Recap

Snapped out of his thoughts as he stood in front of Brom's house, he was about to knock when the door opened.

Chapter 2

"What is it?" The old man gruffly said, from behind the door. Murtagh did not mind his tone ; he could see the way Brom looked at him was filled with fondness.

"Two months I haven't seen you, and you won't even invite me in?" He chuckled. Brom rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Onto more serious matters, is Eragona still around?"

"She left for a good hour already" Brom answered, shaking his head. "Is she not home yet?" His brows creased. Murtagh swore, before examining the dirt tracks at the entrance. He followed them with his keen eyes, until they led them to the town's center.

" 'Tis no matter" Murtagh said, scratching his stubble " I have an inkling as to where she went". He added, pointing at the footsteps imprinted on the earth.

"Your observation skills always astounds me." Brom grasped his walking stick and his cloak. At Murtagh's raised eyebrow, he added : "It's not like I have anything better to do anyways."

Murtagh merely smirked at this. He knew that Brom was far more than what he'd let on. Brom was aware that Murtagh's official profession was probably a lie. However, they do their best to not mention anything about it. It was a tacit, silent agreement which pleased them both ; "Don't ask me, and I won't ask you."

They walked for a while in companiable silence, when Brom decided to breach it.

"So, any news from outside?"

"Urgals attacks had been increased drastically" Murtagh replied, sighing. Whatever it meant, it was no good thing. Especially since Carvahall might be targetted. "The Vardens are remaining still, but I feel some deep stirrings within the loins of the empire. Assassinations of Lords and members of the Black Hand had doubled over the last few months" He continued, absentmindly following Eragona's trail. "I believe that someone, somewhere besides the Varden, is turning against Galbatorix. Who it might be, I am not sure. Possibly a high-ranked official."

"Is that so?" Brom's interest piked up "What makes you think that it isn't the Varden?"

Murtagh sniggered . "Too stealthy for them. I also heard that the Varden's magicians are no matches to the Black Hand. It'd be a miracle if they were the ones who managed to commit these assassinations."

Ofcourse, I am responsible for some of them

Brom's face remained indecipherable as he spoke "Well, the forsworns were killed by the Varden."

"The Varden are not what they once used to be. They've been hiding in their holes for God knows how long, showing no sign of activity whatsoever. Plus, the Forsworn's bane is supposed to be dead, whoever he was." Murtagh merely shrugged "On a brighter note, how did Eragona fare during my absence?"

"She does just fine. Running all sorts of errands, visiting me daily aswell." Brom's voice was laced with affection. It was no secret to the townspeople that Eragona saw Brom as a father. Murtagh himself saw Brom as an old, good natured albeit moody uncle. "She's growing into a very fine woman - you'll be worrying a lot soon. She certainly attracts all sorts of men"

Murtagh groaned. He was painfully aware that she will - and not always attract men with best intentions. He'll have to protect her honour aswell. He'll probably make any courters go through hell before he'd let his sister be with any of them.

Brom grinned at Murtagh's reaction. "You really do love her, don't you? At this rate she'll never be able to marry before she gets too old."

Murtagh chose to remain unspeaking at this statement, doubling the speed of his pace as he reached the town center.

Still, the footprints went beyond Carvahall. They led to the outskirt of the forest. A mixture of concern and anger bubbled up in Murtagh's chest ; the spine was no safe place to wander in.

As they ventured further into the words, a soft wail reached their ears. Both men glanced at each other before flurrying to the source of the sound. Anxiousness gripped him whilst he followed the stream of water running among the rocks. It led him to a clearing, illuminated by noon's sunshine.

A small figure was curled up in the center, her golden hair sprawled around her like a large fan. Her white dress was pulled up to her knees, her feet immersed in the running water. Soft sobs shook through her frame ; the sight distressed Murtagh greatly.

"Eragona?" Brom was the first to speak. Her head shot up, revealing her puffy red eyes and beautiful tear-stained face. Relief flooded through her face for a split second.

"Brom.." she turned to the other man standing nearby "Murtagh!". She jumped up and caught him in a tight embrace. She cried freely against his chest, afflicting his soul. He rubbed her back in circular motions, trying to comfort her. He felt at lost ; he had never been good at dealing with emotions, and his incapacity at easing his little sister's pain frustrated him greatly.

"Eragona, Eragona my little doll, what happened?" He softly whispered.

Eragona just laid her head there, feeling the warthm radiating from her elder brother. The deep rumble within his chest each time he spoke comforted her- It was then she realised how much she missed him. She couldn't stop crying anymore, she let it all go. It felt as if a great weight was lifted from her ; she felt safe. It was only after a while when she's done wetting Murtagh's shirt with her tears did she peeked above his shoulders.

"I'm...i'm sorry you have to see me in such a mess, Brom" She hiccupped. Brom waved it away in a "no-nonsense" tone, while her brother made her sit on a large stone nearby. The older man sat at her other side, the lines of worry accentuated on his face.

"What happened, Eragona?" He asked, echoing Murtagh's question. She buried her head within her hands, looking down. She only wanted to concentrate on the soothing pattern her brother was tracing on her back - she did not want to think of her shame.

"You know, I'll find out one day or another." Murtagh urged, earning a reprimending glare from Brom. Eragona sniffled, letting out several sobs before meeting her brother's eyes.

"I had been a fool.. I-I should have l-listened to Roran..." She felt Murtagh's perplexity.

"It's that boy from Teirm isn't it?" Brom asked, briskly "What did he ..."

"Boy? What boy?" Murtagh cutted through, his voice laced with venom "What did he do Eragona?"

"I told her to reject his advances, his intentions were the most..disreputable" Brom grunted,the true extent of his anger carefully hidden "He's Quimby's cousin, been here for little over a month".

Eragona shivered for a moment, collecting herself. She must talk about it ; she knew she has to. Murtagh always ends up knowing ; he always knew everything.

"He..." She hesitated, but Brom's encouraging expression made her hold herself together "He f-flirted with me. Spoke many sweet words, and I fell for it. B-b-but he w-wanted more. I refused him, and he insulted me. Today when i left your home, he found me. H-he.."

"He what?" Her brother's voice was patient. But there was something in it... it was socold, so alien. Like spikes of ice piercing one's soul ; she looked at him, and she saw fury. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything.

"What did he do to you, Eragona?" Murtagh repeated slowly.

"H-he told me t-that if he w-would get what he wanted, whether I-I w-was willing or n-not. I-I ran away." She finally admitted. However, she did not dare to look at the two men next to her, afraid to see their reactions.

"Brom" Murtagh broke the silence "Would you please take her home for me? I have a few things to deal with"

Brom nodded in understanding, but Eragona let out a wail of protest : "Please Murtagh, how can I explain my state to uncle?"

" Don't worry, I will see to it that they understand" Brom said, before leading a dismayed Eragona out of the forest.

Ofcourse, only Garrow's physical resistance managed to stop Roran from leaving the farm with murderous intent.

Brom did not even try.

Gertrud's POV

Nothing could've prepared her for what she saw that late afternoon. She was busying herself with one of her herbal concoctions when she found Fornost, Quimby's cousin from Teirm, nearly crawling into her house, his hand grasped on his groin.

Various cuts and bruises covered his body - somehow his foreskin was grossly cutted off. He refused to say how it happened and was in a haste to leave Carvahall.

Which he did, in the evening.

A.N : Ok i know this chapter is sort of a filler (or so i think). But i wanted to show what kind of brother Murtagh was, and the relation Eragona had with Brom (which is a lot closer than in canon).

How do you guys imagine her? I see her like a blonder version of Bar Refaeli. I know that making her super beautiful is kinda making her mary sueish, but Selena was very beautiful, and Brom was handsome. So i guess they are bound to make good looking kids.

Thanks to anyone who reviewed and favorited, it means a lot.