I knew I forgot to do something about two weeks ago...

Well here's the update I forgot to... update!

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"We can't go to the Varden!" Darcie complained as they cantered on, watching Thorn and Kazryth become dots in the distance as they disappeared over the horizon.

"It's the only way. You will probably be as welcomed as I am."

"You fought Eragon against the Varden. How will I be 'as welcomed' as you?"

"You're the king's daughter."

Darcie rolled her eyes. Murtagh did have a point, but she wasn't going to let him know that.

"So what are the Varden like?" she asked, trying to make conversation.

"They're suspicious people..."

"How so?" Darcie cut in curiously.

"They have to be suspicious to survive. They're rebels of the land after all, if a spy for the king came in for example, they would all be killed. It takes them some time to trust as far as I'm aware," Murtagh explained as he spurred Poco to keep up his speed.

"So that's why they didn't let you in like Eragon?"

"Somewhat like that, yes."

"If they're so suspicious how will they let us join without being imprisoned?" Darcie asked as she slowed Shiloh down slightly in order to keep pace with Murtagh and Poco.

"That is when we shall swear fealty to Nasuada, assuming she is leading the Varden now. In the oaths Thorn and I took, there was nothing about swearing fealty to another, so I am only hoping swearing fealty to another will break the oaths to Galbatorix. I'm not sure what oath or oaths you took, but it was probably the same as mine," Murtagh explained as he extended Poco's stride into a gallop. Under Darcie, Shiloh extended her stride to keep close to Poco and Murtagh.

"All I remember from it was 'shurtugal', and I haven't a clue what it means."

"It means Rider, as in a dragon rider."

Darcie chuckled. "Out of all the words I don't know in the Ancient language..." She then looked up and into the sky to see what time it was; the sun was already halfway beneath the horizon, so she assumed that supper had passed.

"Hungry, I presume," Murtagh cut into her thoughts.

"Quit getting into my mind," she responded, not turning to look at him.

"Actually I'm hungry too; it just seemed pretty obvious you'd be hungry after only breakfast."

Darcie rolled her eyes. She then looked out and saw Thorn in the distance, Kazryth just barely a dot. "They made it to some hills!" she exclaimed. The two neared the Ramr River, the two dots of dragons getting bigger until they were full sized.

I still think this is crazy Thorn said.

"You don't even know why we're going," Murtagh responded.

Thorn shuffled on his feet, clearly embarrassed.

So are you planning on going with us anyways? Kazryth asked.

"The Varden."

WHAT?! Thorn exclaimed, a flame flying out of his mouth at the same time, causing the horses to spook. There's no way we're going there!

"Do you want to break our oaths, Thorn?"

The answer for that goes both ways.

"An honest answer - do you want to be free from Galbatorix?" Murtagh rephrased.

Yes.

"If we swear fealty to another, then the oaths will hopefully break. Nothing in our oaths said anything about swearing allegiance to another, and I'm assuming if we swear allegiance to the Varden, we'll break our oaths with Galbatorix because we're siding with his enemies."

Are you sure this will work?

"Not completely, but we shall see."

Thorn appeared apprehensive about the plan, but didn't say anything.

"We should set up some sort of camp within these hills," Darcie said before the subject could be brought up again. She dismounted Shiloh and led the horse behind one of the large hills.

Little ones, I have a better idea Thorn said as Murtagh brought Poco around. He stopped and turned to face the red dragon curiously. Once Darcie replaced Shiloh's bridle with a halter she had grabbed before leaving, she came around as well.

"What would that be?" she asked.

Kazryth seemed to realize what Thorn meant, even if...

The boy... the one that killed the Twins, he was on a quest for a girl.

"What?" Darcie and Murtagh asked at the same time.

What? Kazryth asked, having no idea what Thorn meant.

I looked into his mind and saw a copper-haired girl in the clutches of the Ra'zac from a memory he held dearly. If we go to Helgrind and get this girl, the Varden might be more accepting to let us join their ranks.

"That is a good idea Thorn, except we're probably noticed as gone now," Darcie said.

How so?

"Well it's been a whole day... and I kind of left a note on my bed so the castle knew we were gone..."

"What?" Murtagh nearly exclaimed.

"Well it's pretty obvious we'd be gone anyways!" Darcie snapped back pointedly. "Do you honestly think my father would just not care about our whereabouts? He'd go searching the castle grounds anyways, they wouldn't notice the note until late because of his lack of checking the most obvious places! This way he gets what he wants and we get away as we were told to do, so it's a win-win situation here."

"How often have you seen or met with Galbatorix in the past?"

"Long enough," was Darcie's indignant response, her hands now on her hips and eyes flaring angrily.

Just drop it you two. We've covered more distance than the madman's army could in a week - we're safe either way with our hidden home Kazryth cut in before Murtagh could respond. He merely scoffed and replaced Poco's bridle with a halter, and then took off the saddle. He walked around the corner with it, Poco following him a few strides behind.