run down the drain Murtagh had installed on one of his restless days. "You are a stubborn man sometimes Murtagh," she moaned as the water sloshed in the bath. "You're like the mother I never had," Murtagh murmured huddling on the bed. She walked over and kissed him on the forehead.
"That's not going to work today, baby," she said walking back to the filling bath tub.
"I am not getting in that bath," Murtagh protested, gripping onto the sheets so hard his knuckles were white.
" Murtagh whats wrong?" Kathrine asked. He immediately thought back to his days in Uru'baen and the dunkings. If he could help it, he was never going in water again.