Is It Jealousy?

A/N: I have a random anecdote. Today, in World Cultures, my teacher was using the expression "cool beans" again. People started googling it, and someone asked why people didn't say "cool ice cream". The teacher looked at us and asked, "Did I ever tell you about my favorite part of 'Wayne's World'?" To keep it brief, one guy gets his hair stuck in a vacuum cleaner/hair cutter and says, "It's sucking out my will to live." A few minutes later, someone calls him "Mr. Cool Beans". He says, "That just made me think of my favorite part of 'Wayne's World'." To keep it brief, we suck out his will to live. LOL. That is a true story, though.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Luce, Claudius Tábor, Iormungr, Ardis

Luce walked through the corridors. She had just left Murtagh's room. Snores drifted across the room from the moment she shut the door. She hadn't seen anyone non-sleeping beings in her wanderings throughout the palace. Iormungr had actually shut her out of his mind to keep her from waking him up again. It annoyed her.

She had at last come to the great library. She strode through the doors and opened a book. It was a history of elfin theories that Galbatorix had "disproved" or claimed were really his. Luce eventually had to go get a dictionary to understand some of the terms. It was fascinating and rather confusing at the same time. It made her appreciate how good Murtagh was at explaining complex magical workings.

Ardis had definitely had a stronger gift and a better understanding of general magic. Luce was simply trickier and more creative in her use of her (formerly) limited vocabulary. She had been memorizing dangerous words that should have never been uncovered for the past few weeks. They made her feel powerful and afraid at the same time.

Luce was halfway through the thick volume when she heard the door open. A man of about thirty-five with hair similar in color to Ardis' and brown eyes stepped into the library. The young woman recognized him as Claudius Tábor, the ruler of Dras Leona's second son.

He turned to look at her. He then looked down at the thick volume.

"Oh, I've heard of that book. It's supposed to be nigh impossible for a non-magic-user to read," the man remarked.

Luce looked up at him. She was aware that her expression was one of annoyance.

Recognition crossed Claudius Tábor's face.

"Oh, you're the lady Luce," he exclaimed.

"Yes," she said slowly.

"Forgive me for the interruption. I simply harbor a faint interest in magic, and I seem to be the only one awake besides you. It must be said that one can rarely pursue scholarly means in Dras Leona. It is a place of pleasure or poverty, depending on your wealth. In general, I find the poor to be better companions than the rich. I suppose I should stop boring you, though," the man explained.

"No, it's fine. I'm having trouble understanding this anyway as it is," Luce told him.

Claudius sat in the seat across from her.

"So you are the sister of my niece," he muttered.

"Yes, I am," Luce replied slowly.

"You don't look much like Ardis did when last I saw her. I heard about her escape and then how that dragon egg of the Varden's hatched for her," Claudius remarked.

Luce looked at him with a shocked expression.

"What?" she exclaimed.

"I thought you would have been told," he explained. "I heard it through sources I cannot disclose at the present time, but I was certain the king would have explained the situation to you."

Luce felt ignorant now. She couldn't imagine why she and Murtagh hadn't been alerted of this new development.

"Please, tell me everything you know," she told Claudius, leaning forward to grasp his wrist. She needed to know about this.

Tábor looked slightly taken aback by her gesture but recovered himself fully. He then began to explain about how the two riders had gone to Ellesméra. He said that he had kept tabs on his niece because he had liked her when he had seen and was concerned about her welfare in her "present" circumstances, as Claudius had referred to them carefully.

Luce sat there, thinking. She had expected something like this. She had discussed it at length with Iormungr. Galbatorix had suspected that Ardis would be the next rider as well. Murtagh had said it frankly just a few nights ago. She feared what the mad king would make Murtagh and her do once Eragon and Ardis were out of the safety of Ellesméra.

"You seem concerned, Milady," Claudius said politely.

"My sister's welfare is cause for concern," she said simply.

"I understand. You know, I honestly think it would be a terrible waste to marry you to Mort. You are too strong for my younger brother," he remarked.

Luce looked at him suspiciously.

Both people jumped as the library door opened a second time. Luce looked and saw Murtagh in the doorway.

He looked at her with an expression she couldn't quite fathom. She was suddenly aware that she hadn't let go of Claudius' wrist during the entire conversation. She let it drop and leaned back against her chair.

The red rider gave Claudius a look that was somewhere between cold and question. Or was his expression almost accusing? Luce didn't know.

"Lessons are cancelled for today, Luce. I suggest you go back to sleep," Murtagh remarked coldly as he exited the library.

Luce frowned and got up. As she stalked towards the door, she heard Claudius say to her, "Please, do not misinterpret my meaning. I am in love with another. I was simply making a comment."

Luce barely heard him. Murtagh's tone had infuriated her and wounded her pride. He was treating her like an adult would a naughty child or a master a disobedient slave.

"Murtagh!" she yelled after his disappearing form.

He turned and looked at her.

"What makes you think you can talk to me like that?" she shouted.

"If you wish to go back there, I will not stop you," he stated coldly without turning to face her.

"You couldn't if you wanted to," she screamed. She was aware of how she sounded, but she didn't care in her anger.

Murtagh turned and stared at her. He took a few steps towards her and grabbed her wrists. She struggled against him, but he held her fast. Power blazed in his eyes. Luce had never feared him before this moment.

"You could not stop me from stopping you," he whispered in her ear. Her skin tingled a bit as his mouth came oh so close to her neck.

He let go.

"We were just talking, Murtagh," she said. She had stopped yelling.

"Your heads were awfully close for conversation," he remarked coldly.

"He was telling me something important. Ardis is a rider, Murtagh. The rumors are true," she moaned.

"Don't make it worse by lying," he told her as he walked away.

"I'm not lying," she screamed after him.

He didn't respond.

"Why do you even care what it was, Murtagh?" she shouted.

He turned to look at her.

"Honestly, Luce, you flatter yourself," he said with the first amount of anything close to humor he had uttered during this entire interaction.

Luce didn't say anything as he walked away. She tore back towards her room, buried her face in her pillow, and screamed. Murtagh was being ridiculous. How many women had he been with? She remembered one time he had thought himself in love with this one girl when they were thirteen. He had made the mistake of writing a poem for his love and showing it to Luce. She'd laughed so hard she'd fallen to the ground. There had been more after that with whom he'd gone much farther.
Who is he to tell me what I can and can't do? I didn't even do anything wrong! she shouted to no one in particular.

He is jealous, Luce, Iormungr stated.

Weren't you asleep? Luce snapped.

I awoke a few minutes ago. Your emotions seemed quite explosive in those last few moments, the green dragon explained.

Well, I'm sorry I disturbed your nap, she replied waspishly.

Luce, I am not angry, but I will be if you insist on berating me for trying to help you, Iormungr told her.

I am sorry, she muttered. She put her face in the pillow and sobbed. Murtagh couldn't be jealous, and even if he was, hadn't she been jealous of his lovers before?

Wait, had she just admitted that? She was his friend. She couldn't be jealous of those to whom he took a fancy. She sobbed some more.

Luce, you had to admit it sometime, Iormungr stated smugly.

Oh, Iormungr, you're so good to me. You never tried to make me admit it or make fun of me, and you put up with all my outburst, Luce sobbed to him.

Oh no, the green dragon began, not that.

Not what? Luce snapped.

I'm not even going to go there, Iormungr stated nervously.

Luce sighed. All men were the same whether they were dragons or humans. She slowly changed for bed. She cursed when she saw that her dragon had been right. Her pants and loincloth were bloodied.

Iormungr was too wise to gloat.

Gil'ead

Derek was jerked awake. He had been riding behind one of the three soldiers, and the horse had just taken a rather large jump. The man looked happy that Derek was no longer sleeping against his back.

Deandra had kept annoying the soldiers until one of them slapped her. This disturbed the ten year-old because Bonstan had always told him to be respectful to women.

"We're here," the lead soldier stated plainly. The other two men breathed sighs of relief. The one with whom Deandra was riding heaved a particularly large one.

All five dismounted. (Well, Derek really rolled off his soldier's horse's back.) They then walked through the gate.

"Can I keep the boy with me? He could help clean up the infirmary and such," Deandra requested.

Deandra's soldier looked sorely tempted to deny her this sensible request just to spite the frank woman. The captain cut in.

"I don't see why not. Just make sure he works, and make sure he doesn't get under foot," the man ordered.

"Don't worry. I shall," the healer stated.

Deandra's soldier looked sulky. The captain noticed and slapped him across the face.

"She's a damn good healer even if she is a sorely annoying woman. The boy's just gonna make himself useful. I don't know what you think is wrong with that, and I don't care why you think it. Just accept it, damn it, boy," the man roared.

The soldier nodded. He covertly glared at Deandra. The healer looked a bit pityingly at the soldier. Derek noticed that he barely looked older than twenty.

"Now, boy, let's get to the infirmary. I'll show you 'round, and you'll see what you have to do. It won't be too hard. You seem like a decent, honest, hard-working young man, and I won't work you too hard. You'll have responsibilities, but I think you'll be able to handle them," Deandra informed him as they walked through the city.

It was full of military barracks rather than houses. Soldiers walked the streets. Some were running for drills. Higher officers shouted orders to them. At last, woman and boy reached a small building.

It was grey granite, much like the palace, but it lacked the latter structure's beauty or authority. It was a run-down little place. Derek wondered how anybody got better here.

The healer opened the door and walked inside. Derek followed her closely. Men were lying on some of the beds. Derek realized that they had probably been injured in skirmishes with the Varden or during overly difficult drills.

Deandra leaned forward and whispered, "There's a cubby hole in the back that only I have the key for. You can put your scrolls in there for safe-keeping."

Derek nodded, took the key the woman offered, and ran towards the back. Deandra refused to accept the key back when he handed it to her. The boy pocketed it instead.

Maybe, he thought, just maybe, I'll get out. I won't let you down, Bonstan.

All knew that a promise to the dead was a promise to be kept. Derek only wanted to fulfill his.

That's the end of chapter fifteen. I hoped you liked it. Please, review if you read this. If you have any ideas or constructive criticism, please, feel free to give it. I also want to take a little poll.

Who's hotter: Legolas or Aragorn? (If you haven't read and/or seen LotR, skip this question)

Who's hotter: Will Turner or Jack Sparrow?

Who's your favorite canon Eragon character?

Who's you favorite O.C. of mine?

Who's your favorite Harry Potter character? (Again, don't answer if you haven't read or seen.)

Who's hottest: Eragon, Murtagh, or Roran?

I don't know why I'm doing a random poll, but I am. Please, do it. If you're a guy, you don't have to answer the "Who's hotter?" and "Who's hottest?" questions. I'm not that mean.