Chapter 20

They spent the night on the shores of Lake Isenstar, where they had fish for diner while their dragons swam in the crystal clear waters. Murtagh told her about the dwarf city called Tronjheim. He told her that it was inside a mountain and big enough to house not only thousands of dwarfs but riders and there dragons. Ella had point blank refused to believe that there was city such as this inside mountain and this seemed to amuse Murtagh greatly.

(Could he be telling us the truth?) Ella asked her dragon.

The gray dragon's answer was long in coming as he was currently mock battling Thorn in the lake, (I believe since the dwarfs are craftsmen of stone then yes this may be true.)

Ella snorted and looked skeptically at the other rider, "I think you got dropped on your head when you were a baby."

Murtagh gave a bark of laughter then sobered, "Only a sword thrown at me."

Ella grimaced, "Sorry."

Murtagh shrugged, "No I am sorry for being so bringing it up when you are still coping with the magician souls."

Ella winced, "It's easier when I'm not left to dwell on it."

Murtagh nodded, "Before you joined me in Ur'baen I put everything I had into missions and sparing, it helped to keep my mind off the whispers. Now I spend more time worrying you'll say something stupid to Galbatorix and he'll kill you."

Ella smiled, "Gee, thanks for caring."

Murtagh rolled his eyes, "You've been punished more time sense you've been here then I have."

Ella shrugged, "I can't help it if I hate the creep's guts."

Murtagh sighed, "Try to find the good things about the situation and concentrate on them."

"You mean forget that he slaughtered all the dragons, killed hundreds of humans, elves, and dwarfs?" Ella snapped angrily

Murtagh winced visibly and looked up at Ella, "If you keep thinking like that you'll go insane I've tried. I just hope that when I'm rescued that I can go back to the way I used to think."

Ella softened, "You're losing yourself aren't you."

Murtagh nodded, "The souls of the magician start to affect you oddly and you find yourself thinking differently about something suddenly. Thorn keeps me and the souls as separate as he can, but he hatched for me after Galbatorix bonded the souls to me."

Ella nodded, "So I have a better chance because I've had Crivony longer."

Murtagh nodded, "Yes I think with him bonded to you, you'll be able to resist longer."

Ella nodded, "We'll find a way to get rid of them."

Murtagh nodded but said, "I don't hold on to the hope."

Ella shot the rider a glare, "You have a very bleak out look on life, you know that."

"Yes I imagine I do." Murtagh answered and they both fell silent.

As Ella was getting into her sleeping roll she turned to look at Murtagh who was sitting by the fire, "I'm sorry I know that you have your reasons."

Murtagh nodded, "I'm sorry too."

Ella sighed and went to sleep.

The next morning Crivony roused Ella before Murtagh stirred

(I wish to fly a bit, I have told Thorn we are going to look at the lake more.) Crivony said as way of greeting

(Good morning to you as well.) Ella grumped and stood, (Should I get your saddle?)

(No we shouldn't be gone all that long.) Crivony answered, (Let's just hurry.)

Ella nodded and clambered on to her dragons back, drowsiness making her slow and clumsy. She grabbed Crivony's neck spike just as he took off and held on as the rose into the sky. The gray dragon followed the shore line of the lake till they were out of sight of the camp for a ways and landed.

(What are we doing out here?) Ella asked as she slid down to the ground

(We are here so I can make you remember.) Crivony answered

(Remember what. I don't remember forgetting anything.) Ella asked confused

Crivony sighed heavily, (You wouldn't now would you? Hush I have to work this over.)

Ella sat on the ground resisting the urge to pout at her dragon. Figuring it wouldn't be adult like or becoming of a rider she bit her lip.

(Okay I know how.) Crivony finally said and reached into her mind. It felt like when Galbatorix had poured knowledge into her head, but his time it felt right, like the knowledge belonged there to begin with.

Ella gasped as her life crumbled around her and identity changed to that of a orphaned street brat from Hedarth. She remembered everything in one great rush and it was overwhelming her.

(Crivony!) She cried trying to hold on to the last bits of her, as the fell away. It was like holding onto sand though and before she could even comprehend she wasn't Ella any more.

(Storm! Oh Storm!) She was on her feet and clinging to her dragon. She held him eyes wide with shock as not only did she remember her dragons name but her own. She remembered her mentor Oromis, and Storm's mentor Glaedr. She remembered her time with the elves, she remembered her time with the dragons, she remembered Storm's hatching, and she remembered her life in Hedarth. Last of all she remembered her capture and request of Storm.

She lurched away from the gray dragon and dropped to the ground vomiting up the fish from the evening before. She crouched body shaking as she absorbed everything.

(Storm?) She reached for her dragon

(It is good to hear you say my real name.) Storm answered

(Oh Storm I joined Galbatorix.) She moaned

(You had no choice.) Storm comforted

(I'm vile I have these souls.) Eve whimpered

(No you are a victim.) Storm answered, (If I had known he planned something like this we would have left sooner.)

Eve nodded and stood weakly, (Murtagh?)

(He's not far.)

(But he'll be alone now.)

(He'd want you to take an opportunity to free yourself if it presented itself.)

Eve nodded and took deep cleansing breaths. She walked determinedly to the lake and washed her face with the water and tired to get rid of the taste of vomit in her mouth.

(We should go back now.) Eve looked up at her dragon

(Yes, but we are only staying so that we can kill the ra'zac then we are leaving.) Storm said making the plans clear

(Yes, I agree.) Eve nodded and vaulted easily on to her dragons back.

As they returned to camp Eve realized how different she was now. Running a hand over pointed ears, slender jaw, high cheek bones, arching eyebrows, and full lips.

(Not all is because you're bonded to me, you are maturing as well.) Storm answered, (You're much taller then you were.)

Eve nodded, (I can tell.)

They landed and Eve saw that Murtagh was already awake with a rabbit over the fire. Eve leapt from Storm's back as he landed and went to sit beside the other rider.

"Good morning, I thought you might be off for a morning bath." Murtagh said as he turned the rabbit so it cooked evenly. Eve was confused for a moment, till she realize when she washed her face her hair had gotten wet as well.

"Yes Crivony thought it might be good for me not to smell like an Urgal." Eve shrugged grinned as Murtagh laughed

"Well you don't look like one so I'd doubt you'd smell like one after one day with out bathing." Murtagh chuckled

(He likes you.) Storm said and Eve was surprised at the dragon's tone of disapproval.

(Why is that bad?) Eve asked

(You are on different sides of this war.) Storm snorted

(He doesn't know that yet.) Eve pointed out

(But he should do well to remember that he is a rider as are you.) Storm snorted

Eve spent the rest of breakfast just talking to Murtagh and hearing Storm's complaints.

(The sooner I get you away from this boy the better.) Storm snorted as they finished

Eve shook her head grinning, (You just want to keep me to yourself.)

Storm snorted, (No I don't.)

That was the end of that conversation and Eve let up on the flirting.

As they approached Utgard Eve was amazed at how old and well worn it looked. Large blocks of light garnet stone and small window. The turret was crumbling with disuse and the steeple was in disrepair as well. The dragons landed on a large flat place next to the turret clearly made for a landing spot. Eve spotted a series of five large caves drilling into the craggy side of the mountain across from the crumbling turret and steeple.

"Thorn opposes that we flirt, in fact I think he's beginning to hate you." Murtagh mused as they dismounted

Eve grinned, "And Crivony complains as well."

Murtagh grinned, "Manipulative dragons."

Inside the tower they found three rooms and a study. All had large windows so that the occupants could watch the ground far below. The steeple tower was for storage, but only held empty barrels that might have held food once long ago.

"Well nothing here, how about over in those caves?" Eve asked

Murtagh nodded and they approached the caves. The first and second were empty spare bones of dragon kills. In the third they found the shattered remains of eggs. Eve bent and examined them. She found blue, green, red, gold, black, white, purple, and many other colors on the ground.

"So many eggs." Eve whispered

(They were broken.) Storm told her sadly, (This is where Vreal hid the last of the known eggs, and Galbatorix shattered them here.)

Eve dropped to her knees and ran her hands over the eggs shards, (He needs to be stopped.)

Storm agreed silently and stood in the mouth of the cave mourning the death of the long ago unborn dragonets.

"Come on let's check the other two caves." Murtagh said, his voice strained and when Eve looked his face was carefully blank of emotion.

Eve nodded and stood. The next cave was the biggest and when they entered they were overwhelmed by a foul stench.

"Bet they're in here." Eve gasped out and considered casting magic to make the smell go away, but decided she could deal with the stink.

Sure enough at the back of the cave was the cloaked figure sitting limply against the back wall. Eve called out to the Ra'zac and when it didn't answer she threw some rocks at it. When this got no reaction from the man like creature she turned to Murtagh.

"I'm not going near it." Eve stated firmly

Murtagh gave her an amused look before rolling his eyes, "Afraid of the stuff from nightmares are you?"

Eve nodded firmly, "Hell ya! I'd be a fool any other way."

Murtagh snorted and approached the unresponsive Ra'zac. He stopped next to it and looked down at the slumped figure warily. With his foot he poked the creature till it fell over on to its side.

"Do you know how to check for a pulse on a Ra'zac?" Murtagh asked her

Eve shrugged, "Galbatorix forgot to give me that lesson too."

Murtagh nodded, "Well then we have no way of telling if it's alive or dead."

Eve nodded, "Is that the egg over there." she pointed to a squishy black mess in the corner."

Murtagh squinted at it and blanched, "Best guess says it is."

Eve nodded, "So do we wait till it wakes or take it back with us like this?"

Murtagh wrinkled his nose, "I don't fancy smelling that the whole way back, and since the King told us to take our time I guess we can give it some time to respond."

Eve nodded and touched Storms mind, (Do I kill it now and we tell Murtagh or do we wait till night fall when he's asleep.)

Storm snorted, (He's always aware; he even knew when I took you away this morning.)

Eve nodded, (Sooner the better then. Well before it wakes.)

"How about not?" Eve said and held her hand out before her and said, "brisingr!"

"What are you doing?" Murtagh shouted as the egg went up in flames releasing an eye watering stench into the air.

Eve turned to face the ra'zac and repeated the word, "Brisingr!"

The ra'zac lit up and the creature jumped to its feet shrilling so loudly it caused Eve's ears to ring. It came at her flaming. Storm was there in an instant batting the flaming creature back and into the fire with the egg. It staid writhing and hissing as it died.

"Why the hell did you do that?" Murtagh shouted white in the face with shock and surprise.

Eve shrugged, "I'm sorry Murtagh but the King doesn't own me anymore, I lied to him, I'm not Ella and my dragon isn't Crivony."

Murtagh floundered for something to say. Eve didn't wait and turned to leave the cave. Once outside Thorn moved aside to let them pass an equally confused look about him. Murtagh came pelting out of the cave after her though.

"How!" he seemed desperate to know.

Eve turned to him and smiled sadly, "I can't tell you or the King would find out. Just know that with everything I learned in Ur'baen I'll be trying to find a way to free you."

Murtagh nodded and relaxed, "You're going to be with Eragon and the elves then?"

Eve shrugged, "I'm not sure."

Murtagh nodded, "If you ever see Eragon tell him I never meant to betray him."

Eve nodded, "I'll make sure everyone knows what you have suffered."

Murtagh nodded and stopped her before she could mount Storm. "Could you tell me your names?"

Eve grinned at him, "No, I'm sorry."

Murtagh smiled sadly, "Please never end up on the other end of a duel from me; I don't want to kill you."

Eve nodded, "Don't worry, I'll see you free Murtagh."

And with those words Eve vaulted on to Storm's back and strapped herself in. (Let's go, and be free.)

Storm agreed whole heartedly and launched into the air heading for towards the Northern sea, from which they'd head to Ellesmera and there mentor.

AN//: Well I hope every one had a good christmas I know I did. Got to see the family and spoil all my little cousins then send them home with there parents! Well I hoped you liked this chapter I had like twenty verisons before I decided that this was the best. I think I'm going to miss writing Murtagh. Guess we'd better rescue him soon then.