Inheritance III: The Third Rider
Disclaimer: Eragon, Eldest, and the entire Inheritance series do not belong to me. Nor do its characters. Don't sue me, and thank you.

Chapter 3
Captured

"We leave very soon," Eragon said, to his party, the next day. "If there is anything you would like to do, finish it right now." He eyed the group, raising his eyebrows at the fact that they did not move a muscle. "So it is settled," he said, "we go, to Helgrind!" The elves and Roran cheered, and followed Eragon and Saphira as they headed off towards Helgrind.

Due to the fact that they had too many companions, they needed to ride horses towards Helgrind. Eragon had taken to riding a gray horse named Sage. The elves were riding on their usual horses, and Roran sat upon a horse much like Sage. The company barely spoke as they rode. Occasionally, they would stop to give the horses a rest. At those times, Eragon tried to teach Roran how to use a sword. "You seem well suited with your hammer," Eragon said, the first time. "However, you might have to make do with other weapons once upon a time." Roran frowned, but he obliged.

With pride, he informed Saphira that Roran was getting quite better at it. He was, after all, human, his reactions were slow compared to Eragon's, but he was still faster than his fellow humans. It took about three days to reach Dras-Leona. They could see Helgrind, and it was a mile away. Eragon told them to halt, and they did.

"At this point," Eragon said, "we cannot enter Dras-Leona. It would lead us to be discovered, and it has happened before. Roran and I will take the place of two servants who will take Sethr oil to Helgrind. We bring out the Ra'zac. The rest of the group would stay up and out of sight in the air and on Saphira. I'm sure she could handle the weight of four elves." He turned around to face Saphira.

Yes, she said, barely glancing at him, and projecting it to everyone.

"Excellent. Now, once the Ra'zac are out, we will try to distract them while you four come down. Then we could kill them with full force."

"Why you two? Remember that while you are humans, you still have wanted posters posted up everywhere. The Ra'zac are sure to recognize you," Edoc'sil argued.

"What are you suggesting?"

"Me and another one of us elves shall distract the Ra'zac while you ride on Saphira Bjartskular with the others. I'm sure we can distract them."

"But if Roran and I go, the Ra'zac have orders not to kill us. The king wants us alive."

"Does he now?" Edoc'sil pondered. "Give me just a moment." Eragon watched Edoc'sil thinking.

Edoc'sil snapped his fingers. "Yes, that would work better." The dragon rider eyed him.

The blue-haired elf quickly told him his plan.

So it was, once the full moon arrived, Eragon watched two servants walk out of Dras-Leona. He waited until they passed him and then knocked them unconscious with his magic. Roran grinned at him. "Ready brother?" he asked.

"As always," he replied.

Roran's beard was gone. He had volunteered to shave it. Together, they walked towards Helgrind, carrying the Sethr oil. They faced the entrance and knocked. The gates opened, revealing a Ra'zac. Once it saw them, the Ra'zac began clicking in its language furiously. Immediately, it was joined by the other Ra'zac. They drew their swords. Roran brought out his hammer, and Eragon unsheathed Argetdail.

The two groups jumped out at each other. Roran and Eragon took on a Ra'zac each.

Eragon was having trouble. He may have had elven reflexes, but the Ra'zac was still fast. Blue sparks flew as his blade clashed against the Ra'zac, at which point he could smell the Ra'zac's stinky breath. Then they would be knocked away from each other, only to jump out at each other again. He saw the other Ra'zac knock out Roran with the hilt of its sword. Eragon was distracted from this, as he was shouting, "Roran!". The Ra'zac gave out something that sounded a little like a laugh, and knocked Eragon out as well.

Eragon woke up, finding himself in a dark cell. He knew immediately that he had been drugged. He saw Roran lying by, still unconscious. He hugged his legs, knowing that he had landed himself in big trouble.

Suddenly, the door of the cell opened, and Eragon found himself facing a man holding a whip and a bottle of Sethr oil. He could not see the man's features, but his voice was familiar.

"And how are you today," the man said, in a voice that indicated that he was sneering.

Author's Note:

Deary dear, I wonder what you think now that I left this chapter like this.

Thanks again to Epistler for reviewing me.

Also, I've gotten a hundred hits, and not a lot are reviewing.

So anyone who clicks this purple button, I thank you, really really muchos.