I'm sorry it's been a while, I've just been so busy with school work and things. I would also like to apologise to anyone who reviewed and didn't get a reply from me. Anyway, here is the next chappie.


Chapter 11

"Oi, Bromsson!"

Eragon sighed and turned around. He had arranged to meet Jason at the huge building situated just outside their school but he hadn't arrived yet.

Five of Murtagh's friends were running towards him, each wearing expressions of anger. Eragon knew he should have got Jason to meet him somewhere where he was less likely to be noticed. Now he was going to have to put up with their false accusations.

The tallest one, Evan, reached Eragon first and shoved him against the tree. Eragon was tempted to fight back but he knew that wouldn't get him anywhere.

"Where is Murtagh?" growled Evan. "What have you done to him?"

Eragon laughed. "Do you really believe I did something to him?"

Evan's hands twitched as though he longed to place them around Eragon's throat. Eragon tried his best to look unafraid.

"We know you did something to him," snarled Evan. "Murtagh has never missed a day of school, and suddenly he is not coming back anymore? It's obvious, Bromsson, now out with it!"

"You'll find out what's happened to him in about a year's time and I can guarantee that I had nothing to do with it!" Eragon's temper was rising; he wanted nothing more than to lash out at Evan for being so stupid. Did they honestly think Eragon would dare to do something to Murtagh, when he had plenty of friends to back him up and Eragon had none at the time?

"Why do we have to wait?" one of the other boys spoke up. "Why can't you just tell us if you had nothing to do with it?"

"Because I'm not allowed to."

Evan raised his fist and swung it at Eragon's face as hard and as fast as he could. Eragon only just dodged it in time.

Instantly Eragon was grabbed and his arms were forced behind his back. Evan came up to him and said, "Tell us what happened to Murtagh and we will leave you alone."

"You wouldn't believe me if I did."

Evan pulled his arm back to punch Eragon when another voice shouted, "Leave him alone!"

Jason had picked a good time to come.

Murtagh's friends were in shock. The one holding Eragon's arms behind his back accidently let go and Eragon moved away from him.

"Why are you sticking up for him?" Evan asked, completely confused.

"I'm his friend," Jason answered.

"Then he clearly hasn't told you that his father is the Brom who is in the Varden."

Evan was smirking at Eragon as he said this. Clearly he was hoping to rid Eragon of the only friend he had gained since coming to this school.

"He has actually."

"And you're still his friend? Are you insane?"

"Yes to the first question and no to the second. I don't care who his father is and I feel he shouldn't be judged by that before anyone even bothers to get to know him. I think Eragon is a decent guy."

"Then how come his own brother disowned him?" Evan was getting more angrier by the minute. Jason pretended he didn't notice this.

"His brother is an idiot, then, isn't he."

There was a huge uproar at his words. All of Murtagh's friends started towards Jason who looked unafraid. He raised his fists and positioned himself in a defensive stance.

Eragon couldn't see how Jason was going to win this fight single-handedly so he stood by Jason's side.

"What is going on here?" the principle said, hurrying over to where they were standing.

"They were going to attack us," everyone said at once.

The principle looked at Murtagh's friends' innocent faces while completely ignoring Eragon and Jason.

"Detention, Bromsson and Jason. If I catch you two fighting again I will be visiting your parents."

Evan and his friends were laughing silently behind the principle's back. Eragon's face flushed in anger but didn't say anything. He knew he would be expelled and then he would never see Jason again. He would be friendless once again. He wouldn't be able to cope.

Eragon and Jason walked in silence into the school grounds.

Time usually flew when Eragon was at school, but today it moved so slowly Eragon could have sworn it had stopped. He wanted to shout in frustration. It was just his luck that time did the exact opposite of what he wanted it to do. It didn't help that Eragon was bored to death.

Beside him, Jason seemed to be equally as bored. From the corner of his eye, Eragon saw Jason scribbling on a spare bit of paper while their teacher droned on and on. He passed the note to Eragon. It said:

I'm bored.

Eragon sneaked a quick glance at the teacher, who was so absorbed in reading from the book that a full scale riot could have broken out and he wouldn't have noticed.

Really? I thought you were Jason. He scribbled back.

Ha ha ha. Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to come to my house after school.

You just did.

Whatever. Your answer?

Yeah, it'll give me something to look forward to. Now can I be annoying again?

No.

Knew you'd say that. I'm just going to be annoying anyway.

Then I won't reply.

Don't be a bore.

If I was a bore I would be like Mr. Whats-His-Name standing at the front of the room.

True. If I annoy you, you can annoy me back.

How about I annoy you but you can't annoy me back for a change.

No deal. I like being annoying.

Can't you stop it for five minutes?

Probably. But I don't want to, so you'll have to put up with me.

Damn you, Eragon.

Don't be like that, J.

Like what?

That.

What?

What?

You're confusing.

Yay! I succeeded!

Ah shut up.

No.

Yes.

No.

Yes.

No.

Yes.

No.

Yes.

Yes.

No.

Ha!

Damn you!

Their lessons ended just then. Eragon and Jason were the first out of the room.

"I can't believe we have detention on Friday," grumbled Jason. Eragon chuckled humourlessly. "I always have detention for various reasons that never seem to be my fault."

"That's not fair!" Jason objected.

Eragon shrugged. "I learnt a long time ago that life isn't fair. We just have to get used to it."

Jason opened his mouth to argue, then realised that Eragon was right. He reluctantly closed it again.

"Where do you live anyway?" Eragon asked. Jason wondered if he had changed the subject on purpose.

"Not too far from here," he answered, throwing Eragon a suspicious glance; who was looking innocent. He decided that Eragon had deliberately changed the topic. "It's just down this road here."

"Hey that's not far from my castle!" Eragon said, feigning happiness. "Maybe you can come and visit me when mother is out."

But Jason shook his head. "One of the servants there is bound to notice me. I don't want to get you into trouble."

"When am I not in trouble?" Eragon replied darkly. "In that case can I go to your house when I want to?"

"Okay. I'm sure my mother won't mind. Here we are."

Eragon stopped dead and stared at Jason's house. It was tiny compared to what he was used to. It looked as if there were only a few rooms in it.

Jason noticed him staring and said quickly, "I know it's not very big. My parents couldn't afford anything bigger."

"Don't worry about it. The castle I live in is too big for my liking, especially since I don't have anything to do there."

This wasn't exactly true, because Eragon had sparring lessons with Carly and that always took up a lot of time, but he wanted to make Jason feel better.

Jason smiled at him and went into the minuscule house. Eragon hesitated, then followed suit. The interior of the house was quite plain with limited furniture. Eragon felt even more uncomfortable as he took it all in.

"Hello Jason, how was your – Oh, and who's this?" Jason's mother had come into view.

"I'm Eragon," Eragon answered. He thought he saw something like recognition flash in her eyes but it had gone a second later. He must have imagined it.

"C'mon, Eragon, I'll show you my room." Was it Eragon's imagination or did Jason seem to be in a hurry?

He followed Jason upstairs. Jason's room was at the far end of the hall. As Eragon had expected, Jason's room was also small. It wasn't even half the size of Eragon's.

There was a bird at Jason's window which had flown straight to Jason as soon as he walked into the room. There was a letter attached to its leg. Jason side-glanced at Eragon before opening it.

"My uncle and I always write letters to each other. He and mum haven't spoken to each other in years but he makes sure he keeps in contact with me," Jason explained. "Mum can't know or else she'd go ballistic."

"Your secret's safe with me," Eragon said. "You can answer that now if you want. I can wait."

"Are you sure?" Jason asked uncertainly.

"Yeah, go ahead. I won't look," Eragon promised.

Jason laughed. "Even if you did look you wouldn't be able to understand a word of it. We write in a different language in case our letters get intercepted."

"What language is it?" Eragon asked eagerly.

"It's a language that was spoken many years ago but now hardly anyone knows it. It's called the ancient language. Oh, and you can't lie using the language."

"You can lie in any language!"

"Not this one," Jason said smugly. "Do you want me to teach you it?"

"Sure," Eragon replied. "I can't wait to see mother's face when I say stuff to her in that language and she won't even understand it!"


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