A/N: Hi, guys. I'm kind of at a mental block right now. And I feel really bad about publishing this chapter. It's just, this story isn't FUNNY at ALL. I can't even work a tiny bit of humor in without making the characters completely OOC :(. Bunch of killjoys. Excuse this dark mood, please. So, I appologize ahead of time for anything that's really stupid. UGH. Lolz, I think I was feeling angry when I wrote this. ANYway... I figured out why this story is so stupid! EPIPHANY :) *Sigh*

Chapter 24

I wonder what King Orrin wants, Eragon mused.

So do I, Saphira agreed. We haven't pledged allegiance to him, only the Varden, so I'm assuming it's not an order...

Perhaps it's just a request.

Saphira growled in agreement.

Three guards were posted outside the red pavilion, though they immediately stepped aside when Eragon came into view, saying, "Enter, Shadeslayer."

Eragon glanced around the interior of the structure. The evident destruction Saphira had caused while attempting to speak to Eragon through Nasuada's scrying mirror was cleared, though several lamps were missing. A few pieces of furniture had been shoved to the side to accommodate ten or so mismatched chairs.

King Orrin was perched upon the high-backed chair that Nasuada would otherwise occupy. "Greetings, Argetlam," he said as Eragon entered the tent. Orrin gestured to a chair at his right. "Sit, won't you? I assume your dragon will be able to take part in our conversation through you?" There was no friendly preamble.

"I am able to relay her comments and queries, yes," said Eragon warily. Not meaning to say I will...

"Good," Orrin said brusquely.

"If I may ask, why have you summoned us? That is, Saphira and I?"

A man, whom Eragon recalled as being part of the Council of Elders, strode into a tent and took a seat. "I've called a meeting of my advisors and the Varden's Council of Elders," Orrin replied, stone-faced.

"Well, seeing as how I am part of neither association…" Eragon began, trying to keep annoyance from coloring his tone.

"Oh, I think you'll be grateful that I've called you here, Shur'tugal," the King cut off. "Some changes will be taking place at this meeting which I'm sure you want to witness."

Changes? Eragon thought to Saphira. What can he possibly mean?

I'd not take his words to heart; what can he do with Nasuada absent? Saphira replied.

He doesn't know that yet! I don't think I want to be within range when that conniption happens…

I've never seen a conniption. It ought to be interesting.

Eragon watched silently with growing guilt and apprehension as the other Council elders flied in along with the members of Orrin cabinet. Perhaps he should stand now, admit to everyone that Nasuada was gone, and save everyone the trouble.

The king stood as the third to last chair was filled. "Jarsha!" he barked and the boy came scurrying in. "Did I not tell you to fetch Lady Nasuada?"

"You did," the boy said, trembling.

"Then where is she?" Orrin seethed.

"She was not in her quarters, nor here, nor in the castle, so I found Jörmundur, and he promised she would accompany him here," Jarsha explained in a squeaky voice.

"Where is -?" Just then, Jörmundur strode in wearing a grim expression.

"Speak, man!" Orrin commanded, obviously not in full control of his emotions.

Jörmundur scowled. "It is Lady Nasuada – she is missing."

"I'm not interested in the fact that she's missing, I'm interested in finding her!"

"I would enlist the help of the rest of the Nighthawks – but they are missing as well."

Orrin was nearly hopping with rage when Eragon decided to confess.

"I know where Lady Nasuada had gone."

The tense chatter that had built up ceased. "Where?" Jörmundur inquired.

"I thought she would have at least told you. She's left for Feinster – with Murtagh and Thorn."

If it seemed like Orrin had achieved a conniption before, it was nothing compared to now. "MURTAGH AND THORN?" Jarsha fled the tent in terror. "AND YOU KNEW ABOUT THIS, RIDER?"

Though Eragon was surely ten times stronger than the King of Surda, Orrin's intense fury made him want to cower under a table. No way could he have guessed the man who fought so nobly in their battle against the men who felt no pain was the one who stood before him now. "Yes…" he answered unsteadily.

"FORTY LASHES! Just like his COUSIN!"

"Orrin," a soft voice behind the king said. A delicate hand gripped his arm. He tried to shake it off. "Orrin Borreomeo."

"WHAT?"

"Control your anger."

An expression of calm washed over Orrin's face and he sat. "No matter," he said serenely. "Let's begin, if you will have a seat, Jörmundur." Jormundur obliged without question. "I've called you here today to abolish the Council of Elders as well as my cabinet."

Eragon's jaw dropped. Everyone stared. "Have you and Nasuada come to an agreement, your Highness?"

"I don't think it matters. Almost every single person I have called here is corrupt, save you, Eragon, Jörmundur, and a select few. The rest have lost sight of our ultimate goal: Eradicating Galbatorix and his influence from Alagaësia.

"Those who have let the prospect of power, who have been manipulating things so that they can end on top – your term serving is over." All this was said with a pleasant smile, not a trace of malice. "You will be assigned new work within the week. Consider your statuses terminated."

Those guilty of the accused certainly knew it. Baleful expressions of hatred were passed around, clearly speaking things like, "I knew we shouldn't have done it." "This is all your fault!"

"As a good bit of you seem to be furious, you are dismissed."

The guilty party departed immediately, but Eragon was too stunned to move. "Do you wish to speak with me, Shadeslayer?" Orrin inquired after a long minute.

"How can you take such initiative?" Eragon demanded, "Did you have my liege lord's approval before you dismissed her council?"

"No. The Council of Elders was poisoning her resolve. Besides, I am the one with greater power. Do you think she would object?"

Is this some kind of a test? Eragon thought to himself. "Who am I to speak for Lady Nasuada? It's not my place."

"But you don't answer my question, Shadeslayer," King Orrin prompted, "do you or do you not think she would object?"

"No…" Eragon answered slowly and grudgingly.

"And do you agree that the Council was not interested in defeating Galbatorix, but in their own petty quests for power?"

"Yes… But the Elders weren't doing any harm. When Nasuada was appointed leader of the Varden, she knew what they has in mind, and she knew that they would try to steer her wrong – yet she resisted. She could have dismissed them on her own time."

"As far as I'm concerned, they were only setting us back in our ongoing battle with Galbatorix," said Orrin, snapping back to his usual, brusque manner. "That's all I have time for, Argetlam, if you'll excuse me. Expect to be summoned for another meeting at noontime tomorrow." And with that he swept out of the pavilion.

He so afraid, Eragon remarked to Saphira, of Nasuada overriding his rule that it's come to this.

Yes. He made a good point though; the Council wasn't at all interested in opposing Galbatorix. They were standing in our way and he effectively bowled them over.

I can't disagree with that. What do you suppose caused him to regain sanity in the middle of his tirade, though?

Someone in the tent cleared their throat. Eragon whirled around, not having realized that he wasn't alone.

Sitting lady-like in the chair opposite his own, was a young woman with pale skin and light brown hair. Her features were not unlike the king's, though softer.

"I apologize for my brother's outrageous behavior. He is prone to losing his temper."

"Lady Borremeo?" Eragon bowed. "Was it you who –"

"Yes, I did calm his fit."

"You're a magic-user, then?"

"Yes."

"Well…. You're very… Pretty."

The lady smiled amiably. "Thank you. Perhaps we'll meet again?"

Eragon nodded numbly as she left the pavilion.

See? See how terrible? Stinky. That probably doesn't really encourage you to review, though XD LOL. Haha, please, please review? We're almost at a hundred! YAY! That's good, right? I know we can make this happen, people! Anyway, thanks to my steadfast reviewers like Restrained Freedom, and The Meepsa and Justmeagain. And Dragongirl Elf, your reviews made me laugh :). Backtracking is a little weird… I'm not really sure how to make Orrin react because no one really said "We're leaving tomorrow, don't tell anyone" so I'm assuming that it wasn't a secret…. Orrin just didn't know? Violence is not the answer. Haha. Anyway, again, I'm shifting focus to another one of my fics, The Other Side. I'm about to update that. I don't know, writing that comes so much easier for me, and I really like doing it, so :/ But this fic will not be forgotten! And thanks to my betareader (and I'm pretty sure that is NOT a compound word xD) Writer of the North! I tried to fix it! :,(