Tears of the Wronged

An Inheritance Fanfic

Note: based after Brisingr

Eleven: The Passing Of A Memory

"Keridyn!" Arya called as she attempted to chase after her.

She was restrained by a firm hand, and turned to see Eragon with a look of worry on his face.

"Eragon?" She asked.

"Don't go after her." He told her. "What's happening to her would only get worse if we burdened her with our presence. Besides," He added. "She's trying to understand everything that happened. If she is alone, then her mind will sort things out, and she won't have to worry about us being hurt by it."

Angela put her hand on Arya's shoulder. "Eragon is right. Leave her be for a while, it's for the best."

Arya sat down in Keridyn's chair. "I can't believe what she's told us. It's hardly anywhere near what I thought I would hear."

Master Glaedyr, do you know why Keridyn is so shaken by everything? Saphira asked suddenly.

Well, it could be for a number of reasons, but it is most likely because her mind is so different from ours. It catalogues things differently, as well as remembers them differently than how they happened. Glaedyr explained, with a mental shudder. For example, if she has suffered a horrible occurrence, she will remember it with the same emotions that she experienced when it occurred. In all reality, she literally relives everything she's been through. But, with more powerful emotions due to her fear and dread of that memory.

"So, while she's been telling us everything, she's been reliving it, literally?" Nasauda asked. "Experiencing fear in telling us about something that scared her."

Yes, so be careful, tread lightly, or she may be lost forever. Glaedyr warned before his consciousness faded.

"Eragon-" Nasauda said before he disappeared out the opening.

The three left behind watched with confused faces as he vanished.

* * *

Keridyn sat in the sand of the shore line watching the waves crash inwardly with a distant eye.

Eragon watched her with conflicting emotions. He was uncertain as to how to treat her, as someone he knew, whether for such a short time or no, or as someone he didn't and the daughter of the enemy?

"Keridyn." He said quietly.

She jerked and looked at him as if she were confused.

"Keridyn, would you mind if I asked you something?" He asked as he remained standing.

"Ask away, it matters not to me." She said returning to looking at the sea.

"Who is the father or your child?" He asked.

She glanced at him. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because, I have a feeling that the child may be judged unjustly, both for who the mother and father are, you should understand this, and I want to know because I need to know." He told her

Keridyn smiled slyly. "My children will be the grandson and granddaughter of both Galbatorix and Morzan." She said.

Realization dawned on Eragon's face. "Murtagh?"

Keridyn nodded, and he noticed she flinched slightly.

"You're having twins?" He asked.

Again she nodded.

Eragon ran his hand through his hair. "How far along are you?"

"I don't know." She told him. "So, what do you think, Uncle Shadeslayer?"

He smiled slightly. "Children are the future of this nation, it will be how they judge our actions that determines the success of our efforts. Any child, be they of dishonorable circumstances or the most honorable, they will have a mind of their own, and a destiny that they themselves determine."

Keridyn smiled at him widely. "That wasn't just for them was it?"

"Most definitely not." He said with a smile. Then he sat down next to her. "I've decided how I will hold up the legacy of the free Dragon Riders."

"Oh, and how did you do that?"

"The Riders were the symbol of freedom, they were seen by the people as those to trust, not fear; they were only to be feared if you did wrong. But to be a Rider at that time, I can't imagine the pride or the happiness." He shook his head. "But I can strive for it. We of this day and age have never known it, and that's how: I will strive for that happiness and pride."

Keridyn smiled widely. "It seems like you've decided."

Eragon looked at her. "What is it that scares you the most?" He asked her suddenly.

She remained looking at the sea. "I'm afraid of a lot of things." She said after a moment. "But, I fear myself the most."

"And why is that Aiedail?" Angela asked suddenly as she came up behind them.

Eragon turned, surprised, as Keridyn turned slowly.

"The only person who can completely destroy me is myself, from the inside out. If I am not true to myself, how then, can I ever hope to be true to others?" She answered. "Myself is what I fear, because I have the power to destroy with a word, if I so choosed."

"But you know that with good reason, Aiedail." Angela told her. "Because if you do not respect that knowledge and are not careful with it, it could destroy you instead."

Eragon looked once at Keridyn. Then he resolved his earlier conundrum with one question. "Do you still love your father?"

Keridyn's eye looked distant again. "I did once, but even then it wasn't the same as what you'd think. I only knew he was my father when I was seven. By then I was old enough to understand how he was so foolish when he was younger. To me he was more of a comrade than a father, he also was very much involved in my life. There was a time when I did, now," She sighed. "Now, I don't think he can be forgiven for everything he's done to everyone."

"You're avoiding my question, do you still love your father?" Eragon asked.

Keridyn laughed nervously. "I do, somewhere deep in my heart. But that was the man he was before." She turned to him, and he noticed she was crying. "I loved my father when he was my father, the fool in Urû'baen who claims to call himself King is not my father. Nor, do I believe, that I will ever consider him to be again. Not after everything he put me through. I loved the man he was, I do no love him now"

Eragon then realized that the cruelty he had known Galbatorix to have, had not always been there. The cruel King had once been a loving father to someone, to the very person in front of him. Then another thought occurred to him. "Do you love my brother, Murtagh?"

Keridyn's face turned haggard. "I do." She said after a moment. "I do, because he was kind to me." She told them. "But like everything, even that was turned against me."

Eragon, it seems to me that Galbatorix used everything he could to break Keridyn's spirit down. Saphira told him.

Yes, I do believe that's what he did. She bears my niece and nephew, and I will try to rid this world of Galbatorix justly, if only to make sure that these tragedies don't befall another soul.

* * * * *

I still need girl names, people!!