The next thing Aillyira remembered was looking over the maps of her lands and the potential battle plans. Aillyira heard a knocking in her dreams, it took a few moments for her to realize it was someone knocking on her door. Aillyira sat up, she had fallen asleep on the plans. She shook her head and walked toward the door. Half of her crimped hair was up in a loose bun; she was wearing a silk, full-length nightgown and a matching silk robe over her shoulders. She opened the large door and found Eragon standing there, looking very distressed.
"What is it?" She asked.
"You need to follow me." He said grabbing her hand and pulling her toward one of the balconies that looked out over the edges of the Nation. Aillyira stopped short as Eragon lead her onto the balcony. She could see the smoke from hundreds of smoldering camp fires.
"No ….." the word escaped her lips in little more than a whisper. Eragon walked up next to her and placed his hand on top of hers.
"We will get through this." She turned her pale green eyes to his dark crystal blue eyes. She knew his words were true but she needed to hear it from someone else. "Together." She squeezed his hand.
"I need to speak to my people." She turned and walked back into the castle, calling for one of her generals.
"What can I do for you, milady?" he asked, bowing to her, deciding not to mention her choice of clothing.
"Summon my counsel and set a meeting for the Nation. We must talk." He bowed. He began to walk away but stopped.
"Milady?" He asked. She nodded to him. "You might want to consider putting something less …. Revealing before the counsel." Aillyira felt her cheeks colour. She motioned for the general to leave. He walked away. Aillyira turned to see Eragon watching her.
"Meet me in the Counsel room." She said, heading back to her room. Eragon headed to the Counsel room. Aillyira dressed in her Counsel gear, a pair of black leather pants, a light blue pirate shirt, her cape and one of her small crowns. She entered the room to complete silenced. Everyone had woken up the same way she had. To the sight of Galbatorix's army waiting to invade. The only thing standing in his way was her life.
"Milady?" Ask on of the generals. "What is happening? I thought that Galbatorix nor any hand he commanded could enter our lands as long as you live." Aillyira nodded and sat down in her chair at the head of the table. She looked to her right and found Eragon and Saphira. To her left was her most trusted advisor, Emeril.
"You are correct. Galbatorix's army is camped outside the boundaries of our lands. They are waiting for the curse to break." She explained.
"But in order for the curse to break, you have to die." Said another general.
"I am well aware of that." She paused, considering whether or not to tell them that Galbatorix had started to invade her dreams. "I regret to announce this, but we must be prepared if the worst should happen. Galbatorix had found a way around the curse." The whole room gasped. Eragon's head shot up and looked at her. "I banished him from my lands, but not from my dreams." She explained. "He summoned me the other night. He threatened me."
"Why didn't you say something?" Emeril asked, reaching our for her hand.
"I didn't want to worry you. Any of you." She said, looking out over the table. "He said that if I joined the Dragon Rider, he would destroy me and our land." She continued. "He said the act of betraying him was punishable by death."
"And still you align yourself and our forces with the Dragon Rider?" Asked a third general.
"You can not betray a self-appointed King." She stated forcefully. "If you do not wish to fight at my side, stay here where you are safe. Our world needs Eragon and Saphira. Galbatorix's rule must be brought to an end. I am willing to fight for the freedom that this land deserves. And if there is a person in this room who does not agree, you can leave this room right now and forever be branded as a coward." No one left. "Very well. We will begin moving our people out through the mountains, Galbatorix does not know about the mountain pass. Only our people can survive it. I want each of you to take your troops out, one at a time, each one taking a different pass. Meet up with the Varden." She dismissed everyone. Only Eragon, Saphira, and Emeril remained.
"What about you, my Queen?" Emeril asked.
"Eragon and I will remain here until everyone is safely out. Galbatoirx can track me, I know that now. I don't want him knowing that we are leaving. I am not sure what he is planning. But I know that if he finds out before we are ready, he will kill me and leave this land unprotected, along with its people." Aillyira stated. Emeril nodded, he got up and left the room. He would be one of the last to leave.
"Is that why you were out for a walk?" Eragon asked. Aillyira turned to him.
"Yes." She said simply, as if it were no big deal.
Eragon, this is serious. She only has to stop breathing for a second for the curse to be broken. Galbatorix has the upper hand. He must not find out she has decided to fight with you. Saphira sent. Eragon nodded.
"Someone will need to watch over you as you sleep, just to be sure." Eragon said. Aillyira shook her head.
"What makes you think I will be sleeping?" it was a fair question. Moving the amount of troops she had out through the mountains without detection was going to be a time consuming task. Eragon watched as she pulled out 13 different parchments. She wrote the same letter on each one. It was addressed to Nasuada. It explained in detail what was happening and outlined Aillyira's plan to evade Galbatorix. As each regiment left, the general in command was given the parchment. It would be three days before all her troops were out safe.