OMG, this one may make and break hearts. Laugh and cry stuff. I changed the story line up a little as I mentioned before, but here is chapter unlucky 13!

Btw, a teeny part in here gets a little teeny bit steamy, but it lasts for like, a second!

Chapter 13: A Surprise, and Another

Murtagh held her fair hands in his as he knelt. She put one to her mouth in shock. "I love you, and I know we can make this work." 'Oh my gosh, I'm going to be sick!' He looked up at her with pure love in his eyes, and a tear rolled down Ardice's cheek. 'Oh! What should I do?'

"Ardice, will you be my wife?"

The newly-engaged lovebirds raced across the bridge into the living quarters to tell Eragon and Saphira of their news. Ardice bolted ahead and burst the door open to find Eragon and Arya having tea. She ran to him and nearly knocked him down with her hug. "I'm to be married!!! Oh Eragon, isn't it wonderful?!" Arya came and put her hand on Ardice's shoulder as the two congratulated her. Murtagh stood in the doorway with his hand up against the frame. The only thing he loved more than Ardice was Ardice when she was joyful. She looked back to him, then back to Arya, who insisted that she came to her chambers at once to tell her everything.

"I don't know, it just...happened, I guess."

"How long have you known him exactly?"

"A few months- but we know its right. I feel so safe with him and I feel this is the right choice." Arya beamed. It wasn't everyday that Ardice was very happy.

"So, when will you be returning to the Knights?"

Ardice dropped her empty tea china, which shattered with ease.

"Ugh, gerfindme." The teacup fixed itself immediately and floated back to Ardice's extended hand.

"I hadn't thought about that," said she, fiddling with the handle with nervousness. Arya took the china from her and put it gently back on the saucer before taking her empty hand in hers.

"I'm sure it'll work out somehow. You and Murtagh are so lovely together, and they still have to accept that their king is married, yes?"

"No," said Ardice, eyes to the floor. "I don't know what they'll think. Murtagh wouldn't fit in their anyways."

"Can't he become a Knight? I saw him in the battle, and he's an exceptional fighter for a mortal."

"No, strictly elven kind are allowed. Arya, what am I to do?"

Nearing mid-night, Murtagh wandered up some long stairways, not sure of where he was going, but he knew Ardice was up here somewhere. He found her on the roof, looking out to the fields like he had seen her earlier, but she wasn't wearing orange for the first time. A light blue gown contrasted with her pale skin and her eyes. Her long kinky hair fell down her back. Half of her hair was pulled back so her pointed ears were visible. He walked up behind her and snaked his arms around her stomach as he laid his head on her shoulder.

They stayed like that for a while before Ardice said, "Hrothgar wants me to go to Tronjheim in a few weeks."

Murtagh raised his head. "Why?"

She turned to face him so his arms held her back. "Negotiations." She kissed him. He ran a hand through her soft hair.

"For the Knights you mean?" he asked.

"Yes, I'll be a representative there."

They broke apart. "How long have you known Hrothgar?"

"For years, maybe ten years, why?"

"I just wanted to know," said Murtagh. He leaned in to kiss her again. She didn't refuse, but his lust began to grow. He ran his hands across her back and undid a few buttons as he kissed Ardice's neck. 'Oh stop! Tell him to stop! I can't do this!'

"Murtagh," she breathed. He kissed her mouth hard. 'Knock him down! Do something!'

She was able to break away from his kiss to rebutton her dress.

"Murtagh, what are you trying to do?"

"We're engaged now, love. We can consummate now, can we not?"

"No, we can't. I'm not ready for this and neither should you be."

Murtagh stepped back from her. "Can you not accept that I love you?"

Ardice made to walk away but Murtagh grabbed her wrist. She smacked his hand away.

"That's not love."

"If making love isn't the best way to give you my love, then I don't know love."

"You will know well not to test me. If you really loved me, you would respect me."

"If you loved me, you would do what we must!"

Ardice was disgusted and enraged at his hurtful words. She hit his face hard and swept down the stairs to her chambers, where she wept herself to sleep.

Screams made their way to Ardice's room. She ran from her bed in her gown with her sword in her hand. Looking over the ledge of a window, horror filled her eyes. Urgals had reentered Farthen Dur. Citizens were running towards her.

"Hey! HEY! Where's Arya? Murtagh? Dragon Rider?!"

Ardice tried to ask them, but they fled in the direction she wasn't going. Bolting to the end of the hall to enter the grounds, a Kull appeared in the doorway. Ardice engaged in combat with the beast, defeating him after a few minutes. More shrieks were heard from the grounds.

Ardice ran outside and saw Ajihad fall to the ground. He had been slain by Urgals, but not before killing many of them himself. Her eyes filled with rage as she plummeted towards the three Urgals, swinging her sword like she had lost her mind. She managed to kill two and wound the other. Arya was up on the stone wall fighting and Eragon was flying Saphira, aiming flames at the beasts below them, but her Murtagh was no where in sight. Everywhere Ardice ran, large tunnels prohibited her from going far on flat ground. 'Dwarves! They've already gone in and looked for most of them, I bet!'

All the Urgals/Kull had been killed. Ardice walked everywhere, trying to find Murtagh. 'If he was slain...no, he wasn't. I'd feel it if he had...died.' The dwarves and citizens gathered around Ajihad's lifeless body, some weeping, some wailing. Nasuada was crumpled on the ground. Ardice looked around. Dead innocent people and everyone was crying. Her gaze turned to one of the tunnels. Near the opening was a bloody tunic- Murtagh's.