Chapter ten

Roran watched his cousin from a far. His looks were blank. His face untouched by emotion. He has become an elf, Roran reckoned. It was human to show worry. It was human to show fear. Why was Eragon refusing to do so? Roran saw Helgrind appear in the distance and shuddered. Katrina put his hand on his arm soothingly. The memories that lay there were still settling, and he feared that reawakening them would break him beyond fixing. He recalled his Cousin's miserable face, sending Saphira away. Away so that they were safe. Why did he purposely cause himself so much pain? He thought of the weeks he had assumed Eragon dead. He had cried during those weeks. God damn you Eragon! He cursed. Then he could not stop himself. He stroked Kritrina's expanding tummy and stomped towards the large blue creature that carried Eragon like a king.

One of the elves stood in his way. "I'm his cousin" Roran told the scaled woman before him in an outraged voice. Her forked tongue flicked out of her mouth. At first Roran interpreted it as an insult, but when, twenty seconds later she repeated the movement, he realised she could not help it.

"The Rider has wished not to be disturbed" she told him. Her accent was strange.

"Let him pass" at first Roran could not place the sound. Stunned, he realised it was Eragon who spoke so quietly. He sounded old. He sounded like an old man who had been through much hardship and worry. Roran barely noticed the lizard lady step aside.

"what is it Roran?" Again that voice! A man tired of the earth around him, tired of the punishment…or just…tired…

Only now did Roran notice the purple bags bulging from beneath Eragon's eyes. "You have had sleepless nights, Eragon" he commented, swallowing.

Eragon gave him a wary smile. The bags seemed to subside a little. "bad dreams" he explained. Roran did not miss the warning look that the blue furry elf shot Eragon.

"something seems to be worrying you" Roran brought up, stepping closer. Eragon stepped closer. "bad dreams" Eragon insisted once more, earning yet another stare from the elf.

Just that? Roran felt suddenly out of place, walking beside Saphira, surrounded by elves. "alright then…make sure you get, some more rest then…and…and eat properly" he stuttered, excusing himself because of Katrina and hurrying away. Something is not right.

~O~

Eragon sighed as he watched Roran rush away. 'bad dreams' there was the understatement of the century. He tried his best not to remember the dream that had plagued him even beneath the shielding wing of Saphira. Of course it had luckily been much easier to wake him then…

A room. Red stone built the walls, and candles hung in iron baskets. Not a room, a hall. A beautiful hall. At day, light could stream through the windows, light up the patterned floor, the lifted platform with instruments and an even higher podium with two chairs. Two mighty chairs. However at night it was an ill lit death trap with who knows what lurking in the shadows.

"So you came!" a voice sounded. A voice he had only heard once before. Through another person's ears, from another person's mouth. "That makes everything so much easier, why Eragon, what a hero you are!" Galbatorix.

Eragon looked away from the shadows in shame. "have you thought our little…discussion over?" the voice continued. "it's an easy choice to make, Eragon, very simple. Yes, or no? life or death? Glory or pain?"

Eragon glared at the shadows. "Glory!" he yelled "What you offer is no glory, it is slavery!"

The shadow showed no hesitation. How could it? It was after all just a black gap in Eragon's eyesight. It made him wonder. His eyesight was amazing since the Agaetí Blödhren, howcome he could not see the figure he knew to be just beyond the light?

"Yes, or no?"

Eragon looked up at the ceiling. "yes" he muttered.

"louder!" the man hissed.

"YES!" I screamed at him. The man chuckled. "you are a disappointment Eragon. To your people, your friends, your loved ones…are you not ashamed?"

Eragon did not answer. "Well then, prepare that…uh…dragon of yours and we'll be off in the morning"

"doing what?"

The man laughed and a shiver went down Eragon's spine. "you are MY rider now, 'shade slayer' I am your master, you will obey me"

Not painful. Not full of feelings. Straight forward and thoughtless, like a play. Eragon saw himself in shame. He did not feel the shame. Yet it was just as horrifying.

A dream, it mean's nothing! Saphira called. They had opened all bounds, placed forth any secrets, yet Eragon felt that there was a secret Saphira had not uncovered, but he trusted her judgement, as much as the curiosity burnt him, he felt that he would regret discovering the secret. No, he replied, it means something. Someone is trying to threaten or warn me… Finally someone had explained to him what Angela's theory was. It sounded horrible. Why did his walls let through whatever was causing these night mares? He had worked so hard to build them up! To keep them in place for longer than a few minutes. He knew Saphira's walls were just as strong, if not stronger. How? Who? Why? What? When? Oh yes, when. When was whoever, or whatever it was, placing these images into his head? At night? Saphira had a terribly light sleep, she would hear it if anyone was giving nightly visits.

Eragon looked mournfully up at Helgrind. He was dreading every moment of the battle for Dras-Leona.

Okay, so I would like to turn you attention to another story I wrote with the help of a friend. Me and Justmeagain123 wrote this story (on a sleepover, while making pizza and trying to play a board game at the same time, now THAT's what I call multitasking) so as you can imagine it's litarary quallity is...limited, but, if you are in to mad, crazy and occasionally funny stories (atleast WE think it's funny, but we laugh about everything! :)) i suggest checking out 'be careful what you wish for'. Flames are welcome but please don't just say 'it's rubbish' atleast say WHY! oh yeah and don't forget to REVIEW!

Warning: It is COMPLETELY different to this one, different style, different word use, different...so on...so...i don't know, i just thought i would warn you beforehand so you would not send me messages complaining about it...eh...please don't hate me... :(

PS: it is under Justmeagain's or her new nickname 'Jam 123's' account.