Dear Readers,

The beginning of this story is under reconstruction. When you read a chapter that has nothing at all to do with what you have just read, please keep in mind that is the previous version of the story and I am redoing it as quickly as I can. I apologize for the inconveniance. I am not trying to confuse you! Later on, after chapter 35, things mostly fit together with the revised chapters of the story.

This is Chapter 30, revised.

Thank you and enjoy!

DragonRider2000

It was a clear night, and abundant stars twinkled in the heavens. There were no clouds, and it was slightly cool. In a large encampment of tent after tent rested an army after a long day's march. There was not much activity, as it was late. Horses stood outside of their owner's tents with their heads down and eyelids drooping, or munching on a little pile of hay the owner had scrounged up for the animal.

A shadow slipped through the rows of tents, moving quickly and soundlessly. A black horse tied outside of a glowing tent pricked its ears at the shadow, and a hand reached out of the darkness to touch the horse's nose.

"Shh, Adnarim." The shadow whispered, turning around and tapping on a wooden stake holding up the tent. The tent flap opened and the shadow slipped inside. Larton Zax of the Hljodhr Evarinya swept his hood back and was greeted by Melcar Di'Acor.

"Did you find him?" The bodyguard captain asked, and Larton nodded.

"He's right behind me." He looked around at the other eight Hljodhr's packed into Melcar's tent. Ayda was sitting on Melcar's bedroll, Kell and Sade were standing to one side, Xackzan and Raneck were in the back corner, and Larel and Raneck were on either side of the tent flap, their hands on their sword hilts. And Melcar was in the thick of it, as a leader should be.

Larton's admiration for the man intensified as he looked at Melcar, who was defying direct orders. The Hljodhr Evarinya had been split up into different sections of the army and had been told that if they joined together for any reason, there would be consequences. Melcar had ordered them to follow those orders, until that night. Only a little ways away from Feinster, the Silent Stars had things to discuss. Taya Corsallen was their charge, but Taya had always believed that they should also watch out for those who were being mistreated, judged unfairly, punished or tortured without cause. Murtagh had over stepped a boundary, and the Silent Stars would no longer remain silent. Larton's mouth curved slightly in a slight smile. Taya had left a legacy.

Larel punched him softly from behind, and Larton looked over his shoulder at his friend to find him grinning.

"Nice job pulling us all together, Shad. You haven't lost your touch." Larel said, his blue/grey eyes twinkling.

"I doubt he ever will." Raneck quipped. "Sneaking around is like his second nature."

Larton rolled his eyes at the two men, and Melcar chuckled.

"It's a good thing he is so good at it, and it'd better stay that way. We have a ways to go yet."

Before anyone could question his riddle, which sounded very much like something Taya would say, there was a rap on the wood tent-stake and Larton moved to the side as Raneck opened the tent flap and Marthl Duven entered. He was dressed completely in black, which set off his blue eyes and the blue pendant around his neck, barely visible beneath the clasp of his cloak.

"This is a sight I have sorely longed to see." The newcomer said in a tenor voice, smiling slightly and clasping arms with Melcar. "Even in a small moving force such as this it felt as if we were all miles away from each other."

"I agree." Ayda chimed in from the ground, smiling up at him. Marthl took her hand and returned her smile, and then he looked around at the rest of the group and lastly at Melcar, his blue eyes blazing.

"What are we to do about our dear rider?" He asked, his tone rather cold.

"Weston has something interesting to report," Melcar replied, "something that we think started the whole thing in Feinster."

"Well, actually the man Murtagh took prisoner started the argument," Weston began matter-of-factly, "but the fight began with Murtagh advancing on two young kids, one of which looked like a younger version of Taya."

No one seemed to breathe in the tent. Weston continued,

"As Murtagh made me his 'lieutenant' for the venture into Feinster, I was close to him. The young man, who was with Taya's look-a-like, must have been Murtagh's prisoner's son, because the man thought Murtagh was going for him. He was actually going for the girl. The man made the mistake of really crossing Murtagh, which got the son into the fight. Then in the confusion that followed the girl jumped in and somehow her weapon broke through Murtagh's wards. He couldn't catch her, so he yelled at me to grab her. I hadn't seen her up close, so when I caught her and found myself staring at Taya, I let her go, and then she was gone. I prayed that she got away safely. Murtagh left to chase after her, and a house caught fire. Everything was utter chaos. We got out with Murtagh's prisoner, leaving the town to its people. But it was that girl Murtagh wanted, whoever she is. The prisoner's name is Siranus Liastrin, and from what I gather he doesn't know much of anything, and whatever he does know he refuses to tell Murtagh. He must have had training with his mind, because he has not given in. For some reason Murtagh isn't using all of his power to break him down, so he gets some credit for that… but he's not going easy on the man in any other way."

"So what are we going to do about it?" Kell asked gruffly. "We shouldn't sit by and watch."

"What can we do?" Sade replied. "Murtagh won't listen to any of us if he really thinks this man knows something that he's not telling."

"He might." Ayda shot back. "He has to know that torturing the man isn't right."

"Murtagh? Really, you might be giving him a little too much credit, Ayda. He's not the man he used to be." Raneck growled, and before anyone else could snap back, Melcar clapped his hands together once, silencing everyone instantly. His expression was grim and slightly annoyed.

"Leave it be." He said softly, with authority. "I will not be the mediator between this argument, because there shouldn't be one. Kell's right; we shouldn't sit by and watch this unfold before us. But we have to tread carefully, because even we are on shaky ground. I've been staying out of Murtagh's way for a while now because I'm a closer link to Taya than any of you, and that's what seems to get him the most. It's time for me to step back into the picture. Marthl and Weston, I want you two to come with me in the morning to Murtagh's tent. You shouldn't have to say anything. This will be my tribute."

Everyone was silent, looking at their leader. Larton cleared his throat, and Melcar turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, Shad?"

"There's something else going on; besides Murtagh's actions in Feinster and bringing in this man as a prisoner. Murtagh's going to shift command for some reason. I heard two captains talking about it on my way to find Xackzan. They sounded incredibly confused, so it apparently doesn't make sense to anyone. I have a bad feeling about it…"

"Did you catch anything they said?"

"Something about a spy-"

"Shh!" Larel hissed, and everyone froze, and they heard footfalls outside of the tent. The steps paused, and Melcar crossed his arms and fully faced the tent flap, preparing himself for anything… only, he knew who it was before anyone else did.

The tent flap opened abruptly, and Murtagh himself ducked inside.

"Melcar, I want…" The Red Rider froze when he saw his audience. His expression turned livid as he saw the whole Hljodhr Evarinya standing around him, and he turned his blazing eyes on Melcar, who stood his ground and stared back with his own chilling black/gold eyes.

Melcar had shielded everyone's presence in the tent with magic, and he'd also sound proofed the tent so no one would get suspicious and run to tell Murtagh.

Murtagh was surprised, because he hadn't noticed the magic around the tent until he stepped inside and stared at Melcar. He was angry, because they'd disobeyed his direct orders, orders he'd been given by Galbatorix. How dare they…

Something suddenly seemed to hit him as he stared at the defiant figure of Captain Melcar Di'Acor, and harsh words died on his lips. Melcar's expression told him everything he needed to know. He knew the bodyguard captain well enough to know that he would defend his people to the end and take every blame… he was their protector as much as he was their leader.

"Well," Murtagh growled, "at least now I will not have to repeat myself. Captain, as we are close to the borders of Surda, we need intelligence on said borders. You have the best men by far for a reconnaissance mission. We know that a spy for the Varden and the Surdan's has a cabin on the borders in order to help patrols and report anything they might miss that looks suspicious. We need that spy's information on the patrols, and we need to make sure that he does not happen on us and report anything he might find. That could ruin everything. This mission will also help us to decide how we will proceed. I want you Captain, Sen'Dala, Zax, Katzia and Feist to accompany me to the spy's cabin. And before you say anything, you do not have a choice in the matter."

Melcar didn't answer for a long moment, and then he said quietly,

"And while we do this mission, what of the rest of the army?"

"They will continue to move at the right speed after us. We will travel faster ahead of them, and we will double back to them once we have what we need. The captains have already been told of this and are in agreement."

"And the other Hljodhr's?" Melcar asked evenly.

Murtagh frowned at him. "They will remain where they were placed in the beginning."

"I suppose that is acceptable. When do we leave?"

"Two days. That should give everyone time to adjust."

"We will be ready, then. Since you will be with us, what will you do with your prisoner?"

"What does it matter to you?" Murtagh growled, and Melcar narrowed his eyes.

"It matters."

The two men seemed to be locked in a staring battle, and then Melcar said,

"You were planning on killing him, weren't you? You don't want to risk him getting to the Varden before us?"

Murtagh's silence proved that Melcar was correct.

"Murtagh," Melcar said, almost chidingly, "we're too late for complete secrecy. With Feinster behind us, rumors will spread faster than wildfire. Our strategy is no longer complete secrecy, but surprise, because no one will know when and where we will appear. Anyone can speculate. You kill him, and you just lost yourself a bodyguard unit." His finishing sentence rang like a gong in all their minds, and as Murtagh looked around at their faces, he knew Melcar meant it.

"He will live." Murtagh said stiffly. "I will speak to you more in the morning. In the meantime, get ready." With that he left, leaving the group in somewhat of an emotional dilemma.

Melcar let the others talk for a few minutes, as he was thinking hard about what he should do next. He didn't move from his position in the middle of the tent, with his arms still crossed. Everyone knew not to disturb him until he moved.

Finally he did, and it was to shift his weight on his feet, and then he looked at Ayda, then at each of Murtagh's picked men and then at the rest of the Hljodhr's.

"Be even more on your guard. We have a long ways to go yet, and the end is not going to be pretty. This decision does not sit well with me, but it bought Siranus Liastrin his life, at least, and perhaps the lives of those two kids. Only time will tell us if I'm right."