I own nothing of the Inheritance Cycle!
Thoughts over bond
David had been called into the throne room and he had no idea why. He didn't do anything wrong–that he knows of–and his usual sessions with Galbatorix are in the evenings. Right now it's only mid-afternoon.
He was standing before the King, his mind keeping track of where the King was. The throne room was filled with silence and it made David want to fidget. He wasn't sure what he was doing here and it seemed that Galbatorix wasn't going to say anything anytime soon so he was left to speculate why he would be here at this time of day.
The throne room doors opened and David turned his attention see who it was. It seemed to be one of the castles guards, and if his mind was anything to go by then he was confused for why he was here too.
The guard bowed to Galbatorix, "You called for me, My Lord?"
"I did. It would seem that we," Galbatorix gestured to David as he said 'we', "are in need of your presence."
David didn't let his confusion show, unlike the guard, "My Lord why would this…servant need my assistance?"
Galbatorix's voice was frigid, "You will not speak in such a way regarding my son, and incase you didn't hear the first time I said we are in need of your presence."
Every thought in David's mind came screeching to a halt. His thoughts were becoming a jumbled mess and the only thing his mind could focus on was that Galbatorix had just called him his son.
David let out a strangled "Son?"
The guard was in a similar state of disbelief, "My Lord this man is a servant! A blind servant at that!" Galbatorix raised his hand to silence the guard.
"Yes I know he is blind and a servant. That is only because I did not realize he was my son until just today and I intend to change his servant status and let everyone know I have found the son I had lost."
Oh my god this man is crazier than I thought!
He is the Mad King. You should probably talk with him about this later.
Agreed "Master, was there anything else you needed?"
"I am your father, my son, not your master." His tone was gentle,
Er, right. "Was there anything else you needed?"
"Yes I did call you two for another matter. You see," Galbatorix was looking at the guard, "my son here is very powerful and I wish for him to test part of his skills with you."
Both David and the guard stood there in silence, to shocked to do anything else. Galbatorix took their silence in stride, unsurprised that his announcement had produced this reaction, "Son, you remember how we have strengthened your ability to be able to control objects with your mind?"
David gave a wary nod, "Yes…father." Why is he even pretending to be my father anyway! I'm a blind servant! If anything he wouldn't want to acknowledge my existence.
We'll find out later little duck, just listen to the Mad King.
"Good. Now I wish for you to do it again, but this time you will be not be controlling an object, no, you will be controlling a person."
Now he knew why the guard was there. Galbatorix wanted him to take control of the guards mind and control his thoughts and movements. He could feel Aquila's displeasure with the task Galbatorix has given him.
"You wish for me to take control of his mind?" David gestured to the guard next to him who was looking understandably terrified. "What if I, I don't know, mess up and break him?" David really didn't want to do what Galbatorix was asking. Taking control of someone's mind like that could be harmful to the mind being controlled. He might end up breaking the guards mind and leave nothing but an empty shell.
"All is well my son you will not mess up. I have faith in your abilities."
Wow. Coming from Galbatorix that was pretty high praise.
Unless he said it so the guard would quit trembling in fear.
David focused on the guard and found that he was indeed trembling. He would be too if someone was about to take over his mind. I doubt he would care about how the guard feels.
Do you have to do this? This is–its horribleness! Not right!
I can't not! If I don't Galbatorix might just punish me rather hurt fully, and it would be suspicious because Neil would probably do it without question. And now the guard thinks I'm Galbatorix's son and if I didn't do it it would look bad on Galbatorix.
I don't really care about Galbatorix!
David focused his mind on the guards. Neither do I but there's not much I can do about my situation.
He pushed into the guards mind with no resistance, the guard obviously had no mind shields whatsoever. Encircled the guards mind, like a bird would circle his prey. He wasn't sure how he was going to do this. If he merged his mind with the guards like he does with Aquila then the guard would know the truth about who he was and why he was here.
"Ah, father must I do this? I am perfectly happy with just keeping control over objects."
"You will do this." The Kings voice was hard, signaling that this was not up for discussion. "It would be a good skill to have should you ever be in a tight situation."
With no other choice David attacked the guards mind. He used Neil's memories so he could block his own so the guard wouldn't see his real memories. He delved deep into the mans mind and found what he decided to call the Core. It's where ones magic is kept. It seems everybody has one. It only some people gain the magical abilities.
He attached his conscience to the Core and took control of the guards every thought and action. It sickened him that he could do this, to be able to infiltrate somebody's mind and take away their free will in such a way, but he pressed kept his conscience attached to the guards and he exited the mans mind.
Now in his own mind he could feel the guards conscience at the back of his mind. He could tell he had full control because the guards eyes were glazed and his body was slack.
"Very good. Now give him a command." Galbatorix's sudden voice startled David.
David cleared his throat, "Draw your sword?" He knew the guard had heard his command but he was confused why he didn't move.
"I said to give him a command, not a suggestion." Galbatorix's hard voice broke through David's confusion. He straightened at the authority in Whoch the King spoke and cleared his throat once again.
"Draw your sword." David made sure it sounded like a command.
The guard hesitantly reached for his sword. Unhappy that the guard didn't just do as he asked he pushed his intent towards the back of his mind where the guards conscience was connected with his. He was rewarded with the guard quickly grabbing the hand,e of his sword and drawing it out of its sheath.
Happy with the results David released his hold on the guards mind and watched as the awareness slowly entered his eyes. The guard looked at the sword in confusion, obviously wondering how it had gotten there, before realization seemed to hit him and he turned fearful eyes onto David as he re-sheathed the sword as he then turned his eyes to the King. "M-My Lord, I didn't mean to draw my sword."
Galbatorix had a pleased expression upon his features. "You drew your sword because my son wanted you too. He took control of your mind, and in turn controlled your actions. You were at his complete mercy. He could have told you to kill yourself and you would have don't it without a thought." The last sentence was said in such a care-free tone David almost didn't catch how horrible it actually was; and by the guards expression he didn't catch on to the sentence at all.
"You are dismissed. And make sure to tell the rest of the guards of my son. He is not to be treated as a servant any longer. He will be treated as the prince he is." David didn't even notice the guard left. To wrapped up in his own thoughts on how Galbatorix was calling him his son and apparently a prince. Galbatorix's command to follow him up to his study broke him out of his thoughts.
I don't understand it Aquila why is he calling me his son?
I don't know little duck.
It doesn't make any sense! We both know he's not my father so why would he tell the guard that?
I don't know. And we won't know if you don't listen to what he has to say.
David sat in the seat across from Galbatorix in the study. It seemed Galbatorix was waiting for him to peak first if the continued silence was anything to go by. "Why did you tell the guard I was your son?"
Galbatorix's eyes seemed to harden, "You will not use such a tone when you are speaking to me, are we clear?"
He didn't want to fidget under the Kings stare, and since the King knew him as Neil he allowed himself to squirm in his seat even though he was in the mindset of David and his pride screamed at him for not showing his strength under the mans gaze. "Forgive me Master. I just don't understand why you said I'm your son."
"That is because you are my son." He said it with such honesty that David almost believed it himself. Almost.
"But my father died when I was a boy." David didn't honestly know what Galbatorixs motive was.
"Wrong. That was the father of your brother, not you. He was your step-father." Galbatorix's voice was patient while he explained.
"Of course he was my father he's been with me since I was born."
"I understand why you would be confused and distressed. Just let me tell you the truth." David took a deep breath and nodded his head for Galbatorix to explain how he could possibly be his father.
"About thirty years ago I left the empire and traveled to The city of Dras-Leona. It was there that I met your mother. She was quite beautiful, I would not have noticed her otherwise. You look a lot like her really. Light blond hair, your smile is even the same," David thought of the image of the woman who was supposed to be Neil's mother. Her image was where he got his hair color, and he supposed he could see how their smiles were the same, but this woman wasn't even supposed to be real. Murtagh made her up for their memories. Unless of course David thought with a small amount of dread she was real and Murtagh has seen her and used her for the memories. "I stayed in Dras-Leona for about a week, getting to know each other–for she hadn't realized who I was– before the fateful night where I brought her to where I had been staying. It had been glorious." Galbatorix had a satisfied smile on his face.
Bad images, bad images! I don't want to hear about this!
Galbatorix didn't notice his disgusted expression and pressed on, "The following morning I was awakened by Shruikan. I got out of bed and left the city gates. I knew the woman had followed me and she saw Shruikan. It would have been hard not to know he had been there for everyone else had seen him as well. As Shruikan leapt into the air I made eye contact with her and that was when I saw that she realized who I was. There was astonishment, guilt, and what I believe to be disgust in her eyes. Though whether it was disgust for me or herself I do not know."
Wow. You went off and had a one-night-stand and then you just left her to deal with the child herself. Yeah, that disgust is to you. "So what then?"
If he wasn't the king he probably would have shrugged, "Nothing. I left and I never gave her a second thought. Until, of course, I saw her again in you memories. It got me thinking about that night. You are about thirty years old yes?"
"Yes. I'm twenty-seven."
"Some of your features are a resemblance to mine." That was actually scarily true. They had similar jaws, along with their cheekbones.
"But you don't know for sure if–" Galbatorix didn't let him finish his sentence.
"I would not have told you this if I was not one-hundred percent certain that you are my son. By you memories it is your brother who shares his looks with his father while you share yours with mine."
Oh my god I think he actually believes I'm his son. What do I do?! Aquila's silence told him she didn't know what to do about it either.
"You believe that you are, in fact, my father?" David's voice was hoarse. He couldn't believe this was happening right now, and he dearly hoped that Galbatorix was actually lying about this. But by the open look of honesty on the mans face he highly doubted he was lying.
"Yes Neil. I know you are my son."
David wasn't sure how to fill the following silence, "What about Ian?"
Galbatorix's expression closed off and his voice was no longer warm, "What about him?"
"Well…it's just…earlier in the throne room when you called me a prince, would my brother not be one also?"
"Why would he be?"
"It's just that he's my brother you know? So I thought–" Galbatorix cut him off a second time.
"He may be your brother but he is not my son. You are my son. My blood is running through your veins. My power is in you. Not your brother. Do not even think of him as your brother for he is not. He is Ian Eronsson, but you are Neil Galbatorixsson. And you are the next to take the throne should I ever leave it."
David couldn't believe a single word he was hearing. He actually thinks I'm his son! Aquila what am I going to do?!
What you should do is get out of their, and quickly.
I can't just run right after he dropped the "I am your father" Darth Vader bomb shell on me! I mean if he actually believes he's my father then imagine what he would feel like if I just up and ran away!
It should not matter how he would feel! David you were only supposed to go into the castle with as little notice as possible, and now your sitting in Galbatorix's study with him telling you he's your father! If it was going to be hard for you to get out before then imagine what it will be like now! You will probably have guards around you for protection as the Mad Kings son, and they will. It let you out of their sight.
They could be lazy guards who will just think I'm some blind kid and won't notice when they all sneak away.
The guard who you so disgustingly controlled today will most likely tell the others of what you had done. They will be frightened of you and will not let their guard down.
God I just can't take this anymore Aquila. I come to Urû'baen with the intention of lying low and finding information on the eggs and hopefully steal them, but instead we show up and Galbatorix takes an immediate interest in me and decides to take me under his wing to begin teaching me how to use my mind against others. Then he finds out about my magic and he taught me the ancient language so he can help me learn more ways to use my magic. That was all fine, I could have lived with that but now? Now I don't know what to do anymore. I'm just so–so lost and stressed because Galbatorix fully believes he is my "Father"
The last word of David's mental rant was said aloud. It sounded so broken and lost that Galbatorix actually got out of his chair and pulled him into an awkward hug. David was stunned that the man even knew how to hug, but at the moment he didn't care. He returned the hug fiercely and broke down onto the Kings shoulder, letting go of all the stress that has been building since the day he landed in Alagaësia ten years ago up to this very moment. He cried for the life he would never be able to go back to on earth; for the worries he wet through before he started his journey with Eragon and Brom; for all of the worries while he was with Eragon and Brom; and he cried for the stress that he went through since the day he entered the castle of Urû'baen.
When he shed his final tear he felt both physically and mentally exhausted. He sagged against Galbatorix and let his eyes fall shut. Deciding not to question why the man was allowing David to touch him at all.
I am going to have a very serious talk with Murtagh the next time I see him.
AN: Okay I don't know where the whole "son" thing came from, but I was writing it and it just kind of happened so I rolled with it. You either like it or hate it because I don't have the energy or creativity to think of anything else. Btw Merry Christmas!