What the Raven Said

Luce walked down a long corridor. There were plants all around her. She barely noticed them. She was intent on reaching something at the end. A white raven was perched there.

It opened its mouth and squawked, "Wyrda!" Luce frowned.

It continued:

"Tawny haired girl, not a child,

By the son of darkness you are beguiled.

You were born from mother who fights for what is right

Through your father, the king of spite.

You are so easy to love and so easy to hate,

Both with passions that will not abate.

You will gain your love's love and loose it too.

Will he ever forgive you?

Dare to make a kingdom's darkness bright?

Dare to turn our day to night?

To whom are you false, and to whom are you true?

I leave the choice up to you.

But you ponder, remember this.

Those who thought they could escape death's kiss

Now lie in the ground oh so dead

Because they did not listen to what the raven said."

The bird squawked, "Wyrda!" again and flew off.

"Time to leave, Luce," a voice whispered. Hands grabbed her elbow and lead her out of the corridor. She turned to look and saw only a shadowy figure. She fell back and awoke.

Luce opened her eyes. She stared around the room. That had been a strange dream. She turned over and fell into a dreamless sleep. She was then interrupted by a knocking.

Murtagh stared around his own room. He wondered why Galbatorix had sent a slave to watch them.

He fears that Luce will be as irresistible to you as Siloa was to him, Thorn told him.

She's not Siloa, Murtagh replied moodily.

I know that, and you know that, but the king doesn't know that. Therein lays the heart of the problem. Besides, human, you do like her, Thorn retorted.

Hark, who had dreams about a certain blue dragon last night? Murtagh volleyed.

Did you really eavesdrop on my dreams last night? Thorn asked.

I couldn't sleep, he responded.

Thorn flew onto his balcony and growled.

Shut up, you'll wake the whole palace, Murtagh berated the dragon.

Thorn said nothing. The ruby dragon picked Murtagh up in his claws and flew off the balcony. He placed him in the middle of the practice field and took off. Murtagh groaned and irritably walked back to his room. He had just closed the door when a knocking interrupted him.

A messenger stood outside the door with Luce. She looked tired and rumpled as though she had been rushed out of bed.

"Galbatorix wants to see you, milord," the boy replied meekly.

What for? he asked Luce.

Your guess is as good as mine, she replied. She thought of the dream.

I dreamed of a white raven last night, she told him.

A white raven? Murtagh asked skeptically.

That's what I said, she explained.

Did it say anything? he questioned.

It gave me a prophecy of sorts, Luce told him.

Do you remember it? Murtagh asked.

Luce bit her lip. The messenger boy looked up at her.

"Is anything wrong, milady?" he asked.

"Nothing," she replied.

I only remember the last part.

To whom are you false, and to whom are you true?

I leave the choice up to you.

But you ponder, remember this.

Those who thought they could escape death's kiss

Now lie in the ground oh so dead

Because they did not listen to what the raven said, she told him.

What the raven said? he queried.

That's what it said, she told him.

Galbatorix looked positively thrilled as they entered the throne room. Luce and Murtagh exchanged discreet, worried glances. This did not bode well for them.

"I have good new, riders," he shouted gleefully. "I have gained a new spy among the Varden."

"Who?" they asked at the same time.

Galbatorix waved his finger at them and said giddily, "Ah, but that would be telling, wouldn't it? I can find out news from this spy. This spy might even be able to steal the egg. That would be lovely. Now, off you go. Things are finally going well."

Murtagh and Luce rounded the corner.

"Should we be getting off to our lessons?" Luce asked.

"If Thorn has forgiven me," Murtagh muttered.

"Forgive you for what?" Luce questioned.

You'll gain your love's love and loose it too.

Will he ever forgive you?

"I eavesdropped on his dreams," Murtagh replied. "He would be more offended if I told you more."

"Then don't," she told him.

"I wasn't going to," he volleyed.

"He'll forgive you," she said quietly. "He can't stay mad forever, and you're his rider. He has to."

"He wouldn't like to hear you say that," Murtagh cautioned.

"He doesn't like me much, I don't think."

"Why wouldn't he?"

Luce shrugged.

"He likes you. He just prefers rudeness."

Luce laughed.

They reached the practice courts. Luce and Murtagh dulled their swords and faced each other. Before either could attack, however, a group of people rounded the corner.

It comprised of two men, one in his mid-thirties and the other in his early sixties; a tall woman with black hair and ice blue eyes in her mid-thirties; a frail-looking girl of possibly sixteen; and a young man who was almost as frail as the girl. They walked past Murtagh and Luce, and only the woman gave any indication that she had seen them. Her icy eyes settled on both their faces for a fraction of a second. Then, she continued her conversation with the two men.

"Who were they?" Luce and Murtagh asked each other at the same time. They both shrugged. They would find out soon enough, and they certainly did.

That night, as Luce's new maid Belinda helped her prepare for bed, the former made the mistake of bringing the group up. The newly freed slave smiled condescendingly.

"You mean you don't know?" she laughed.

"I asked you, so no, I don't know," Luce answered.

"They are the Tabors," Belinda explained as though she were talking to someone very slow or young.

Luce recognized the name immediately. Deandra had once told her all about them. She had heard more gossip since then. Apparently, Tabor was on his third wife. His first, Anja, had born him Marcus the younger, Morgana, and Claudius. She had died in a riding accident when the youngest was ten. Tabor swallowed his grief and married Faedra, youngest daughter of Lord Rishart, three months after Anja's unfortunate demise. This wife had come to her stepdaughter's fateful wedding to Alagaesia's cruel king with her six year-old son Mort. She had been pregnant with her second child then, a girl named Lenori. That child had been her death, as Deandra predicted. Tabor decided that three sons and one surviving daughter was enough, and he was content with mistresses until ten years ago. A woman named Solaera had come to the city. She had been born in Teirm and traveled the empire. She was of questionable repute, and nobody was quite sure who her parents were. Tabor didn't care. She became his third wife and gave him his fourth son, a five-year old named Alexandros.

"Why are they here?" Luce asked.

Belinda smiled more broadly and condescendingly than before.

"The king has plans, or so it is said. Tabor, his wife, and all but his eldest son have come here," she simpered.

Luce almost said, "And you would know since you're his spy, I suppose." She remained silent instead.

Sleep well, Iormungr told her.

You too, friend, she replied.

May ravens stay out of your dreams.

And yours. Luce turned over and slept. No ravens haunted her sleep.

I am sorry, Thorn, Murtagh told his dragon.

Why did you invade my privacy? the ruby dragon asked.

I shouldn't have, but, Thorn, you are me dragon. I could not help but feel some of your emotions, Murtagh explained. He was completely serious.

I understand. I forgive you, Thorn replied. Will you forgive me for taunting you?

Aye, dragon, Murtagh responded.

Then all is good, human, Thorn said, as he went to sleep. Murtagh did the same.

Aberon

"Lady Nasuada," a voice yelled, waking the Varden's leader. Nasuada looked up groggily. Jarsha the messenger stood there.

"What is it?"she asked.

"The egg is missing," Jarsha sobbed.

"What?" she yelled, now fully awake.

Jarsha nodded sadly. Nasuada leapt up, not caring that she only wore a thin shift. She ran out into the hallways of Borromeo Castle. Farica followed, yelling something about propriety.

She bumped into Orrin. He was equally disheveled. They both turned red. Eragon was running towards them, shirtless.

"Do you think those girls stole it?" Surda's king inquired of the two.

"I don't know," Nasuada moaned. "Eragon, didn't you have them swear that they meant no harm?"

The dragon-rider nodded.

"What could've happened then?" Orrin asked. He looked as upset as Nasuada felt.

"I'll go get the girls," Eragon offered. He ran off towards their room.

"If they're still there," Orrin muttered. Nasuada privately agreed with him.

As Eragon rounded the corner, he saw Arya. She looked panicked.

"Have they found the egg yet?" she asked, gripping his wrist.

"I go to Ardis and Shaheen to see if they are still there," Eragon told the elf.

"I'll come with you," she told him. They both raced towards the room. Eragon managed to keep up with the elf as he wouldn't have been able to before Agaeti Blodhren.

When they reached the doors, they saw a strange sight. Saphira had craned her neck through the girls' window. Ardis sat on the floor with a small purple and silver dragon in her lap. Shaheen stood near them. Ardis looked up and smiled.

"Eragon, this is Kazul," the girl explained, raising a palm with the gedwey ignasia on it.

Eragon, a female voice said in his head.

"Why did you not tell the Varden the egg had hatched for you?" Arya inquired.

"Kazul found my room and came opened the door. She must have hatched after I touched her egg earlier today. I did not mean to cause you all discomfort," Ardis explained. She looked scared.

Eragon laughed at this. Arya's face relaxed and she let out a sound of mirth that Eragon had only heard once before. Ardis and Shaheen joined in, and Saphira made a snorting sound.

"We shall alert Lady Nasuada and King Orrin," Eragon explained as he closed the door behind himself and Arya. Ardis smiled briefly as he did.

The next morning, Ardis and Kazul were taken to Nasuada and Orrin. They decided that she should accompany Eragon to Ellesmera. Ardis's heart rushed in excitement.

We shall see the elves, she told Kazul enthusiastically.

Black-haired girl elf? the dragon asked.

Yes, Ardis told her. Kazul could understand humans fairly well, but she had trouble speaking.

Eragon stood outside. He and Roran were fully packed. They were waiting for Ardis and Kazul. Arya would not be coming, though she would join them in three months time. Islanzadi had wanted to throw a birthday celebration around that time.

Ardis and Shaheen appeared at the top of the steps. Kazul was wrapped around the former's shoulders, and Arya walked behind them. The first two wore traveling clothes, carried packs, and each led a horse by the reins.

"Is she coming?" Roran asked incredulously, pointing at Shaheen.

"Yes," both girls said at once.

"Why?" Eragon's cousin queried.

Arya spoke up. "Shaheen is one of a tribe of the Hadarac Desert. They lived very near Du Weldenvarden. The elves were friendly with this particular tribe. They traded with them occasionally. And she is the new rider's friend," the elf explained.

Roran did not argue, though he looked angrily at Shaheen. The former slave laughed.

Eragon looked from his cousin to his fellow rider's friend.

This is going to be a long trip, he told Saphira.

I couldn't agree more, she responded.