"Very soon little one, very soon we will leave," the girl whispered to the stone, it was a brilliant green, with white veins. A knock sounded on the door, quickly she hid the stone under a floor board, "skölir," she whispered shielding the stone from unwanted eyes. She stood up, flattening out the wrinkles in her white night gown, pulling on her emerald green silk robe, walking to the thick oak door, "Who is it?" she asked. When no answer came she simply opened it up, she bit her lip, worried, if her fathers wishes had come true... She shook the thoughts from her head and looked to see who it was... it was Murtagh.
"Alexandria," he whispered, bowing slightly, walking into her room, not meeting her questioning eyes, finally he looked up, his face looked twisted in agony.
"What is it?" she asked worried, he never bowed to her, or called her Alexandria. His clothes were worn, from battle, it looked as if he had flown straight here from the war against the Varden, a knot formed in her stomach, what could of made him hurry back.
"Did you... Did he..." she tried starting, not able to find the right words, "What happened?" she finally got out.
She tried to keep herself calm, but it wasn't working out as well as she had hoped. The girl, Alex, twiddled with the green jeweled necklace around her neck, that had once belonged to her Elvin mother, who she had never known.
"I didn't... Don't worry, he's safe for now... But why do you really even care? How does this affect you in anyway? Why are you for the Varden, I've never understood that, being raised by him... That hasn't impacted you to become like him?" he questioned her coldly, and angrily, only partially answering her question.
"I care because it affects everyone, especially, him, you, and I, as well as everyone in Alagaesia. I'm supporting the Varden because they know that Galbatorix is evil, as do I. You wonder how he hasn't influenced me to become like him, I have seen everything he's done, living in the castle my entire life, sneaking to the dungeons, seeing the suffering he causes, trying to help, helplessly. I'm not him, I never will be... He doesn't listen to me, he thinks that when the time comes, then I'll do as he says... You can tell him that I won't, that while I live I'll do all I can to oppose him, maybe he'll listen to you." she finished boldly, meeting his questioning stare, making him turn his gaze from her.
She walked out to the stone balcony, overlooking everything, the best view that could be asked for, she took a deep breath and looked into the starry night sky.
"What troubles you so then?" Alex asked.
Murtagh walked out next to her, looking down at the city, soldiers could be seen guarding the palace.
"He said," Murtagh started, but changed his wording, "Eragon said he doesn't have the scar anymore," he finished lamely.
Alex nodded as if this was to be expected, "He isn't like you, he would die for what he's fighting for, instead of just giving in, like you did." she finished her face blank of emotion.
"Well what would you have done, Alex? I don't see you around here getting tortured, I don't see you fighting for what you believe in, If you support the Varden as much as you say, then why don't you do something about it? Admit it, you wouldn't, Galbatorix, Your father," he emphasized those last words.
"Is trying to restore the riders, get rid of the corrupt, how do you see that as evil?" he asked angrily, she didn't know how it had felt being tortured, she didn't know what Galbatorix had threatened, then offered, his voice held a certain madness to it.
"Don't talk about something you know nothing about," she snapped coldly at him, "Just because you don't know something, or haven't seen it doesn't make it any less true," she finished, her voice somewhat showing the hurt she felt inside of his remark. What else could she have done, she did all she could, and she felt helpless.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't of said that," he said softly, whispering into her ear, he could hear the pain in her voice. Cupping her face in his hands, he turned her head to his, leaning closer towards her.
She instantly pulled away, "I've told you before, don't, we can't be together, I'm sorry." she said softly, looking into his eyes sorrowfully, and he'd been through so much already.
iAlex had heard from one of the maids that there was a new prisoner, one of great importance, Galbatorix was said to be torturing him personally.
She had quickly rushed through the palace, into the dungeon, opening her mind, to the surrounding area, Galbatorix was in the throne room, and she walked calmly to the guards, putting on an emotionless expression.
"It is the King's wishes that I am to see the new prisoner," she said coldly trying to fool the guards.
"Are you sure it was his wishes? We were told not to let anyone see him, especially you Princess." the guard answered her worried; he knew what she could do, as well as what would happen if she was lying.
Alex brushed over the guards worries before replying, "Yes, he does want me to, and you have no need to worry, I will make sure that nothing happens to you, if you let me by, if not..." her voice trailed off.
A second guard came up, you could smell that he had been drinking. He grabbed her wrist, "I don't think you should go in there, you can just stay here with me," he said, looking her up and down.
The other guard looked horror struck, he grabbed the man's arm pulling it off Alex, "I'm sorry Princess, please forgive us for... this," he looked lost for words about what had happened.
Alex looked at the guard who had grabbed her, he stumbled then walked out, seeming about to pass out. Looking back at the other guard, "It's alright, just... don't let it happen again..." she was anxious to get into the cell to see the prisoner, then decided to take advantage of this happening, "Well, will you let me in?"
The guard sighed, and then moved forward, reaching for his keys, he unlocked the cell, opened the door, waiting for her to step forward. "Holler when you want to come out," he said before slamming it shut. If he hadn't known her to visit dangerous prisoners often, he'd worry about if she was injured, if she was, the King would have his head, but she never had been...
The man who was about 18 or 19 looked up; his bare chest was covered in bruises, cuts, and blood, his face filled with pain, and curiosity when he saw her.
The aura around her seemed to give off a feeling of... he didn't know what, but it gave him hope. She rushed over to him, knowing who he was, Murtagh, he really was back, although she had never met him, she knew of him from Galbatorix.
"May I heal you?" she asked, knowing he would accept, but found it better to ask before doing so, she sat on her knees on the cold dungeon floor.
"Please," he answered roughly, "Who sent you though? Who are you? How did you get in? Or are you just one of his..." his voice trailed off his face looked blank; he looked into her eyes, gazing at her.
Alex ignored his questions, "I'll tell you in a minute," she felt his gaze rest on her. Ignoring it she concentrated on the task at hand, whispering all the words of healing she knew, or saw fit to use, watching as his scars disappeared. Seeing a thick ropy scar across his back that had already healed, she knew it hadn't come from this torture, it wouldn't have already healed.
"Where did you get that scar from?" she asked curiously.
He instinctively touched his back, feeling the healed smooth skin, then his knotted rope scar. He hesitated, and then said, "From my father."
She nodded her head, deciding not to pursue the topic. "Do you wish for me to remove it?" she asked, wondering if he would want to keep the reminder or not...
"I think I'll keep it," he said bluntly.
Alex then handed him a soft blanket, looking at his eyes, she could see he hadn't forgotten about the questions he had asked. "I am..." she started, unsure of what to say to answer him, how much to reveal. "I'm someone to help you. You may call me Alex, in this castle I do what ever I please, and I happen to want to help you, I was sent by myself, I heard there was a new prisoner...I'll help you as much as I can," she finished, caught up in her answers, worried she had revealed to much.
"Is there anything you need?" she asked, glancing behind her, she only had moments more.
Murtagh's hand touched her cheek, feeling the smooth skin, "No, there's nothing else I need, Alex," he replied, staring at her, into her eyes, she had a certain... there was something about her, she was beautiful but that wasn't it, there was something else...
She rested her hand on his, before standing up to leave, "Atra esterní ono thelduin Mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr Un du evarínya ono varda," she said quietly to him, "for all our sakes," she whispered so softly only she could hear.
"Wait," Murtagh started, grabbing her hand with his, interlacing their fingers, trying to think of a way for her to stay longer, even if it was only for a moment more. "How do you, how does one who knows the ancient language, come to live here in the palace, if you do not work for him?" he asked curiously. She kneeled next to him again, "I only have so long, but I will tell you this, I am as much a prisoner in here as you, although, not in the same sense, as I'm not tortured..." she looked at him, where there had been scars and bruises only moments before, "at least not physically. In time, I even learned how to block Galbatorix from my mind completely. One day, I will leave this palace forever..." her voice trailed off wondering why she had told him that.
Murtagh was even more curious to how she had ended up in the palace in the first place, but he couldn't keep his gaze on her any longer, as he realized the shame of having his father, part of what had imprisoned her...
"Alex, I'm sorry for what's happened to you, my... father" he started but never finished, as he had stopped as Alex's free hand caressed his cheek, to silence his words.
"I know, who your father was... But you don't know who mine is..." she said gently, it was hard for her to get out, she looked him in the eye, "My father is... Galbatorix," she finally finished. "If any one is to be ashamed, it is I, but I do not believe that who your parents are define who you are, or who you will become, the only person who can decide that is you." She said softly, as these words were as true for him as they were for her.
A momentary look of horror crossed his face, his body went tense, he backed away, closer to the wall,
"Your father is Galbatorix?" he asked again to make sure he had heard right... Alex nodded.
"You seem nothing like him, how can he have a daughter? Are you a rider, or a magician? How is it you're able to do magic? How have I never seen you before? I grew up in the palace too..." he asked not hearing the last words she had said.
"I am the person I make myself, I am not my father and I never will be, I'm only his daughter in blood, and blood alone." she answered him, annoyed he hadn't been listening before, but it would be a shock to find out. To find out that the person who had imprisoned and tortured you had a daughter, and were talking to her.
"You were probably just kept in a different area of the palace..." she said, continuing to answer these questions of his, "I am not a rider, I've never even gotten to go near the eggs, as Galbatorix knows I'll do what I can to oppose him, I can do some magic probably because my mother was an elf, so some magic runs in my veins." she said softly, but still with power.
Murtagh nodded his head, it all made sense, Galbatorix had a daughter... a half-elf daughter, one who was powerful, determined, and...beautiful. Suddenly realizing that elves aged slower, he wondered how old she really was, she appeared to be about his own age, but...
"How old are you?" he finally asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.
Alex laughed, "I'm seventeen, why do you ask," she asked grinning, noticing his curiosity.
Murtagh smiled, although he hadn't for days, he couldn't help it, her smile seemed to light up the dark dungeon prison cell, as did the sound of her laughter, "Just wondering," he replied, he couldn't help but notice they were close in age.
"Alex's face turned serious again, "Don't speak of my visiting you, and don't give in to Galbatorix, don't let him win, everything depends on this."
"I won't, I don't know what Galbatorix could even do to make me join him, torturing me won't work..." he responded, he didn't see himself joining Galbatorix anytime soon. "Plus, what would I be able to do for the Empire that someone else couldn't?"
Alex nodded her face somewhat grave, not answering his question, "Alright," she forced a smile.
"Well, as I said before, I only have so long, I really must be going now," she said standing up, walking to the door, she called out to the soldier as the door opened, she glanced back at Murtagh, then walked out, hoping he'd last, that he'd be ok, that's all she had left... hope. /i
"Alex, look deep inside your heart, you know that you care for me as I care for you, why hide it?" Murtagh said, awaking her from her thoughts, he lifted her chin with his hand, staring into her eyes, stepping closer.
"What made you finally give in? It didn't seem like you would when I met you..." Alex asked, awaiting his reply, turning the subject away from them being together.
Although her words were blunt, she knew he'd understand what she meant, sometimes they didn't even need words, he could just tell.
Murtagh turned from her, putting both hands on the balcony, staring out into the sky he answered, "You don't know what happened after he left, he found out you visited me that day." her refused to meet her gaze.
"What does this have to do with me?" she asked surprised, "What happened? I don't understand how me visiting you could have made you give into him." Alex was worried about the reason, what could have been so bad, what had happened...
"Everything, Alex, everything has to do with you," he almost shouted, finally looking at her, tearing his gaze from the sky, "everything," he whispered, his voice alone showed his fear of what had happened. "After you left, he came in, he broke into my mind, finding out you came, and..." his voice trailed off.
"What?" Alex asked patiently, this time it was she stepping forward, she touched his cheek with her hand, ignoring everything else in that single moment, except for his face, his eyes, looking into his eyes, she tried to search for an answer.
"He found out how I care for you... that I, I love you," he paused momentarily, "he told me that if I didn't join him... that I'd never see you again," Murtagh finished, looking deep into her eyes.
Alex gasped, "So... it is my fault, I thought I was helping you, the Varden, but really I put you in an even more difficult position, I'm so sorry..." she fell to her knees, a single tear falling down her cheek, she realized she had ignored the fact that he had just said he loved her, but she couldn't deal with that yet, not with what she had just heard, not if she was the reason he had gave into Galbatorix.
Murtagh knelt down beside her, brushing the tear from her cheek, "Alex, it's not your fault, I'm happy I met you, if I hadn't..." his voice trailed off, she still hadn't acknowledged what he had said to her, "every time I see you smile, it's another day worth living," he finished, wrapping his strong arms around her.
She closed her eyes for a moment, "Murtagh, I've only known you for so long, you're the only person I've ever met that I could ever have a chance caring for... but what if I meet someone else one day, what will happen? What of you, working for Galbatorix, when I chose to oppose him, even if I did love you, I wouldn't want you to get hurt..." she finished.
"Loving you is like breathing... how can I stop?" Murtagh asked softly. He took her face in his hand, turning it to his, when they were a breath apart, when she didn't back away, he pressed his lips against hers, kissing her, she kissed him back. When they finally pulled away, Alex knew how she felt about him, but how did she know her feelings couldn't, wouldn't change, that everything couldn't fall apart.
"How about we make a deal then," he said, noticing her hesitation, "If you ever decide you don't love me, for someone else, and then I won't interfere, only if I have reason besides me loving you. What do you think?" he asked her, caressing her cheek with his hand.
"Murtagh," she said softly, remembering the egg, her plan, "Do you really think that now is the best time for any of this? With all that's going on..." she finished, loving the touch of his hand, although she tried to act as if it didn't have an affect on her.
"Why are you afraid of love? Just because of whom we are, the situation we're in, why should we be denied the comforts of life? Why should we be ignored the privilege of love when so many other's love?" he asked staring into her eyes.
"What of Thorn? What of Galbatorix? I don't want the empire to win, what of the Varden? You know this will be used against us always, he's already used it against you," she said looking down, not answering his other questions... She wasn't afraid of love, just of what would happen if it wasn't strong enough...
"Alex, the only thing I'm sure of is how I feel about you, nothing else matters," he said, kissing her again, pulling her closer.
He could be right, but how is it that this is the only thing he's sure about, but the one think I'm not sure about, she thought, kissing him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. Feeling her arms wrap around him, his lips slid down to her neck, kissing her, then biting gently.
Alex smiled, loving every moment she was with him, and then thought of the egg, this was the worst time for this to happen, just as everything was starting to work out... She pulled away from him slowly, he tried to pull her back down, "Murtagh," she said scolding him as he began to kiss her neck again.
"What?" he said, trying to put an innocent look on his face as he pulled away regretfully, and then stared into her eyes.
"Now's not a good time... anyways, it's late," she said, answering him.
"How's not a good time? Who knows what Galbatorix has planned for me to do next, I want to make the most of every moment I'm with you," he said gently, taking her hands in his, then pulling them up to his face, kissing them.
She couldn't think of another excuse to give him, and truthfully, she wanted him to stay longer, she pressed her lips to his, kissing him, then moved her lips to his ear, "You can't stay for to much longer though," she whispered into his ear, knowing he'd try to stay as long as he could.
Murtagh grinned as she finally gave in, he kissed her neck again, then moved his lips back to hers... After awhile, he lifted her off the floor, carrying her in his arms back into her room, setting her down on her bed.
Murtagh leaned over, kissing her passionately one last time, "Good night," he said, running his hand threw her hair before walking to the door deciding that he better get back to his own room.
"Good night," Alex said softly, sitting up, leaning her back against a wall, feeling all tingly from when he kissed her.
Murtagh looked back at her one last time and smiled, then closed the door behind him, it took all of his self control to keep him from running back to Alex. He didn't want to ever leave her, especially when they were having such a good time, but she still hadn't said she loved him...
As soon as he left Alex remembered the egg, she quickly walked over to the floor board, kneeling next to it, pulling out the stone, or egg, as it really was.
"It's ok little guy, its ok," she murmured to it, putting it in a leather pouch, she didn't have time to change, she needed to leave now. She grabbed her belt, wrapping it around her slim waist, attaching her sword to it, grabbing all her weapons, as well as her black hooded cloak.
She swung her bag of supplies over her shoulder; Alex glanced at the leather pouch, which now was strung on a leather cord around her neck, reassuring herself it was still there.
Pausing before her mirror, she thought about what Murtagh had said before, " I will do all I can to help the Varden," she said to her reflection, trying to remember her appearance now, as who she was was sure to change on this venture she was about to set out on. She stared into her large blue determined eyes, narrow jaw, angled face, and brows, and half pointed ears, her long dark hair fell half way down her back in waves.
"There's no going back now," she whispered, not that she wanted to, or ever would, she walked out to the stone balcony, climbed on top of it, her hair blowing in the wind.
"Rakr," she called out, the name of her horse, her melodic voice echoed through the cold night air. She jumped off, gravity pushing her towards the ground, feeling the wind rush at her, she landed gracefully onto Rakr. Checking she had everything, they cantered to the gates, "slytha," she whispered, the guards instantly fell asleep, as soon as they woke up, they wouldn't remember a thing. Alex and Rakr galloped into the night, she looked back once more, at the place she had been locked away in for her life, 17 long years. She was finally free.