Hello everyone,

I've been really excited about this chapter coming out. I can safely say that everyone was shocked at the conspiracy against Roran last chapter. It picks up right where we left off so I won't continue rambling.

As always there is an authors note at the bottom.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

I fingered my scar on the right side of my body, I couldn't bring myself to heal it enough not to scar, I needed this reminder for the future. Shadowcat's tail flickered with agitation in my lap, she was not purring, she was growling.

Vanir paced around my tent, furiously thinking over everything I just told him. Arya sat beside me with her head in her hands. Glenwing leaned against the main beam of my tent, eyes lowered on the dagger that Carn stuck in my side, obviously deep in thought.

I didn't invite Brom or Eragon to this particular party, it's best they never know of what's about to happen.

"But why? Why would he agree to it?" Vanir asked pointing to the unconscious Carn. He was no longer laying on the ground, instead he was tied up to a chair. Fat good it would do us if he decided to start throwing magic around.

That's why I dismantled his wards and put him to sleep with magic, he'll wake up when I want him to. Well more like overpowered his wards with pure energy, destroying them and eating up the meagre amount of energy in his ring, where he got it, I do not know. It didn't even dent the raw amount of energy I kept in my necklace.

The hurt I felt has now turned into pure anger, smoldering underneath the skin. I might have gone a little overboard but I wasn't exactly thinking straight.

"He lied to us about his family." I told Vanir, knowing he knew what I was talking about.

"They are alive?" Vanir asked. Arya and Glenwing looked up then, paying attention to the conversation, eager to learn of Carn's motivations.

"Just his sister." I answered.

"How do you know?" Arya asked me then.

"His mind. I woke him up long enough to take the information. It was the first thing he thought about when he saw me." I told her truthfully. The look on Carn's face was pure torture when he woke up. "He saved his sister before the slavers could slit her throat, but he was too late with his mother. After he killed them, he and his sister travelled the rest of the way to the Varden, but she got sick along the way. Our healers saved her life but Nasuada took her then, used her as leverage against him. She made him join Du Gata Vrangr, to get close to me, to earn my trust."

"And what? They just try to kill you?" Glenwing spoke up this time, his anger showing.

"Angela saw me change him, make him into my equal physically. She must have reported it to Nasuada." I told them my best theory. "I assume they got scared of what I can do and deemed me to dangerous to live? I don't truly know, just a theory."

"And Eragon arriving, showed them an alternative to you. Someone with none of your plans for the future. They would blame him on Galbatorix and Eragon would be none the wiser." Arya cut in then, finally seeing the truth to all of it.

"You didn't already know of all this?" I asked her and Glenwing surprised. Vanir would never.

I assumed that was why Faolin wasn't here, I assumed Arya figured it all out, but here are her and Glenwing, clueless.

"No, but I should have. My mother forbade us to come, Faolin…" She stopped then like she realized something. Hurt slashed across her features. "...he agreed with her, said our place was beside our queen. He knew… that's why he grew distant, that's why he ended it. He knew I would never agree." She said as she pieced everything together, her face hard as stone.

"We left in the cover of night, following the twelve." Glenwing picked up then. "Only when we were too far from the borders did we show ourselves and join them. They had no choice but to allow us to come." He finished.

"Are we leaving?" Vanir asked then, coming to one of the most obvious conclusions.

"That was my first thought." I said before continuing. "Then I remembered that this is an extremely exploitable position. They have his sister in Nasuada's tent right now, ready to give her to him if he succeeds. If he fails, they kill her. He has till daylight." I said.

"And no matter what he's done, he did it out of love for his sister. He didn't want to do it, I can't leave him to this fate." I told them showing my intentions.

We all stopped to think then. Everyone pondered our options.

"Will you take control?" Glenwing asked trying to discern my plan.

"I'm not sure." I answered truthfully. "It's why I called you all in here. What do you think?"

"You could ...easily." Arya said from beside me. "You should have when Ajihad left us."

"You don't want it Roran, but without you, the Varden will be crushed under the boot of Galbatorix." Vanir told me then. "Either we leave, and doom them, or you lead, and save them. There is no doing nothing, Nasuada won't stop until you're dead or out of the picture."

"She lives." I said compromising.

"She can't." Arya said then. "She'll never stop."

"She lives!" I said leaving no room for argument. She can't die when Murtagh needs her. I thought to myself, hating that my hand is being forced.

A nod from all three of them and I stood up, setting Shadowcat down. Normally she would have had something witty or wise to say. Tonight she only rage, that's why she had yet to join minds with me, she didn't want to influence my thinking.

I woke Carn up with a thought, cutting the flow of magic that held him asleep.

His eyes shot up and his head whipped around panicked. He saw who he was surrounded by and hung his head in shame.

"Roran, I…"

I interrupted him before he could continue. "I know. We're going to get your sister, get up."

Glenwing cut his bindings with the dagger Carn used to stab me in the side. Carn delicately grabbed it, looked at the dried blood on it for a second, and then sheathed it in a fluid motion.

We wouldn't have to walk long, Nasuada always kept her magicians close to her after all.

At least we wouldn't have if a certain witch wasn't standing directly outside my tent with a little girl beside her.

Angela spoke as soon as we walked outside. "Fairly impressive warding Roran. Now, would you mind telling me why Elva feels the need to drag me out here?"

I eyed her warily, confused. "You don't already know?" I asked.

"Know what, boy? I am not one to run around on the whims of children." She snapped back, obviously angry at being out here.

I didn't have time to explain it all so I reached my mind out to hers. Her eyes narrowed but she let me in all the same. I wasted no time with showing her the events of the night, telling her of the plot against me and what I suspected her role in it was.

Her laugh echoed through the night. "I did tell her of your changing the other night, that's true." She said motioning towards Carn. "But I have not been conspiring against anyone. Why should I? The games the rulers of this continent play has been beneath me for longer than I care to remember. I have no interest in Nasuada or Islanzadi. I only have an interest in the interesting, and they ...are not. Now, we have a coup to execute do we not?" The last sentence she said without a care in the world.

She looked down at Elva. "This will be interesting won't it?" Elva smiled and nodded quickly.

I let out a breath of fresh air. "Good, I was not looking forward to a fight with you." I told her truthfully. She's fucking scary powerful.

Yes do not underestimate her, young one. Shadowcat finally spoke in my mind much less angry at Angela's confession. Sorry, I was afraid Solumbum was in on it. It's good he didn't come, I would have shown him the error of his ways. She told me.

"Ah so you do have a little wisdom in there." Angela said turning around and walking the direction of Nasuada's tent.

I forget he is your son. I told her truthfully. You wouldn't have had to do anything to him for me, I would never ask it of you.

I know. She told me before she bound off in another direction, not wanting to see the next part now that her son wasn't involved.

We followed, the tent came into view fairly quickly. So did her 'elite' guards. I wasted no time putting all of them to sleep with my magic. The surprising part was the wards against such a thing tied to their own strength. I didn't let them die, but they would be exhausted for some time.

I stepped through the tent first, and everyone besides Carn entered, like we planned. I was met with Nasuada standing over a girl no older than sixteen with a knife on her neck, ready to cut. She was startled by my presence but her hand didn't move.

Orrin stood off to the side, chewing on something. He too, didn't expect my presence but when he saw me he smiled, like he knew something none of us did.

Didn't expect him to be here, but not surprised. I thought. Carn knew nothing of Orrin's involvement. He must have arrived after she sent him.

"Roran…" She whispered, defeated already. She took a quick look around at my party and noticed the lack of Carn, her hand holding the knife fell off of the girls neck, not seeing the point of her death anymore.

I spoke the words quickly and Carn's sister shot towards me, out of harm's way. Magic slowed her down right before she got to me and I caught her. I handed her off to Arya behind me and she went about cutting her arms free and taking the cloth out of her mouth.

Nasuada looked at me with confusion before Carn walked into the door. Her face morphed into recognition and then she smiled finally dropping the knife to the floor.

Vanir drew his weapon and walked closer to Orrin, his intent clear, 'don't move'.

"You're here to kill me and take control of the Varden, then?" Nasuada asked me as she sat down in her chair.

"Should I be?" I asked walking forward and sitting in the chair opposite of her.

"Yes. You should be." She whispered.

Orrin had yet to do anything but watch, his smile widening. He thought his status protected him from my wrath.

He's right too. My mind told me.

"Everyone agrees with you." I told her truthfully. She looked up at me and met my eyes and I couldn't help but pity her. "But I don't."

Relief flooded her face, and then confusion. "You're to step down and name me your successor. Then you'll become an advisor, more specifically, you'll be in charge of finding a way to fund this whole operation. You'll be in charge of trade talks, you'll discover what our allies need for us to flourish. Du Gata Vrangr will do the rest. You'll do whatever I ask of you basically." I finished.

She looked around and then she looked to Orrin. His smile was gone now. He expected this. He expected to remove her, he saw her too dangerous. He was planning on making a bid for leader of the Varden and Surda once I was out of the picture. Now the sword on his waist and the chainmail under his clothes made more sense. He was going to it himself, kill her and Carn at the same time? When they weren't looking? No.

"Orrin." I said meeting his eyes, my mind racing at the development. He has people waiting. But I checked with my mind ...and he would have expected that. One of his magicians is out a ways, waiting on his que to send men in.

Still he said nothing. "Any men you have waiting, you'll not want to call." I told him.

His eyes widened then and his body tensed. "And why not?" He asked. Vanir moved then and Orrin reacted too slowly. Vanir got him with a right hook that broke his nose, sending him to the floor, he found a sword resting on his neck.

I just raised an eyebrow. "Does that answer your question?"

He looked up with pure hatred on his face at Vanir and then me, as if we dared to touch him. "They will not come." He spit out.

"Good. Arya could you wake up the nice men outside the tent and have them fetch the rest of the council?" I asked her, and she nodded.

She entered after a minute or so and nodded again, signaling that they were on their way.

"Nasuada, when they arrive, you'll tell them that you're stepping down. Then both you…" I nod to Orrin. "...and Orrin, will endorse me to lead. They will of course agree. Do you know why?"

They both nodded their heads. Of course they knew why, the council hates me less than they hate Nasuada and Orrin. But that isn't the true reason why they would agree.

"No I don't think you do know why." I started again. "They will agree because if they don't, I will kill them all with these two hands, and I will take it." I lifted up both of my hands showing them the callused appendages. The look on my face must have looked positively horrifying.

"Do you know what will happen if either of you try to do something other than endorse me?" I asked both of them and once again they both nodded.

"Good. But I will spell it out so there is no confusion." I stood up then. "Nasuada, you will die, painfully. Orrin if you don't endorse me, Vanir will decapitate you." I paused for dramatic effect.

"Then I will take control of your sons mind, and the minds of your advisors, and I will force them to make me king of Surda and the leader of the Varden at the same time, making my power absolute over the rebellion." I was pacing around him now.

"I will lead them to victory in this battle and then earn their loyalty through my bravery on the battlefield, a warrior king. 'Stronghammer' they'll shout it to the sky. Then all of your sons and council members will be assassinated by agents of the imperial army, and I will hang them for everyone to see, solidifying my claim just a little more by bringing justice to the Surdans. I'll become untouchable. Do you know why all of this will work?"

I stopped by looking at both of them. "Because I am 'Stronghammer'. I am the cousin of Eragon Shadeslayer, the hope of the Varden. I am the defender of Farthen Dur, Hrothgar has already given his endorsement. I am a friend of the elves, Islanzadi's own daughter stands beside me. No one has more merits than I, no one can oppose me."

They were looking at me through frightened eyes now but I didn't stop speaking.

"You were both right when you thought I could take all of this away from you, I can, easily. And I will, unless this all goes over smoothly." I said stopping in the middle of both of them. "You can have Surda, Orrin. You can have your life Nasuada. All I ever wanted to do was help, but you have forced my hand, don't do it again!" I finished my speech with a raised voice. Neither of them said anything but I could see the hate and the fear in their eyes.

"The council is here." Arya said from behind me. I turned around to look at the rest of my party after my speech. I expected judging eyes from them but instead I saw respect and admiration? from everyone. Angela had a smile on her face that, if I didn't know any better, had a bit of lust laced into it. Elva just looked on curiously.

"Bring them in." I said without the bite I previously had in my tone.

One by one they filed in. Vanir's sword was sheathed and Orrin was standing, nose crooked and the blood dried on his face. Glenwing found another beam to lean against and Arya walked to stand beside me. Carn and his sister were off in a corner whispering to each other. He had been worrying over her nonstop since her release.

Jormundur was the last to enter, it was obvious he had yet to go to bed. Sleep comes less and less, huh friend. Did you know? I thought to myself as he walked in.

Nasuada stood up. "I have something to tell you all."

I walked out of the tent, with the world on my shoulders. My friends followed me. We would all pass my tent first before they could go to their own. All things considered, we could all get a few hours of sleep before the sun rose.

I stopped at my tent and they followed me. "You should all go get some rest." I told them.

Carn spoke first. "I'll find you tomorrow." He said before walking away with his sister.

Vanir left with a look that told me to be careful. Glenwing left with a nod. Arya moved to walk off also.

Before she could do so I reached out and grabbed her. She was surprised at the contact at first. I pulled her into a hug.

She didn't react at first, just standing there before she embraced me and melted into the hug.

"I'm sorry about Faolin. It's my fault." I said to her.

She just buried her head into my neck a mumbled a reply "No it's not. He's been growing distant for some time. He thinks me too young, questions my loyalty to my mother and our race."

I didn't know what to say to that so I just stood there, she never shook, never slurred her words. But I could feel the tears soak through my shoulder.

Eventually we broke apart and she left with a thank you, leaving me alone with my thoughts for the rest of the night.

I stood on a raised platform behind Nasuada. Most of the Varden stood side by side in a crowd underneath us, curious as to why they had been summoned.

Realistically, maybe a thousand or two thousand people would actually hear her announcement, but then it would spread like wildfire to the rest of the army.

She started speaking and I could hear her in the back of my mind, not comprehending what she was saying. It was an elegant speech, most people would tell me later. I was too focused on the future, too focused on the faces I was about to ask to fight for me, die for me. It's a tremendous weight to have on one's shoulders.

But the truth is, it's not that heavy of a burden to wear. Not when the stakes are known, not when it is worth it. When every life is worth it. And that is what really bothered me.

The speech continued on and I made a note in my mind the looks of shock and confusion on everyone's faces when Nasuada told them she would be stepping down.

I made note of how Brom and Eragon stood with a look that told me they knew what was coming, even though I made sure nobody told them what was to happen today.

Saphira figured it out first, if the narrowing of her eyes told me anything. Her and Eragon both knew what was happening now. Just last night, they were awarded leadership of Du Gata Vrangr, to cut my power base from beneath me. Now they are watching me rise to something new, something more.

Brom caught my eyes when he realized it and I expected disappointment to cut through the air. Instead a smile broke across his face. His smile told me everything I needed to know about what he thought. I can already hear him saying 'good, you're learning.' or something like that. He isn't disappointed at me seizing the leadership from Nasuada, maybe he saw it coming. Either way, his smile showed his approval.

Eragon is where the disappointment comes from, disappointment and fear? Saphira watched me not as if I was prey, but as if I was a deadly threat to her and her rider.

Maybe I am. I thought to myself, considering the facts.

My gaze caught Nasuada as she stepped to the side. Her last words were the only thing I remembered, a title I heard almost everyday since Hrothgar said the words himself.

"...Roran Stronghammer."

I stood up to say a few words but it wasn't needed.

The roar of the crowd spoke for me. Without any words, I took command of the Varden. A single chant echoed through the camp as everyone recognized me.

"Stronghammer…...Stronghammer…...Stronghammer."

A/N: I wonder why I named the story Stronghammer?

It didn't feel as good as I thought it would this time. Not like it felt with Hrothgar. I meant for it to have more of a somber tone in Roran's mind though so I guess I succeeded. He doesn't truly want the responsibility, but his hand has been forced.

Just like Nasuada and Orrin have been telling him these past few months. 'If only it were that easy.'

Did we expect this outcome? Was it predictable? Should he have left and built his own army instead? I think that it would have been a waste to leave. Instead in one fell swoop, he took control. And he didn't have to say a single word during the speech.

Let's talk about it in the reviews.