What for a Gift?

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Arlena was awoken from her bed in the loft above the dragon's quarters by the noise of a door opening. She heard hushed voices. One was of a male, and the other was of a female.

"They just found her dead?" the female asked.

There was a pause. Arlena peered down and saw that the man had nodded.

"How did she die, though?" the woman inquired.

"I heard somebody say her heart was beating so fast that it burst. She coughed up blood and everything," the man replied.

"It doesn't make sense. She wasn't healthy, but that shouldn't have happened," the woman continued.

"They said the epilepsy killed her. Her heart must have started beating too fast during one of her seizures," the man continued.

"What do you think he'll do, Murtagh?" the woman asked.

They both seemed to know who "he" was. Arlena had her suspicions.

"He was angry about it. He was in an uproar about something," the man called Murtagh continued.

"I knew he had plans, but I don't see why he reacted as badly as you said he did," the woman continued.

"Well, Luce, I think the little dragon-keeper is spying on us," Murtagh spoke, looking directly at her. His gray eyes met hers, and Arlena fell backward in fear.

The woman called Luce's black eyes gazed coldly at her. She turned to Murtagh and said, "You don't think she overheard too much, do you?"

"No, she hasn't. She'd better be careful she doesn't," Murtagh replied.

Shruikan flew down, placed a claw on Murtagh's chest, and growled.

Watch your step, little Morzan, the black dragon projected.

"I meant no harm, Lord Shruikan," Murtagh told the dragon, bowing.

"Nor I," Luce added. Both people left the hold quickly.

"Why did you call him 'little Morzan', milord?" Arlena inquired of the great, black beast.

He is the son of Morzan, the black dragon explained.

Arlena was silent. She had heard tales of the Foresworn's greatest and most feared member. They made her hair curl. Well, they had until she had grown older and become more used to slavery. Then they were just tales meant to frighten. They were tales that could never truly touch the real thing.

"Did you not like Morzan?" Arlena questioned, remembering the dragon's tone as he spoke the word.

He killed my first rider, Shruikan stated before thinking.

Arlena had heard that the king hadn't been Shruikan's original rider, but she wasn't sure if that was true. Now she knew it was.

"I'm sorry about that," Arlena muttered. "What was her name?"

Cora, Shruikan responded almost inaudibly.

"How did it happen?" Arlena continued. She had heard talking about something was healing.

She loved him. She loved him, and he didn't give a damn about her. She loved him, and he used it against her. She loved him, and he walked her into death. That is why I dislike Morzan and all his kind, the black dragon told her. The creature's voice didn't become louder or angry as he spoke. It kept the same low tones of bitterness. It reminded Arlena of a long-forgotten wound that hurts differently, not less, than it used to.

"I am sorry I brought it up," the slave muttered, deciding that talking things out was not healing

It is fine, the dragon stated gravely.

Belinda slowly went through the file. It contained all the evidence used against traitors. Galbatorix had given her the key last night when she asked him for it. She opened it up and pulled out the "S" section. She pulled out the one that read "Siloa". All it contained was a letter that had been decoded and an execution record. Belinda knew who had found it: her dead aunt. She had met the woman several times, and they had gotten along very well.

She took the letter and strode back to Luce's rooms. She placed the letter on a table were the other woman could see it. This was her first small step towards revenge. One of the things other servants had told her was that Luce never spoke of her mother. This would definitely bring back unpleasant memories.

Luce walked back into her room. Shruikan had been angrier at Murtagh than she'd ever seen him become. She didn't understand how her friend had provoked such a response.

She shook her head she thought of Murtagh. She hated the tension that had formed between ever since she had gotten drunk. He seemed to always be reaching for her but never quite allowing himself to touch, and she always seemed to be standing almost close enough to touch but too far away all the same. She'd experienced this once before, and she'd hated it. It had been with a man she'd barely known, who was married and far too old for her.

She had been thirteen when a new mage came to Galbatorix. His name had been Finn, and Galbatorix had told him to teach Luce. She had felt an obsession stronger than anything she'd felt before, and it was for somebody she barely knew, loved, or understood. He'd seemed to see the change that had begun in her, the change that nobody else seemed to see. Luce had become more quiet and secretive because she feared somebody would guess how she felt. Deandra had noticed the change and demanded to know what was wrong. This was only time the healer had been unable to pry something out of her. Galbatorix had noticed the attraction and sent her and Ardis away to Lady Alera's.

When Luce had been seventeen, Finn had come to visit Lady Alera and her family. She hadn't been able to sleep knowing who was under the same roof as she. She crept out of her rooms, and Finn found her. He took her out of the house and into the streets of Urû'baen. He had kissed her and done more still, but he had not done everything he had intended to do before Deandra stopped it.

Deandra had slapped her, told her in no uncertain terms that she was a fool, and then her maid told her all about Finn. He had been obsessed with Siloa when she had come to Urû'baen. Siloa had turned him down, and his father arranged a marriage for him with a wealthy merchant's daughter.

"So you see," Deandra finished, "he was imagining you were your mother when he saw you. That was incredibly stupid of you. Honestly, I should have known better when I heard that Finn would be teaching you. I didn't think it was the same one, but apparently it was."

Deandra had taken both her and her sister home. Lady Alera hadn't complained. She'd never really liked Luce.

The green rider sighed and looked to her table. She noticed a piece of paper lying on it. She picked it up and glanced at it. It was a letter dated 17 years ago. She skimmed it.

Milord,

You have asked me about the progress of our mission. The black one suspects nothing, and I have his entire confidence. The red one is proving to be more difficult. He dislikes me intensely and fears the influence I have over the king.

The child grows well. She is strong, healthy, and seems to be growing intelligent. She does not know yet what she must do if a boy does not come. In truth, we need not fear if one does not come.

I am only twenty as of yet, and I feel I have much still to learn to serve you all properly. I would take the girl to you if it is possible. She shall return to her father with me, and he shall not know where I have been. This may be hard to manage, but it may be possible. It will be essential for her to know you all.

Consider it, Milord.

At the bottom of the letter, a strange-looking "S" was printed. Luce knew the mark was the symbol of all the Teirm lords. It was called a Solaerix, after the man who founded that dynasty of governors. Very few people not from Teirm knew what it was; even fewer knew what it looked like; and of those, only the Teirm lords could draw it correctly because they had been taught the secret. Luce had never been taught because she had been too young to write when her mother died. She knew what this letter was. It was the letter that had been able to prove her mother's treason.

She slowly dissected it. "The black one" must have been Galbatorix. She knew she was "the child" and "the girl". She thought for a moment until she realized that "the red one" was Morzan.

Were they both the red rider? Iormungr inquired. His voice was fast becoming deeper, and he sounded curious.

Aye, she replied slowly.

She stared at the letter still. It felt contaminated. Her hand shook.

"Brisingr!" she cried, and the piece of paper burst into flames.

Why did you destroy it? Iormungr demanded, sounding panicked.

It killed my mother, she whispered defiantly. She cleaned up the ashes without a word.

You destroyed evidence, the dragon continued.

Don't worry about what he'll do. I doubt he goes through that file, and the one it convicted has already been killed, she stated.

Shaheen was sleeping when the dream came again. It was a flashback to her capture. It was the thing that she could never quite forget. It flashed through her brain.

A twelve year-old Shaheen was watering the horses. She was pleased that she had not fallen into the water trough this time. The door slammed open. Tahira stood in the doorway. She seemed to fill the doorway. Her thick black hair frizzled from the heat.

"Run! Invaders!" Tahira yelled. "Take a horse, take Belkis, and get to the sanctuary!"

As Shaheen mounted one of the horses, she silently cursed having to look for her younger sister Belkis.

Belkis was her only younger sibling, and she was even more beautiful than Leyla, who was as close to perfect as anyone could ever be. Belkis had been the child who killed their mother. She was small, almost frail, and she could weave thread finer than any spider's. She was also proud, almost arrogant. She and Shaheen had never liked one another. Still, she was her sister, and she had to get her out.

When she found her sister, Belkis was weaving.

"What is it sister?" the younger girl asked, peering up.

"We're being attacked. Come now," Shaheen ordered.

Belkis obeyed quietly. There was still pride in her posture even when she ran and was being led by another.

"Hurry!" Shaheen shouted. She herself had never been a fast runner, but Belkis was smaller and couldn't keep up.

The younger girl ran harder. Shaheen roughly pulled her into the saddle in front of her.

They rode as hard as they could. They reached the temple. If the invaders were another tribe, even they would not dare to enter the temple of the gods and sack it.

Leyla stood near the entrance. Other people were there. They were to keep the enemies out of the temple if they dared to breach the code of honor among those in the Hadarac Desert.

"Go by the altar!" she ordered. The two younger girls obeyed.

What felt like hours passed as the sounds of fighting raged outside the temple walls. Then, Sanchez ran into the temple.

"It's slavers, Leyla. It's a huge group. They outnumber us. They won't care about the gods. They'll come here anyway. We must flee," he yelled.

Leyla shook her head.

"Leyla, you must leave. They won't care if you're a woman. They killed Tahira because she shot some of their men. If you don't leave with Shaheen and Belkis, you condemn our sisters to death or slavery. Do you want that?" Sanchez demanded.

"Take them if you wish. There is nowhere for us to go. I stay here. I will not ignore my responsibilities as head priestess," Leyla replied.

"They're coming," someone shouted. Sanchez and Leyla grabbed their swords and ran to the door.

"Someone bind the boy!" a voice shouted.

Shaheen hid by the altar. She watched as they overcame the warriors by their greater numbers. Sanchez had been wounded and taken captive.

Shaheen leapt out from behind the altar. She grabbed the man who held Sanchez and pulled him back by his hair. He whacked her, and she fell to the ground. The slavers had a magician with them, and that man had overpowered Leyla.

They dragged her sister to the center of the room.

"She's a proud one, isn't she?" an old man in the center spoke up. He had been leading the party and fighting extremely well despite his age.

All the men nodded in agreement.

"Who wants her first? Which ever one of you can make her scream gets her. This is a big haul, and I can afford to give up one like that," the man replied.

A young man with a long scar across his jaw bone stepped forward. He grinned lasciviously at Leyla. She spat in his face. He frowned and slapped so that her head nearly spun around. He pushed up her skirts, and Shaheen closed her eyes. She didn't want to see what this man did to her sister.

When that man was done, Leyla had not cried out. This went on for hours. Shaheen was sobbing. Leyla was bleeding terribly and she was black and blue. She had still not screamed. The leader was growing angry.

"You can still call yourselves men? I can make this bitch scream," he boasted.

They made Shaheen watch. It scared her half to death. Leyla's eyes closed after twenty minutes of this.

The man slapped her cheek. It was a horrific blow, but Leyla would not stir. He slapped her again. It was even harder that time. Leyla would not stir.
The man leaned forward and put his ear to her chest. He got up cursing.

"Burn her corpse!" he ordered to the men. Shaheen was too stunned to move or cry.

"There's one behind here," another one of the men yelled from the altar. They dragged out Belkis, who had not left her hiding place.

The old leader surveyed and spoke, "Too weak. Too young. Kill her."

Shaheen felt love for Belkis for what was perhaps the first time as she saw the man skewer her with his blade. She vaguely heard Sanchez's shout of rage and grief.

She felt tears begin to course down her face. Perhaps they were for Leyla. Perhaps they were for Belkis. Perhaps they were for both. She didn't know which.

Shaheen awoke. She simply looked into the empty darkness. A couple years ago, she would have gotten up early and started the disgusting job of mucking out the stables early. Now, she simply rolled over and fell back to sleep, hoping that that dream would not come again.

Eragon sat with his back against a tree, thinking. Saphira landed in front of him.

Of what are you thinking, little one? she inquired.

Arya's birthday is in a month, Saphira, but I have no idea what to give her, he explained.

That is all that worries you, little one? Saphira replied incredulously.

Eragon shook his head. Many things do. That just does more so than some others now.

Saphira nodded. We must be getting to our lessons now, the blue dragon told him.

Eragon mounted Saphira, and they flew towards the practice fields.

He climbed off and walked over to Edurna, who was to be his sparring partner today. He glanced at Ardis for a moment. She was sparring with Vanir. She may not be winning, but she was holding her own better than she had been.

You find her attractive, don't you? Saphira asked.

A bit, Eragon admitted.

And you still insist on pursuing Arya? Saphira continued.

Love doesn't die, he responded.

Do you love her? Saphira challenged.

Eragon thought for a moment before he gave his honest answer. Yes.

Which one? Saphira inquired.

Eragon faltered. He looked at Ardis and thought of Arya. They blended together in his mind even now. He knew not which one he wanted. He never felt confused by Ardis, and he felt as though he understood her well enough. Arya was a complicated mystery that he desperately wanted to solve. He knew not which one he would, nor if either of them would be receptive of him.

One, the other, perhaps both, he replied.

You should make up your mind, Saphira told him as Edurna's blade came down. Eragon parried it just in time.

Maybe someday I will be able to, Eragon responded as he knocked Edurna's blade aside. The elf flipped out of the way of the rider's blade coming at him. They both ended up disarming each other.

You cannot keep up this forever, Saphira replied as they began to spar again.

I know, Eragon grunted. He poured his full concentration into the battle before him.

Alright, people. Next chapter will be all in Ellesméra. I won't update tomorrow because I'm spending most of the day in Virginia for the regatta. I'm probably going to get really bad blisters. Oh well. The chapter after that will be pretty much all Ellesméra too. Then the chapter after that will probably all in Urû'baen. That's what I'm thinking at least. A plot bunny might bite me. Who knows? I think I've had enough bites from those plot bunnies, though. At least I'm on something resembling at schedule. I've known pretty much what's going to happen for awhile. A few more details might be added. I don't know. This story will probably be another good ten chapters. That's an estimate. Anyway, please review. Here are the responses from last chapter.

Vixen Hood: I thought most people would. I just didn't want anybody to be confused. I figured if there were thirteen evil people, at least one of them had to be female. So I made the character or Den-ner.

Teenchic2004: Yeah, I killed of Lenori. She's not the last one, I'm afraid. I hope this update came soon enough.

Elemir: Actually, Lenori's death has been planned since chapter 16. Elva was supposed to be the bringer in this story, but she hadn't been all her life. I decided that since Lenori had epilepsy (or at least they all thought she did) and didn't seem to have been characterized a lot; she would be the one before Elva. Ligan was always supposed to be a Foresworn.

Amantine: You're welcome. I'm glad I did. I hope this update came soon enough.