Terms

AG - After the death of Galbatorix

BG - Before the death of Galbatorix

Pronuctiation

Caelsah - Cael-Sar (Cael ryhmes with pale)

Cali- Caa-Lee

Eilianna - Ill-Eee-Ar-Nah

Firean - Fear-Ian

Kithir - Kith-Ear

Korryl - Kor-Ill

Myal - My-Al

Nddare - Nid-Air

Rhysah - Ree-sar

Syaero - Si-Air-O

Chapter 1: I'm Just A Girl

50 Years AG (2 Weeks Until The Blood Moon)

The Blood Moon festival was upon them. It was a time when the nights were crisp and clear, a time of merriment and necessity attended by many-evident by the multitude of gaily coloured tents dotting the open area between the forest and the keep. Brilliant multihued pennants fluttered in the warm breeze. The festival would end in two weeks time, when The Blood Moon had risen.

Surrounded by more people than she could count, Eilianna could not ignore the the uneasy feeling in her belly. It had rested there all day, growing stronger with the rising moon. The waxing crescent mocking her as she starred up at the sky.

Eilianna sighed before moving away from the crowd attending this evenings events. An unsettling gloom cloaking her like a dark, sufocating shroud.

"Going somewhere?"

An arm drapped across her shoulders slowed her departure. She knew by this simple act, which of her two brothers sought to prevent her from leaving.

Her eldest brother Firean would not have taken the time to aproach her. With so many visitors in the city, he was far to busy keeping the rable in check.

Korryl was the younger and more free spirited than his older sibling. He and Eilianna sharred a rebelious trait but he was still almost three years older than his little sister and much, much taller than her.

Eilianna lowered her shoulder and sidestepped Korryl's touch. "Yes. I am. It's been a long day and I have a headache. Perhaps if I retire to my chambers, the throbbing will cease." A small white lie to hasten her departure. Korryl no doubt was up to some sort of mischief and though any other night this would have amused her, tonight she just needed to be alone.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to his side, bringing her escape to a halt. "I'm glad to see you can still lie to me with such a straight face."

Eilianna smiled up at him. "Well I did learn from the best."

His eyes widened briefly before his lips turned up in an impish grin. "I guess you did." He released her wrist to run a hand through his short dark blonde hair. "Perhaps it is now time for you to stop taking lessons from me. After all, you are a girl."

"Girl?" Eilianna's temper sprang to life at his innocent statment. Her blood ran hot and her heart beat quickened. She had not been a girl for many years. It was doubtful that any male outside of her family would mistake the roundness of her hips and the fullness of her chest for that of a girl.

Korryl looked her from top to bottom, taking in the beautiful young lady before him. A frown creased his forehead. He pinched the bridge of his nose before shaking his head. "No. You are no longer a girl are you?" He sounded suprised. "Since when did you turn into a woman?"

His sudden realization of the obvious banished her anger. "Oh, I'm pretty sure it happened just last week." Teasing Korryl was an easy way to lift her mood.

He ignored her remark and released a sigh. "Why are you still unwed?"

Laughter burst forth from her lips and shook her whole body. She took a breath, shook her head and gestured towards the crowd asking, "And just who,amongst the many, do you think father would find a suitable match? Who amongst them would he find worthy of my hand in marriage?"

"What do you mean?"

"Simple, I am his precious daughter, none of them will be good enough in his eyes. I shall be a maiden forever."

Korryl stared at her. "Why didn't you tell me of this?"

"I saw no need to bother you with something so hopeless."

"I shall talk to father, it may not help, but I promise to try."

Korryl would try his damndest, she was sure. But no one would move her father in this. He was a very stubborn, overprotective old man. Still she loved him, even if he smothered her at times. She resumed her escape to the keep. Her journey was uneventful in an annoying sort of way.

She traveled the short way alone. Her maids too busy helping with the festival to attend her. A blessing in her eyes. It was rather enjoyable to have the freedom to do as she wished without every step being watched.

Although,if her father Nddare or her mother Rhysah discovered her outside of the keep without a maid or a guard, Eilianna's ears would burn from the sound tongue lashing they would undoubtedly give her.

Both of them acted like she was some precious treasure that needed protecting at all costs. But as she had mentioned to Korryl before, she was no longer a child and she wished they would stop treating her like one. She longed to run away and find the man in her dreams. Her family would be horrified, worse they'd be ashamed to know what was running through her head. Was it normal to seek out the make believe world of her mind. Maybe they were not so wrong to think of her as still a child, for only children believed that their dreams were achievable.

Now her head truely did ache. All of this thinking, wondering and longing for something she couldn't have would soon drive her to madness. She feared for her sanity.

Before turning in for the night she detored towards the family's private sitting area. Maybe a brief visit with her nephews would take her mind off things.

"So who do you believe to be suitable for Eilianna? For I'm am out of ideas." Her eldest brothers wife Cali's voice drifted out of the chamber.

Eilianna come to a halt just outside the archway. She ducked out of sight and pressed tightly against the wall, listening to her sister-by-marriage discuss her future.

"I thought Lord Syaero's son looked promising," her mother offered.

Eilianna bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing aloud. Syaero's son? Over her dead body would they convince her to marry that pompous ass.

"Myal?" Cali snorted loudly before crushing that little suggestion. "Myal hasn't the wit or strength to protect his own pretty little face let alone your daughters. Beside I believe it is not the son who is hoping to win little Lanni's hand, but the father."

Lord Syaero was looking to marry her, well that was news to Eilianna. She'd never even considered him to be husband material, he had more than two and five years on her. Gods he was old enough to be her father, he was even a close aquaintance of her fathers. Syaero indeed, not in her lifetime! She'd heard enough, physically shaking herself, she backed away from the chamber silently, the overheard conversation running circles in her mind. Bad enough that they were discussing her like a prize, but hearing their suggestions on who she should marry was disturbing. Did they really have no one better in mind than Myal?

She gave a heartfelt sigh before heading below stairs. Once again feeling restless she bypassed the great hall, where a feast was in full swing, her father was sure to be presiding over the festivities as the King of Surda. To the right of the hall a small servants passage lead to the courtyard outside. The nights events were ongoing, humans, dwarves and urgals alike mingled in joyous harmony. Since the fall of Galbatorix almost fifty years ago, The Empire was once again a peaceful land and many of the bad feelings between the races had been extiguished. A few still mumbled and grumbled about each other but fighting between them had long since become a thing of the past.

The moon shone brightly in the cloudless sky. A fine night, perhaps she might forget the nagging unease that was once again clawing at her belly.

"And what do you think you're doing wandering about alone at this time of night young lady?" Came a stern voice to her left. Eilianna nearly jumped out of her skin before she realised just who it was that was addressing her. Angela. She had a knack of sneaking up on her when she least expected it.

"Gods above, it's only you. I thought for a second that you were one of my brothers."

"Are you saying that I sound like a man, dear Lanni? I must do something about that, it would be quite embarrasing to look like a woman and sound like a man don't you think?" The herbalist cocked an eyebrow and gave her a wicked smile. "But that was a sorry diversion from my original question Little Bird."

Eilianna took a steadying breath, hearing the sound of her familiar childhood nickname helped to sooth her feathery nerves. "I am just taking a walk, no need to sound the alarm. Besides are you not walking with me, I do not consider myself to be alone." she said in a less shrill tone.

"Ah, Little Bird, do not confuse me with your wit. It is scary to find you as smooth tongued as your michievous brother." She slipped her arm about Eilianna's shoulder and steered her in the direction of a suckling pig roasting on an open spit. "Winter's on the way you know, time to get some padding on those little bones of yours." Eilianna chuckled at the older womans comment and agreed with the idea of getting something to eat. She had missed lunch due to her uneasy stomach but now all thoughts fled her mind as the succulent aroma reached her nose.

"Just you wait here and I'll bring you back something full of fat." Angela smiled as she made her way through the cue to the front and began to converse with the attending cook. much to the dissatisfaction of the hungry masses behind her. Eilianna bit back a chuckle as an old man glared at her, as if to say 'It's not funny' grumbling to himself he turned back to the cue.

Eilianna's stomach growled in anticipation. Angela finally turned away from the stall with two bulky parcels in her arms. Eilianna could see the grease seeping through the fabric. Halfway to her she stopped. Her eyes grew large and she opened her mouth. She saw her lips move, but with all the other noise, couldn't hear her words.

Eilianna took a step towards her. At the same instant she heard, "There she is." Before she could react a hand clamped over her mouth, choking off her scream. Another laced around her neck, jerking her backward into the shadows.

The last thing she saw before darkness fell, was Angela pushing through the crowd, desperately trying to save her. But it was too late, she'd never get past all those people in time.

AN: There we go, a little short and later than promised, but better than nothing at all right? Oh and if you're wondering Nddare is now King of Surda, Orrin had a son about a year after the death of Galbatorix and when Orrin died Nddare inherited the throne. So Eilianna is actually the Princess of Surda. Hope you guys like it so far, I've already started Chapter two which will be a flash back of how Angela came to be involved in this story :)

Cronstructive reviews are welcome!

P.S. If there are any spelling or grammar mistakes, let me know and I'll fix them.