Author's Note: Wanted to mention, the passage in this chapter is real. When Saphira's egg was kidnapped, Arya (it was her, right?) escaped through it.
"Shruikan, wait."
The dragon looked up. Rune stood in the doorway, her group of friends behind her.
Hello, little devil.
"Is that what I am?" Rune asked him. "I am a princess. I am a murderer. I am a rebel. I am a thornessa and a dove. Am I also a devil?"
You are what you have chosen to be. Shruikan removed his claw from Súndavar's chest.
"I have." she said. "Have you chosen as well?" she looked him straight in the eye. "Or have you allowed someone else to choose for you?"
Shruikan sheathed his claws. You can't begin to understand. You are a child.
"When I left here, I was. Now, I believe I am something more. I make my own choices. Can you say as much, great dragon?"
Eragon and the group—Shay, Roran, Súndavar, Katrina, Arya, Angela, Nasuada, and King Orrin—stood, awestruck. They too could hear Shruikan's words.
Shruikan met her stare. You have changed much, little one.
"Yes. I have come far."
When you left, I saw a lass running from her destiny. You stand before me now, a woman, facing it head on.
Rune sighed. She placed her hand on Shruikan's nose. "My father may be evil, but I sense something more in you, Shruikan. May we meet again."
She led the group past him. He made no attempt to stop her.
Not that way, he said finally. Take the passage. Leave, now. He lifted the rug with a claw, revealing a trapdoor.
The group headed down it, into the shadows below. Rune turned back to face Shruikan. She smiled.
May we meet again.
Just as the trapdoor was closing, Galbatorix came into the room, his face red with fury.
Shruikan held him back with a claw. Let them be, he said softly. They have won this round.
ooooooooooooooooooooo
The group kept going down the passage. It was wet and dirty, but they ignored it, happy to be escaping.
Roran walked near Katrina, helping her along. Rune tried not to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help it. Their voices echoed off the walls.
Katrina was looking at her shoes, embarrassed. She said nothing. Roran touched her cheek. "I'm so happy to be with you again."
Katrina looked away. "I'm sorry, I've brought you shame. I understand if you don't want to accept me any longer."
Roran placed his hand on her stomach. "No. You have brought me joy."
"We aren't wedded. It's disgraceful."
"I think it's wonderful," Rune broke in, unable to stop herself. "What does it matter if you aren't wedded? You are in love, and for that your child is as legitimate as any other."
Katrina smiled at her thankfully. "When I first found out I was…"
"Pregnant?" Roran prodded.
"Yes. When I first found out, I feared you would be angry. Such thoughts haunted me."
Roran put his arm over her shoulder. "I could never be angry. It's a miracle."
Katrina opened her to respond, but she was interrupted.
"It's blocked!"
Rune rushed to the front of the line. Eragon was right. The path was blocked. A large, smooth stone cut off the way, trapping them. She ran her fingers over it. "Something's written on it! I need light!"
Eragon murmured something in the Ancient Language, and a fire burned in his fingertips. He held up the light for her.
Rune frowned and began to recite:
"SeaLed with a Rune, sealed with a spell
A girl withiN this castle dwell
A daughter of rider, of elf and of king
MagiC unlocked, within her blood sings
Open the way, free her from bOnd
The power inside joins the power beyond
So may it go free, Yes out from her heart,
A life may be broken, yet another may stArt."
"This is no time for verses!" King Orrin snapped. "Eragon, can you get rid of this?"
Eragon shook his head. "No. Shruikan has played a deathly trick on us."
Rune kept inspecting the stone. Beneath the words, there were two handprints, a smaller and a larger. She traced them. Scrutinizing the poem one last time, her face lit up. Some of the letters were written in human, others in elf. She looked hard at the elf runes—L, N, C, O, Y, A. What could they mean?
Suddenly Rune understood. She flipped the letters around in her mind. "Lycona!"
Grabbing Eragon's hand, she placed it against the larger handprint. His gedwëy ignasia began to glow. Rune placed her hand on the other print.
"Gath lif iet un Eragon vor," she whispered. Unite my life with Eragon's.
The words of the poem began to shine. Rune tried to take her hand away, but it remained stuck fast. With a final scream, she collapsed. Her hand was released. The words stopped shining, leaving them in utter blackness.
"Brisingr," Eragon whispered. With the fire lighting up the passage, they saw that the stone had vanished.
Rune laid on the ground. She didn't move.
Súndavar dove to her. "Rune!" He shook her. "Rune, wake up! Open your eyes!"
The girl didn't respond.
Shay knelt beside him. She had tears in her eyes. "Súndavar, she's gone."
Súndavar shook his head. "No she's not! She's fine!" He picked her up. She laid limply in his arms. "Come on. Let's get back to Surda."
King Orrin gasped. "You mean Rune was the princess I was to marry?"
"Galbatorix's own daughter," Arya said reverently. She placed two fingers on Rune's lips. "Goodbye, friend."
Súndavar jerked her away. "I'm not leaving her," he said stubbornly. His voice was choked with tears.
They continued their trek. But no one spoke. Shay cried silently to herself, staying by the fallen princess's side. Eragon felt sadness well up to choke him. They had survived. They would live to see another day, because of Rune's bravery.
It was her final gift.
She had given herself up -- for her friends.