I know it hasn't been that long since I last updated, but this has been in my head for a while and i want to get it out before I forget :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inheritance Cycle.

Meladania took her watering eyes off the scroll and stared out her window at the sunset. Deep in the heart of Du Weldenvarden, she could not see the great orb itself. Never the less, she could still appreciate the red glow on the emerald leaves. The half-dusk cast over the city of Ellesmera gave it a mystical quality.

Through a gap in the trees she could see the crowd of elves swarming around the palace, every one anxious to get a glimpse or a touch of the supposed dragon egg that Arya had returned with. She wanted to see it too, but not enough to risk exposing herself to the crowd. While most full blooded elves were happy enough to pretend that she didn't exist, there were still a few that went out of their way to make her miserable.

Such as the keeper of the library, she reminded herself, focusing her attention back on the scroll on her desk. The librarian had harassed her from their first meeting. He made it his duty to ensure that none of the sacred elven tomes were touched, much less opened and read, by her. Little did he know, she had used a lock pick spell to loosen the back windows of the building, and had been slipping books and scrolls out for a while now. This one was a very precious scroll, which she had to have back in place before he returned tomorrow morning.

Meladania was so focused on the scroll that, half a candle later when someone spoke up behind her, she almost knocked the scroll off the desk in her surprise.

"Adania." A familiar voice said from the door way. Meladania turned and smiled at the only elf she called friend.

"Arya! You've returned." The tall, black haired elf crossed the room and took a seat on the window cushion. She had a new scar across one of the hands she draped over the window. "How was your journey? Successful, I've heard. Is it true? Did you bring back a dragon egg?"

"I did. And acquiring it was not easy. Many brave people gave their lives for that venture." As always, Arya sounded sad when she had returned from the outside world.

"But things are better now, yes? We have a greater chance at winning this century long game. And all because of one little egg."

"Who would have believed it?" Arya murmured.

"I was wondering…" Meladania began. "Do you think it would be possible for you to use a little of your influence to allow me to see it? Just to see it, Arya." Meladania asked, almost bouncing in her seat like a child.

The elf looked away, clearly uncomfortable.

"Is something wrong?" Meladania asked, suddenly extremely uncertain. She had had a bad dream the night before, one of the ones where she couldn't remember what happened, but knew it was bad.

"Adania, I… don't want you visiting the egg."

Meladania's ears started ringing.

"What?" She asked in disbelief.

"I don't want you visiting the egg." Arya repeated. She wasn't meeting Meladania's eyes.

"Because of my lineage?" Meladania demanded, her voice threaded with outrage. "Because of my parents? Coming from you?" Her voice caught on the last syllable.

"Adania, I did not intend…"

"For it to sound like that? Then what is your reason for me not going? And don't lie to me, Arya."

The elf didn't reply. The silence was so thick in the air that Meladania couldn't breathe. Or possibly that was her reaction to having the only person she trusted utterly betraying her. The ringing in her ears turned to a roar.

"Get out." Mellary murmured.

"Adania…"

"I can't believe you, of all the elves, would say that to me. Leave now." Her voice was trembling with barely checked temper. As a magical half blood, when she got worked up things… interesting and not always good things, tended to happen.

Arya didn't say anything else. Meladania waited until she heard to door shut to release the breath she had been holding. With the sigh came a single ancient word. The deadbolt she had installed on the inside of her door slammed shut with enough force to rip the magically sealed metal out of the wood.

She buried her head in her arms and let the tears leak out of her eyes and dampen her sleeves. Her entire frame shook from her silent sobs. Her mind, unable to take the strain, fuzzed out. Time passed.

When she raised her head, the world outside was filled with the pale light of the false dawn. She must have fallen asleep at some point in the night, she couldn't tell exactly when. Her limbs were stiff from sleeping hunched over at her desk, and her vision was fuzzy.

A splash of icy water jolted her back to her senses. The sharp ache of betrayal had settled to a low throb, allowing another emotion to take its place. Anger.

How could Arya talk to her like that? The entire time they had known each other, the elf had stood by her when others were being cruel to her or refusing to acknowledge her. Arya had forced them to. And now, she had fallen to the same prejudices as the others. Meladania guessed that, in the end, the call of your race was stronger that the call of a friend. And she had none other of her race.

In an uncharacteristic thought, Meladania decided that she didn't care what Arya, or any other elf, wanted. She wanted to see that egg, and she would. The feeling of stubbornness was a new one, but something she liked. Meladania felt her spine straighten and her mind clear.

She chose a sword and belted it around her waist, leaving its twin hanging in her room. Now would be the best time. She had never seen anyone in the streets at thing time in the night, or morning. Even the ones that rose to great the dawn were still asleep.

She unlocked the door and slipped into the hallway. Pressing a hand against the wood, she murmured the words to lock the bolt again. For a while she had simply melded the door to the frame, but she had learned the hard way that this could easily be undone by anyone. So she had switched to a bolt, knowing that since there was no need for locks, no one would think of one as the reason the door would not open.

She made her way silently through the city and through the palace to the vault that held the egg. A single guard was posted to watch the door. Meladania clung to the shadows, thankful for once that she was short. An elf sized being would not be able to hide in the same manner.

But how to slip past him? She closed her eyes and whispered the words, letting only a trickle of sound escape from her lips.

In the hallway across from the door the torch guttered, throwing suspiciously sized shadows against the wall. Probably bored, the guard went to investigate. Meladania slipped out of the shadows and darted towards the door.

Her hands were wrapped around the handles when a voice distracted her.

"Well, what is this?" Someone asked, humored. Meladania froze, her heart dropping. She knew who that was. "The half-blood, thinking it might actually be a dragon rider?" There was laughter as from the handful of others.

"Go away, Vanir." She growled.

"Do you honestly believe any dragon would consent to bear something like you, Dani?" The black haired elf laughed.

Meladania ground her teeth at the name. Unlike what Arya called her, this was an insult, a slap to the face. The ancient word adania meant whole, as in whole spirited. Take away a few letters, and dani meant half. Half a spirit, half a being.

The sound of footsteps came from the hallway the guard had gone down. She sighed. Her chance had passed, and this group of bullies would rather run her through than let her lay eyes on the egg.

She released the handles of the door and turned to leave. Vanir and his group didn't move as she approached. They were spread out, completely blocking the way out.

"The guard is coming back." She pointed out. Vanir gave her a half smile and didn't move. "We need to leave or we'll get caught." She hissed.

"No, Dani. You will get caught. The Queen will not mind the presence of full blooded elves around the egg." Unfortunately for her, he was right. They had been caught in this situation before, and Meladania knew what would happen. She would be blamed, and the elves would get away.

Her hand moved towards her sword. "Get out of the way or I'll make you."

Vanir laughed. "You could not defeat me even if I allowed you to."

"I could win against you, anytime, anywhere." She hissed.

"Is that a challenge?" He asked.

Meladania drew herself up to her full height. Even then, she was still two full hand spans shorter than the elf. It was almost comical.

"Yes, it is."

"Very well. Right now, at the practice courts." He didn't wait for a response, instead turning and vanishing into the darkness. Two of his entourage fell behind Meladania. She glared at them, then hurried after Vanir.

Their passage through the city was quick and unseen. As they walked Meladania noticed that Vanir had also come armed. The implications made her shiver.

The courts were deserted. Vanir drew his sword and paced to the other side of one of the arenas.

Meladania drew her swords.

"Just one, Dani."

"So afraid that I'll win that you're going to limit me?" She asked with a quirked eyebrow. Vanir didn't rise to the bait.

"Just one."

She sheathed her left sword and took the scabbard off her waist, letting it drop to the ground. She guarded her blade, and made doubly sure Vanir guarded his. They faced each other, swords ready, waiting for the other to make a move.

Vanir snapped first. He darted towards her, blade raised in a killing blow. Meladania waited until the last second to swing her sword up to block his. The two met with a ringing clash. They immediately disengaged and the battle began in earnest.

Meladania was good with a blade. Better than good. She practiced whenever she had the time, or could find an opponent. Since Arya had begun traveling, that had been hard to do.

Vanir was younger in years, but had been training longer. He was also a full blooded elf, which gave him all the strength of a creature filled with magic. While Meladania was stronger than the average human, she was weaker than the average elf. In this fight she was relying on her speed and maneuverability to combat his stronger blows.

The battle ended suddenly. Vanir struck, and Meladania blocked. She slid her sword up him, until the cross guards met. Surprised, Vanir drew back slightly. Meladania used the instant of hesitation to throw his sword arm off to the side and in a wild, uncontrolled arc.

She was bringing her sword up to his throat when he lashed out with his other hand, grabbing her wrist. He squeezed, bringing the superior elvin strength to bear. Meladania cried out as her boned ground together, then snapped. The sword dropped from her fingers. Vanir kicked it away.

"I win." He said.

"You cheated." Meladania accused. He snarled at her and swung the sword. Surprised, Meladania leapt backwards. The move saved her life.

Her eyes widened in shock as the unguarded edge of Vanir's sword bit into her shoulder. It continued, cutting her across the chest. If she hadn't moved, he would have slit her throat.

Blood spilled from the cut, staining the entire front of her shirt in seconds. Her legs trembled and she fell to her knees. Meladania raised a hand to the wound, the words of healing on her lips.

The tip of his sword pricked the back of her hand.

"Ah ah ah. Half-bloods don't get to use magic."

She looked up at him, unable to believe what was happening.

"But I'll die. I'll bleed out." She protested. From the look in his eyes and the half smile on his lips, he knew that. And he was going to let it happen.

Her head was beginning to spin from blood loss, so she didn't hear the sound that made the others jump. They looked anxious, not wanting to be caught letting her bleed to death. Vanir looked up at them. Meladania reached up and grabbed the blunt part of the blade, just below the guard. She tried to pull the blade from his grasp.

Vanir snarled at her and began to pull, but she was refusing to let go. One of his friends yelled at him that they had to leave. Vanir relinquished the blade, knowing he wouldn't get it back in time to make an escape. Instead, he raised his boot and kicked her hard in the stomach. Meladania's breath left her body and stars burst behind her eyes, but she didn't let go of the sword. When her vision cleared, she was alone on the court.

Her breath wasn't coming back to her body even though she was gasping. Only a thin trickle of air was entering her lungs, barely enough to live on. Blackness was invading the corners of her vision.

She pressed a hand against the wound on her chest and managed to breathe two words. Then she collapsed.

Meladania opened her eyes in the healing center of the city. An elf was hovering over her. When she saw Meladania's eyes were open, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"You came very close to dying." She informed the girl. "However, you are well now, and we need the bed for another patient."

Meladania looked around the small complex. It was deserted. But she knew what the healer was trying to say. She wanted Meladania gone. She was among the majority of the population, the part that was content to pretend she didn't exist. To do that, they avoided being around her at all. By getting her out of here, the elf would return to a world without half breeds.

"Very well." Meladania said. The nurse nodded and left.

She sat up, assessing the damage. Her wrist was healed, and someone had dressed her in a clean outfit, one that was not soaked in blood.

Meladania ran her fingers over the spot, not expecting to find anything. Instead, her fingers met a raised bump in her skin.

A mirror was sitting next to the bed. She pulled down the collar of her shirt and looked at the scar.

A barely raised line of skin, paler than the rest of her body, ran from the bone of one shoulder to the other, hugging the underside of her collarbone and cutting the bottom of the hollow of her throat. A little bit higher, and she would have died within seconds of receiving the injury.

Normally using magic would not have left a scar. Meladania suspected that, in the haze of blood loss, she had somehow mispronounced the words enough that the scar was created.

His blade had been guarded. She had watched, heard him say the words. The thought bounced around her mind as she gathered her things.

She pulled up short. Lying on the table, next to her own silver-green blade, was Vanir's sword. The blade was wide, and the metal had a black varnish. Ancient writing ran up the middle of the blade. The hilt was made of pure mahogany and intricately carved.

She thrust the sword through her belt as she left the infirmary.

Someone must have removed the magic during the fight. It was the only logical solution. She wondered if Vanir had known that the magic had been removed. Could he have ordered it, or had it been a surprise? From the look on his face when the sword had bitten into her shoulder, she imagined that he had been well aware that his blade was unguarded and lethal.

If that was the case then…. He had tried to kill her. Vanir had actually tried to take her life.

The realization hit her just as she reached her door. Meladania's arm started to tremble, so much that she could barely unlock the door. Once inside, she collapsed on the bed and let herself tremble.

She had almost died. If she hadn't moved, she would have been dead. And Vanir… he had been willing to kill her. Had he thought that she wouldn't protest? After all, in the past she had allowed them to berate her without responding. She hadn't retaliated when her room had been destroyed by them, or on the numerous occasions they had gotten her into trouble. But now she was drawing the line. She wouldn't allow them to kill her, like a lamb for slaughter. She would fight back. She would get… revenge.

The word tasted so sweet that she had to say it out loud.

"Revenge."

Her thoughts turned to the nurse, the one that was willing to let her roam the streets in a state of exhaustion just so she could forget about Meladania. The entire city was like that. And, even though it had taken decades, her patience was gone. She couldn't take any more. In anger she lashed out, hitting a glass figurine. It flew through the air and smashed against the ground, shattering.

An idea began to form in her mind as she looked at the pieces lying on the floor. An idea that was dangerous because of the implications and consequences it carried with it. She glanced across the room at the black tinted sword leaning against the wall near her own. The morning light was coming in through the window, making all three shimmer faintly.

She had the time, and she had what she needed. Feeling invigorated, free, and oddly light, she leapt off the bed and got to work.

The sun was nearing its apex by the time she was finished. Meladania surveyed her room as she buckled a cloak around her throat. She picked up her pack and turned her back on the room for the last time. As she left the shadow of the building she pulled the hood up over her tell-tale red curls.

Her first trip was to the stables. Meladania hastily saddled Tanyian, murmuring to the mare as she worked. Finally she strapped the pack into place. Guiding the mare back to her stall, she explained her plan to the horse.

She threaded her way through the streets to the place where Vanir lived. He was in his room, as she had hoped. Near his door was a nook tucked out of the light.

Meladania pulled a blank sheet of paper from her sleeve. This was the trickiest part. Vanir, she knew, had an affection for Arya. If she requested something of him, he wouldn't deny it.

Arya's handwriting was very smooth and loopy, very distinct. Meladania couldn't forge it to any believable degree, so she was turning to the next best thing, a weapon in her arsenal that no elf would think of.

It takes a special kind of magic to create a vision of something that did not exist and have people accept it as truth. Meladania had inherited the ability to create illusions from her father. She had only recently discovered this astonishing talent. She had also discovered that it gave her a raging headache every time she used it. But she was willing to accept a throbbing head to give Vanir what was coming to him.

She held the paper cupped in both hands and closed her eyes. Envisioning what she wanted, she spoke the incantation.

Unlike elvin magic, she did not have to describe exactly what she wanted. Instead, there was only one spell for any type of illusion possible. It was a perversion of the ancient language, changing it enough that the effects were profoundly different. The toll of the magic still came from the caster, but it was muted, only a fraction of what she would have felt using elvin magic.

She opened her eyes and smiled. The previously blank paper was now filled with a scrawled message in Arya's handwriting. The message asked for Vanir to meet her at a specific location, and to not tell anyone where he was going. The directions led straight to Meladania's room.

She dropped the paper on the ground and knocked on the door before retreating to her nook.

The door opened. Vanir looked around before noticing the letter on the floor. As his eyes scanned it he began to smile. Shutting the door, he immediately began to stride down the hallway. Detaching herself from the shadows, she followed him unnoticed through the city. However, she let him enter the building on his own. Counting he heartbeats, she had to time this exactly right, the waited. When she judged that he was close to her room, she closed her eyes and murmured the incantation again.

A desperate scream split the air, followed by the crash of breaking limbs and the thud of a body hitting the ground. All around the building elves looked up in concern and fear. One of the guards immediately dashed into the building.

Meladania made her way against the tide of spectators to the stables. She slipped inside and opened the gate leading to the forest. Leading Tanyian out of her stall, she mounted up and turned the horses head into the see of green.

"Forgive me, I did not know…" Someone began. Meladania turned in surprise.

"Meladania?" Arya asked in confusion. She took in the pack, the traveling cloak, the skins of water hanging down. "You're leaving?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I'm tired. Of everything. Of being ignored and shunned and bullied. And now, it seems, my life is being threatened."

"What?"

"Vanir tried to kill me, and he almost succeeded. I do not plan to allow him to try again."

"How…. Vanir…. tried to kill you? But he could never… I cannot believe this." She said.

"I didn't think you would." Meladania said coldly. "Farewell, Arya." Tanyian began to walk into the forest. Meladania stopped and turned in the saddle.

"Arya, swear to me that you will never tell, suggest, or imply in any way that you saw me here today."

Arya swore. But then she frowned. "Why did you have me say that?" She asked.

Meladania smiled and didn't answer. Tanyian trotted out the door and disappeared into the forest.

Once they were free of the city Meladania loosened the reins, letting her mare open up to her full stride. As Ellesmera, and her past life, fell behind her, she imagined what had happened in her room.

The only thing she regretted about her decision to leave was that she would not get to see the expression on Vanir's face when he pushed her door open. But she could imagine it.

Looking into the room, seeing everything scattered around the floor. The bed was slashed, the curtains and pillows in strips. A glass figuring was in pieces on the floor. But there was more than that. Splashed against the wood floor was a dark red liquid. Blood. It lay in a pool in the middle of the room, then a dripping trail lead out onto the balcony and directly over the edge. Peering over, there were streaks of blood on the leaves of the broken branches and splashes on the soil below.

And, standing in the middle of the pool of blood, buried in the wood, was Vanir's sword, the blade coated in blood. She hoped he had walked over and picked it up. He would feel the blood on his skin, and possible wipe his hand on his clothing, leaving red streaks.

That would be when the first guard opened the door, and saw him standing in the middle of the room, the murder weapon clenched in his fist.

He had wanted to gain political power, to possibly even be appointed as one of the advisors to the queen. Now that was gone. Even if they could not prove that he killed her, the suspicion would hang over his head like a fog.

And it would be difficult to accuse him. All the evidence was circumstantial, and they would believe an elf over a dead half elf. After all, there was no body. But Meladania had planned for that. She had left smears of blood on the ground. It wouldn't be hard to draw the conclusion that a large animal had dragged her body away, especially with the churned ground and paw prints she had magically pressed into the dirt.

In all, it made a convincing murder scene.

No one would be looking for her. Even if the name came up, they wouldn't want to believe she was still alive. Their world would be better if she was not.

She would need a new name for the new wanderer she was. Something that would remind her of who she was without causing sadness. Meladania would forever bring back bad memories.

Her mother's name had been Emary, almost in tribute to her beautiful emerald eyes.

Mellary. Half herself and half her brave, adventurous mother.

And so she rode, leaving behind a life of downtrodden scorn for the unknown future.

Mellary sat up with a gasp, her heart pounding in her chest. She gulped the cool air, looking at the brillient stars while she waited for her heart rate to slow.

That was quite a dream. Embrald commented.

You saw that? She asked. The dragon nodded. Mellary left her blankets and curled up next to his side. Embrald spread a wing over her, shutting out the elements and the bad thoughts. Mellary's eyes stared to drift closed. Right before she slipped into sleep she said one last thing.

That wasn't a dream. It was a memory.

Just incase anyone thinks otherwise, I had that scene in my head before I saw Inception (excellent movie, btw)

Please review.