Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon, all credit goes to the awesome Christopher Paolini. I only own Ria and my made up dragon friend. Am I going crazy?
A/N: I am so sorry that it took soooo long to update. I was royally busy and stuff..now schools over so I will try to update often. Just to let you know, I will accept flames, but I can't say I won't flame back if I feel your words are unjustly written.
Tatteredpages: Thank you so much for your review. I've been trying very hard to keep her in character, and keep her developed. Please continue to read and review.
Vulpix4Life: I'm trying to make it a Murtagh/Oc, and am really trying to make it so the feelings between them develop, but not too fast. She already knows that she cares about him, but she is confused on the fact that she doesn't know if he is more like a close friend or something more. She thinks it is more, and maybe it will come out more when they make it to the Varden and he gets a little interested in Nassuada.
Blackhawk12340: Thanks for your review. Brom is dead. This takes place as Murtagh and Eragon are heading to Gil'ead to find the guy who'll tell them where the Varden is.
Chickdrummer37: Thank you so much! Her mom is full elf from Ellesmera and was also a dragon rider that was slaughtered by the Forsworn, and her dad was a soldier in the army of Avalon (which is a place outside of Alagaesia that I made up). So I guess you call it half-elf?
Citypigeon: Thanks so much for reviewing. I'm gald you like it so far, and will certainly try to update more often.
Ria couldn't sleep, no matter how hard she tried. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Galbatorix's majestic, yet terrible, face staring at her with piercing eyes. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to find her. Maybe she was right, or maybe it was just her nervousness that had her dreading the worse.
She huddled by the fire, shivering. Not because she was cold, but because she was scared, confused, anxious, and alone. Ria had no one to talk to, so she stared blankly into the fire, trying to not think about the danger that was pursuing her.
When did she get to be such a coward? She wondered at her behavior, which was horribly uncontrollable. She felt her self control stripped away, and her cold, scared self -the Ria she used to know- bare and exposed. It had been so long since she had felt so many feelings, it seemed like it was a thousand lifetimes away. Ria scowled, straining to find some reason and resolve.
She felt a friendly presence nudging her mind, and gratefully let Vanilor into her rambling thoughts.
Do not trouble yourself, little one. I will protect you. His comforting words resonated inside her head, and she smiled despite her still nervous composure.
It's hard not to…..I can only imagine what he will do when he finds me.
He won't get near you, trust me…..not as long as I'm around. Vanilor's voice was reassuring and trusting, and Ria smiled again, glad to have someone to share her thoughts with.
She stood up and tightened her cloak around her, and she walked past the sleeping forms of her two new traveling companions. Vanilor was settled near Sapphira, and his golden eyes peaked groggily out from underneath his silvery lids. Sapphira must have sensed her, because she opened her eyes, and cast her a sleepy look before going back to sleep. Ria laid down against Vanilor's scaly side, feeling the warm, undistinguishable fire inside his body. Vanilor stretched a enormous wing over her body to block out the coolness of the night.
Ria still couldn't sleep, and she eventually crawled out from Vanilors outstretched wing, and walked back over to the campfire to muse somemore. Murtagh was up, and was absentmindedly scratching at the ground with a stick. She sat down near him, and looked at his perplexed face. His eyebrows were drawn together, and he was obviously thinking about something very important.
"Couldn't sleep?" He asked, as Ria rubbed her temples because she felt a migraine coming on.
"No, not even if I really wanted to." She squinted, as a piercing pain poked at the back of her eyes. "I keep seeing his face, no matter what I do, I can't shake the feeling that he's going to find me."
"Then you dread the same thing I do." He looked up at her. "Aren't you afraid to go to the Varden? They'll know you served under Galbatorix, you can tell just by looking at you. When I look at you and Eragon, it is you who carries the look of assurance."
Ria flashed an ironic grin, "Funny….I don't feel one bit assured about who, or what, I am. The only one that gives me the little bit of confidence that I do have, is Vanilor. He keeps me going." Ria thought about the Varden issue. "I don't think that I'm scared of going, just a little apprehensive on meeting them, seeing as I have formerly worked for the King. It would certainly give them a reason to not trust me."
"They'll probably imprison us." Murtagh said with mock happiness. "That's why I won't be with you guys through the whole journey there, I'll hopefully end up in Surda."
"I don't know. If I show them this," Ria pulled her mother's necklace out of the neck of her tunic, "they might trust me……or at least not lock me up."
It finally dawned on Ria that she was as well off as a fugitive, and she would have laughed about it if it weren't for her growing migraine. She reached half-hazardly into her bag and pulled out a flask full of Maggy's tonic.
"It will take them a lot to trust you." Murtagh rubbed his chin.
Ria nodded as she swallowed the bitter tonic, but suddenly coughed at the spiciness of it. She had grabbed the wrong tonic. Ria cursed, and Murtagh raised his eyebrow at her new selection of vocabulary.
"How far are we from Gil'ead?"
"I don't know," He sighed and rested his head in his hand, "A few more days, and we should be there."
Ria nodded and stood up.
"Where are you going?"
"To sleep. Besides……it's your watch now."
The sun was rising, and Ria cracked her eyes open. She took in her surroundings, and groggily sat up. Vanilor was gone, and Ria assumed it was because she went to find food. Saphira was circling overhead, but only appeared as a small speck in the sky. Murtagh was saddling up the two horses, and Eragon was dowsing the fire and gearing up. Ria followed suit.
"Why didn't you wake me?" She questioned the busy men.
"Didn't feel the need to." Murtagh answered shortly.
"So sorry to disturb you Lord Mutagh, but what, and with who, am I going to ride?"
Murtagh shot her a glare and began to open his mouth, but Eragon intervened, "We figured that I would ride Saphira, and you would ride Snowfire."
Before Ria could protest Murtagh cut her off.
"It would be no use to argue Rianna, it is the better way."
"How so?" She rested her hand on the hilt of her sword, and narrowed her eyes at him, but then softened her expression out of guilt. She had no reason to be so short with him, he had done so much for her.
"Well, the kingdom is looking for Eragon, and it would be better if me and him weren't seen traveling together." Murtagh gave her a "stop asking questions look".
Ria shrugged, "Okay."
--
Ria bounced up and down on Snowfire and they galloped toward Gil'ead. She was extremely board, so decided on striking up a conversation with Murtagh. She urged Snowfire a little faster so that she could match his pace. He was deep in thought, an expression that she was used to seeing on him. Ria couldn't help but smile, even though she was in the situation she was in. She knew that in order to survive the hard times, she had to find some joy in the situation.
"So….." Ria began. "What exactly are your plans?"
"I'm not sure yet." He murmered.
"So is this just to occupy you until you figure it out?" The moment she said it, she wished that she hadn't. He gave her a dark look, but she knew that in a way, he knew it was true.
"You're worried about me? What about you?"
"I never said I was worried, just curious is all….besides I told you my plans last night." She smirked at him.
"You seem different since the last time we talked at the castle." He looked at her seriously as they galloped in sink with each other.
"I've changed." She said simply. "So…..what was the reason for sticking me with you, and Eragon in the sky."
"Well, for one, I need to talk to you,"
"So talk."
"Secondly, Eragon got his ribs broken about a week ago, and they are in the process of healing. It will be much more easier for him if he weren't on a horse, and instead riding smoothly on a dragon."
Ria snorted, "Trust me, it's not as smooth as you may think, but, it is smoother than a horse." Ria adjusted her quiver. "Now what did you want to talk about?"
"Do you think it's a good idea to go to the Varden? Wouldn't it just be easier to go to Surda, and just leave this all behind?"
"Is that what you're doing? Leaving it all behind, I mean." She looked at him seriously. "Is that another reason you're not going to the Varden."
He gave her a hard look, but focused his gaze ahead, "You know me Rianna, I've grown up with this all my life, and for once, I'd like to not have to worry about being in the middle of things."
"It would be so easy to leave." Ria added.
"Exactly."
"Maybe easy is what you want, but it's not what I want." Ria sighed to herself. "Sure, I'd love to just fly off to Surda and forget about all this, but I was given a gift of being a dragon rider. Besides, it wouldn't be honorable to just up and leave, the rebels are going to need all the dragon riders they can get….Galbatorix is not some amateur." Ria looked at him, "Don't you want to prove that you're not like your father, and don't you want to bring the King down?"
"It's not that easy." He gritted his teeth in frustration, and urged his horse faster. Ria pushed Snowfire faster as well.
"Nothing's ever easy Murtagh!" She shouted after him.
He looked back at her fleetingly, but kept moving forward. Ria realized that the land was flattening out, and was becoming more grassier. The hills sloped softly into an endless sea of grass, and there were no trees for miles. She was reluctant to go any further because she felt ill prepared for the journey. She didn't have enough water.
"Damn it." She whispered, still urging her horse after Murtagh. She didn't know what she had gotten into, but it would have been easier to just to fly into the mountains to hide. Why did Vanilor think so god damn much?
It was a while until they stopped for the night. The sun was just beginning to set, and the suns rays left a red and gold glow to the sky. A few black crows darted about, but no real life showed itself. They were camped in the middle of nowhere, with only the sky above them, and a whole lot of grass stretching as far as the eye could see.
Ria looked hopelessly around her. She was beginning to doubt ever leaving the city. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and thought it was Murtagh.
"It's not as bad as it seems," Eragon said, "It will only take a couple days to cross." He walked backed to setting up camp.
Vanilor landed next to her, and hummed contently. His silver scales sparkled in the setting sun. They reflected the different hues of reds and purples, rippling across his body like an ocean as he moved.
What troubles you little one?
Self doubt. That's what. She sat down and crossed her legs, resting her head in her hands.
How's Murtagh?
Not talking to me. She gave Vanilor a sad smile.
He's wise, he knows that you are right, but he also knows that saying and doing are two different things. His life has been tough on him, and he probably deserves a break.
You're probably right.
I know I'm right. He stated smugly.
Ria shoved his nose playfully, You think you're so wise.
Vanilor snapped back, just as playfully.
Ria dove at his neck, and pushed her body wait into him. He didn't fall over, but Ria hit him and landed on her back with a thud. Vanilor put his face in hers, and looked at her amusedly. He then opened his mouth and breathed in her face.
"Uh, damn Vanilor!" She plugged her nose and rolled over on her stomach.
He nudged her side with his nose, and she laughed.
Vanilor plopped down heavily beside her.
I'm glad that we found each other.
Me too, little one.
She rubbed his nose lovingly, and continued layin in the grass till she fell asleep.
Ria was chained to a wall, and silvery blood was pooled at her feet. Vanilor lay dead in front of her. Galbatorix laughed, and looked at her with pure malice.
"You can't escape me that easily." He walked defiantly around the small dank room. "Because of your insolence, your dragon is dead."
"Screw you, you murderer! Slayer of dragons! Betrayer and filth! Forsworn scum! I was never loyal to you! I played you, and you fell for it! Curse you and your dragon, I hope you die a slow and painful death. The same painful death you made my mother experience…." Ria snarled as she pulled at the chains in the wall.
"Your mother was an insufferable Bitch." He snarled. "Oh yes," Galbatorix smiled, "I remember her Ria, you remind me so much of her…..now you will die like her."
-------------
Ria's eyes snapped open, and she was brought back to reality. She sat up breathing heavy, and she wiped beads of sweat from her forehead. Her limbs were shaking profusely, and she had an empty feeling in her stomach. Ria pulled her knees up to her chest, and put her head on them. Her head throbbed painfully, and she still couldn't calm her shaking. Ria squeezed her eyes shut, tyring to get Galbatorix's face out of her head…..he was trying to drive her to insanity…she knew it. He was everywhere….She felt like she was going crazy, and no matter what she did, he always seemed to find her.
Vanilor! She screamed mentally, with all of her might.
Then she let her body collapse onto the ground, and she waited, listening for the rush of the wind from Vanilor's wings.