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"Holy!" finally my mind kicked in and I managed to say or even think something. Then I suddenly realised who I was speaking to and I froze. His brow furrowed and he scowled at my crudeness.
"Obviously though you need to be taught how to act like a lady" He growled. I cowered away, he was so intimidating. That I certainly didn't like but I had the brains to keep my mouth shut. I was desperately wheeling through what he had just said trying to make sense of it. He was my father? He couldn't be! I didn't want this. Then suddenly it seemed to dawn on me properly.
"It's perfectly explanatory for you to be shocked." He said calmly.
"No!" I cried "No!" I rapidly backed away from him and I felt tears beginning to well in my eyes. I didn't want to cry, not in front of him he would just think I was a self pitying moaning little girl and I desperately tried to keep them back. I was just about to turn and run but before I knew it he had my arm, he moved so quickly… He gripped my wrist tightly as I strained against his iron grasp.
"NO!" I screamed he passed a hand over my eyes and all of a sudden I felt woozy, very woozy. I swayed and collapsed, barely able to keep my eyes open. Words and time seemed to pass through my head in a blur and before I knew it I was being picked up in the arms of someone and I was just about able to recognize the concerned and confused face of Murtagh above me.
"Take her to the royal chambers" I heard the powerful voice from somewhere above me but I could no longer remember who it belonged to because I was drifting into a deep, deep sleep.
When I woke, at first I though I was in my bed at home, the sheets that encased me were as soft if not softer than those on my normal bed. I felt smooth silk rubbing against my lower calves which were not covered by my three quarter length jeans. Filtered sunlight streamed onto my face and I managed to open my eyes. I propped myself upright on my arms feeling slightly light headed and took in my surroundings. I lay in a huge four poster bed with white net curtains drawn shut around me. The duvet was white with navy silk embroidered, the most detailed precision I had ever seen. The patterns depicted flowers and butterflies and the same luxury embroidery decorated the pillows which were abundant against the mahogany headboard. Through the thin curtains I could see moving silhouettes as they hurried about the room. They were obviously unaware of the fact that I was awake. They spoke in hushed voices as if they were trying to prevent waking me up.
"Is she really his daughter? That's what they're saying down in the kitchens." A young girl's voice asked.
"That's what he said to me" An older more mature ladies voice replied. "I've been appointed to care for her needs. I feel sorry for the poor girl really"
"Does that mean she's the princess then?" I flinched at that word. It made me sound like a damsel in distress. I certainly wasn't anything like that in my mind.
"One day, Matilda that curiosity will be your comeuppance!"
"You didn't answer my question!"
"Yes I suppose it does. Now go before she wakes up I don't want you and your relentless questions to be here when she does! She going to be upset enough as it is with out you pestering her!"
"But I want to see her!"
"Shhh!" The old lady hushed
"Is she beautiful?!"
"Yes I'm sure she is! Now go!"
"Can I peek through the curtains?! Just a quick glance! I'll be really quiet!" The young girl pleaded. Just then a loose feather from one of the stuffed pillows drifted up to my nose and I desperately tried to prevent myself from sneezing but my sudden intake of breath was loud enough. Both of them froze.
"Go!" The lady ordered in a strict tone which obviously meant no answering back and I saw her usher the small girl Matilda out of the room through a discrete small side door, obviously for servant access. The lady didn't say anything more and I heard her walk to the other side of the room where I could hear metal gently banging against china and I presumed she was making something like herbal tea. (I guessed they wouldn't have normal tea here) It was evident that she wasn't going to divulge any more interesting information so I pulled the heavy duvet off of me and gently pushed the curtain aside. My shoes and socks had been removed so when I swung my legs over the side of the bed my toes were met with a cold flagstone floor. I looked across the room which was lavishly furnished with mahogany. There was a centre table with fresh wild flowers in a vase on the top, a dressing table, large and luxurious wardrobe and a chest of drawers and a changing screen. A middle aged lady (I would've guessed she was in her late forties) was attending to a small cup of sweet smelling tea on the table. She had a stern face and brown hair that was streaked with grey scraped into a tight bun. As soon as she saw me looking at her she averted her gaze and curtsied.
"My lady" She smiled politely. I officially didn't like that one bit but to be polite I kept quiet and just smiled back. She picked up the cup on the table and came over and placed it in my hands and I looked at it quizzically.
"Drink it" She smiled "It will make you feel better" She was right. I lifted the cup to my lips and drank deeply, the sweet drink warming my system. It tasted like strawberry tea.
"Better?!" She asked. I nodded and smiled, passing her back the empty cup as I wiped my lips on the back of my hand.
"You look like you need a good going over" She noted as she looked me up and down. "Come and sit over here" She said and she gestured to the small stool in front of the dressing table. I got up and walked over before plonking myself down in it.
"I see your grace is something we need to work on." I frowned personally I didn't know how you work on something when you didn't have and of it in the first place. People always said I moved about the place like a baby elephant. I always used to take it as a compliment seen as I thought that baby elephants were rather cute. I slouched at the dressing table.
"And posture!" She added, swiftly straightening my back with a yank of my shoulder. I tried to look anywhere but the mirror in front of me. I didn't want to see the person that I was turning into. I wanted to keep the old picture of me in my minds eye and not to have it obscured by some fake image of what was on the outside, the person that was actually me. I felt her yank a brush through my thick knotted blonde hair and after plenty of teeth gritting it went through smoothly without meeting anymore knots. She placed the brush on the table then put a bowl of water in front of me and instructed me to wash my face which I did so reluctantly.
"Right..." She breathed after I had done that. She applied a bit of make up to my lips and eyes. I didn't even know they had make-up here. I guess you learn something new everyday right? Then she pulled out a necklace from a leather case in one of the drawers of the dressing table. It was so sparkly it practically blinded me and she fastened it around my neck.
"Take off your trousers and shirt! Those are certainly not suitable!" She said and she went over to one of the large wardrobes. I took the opportunity to do a snobby impression of her behind her back. I got up then turned and aggravatedly did what she said. I agreed with the fact that I needed some new clothes I was just worried about what she would come up with for me to wear. I turned around and stared at the extraordinary detail on the duvet again as I wiggled out of my jeans and pulled my top off over my head. I stood there feeling all exposed in my underwear when suddenly the lady came back and all of a sudden wrapped something around my torso. I looked down, horrified to find that it was a corset. I was about to yell no but before I could I felt a restraining crush around my ribcage as she tightened it up. It was so violent I had to grab the post of the bed for support. I tried to complain again but I found that I could hardly breath, instead I tried to claw at her hands but she slapped them away then I had to grab the post for support again as she yanked it tighter. Finally after a painstakingly long time; or what seemed to be a long time. She stopped and went to fetch something else. I gasped and placed my hand on my stomach which was compressed so it looked unnaturally thin. I groped at the knot on the back but found that she had done it deliberately tight so I couldn't undo it, as if she had anticipated my intentions.
"Put this on" She ordered and passed me the long shimmering folds of a blue dress.
"No!" I exclaimed in horror.
"If you don't" She replied sternly "You will be walking around like that!" I then realised in shock that she had already taken away my old clothes. I sighed before stepping into it and pulling it up, inserting my arms through the short sleeves. The woman did up the back then turned around to face me and sorted out the long skirt which trailed down so far it completely hid my feet.
"There much better" She said passing me a small pair of black shoes.
"Hardly!" I growled quietly to myself. "What your name?" I asked her as she went to busy about the room once more.
"Gertrude" She replied as if I didn't need to know such information but was just answering to be polite. Note to self; I officially hate Gertrude. She went out of the side door than within a couple of minutes she was back with a silver tray stacked high with breakfast things. I watched as she set it down on the table. There was a huge bole of fresh fruit (nothing that exotic of course) strawberries, apples, raspberries and pears. Then there were pastries and toast and bacon with eggs. (I hate cooked breakfasts)
"How do you expect me to eat with this torture device crushing my chest?!" I growled gesturing to my torso.
"Its something you're going to have to get used to dear!" She replied. I walked over and plucked a couple of strawberries from the bowl and popped them into my mouth.
"I'm vegetarian" I noted looking disapprovingly at the meat on the plate.
"You're a what?" She asked.
"I don't eat meat" I explained. She looked at me as if she really hadn't heard the concept of not eating meat before, then thinking about it I guess she hadn't.
"Well that's one of the most stupid things I have ever heard! How did you used to survive with out eating meat?!"
"Easily!" I breathed.
"Well believe me girl some of the aspects of your life are about to take a dramatic change!" She growled then she went to busy herself about the room as I polished off as much fruit as I could manage with the corset crushing my innards. I glared at her every time she turned her back to me and eventually after she had made my bed she turned to me and said the thing which I really didn't want to hear.
"Your father wants to see you" She affirmed "You will meet him in the throne hall in ten minutes."
"I don't know how you get there from here"
"The king has ordered Murtagh to escort you there"
"WHAT?!" I screeched.
"It is not what it is pardon!" She corrected me firmly. "And you do not screech! You will act like a prestigious young lady! You will act angelically, walk with your back straight and your head held high, you will be polite and you will only speak when spoken to. Have you got that?!" I just nodded already casting her words from my mind. I would act just how I wanted to, and in this situation that would certainly be far from angelic.
"Good!" She smiled "He is waiting outside" and she headed towards the main door at the head of the room by this I presumed she meant Murtagh.
"He hates me!" I exclaimed.
"I think far from it" She smiled at me. I personally didn't know what she meant by that but I couldn't think it over because she was already opening the door. She held it open and she gestured or me to walk out into the corridor. I held up my skirt to stop myself tripping over it which I knew I would anyway, stepped into my shoes and swished past her with a sniff. Once outside I turned around and glared at her as she shut the door despite it she was smiling at me.
Bitch! I cursed her inside my head and I jumped as I turned around to see Murtagh leaning against the stone wall of the corridor and staring at me intently.
"What?!" I exclaimed wrapping my hands around my waist, feeling slightly self conscious.
"Nothing" He said but I saw the faint smile which lightly touched his lips. I ignored him and turned and set off along the long corridor. Everything was made out of stone apart from the occasional unlit torch in a metal bracket on the wall.
"That's the wrong way" He said. I came to a halt and folded my arms, tuning to face him. He still hadn't moved from his original position. I walked past him down in the opposite direction and I heard him walk after me. Gradually he over took me and he lead the way down several more stone corridors. Left, left, right, left, right, right, left, right. The place was huge and I quickly lost track of the way we had come. Finally we arrived back at the familiar pair of huge black doors which bought back bad memories from the night before. I gulped as the doors swung open, seemingly of their own accord and I was staring into the same large intimidating cathedral like room but now I actually realised there was a reason for its size; hunched in the centre of the room, obscuring my vision so I couldn't see the throne was the most humongous dragon I had ever seen. His scales shone like highly polished onyx and he turned around to meet my gaze with deep amber eyes.
"So there is a reason for this place being so big!" I squeaked taking an alarmed step backwards and bumping into Murtagh. "Sorry!" I gasped and backed away from him hurriedly but he didn't look angry, more embarrassed.
"Approach child, my dragon will not hurt you." Galabatorix's deep powerful voice echoed from the other end. I wasn't scared of Shruikan, more awed and slightly intimidated. He moved to the side and out of the way to let me pass, each step he took caused the floor to shake and a loud boom reverberated throughout the hall. Finally he settled in the far corner but he still nearly took up quarter of the room. It was a miracle that the door had been big enough to let him get through. I took a shaky step forward then another and another until I was knelt at the feet of the king once more. His presence still had the same affect on me. It made me want to cower and grovel. I didn't dare look him in the eyes. He sat in his straight backed throne which gave him the impression of all importance. He had neatly cropped brown hair but almost jet black eyes; the colour of his soul. I thought to myself. I couldn't seriously be the daughter of such a monster?! He apparently thought so. Maybe he was delusional, maybe I'm delusional. Maybe I'm still sitting in science having the most wild and erratic day dream of my entire life. But then why would everything seem and feel so real? Why could I feel the slight draught that blew gently on the back of my neck and my knees pressing against the cold stone floor through the fabric of my elaborate dress, or the crown being placed upon my head? HANG ON A SECOND! Reality seemed to rush back to me in a matter of short seconds and I could feel a circlet of light metal resting on the top of my head.
"Stand" Galbatorix smiled. I gulped and rose to my feet before gently reaching up and removing the crown from my head then tuning it over and over in my hands. I looked liked silver but I thought that was certainly bellow the king so I guessed it was probably white gold. The metal formed the most beautiful tiara I had ever seen. A series of delicate entwined flowers and leaves constructed it with tiny gems incrusted into the flowers and in between the vines. Mostly sapphires, blue topaz and of course diamonds. There were also small spikes similar to that of the teeth of a comb to keep it in place in my hair.
"Beautiful isn't it?" He said "I had my best metal crafters and jewel cutters craft that for you. But of course it would only be the best for royalty"
Of course! I felt my fingers tighten on the delicate looking but surprisingly strong metal as if I wanted to crush it with my own bare hands. I wanted to take the stupid thing and thrust it in his stuck up face and make him feel the pain that he was causing me emotionally and all the people living under his evil reign. I looked up to see him gazing at me expectantly.
"Aren't you going to wear it?!" He asked
"Of course!" I said smiling pleasantly, hiding the burning hatred that burned for him deep inside of me and I daintily placed the crown back on top of my head.
"You may go now!" He said, dismissing me. "I have nothing else to say to you" I decided to curtsy, I didn't even know how I just did then I turned and left his presence trying to ignore his eyes which I could feel burning into my back. As soon as I was outside of the door they shut with the same eerie effect. I screamed then grabbed the tiara from my head and flung it at the wall with all my strength. The metal gave a loud clang then before I knew it; the crown came flying back at me and hit me solidly in the side of the temple. I suddenly lost all my sense of balance and my vision went blurry as I fell to the hard floor.
"Evie?!" I heard Murtagh exclaim then all of a sudden he was there leaning over me. How utterly humiliating! I can't even throw a temper tantrum with out getting it seriously wrong! He put his hands around my waist and pulled me upright. I was just about able to stand without his help. Only just. I swayed and pulled away from him using the wall for support.
"Oww my head…" I moaned and placed my hand on my temple then glared at my tiara where it had fallen on the floor. Murtagh knelt down and picked it up then passed it back to me. He was almost smiling.
"Murtagh!" Galabatorix's deafening voice boomed from the throne room with such ferocity that I shrank back against the wall while Murtagh looked as if the king's voice had stung him and his face turned ashen. He glared at me before spinning on the spot and pacing slowly back towards the doors. I felt alarmed at his sudden mood swing. Then again what was I to expect from someone who loathed my guts. I suddenly noticed the way he held his arm as he walked back through the doors and then and there I realised exactly how the king treated him, as a slave. I stood there in a stunned silence for nearly a minute until I heard him cry out loud in pain and Thorns thundering roars echoing from the dragon keep so far above. I bet Galbatorix even kept him in chains. I felt tears stinging my eyes and I turned and ran covering my ears. I ran for I don't know how long, the castle was huge; through corridors, up staircases, across courtyards then down more stairs. It seemed to take me forever to escape their tortured cries. When I finally did I was at a small and deserted section in the very heart of the castle and completely and utterly lost. I slouched down at the bottom of a large aging tapestry and let the tears that had been building up in my eyes run freely down my face. This was hell and I wanted to go home. I wanted to see Lana and Scoble again even though it was a full moon tonight so she would have long shaggy hair and a pink wet tongue. It had all been fun at first but it wasn't anymore. It was a nightmare from which I couldn't wake up, like I had lost my way back to my body. Maybe I was in a coma and everything around me was the state of deterioration of my mind as it slowly faded to nothing. I just wanted things to be back the way they had been before. Why couldn't I have just been grateful the way my life was? No I always had to go seeking adventure. Actually thinking about it, it wasn't exactly my fault. I had been dragged here. Not come here of my own accord. Murtagh had brought me here. Yes this was all completely and utterly Murtagh's fault and I am going to KILL HIM!
And that's when my destiny came as a piercing shriek from the other side of the mysterious tapestry. My head snapped round and I stayed motionless and listened acutely. It came again. The source of the noise was defiantly on the other side of the tapestry. I frowned and pressed my ear to the rough, dusty material. The noise shrieked again. I quickly forgot about my troubles and warily lifted up the corner of the large piece of heavy material. Sure enough, behind it, set into the wall was an old gnarled wooden door. I discreetly shot a glance back over my shoulder to make sure I was free from prying eyes then I slipped into the doorframe. I placed my hand on the wrought iron handle as the noise sounded again then gently pushed and with a faint click the door swung open. The room was obviously accessed often as the hinges of the door were well oiled and barely squeaked as it moved. This was evidently one of the king's private sanctums and I dreaded to think how much trouble I would get into if he caught me in here but hopefully he was still giving Murtagh hell. I quietly shut it behind me and turned around to take in the room. It was massive, a long stone corridor lit by flaming torches in brackets stretched down to a large circular room with a raised stone dais in the centre of which was a dragon egg. I approached slowly as if in a trance. A single shaft of pale sunlight shone down onto its resting pace, it looked similar to a church font except instead of containing holy water it contained a white silk cushion that comforted the egg. The walls were bare and the ceiling was bare apart from one tiny skylight that provided the natural lighting. My gaze though didn't stray once from the egg which under the light of the late morning sunshine flared the most beautiful vibrant green I had ever seen. I stared mesmerized by the sheer beauty of it as I slowly paced up the steps on the side of the stone dais. I winced as a particularly loud squeak reverberated around the chamber but it didn't put me off. I don't know if I was particularly aware of the consequences of what was happening to me but all I knew was I didn't care. I reached out with trembling fingers and gently touched the top of the egg trepidation running through my whole body. I felt the smooth rock hard texture of the shell underneath my fingertips and I ran my fingers through the white vanes that webbed their way across its surface. All of a sudden it lurched underneath my hand and cracks appeared. The squeaking was now copious and the cracks spread. I stepped back in alarm as suddenly shards of the green diamond hard egg shell were sent flying in almost every direction. I peeked back from underneath my eyelashes to see a tiny green dragon hatchling roll onto its feet on the cushion in front of me. The last dragon in Alagaesia had hatched for me.
See, now shes doing it again! Though it wasn't quite as bad this time the ending was still sudden. I hope you liked it and I will remind you to press that green button, cause I dare you. Go on!!!
