I own nothing of the Inheritance Cycle!

Thoughts over bond

When David woke he found himself inside an unfamiliar room. Bolting upright he realized he had been set onto a couch. He didn't know how he got there but he was pretty sure it had something to do with Galbatorix. The last thing he remembered was Galbatorix hugging him, causing him to have an emotional breakdown before he blacked out from exhaustion.

He pressed his hand to his mouth as he gathered his thoughts. It seemed that Galbatorix believed he was Neil's father because the woman they used to play as Neil and Ian's mother had an affair with Galbatorix twenty seven years ago, and David just so happens to be twenty seven years old.

He could see why Galbatorix would think he was his son. He did change some of his features to match the woman's, his other features he left alone and apparently Galbatorix thinks they look similar to his own.

He stood from the couch and looked around the room. It was rather large, about three times the size of Galbatorix's study. On the other side of the room was a large canopy bed, with black silk bedding. The couch he had been placed onto was the same black color only leather, and it was facing a fire place. The rest of the room was bare really except for a closet that was pushed against a wall to David's left.

He walked towards the only door in the room, wanting to leave the room as soon as possible. It's emptiness creeped him out.

When he opened the door he was greeted with a very familiar study Don't tell me I was in Galbatorix's room.

"I see you're awake, my Prince." A firm, but feminine, voice spoke from his right.

Startled he searched for the voice and discovered a servant curtsying to him. He has met this servant before, they all have, for she was the head servant. She was in charge of giving the other servants their daily routine. Even went so far as to make sure they all got something to eat and made sure they slept well. All the servants looked up to her.

"Mary what are you doing here? And why did you call me Prince? And what's with the curtsy?" David didn't understand what she was doing. He was surprised anyone else was even allowed into the study. But he supposed Galbatorix wasn't going to be the one to clean it, and if anyone was going to clean the study she was the one to trust.

Mary straightened from her curtsy and she had an excited smile on her face, "I called you my Prince because you are!"

David spluttered, "Wha–No! I'm no prince! Never was never will be."

Mary put her hands on her hips, "Don't be silly, everybody in the castle knows that your the Kings son. You may not have known you were a prince before but you certainly are one now."

"How does everyone know I'm a prince? I just learned about it myself yesterday!"

"Come now Neil, this kind of information can't be kept quiet you know. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone in Urû'baen knew about you."

"But how did everyone find out?"

Mary must have seen David's distress because she carefully laid a hand on his shoulder and steered him out of the room. "All is well Neil. Some of the servants of the castle heard some guards talking about it and in turn they told all of the other servants. And you know how the servants enjoy their gossip. When some of them went off to buy food for the upcoming ball they probably told the shop owners. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the nobles here in the castle has heard of it."

Great. Everyone in Urû'baen thinks I'm a prince as well, and then traders are going to hear about it and spread the word.

David hadn't even noticed Mary had lead them into the throne room until Galbatorixs voice broke him from his thoughts. "Son."

David tilted his head in acknowledgement, "Yes your majesty." I am not going to call him my father.

"Mary is going to be showing you to your new room in the castle."

"Will I not be staying in my old quarters?"

"Those quarters are for servants Neil. You are my son and you will be treated as such, starting with your new room."

"But what about my brother?"

"I suppose you will need a personal servant." And with that Galbatorix ended the conversation.

David went to say something but Mary quickly grabbed onto his arm and began to drag him out of the room but they were stopped by Galbatorix speaking, "You will not handle my son in such a way."

Mary dropped her hand from David's arm, "Of course your majesty."

They were stopped again, "Neil, you can call me father."

David just said, "Of course." Before he and Mary left the room.

"You should not antagonize him so." Mary was leading him through the twisting hallways of the castle.

"What do you mean?"

"I knew you were going to talk back when he said your brother would be your personal servant. Son or not he does not like it when people talk back or question him."

David sighed, "I know, but I don't like how he speaks of my brother."

Mary stopped him and opened a wooden door in the center of what seemed to be a deserted hallway. Whatever Mary said next was lost on him as he took in the sight of the room. My room.

A large canopy bed was pushed in the middle of the wall to David's right, though not quite as large as Galbatorixs bed. Across from the bed on the left wall was a desk, with a deep red armchair, pushed up underneath a largest doe that overlooked the same courtyard from when Galbatorix tried to get the eggs to hatch. Sitting next to the desk was a bookcase filled with books of the ancient language. I guess Galbatorix wants me to continue studying in ancient language. I don't know why, I'm fluent in it already. Maybe it's so I can practice reading. He walked to the other side of the room where a wardrobe was situated.

He opened the wardrobe and found it was filled with clothes of all different colors. He felt what looked to be a cloak and found it to be made of a soft silk material. He turned around to face Mary, who was still standing in the doorway. "What is this?"

She seemed just as amazed as him, "The King had asked what size you were, but I didn't expect this."

David saw a strip of cloth on the top shelf of the wardrobe. Reaching up he took down the black cloth. By the feel of it he figured it was leather.

Brows furrowed he turned to Mary, "What is this?" Mary came closer and took the cloth from his hands to examine it herself. She looked back up at him, then at the cloth, before wrapping the cloth over where he already had a cloth strip over his eyes.

David took the cloth from Mary's hands, "Why would he want me to have this?"

"Well it is worn and dirty, the King probably wished for you to have a new one. It would go better with your new clothes then that worn old thing." Mary reached up to remove the cloth from his eyes, but was stopped by the bruising grip on her wrist. She turned fearful eyes onto David.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you went and got Ian for me." David released his grip on Mary's wrist and took the leather from her grasp.

Mary whispered, "Of course my Prince" before she quickly left the room.

That was close.

You did not have to scare her so.

David began to slowly remove the cloth from around his eyes, his back towards the door If I hadn't she would have seen my, very recognizable, eyes.

With his eyes shut tight David removed the cloth from his eyes. He stood still for a moment before he slowly opened his eyes. When he fully opened his aqua blue eyes he blinked rapidly to adjust to the sudden light.

He looked around the room with a smile. It had been months since he had last seen with his eyes, and it felt wonderful. He was hesitant to put the leather cloth around his eyes but he knew he had too.

Yet he didn't get the chance because that was the moment that Murtagh decided to walk into the room. They stared at each other in the eyes in silence before Murtagh broke it, "I forgot how intense your eyes can be."

David laughed and sat on the bed, beckoning for Murtagh to join him. "It feels good to see again."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Murtagh as he sat on the bed, "You've always been able to see."

They both sat in silence until David sighed, putting his head in his hands and setting his elbows onto his knees. He let out a loud sigh and dragged his hands through his hair before looking up at Murtagh, "The woman you used for the memories…who was she?"

Murtagh shrugged, "Nobody."

David sat up and stared at Murtagh with hard eyes, "Do not lie to me Murtagh. She is the reason Galbatorix thinks I'm his son, the reason I'm in this room. Tell me who she is."

"David I'm being serious, I don't know who she is. When we were in Gil'ead I saw her so I just used her for the memory. I had no she had an affair with Galbatorix."

"I don't think anyone knew about it." They descended into silence one again.

"I hear I'm going to be your personal servant." Murtagh tried to sound indifferent, but David saw the grimace on his face.

"Yea that would be Galbatorix's doing. He has no love for you Murtagh."

"And he loves you?" Murtagh raised a brow.

"I don't know if he's capable of loving anyone." They both grinned at each other.

David stood and went over to the bookcase and began flipping through one of the books. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose when he saw the title, Etiquette. He better give me any lessons. But so far with my luck he'll probably start teaching me. He set the book back in the bookcase.

"You know you don't have to do anything for me. I'll just clean the room myself and get my own food. I'm no stranger to doing these things myself." The last sentence was said with a smile.

But Murtagh just sighed, "No I'll do it. If Galbatorix finds out I would be worried for what he would do." Here he sent a fake glare at David,"But that doesn't mean you can make my job any easier."

"Whatever you say, your highness." David gave him a mock bow.

"I should be the one saying that to you, my Prince." Murtagh quickly dodged the book aimed for his head as he fled the room. His laugh echoing through the hallway.

Collecting the book from the floor David set it on his desk and went to the wardrobe. He changed into a set of pajamas and crawled into the bed. He looked at the leather strip in his hands for a few minutes before giving a defeated sigh and tying it around his eyes and laying down to sleep.