The Return

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon or Eldest, just Arianna and Nolan

Chapter 6: Refusal

They all knew what they were doing was reckless and almost guaranteed to give them away but they felt compelled to. After all, they were in their position now. They all had their doubts but it had to be put aside for the hostages' stake, even if Murtagh wasn't on their side. But Eragon had voiced his, as there were guards and they could be turned in by him. He couldn't, she had secretly put a spell on him (via Angela's help), to keep him from speaking of what was occuring. But it came with a warning, it could be broken at anytime. The grunts of the soldiers seemed to get louder and louder. But they made their move, and the men only saw the unnatural green and red glare of two swords. Two of the men were struck down but the others smirked, they only took out the weakest ones and one of them, a young girl wasn't strong at all. They tried to grab her first, among the thick brush but instead they felt a powerful flame, leaving them burnt. There was someone else, a little stronger than her and he struck with a vengence. Their hostages were gone, but they were left with what they really came for, the dragon riders and their gone a-wall comrade. But they wouldn't go without a fight and the word 'fall' wasn't in their vocabulary. Somehow, one of them manage to catch the girl, whose dragon had disappeared. One of the guards held her arms behind her back as they brought out into the light. She wouldn't talk, as would her brother and Murtagh, who looked at the two with sympathy. The other had also fled, quickly.

"Good enough for the king." One of them said. "He's had his eye on her for a long while."

"Why?" One asked, holding the boy.

"What's better than having two riders?" Another said.

It seemed in a matter of hours they were in Uru' Baen, being dragged by their toes. But they reached the fort-like castle and looked at the girl standing before Galbitorix. He circled her, looking at the scar on her palm. He stopped and started the tedious questions.

"I'd like to thank you for bringing back Murtagh." He said. "But I wonder, where is your dragon?"

"Not here, if you mean that. Maybe he's gone for help." She answered coldly.

"You're not escaping here alive, dragon rider." He said, fixated on the scar. "Unless you agree to my terms."

"And what terms are those?" She asked, disregardingly.

"You leave the Varden for me. And you kill Lady Nausauda." He said.

"I refuse, you've taken away my life and I can't let the man who did that control me." She answered, with the same coldness.

"Then I guess I have no choice but to execute you. But I'll let you think about my offer again." He said, motioning his guards to take her to a cell.

She was taken away and he motioned Murtagh in, breaking the spell and seeming to see a change in the boy. He didn't want to listen to him anymore and that angered him but it had been a trying time so he let it go. For now. The boy went out of the room and went down to the cells. He realized that all this had started with the orders Galbitorix gave him. he didn't feel guilt before but now just looking around, it started eating at him. But Arianna didn't seem to care, she was planning something. The guards let him near the door and he saw her eyes flicker for a moment.

"What do you have planned?" He asked in a low whisper.

"Nothing so far. Why do you ask?" She said, in a lower whisper.

"I know that you think that this is Galbitorix's doing but I do want to help you." He replied, his eyes looking around. "And maybe I can gain back Eragon and the Varden's trust."

"You want to come back to the Varden?" She asked, with surprise in her voice. "Why?"

"As much as I find the king's ideals appealing, I realize that it costs us our lives." He whispered.

"This isn't like you. At all." She said. "And tell him I will stand by the Varden, not him. It'll get me killed but it doesn't matter."

He left, wondering if she could that reckless but the fact that she had become a calculating person was odd. It seemed like she knew what would happen. Or what wouldn't, and as he passed her brother's cell, he only wondered if he knew also. Galbitorix passed him and he passed on the girl's message.

"Well then, I'll move their executions up to tommorow." He said. "After all, they're extra pieces of the puzzle."