Eragon watched as Arya wrapped the injured woman's ankle.
She was lucky her ankle had only been twisted, with that kind of fall it could have easily broken.
"I'm going to go for a walk, call me if she wakes up." Eragon said grabbing his bow and arrows, and slipping quietly out the door
All around were soldiers of the empire, Keeva turned to her mother and father.
"We must fight." She said grabbing her sword and slinging her bow and quiver of arrows over her shoulder.
"No you are a princess, out people will protect us, it is their job." Aiman said to his head-strong daughter.
"And it is mine as their princess to defend my people." Keeva said heading for the door.
"No Keeva, please think of your mother and me." Aiman started but was interrupted by his wife.
"She's right Aimen, she's their princess as well as our daughter, we were told to raise her as a princess and we have, she is 17 years old, fully capable of making her own decision." She walked over to her husband and laid a hand tenderly on his shoulder.
"She's still a child!" He said despair in his voice.
"only in human years my love." She said gently. "In Elven years she is an adult, and fully capable of making decisions." Her forest green eyes shone with unshed tears showing everyone in the room that what she said went against her heart.
"I love you both very much." Keeva said quickly hugging her parents.
She headed for the door but before she could reach it, it crashed in and solders rushed into the room swords bare.
"Elaina, hide behind me." Aiman said to his wife grabbing his sword.
The next minute everything was a blur. Swords clashed, soldiers fell, then in the midst of the chaos Elaina cried out in pain and fell to the ground, blood pouring from a deadly wound in her side.
Aiman and Keeva rushed the soldier killing him before he could do more, but the damage was done.
Elaina lay dead at their feet. Keeva cried out in anguish and dropped to her knees, horrific sobs tairing at her throat.
She could hear her father sobbing next to her.
"No!" Keeva yelled shaking her mothers body.
"No! Mama, Lord God please. No!" Keeva laid her head on her mothers now still chest and wept.
"No!" Keeva yelled bolting upright in the bed, the vivid scene faded but the pain remained stronger than before.
She took a deep breath and looked around the room.
"Are you alright Milady?" Arya asked, standing next to her.
"Yes." Keeva said quietly.
Aria sat back down in the chair she had occupied moments before Keeva's outburst.
"What is your name?" Arya asked gently as she reached out with her mind to Sapphira
"Tell Eragon that she is awake." She told the dragon, she felt the conformation of the request as Keeva replied.
Keeva considered telling the woman her story but wanted to think first.
She slowly rotated her ankle and to her surprise felt no pain.
"I'm going for a walk, I need to think." Keeva said throwing the covers aside and standing.
She looked down at her dirty uniform and then around the room.
Guessing what Keeva was looking for Arya handed her the saddlebag.
"Thank you." Keeva said smiling.
She pulled out the dress Mona had packed for her and quickly changed.
She brushed out her hair and then put it up.
Smiling once more at her companion she slipped outside and walked into the dark woods.
Before she had gotten very far a horrible pain ripped through her abdomen.
She cried out and sank to her knees.
She knew what was happening but didn't want to comprehend it.
"No Lord, please, not the baby, anything but my baby Lord." She said weeping bitterly.
"Keeva?" She heard a man shout.
"Please Abba, please no..." Keeva begged her heavenly father for her unborn child's life, but there was no reply.
Keeva felt sick, it was getting dark, then, suddenly everything went black and she heard and felt no more.