Disclaimer: Don't own Eragon.
Wow, I haven't written an all OC chapter in a very long time. Well, you all guessed that Ferros was that particular guard! Congrats! You're all psychic! Or I'm just really predictable.
Anyway, I assure you he's honorable. So far. I don't intend on this turning into a soap opera, so don't lean that way.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
A hole of loneliness seemed to have dug itself into the pit of Alycie's stomach, laced with the uneasy fright of the unfamiliar surroundings. She felt the eyes of Orik, the Twins, and the warriors as she passed. One stepped forward suddenly. Alycie immediately recognized him as the strange one who had held the knife to her neck the night before.
"Hello," he said. Alycie noticed a slight accent around the vowels of the word as he said it. "I've been ordered to be your escort for the duration of your stay in Tronjheim. Name's Ferros." He bowed his head and held out a hand eagerly.
"Alycie," said Alycie in a small voice, taking his hand. She felt uncomfortable, noting the Twins watching her avidly still.
"Right then. Follow me," said Ferros, turning on his heel and starting down the corridor with a bounce in his step. Alycie walked after him, folding her arms across her chest nervously.
"When will I get my sword back?" she asked. The guard turned his head back.
"Oh, it'll be returned to you by morning," he said. A minute later they emerged into the main room of Tronjheim, blinking up at the sapphire rose once more. Alycie stared around at the rows and rows of arches that lined the walls. She sighed.
"What am I supposed to do now?" she muttered to herself. She looked at Ferros. "Erm...is there a kind of...washroom or something where I could go?"
"Ah yes," said Ferros. "And would you be wanting fresh clothes when finished?" Alycie looked down. The hem of her tunic was horribly ragged and frayed, and her sleeves were stained heavily with blood. Dust coated her everywhere.
"Yes, but I'll have to pay for them later. I don't have any gold, but I'll find some sort of work as soon as I--"
"Ajihad has offered to provide for your needs until you are well grounded here," interjected Ferros. "Come, I will show you to the pools." Alycie followed the guard towards the large tunnel to the right.
They entered onto a sloping staircase leading underground. A long time they walked, turning off into tunnel-like corridors, forcing the guard and Alycie, though she was short already, to crouch to avoid scraping their heads on the low ceiling. The passage was obviously made for and by dwarves. Red lanterns lined the walls on either side of them, easing the pressure of darkness on their eyes. They turned off into a small room, empty except for a door on the other side.
"The pools are in there," said Ferros, pointing at the far door. "You will find soap and brushes as well. Undress here and leave your clothes. When you are finished, I'll have brought fresh attire. I will leave you now."
"Thank you," said Alycie, watching him until he had exited the room, closing the door behind him.
Alycie exhaled slowly, looking around. The room seemed to be secure. She tugged her tunic off over her head, looking around warily still. She shook her head, laughing to herself, and slipped out of her filthy shirt. Once fully naked, she walked to the door, opened it, and stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. The room was pitch black and cramped. Claustrophobia crept up Alycie's neck, but she ignored it, stepping around slowly as she walked forward slowly.
Her foot met warm water and she slid into it. Oh, the heavenly bliss. Alycie dunked her head underwater, running her hands through her greasy hair. She sat up, feeling around the rim of the water for the soap. Once found, she retreated underwater with it, washing the dirt and grime from her skin.
Once finished bathing, Alycie emerged cautiously into the small room. Her clothes were gone, and in their place lay a plain, yet clean, dark blue dress with a low neckline notched in the center and laced with thin strips of leather. Several small eyelets were cut into the elbows of the long sleeves to allow freer motion. A lighter blue under dress lay folded beside the first, with a dark brown, leather belt set on top of it. A pair of new leather shoes sat beside the dresses, and beside them lay a dry towel.
Alycie quickly dried herself off with the towel, slipping into the dresses and lacing them up with an old, practiced skill. She felt odd with the skirts flowing about her legs, so used to the past months of long pants. She pulled the shoes on and buckled the belt, rubbing the towel over her hair a last time to dry it better.
She opened the door, stepping out into the hallway. Ferros was leaning on the wall, tossing small pebbles at the red lamp opposite him. He turned as she closed the door. Alycie shifted from one foot to the other self-consciously as she walked over to him. He cleared his throat.
"You look lovely," he said.
"It's been a long time since I last wore a dress," said Alycie. Her stomach grumbled loudly. Ferros laughed.
"I suppose you'll want to go to the kitchens next?" he asked. Alycie nodded, grinning.
They returned to the main hall of Tronjheim, turning into several corridors that weaved in a maze until finally spitting them out in a room full of long, stone tables. Alycie stood by the door while Ferros spoke with the dwarf chef, soon returning with two platters of hot, steaming food. He led her up several staircases and through an archway or two, finally stopping at a sunny ledge with a window overlooking the small villages outside of the white marble structure of Tronjheim. A single colored lantern cast blue light over them as they sat. Alycie began to eat as Ferros removed his helmet, revealing his face for the first time.
He was young, a little younger than Murtagh it seemed, with fairly long, blonde hair that stuck out around his ears and large, hazel eyes. His skin seemed naturally a light tan, despite the lack of sunlight beneath the mountain. He set his helmet on the ground and eagerly lifted the bowl to his mouth, shoveling mushrooms down his throat at top speed. Alycie snorted.
"Are you expecting the Varden to run out of food anytime soon?" she asked with a laugh. He stopped, blinking, then swallowed sheepishly.
"I haven't eaten since noon yesterday. I was put on patrol of the hidden entrance, and then you all arrived. Once the Twins finished interrogating you all, I was put on night watch back here in Tronjheim. Then this morning it was back to guiding your group to Ajihad. I haven't slept either."
"I'm sorry to be such a burden on you," said Alycie guiltily. Ferros shook his head.
"Not at all. If I wasn't your guide, I would probably be stationed at the gates or somewhere until nightfall. I consider this a vacation," he said. Alycie nodded, scratching her neck. She winced as the cut from the sword shot a sting of pain along its length. "I'm sorry about that," said Ferros. "You started thrashing into the blade before I could readjust."
"It's alright," said Alycie. She stared out of the window, chewing the food. She wondered where Murtagh had been taken and what he was doing in his imprisonment. She wished she were with him. The loneliness inside of her rippled.
"So, what's it like, if you don't mind me asking?" asked Ferros suddenly, lowering his bowl. Alycie looked at him quizzically.
"What?"
"Traveling with a Rider," said Ferros. "Can he really defeat Galbatorix? What about his dragon?"
"I don't think he could manage to kill the king yet," said Alycie. "He's only my age. He can fight and use magic, but Galbatorix is most likely far more skilled. And his dragon's name is Saphira."
"I never thought I'd live to see the day when the Riders would return," said Ferros in awe, whistling. "And you are a magic user yourself."
"No, I'm not," said Alycie.
"But when the Twins--"
"That was the first time in my life. Imagine right now, if you could suddenly use magic. That is how I am at present."
"I see," said Ferros. "Will you join Du Vrangr Gata?"
"What?" asked Alycie.
"Du Vrangr Gata," repeated Ferros. "It is the alliance of magic users within the Varden. The Twins lead them."
"Then I don't think I will join," said Alycie. "I don't like the look of those Twins."
"They have done much for us," said Ferros. They sat in silence for a time.
"So tell me about your life," said Alycie, wishing to distract herself from the lonely longing she was feeling inside still with the absence of Murtagh. "Have you lived amongst the Varden all your life?"
"No," said Ferros, shaking his head. "I come from Furnost. My mother was a native of Surda and my father was a merchant. He originally came from somewhere in the Hadarac, but had not been to the desert in years. When I was ten, my mother died of an illness and my father vanished from the town. I said my goodbyes and retreated south to Surda, where I lived in the capital for a time. Ajihad called to King Orrin for reinforcements and I was sent here to help guard the city. I've lived here ever since."
"Ten years? That is impressive," said Alycie. "You traveled by yourself?"
"Yes," said Ferros, nodding. "What about you? Where are you from? When did you meet Eragon? Who is the other that came with you?" Alycie felt a knot tie in her stomach at the last question.
"Well...I don't come from as nice a background as you do," she said. "I was a slave in Dras-Leona all my life. My brother was sold to a merchant named Fexir, so I only saw him once every year or so. The last time he came, he killed his master in a plight of self-defense and we planned to escape. I left, but injured myself in the flight, and my brother was captured. I grew ill as I walked through the desert and fell unconscious next to Eragon's camp as the Ra'zac attacked him."
"Ra'zac?" asked Ferros, eyes wide, like a child absorbed in a tale of fantastic beings.
"Yes. Mur...Murtagh arrived and saved us from the beasts. I don't remember much of the first meeting, being delirious at the time, but I traveled with them from then on." Alycie turned to stare out of the window once again.
"Murtagh is the one who arrived with you?" asked Ferros. "The dark-haired man?"
"Yes," said Alycie. "And now he's in captivity."
"Well, he refused to be probed," said Ferros with sudden authority. Alycie looked at him sharply.
"He had a good reason," she said. Ferros shrugged.
"If he wished to be protected by the Varden, he should have put his personals aside and submitted to our ways."
"He did not wish to be protected by the Varden," said Alycie. "And neither did I, yet here I am."
"Then why did you come to the Varden if you did not wish to join?" asked Ferros.
"We accompanied Eragon to assure his safety," said Alycie. "Murtagh was violently opposed to coming, but he agreed to make sure Eragon reached them alive. He was to leave shortly before they got there, and I was to go with him to Surda. The Kull drove us into this dead-end valley and we were instead forced into the Varden's hands." Ferros paused.
"I'm sorry," he said. "You could leave if you wish. Just allow the Twins to extract the knowledge of Farthen--"
"I'm not letting them into my head again," said Alycie. "I'm not letting anyone in. It's too painful and I've gone through it more times than I would have liked." They lapsed into a long silence as they finished their meals. Ferros stood, picking up the bowls. He brushed his hair back from his forehead.
"I'll take these back down to the kitchen," he said. He looked at her. "I'm not supposed to leave you on your own, but if you promise not to...I don't know...jump out of the window or perform any other manner of escape, you can stay here until I return. Traveling back and forth through these halls and corridors can become tedious."
"I won't jump out of the window," said Alycie reassuringly. Ferros nodded in gratitude and walked off down the hallway.
Alycie looked at the window calculatingly. She stood and peered out. She could make the jump. She grinned and laughed to herself, crossing her arms. Something caught her eye: Ferros' helmet, still on the ground. She bent and picked it up, turning it in her hands. The metal was well polished with a secondary bronze plate nailed along the bottom rim rising in four spikes to the top tip of the helmet. The bottom rim dropped low, then rose in an arch above where the eye was situated and dropped into a nose guard, rising into another arch back down to the neck once more. Alycie looked on the inside, then, curiously, pulled it onto her own head.
The headpiece seemed loose on her head, dropping so that the arches were uncomfortably close to the tops of her eyes. The nosepiece extended slightly below her nose, rubbing the skin. She hummed to herself, hearing the noise compressed between her ears and the metal. Alycie rotated her head, feeling the unusual weight. It seemed so strange. She raised a hand and flicked the outside of the helmet. A low dong echoed through her ears. A laugh sounded behind her and she whirled around to find Ferros standing behind her, chuckling.
"Fascinating thing, isn't it?" he asked. Alycie jerked it off of her head, handing it to him.
"Interesting," she said shortly. Ferros took it, spinning it between his fingers.
"What do you want to do now?" he asked. Alycie thought.
"Sleep," she said. "Where is Eragon staying?"
"He will share accommodations with his dra--"
"Saphira," interjected Alycie.
"...Yes, with Saphira...above Isidar Mithrim, the star sapphire," finished Ferros. "That is where the stables for the Riders are located."
"So I'll not be staying near him?" asked Alycie. Ferros shrugged.
"The higher levels are completely abandoned," he said. "You could choose any room up there if you wished."
"Ajihad hasn't condemned me to a certain room in a certain hall?" asked Alycie. Ferros shook his head.
"You shouldn't be too judgmental of him," he said. "He has given you free reign, apart from my orders to accompany you."
"So you are not just an escort; you are my guard," said Alycie. Ferros sighed and nodded.
"Yes," he admitted.
"And when did these orders come to pass? I did not meet with Ajihad before that one conference and you were not present," said Alycie.
"When the Twins explained what they had found in the examination, he ordered that you be guarded for a time. If Murtagh had accepted the examination when Ajihad asked again, he would have been placed under the same supervision, though his would have been for only a few days, considering he has no risk of magic." Alycie looked at him oddly, but remembered that Ajihad had taken precautions so that Murtagh's identity would be protected. How she missed him...
"Yes, I see," she said, walking past Ferros down the hall. He ran to catch up with her.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"To find where I am to stay, of course," said Alycie. Ferros nodded, accompanying her out onto The Endless Staircase. As they climbed the levels, Alycie noticed a chute running along the wall by the stairs. "What is that for?"
"That is in case of an emergency. A dwarf at the top of Vol Turin would slide down to the bottom to deliver the news or whatever that was needed to be done," said Ferros. Alycie's mouth stretched in a smile as she looked at it. He noticed her face. "Only dwarves. Anyone bigger than a dwarf would fly out of the slide and hit the stairs."
"Alright," said Alycie, though her grin remained.
They continued to climb. Alycie looked out into the main chamber over a railing. The distance around the room grew smaller as they passed level after level. Alycie turned finally into the last arch, walking a ways down the hall. She opened a door on her right and looked in, stepping inside. Ferros followed her.
They stood in a large, marble room with a large, uncovered bed situated in the center. An overturned chair lay in a corner, but other than that the room was empty. Alycie walked to the chair, lifting it upright. Ferros looked around.
"Have you chosen?" he asked. Alycie nodded, looking around at the walls.
"It seems good," she said. She walked to Ferros, crossing her arms. "And where will you be?"
"Not in here," reassured Ferros. "I am to choose a room close by, but not in the immediate area."
"Good," said Alycie.
"Good," repeated Ferros. "I will have some sheets sent up."
"Don't bother," said Alycie. "I'll get them later. But now I swear if I go anywhere else, I will collapse from exhaustion." Ferros laughed.
"I'll leave you then," he said, walking to the door. "When you wake, holler. I will probably be sleeping a few doors down." He stepped out of the door, and then stopped, looking back. "Holler loud." The door closed. Alycie waited a few minutes, sitting on the bed. Her bed. She was living here now. Home.
"Unbelievable..." she muttered to herself. Not a day ago she had been running from the Kull armies, and today, she was living at the top of a marble city inside of a mountain and she was back in a dress with a guard following her everywhere. And Murtagh was in captivity. Alycie missed him. She sighed, feeling the loneliness make another stab at her heart.
She looked down at her hands folded in her lap. Her hair hung limp about her face as the same name repeated itself over and over in her mind. Murtagh. His face flashed in her mind. His smile. His eyes. His voice. His hand brushing against her cheek as they kissed.
Something dropped onto her hands. It felt wet. She blinked. More water splashed onto her skin. She lifted her hands to her eyes slowly. The liquid shimmered on them. She blinked again. Her eyes were wet. A drop was sliding down her cheek.
Tears. They were tears. Alycie breathed slowly. She hadn't cried since her infant years. Even when Vivaria viciously brought the lash down on her back, she had not shed one tear. Garrick had taken notice of it early on. He nearly cried every time he first set eyes on her during his visits. Her eyes had remained dry. Now, for the first time in nearly seventeen years, she cried. And she cried not for herself. She cried for Murtagh.
Alycie let out a sob, then covered her mouth, curling up on the bed. She rolled to face away from the door, pressing her face into the musty, ancient, straw mattress that covered the bed. For the first time in her life, she cried herself to sleep.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
REVIEW!!!