Captured
Dread and fear were all that Eragon could feel. All he could think was, "No, no, no, no, no, no!" Shadow gulped. They were standing in front of what looked like a main road. Hundreds if not thousands of people were on it. Eragon looked as far to his right as possible and could not see the end of the people crowding on both sides of the street. He looked at Shadow, who had a fearful look on his face.
"What is it?" Shadow jerked in alarm. He knelt and touched his shadow. He stood up in less then a second, turning to an ally.
"Run!" The five of them ran to the ally and hid.
"What's wrong?" Shadow spat out a bit of his hair which had landed in his mouth.
"I've lived here before. Every month Gailbatorix holds a praise ceremony when he is carried throughout the city, everyone bowing to him the whole way. It's today. That's why there are so many people in the road. If he even so much as sees us we're dead." Eragon closed his mind and whispered to the others to do likewise. Barely whispering he said,
"Shadow. Can you transport us out of here?" Shadow shook his head.
"I wish I could, but I can't. I'm tired as it is. Going more then thirty yards would leave me to tired to move. Eragon looked up at the roof of the house they were beside.
"Let's go up there." They filled up the latter one by one. Shadow looked up and down it, even though he couldn't see it, and said,
"You know what, I think I'll stay here where I can see." Eragon looked down at him, irritated and extremely rushed.
"Shadow!" The boy looked up at him pitifully.
"Come on! The roof. Anywhere but the roof. The roof has the most sunlight, which means no shadows, which means this little boy isn't seeing." Eragon held out a hand, casting it in his shadow. Shadow blinked as he suddenly saw.
"I'll carry you to a place with shadows so you can see, alright?" Shadow gulped and looked down at his precious shadow. He let out a long sigh and held his hands out to Eragon.
"Fine. Hurry." Eragon picked him up and pulled him up. The boy struggled slightly, reluctant to leave his vision behind. Soon they were at the to. K'eray, Arya and Kroger were kneeling beside the edge, watching intently. Eragon sat the boy down in his shadow. He blinked.
"Thank you." Eragon looked down at a black carrier that was held by four men, bigger then Horst. In it sat two people. Dread clutched Eragon harder as he stared at the face of Gailbatorix. To his somewhat interest he noted that the king looked sort of like Brom. Take out the beard and they looked almost the same. The other person was a girl of perhaps 14. She wore a white veil over her face. Her long blond hair was in a net of shinning purls. With his keen hearing he heard the two fighting over something. From what he could tell the girl had not wanted to go. Why am I not surprised? Oh duh, he's a king. Tyrant is a better word for it. Something shiny got Eragon's eye and he turned to it. I massive black dragon, nearly as tall as the Glaedr, walked beside the carrier. His eyes were oddly bloodshot, as if something had hit them. Motion flickered in the edge of Eragon's view, and he turned his gaze to the carrier. Gailbatorix had stood, one hand raised. He spoke. It sounded like a Letherblaka yelling, but it could not have been very loud. "Stop." The carrier's stopped but did not set it down. Gailbatorix's eyes were pointed at their hiding place. He looked at two solders that were walking beside them.
"Go look up there." The two men ran to the alleyway. Eragon looked at Shadow.
"Can you set some shadow or something that will make us invisible?" The boy nodded. He stood and closed his eyes, both arms reaching outward. Shadows all around them move and covered them like a blanket. "They can't see us." They two man climbed up the ladder and looked around. Eragon lay motionless, afraid that Shadow had been overly optimistic about his power and that if he moved the men would see him. The tallest of them turned to the other.
"Go tell him there's nothing." The man walked to the edge and came within an inch of stepping on Eragon's nose. "There's nothing up here, my lord." Gailbatorix raised an arm at him. A ball of electricity shot out of his hand and nearly hit the man. He jumped down from the carrier muttering,
"If you want something done you have to do it yourself." He jumped onto the roof, not even going near the ladder. His boot landed so close to Eragon he nearly gasped. He bit his tongue, fighting the urge to cast a spell. Shruikan growled. Gailbatorix did not even look at him, or take not of his concerns. He walked forward, looking at every pothole, knock, and hold on the roof.
"As you can see, my lord, we told the truth." Gailbatorix turned and looked at directly at Eragon.
"Yes. I see your point. Come along then, there are people left to adore and praise me." The two men nodded.
"Of course sir." Eragon held back a sigh. Gailbatorix stepped forward to jump off then twisted and dropped, punching Shadow in the back of his head. The boy fell and the shadow around them collapsed. Gailbatorix lifted his hand at Eragon and Eragon went unconscious. The last thing he heard was maniacal laughter.
Eragon groaned as he sat up. He felt lightheaded, but more then that an urge pulled at him.
"Drugged me, huh? Thought you could keep me from using magic?" Eragon reached for his power word, but did not fell its presence. A mind talked in his.
Sorry, they drugged even that. It'll take at least a day to recover. It was the first Eragon.
Where were you when Shadow was about to transport us to Uru'bean? Eragon 1 did not reply. He grunted and looked around. It looked sort of like the one that he had been imprisoned in while he and Brom where in Gil'ead. Except that they're any cells on the other wall.
"Alright, where are Arya, Kroger, K'eray and Shadow," he whispered to himself. A voice came from the right of his cell, breaking the quite.
"No use. They've all been put in other holding chambers throughout the castle." A tall girl that he remembered from the carrier with Gailbatorix walked around the corner, twirling keys on her first and second fingers.
"Want these?" Eragon looked at her with a small squint. It was dark, and he couldn't see very well, due to the time he'd been sleeping.
"If it's a question of wither you will give me those keys I'd say I'd appreciate it. If you want me to beg for them then I'd say that I'm a rider, and we do not beg for anything." The girl laughed, almost as clear as an elf. She unlocked the door and said,
"You know, I think I may have use for you elsewhere. However we will have to see. My father, your hated foe Gailbatorix, sent me to talk with you." She held out a hand to the cot.
"Sit." Eragon glared at her for treating him like he was a dog, but sat.
"I haven't got any interest in fighting alongside Gailbatorix, since I assume he sent you here to butter me up. I won't fight alongside Gailbatorix even if he kills me for it." The girl sat on the opposite side of the cot and smiled at the locked door.
"Such a harsh greeting from someone of your post. I'm not here to try and persuade you into anything, much less fighting with my father to cause more war, which I find distasteful. I want him to stop fighting but will he listen to me? Now, my name is Martha, if you have any interest. And yours is Eragon Shadeslayer." Eragon nodded dumbly.
"Is that supposed to mean something?" Martha smiled at him. "You are a man of great power, power I might add, that my father wants." Eragon sat up straighter, leaning on the wall that the cot was pushed against.
"Stop talking about him like he's done absolutely nothing. Stop revering to him as 'my father.' It's disgusting." Martha smiled warmly at him.
"I know, isn't it?" Eragon stopped. He had not expected her to agree with him. At that moment a harsh voice came from outside.
"Martha! What are you doing in his cell?" They both turned and panic gripped Eragon. Gailbatorix stood in a black cloak, a gray Rider's sword at his waist. He snapped and the doors creaked open. He drew his sword and looked at Eragon with a fierce, insane, smile. Martha stood up and planted herself in front of her father. Gailbatorix stopped.
"Get out of my way." Martha shook her head blond hair.
"No. Not unless you promise not to hurt him." Gailbatorix snarled at her but she didn't move. Eragon thought, "Either she's mad or she's determined. He could not believe it when Gailbatorix sheathed his sword.
"Fine." Martha moved and Gailbatorix clapped. A large throne appeared in the room and he sat in it. In a voice like warm honey he said,
"Eragon, it is so good to finally met you in person. I'm glad you came to me so I didn't have to come to you." Eragon glared at him.
"Shut up you heartless excuse of a King!" Gailbatorix fist tightened and magic glowed, then he stopped. Martha had jumped back in his way.
"I won't let you hurt someone that has done nothing." The king lowered his hand. He looked back at Eragon.
"I do not want to hurt you, Eragon. The Varden do. Look at Nasuada. Is it not clear yet that she wants you gone? She sent you to run nigh on three hundred miles on foot with a Kull, for no reason at all. Then she sends you through my domain to get an egg that you had no prove even was real. Worse she sent with your own mate who was pregnant with your first child, in the intent of harming you, or better killing you. Those are not the actions of a good leader." Eragon snarled.
"Go away. You will not persuade me. You are a heartless animal taken on a human form. You slaughtered the Riders, killed my uncle, and have tried numerous times to kill me! I am not nor will I fight for you!" Gailbatorix stood and his throne disappeared.
"Well then I have no further use of you." He drew his sword, and again Martha jumped in his way.
"Martha, get out of my way, now!" She shook her head.
"No. You promised. I'll watch him, make sure he gets his drug every day, and make sure that he doesn't try anything." He raised a fist and slammed it against the wall.
"Of all the things I've offered you in your life you want my worst enemy?" Martha looked at her father with a totally lack of fear, an act that Eragon had considered suicidal.
"You promised me. A year ago you said that anything I wanted you would let me have. I want to take care of this Rider, so you must let me." Gailbatorix's shoulders sagged, and he ran a hand down his face.
"Yes I promised you that, idiot that I was. Why do you want him live?" She relaxed and shrugged.
"I don't know. He just seems like he's important and that even though I just met him, he's special to me." Gailbatorix groaned. He spun around yelling,
"You have got to be kidding!" He raised his arm and punched the wall, leaving a hole so deep Eragon thought someone would be killed by it. He spun around.
"Fine, you know what, fine. You can keep him. Do what you want with him but if he gets away, there will be hell to pay, and let me tell you, you will pay." Martha nodded.
"I understand. What of the others?" Gailbatorix through his hands on his head and moaned.
"The others! Why don't you just give them weapons and the keys to the exit gate!" Martha smiled.
"Alright, others off limits. Promise me you won't do anything to him." Gailbatorix sighed.
"Alright, fine. I swear I won't do anything to him." Martha ran forward and hugged her father.
"Thank you. I won't forget this." Gailbatorix laid a hand on her back and glared fire at Eragon, who didn't cast a glance in his direction.
"See that you don't. So what are you going to sleep in here?" Martha looked back at Eragon.
"What do you think of that idea?" Eragon looked up at her.
"Do what you like." Martha thought for a moment then brightened. She turned to her father.
"Alright, he'll come sleep in my room." Gailbatorix's mouth dropped open and he screamed,
"Do you want him to escape?" Martha laughed.
"No, but he and I will be far more comfortable." Gailbatorix turned and walked back to a hidden carrier. They left and she turned to him.
"Well, come on." Eragon stood and walked with her to her room. As they passed Arya's cell he kissed the air in her direction, even though she was asleep. They soon came to a huge door. Two guards blocked the entrance. Martha told them to move and they went inside. Her room was enormous. A goodly portion of it was covered by a mat that Eragon knew was for gymnastics' use.
"You are a gymnastic?" Martha looked at the part of her room fondly.
"Yes, I am. I love moving so freely." She led the way into her bedroom that actually was her bedroom. It was a separate part. There was one large, fifteen foot bed. Eragon stared at it in almost awe.
"How many people sleep in that?" Martha walked to the edge of it.
"Usually one. Tonight-," she smiled at him and he began to fell uncomfortable. "-there will be one." She pulled the blankets back and said, "You'll sleep here and I'll sleep on the ground." Eragon smiled at her kindness.
"Thank you." He pulled himself onto the bed and she said,
"I'll order you some food." She went outside and told her guards to bring him a fantastic meal. They left and she came back in.
"Is there anything you need?" Eragon nodded.
"Sleep that isn't on a cot, food, and Arya." She tilted her head.
"Who?" Eragon cleared his throat. "The elf that was captured." She snapped her fingers.
"Ah, yes, that one. Sorry, I can' help you there. I can let you visit her, but that's it." Eragon nodded and said,
"Can I visit her tomorrow?" Martha nodded.
"Of course." The meal was brought in and Eragon ate, hungry but tired. Soon they were both asleep in the massive bedroom.
Yes I know that whole 'gymnastics' thing sort of sounded like it were modern day but I swear that is the only thing I will do.