Author's Note: Well, I forgot the disclaimer on the last two chapters. Blah. Anyways, thank you to o-dragon for all of the reviews and support! –hugs-You rock!

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon or Eldest, nor many of the characters. So far the only characters I've made up are the boys that attacked Samila, and, well, Samila.

Samila took a deep breath and gulped. She looked over at Thorn and Murtagh.

"You're coming too, right?" He nodded.

"He asked for the three of us."

"Just the king?"

"We'll be eating with both Galbatorix and Shruikan (did I spell that right?)."

"Shruikan?"

"His Majesty's black dragon." The blood drained from Samila's face.

"…black dragon?" Murtagh nodded, his face utterly serious.

"Galbatorix is a Dragon Rider. Have you not heard the tale of the Fall of the Riders?" Samila shook her head.

"Ah, it can't be helped. It's not polite to be late. Murtagh raised his right hand and knocked three times on the door.

It swung open slowly, as if by magic, and Samila found herself staring at the most lavish, elegantly furnished room she had ever seen. There were hundreds of candles lining the walls, placed on stunningly carved mahogany wood tables. A massive chandelier hung by a thick golden chain attacked to the ceiling, the candles set upon it filling the room with light.

A long table was centered in the middle of the room, with two enormous plates, and three average-sized ones. She guessed that they were for Murtagh, the King, and herself. The larger ones looked as if they were for the dragons.

While she stood staring at the scene, Murtagh faced straight ahead, staring at the man at the end of the table. He was tall and darkhaired, with strong muscles and pale skin. He looked about forty, and was garbed in the finest silk. His cold, calculating eyes were a pair of twin, lightless orbs.

It took Samila a few minutes before she noticed the man. Her mouth almost dropped, and by sheer willpower, she forced the shock off of her face. The man smiled at the three, and motioned for them to sit down. By an unspoken command, a titanic black dragon enetered through a large side door, and stood at its place at the table. Samila seated herself beside Murtagh, eyes wide. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the king and his dragon. She felt the blood rushing to her face as she noticed that the others were looking at her.

This is mad. I must be going crazy. The King has a dragon. And I'm sitting at dinner with it.

Him. She paled as she was corrected by a voice in her mind. It was not Thorn. She stared at the black dragon. It-he blinked owlishly at her, and repeated,

I'm a he.

Oh…my. She flushed with embarrassment at her mistake. Murtagh glanced at her questioningly, but Galbatorix was watching her with hawklike, knowing black eyes. She glanced uneasily at him.

Can he read my mind? She immediately focused on the large platters on the long table in front of her. The King watched her for a little while longer, and then gestured to the food.

"Eat."

Not wanting to seem rude, Samila waited for him to begin first. As soon as he swallowed the first bite, she picked up a large serving spoon and placed a small amount of mashed potatoes, meat and a thick sauce on her plate. Tentatively, she sampled the food, and found it delicious. It was far better than any food she had ever tasted. Did the King and Murtagh always eat like this?

She watched Murtagh begin to eat out of the corner of her eye. He was tense, even while chewing and swallowing. It made her uneasy. The dragons were dining on enormous hunks of raw meat, still bloody and fresh. She determinedly avoided looking at the carcasses.

They ate in silence. As the minutes began to pass by them, Samila began to wonder what the point of this dinner was. The King had been staring intently at her the entire time, his eyes never leaving her even as he ate. Was he planning to simply sit there and scrutinize her the entire time? She shifted nervously in her seat, playing with the cloth of her dress under the table, all the while picking at the food on her plate. She had taken second helping, but now, she barely touched them, merely moving them around on the silver plate. Every once in a while a small mouthful would disappear down her throat.

I shouldn't be here. This is crazy. Samila fidgeted in her seat until Murtagh looked at her strangely. At once she settled down and stared at her plate once more.

I can't take this silence. As if on cue, the king suddenly spoke. Murtagh flinched and looked up at him. Smalia slowly raised her eyes, finding herself staring into the dark, empty pits that served Galbatorix and his eyes. He spoke directly to her.

"Tell me, child. Why do you think you are here?" Samila gulped visisbly.

"I…I don't know, Your Majesty." He raised at eyebrow at her, and her heart began to pound fearfully in her chest. She blinked in surprise as he smiled almost kindly at her, setting down his fork and leaning back in his seat. Shruikan raised his head up from his plate and gazed at her with unblinking eyes.

"Relax, child. I won't bite you," said the king. "In fact, I wouldn't dream of hurting you at all." His tone was much kinder that Samila had expected. He wasn't cruel at all.

"You wouldn't, Sire?" She tried to sound brave.

"Not in the least," he replied. And then he began to weave a tale. One of his plans for the Empire. One where the Riders would once again rise in power, and bring peace and order to the land. How Alagaesia would flourish under his reign. Villages and towns would be fully restored, and new cities would be built all over the kingdom. Alagaesia would be a center of trade, the arts, and the Urgals would terrorize the people no more.

She sat, entranced, as his words poured into her ears. He was so convincing, that she thought of nothing as she listened. The fork in her hand dropped onto the tablecloth from her unmoving hand. And they sat well into the night, while the king told Samila of his dream.

Author's Note: Well, not really his dream. More like his –cough-maniacal-cough-deceptionofevil-cough- Thanks, o-dragon Obsidian Crystal, and dragon of the water for your reviews! O-dragon's left me a lot. You all rock!