Reluctant Agreement

Arinel jogged up the stairs of the tower to Eragon's cell. She had a water skin, some food and a lot of bandages in a pack slung across her back.

When she was near the top she heard singing, a beautiful slow melody in the ancient language. The moment it met her ears she stumbled from exhaustion.

Eragon. She thought.

She marched up the tower with now great determination to the top level. The singing got louder as she drew nearer and she found that most of the guards we're fighting the urge to sleep.

She unlocked the door and went inside. Instantly the weariness wore off and she locked the large wooden door again.

Magic she thought with disbelief. He'd done magic in the though the void.

Eragon was dangling by his wrists from the wall with his back to her. She saw every cut, bruise and burn that happened to his back and it made her feel ill.

"You have a beautiful voice." She commented walking around to face him.

He turned his head in her direction and she muffled a gasp. His face that had been so perfect the other day was horribly bruised. One eye was blackened and shut, the other was not much better. He had blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth and his chest had been cut precisely in various patterns.

"Thank you." He replied.

"Almost magical." She said anger beginning to boil.

"Thank you."

"You idiot!" she yelled quietly so the guards would not over hear.

"Excuse me?" said Eragon anger on the edge of his voice.

"If Galbatorix found out what you are doing it will make you escape infinitely harder."

"Oh, and I am supposed to just trust you implicitly am?!"

"You have no choice Eragon! I am your only hope of escaping!"

A few minutes of silent anger passed between them until Arinel sighed and said "I've managed to convince Galbatorix that it would be easier to treat you wounds if you were let down from those chains. I need your word that you won't try to escape."

Eragon sighed but then nodded.

Arinel went over to the bails of hay and picked up the shackles. She placed them on Eragon's arms below the chains holding him to the ceiling, then she undid the chains.

Instantly he collapsed on to her, but she was ready.

"I've got you." She grunted under his weight.

Slowly with Eragon leaning on her the entire way, they hobbled over to bails of hay. Arinel laid Eragon face down gently in the hay and began to treat his wounds.

"Uru'bean's people want you free." She said while applying bandages.

"They aren't doing much about it." He grumbled.

"They can't." explained Arinel "I can and I will."

Eragon forced himself to stand. He swayed on his feet, then staggered to the barred window and looked longingly out of it. After a few minutes Arinel got up and stood next to him.

"You will get out Eragon, I promise you." She said trying to comfort him.

He sighed as if admitting defeat and then replied "I suppose I have no choice but to trust you."

"No, you don't."

"When?"

"The guard rota on the potion and you sword will have guards loyal to me in three weeks."

"Three weeks?!" exclaimed Eragon whipping round.

"I'm sorry but-"

"I won't survive three weeks!"

"You have to."

"That's easy for you to say, your not the one getting tortured!"

"I know, but-"

"And your not cut off from you dragon either!"

Arinel's blue eyes widened.

"How? How did you know?"

"The rim of your glove shifted when you undid my chains and I saw your insignia."

Arinel stood their in complete shock not knowing what to do or say.

"And yet you still expect me to trust you." Stated Eragon.

"Yes." She finally said.

"And yet, I still have no choice."

"No."

Eragon stood still for a few moments and then said "I'll go along with your plan but, if you are lying tome, it won't be me that needs healing."

"Very well, Eragon. I'm not lying."

"We'll see."