I have decided that if I do not finish this story than I will not read Inheritance when it comes out. Although considering that I made that same promise about Siren Song and The Lost Hero well…I feel bad now.

Last chapter we had in my opinion an interesting twist, however I didn't leave enough clues for it to be close to obvious so… All reader please thank Unique Fantasiser for giving me some needed advice.

Please read, review and enjoy.

Ch.12 The Black Hand

How simple it had been for him to trick the Last of the Grey folk to be his willing pawn. The original spell upon Nerezza's mind was a masterpiece that even he could not break with the resources he had, but it had proven to be an excellent source of inspiration. If he could not find her true name than he would create one for her, Galbatorix cast a spell that did not wipe her memories away but merely lay them dormant once again. Creating the new personality was even easier. Snippets of false memories formed who she was; not only did he have her true name now and the oaths that bound her to him but he had her loyalty as only he could offer her the power that she craved. Of course there were some unseen reactions, such as the girl's infatuation with Murtagh, though the boy didn't seem to mind the attention. But still Galbatorix knew he had nothing to worry about, he would learn from Morzan's mistake, throughout her memories the girl was taught hat 'love' of any kind would make her weak and without love to change her true name his spell was a true masterpiece.

The doors to his throne room were thrown open as Nerezza, entered dragging a bleeding man by the scruff of his shirt with her. The new personality had completely usurped what there had once been. Slightly bowing she spoke. "I apologize for the intrusion sire." She pushed the man forward; he rolled over on to his back and looked into the eyes of the mad king. The man went paler than he was already from blood loss. "But I believed you would like to hear this man's information for yourself." Aveline had flourished as the new head of the Black Hand far surpassing any previous conception of his spell. She had risen through the ranks of her own doing, in less than a week, by either forcing others to her will or simply killing all those that stood in her way. Aveline stood tall, in a blouse of her own (spell made) making, the purple fabric was tight upon her body but exposed much of her chest and a hood that he suspected was only there for aesthetics. Her arms were covered by long black fingerless gloves, she also wore black leather pants though at her waist pieces of fabric fell in strips, forming some kind of skirt. And like always she wore a flower freshly picked upon her belt, this time a yellow chrysanthemum. She smashed the man's hand with the heel of her black boot. "Speak worm." When the man did not speak she turned to Galbatorix. "I'm apologize sire, he merely needs a bit more encouragement. Brisingr." Purple black flames erupted into existence above Aveline's palm. The second the man saw them his eyes widened and his body broke out into a cold sweat along with his voice.

"T-the Varden!" He yelled out in a panic. "They have sent a number of people to reclaim the heirloom of the Grey Folk." For only the briefest moment a look of shock passed over Aveline's face, the man had not revealed their motive for arriving in U'rubean. Just as quickly a Aveline's face changed to victory. Already she began to devise a plan to retrieve this '"heirloom" whatever it may be.

"I will began preparations immediately sire."

"No!" Galbatorix shouted. Aveline shrank back with her head bowed. "Send another."

"B-but sire I am the most talented of the Black Hand if anyone should go it should be I-" She was cut off by Galbatoirx's demand; words of the ancient language boomed through the air forcing the girl to comply.

"Eitrum Delois, I forbid you to go after these Varden agents." Glabatorix looked down at the compliant girl and placed a façade of care. "True you are the most talented of the Black Hand but you have already proven your worth many times over. Allow another to prove they are not useless." She bowed her head slightly and kept her eyes down to hide the look of disobedience upon her face.

"I will send Taliesin than." She turned quickly and in a state of passive aggression left the tortured man with Galbatorix. Once the doors were shut the mad king looked at the bleeding man. With a wave of his hand the man was covered in black flames, the man screamed but eventually those were quieted.

\/\/\/

Aveline walked down the corridors of the palace listening to her own footsteps echo off of the stone walls. Silently she fumed. Grabbing the flower from her belt, looking at her only thoughts were right yet wrong. As if her glare was strong enough to kill it the flower began to wilt. Tossing it to the floor Aveline stepped on it with her boot. She continued down the hall only to be pulled into an adjacent hallway darkened by the absence of torches. Almost instantly she felt warm lips against her own and quickly she smiled her anger forgotten for the moment. As always his arms were at each side of her caging her in his embrace.

"Murtagh." She spoke breathlessly. "I thought you would be somewhere in sky with Thorn right about now." His right arm fell as his hand trails up her thigh.

"It seems you lost track of time." He words muffled as his lips found her neck. "Did the flower do something wrong?" For a few hazy seconds Aveline was lost as to what he meant until she remembered the flower she had crushed beneath her foot.

"No, they just wilt too quickly for my liking." Murtagh could hear the pout in her voice.

"You are a talented magician why don't you just make one?"

"I have thought of that." She answered her lips discovering his again. "However it just seems to blasé to create one from some common material and as my mother always said a flower's only worth lies in its ability to let other girls know that you have a man, and only then it only means something if you can show it every day and flowers well they wilt within the day." As she recalled her memory something seemed off.

"Was that supposed to be some kind of hint?" Murtagh asked a crooked smile playing upon his lips. Aveline rolled her eyes.

"No, it wasn't. I get much better things from you than a 'flower'. In fact it is more like the opposite of a flower…" She trailed off playing coy until Murtagh placed his mouth back upon her neck. Now that was a hint. "Will you be in your chambers tonight?" A devilish grin broke across Murtagh's face sending shivers throughout Aveline's body.

"That depends, will you?"*

"I see that the answer to both of our questions is yes." They continued with their business until a servant stumbled upon them and quickly hurried off. They broke apart and went their separate ways almost as though it didn't happen, except for the purple marks of proof on each of their necks. As Aveline continued to her destination and find Taliesin, her thoughts hounded her. Her mother, she rembered her mother's saying and telling her many different pieces of advice but she couldn't remember her mother's voice. Or for that matter her death. She knew that her parents were dead but…she couldn't remember them dying. Shaking her head she tried to think of more interesting things. She thought of the idiot Taliesin, he had no talent he was merely able to use magic the only reason he was in the Black Hand was because h followed orders well. Thinking more about his mission Aveline realized that she was forbidden from going after the Varden Agents but she was not forbidden from baiting them to her.

So I hope that is clear Aveline = Nerezza(dormant memories) + new false memories.

*I wasn't sure if it was clear but Murtagh was asking if she would be in his Chambers.

Also did that require any kind of warning, for like hormone control?