Chapter 21
"Breaking Point"

Eragon tossed Madrid's words through his mind over and over again. "'I'm not the enemy, just a different kind of ally." He quoted in his mind.

"If she is an ally then she must prove it!" Said Saphira with a firm tone, "so far she has proven her magic and trickery. I do not trust her and never will." Saphira was almost to the palace after her hunt. Eragon was sure he would see her bright blue wings within the hour as he waited with Madrid and walked back to the stables.

"On the other hand, she has done nothing to physically hurt us, yet. Maybe she is just waiting for an opportunity for us to show her we are willing to at least try and trust her."

"You are too forgiving, Eragon. If it was just me and her I would rip her to shreds, without a hint of remorse. But she is waiting for an opportunity." At first Eragon inwardly smiled to himself until Saphira finished her statement. "An opportunity to kill or betray us."

"You don't know that." he argued back.

"And neither do you. She has proved herself to me. I don't like her."

"I think we should let her at least try to get through to Glaedr. I can't bear to see him like this anymore. I fear he is already dead to us; Galbatorix would have trusted her with it and she knows the penalty of failure for him would be death. She must be good at it or he wouldn't have let her anywhere near the Eldunarí." Eragon pleaded.

"She is good at it, and that is what I don't like."

"Please, Saphira, it may be our only chance. We can stay with her the entire time. We won't leave Glaedr alone."

"I want you to know that I don't like it one bit, but for Glaedr's sake I hope she can help." Saphira consented.

When Eragon and Madrid reached the stables, she took several steps inside and realized Eragon was still at the door. "Aren't you coming? I wish to see Ajax and get my things."

Eragon nodded firmly and walked past her. She fell into line behind him as he led her to the black stallion's stall. When the horse heard footsteps his head swiveled around and glanced at the passersby. At the sight of Madrid his ears perked up and he trotted up to the door. Ajax tossed his mane at the arrival of his mistress. Madrid kept her pace behind Eragon until she was even with the stall door. She reached out her hand and the horse pressed his nose into her open palm. She ran her hand up his face and down his neck as far as she could reach. Ajax nuzzled her shoulder with his nose teasingly. She gave him a small smile. She walked over to an open feedbag and grabbed a handful of oats. She held her palm out flat and watched as the horse's whiskers tickled her palm. As he ate, she stroked his neck. When he was finished he slightly turned and Madrid could see some dirt on him. She turned to Eragon. "May I brush him; it doesn't look like anyone has done it in a while."

"Well….. Of course." Eragon stuttered. He was a little surprised at how much authority she gave him when they both knew she was the stronger one.

Without another word she saw Ajax's tack opposite his stall. She looked through the saddlebags until she found a brush. She unlatched the hinge and stepped inside with the giddy horse. She kept one hand on him as she brushed in steady, long strokes. The horse murmured in pleasure. Every once I a while Ajax would turn around and nudge her, but other than that he stayed still.

She had already brushed his tail and was just finishing his mane. Eragon hadn't said a word to her the entire time. She wondered if he was talking to Saphira, or if he was thinking about battles of the past and future, or was he thinking about his family, or the village Carvahall, which he used to call home. She finished. Ajax did a half-prance and shook out his mane. She patted him twice and he turned his face to her. She stuck out her hand and he once again pressed his nose to it; she lightly kissed him on the middle of his nose and walked out of the stall.

She took both saddle bags and threw on over each shoulder. "What are those?" Eragon questioned.

Madrid looked almost astonished at his question. "Well, these are my things, my clothes, my armor, and my travel necessities. I want to wash up and change when we get back to the rooms."

Eragon forgot she had spent almost a week in the dungeon. He looked her up and down. She was right, she did need to clean up; her hair was still matted and her dress dirty and torn. He guessed it was alright. "Let me see what's in there."

She looked at him like he was a fool, but he didn't care. He would rather look like one now than be made a fool of later. She set down the bags with a sigh. He opened the flap and looked through. Mainly clothes and armor took up the entire bag, but then he saw some pans and bread and cheese and a canteen of water. There were a few odds and ends things, but nothing potentially dangerous.

"We will wait here for Saphira." He told her as he handed her the saddlebag. "She should be here shortly."

Madrid gave no inquiry or acknowledgement that she heard him, but instead sat on a nearby hay bale. She rolled a thread that had worked its way loose from her bag between her fingers. She watched, transfixed, as the little piece twirled faster. "Madrid." She startled at the voice. "Saphira's here. Let's go." Madrid heard the steady beating of Saphira's wings, as she stood and walked to the door to stand next to Eragon.

Saphira pulled her wings in as she landed gracefully on the stone walkway. She crouched low as the shock pushed her down. She raised her neck when she saw Madrid and let out a low growl. She parted her lips just so the white of her ivory teeth were showing; Madrid understood the meaning. She curtsied slightly, but didn't bow her head so she could watch Saphira.

"Let's go," urged Eragon, "before flames shoot from your eyes. Come on both of you." Eragon tried to act calm, but they stood and glared at each other. Saphira snarled a bit. Madrid gave a look that would surely strike fear into any person, but she wasn't up against a person, her opponent was a dragon. "Saphira," Eragon's tried to put a sense of power into his voice. "It isn't worth it, not now at least."

"Your right, Eragon, she isn't worth anything." Saphira lowered her defense. She growled one final time before turning to follow Eragon. Madrid picked her saddlebags off of the ground and slung them over her shoulder. She took a few steps forward; she stopped when she heard the piercing cry of a raven. She looked around a bit and tried to spot it, but couldn't find the black bird. It cawed again; this time she found it. Only the raven was snow white. She thought it was curious and fascinating. She took note of it then jogged until she caught up with the dragon and her Rider. Eragon rode on top of Saphira but kept a close eye on Madrid as she walked beside.

As they approached the tree house Eragon slid down the side of Saphira and jumped the last remaining feet. His feet touched the ground with a hard thump. Saphira took off and circled the tree a few times before Madrid saw her go into the large window at the back of her room. Eragon gestured with a hand, "come on, Saphira will meet us in her room."

Madrid tilted her head in answer and followed him quietly behind. Madrid idly followed until she realized they were in the hallway to her room. When he stopped at the door she gave him a questioning look. "You said you wanted to clean up and change. Well, here's your chance." He opened the door and gestured for her to go in.

"Thank you, Eragon." She muttered as she kept her head down. Her green eyes glanced up at his as she walked through the open door.

Eragon walked across the hall and into his own room. He sat wearily on the bed and put his head into his hands and sighed. "What am I going to do?" he asked himself. "I don't know who to trust, or how to even tell if I can trust them. Islandazí has her own intentions for the egg; Saphira thinks she is the best keeper, which I can't say I disagree. And Madrid serves Galbatorix, but might be our best option. Islandazí did have a point; she would know more about the egg."

"Eragon, I was an egg. I know what it feels like, how hard it is to spend an eternity without contact and being left along with your thoughts forever. I can help this egg the most. You should know that."

"I want to believe you, Saphira, and I do to a point. I believe you are the best to provide comfort to it, but only its rider will ever understand it. Right know we need someone to keep the egg from Galbatorix. Who else better than a captive, she would be undetected. And what if you are captured or hurt, or if I am. I know you would give your life to save mine, even if it was in vain. And what if…"

"And what if the sky falls from the heavens or if the stars wage war against us. Eragon this is not about the 'what ifs'; it is about saving my kind and the Riders as well. It is about defeating our enemies and breaking beliefs. It is about our destiny and the destiny of this egg."

Eragon chuckled, "as always you are right. When I bring her down there I am going to have her try to get to Glaedr. I hope it works."

"For her sake, I hope it works." Saphira said with a low growl.

Eragon heard his door open. "I thought I might find you here." Said Madrid. She looked as beautiful as ever. Her silky black hair gleamed in the lamplight. She wore tan pants and an earth- tone, green tunic. The sleeves were loose and she wore a brown belt around her waist. Her green eyes seemed to shine with a newfound intensity.

Eragon stood and walked over to her. "Saphira is waiting for us; we need to speak with you."

"Of course." She said submissively. Eragon was worried; he had always thought she could never be this corporative. It wasn't like what he had seen of her before. He was even more cautious now that she could strike and any minute. He would not be caught by surprise.

Saphira was waiting patiently for them; she was lying down, just know Madrid realized Saphira had to lie down because of her height. Eragon closed the door behind and Madrid looked suspiciously at him. She could tell this was for her ears only, but that was fine with her. She knew how to keep secrets. Madrid cautiously watched Saphira in case she would lash out.

"Madrid, as you know Glaedr is dead. He left with us his Eldunarí, but ever since Orosmis died…"

She silenced him with a raised hand, "I know what you mean. I've seen it too many times to count. What is your point?"

"Well, I know you have worked with them before and I want you to help him." Madrid gave him a quaint, humorless smile.

"You are learning not to ask and demand. Good I'm glad I could help in at least one way. But I will only consider it if I can be sure it will just be Glaedr and I when I am helping."

"No, absolutely not!" Saphira cut in.

"Why?" asked Eragon.

"Because I can guarantee you aren't going to like what you see. I can only help him one way or he will be lost forever. I have seen others try different ways, but they all fail. Most don't have the strength to do it. I do; I will do whatever it takes, and you don't like that." Said Madrid with authority. She was her old self again. No longer submissive, but defiant. She was always looking for ways to control Eragon, or so it seemed. Eragon looked at Saphira; she glared back with deadly blue eyes.

"We will stay, and you will help him."

She stared at him for a few moments before nodding her head. "Fine, but do not interrupt. If you can watch no longer, step outside. Better yet, leave the building I do not want to do anymore than I have to. I will warn you though; this will be the first of many sessions. I have done this twice before. One took me a year and four months; my second took me almost three years. May I begin?"

Eragon hesitated but walked over to Saphira's saddlebags. He stooped and pulled out the great glowing, golden sphere. It shimmered and Eragon felt the dragon's horrific pain within himself. He wanted to cry or vomit or both. He set the sphere before Madrid. "Do it." Was all he told her.

She knelt by the gem. She put her hands close to it, but didn't touch it. She caressed the outside of the glow. She took deep breathes as she closed her eyes. She felt it all around. Then she touched it. At first nothing happened. Her forehead wrinkled a bit, he could see her eyes move under her eyelids.

Then she released her magic into him. She went rigid. Her muscles tightened; her jaw clenched together. Her forehead wrinkled painfully together. She breathed in sharply.

That's when Eragon heard the scream.

It was otherworldly. He hoped it would stop and he would never hear it again. It brought to memory all of the sad and terrible things that had happened in his life and amplified them. He covered his ears, but it was too late the scream had already infiltrated his system. He couldn't get rid of the lingering echo, it pierced through him, gave him pain like he had never felt before. The cream turned into complete pain. It was all he could think about; he thought it lasted forever and a second all at the same time. He looked around the room through watery eyes. Saphira had turned her head away. He could feel her with his mind. Madrid's back was arched and her head thrown back. Her hands were still touching the eldunarí. He expected to find her mouth open, letting out the unearthly scream, but her lips were pressed tightly together. Her eyes were shut and her body tense. It was then Eragon realized the scream had come from Glaedr.

All of the sudden it stopped. The scream still lingered in his mind, but it had finally stopped. Eragon almost wanted to cry with joy because it stopped. He could feel his mental contact with Saphira again. He looked to Madrid. She was collapsed on the ground, her hands had finally let go of the golden heart. Eragon staggered over and tried to get her up. Her eyes slowly opened and she began to push herself upright. "What happened? What was that scream?" Eragon asked immediately.

"That is what happens when you try to break them." She answered casually.

"Break them? What do you mean, 'break them'."

"I mean break the hold over them. He went through the most painful thing he has ever endured. Pain put him in this; pain is the only thing that can get through to them. The only way to make them forget the pain of losing someone is to give them a greater pain. That is what I tried to do."

"Tried. Does that mean it didn't work?" Eragon asked worried.

"No, like I said I once spent three years trying to break one. Pain this great is hard to overcome. When they fight back I know they are broken. They will hate me, because of the pain, but they will also thank me, for taking the first pain away. The pain I give them will stop temporarily, but the pain they had before was constant. The screams will get worse, much worse. This is why most of Galbatorix's slaves can't do it. They can't stand the pain it gives them as well; it also takes an incredible amount of energy to create that much pain. In some of the final stages of breaking, I will be unconscious for several days. This is not an easy task you gave me. Not for anyone."

Eragon looked to his teacher, "What have I brought upon you, my friend?" Eragon thought he saw a glimpse of Glaedr's eye. He looked up to Saphira. She looked to the ground with sad eyes. He turned back to Madrid's fierce eyes.
"This is why you should've listened to me when I told you to leave." Madrid stated.

A/N: hey sorry for the delay in the upload. Just couldn't get a break. Anyway, what do you think about the eldunarí breaking, good theory or a dud? Either way I'm sticking to it, but it's always nice to get a second opinion. And I just want to thank all of you that review every chapter. I always look forward to what you're going to say or your opinion on a certain viewpoint. I literally live for feedback. In other news, we are doing the Wizard of Oz for our high school musical and I got the lion! Yay! Yes I am a girl, but there are like 6 guys in the choir who won't try out so good for me! Sorry that has nothing to do with my story, but I'm just so excited I had to tell everyone!

Please Review!