Puple Stone
Chapter Eleven: Exodus and Treason
"Now then," Arya began heavily, pretending as if she had not seen Eragon intake a great breath and stir, "I wish to attend an explanatory meeting with the Queen and her haughty advisors."
Oromis inclined his head in response, muttering, "Waise heil," over the slits that he had dug into Eragon's chest.
"He should awaken in a couple of days," he added sincerely, grabbing a wet cloth from the water basin and squeezing droplets inot Eragon's mouth.
Saphira, form behind, snorted gravely, clinking her talons as she appraoched the archway. Without another word, Arya marched proudly out of Oromis's hut, swiftly descending down the ladder of the Great Oak Tree.
Bursting into the doors of the rather un-royal home of Islanzandi several minutes later, Arya loudly exclaimed, "I demand a counsel, Queen."
Across the room, sitting ata polished desk, Islanzadi laid down her spectacles, tossed aside her feathery quill, and shoved the pile of parchments so that she had free space to rest her hands, richly laiden with numerous bejewled rings.
An armed guard stood on either side of her, a safety precation only deemed necessary when the sudden attack form an enemy seemed ominously near. The rest of the house was empty and desolate, but after Arya's arrival, the two guards had roughly hastened to the Queen's side, even though she was her very own daughter.
"Counsel?" Islanzadi stammered anxiously, elbowing the guards back.
"But what of Eragon's health? Is that why you request a secret meeting with me?"
"He's perfectly fine, mother, but the Varden is obviously not! We haven't time to dawdle - I would have certainly confronted you on the matter had I been aware earlier."
Islanzadi nodded feverishly, climbing out of her desk chair and briskly advancing towards Arya, who was but a few feet form the door.
"Minsk - Pip - stay here, more guards are outside, thank you," the Queen added pompously to the distressed guards, exiting behind her daughter.
The two of them quickly walked to the neighboring, much larger building, the Royal Palace. Advisors, messengers, highly qualified guards, and magicians waddled out of the way as the two women stormed in.
"Counsel, everyone - my advisors are to come - guards are to be placed outside the doors, we're going to my study," Islanzadi demanded authoritively.
Marching down the magnificent hallways, Arya, Islanzadi, and three advisors soon threw open the office doors, shut and locked them, and plopped into an oval shaped table filled with many papers and encyclopedias.
Horatio, Zyrtec, and Tonks, the advisors, sat side by side as Arya and Islanzadi sat opposite form one another.
"We have a short window, dear, the elders will be in an uproar if they knew we were excluding them on this very counsel," groaned the Queen tersely, folding her hands.
Arya nearly grimaced, but composed herself, and bitterly answered, "Tell me about the Varden - what happened to them and when?"
The three advisors exchanged startled glances, clearly perturbed. Islanzadi stiffened.
"Oromis confided with you on what had happened, obviously, or else you wouldn't have thought to have asked me. Am I correct?"
Arya scowled, retorting, "Tell me yourself what has happened. Also, tell me why I wasn't aware of such acts."
The advisors scoffed or giggled mockingly, while Islanzadi tersely answered, "Do not be angry, Princess, for the Queen is the highest authority over all Ellesmera and Elven kind under its trees, and it is I who should be aware of everything..."
Arya's hand uncontrollably jolted at such words, and could barely control an outburst while the Queen continued,
"Everyone has been in the dark. But to enlighten you . . . Five Shades and a Rider and Dragon attacked them; few remain alive."
"Any new news, Queen?" Arya snapped bitterly.
As if no such interruption had occured, the Queen haughtily added, "They are escorting the survivors to Galbatorix - what his immediate plans for them I do not know. But I am sure of this - many will die or become enslaved."
Arya snorted, as if further surprised, and sarcastically inquired, "What is Ellesmera's response attack and when?"
There was a pause, tense emotions flooding through the room.
"We have none," Horatio, the lead advisor, heatedly replied.
"I did not ask you, pest," Arya boldly protested.
Horatio grinned, teeth baring, and hissed, "Do you really think I am a pest? Or do you loathe me so because I am thousand times more trusted by the Queen than her very own daughter? Or because - "
He broke off as Islanzadi swiftly raised her hand to silence them all before blood was shed from the Princess's sword.
"We have our own problems to take care of," Islanzadi said boredly, sliding papers towards Arya, whom scowled.
"Like what - how much more money do you wish to possess?"
"No! Who don't you read those papers!"
Arya slammed her hand on the table, pulling the scrolls near her rather roughly.
"Well!" Arya demanded.
"Records of security measures od the Empire," Tonks answered severely.
"And!"
"And it shows thousands of his army hastily marching to an exact destination!" The Queen snapped.
"What destination?"
Again, nobody replied but remained grave, irratable faces.
"About a week or so I received a message from one of my courriers. Apparently, Galbatorix sent thirty thousand soldiers out of his much larger army to destroy Ellesmera and take back prisoners," Is;anzadi said solemnly, scooting out from her chair.
The advisors followed suit, standing from their chairs.
"But why?" Arya demanded, tenaciously remaining in her seat.
"We are a threat," Zyrtec replied, all four of them heading towards the door.
"Of course we're a threat!" Arya thundered, leaping from her seat and knocking it to the ground.
Queen Islanzadi began to protest, but Arya broke her off, bellowing, "You swore alliance to the Varden decades ago! Why should that be thrown in the trash at the FIRST SIGN of danger to the Elves? Are we not the confident race that so commonly boasts on our abilities? I have been ashamed to be an elf over the past decade or so of you ignoring the Varden's pleas! These people have been through troubles left and right but never faltered allegiance with the Elves because of it!"
"Because WE don't DEMAND ASSISTANCE - WE don't NEED it!"
"THAT'S NOT MY POINT, QUEEN!"
Arya was near shaking, boiling with pent up rage and fury. Islanzadi stood disbelieving, gaping at her daughter as if she had never seen her before.
Slowly approaching her, the Queen quietly muttered, "How dare you mock my judgement, insolent daughter of mine. Tell me what makes you think you can put your two cents in and knock aside mine just because you are heir to the throne?"
Arya's mouth dropped, infuriated at the words.
"I am not telling you as a princess but as a peson - don't throw away loyalty at the first sign of trouble to Ellesmera. For years you've hid abled soldiers and magicians in the forrest and turned a deaf ear towards cried for help. When you hold yourself over the people and it's allies, that's when your role status is meaningless, Queen."
Arya paused, mainly to controll herself and steady her breathing.
As if she had heard nothing, Islanzadi made to the door, following behind her advisors.
Arya further added, " And don't worry, fool, for I am no daughter of yours. My heir comes from my father, who wouldn't have let such atrocious acts happen."
Islanzadi walked through the door, Arya following behind, gripping the handle of her sword subconsciously.
(break in case readers are weary of reading)
When they were side by side, Islanzadi tonelessly said, "We are leaving the city, all of us - every single one. Except for Oromis, who refuses to leave and with Glaedr defending him no one dare coerce him into fleeing. Besides, the mere fact of his dragon's existence will be unfortunate for Galbatorix to discover."
"You're fleeing the city?" Arya asked incredulously.
"The soldiers will come, here, this destination. They will burn this place, they will kill the Elves and enslave few."
"Then we stay and fight, surely you considered that basic iea before considering sending a mass exodus of your people elsewhere," Arya retorted indignatly.
"Did I mention that Galbatorix has sent thirty thousand soldiers this way - while our entire populattion is barely four thousand?" Islanzadi snapped mockingly.
"We're Elves - magicians - very powerful people. Half the Empire's troops are unwilling to fight."
"The Empire has a many good magicians here and there. Most importantly, there are still Shades roaming around freely around Alagaesia."
In response Zyrtec hastily muttered something in Islanzadi's ear, who then corrected herself, "Oh no - nevermind - I forgot about three shades escorting the Varden to Gil'ead. Dear me . . . my memory's failing me."
"You know of the Varden's imprisonment and still not being of aid is what began this debated counsel in the first place, Hinus ,and I thought there were five shades?"
"The leader killed two of them."
"I guess your memory failed on that too, eh?"
And with that, Islanzadi finally exited the Royal Palace, with the haughty adviors admiringly following suit.
Fuming, Arya raced after them, charging out of the Royal Palace as she noticed the Queen whispr something to a nearby guard. Immediately he blew his horn, as the Queen walked to the center of the neighborhood-like circle of tree houses, and authoritively cleared her throat.
Dozens of people quickly came darting out to their balconies or windows. After a bustling moment of many hastening to the scene, Islanzadi began a brief, salt-and-pepper type of speech of leaving Ellesmera, only informing the ELves of what they could have guessed or already knew. She purposely left out the fact that when they left the city, they were most likely never to return.
Most shocking of her speech, was that after they were leaving Ellesmera, they would find settlement in Gil'ead, in which she herself, personally, the Queen would hand over money to Galbatorix for land.
This was not the right thing to say.
An uproar engaged elves into roaring out nasty responses, many tossing various objects towards the Queen.
Adding all of those protestors together, they still didn't amount to half as much as the blood-throttling, infuriating glare that the Queen received from Arya.
Even the guards lost their composure before remembering themselves, and although they knew it useless, they shouted at the angry crowd to settle down.
Raising her right hand in the air to silence them, Islanzadi responded, "Where will we go if not the Imperial Lands? The caves of Farthen-Dur in the Beors with the Varden's failed stronghold? The rebellious land of Surda, where LAdy Nasuada moved half of her people there for war only to kill them and capture them for the Shades and Dragon Rider? Whether you understand, agree, or believe - the Varden is weak. The mere human race is weak! Who says we have only one cause or one ally to side with? Why not the EMpire - it has much more land and much more safety! Besides, that still doesn't necessarily mean that we have to join his cause! Why not - we're the most dominant race of all!"
Although still furious beyond measure, not one person bothered to protest. Not one single groan, mutter, scream, roar, or any other defiant plea was issued, for it bore in their faces and knowing eyes all too clearly.
The Queen had gone too far, and the Elves as a whole felt hatred too great to control, too rapidly increasing in size to ever fade. They all stood there, unblibking, disbelieving, gazing back upon her rebelliously.
The shade form the towering trees bore down on them all, their faces half-hidden in darkness, giving them all a bitter, ghostly look; the Queen, on the other hand, was fully exposed in bright sunlight, as if withering under its rays.
But there was, however, a hole in Islanzadi's claim, inevitable to conceal. Standing tall and proud, the Queen made as if to turn and walk away when Arya suddenly stated, "Are you sure of this, Queen?"
Islanzadi halted, spinning around.
"Of course I'm sure!" she angrily spat.
Many bystanders narrowed their eyes even deeper in disgust if possible.
Arya smirked slightly, edged forward, and hissed, " Very well, Hinus, but do tell me this one inquiry I have for you to explain."
The Queen bit her tongue, spitting, "With pleasure - but before you do - let me guess. I presume that you wish to know how a deceitful brat like you came form such a noble woman like me? To answer, it's most likely form your idiot father."
The crowd of citizens yelled out indignatly at this, bellowing out all kinds of nasty insults to Islanzadi,
Arya, however, had not appeared to be disturbed, but rather pleased.
Calmy and cleverly, she rhetorically stated, "No your Magesty, I want to know why we're fleeing Ellesmera to find settlemtn in the Empire for pay, if it's the Empire's soldiers in the first place running us out! Now, why would that make sense?"
Islanzadi could no longer contain herself, ans she showed her shock s her lower jaw dropped in response, horrified that her plans left her foot in her mouth.
The citizens did not know how to respond - some stood frigidly still while others shuffled about anxiously.
Never has the respected, delicate nature of Elves acted in such a manner ever before. Never has the enitre city been more outraged and mortified in centuries past.
Islanzadi sucked in her cheekbones, eyes swiveling back and forth at the many grimaces gleaming before her.
After a minute's pause, Arya finally concluded, "Because she's selling somethng out, obviously. It could be our city, for when the soldiers come don't you think they'll want shelter? Why will thirty thousand men come here if Galbatorix knows she's coming to him for land? Something's wrong - something doesn't make sense. I can't quite figure it out - there's just too much deceit in her words. Maybe thirty thousand troops marching this way is a lie, or she could have been lying about buying land from the foul king. Either way, both of those claims together do not make sense. There has to be more to the story - or if not, she added somehting untrue. Why don't you go ahead and answer that one, Hinus?"
Arya finished with a mocking remark, sarcastically miming courtsiing before leaving her mother's side, stepping farther back, and stood near the people.
This was something that was never done, however, emotions were too high and too tense for the Elves to show even more surprise at the gesture.
Slightly shaking form fear or fury, for it was unreadable, as Islanzadi slowly replied, "The thing is I don't know if Galbatorix will accept my offer. We don't have anybody against his troops, we're too outnumbered."
"LIAR!" several bellowed.
"I'm selling you out so I can become King Galbatorix's noble!" Islanzadi screamed, horrified at her words.
Many once more became grave at her outburst, seething. The Queen herself was mortified at revealing this, and immediately clasped her hands over her mouth, as if fearing to speak ever again. Her three advisors, whom already had been aware of this, cast her furious looks for not controlling herself.
"Overthrow her!" The crowd began to roar, throwing their fists in the air while others lightly pushed forward Arya , who refused the offer by remaining in her place.
"What's the point if we do that, folks, because it still doesn't change the fact that she sent for troops to execute the action," Oromis said quietly, his echoing voice silencing them all.
From nowhere he and Glaedr walked in upon the scene, standing next to Arya. Saphira, she presumed, must have been at the dragon hold guarding Eragon.
Startled by his presence, the crowd remained perfectly still and tongue-locked as they could think of nothing to say. They had been betrayed, sold out to the enemy as slaves bound to a dictator's rein.
Arya slowly shook her head, questioning, "How long have you planned this?"
Islanzadi's chin jutted upwards with pride, snapping, "My business is that of my own. Now, we were going to travel with the soldiers of our free will, but you've forced me no choice. Tomorrow morning, by noon at the latest, they will come. All those who resist will be slaughtered. What a fortunate event has occured for my fool of a daughter, the rider, and its dragon to have come just in time. You can leave with him if you like, try to flee, or all of you, for that matter! But be warned, Galbatorix's troops didn't just travel one way, but in a direction that is surrounding Ellesmera! And they're not alone - they have the Ra'zac with them! Nine of them! They should make up for the Shades' absence. Oh - and I've been told also that captives who still attempt resistance will have their ears cut off as a sign of dishonor. Only honorable, loyal elves shall keep their mark of pointed ears."
Many snorted at the idea as if it would ever happen without a fight.
With a sigh, Oromis exclaimed, "Any real honorable elf wouldn't be taken alive unless overpowered or unconsious or unwillingly bound. You forget that although I am crippled, Glaedr is well and able enough to demolish potential threats."
On cue, Glaedr dug his golden paw into the Earth and uttered a low growl, his fangs prominently in view. Numerous citizens smirked at this gurantee, blatantly ignoring the still futile chance of survival.
"And," Arya stressed with a grin, "Eragon may be injured, but his dragon, Saphira, is most certainly not."
At this, several cheers issued in a glee, resulting in a grimacing, cursing Islanzadi, who was foolish to forget these factors.
Clearing her throat and proudfully announcing, she said, "Did I mention thirty thousand men and nine Ra'zac?"
"You are an abomination to all Elves!" Many began to claim loudly.
Suddenly glacning at Oromis, Arya noticed that he had been glaring at her ever since she mentioned Eragon and Saphira. Returning a quizzical look, Arya edged closer to make a puzzle confrontation, while Oromis brushed her off as Islanzadi, her advisors, and guards finally returned to the palace.
"Fool," he finally spat, dismounting Glaedr.
"What did I do now?" she asked hotly.
"Leave now, as soon as you can with Eragon and Saphira. ," he hissed, suspiciously searching for any eavesdroppers.
Her face immedaitely became puzzled and confused, unsure of how to appropiately reply. Only an hour ago she felt bitter anger towards Oromis until she realized her Queen's treason.
"I have to save this place and defend it with my life!" Arya at last protested.
Oromis haughtily shook his head, whispering a demand, "Honestly, Arya Svit-kona, you don't suppose we'll compare in the slightest to that army! I've foreseen the outcome, and it's not polite in the least. Glaedr and I will most definitely become captured, which we do not regret. The Ra'zac are terribly underrated, and they'll manage to birng us both back alive for purposes of their own. That is certain."
He ended with a pleading shout, grabbing her by the shoulders.
By now, many Elves had been conversing loudly among others, making Arya's and Oromis' debate unnoticed.
Arya shook her head firmly, tears leaking from her eyelids.
"No, no, this can't be!" she trembled.
"You, Eragon, and Saphira have a chance to escape! You must leave soon and discreetly, you must! Ride hard, land rarely. This place will be a heap of ashes before it is safe to return."
"Yes, but it's not a heap of ashes yet!" Arya cried, jerking out of Oromis's grasp.
He stomped his foot on the ground, angrily replying, "There is a much more important battle to come that must have you and that Rider in it! Listen to me! Flee! Now!"
But it was no use, because Arya was already long gone jostling through the dispersing crowd towards Oromis'stree hut. She ran at such great speed that she was a mere blur. Bustling through the thin wooden doors, Arya clambered inside to find a startled Saphira and still slumbering Eragon.
"What's happened?" Saphira asked anxiously, peering through the archway.
Arya briefly recapped all the main points as she quickly pulled on Eragon's shirt over his head, filled up several canteens from a fresh water basin, grabbed wool blankets from Oromis's dresser, and finally heaved him up onto Saphira's back.
She too climbed on top, urging Saphira up and out the ovalur roof many feet above.
"Loathesome traitor of treason to her own blood!" Sahpira finally managed to exclaim, her massive wings flapping viciously over the dominating tree tops of Ellesmera.
Nearing the exit most commonly used, Arya hastily said, "Bring me down quickly - I have one last thing to do!"
"What?" Saphira questioned, but received no answer.
Landing at the entrance/exit to Ellesmera, Arya hopped off and dashed between angry guards towards her previous home.
"STOP HER!" One yelled.
Knowing exactly where she was headed, she eventually came across her dead father's study. She darted in to the back corner, and snatched a beautiful, deep blue sword and its sheath from its frame. Half a second later, two of the provoke guards ran into the room, bellowing out orders.
"It is not yours - it's properly of Queen Islanzadi!" They shouted.
"Then come and take it form me."
They advanced; she easily shoved them off as she dashed out speedily, soon leaping onto Saphira's back. Several onlookers cheered words of comfort and safety as they dismounted.
As they rose into the air, Arya noticed Oromis and Glaedr on her left, throwing warning looks, and on the right, she saw Islanzadi, swarmed among body guards, casting her a bitter smirk.
A/N: What do you think? Is there anything I could've done to make it better? What do you think of the plot? Are you understanding or do you feel confused?
Whatever it is, please share your thouts!
If you spent this long reading the whole thing, then you can spend two minutes reviewing!
Please REVIEW!
Yes that's right . . . I'm talking to the reader who's thinking of not reviewing.
You can give an anonymous review if you want, I enabled it for more reviews.
One reader informed me that there were only four Ra'zacs. My mistake.
Umm . . .lol...i guess we'll just pretend that there are supposed to be nine ra'zacs . . .
dont know what else...already wtote chapter where they battle against the nine. . . well..
w/e . . . mine is just a lil different form what its supposed to be