Diamond Cut Diamond

Chapter two: Words Exchanged

"Where are you?" Murtagh scanned the alleyway. The houses looked mostly deserted. Still, he was trusting the word he'd gotten from the frightened stable-boy. It was all he had to go by, and it seemed probable.

He picked the door that was the least dilapidated and knocked.

It took a few moments, but an old woman opened it. The look of fright on her face made Murtagh wince inwardly. A rush of anger flowed through him, but he remained focused.

"Is Targon in? I was told he lives here."

The woman nodded. "Come in?" she asked, her voice soft with age.

Murtagh followed her through the house which, while shabby on the outside, had a decent exterior. In what appeared to be the parlor, and man sat reading an ornate book. Murtagh smiled. He knew that book.

The man looked up, and frowned. He spent a good minute looking directly into Murtagh's eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he finally asked.

"You are Targon?" Murtagh said.

"Yes."

"Tornac was your son?"

"Yes," said Targon, looking more inquisitive.

"Do you want to know how he died?"

Targon looked taken aback. The woman (presumably his wife) gasped.

"Yes…" said Targon softly. "Yes, I would."

Because of course, he wouldn't have had a real explanation. Murtagh knew that. If anything, he'd been told his son had been a traitor, and that had been all.

"I…knew Tornac. We were good friends, over the years. He taught me how to fight."

Training, laughing when either of them got through an easy blow, the determination to best his teacher—

Murtagh shut the memories out easily.

"When I turned eighteen, the king asked me to join him in rebuilding the riders. His theory was so beautiful, I pledged myself to him. Only a few months later did I see the true king, the one who was ordering full villages to be killed. That was when I decided to escape…and Tornac wanted to come with me."

Your fault for telling him, he wouldn't have come unless—

"He had always seen through the king—he was wiser than I. We were in the process of escape when we were attacked…I tried to save him but he was shot by one of the archers. I made it out, and the rest of the tale is known by most."

"And now we see whether he attacks me," thought Murtagh grimly.

"Why did he choose to go with you?" asked Targon.

"Just like his son, straight to the point," Murtagh chuckled, inwardly.

"He hated it at the palace as much as I did…hated the king. He had often thought of escape but when I came back from the throne room, shouting about the women and children he was ordering to be killed, his determination grew. It took us awhile to come up with a decent escape plan, but it would have worked had not the schedule for the guards changed. It was pure bad luck."

"But you don't believe in luck or fate." And Murtagh didn't. It would have been easier if he had.

"But why with you?" Targon's look was penetrating.

"What's he looking for?" wondered Murtagh.

"We were friends," he said simply. "I suppose we thought we might have a chance together."

He did not mention the fever he had seen light in Tornac's eyes when he has said it, said surprisingly calmly "I am leaving."

Murtagh turned, hearing a sound behind him. Targon's wife was crying. Guilt suffused him.

Silence fell, and Murtagh was not one to break it. He turned, ready to walk out.

"Do you recognize this book?"

"Lore of the Sorcerer," said Murtagh, smiling. He and Tornac had stolen quite a few books, either smuggled form the castle "public" library out to Targon, or from the king's private library for their own use and careful return.

"You helped him take it," said Targon. It was not a question. "I remember when he gave it to me."

Murtagh nodded, whether in answer or sympathy he wasn't sure.

Targon stood.

"Thank you for coming," he said.

His wife nodded, through her tears, and Murtagh turned and walked through the hallway and out the door, breaking free from the stifling air inside the house.

He walked quickly, heading back to the castle. As if on cue, Thorn spoke.

"You'd better get back."

"I know, Thorn. They get nervous when I'm loose on the streets."

Thorn's dislike of Murtagh's bitter tone seeped through the mental link, and Murtagh attempted to suppress his anger. Thorn ought to have been used to his caustic attitude by now, but every time his rider was angry or bitter, Thorn's reproach was easy to see. It had originally annoyed Murtagh, now he lived with it.

It was because of Eragon that Murtagh remained at the castle. Otherwise, he would have been gone, he wasn't sure where. But Eragon had asked him to remain "until things calm down," and Murtagh had seen no reason to refuse.

He hated the castle, and groused about it every day to Thorn, but the truth of the matter was that he was glad Eragon was keeping him there. If he was free to leave, Murtagh had no idea what he would do.

Freedom, it appeared, was not as easy as it looked.

As Murtagh retraced his steps, his thoughts turned to the elf.

"I saved her, and she treats me like some sort of criminal," he thought, anger again rising.

"Can we go flying today?" asked Thorn.

"That might not be a good idea."

Disappointment emanated from Thorn.

"That doesn't mean we're not going to do it," thought Murtagh, a real smile appearing.

….

Murtagh had hoped to find an empty dragonhold. Instead, his (half) brother was there.

"Murtagh."

Some greeting.

"Eragon."

"This cannot continue," said Eragon tiredly.

"What?" Murtagh's innocent was partially feigned. Eragon might only be talking about his wandering around the sitting, going out for flights on Thorn, and generally scaring the populace.

"This…tension between us. Can we simply talk things over?"

"What is there to talk over?" asked Murtagh caustically. The prospect of a heart-to-heart conversation with Eragon was not one that appealed to him.

"You resent me."

"I resent you because you backed me into a corner! A corner which eventually resulted in my enslavement!"

"I could never have known the twins were going to capture you. Be reasonable."

For some reason, the command at the end of the sentence infuriated Murtagh.

"Listen, brother, you did nothing to help me, then or now."

Eragon's voice was filled with cold fury. "If I hadn't spoken for you, you would probably be dead."

"No fair system would have counted me guilty!"

"Murtagh, you killed people on the king's orders. And Horthgar—"

Murtagh hated Eragon for bringing that up. He hadn't had to kill the dwarf king. It had been sheer euphoria at his new powers. It was one of the more prominent features in his nightmares.

"What about you? Weren't the dwarves angry when you smashed their stone? But, I notice, you're alive."

"Saphira mended Isidar Mithrim. And they value their king more than a gem!" Eragon sighed in frustration. "If I hadn't said that anything you did while under the king's influence wasn't utterly useless in court, they wouldn't have given up until your head was on a stake. Be grateful."

"I owe you nothing. If I hadn't let you go at the Burning Plains, the king would still be alive. Do not think I was not punished for that."

"ENOUGH!" Saphira's mental shout was forceful enough to make bother riders stagger.

"Will I really be forced to pin you beneath my feet again and make you be civil to each other?"

Murtagh resisted the urge to glare at the dragon. He knew the results would be disastrous. Thorn moved protectively toward his rider. Eragon sighed.

"Can't we talk about this?"

"What's to talk about?" asked Murtagh, realizing it was an immature response, but not caring.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry the twins captured you, I'm sorry about all you went through. I'm sorry I made you come to the Varden. But you can't pretend you were totally honest with me. We were being chased by Urgals and then you decide to reveal who you are?"

"If you hadn't lied about there being an escape route, you never would have had to find out!" Murtagh's voice was rising, months of anger at Eragon finally finding an outlet.

"I didn't lie! I never said there was or wasn't! I said I didn't know, but probably there was. If I had known how important it had been, maybe I would have checked. You never gave me a reason for wanting to leave."

Murtagh had no response, which made him even angrier. Eragon had an infuriating habit of being right. Generally, when you argued with him, you appeared to be heartless, simply because no one could follow his idealistic morals. Murtagh was about to ask Eragon what he was getting at when a voice interrupted them.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but Eragon is needed by Lady Nasuada," said Arya.

"That damn elf has a habit of showing up exactly when she isn't needed," thought Murtagh.

Eragon's ears reddened. Apparently he was embarrassed to be caught mid-altercation.

"Thank you, Arya," he said. He turned and walked through the door. Arya remained, staring at Murtagh with an unreadable expression.

"Not unreadable, that's contempt."

"Is there something you want?" asked Murtagh.

"Nothing…I'm just curious…why are you so angry that you're in the wrong?"

"Listen, elf, were it not for my help you probably wouldn't be alive right now. I think you owe me the favor of leaving me alone."

Arya's expression went from contemptuous, to cold.

"And without my vote you most certainly would be dead. So perhaps you owe me an answer."

Murtagh clenched his fists and replied in a calm voice. "What Eragon and I were arguing about is none of your business."

Arya raised her eyebrows, and stared at Murtagh, who met her gaze without flinching. After a moment, the elf turned and gracefully strode out of the room, leaving Murtagh staring at the walls where she'd been.

"Damn it. The sooner I can leave the better."

Murtagh shoved away the thoughts that the conversation raised. A flight was perfect to clear his head.

"Where do you want to go, Thorn? We can stay out as long as we want."

Hey guys! I persist in my unholy shippings! Has anyone else noticed that my italic-thoughts are starting to resemble Stephen King's in The Shining? No one? Good!

Is Murtagh OOC? I'm working really hard on that…he seems to have some anger issues so I'm bringing that to light.

Thanks to Evanescene2189 for her edits and support!