Reviews are kindly appreciated ;D


Visit From The Future

Chapter Eight

Secretive


Murtagh gazed forlornly at Estarael. What was going on? Why was she acting so differently? He smiled at her however as she drank the milk.

"Tell me, when is the date of our...joining?" She asked innocently. Was she actually looking forward to it now? his brows knitted in confusion, sparking a streak of frustration into his being. He didn't like not knowing what was going on, and that was exactly what was happening to him now.

"The priests have yet to select a date princess, but it would be soon," he smiled, hiding his troubles.

"Well, I for one certainly hope they hurry," she grinned. "I think I want to ride with my dragon now, if you do not mind that is," Actually he was quite relieved.

"No, no, go right ahead," She smiled and whisked away.

Thorn...Something feels different about Estarael.

What do you mean?

I mean...She isn't acting like herself.

Maybe you don't know her as well as you thought. This was something for him to ponder.

Yes, but she actually looks forward to the marriage now.

Maybe she thought about it during her absence, maybe she has a different outlook on it all now.

Murtagh kept silent. Somehow he felt that wasn't it, and Thorn felt his distress.

I will talk to Icefire about it if that helps.

That would be great.


Merithuros sighed as the breeze whipped through her hair, well the princess's hair. She swore that as soon as she became queen she was dropping the guise.

Mortalitas tell me, do you find everything going well?

Merithuros, I have just been speaking to Thorn and he asked me if I found you different.

What?

Murtagh seems to find you acting different is all.

I cannot believe it.

You need to act more like Estarael. She is not like you.

I am well aware of that thank you. Merithuros grit her teeth in frustration. She would try everything to act like Estarael, her life depended on it.


The sun had set a while ago and Murtagh paced on the balcony of the guest room he was presently occupying. The princess was back, in great health and not a scratch on her. Yet...he still felt tensed and worried. He rubbed his eyes and groaned sliding down the wall to sit on the ground. The breeze blew toward him ruffling his dark hair more so than his fingers had done a few seconds ago. His head rocked back and rested on the wall so that his eyes were trained on the stars.

They looked beautiful tonight. He gazed at the constellations wondering how many story tellers had spanned stories about the stars. His fingers lifted and traced the patterns, overwhelmed by their brilliance. It had not troubled him so much as since the past. But now he found himself thinking about Morzan.

"Like things couldn't have been bleaker for me," he muttered. His stomach rumbled loudly and he laughed at himself. "Maybe just hungry."

He walked toward the doorway about to leave, when something caught his eye. It was Icefire flying free and wild. Sometimes, he wished he was like that.


Mortalitas flew swiftly to the hideout, wings beating against the onslaught of the wind. Her mind was in a frenzy filled with thoughts, plans and entrapments. A smile curved her lips.

She landed on the platform and made her descent to where they held Icefire.

The great crystal coloured dragon rose its head mournfully. Dragon, what do you want? he whispered in a beaten voice.

I have come here to rescue you. Mortalitas dropped her facade and appeared as herself.

What? Dragon are you not the one who imprisoned me? He growled his tail swaying from side to side.

Hmm...my rider, she is evil. I am not aware if you know this, but she is the daughter of Galbatorix and she is vile. She cast a spell to make me hatch for her and she has treated me horribly for as long as I have been with her. I am not evil, I am good, just forced to do the wrong thing. Even now, coming to you like this to fight for what is right, my life is in peril. You must trust me. Trust me enough to listen to what I am telling you. She is planing a great destruction. Merithuros cast a spell to send your rider into the past and changed our form to take the place of you and Estarael. She plans to kill everyone and take over the kingdom. If you do not believe me, look into my mind.

Dragon, if you lie... The underlying threat was there but Mortalitas opened the cage and let him enter her mind.

Icefire withdrew and growled. She has treated you to the worst!

Yes, a price I have to pay for whatever I have done. Tell me what is Milk and Cookies.


Thorn please, something is going on.

I do feel so myself. Icefire has gone missing.

What?

I cannot find him anywhere. Where is Estarael?

In her room I presume, but please do not check on her I feel as if...

You love her no longer?

Strangely detached. Yet I still feel the presence of love.

You said she has been acting a lot different right?

Yes.

When I spoke to Icefire about this...he acted strangely. His whole conscious seemed different.

What is going on here? This is so frustrating!

Calm down young one, riling up yourself would get you no where. We need to think this through.

Thinking seems not enough any longer.

Sometimes, it is worth the wait rather than to rush into something and fail altogether.

Sometimes I forget you're a dragon and so wise. You know that Thorn?

You are wise to young one.

Hmm...

You may not know it but you are a lot different from your younger self.

Yes, a hundred years are spanned between us.

Not only that, you have grown and acquired knowledge and experience, gained trust and fought in battles. You are not Murtagh Morzansson, You are Murtagh the valiant Rider.

Murtagh smiled at his dragon. Thank you.

The dark sky held no answers for them, but both Dragon and Rider found themselves gazing into the deep abyss.


Have you found out what Milk and Cookies is yet?

No... I need to go Merithuros, act like Estarael in the mean time.

Merithuros sighed and crossed her ankles beneath the table. It was breakfast time with her parents and Murtagh. Although she had not seen her dragon since the night before, something felt odd about the air in the room. was it just her or did Murtagh look at her in an excruciatingly calculative way? hmm...was he dense now? She knew for a fact he suspected her, but was extremely stupid to let it show. He bit her lip and looked about the room. Act like Estarael..

After breakfast she left and headed to the balcony...Act like a stuck up princess, shouldn't be too hard...


His feet ached. He was running quickly. Desperately trying to escape from their clutches. His muscles ached, his head was pounding, he knew he wouldn't get far. He couldn't let them capture him, he had so much things he needed to do, so much people he wanted to help. He knew he was going nowhere. His vision started to blur while his head started to spin. He dropped on his knees,panting. All he remembered was someone chuckling, then he seeped off into darkness.

Murtagh gasped as he rushed back into himself. He felt like he was reliving his dreaded days at the Varden.

Murtagh are you okay?

Y-yeah...Just memories...


Mortalitas looked at Icefire and sighed.

It's a place...Now listen carefully, I have a plan, one that could destroy Merithuros forever.

But...wouldn't you die too?

It's a price I am willing to take. Now here's the plan...


Review!