A/N: Hey people! Some of you are getting pissed because I decided to make Murtagh gay, but there is no gayness intended in this chapter! It may seem like it, but really, there is NONE! The whole ceremony thing is what really happens. I didn't add anything that wasn't supposed to be in there (except the clothing).

What I mean is, in the middle ages, (during the times of Kings and Knights) someone could become a lord's (lord: someone higher in ranking) vassal. A vassal was a very, very, very loyal servant. What happens in this chapter is what really happens when a person becomes a lord's vassal. No gayness intended! I swear!

Do I really have to add a disclaimer? It'll just remind me how I have yet to own the world...(twitch)

By the way, Saikoro means 'dice' in Japanese...and since I love dice the mostess like a fat boy loves hostess, I named my favorite character in this story 'dice'...Please don't send evil sea gulls and ki-ichigo (raspberries) to eat my soul! cries in fear

Chapter 5

Rite of Homage

"So…uh…Murtagh…there's something that you need to know…" Saikoro told the mirror in front of him.

"…Yeah…it's about Tornac…" But then he sighed and clutched his head in anger and frustration. "No! No! No! That wouldn't work…Dammit! I suppose there's really no good way to tell him about the king…" Anxious, Saikoro bit his thumbnail and started to pace around the room.

Then he sighed again. "Why the hell should I care about how Murtagh takes this, anyway? I mean, why should I care if he's hurting and never talks to me again…?"

"Because…you're my best friend…?" Saikoro heard behind him. When he looked up, he jumped at the sight of his companion in the mirror. Turning around at what seemed like slow-mo at the time, Saikoro faced Murtagh, horrified. Murtagh was leaning on the doorframe of the big supply closet that Saikoro had been hiding in.

"Oh yeah…" Saikoro chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "That's why…I knew friendship was only another burden forced onto me when I first tried it…Stupid, foolish me…" He tried to offer and friendly grin, but Murtagh didn't buy it.

"Saikoro…what's going to hurt me? And what would make me never talk to you again? What am I 'going to take'? And why have you been hiding out in a supply closet?" Murtagh clicked his tongue impatiently as he tried to calmly wait for the answers to his questions. Meanwhile, Saikoro just squirmed under Murtagh's watchful eye.

"No way, good-ol'-pal-of-mine…there's no way you are going to get anything out of me…" Saikoro edged towards the door, trying to escape. But of course, Murtagh anticipated this and guarded the door. Now Saikoro was trapped.

"Fine! Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, FINE! But sit your ass down, and stay down…otherwise you might strangle me…"

Murtagh agreed, and grabbed an old, musty stool that looked like it hadn't been used since the Neanderthal era. Saikoro watched him hopeful, but then all of his hopes and dreams at that moment were crushed, because Murtagh put the stool directly in front of the door and sat down, once again blocking the entrance.

Saikoro glanced around for a seat of his own, but only found an upturned bucket next to his foot. Seeing as how that was the closest thing around him, he decided then and there that he would claim that as his seat.

And with that decision made, he sat down, too.

"Well…?" Murtagh urged.

"Aheh, yeah…ahem…" Saikoro cleared his throat before starting. "Well…I didn't really tell you exactly what happed during my meeting with Galbatorix…"

"So what did happen?"

"Oh, the usual…he ranted and raved about how much he absolutely hates the Varden…but he was also raging about something else…Something like…a lost…half-elf…"

Murtagh straightened immediately. "What did he say!" he demanded.

"Well…he said that if he ever gets his hands on whoever 'stole his half-breed', they would be sent to prison…for life…"

"And!"

"I tried to reason with him…I told him that Tornac escaped on his own, that no one 'stole' him…then he demanded how I knew his name…"

"Saikoro, you didn't!"

Saikoro hung his head. "But I did…and after that, I refused to say anything else. He tried to force the information out of me…it took all of my power to try and keep him from invading my mind…But he overpowered me…He knows that you have Tornac, Murtagh…"

Murtagh stared at Saikoro for a long moment. Then he hung his head, knowing the doom about to be forced on him, Tornac, Saikoro, and maybe even everyone in the west wing…after all, they could be considered accomplices…

"Wow…" came a voice from behind Murtagh. Murtagh's head snapped up, and was surprised to see Arisa.

"Arisa!" both, he and Tornac shouted in surprised unison.

"God, Saikoro…I've been around for almost 19 years, and I have never known a man more foolish than you…"

"I know, okay…" Saikoro hung his head ever lower.

"Arisa…lay off him…" Murtagh told the maid after seeing how depressed Saikoro was.

"Whatever…" she shrugged as she leaned against the doorframe.

"No, I deserve it, Murtagh…"

Murtagh tried to force a smile, but failed. "Maybe…but that won't help us. Hey, Arisa, instead of insulting Koro, how 'bout helping us come up with a plan to get us out of this trouble we're all in? Hmm?"

"Well…" she pondered for a minute, before opening her mouth to speak again. "Murtagh, I doubt you'd remember—for you were only a child at the time—but after Morzan died, the king granted you many of the privileges that your father had. One of the first ones that he mentioned was the right to rule over any slave and/or servant."

"That's…great, but how will it help us?"

"Idiot!" Arisa yelled and she smacked the back of Murtagh's head in frustration.

"Ow!" Murtagh yelled in pain as he clutched the spot that had been hit. Meanwhile, Saikoro just watched from his little bucket that which he ruled over.

"All you have to do is make Tornac become your servant! Then, the king can't touch him! Once Tornac becomes your servant, he is your and only yours…get it?"

Murtagh blinked, before breaking out into a grin. "Arisa! That terrific! Tornac will be safe!"

Arisa smiled at Murtagh's eagerness. "You do that…"

Then Murtagh got up to leave so he could officially make Tornac his servant. As he walked through the door into the guest room, he looked back at his still-depressed friend and gave him a reassuring smile. When Saikoro didn't smile back, Murtagh turned and left the room.

"Guu…nuh? M-Murtagh? What…what is it?" Tornac meekly asked after being gently shaken awake by Murtagh. His eyes were dim from being asleep, but brightened as soon as he saw Murtagh.

"I just wish to ask you something…" Murtagh told him as he kneeled next to the bed Tornac had been sleeping in and rested his head on it.

Tornac smiled a small, unsure smile. "More questions? A-alright…ask all you want…I suppose…"

"Tornac…" Murtagh's mind raced as he tried to think of a way to approach the subject. "Well…I saved you…"

Tornac nodded in agreement.

"That means…that means you owe me."

Tornac's eyes widened. I knew it…he thought anxiously.

Tornac gulped, but very slowly nodded his agreement again, his cobalt blue eyes filled with worry as he anticipated how he would have to repay his debt.

"Now I know how I want you to repay me. I want you to swear homage to me." Tornac's eyes widened in dismay at Murtagh's words. "To put it bluntly, you, Tornac, shall become one of my servants as repayment. Understood?"

It took Tornac many long moments to catch his breath again. Once he brought himself out of his terror-filled stupor, he slowly nodded his agreement once again, dreading the hell that he had just signed his existence to.

"So we really are getting a new servant to help out around here?"

"Yeah, and it's that half-breed, too…"

"Why do you think Master Murtagh did that?"

"Dunno…but I can only imagine what kind thoughts are running through that half-breed's head right about now…"

"W-what do you mean, Kami?"

"Are you stupid? What kind of thought's were going through that empty skull of yours when you suddenly became owned by Murtagh?"

"Well…it didn't really bother me…"

"Yeah, that's because you're you, Hoji…"

"And what do you mean by that!"

"Listen, elves are prideful creatures. They are owned by no one. And even though that kid is only half of an elf, I'm positive he's pretty pissed of right now. I doubt he likes being owned at all. In fact, I'm also positive that some pretty hateful thoughts are going through his head right now…"

"Yeah…I suppose I understand…Do you really think he hates Master Murtagh, though? I mean, who could ever hate him?"

"An elf whose been forced to work for him." Kami told Hoji bluntly.

"It's time!"

"Shut up, already!"

"Crap, I can't see anything!"

"Do you thing he'll really go through with this?"

Every last servant in the west wing—Murtagh's wing—was there in the ballroom. The tables and furniture had been cleared out to make room for the special ceremony. The crowd of people were all backed away against the walls of the room, forming a huge oval around the center of the ballroom where a lone black-clad figure stood, waiting.

Suddenly, the huge double-door were opened by two servants, silencing every last person in the ballroom. The two servants were ignored, however. Everyone's attention was focused on the person walking through the doors. It was Tornac.

He was dressed in a completely white outfit—the traditional outfit worn by someone becoming a vassal. A white tunic was draped over his shoulders, covering the white silk undershirt he had on. A robe embroided with white doves hung loosely over Tornac's lean and slender body. Everything was made from the finest of silk. On top of his head lay a delicate circlet with a lace veil covering Tornac's porcelain face. He looked like an angel…except his lip was quivering and it looked like he had been crying.

He stopped as soon as he entered the gigantic room, unwilling to go any further. Becoming discouraged, Tornac started to turn around and run away, but the two servants who opened the doors stopped him. Grabbing him by the arm, they escorted Tornac over to a figure completely clad in black.

The figure was wearing nothing but a simple, silk black robe. A hood covered his face, allowing no one to see it. The seams were threaded with gold silk. This was the traditional outfit of the lord who was to receive the vassal.

Tornac was slowly dragged to the figure in black by the two servants. He had to bite his lip to keep the tears from leaking out.

The servants stopped before the black-clad man and released Tornac's arms. Slowly, they backed away. Everyone was silent as Tornac approached the man in black. Once he was close enough, Tornac raised his hands to remove the hood the person wore. As soon as the hood fell back, the black-clad person was revealed to be Murtagh.

"Are you ready?" he whispered to Tornac.

Tornac ignored him and very slowly sank to his knees so he was kneeling before Murtagh. There. He started it. There was no turning back now. Tornac raised his palms to face Murtagh. Murtagh raised his hands as well and placed his against Tornac's. Slowly, Murtagh closed his hands around Tornac's, their fingers becoming intertwined.

"Do you, Tornac, accept to become my ever-loyal servant?" Murtagh asked loudly, never taking his eyes off of the half-elf in front of him.

Nodding, Tornac managed to stutter through gritted teeth, "I…I…swear…"

"Then let it be known. As of today, you are my faithful servant, who will serve me with the up-most diligence through any trial we may face together. Your loyalty will be rewarded with anything you could ask for. No matter what, you have my love, my support, and my protection."

Tornac didn't say anything, but nodded again.

Murtagh cleared his throat and continued in a voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. "I become your man of the tenement I hold of you, and to you faithfully will bear body, chattels, and earthly worship, will support you against all beings."

Murtagh clutched Tornac's hands and raised him into a standing position. Then, as a signal of their agreement, he leaned forward and quickly placed his lips on Tornac's forehead. Now the contract was sealed. Murtagh promised that as long as Tornac served him with his entire being, he would defend the half-elf against all creatures. But the ceremony was not yet over. Murtagh had fulfilled his part—now Tornac had to finish.

Taking a deep breath, Tornac closed his eyes. Bitter tears trickled down his cheeks as he started to talk. "H-hear this…my lord: I…I will…I will bear faith to you of life and…and…and member, g-goods, chattels…and…earthly worship…so help me G-God and these h-holy…Gospels of…of…of God…" he said between sobs.

By the time Tornac had finished, his tears were unrelenting. They poured from his eyes and traveled down his cheeks like small waterfalls cascading to his chin. He grabbed Murtagh's black robe and slowly fell to his knees again in despair.

"Ah! T-Tornac!" Murtagh fell to his knees as well and gently shook Tornac's shoulder, trying to calm him.

"Calm down…please don't cry…"

Murtagh's words did nothing to sooth Tornac and stop his endless stream of tears.

"Go away!" he yelled. The whole room seemed to become rigid. Murtagh ignored them.

"Go away!" he shouted again. "Please…just…just leave me alone…I never wanted to become a servant to anyone…I just wish…wish that everyone would let me be…"

The trembling half-elf seemed to be beyond Murtagh's reach to comfort. Looking over at the two other servants, Murtagh nodded to them. They nodded back and strode over to Tornac, grabbed his arms, and pulled him up.

"Will you take him back to the guest room, Momiji? Nedus?"

They both nodded again and led Tornac back through the giant double-door. Time seemed to stand still as Murtagh and everyone else in the ballroom watch Tornac's departure. Just as the doors were closing, Murtagh could see Tornac turn his head and glare at Murtagh. Sudden anguish washed over Murtagh like a tidal wave as he watched Tornac until he was no longer visible.

Pulling his hood back up, Murtagh covered his face in mortification. "What have I done…?" he whispered to himself, feeling even more dejected knowing that no one would answer him.

A/N: So, yeah…no lemon or yaoi or cotton or shoun-ai intended…which all mean the same thing. Oh, and I decided to make Saikoro sitting on one of the statues high above everyone else's heads, unnoticed, swinging his leg back and forth because he's just cool like that…

Crap, this is a short chappy! I'm so sorry! Please don't chase me down andpummble me with mini marshmallos! (But the MMF will protect me! Mysterious Man Fanclub isfrom a really random/funny as hell Harry Potter story: The Many Jobs of Sirius Black...READ IT!)

And no, I won't eat your children if you don't review, (simply because I am not a mime…) They must not taste very tasty…but if you don't review, then…I'll…(thinks) HA! I'll send my gaggle of carnivorous geese to attack you while you sleep! Don't sleep alone! Or…wait…never mind…

Just review so I won't have to think anymore…