Chapter 15

Ella woke the next day stiff and tired. She had staid up late trying to persuade Crivony to talk to her. She hadn't accomplished anything though and she retreated to her bed to cry herself to sleep. It hadn't helped to see her handsome dragon so thin. She knew he'd been starved but she hadn't seen it and now that she had she was horrified.

Stiffly Ella got out of bed and after a careful bath, she re-bandaged her back and hip. After dressing in a pair of black breeches, a gray tunic, and calf high black leather boots, she approached Crivony.

Reaching out with her mind she found the same barrier and sank to her knees next to the dragons enormous head, "Crivony?"

No answer.

"Why won't you talk to me?" Ella stifled a sob, "What have I done so wrong, is it cause I joined Galbatorix?"

(YES!) the thought blazed through her mind leaving he head pounding with pain.

"Would you rather we be dead?" Ella lost control of her tears and the slipped down her cheeks

(We are now slaves to the egg breaker.) Crivony hissed and looked at her with accusing silver eyes.

Ella felt dismayed and stared at her dragon, "What would you have me do?"

(There is nothing that can be done now!) Crivony snapped, (We are his slaves.)

Ella hung her head realizing her decision and wishing that she hadn't let the evil king see their true names.

(It didn't dawn on you that you were damning us both by giving in, did it.) Crivony snarled

Ella shook her head and sobbed, (I'm so sorry, will you ever forgive me?)

(In time I will always forgive you, rider, but at the moment I am very angry.) Crivony growled, (I will talk to you when I have forgiven you, till then don't expect for me to talk with you.)

Ella sobbed at the thought of not having her precious dragon in her mind through out the day, and nodded. She had not thought how her dragon would feel having to serve the man who endangered his species in the first place. She deserved this that she knew.

With a sad nod Ella looked up at her dragon, "I'll see you later then, for I have to go to training class now. I'm so sorry, Love."

With those words she turned on her heel and retreated into her room. Quickly she freshened up so that she didn't go to breakfast looking like she had been crying.

She mad it half way down to the great hall when she got lost, and ran into Murtagh minutes later. He looked amused when he greeted her, but he didn't say anything about her obviously lost state.

After breakfast was through Galbatorix sent Murtagh out on a mission and took Ella up four stories and into a large library. I wasn't really a library since the walls were covered in high books shelves filled with old tombs, but it was empty in the middle except for deep green carpet running the length of the room.

Ella followed the evil king inside watching him till he lead them to the middle of the room and turned to face her.

"In here we will begin your magical training. Since the healer has told me that you should take it easy for the next week." The king explained

'And who's fault would it be that I was injured in the first place?' Ella thought maliciously, 'Couldn't be our dear, sweat, and loving King could it!'

"Now the first thing I shall teach you is the ancient language. Now what I'm going to do is very tenuous so be still and quiet." Galbatorix instructed, "Now sit with your legs folded, directly across from me."

Ella followed his instructions feeling weird sitting in the largely empty library facing the King waiting for him to do what ever he was going to do.

So when he reached into her mind she was surprised but she didn't resist knowing that he wouldn't harm her, because she was a very nice pawn to have. She stiffened as it felt like he was pouring a molten hot liquid into her head. She struggled not to scream, biting down on her lip tasting the blood. Muscles taunt she held on to her sanity as more of the molten hot liquid was poured into her brain.

(ELLA!) She distantly heard Crivony calling to her in worried terror.

As suddenly as the Kings attack began it ended leaving Ella to slump limply to the floor. She cough up blood trying desperately to breath around the blood in her mouth. When she'd regained her breath she tried and failed to sit up. Lying in the floor she held her head and sobbed with the raw and agonizing pain that pounded in her head. I felt like her brain was too big for her skull and it was trying to pound it's way out.

(ELLA!) Crivony's roar of fear only caused the pain to double and she curled in on herself sobbing in pain and muscles spasm.

(ELLA! Tell me what is wrong!) She only sobbed harder and wished desperately that she could die right there and then, because if this was what she had to endure with Galbatorix then she was better off dead.

Finally head pounding ever harder, and muscles twitching in remembered pain she feel into the blissful and welcoming oblivion of unconsciousness.

AN: Sorry this chapter is so short. Sense it's so short if I get alot of quick reviews I'll add another chapter before Monday. Otherwise you wait for two Fridays for the next chapter since I'm going out of town Thursday. Sorry that's just the way life is at the moment. Thank you for all the lovely reviews I got for the last chapter. And a big thank you to darkangelbaby for telling me my chapter order was screwed up. Toodles