Chapter Fourteen

A/N: I've been really terrible about updating-- and I'm sorry :0( I'm hoping to kick myself into gear and get this story finished. In my mind's eye, I imagine two more chapters, three at the most. I'm having a little difficulty finding accurate timelines on the internet to help me figure out what events should take place right about now in my FF, and unfortunately I don't have my Inheritance books so I can't look it up there either. So please bear with me in attempting to make sense of when and where everything happens. If you see a mistake, I assure you it isn't because I'm trying to mess with Paolini's world, I probably just had bad information. Thanks for being patient!

Sareh woke, groggy and aching. As she struggled to sit up a searing pain shot through her shoulder, causing her to gasp.

"I apologize for Durza's eagerness to harm you—it appears he doesn't have an appreciation for the finer things in life." A cold voice emanated from a dark corner. Despite the terrible throbbing in her shoulder, Sareh shot up from her vulnerable position and reached for a dagger only to find an empty sheath. In a matter of seconds she felt for the others she had hidden, only to see she was entirely weaponless. She looked up into the shadows and was met with an almost rabid stare from a face she had seen only once before.

"Galbatorix." She said coolly, a feral smile spreading across the man's lips. For such a frightening looking man, his countenance was cool, calculating. His eyes raked over her as he relished her fear in knowing it was he who held her captive. She was doing a remarkable job keeping her fear from her face, but it was there, he could feel it.

"Yes my lady." She met his icy glare; he could feel the pressure of her mind against the walls of his own. However, due to Durza's black magic and intimate knowledge of her abilities, Galbatorix knew she would be unsuccessful.

"You know you're too weak my dear. You might as well save your strength." Sareh's eyes widened as he confirmed what she feared. The poison Durza had used on her was magically binding her powers. Until the poison left her body, they would be useless against him and for the Varden. Which had been her second plan, assessing her situation and then using her abilities to gather information for her fellow rebels. Galbatorix's grim smile widened at her predicament.

"It looks like my prediction came true." Sareh shook her head.

"You've only given me a minor set back Galbatorix. I will find a way out of this place and when I do, I will make sure the Varden have everything they need to defeat you." Galbatorix shook his head.

"As futile as this argument is for you, you must realize that if you ever do get out of this fortress, you will not be as your precious Shur'tugal and Varden remember you." Sareh didn't back down, even though in her heart, she knew it was probably true. Somehow, despite her precautions to keep Durza away, he had still found a way to overpower her, she wasn't sure how yet, but it appeared she'd have time to speculate later. At the moment she was invaluable to Galbatorix and the Forsworn. In the event she got away, they would cripple her anyway they could.

"Galbatorix, you will pay for this, if not by me then by my people." Galbatorix gave a rude snort.

"We shall see—and in that time, you'll know what it's like to have your life destroyed." Before she could reply Galbatorix was gone, leaving her to her own limited devices. During this reprieve of sorts she looked around the room and realized that it was a bedchamber. The room was fairly lavish for a prisoner of war, it's walls done up in pretty silks and flashing gold. The bed she had apparently been laid on was covered in similar finery and stuffed with a comfortable looking down bedding.

"Strange tactic, torturing with comfort and finery." She muttered to herself as she looked around. In one corner, over the back of a chair was a beautiful blue dress, the color obviously meant to compliment her looks. She lifted it up and inspected it. Although it was gorgeous, if they expected her to wear it, they were sadly mistaken. She threw the garment back on the chair with little regard for the expensive silks being crumpled. Knowing the evil that lived here, it had probably been bought with blood money, if it had been paid for at all. Her gaze was drawn to a balcony just outside the window she was standing next to. The sky was dark and rain was beating on the roof, she could only see the terrain when the skies were assaulted by lightening.

She couldn't tell where she was, she just knew it wasn't a place the Varden could easily attempt a rescue. She was aware Brom wouldn't stop looking for her, which is what frightened her. As with all of her premonitions to this point, this one had come true. Fate had it out for her and if that were true, it meant that all she loved would be in danger. Sareh pushed lightly on the door to the balcony, never expecting it to actually be open, and at the very least have some sort of magical lock on it. She was surprised to find that the door swung open easily.

Stepping out in the rain, Sareh looked all around her for some sort of trap, feeling blind without her powers to guide her. Even with the skills Brom had taught her to survive in this sort of situation, Sareh doubted she would make it through. Nothing rushed from the shadows to grab her and at that point she hadn't seen or heard anything stopping her from leaving. As lightening slashed across the angry sky Sareh slid one leg over the balcony wall, looking for something to happen. She slid the other leg over, her odds to an inexperienced eye would have looked very good, but Sareh knew better than to get her hopes up. Galbatorix might have gone mad, but he wasn't stupid. He was also quite cruel. If he had intentionally let her think she could get away or if he found out she was gone. She was assured a very painful punishment.

Sliding over the edge Sareh's feet searched for purchase. As she did a searing pain shot through her entire body. It felt like fire rushing over skin, into every pore, her mind burned. The shock of this sudden attack nearly caused Sareh to lose her grip on the balcony. Her grip tightened at the last moment on the slick edge of the balcony. Using what little strength she had, Sareh pulled herself over the railing once more and landed with a crack against the stone.

She let her head drop, her eyes heavenward, chest heaving as she gasped for air. As the lightening and thunder lit up the evening, Sareh realized why Galbatorix hadn't shown great care in locking her away. It appeared that not only had Durza poisoned her with black magic, he had also temporarily infected her with one of his captured spirits. Although this particular one was not taking over her mind, it appeared that it had been given leave to attack her if she tried to escape. Having little experience with spirit-wielding, Sareh knew she stood no chance of removing it in her weakened state. Once again Durza proved himself a dangerous adversary.

As the rain thoroughly soaked her to the skin she tried, in vain, to reach out to Brom, to tell him it was useless to try and find her. She couldn't do it though, her mind still overcome. As the rain fell from the heavens, sliding down her skin, she whispered to herself.

"Oh Brom… Don't come, don't come."


Brom paced camp like a lion ready to strike. He could barely contain the rage and worry that was seeping from every molecule of his body. Saphira was standing nearby, talons embedded in the ground, her own emotion overflowing, making their combined rage palpable to the small group of Varden leaders sitting before them.

"Brom, it's a trap, we can't risk it—Galbatorix knows what Sareh is to you, he'll use it to his advantage." One of the men said urgently. Brom's hands clenched at his sides, he knew this was true and he knew that Sareh would never risk the lives of the Varden. They were the last hope against Galbatorix, and no matter what happened to her, Brom knew Sareh would tell him to go on without her.

That's what made him angry.

He gave a defeated sigh and looked at the group.

"I know. We'll have to proceed with—without her." He couldn't say the words without choking. Leaving Sareh to suffer whatever wrath Galbatorix had in store for her was not something that boded well Brom. If anything, Brom wanted Saphira to help him find her so he could tear Galbatorix apart with his own hands. It was hard for him to believe that long ago, Brom had once called Galbatorix friend. Now the only thing Brom could call him was monster, and even more so now that he had taken Sareh. With his own admittance that they could not go after her, the men stood and filed out to their tents silently. They were aware that Sareh was not just a great loss to Brom, but to them all. Her powers had done a great deal to help them to this point, many of them had wanted to go after her anyway, stating that they left no one behind to be tortured by Galbatorix and his Forsworn.

When they finally left, Brom dropped down upon a newly vacated log. He held his head in his hands, his rage dissipating into total anguish.

"How could I have let this happen?" he murmured to himself, his head heavy in his hands. Saphira, who had been sitting silently the entire time, leaned her snout down until it was inches from Brom's shaking form.

"Brom, we had a mission to complete—Sareh will never blame you for this." Brom's head jerked up his eyes on fire.

"I should have kept her with me, or stayed with her on the ground, I shouldn't have been safe upon your back." Saphira shook her head, her great eyes meeting his.

"And left the other Varden to suffer Galbatorix's army alone? Sareh would be ashamed to hear it. She knew when the Varden were created that she would fight and possibly die for what she believed in. She was more than willing." Brom leapt to his feet, his hands ripping through his hair.

"I can't just sit here knowing Galbatorix has her, Saphira. It may be selfish of me, but I've made enough sacrifices, I want her back and I want her back now." Saphira wagged her head in disagreement.

"Brom, I don't want any harm to come to Sareh either. I love her as much as you do, but we cannot be rash about this. We must bide our time, we know Galbatorix will not kill her until she has served his purpose. We also know Sareh will never do it unless forced, she will fight him."

"But, what if he finds it isn't worth it? Durza is powerful, he was able to stop Sareh immediately, with no effort—it was as if her years of training meant nothing." Brom said as his panic rose at an alarming level. The more he thought about it, the more afraid he became for Sareh. Shur'tugals were notorious for being unemotional and in the past Brom had been known for this as well, but Sareh had changed him. He cared for her so deeply, that losing her was not an option.

"Durza may know how to block her abilities, but I cannot shake the feeling that he does not know how to use them. He needs Sareh for that and therefore Galbatorix will assure she stays alive." Saphira answered, her tail swishing as a cat's would when angry. Brom looked at her skeptically.

"How can you be so sure? Durza is as unpredictable as Galbatorix, if not more so."

"Sareh could feel it when Durza switched their bodies, she felt Durza was unprepared to handle her powers and Galbatorix admitted it during the whole ordeal." The dragon answered.

"But that was years ago Saphira, he could have learned by then!" Brom retorted, he had learned to never underestimate a Shade, particularly Durza. Any man who willingly put themselves at risk of being overtaken by spirits was dangerous, and now this one had a master with a vendetta.

"Brom, there is nothing I can say that will calm you, but I know Sareh is as safe as she can be at the moment." At her words Brom looked at Saphira in surprise. He had been desperately reaching out to Sareh for hours, only to find nothing. Was it possible that Saphira could still sense Sareh?

"Can you contact her?" Saphira shook her head no, vehemently.

"No Brom, but I can sense her, it's almost muffled like someone's thrown a blanket over a bright lantern—You still may see some of the glow, but the rest of it is blocked. That's how I feel, she is there but I cannot feel more than that." Brom kicked at a stone, some of his anger returning. He wasn't the type of man to sit around a wait while someone he cared about was in danger. Now that it was Sareh, he most certainly couldn't stand it. Finally, after a moment of cooling down he looked at Saphira.

"I'm going for her Saphira—I believe Galbatorix is predictable enough to take over the Urû'baen. If she's there, I will find her, he will not use her for his own purposes…" he stopped for a moment and regarded his dragon sadly, "I'll need your help though." Saphira gave a fang-filled smile.

"I would have it no other way Brom—I think you'll also find that the time will be right for the Varden to attack. You will have many at your side." Brom looked off into this distance, wishing he could change history.

"I hope you're right Saphira. Our lives depend on it."