Authors note: thank you for the reviews; Eragonpeep: thank you I have fixed my spelling of Galbatorix, however I know Murtagh's dragon is Thorn, I simply don't like that name so I changed it thank you for the criticism though. Keep reviewing everyone! I am also sorry if there was any confusion about me switching between characters, I hope my separation markers help. 

Ch.4

"Captain, if I may, I suggest we conceal her from scrying."

"Why?"

"Well, somebody must have taught her magic. And, though I covered our tracks quite thoroughly, whoever taught her can still scry her."

"Very well, but the guard you place on her must be something she cannot remove."

Aris was sitting in the dirt, her hands chained to her ankles, back at the slavers camp. She vainly tried to access her magic, or even extend her mind to find a friendly consciousness, but she was completely cut off. It was all she could do to keep her panic from her carefully empty face. The primary reason she was keeping her face expressionless was to keep them unaware she had weakness's they could abuse. But, she had also seen other prisoners in this camp. She had seen the hopeless defeated looks on their faces, and she refused to break. At the very least, she wouldn't show it if she did.

"I was thinking Captain," the slavers magician's words broke into her reverie. He was a powerful magic user and she knew it even without accessing his mind. He had covered every single one of their tracks, disposed of the dead slavers bodies, and concocted the drug that blocked off her magic, all without a single strained breath.

"Perhaps," He continued, "I could place a spell over those rings that rich women put through their ear lobes."

"Interesting thought Menlor, yes …yes lets do that, then the metal will sap the strength from her own body when somebody scrys her."

Aris almost gasped, only rich women who could pay magicians to numb their ears got those rings. She had heard that there was intense pain, you had to slowly shove the metal through your ears. She also knew better than to hope they would spare her the pain.

Only minutes later old chain mail was brought in and two links were removed. As the spell was said over the inoffensive pieces of metal Aris braced herself, determined not to flinch or cry. She watched as the magician and Bryshaw each took a piece of metal, and Aris realized that Bryshaw could manage a small amount of magic himself. They each made the end of their ring grow red hot then they approached her. As they each shoved the burning hot metal through her ear lobes Aris screamed internally, but was proud that her composure didn't fail on the outside. Next they touched the two ends of the rings together and melted them into an unwavering circle, ending the process, and permanently cutting off all her contact to the magic world.

"Thank you Menlor, that will be all for now." Bryshaw said to the ferrety looking magician.

"Of course Captain…would you like me to put her to work sir?"

"No, no I am going to let her sit here in pain, and let her think about her dim future." He laughed cruelly and left her in the canvas tent.

Aris let one tear run down her cheek.

"No sign of her at all?" Oormis whispered. As much as he had tried to stay detached from his pupil, Aris' charm had drawn him in; he loved her like an affectionate uncle.

"No, I am sorry Oormis-elda, we searched quite thoroughly." Vinakyn regretted that it was his task to inform the elfin Queen, Izlanzadi, and the last rider, Oormis, of Aris disappearance and Forsythia's death. Both had been close to the pair.

"I shall scry her then." Izlanzadi said much to herself. Stubbornly refusing to believe that in addition to her almost sister, Forsythia, being dead, Aris was also missing. "Draumr kopa." She said over a bowl of water. Scrying allowed the viewer to think of a person or place that they had seen before and locate them. The queen thought of Aris and the water's color rippled transforming into a window to the world, and then the window turned black, as if Aris didn't exist. At that moment Oormis tied his heart off.

"Izlanzadi, you need to tell the elves." Izlanzadi stared in open shock for a moment at his impassioned voice, then composed herself and agreed.

"Yes, and I shall dispatch a messenger to Larkin." Izlanzadi said.

"Actually my queen, Arya, Faolin and Glenwig left to deliver the egg to the Varden. Arya thought that it might be best to hear it from family, so she said she would tell Larkin herself." Vinakyn inputted.

"Very well…let us deliver this horrible news and be done with the task. The elves are already mourning Forsythia." Izlanzadi sighed.

All through the night songs of sadness rang through DuWeldenvarden.

Two weeks later Arya arrived in Surda. She left her guards in the city as she departed to King Larkin's castle. When she arrived she was immediately admitted into the throne room, where Larkin was laboring over finances.

"Arya!" Larkin boomed with delight. He was a tall man, broad shouldered with now graying hair. He had a handsome face with a square jaw and proportional features. Hard times had matured his face with lines, but he always had laughter in his ocean blue eyes.

"I'm afraid you've missed your cousin and aunt, they left here three weeks ago." He continued. The look that crossed his face as he thought about Forsythia and Aris was almost enough to make Arya smile. But not quite, as the knowledge that she would wipe that look off of his face with her news stopped the smile in its tracks.

"Yes," She managed, though in a voice barely above a whisper, she cleared her throat and continued, "I need to speak to you and Orrin privately."

"Of course." He agreed immediately but with a frown. A private audience with him wouldn't have been unusual for something political perhaps, but to include his eighteen year old son worried him. He led her into a private chamber off of the throne rooms left side. They sat there in silence waiting for Orrin, while waiting Larkin studied Arya's face. She was staring blankly at her hands, and didn't look up until Orrin entered the room. He looked just as his father, same face and shoulders, even the same eyes, just lacking the mature lines and gray hair. After Orrin greeted her and was seated Arya drew a deep breath.

"I have some new." she started shakily as she trained her eyes on Larkin. Orrin looked warily between the two; this had nothing to do with the Empire. "Two weeks ago…" She paused unsure of how to continue; she bit her lip then began again.

"Forsythia and Aris," at their names Orrin withdrew breath and held it, while Larkin sat forward and stiffened. "Were attacked just barely below the north end of the Beors."

"Are they all right?" "What happened?" The two men spoke at the same time, pelting Arya with their words and making her wince slightly.

"Approximately one hundred Empire soldiers ambushed them," their gasps echoed through the chamber, "From all of our searches as far as we can tell the killed every one." Orrin relaxed but Larkin remained still, he knew that if all was right, this wouldn't be so hard for Arya to say.

"But…?" He prompted.

"But…while Forsythia was talking to and probably healing Aris…a soldier that wasn't quite dead stabbed Forsythia from behind through her stomach."

"He killed them!?" Orrin shouted.

"No…Aris got him in the throat with her daggers, as soon as he stabbed Forsythia I would say."

"They aren't dead?" Larkin's voice was barely audible. Arya looked at his desperate features and let it out in a rush of breath.

"Forsythia is dead, but Aris got away. She ran into the Beors to hide herself from more soldiers, and slavers I am sure, but her magic is so advanced…we cannot find her." Arya watched as Larkin's face twisted from horror to hope then landed upon pain. Orrin looked shocked then as if he was sick to his stomach

"I-I was just beginning to call Forsythia mother…and Aris….why?" Orrin moaned then lay his head in his hands.

Larkin had begun to shake then tears rolled down his face, "My love…dead…my princess…gone" He whispered fingering his wedding band, "Galbatorix you shall pay for this!" Larkin promised aloud, yet very much to himself, "you shall."

A small soldier panted and sweat pooled on his skin as he climbed the stairs, not from exertion but from nerves. He had been chosen to make the report to King Galbatorix. The soldier knew that the reason he had come instead of his captain, who had discovered the slain troops, could only mean danger. He finally stopped on a landing just outside two very large oak doors intricately carved with dragons and fire. He knew he was at the right place.

"Enter." He barely heard through the doors, He gulped … he hadn't knocked yet. As he walked in he kept his head down and then knelt before the throne.

He spoke in a very shaky voice, "My lord …I mean my King, I have a report from Captain Crimlan."

"Say it and be gone." Galbatorix had a cold cruel voice. The only sign of his age were the slight wrinkles around his flinty eyes. He would age no more than that for another hundred years. He was staring uncaringly at the soldier, seeing only a tool in his quest to dominate Alagaesia.

"It concerns the elfin Queen and her daughter, the two you sent a battalion to kill. Th-"

"They killed both didn't they?" Galbatorix cut the soldier off, anger sparking in his voice, "I told them to kill the mother and bring me the girl!"

"No your highness, they did kill the mother…but they were all killed in the process, the little girl appears to have escaped."

"She appears to have escaped!" Galbatorix snarled, "She was my opening to the elves!" His anger elevated to an extreme level very quickly, the soldier was visibly shaking and flinching away. A slight explosion echoed through the room, and the soldier never returned to his battalion.