Chapter 10 Friend or Foe
"We made it!" Elva yelled sitting on a horse on top of a hill overlooking the city of Urubaen.
Solembum was leading the horse; he looked back at her. "Yes… that was the easy part… Now comes the hard part…"
"We made it and now we must go all the way…"
It was the middle of the day and they went to the road and entered the city through the main gate. There were people encamped near the wall because they couldn't afford to stay in the city. They passed these people and entered the city without trouble and rode up the street looking for an inn to rent a room. When the people looked up and pointed so did Elva. Galbatorix was flying overhead on Shruiken's back towards the palace.
"I wonder where he is coming from…" Solembum said.
"He returns from the slaughter in the north…" Elva said in a sad voice. "The elves have suffered many loses…"
They stopped at an inn called the shining crown inn. They rented a room and bought some food but they went upstairs with it. They ate in silence for the next hour and when they were done Solembum broke the silence.
"Tomorrow at sunrise I will go up to the palace and see what I can find out… while I am gone I will locate the spies as well…" He knocked three short times then he knocked two hard times. "Hear that… unless you here that do not open the door…"
Elva lay on the bed and Solembum transformed into a cat and lay next to her. An hour before sunrise they ate breakfast together before Solembum left the room. Elva amused herself by playing with a deck of cards Angela had given her, then she sat in the window looking at the children pass in the street. She felt sorry for the children of Urubaen because they weren't allowed to be children. They had to be proper and pristine long before their time because of their station and breeding. Like her they had to grow up before their time. As Angela showed her Elva used the growing anger in her heart and blamed Eragon for her lost childhood. Then her mind turned to Galbatorix and what she needed to shield him from. She gasped and started crying for the next hour. When she stopped Elva ate cheese and bread for lunch and then she read her scrolls. It was an hour after sunset when Solembum returned and he had a tray of food. "Let's eat first then I will tell you what I have been up to and found out…" They dined on roast chicken, yams, and steamed rice; they shared a bottle of apple cider. "I went up to the palace first… I got work as a kitchen servant… I will report to the head cook tomorrow morning… Then I located the fifteen spies…" He handed Elva a note with ten names on it; "Of the fifteen those ten are the weakest. Memorize their names… When the time comes the other five can help us…" He looked at Elva and noticed her sadness. "What is wrong…"
She sighed; "I have to betray Murtagh's secret to Galbatorix…" She said in tears.
Solembum turned his head to the side; "What secret…"
She told him about Murtagh and the way he found to free himself from Galbatorix. Solembum sighed; "There is another way… We could help Murtagh free himself or he will be free if Eragon can kill the black king…"
"No this is the only way… if Eragon is enslaved we will be lost and then there is Murtagh if he did free himself he will try to rescue Eragon… I must see this through my way…"
Solembum looked out the window; "It is late and we both have a long day ahead of us… Let's get some sleep." Solembum returned to his cat form and lay next to Elva. When he awoke Elva was sitting up in the window. "You should be asleep…"
"I know…" She got back in the bed and tried to sleep, but she could not.
"Wait until an hour after sunrise to come up to the palace…" Solembum said getting dressed as a human. He took all their bags except one.
Elva waited and waited but not for long. She left the room and the inn unnoticed and walked up the street towards the palace. When she arrived she told the guard what he needed to here then she met with Chief Councilor Hurnon and told him her sad tail and why she was there.
Galbatorix was inspecting the minds of the people chosen to touch his egg when Hurnon whispered into his ear. "This better be good…" Galbatorix barked following Hurnon to the Thrown room.
"I have never seen or heard anything like it my lord… you won't be disappointed…"
When Galbatorix entered the thrown room Casmuss and Shruiken were there along with a little girl. Shruiken seemed to be upset about something and his anger was directed at the little girl. He sneered at the girl as he walked up the steps to his thrown. "What's this?"
She curtsied; "It is an honor to meet you Lord Galbatorix…"
When she spoke Galbatorix stood up unsheathing his sword Avaless. Which meant the one ruler. "What are you…"
"An abomination…" Casmuss said.
"I am what Eragon made me my lord… When Eragon visited Tronjheim my keeper asked Eragon to bless me in the ancient language. His blessing went something like… Atra gulia un ilian tauthr ono atra ono waise skolir fra rauthr…"
Galbatorix sheathed his sword and reached out to Elva's mind. He found an incredibly strong wall around her mind. He smirked; ("If this girl thinks she can keep me out of her mind…") To his surprise the more pressure he applied the stronger her mental defense. He finally brought the full power of his mind, but her mental barriers never wavered. He pretended nothing happened; "So why have you come to me?"
Elva smiled; "For revenge of course… When Eragon returned to the Varden he swore to me before the battle of the burning planes that he would remove the spell. When the time came, Nausada ordered him not to… I am the secret weapon they have been using to thwart your black hand… But no more… My destiny is my own and I choose to use my power on behalf of the great and powerful Galbatorix…"
Galbatorix laughed; "And what could you possibly do for me?"
Elva squared her shoulders and raised her head; "The Varden allowed me in their secret councils and I was made privy to all their secrets. I can tell you that the elves are marching through the spine to meet up with the Varden. Soon they will outnumber your army. It was foolish of you to betray the Urgals…"
"How dare you…" Casmuss barked. He was getting ready to cast a spell that would kill her, but Galbatorix stopped him by raising his hand.
"She has courage let her speak…" Galbatorix said.
"If you want to tip the scales back in your favor, look to the Dwarves. The new dwarf king was elected without all the dwarf clan's approval… The clan Az Swel Rak Ahunin tried to kill Eragon when he visited Tronjheim the second time. If you reach out to them and help them overthrow the other clans they will help you fight this war. Only this time keep your word… I can also tell you how Eragon defeated Murtagh. He had help from the elves…"
"How long do we have to listen to this?" Casmuss said. "The elves were fighting in the north when Murtagh and Eragon fought…"
"Before they left Duweldenvarden Islanzadi sent twelve of her most powerful spellcasters to protect and aid him in his fight… they along with the elf Arya have been bolstering Eragon's strength."
Galbatorix raised his eyebrow; "Go on…"
"Eragon is prepared for Murtagh and the spells you gave him… He will fail…"
"How do you know this?" He asked.
"I know because it will be a great misfortune to you especially if Murtagh and Thorn free themselves from you…" Elva enjoyed the look on his face when she said this to Galbatorix. "During their last fight Eragon told Murtagh and Thorn that they could free themselves if they managed somehow to change their true names… Murtagh has found a way by placing certain memories in a diamond orb. The orb is a living conscious of his memories when they reunite he will have the power he needs to free himself."
It was quiet because something was said between Galbatorix and Shruiken. Then he returned his attention to Elva. "Is that all?"
"I can tell you about the ten spies Nausada sent here to learn the whereabouts of the last dragon egg." The chain around Shruiken's neck was empty but Elva remembered that was where the egg was kept.
"You could be one of those spies…" Casmuss said.
Elva hunched her shoulders; "I could be… But I am not a spy. I came here for revenge. And if you kill me… I will finally have some peace, because all my life has been about war and others. I have had to grow up before my time. I have done more things in the past year than most people in two life times." She returned her attention to Galbatorix. "Eragon thinks he can fix the world, but he cannot. That is your destiny… and the council was jealous of you my lord. They knew this and they feared it. That is why they denied you a second dragon…"
Everything she said spoke to his heart and mind; in that moment he both hated and loved Elva. ("This girl is dangerous…") he thought to himself.
"You oh mighty Shruiken… Long have you thought of your first rider and you hate Galbatorix for it, but at the same time you love him because he has given you great power and prestige above any dragon before you…"
Shruiken snorted; ("You are right this girl is dangerous. Is it wise to play games with her? Can you control her?") Shruiken said in the confines of Galbatorix's mind.
(Watch me!") He defiantly said; Galbatorix stood up. "Hurmon have this girl taken to a room in the west wing. Give her water for a bath and clean clothes. Allow her anything she wishes to read from the library and place two gaurds at her door. No one is allowed to speak or see her but Casmuss and I."
Hurmon clapped his hands and a servant entered the thrown room bowing to Galbatorix. "Take this girl to the west wing and give her a bath and some food. Have two gaurds posted at the door." The servant curtsied and walked away with Elva following.
"Forgive me my lord but kill her… She cannot be trusted."
"I can control her…" He said looking at Shruiken.
"You have to admit she is intriguing…" Hurmon said.
"Silence fool…" Casmuss yelled. "…my lord head my words."
"Enough!" He yelled. "I can control her… and if she steps out of line she will die. Now we have work to do…"
Elva bathed in a steaming tub of water; when she finished. She dressed in some new clothes. She read the history of Alagaesia, but it was a book Galbatorix had written. She was about to sit in the window when the door opened and in walked Solembum carrying a tray of food, but Casmuss was with him.
"Hurry up boy and serve the food!" He barked.
("Are you alright?") Solembum asked reaching out to her mind.
("I am fine…")
("I have seen the egg…") He said setting up the tray and bowing to Elva then Casmuss. ("They chose me to touch it, but of course it didn't hatch…")
"Don't think you have fooled Galbatorix or me girl… you have a powerful mind but you will fall before our might." Casmuss said.
("As Tymen said the egg is kept on a chain around Shruiken's neck… I saw the chain…")
("I will see you at dinner!") He shouted with his mind leaving out of the room. When Elva finished eating she pulled the bell rope and a young woman came and collected her platter. She sat in the window and watched soldiers march out of the courtyard and into the city.
"I will take three…" A man said in the market buying fruit. He watched the man weigh the fruit then he handed him the coins, as he walked to the bakery he was joined by a woman.
("Our friends march on Belatona…") She said touching his mind.
("I know… have you heard? Galbatorix is searching for hopefuls to touch the egg…")
They had gone three blocks when a group of soldiers stopped them by pointing their poleaxes at them. "Halt the two of you are under arrest…" The captain said.
Ten spies; three women and seven men were dragged onto the archery field. Galbatorix stood on a balcony overlooking the field. "Well!"
"None of them can use magic my lord, but someone put a spell on them to give them the ability to speak to each other with their minds…"
He sneered; "They are useless… Kill them…"
Fifty archers marched onto the field and fired arrows killing them all.
It took two hours for Galbatorix to reach out to the Dwarves of Az Swell Rak Ahunin. He spoke through a mirror to Vernond's chief spellcaster. "Galbatorix!" He hissed; "How in the world…"
"Be still fool I wish to speak with Vermond… I have an offer for him…"
"We have no wish to speak with an oath breaker…"
"Then I guess your people don't want the power to overthrow King Orwick…"
The spellcaster sneered; "Wait… here I shall return shortly…"
An hour later he returned with Vermond.
"I am told you wish to speak with me…"
Galbatorix surprised Vermond with knowledge he should not know and offered an alliance. If Az Swell Rak Ahunin agreed to help him Galbatorix will empower his clan to rule the Beors uncontested. "You will rule and all those who follow in your blood line so long as you pay me a tribute."
Vermond sighed; "I don't know I must speak with the heads of my family…"
"I need an answer before sunset… time is against me…"
Vermond grunted; "You will have it…"
They broke the link then Galbatorix's mind turned to Murtagh and how to deal with him. By the time he came up with the plan Vermond's spellcaster contacted him. "All right Galbatorix… you have a deal, but you must swear in the ancient language to never betray us or deceive us in any way on pain of death by your own hand…"
Galbatorix laughed; 'Your spellcasters are clever…" He swore in the ancient language on pain of death not to betray the clan Az Swell Rak Ahunin.
"My armies will march we will join your troops in Belatona… be sure they still control the city when we arrive…"
"Oh we will…" They broke contact and Galbatorix reached his mind out to Belatona and took control of the mind of a captain.