Authors Note: Hi and thanks to everybody who reviewed, it is VERY appreciated!
Disclaimer: This world and some people in it belong to Christopher Paolini, every thing you don't recognize belong to me:-D Happy reading!
Amber woke with a start at midnight, something was wrong. Quickly getting out of bed she haphazardly got dressed and pulled back her hair into something that resembled a bun. Turning towards the exit she walked through the darkness and stubbed her toe on the pack she had ready for her hunting trip tomorrow. Her father never cared what she did, so even though hunting was something women did not do she was allowed to do it anyway. Just then she heard people outside her door and they were not happy voices. Trying to stiffle the large ouch that was about to slip from her mouth she grabbed her sword with it's jewl encrusted scabard and hilt. Not knowing what was going on in the hall way outside her door, she was pretty sure she didn't want to face it without a weapon. Strapping the obviously very expensive sword to her waist she exited the room with her hand on the sword's hilt.
As she excited the room into the dark corridor there was a large scream from down the hall. It sounded like a womans voice. Now concern filled Ambers body and she began to run towards the sound. It was hard enough as it was to navigate your way around the huge castle during the day but now as pitch darkness filled the already cold corridors it was almost impossible. She heard another large shreik from her left and made a very sharp turn. Using the body training her father had provided over the years she made the turn, one leg out in front of her and sliding into the new corridor.(I know, hard to picture but I can't find another way to say it) Bringing herself upright she ran down the cobbled stone walkway.
Not daring to speak out, she kept her mouth shut and waited for another scream. A women only a few years older than Amber came running into the hall from Ambers right at just the wrong moment. Amber was looking ahead of her and the other women looking behind. Neither saw the crash coming or appreciated it. The other woman crashed into Ambers side and they both tumbled to the floor. Amber recovering quickly grabbed the girl and pulled her up. She yanked on the girls armed and pulled her into a room on the other side of the hall. Luckily the door was unlocked.
Pulling the other woman close to her she put her hand over the young woman's mouth to keep her from screaming out again. Only after she heard the soldiers run past in the wrong way did Amber let out a sigh of relief. Again grabbing the woman by her wrist and pulling her towards to other side of the room where she knew would be another door only the servants used. Sensing the girl behind her was about to speak, Amber spoke first.
"Keep your mouth shut and follow me and you'll be fine. I don't know what you did to piss off the king but whatever it was is deserving enough for me to help you." she whispered urgently. With satisfaction she heard to woman's mouth shut. Pushing on one of the stones in the wall a small opening appeared in the wall. Pushing the girl through first she spoke softly, "Watch your head, the roof's pretty low in here." Even in the darkness she could see the womans head go lower. She had just met, well not even met the woman, and the woman showed complete trust of her. It kind of felt good. Knowing that it was impossible for anyone to hear them down in the small hall way Amber spoke again.
"Look, I can get you as far as the stables, but you'll have to find your own way out of the city. Who are you anyway?"
"Your help is very much appreciated, thank you. I am Ariconoa, a spy for the Varden. I assume you are too?" she questioned. So that's why she trusted me, she think's a I'm a member of the Varden, Amber thought to herself.
"Um, not exactly." She was sure to keep her face out of the light now for fear of terrifing the girl. She could sense the girl nodding but she didn't qestion any further.
Soon they had made their way to the end of the tunnel. Amber pushed on another rock and another door opened in the wall, only this one opened to the outside and moonlight shone into the small cavern they had been traveling through. Ariconoa turned to face Amber and spoke softly, "Thank you so much for your help, some day I will repay you, I swear on my honor." And with that the girl ran off into the night. Amber was pretty posotive Ariconoa would never see her again, not to mention repay her, but she didn't care. Knowing that one of Galbatorix's prisoner had escaped and it would frustrate him completely was enough reward itself.
Turning around she headed back towards her room, traveling through the servant tunnels most of the way. She walked soundlessly through the corridor outside her bedroom. As she cracked open the door quietly she imediatly sensed that someone was inside. Before she could give it anymore thought someone shoved her from behind into the room where a trap was so obviously set in place. Three men grabbed her as she struggled against their weight. She screamed then regretted it imediatly. Screaming was exactly what got Ariconoa into more trouble than she was already in. Quickly shutting her mouth she was shoved out the door, a large bulk of a man on either side of her. She tried to reach for her sword but the men almost broke her arm stopping her. She couldn't stop herself form letting out a squeal of pain. Almost all her hair had fallen out of it's bun and now her clothes were comepletely disshelved.
"Where are you taking me!" she yelled to none of her captors inparticular, she got no answer but, 'to the king'. She couldn't help but struggle. As a human it was her natural instinct. She was trying to figure why her father would have set up an ambush for her but she could think of none, unless, she thought, unless he knows I helped Ariconoa. She cursed herself for being so dense to think that he wouldn't find out. She mentally kicked herself for it and would have done so outside of her mind if her legs hadn't been pinned together by her guards. Her seventeen year old body was by far smaller than the men on either side of her and with them there there was no chance of escape unless she used magic. She was about to use the aformentioned ability when she was thrown roughly to the ground in a stone chamber completely lit by tourches for it was underground. When she lifted her head off the hard stone floor she met the eyes of her enraged father. She stood to her full height which sadly wasn't that impressive. But by the way she carried her head it was clear she was just as angry as her father.
"YOU TRAITOR!" he screamed to her, "YOU LET THE PRISONER ESCAPE AND FOR THAT YOU SHALL PAY DEARLY, AND IF I SO CHOOSE IT WILL BE WITH YOUR LIFE!" It was pointless to try and waste her energy arguing with him, she needed a plan, but she could think of none. The only thought that ran through her head was Murtagh, Murtagh, Murtagh, over and over again. Finally resorting to the only plan that her panicked brain could come up with she mentally called her close friend, but even as she did so, she knew it was to late. Her warrior training couldn't get her out of this one. She smiled at the old memory.
Flashback:
'But Daddy,' the young version of herself complained, 'Murtagh and all the other boys get to do it so why can't I!' she was clearly frustrated but would never use the tones she did with him now. Then she was terrified of him.
'But your a girl Amberia!(sry, I know a wierd name, but I like it!) You will do what girls do and the boys will do what boys do!' he was clearly fuming with anger but did not unleash it on the small form of Amber before him.
'But Daddy!'
'Fine! Just go!' and he practically shoved her out of the war room.
End Flashback
The old memory of her father seemed like nothing compared to the huge man standing before her. He had killed her mother when he found out about her cheating on him and he would have killed Amber if he hadn't been afraid to kill a child. Now, he wasn't afraid. He would kill very child in Alagaisia if it could all be his. Thinking about this she spit at his feet. His whole body roared from his rage. Now Amber realized that this was where she got her firey temper. She shook her head not understanding why all these things were going through her mind now. Remember, she thought, your life flashes before your eyes before you die. Inwardly she cursed herself for the pessimistic thinking.
"Grab her!" Galbatorix screamed to his guards, "Down, down, down!" Amber's eyes widened with fear as she realized her father was going to whip her. The guards grabbed her arms, almost wrenching them out of their sockets, they pulled her down to the floor, her back then exposed to Galbatorix. She tried to get up but the men held her down. Her father raised the whip over his head and brought it down on his daughters back. She let out a scream of agony. She could feel the sharp crack of the whip on her back and the hot sticky substance now running down her back. He whipped her several more times. When he was about to bring the whip down for the seventh time Ambers instincts took over.
She stretch her leg up as the whip came down. It encircled her leg and formed a tight knot at her ankle. She yanked her leg back sending her unsuspecting father off balance. He flew to the floor his grip on his weapon diminished. Quickly snapping her leg up the hard stiff end of the whip went crasking into one guard freeing her hand. She swung around her newly freed hand and gave an amazingly powerful left hook to the other guard. He gave out a scream and let go of her other wrist. All this happened in a matter of seconds. Jumping to her feet she ran out the door, using magic to shut and seel the door. She ran through the corridors and to her room. Reaching inside she grabbed her pack and swung it onto her back. She heard the guards coming up close behind her.
Torches through all the halls bursting to life. She ran down one corridor after the next getting herself completely lost in the process. She finally found some dark halls and took off down one of them. She had the distinct feeling she was getting farther underground but she didn't care. Avoiding soldiers was her number one priority. Slidding down one hall she saw it was a dead end, only a large heavy oak door at the end. Hearing the soldiers close behind she realized she had no option. The voices of people shouting was crowding her judgement. Finally seeing torches being lit in the corridor behind her she bolted for the door. The sounds of footsteps behind her was becoming unbearable. She shoved her wieght into the door while turning the knob. It stayed put. The door was locked. Her mind running only on adrenaline and her heart pounding she called on some of the plethora of magic she knew. The door quickly unlocked and she rushed inside closing the door silently behind her.
She whispered another of the words of the ancient language and the door locked. Turning around leaning on the solid oak wood, she let herrself slide down the door. Breathing heavily she took a few moments to catch her breath. The footsteps behind the door only made her heart beat faster. A voice spoke of trying the door. Another, more familiar voice said it was locked, that he already tried. She smiled at the voice. To her it sounded like an angel and she spoke words of praise to towards one of the only friends she had ever had. A small presence brushed her mind but didn't stay long. All it said was 'stay safe.' Only once all the sounds of footsteps disapeared did Amber look up at the room she was in. It was completely dark except for a small light in it's center showing off the treasure that the chamber held. On a pedestal in the middle of the room, under the light that Amber couldn't tell where was coming from was what Amber had always dreamed of seeing. On the pedestal encrusted in what looked to be multiple colors of diamonds and on top of a pillow of red silk was(can you bare the suspense?) was a black stone with what looked to be green veins running all over it.(I know it's suposed to be green but I didn't like that idea so I, altered it slightly) Amber's breath was taken away yet again, only this time she didn't have to be chased through the castle's many corridors to get that way. This was what she had been hping for all her life, to get a glimpse of the dragon egg her father loved so dearly. And with that thought, she knew she was going to take it away from him. She was going to take away what made him so happy, and she was going to make him suffer. She was going to pay him back for the way he treated her all her life. She was going to make him pay.
Standing she walked over to the egg, knowing there was some spell or another over it. She whispered a few words and the spell used on the egg was reveiled to her. She quickly muttered the words to counter the many spells over her new treasure. Being drained of tons of power she picked up the stone and slipped it into her pack. Smiling at how the warm egg felt in her hands she forgot she was taking it to make her father angry. Now all she cared about was the safety of the egg. She felt connected to it somehow. She heard footsteps in the distance and decided she could stay no longer. Carefully making her way to the door she excited into the dark hall way beyond. She found the same corridor she had used to get Ariconoa out and followed the stairs down to the stable block. Opening the door the morning sun flooded the passage way she had used the night before. Making sure no one was around to see her she dashed into the stable and pulled out her horse Romeo(sry:P but I love the name for a horse:-D) a chesnut stallion and threw her handmade saddle onto his back. Strapping the girth she put on his bridle and trotted him outside. Swinging herself into the saddle she acted like nothing was out of the ordinary. No one would suspect anything of her if she acted like nothing was going on. She trotted off onto the streets od Uru' Bain(spelling?)
Pulling Romeo to a walk as she approached the gates of the city the guards all stopped what they were doing and bowed to her.
"Princess." One spoke, "What's going on up at the castle, they seem to be in a mighty frenzy up there." He spoke eyeing the caslte like it would get up and start running. Remembering to play it cool she replied, "I have no idea. The 'frenzy' started after I left."
"No matter. So, where are you off to today Princess?" he said bringing his attention to her face. She was getting slightly annoyed that he kept calling her Princess.
"Off on a hunting trip my good man," she said indicating towards her bow that was attached to her back next to her quiver full of arrows.
"I see." he said with a slightly dissaproving look on his face although not voicing his opions. "Well, off you go then." He waved her through the gate onto the well worn path in the woods that many a tradesmen had followed. Bowing her head slightly she trotted Romeo off onto the path. Once she was sure whe was out of sight range she urged Romeo into a full out gallop. She could waste no more time. Her only option was to join the Varden. If she didn't she would be killed.
A/N: well, what do ya think? Please hit that little button down there and tell me!