Murtagh's eyes never shone with the same light after that day. Ever since he knew his future would always be controlled by someone he hated, he constantly saw the world differently. However it was not just that that ailed the boy. His mind had litterally fallen apart. Memories were constantly asailing him. Memories that he had pushed to the back of his memory and forced himself to forget. Memories that were barracaded behind that invisible wall. Memories that Galbatorix had hidden from him when he first came to him as a shell shocked little boy of four.
The king had briefly explained to him that Murtagh litterally was trapped inside his own barricades when he first arrived. That the only way to get the boy to eat or to dress or move was to banish parts of his mind from him. Make it so he had something that would drive him and give him purpose, rather then have him completely be destroyed under the weight of what he had seen.
Instead of witnessing his father's death, and then being knocked out - he was told that news came of his father's death while he was away. Kind momments that Morzan had shown the boy were banished - for if he did not love his father, the he would not grieve for his father's death.
However now all the spells that had encased his mind were broken, and he was left with the terrible truth that had been kept from him. Galbatorix could only watch as he trudged on, motivated only by the calling of his true name or the nudging of his baby dragon who was growing in more ways then one.
The dragon, whom was eventually named Thorn after the roses that he shared the color of, roses that were ever present in that tower of dark. Slowly the hyperactive creature began to mature and he became extremely devoted to his Rider. He would follow the boy and keep him safe from the dangers that his shattered mind could not realize. And in the darkness of the night, when Murtagh would curl into a ball on his bed and just weep until dawn - the dragon would rest his muzzel close to the boy so he could grasp something and find comfort in it.
Constantly the teen would be found staring at something that seemed of little importance,yet when asked (if he replied) he would weave an elaborate tale that would make many turn heads in wonder. Often these tales were memories that had been released. Memories that he would have honestly forgotten had he had the chance but now were engraved into his permanent memory forever.
Galbatorix held lessons daily for the teen. He trudged through them lesson by lesson - memorizing all he was taught and then being left alone for the long toiling days of forgotten thought. Often he would be seen sitting alone on the roof of the south-west tower and though it was not the same from his memory, it brought him strange comfort. It was supposed to be fear wasn't it? Fear from the man that had tortured his mind to find his name - to save him. However all he truly felt now was loss. Loss for never truly understanding the man while he lived.
Laying back on the Tower's shingles old poems whispered through the wind. He would stare up at the stars, recalling times that had long since past. He remembered when his mother and father had that final argument before Morzan left.
He had been anxisously waiting for his mother to come home. He saw her only every three months when she spent a week at the tower and then left again. He sat out in his room, looking over the tower perimeter and searching for the spot on the horizon that would signify his mother's arrival. It had been four hours since he first propped himself up on the window seat. Still, nothing met his wary eyes.
Yawning tiredly, he looked out once more. Finally the sight of a white horse could be seen on the horizon. There beside it was a brown horse that the boy easily recognized as his father's steed: Beleg. Yipping in excitement, the tiny child burst through the door in his room. Dodging past servants and the occasional gaurd the tiny human pranced towards the doors - throwing them open with a triumphant heave. Running across the planes without a care towards his best tunic, he tripped gaily in the mudd and shoved himself back to his feet to meet the oncoming horses.
The white horse - Meldavanya - picked up it's pace and shot forward, Beleg soon following. The boy smiled happily as he recognized the stoic and calm features on his mother's dear face. Her beautiful brown hair tumbling lightly from it's loose hold. Her hazel eyes shimmering with glee. Her own riding dress was neatly kept even as it was tussled from the long ride. Finally they were only yards away and she lept from the horse and rushed to her babe. Pulling the boy into her arms she lifted him high into the air spinning him around before clutching Murtagh close to her chest. The babe squealed with delight, tiny hands wrapping around her alabaster neck.
"Oh my son, my star! How are you? Are you well? What have you done in my absence? Tell me little Fire-Angel!" She asked in delight, hands loosing themselves in his hair. She placed him back on the ground but knelt to be at his level. Off to the side, Morzan smiled at the sight. Climbing from Beleg and moving over towards his family, he bent down and wrapped his arms around them.
Inside the tower Selena smiled at the mudd covered boy, and taking him by the hand moved towards his room. Murtagh was rambling off everything he had done and seen since she last came to visit. As they entered his room, she went to his desk and began to remove the fine clothes that lay withen. The boy bent and undid his shoes as his mother began to unlace his tunic. Sliding the fabric from his shoulders she moved to place it to the side when her eyes caught something on his back.
The yell of horror as she exclaimed his name in shock could not be helped. Nor could she prevent her hands from forcing the boy to hold still as her eys stared at the long and twisting scar that ran down his back. Immediatly footsteps were heard and the door was thrust open as Morzan stepped inside - Zar'oc in hand. Then he saw the look of horror on his lady's face and could not stop the guilt from reaching his face as he knew what she discovered.
Murtagh turned his head, confused. His dark eyes looking up at his mother sadly.
"Mama? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" The woman met his eyes with tears in her own, arms pulling him close to her chest as she lifted him into a tight hold and backed away slowly. Morzan watched her with growing tension.
"What in gods name have you done to him?" She shrieked, clutching the boy closer to her. Murtagh wrigled in her grasp, arms being crammed into uncomfertable positions.
"Valadhiel..." He whispered softly, the pet name usually calming the woman from any on comming tirade. However not now, not with that disfiguration on the boy's back.
"What have you done to my son!?" She yelled louder, shaking slightly as Murtagh whimpered in her hold.
"Mama, you're hurting me..." He said quietly, trying once more to break his arms free. Morzan's eyes glanced at the shirtless boy and he heaved a heavy sigh.
"There was an accident..." He whispered, taking a step forward. Salena drew back more until her legs hit the banister that led to a sure death fall below. Salena glared in rage hugging him tighter.
"Mama let me go!" The child screamed, writhing as a angry bear cub. His little paws striking her brest as her legs suffered harsh kicks to ensure the release. Yelping in surprise she dropped the boy as he kicked once more - force throwing him to the right. His torso hitting the banister, and crying out in surprise he felt himself falling. Both his parents screamed in horror as he flew from the ledge. Morzan shouted out the words as he rushed to the edge, knowing he didn't have enough time.
"Letta Murtagh!" Without seeing if the words had worked, he commanded again. "Risa!" It took several momments, but then to the parent's relief the child was soon back on the balcony. He was unharmed physically, but was wailing uncontrollably and was shaking terribly. Morzan's arms found the boy before Selena had a chance to get to him. Wrapping his arms round the boy and walking back into the room towards the bed Morzan whispered sweet words to his son.
It took hours for the boy to stop shivering. In that time several glasses of hot sweet tea had been gulped down.Now gripping his father's tunic close he breathed slowly - near sleep. Selena sat by the boy's side, not able to deny the trust and faith the child had in his father. She looked at the Forsworn, sighed and kissed her son gently. Standing and moving towards the door. Motioning for Morzan to follow. The man hesitated only a momment before kissing the child's brown murmering a few comforting words before padding silently after the lady.
Murtagh lay in bed quietly for a momment, before tears came back again. He sniffled, pushing the tears back. Sliding out of the bed he tiptoed towards the door. Opening it he made it to his father's study. Once there he peered inside, watching quietly the terrible fight that was occuring.
There were his parents, screaming insanities at each other as they butted heads. His father's fists were clenched tight as Selena barraged him with attacks of his honor and how dare he allow such harm to befall their child. When Selena demanded to know the exact way that Murtagh had recieved such a mark, Morzan's eyes darkened. The boy barely heard the words as he spoke them.
"I had recieved news of a mission I must go on...I did not wish to have the assignment, but knew i must take it...I got drunk...I am sorry...I..." He did not need to finish as a harsh smack was lain across his face. Selena was shaking in rage.
"You did this?! You did that to my son?!" His own rage boiled as Morzan shouted that Murtagh was his son as well. "You obviously dont care about him if you can do that monstrosity to him!" Selena challanged rage clouding her mind.
"Obviously!" The man scoffed. "That's obviously it, I hate my only child, and purposly want him to be harmed in the worst possible ways." Murtagh stood frozen in the doorway, even as he saw his mother storming to leave. Even as the door was opened and both his parents saw his wide eyes and his freshly tear stained cheeks. His eyes looked past his shocked mother, and into the eyes of his mortified father. "Murtagh-"
"You...dont care about me papa? You want me to get the hurts?" Fat tears escaped their prison and flooded his cheeks as he turned and ran down the hallway and into his room. He slammed his bedroom door closed, locking it behind him and collapsing against it as he sobbed brokenly. He knew his father was at the door before he had even spoken. He had listened to the steps his father made for his whole life. The man sighed and leaned on the other side of the door.
"Murtagh...? Can I come in?" He asked quietly.
"No."
"Please son..."
"No!"
"Let me talk to you." Murtagh sniffled, and didn't reply. His father muttered "Edro" and the door unlocked and easily opened slightly. The man walked in, closing the door, and sitting beside his child. "Murtagh...What I said back there...I didn't mean those words."
"You said always say truth." The distraught boy snapped back, head burried in his knees.
"I know son...but, in this language...it's easy to say things you dont mean. Sometimes it just happens...please...look at me?" The boy shook his head - still in his knees - causing his body to shake all at once. "Alright. You know the other language?"
"The one you cant say no lies?" The boy whispered.
"The same." Morzan reached out slowly, catching the boy's face in his palm and easing the boy to meet his eyes. "Le Melon, Murtagh." The boy looked confused. "It means I love you. I cannot lie in that language. I will not lie now. Please...believe me."
"How do I know you not lie when you say in this language? You say anything in that, but in this you can lie." The boy asked with pleading eyes. Morzan stiffened. It was true, he had no way of proving that his words were not false.
"Do you think I would wish pain on you child?" Murtagh shook his head quickly, more tears begining to slip past his eyes. "I do not."
It took several hours, but eventually Murtagh was finally falling to sleep once more. Before he did though, his fater gently whispered to the boy the news that he had put off until the last minute possible.
"Murtagh...I need to go away for a while..." The boy's tired eyes lifted as they gazed his father's face. "The King wishes me to go on a mission for him."
"When will you be back...?" Morzan's heart clenched as he heared the innocent question that he dreaded.
"I do not know." Murtagh sighed softly. His father had a duty to the king, even if the boy did not wish him to.
"When are you leaving?"
"Tommorrow."
Morzan left the next morning, waking him only to say goodbye. Selena talked with the man before he left, and from what Murtagh could see, heated words were exchanged. He managed to catch several from where he hid.
"...I'm going to take him." - His mother. "He's not safe here..."
"You will do no such thing woman."
"He's only going to be in danger here!" Morzan raised a hand silencing her. He waved it towards their son's hiding place.
"Little rabbits have big ears...quiet..."
Selena left only a day later. She too said goodbye, but did not take the boy with her.
Murtagh pulled himself from the memory, blinking up at the stars before him. The next time he saw his mother, she was dying. The next time he saw his father...he was dead. Pushing himself to his feet from where he lay, he moved back to his room. He sighed slowly, wondering if he had never recieved the scar would Selena have told his father of Eragon...
Windstar: Thank you to everyone who dealt with my rant, it made me happy to get more reviews. I'd appreciate it if you continue reviewing, and have a happy new year once more.