Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Eragon. Just Alianna and a few random people I come up with along the way...
A month had passed. Alianna took Emma's advice and spent time really getting to know Murtagh. They were inseparable, the two of them. They spent many hours just walking around and talking. Alianna realized that she had been wrong about Murtagh all these years. Even though he had teased and tormented her ever since they were kids, Alianna knew (as Emma had said) that that had probably just been his strange way of showing her he liked her.
One day, as Alianna and Murtagh were walking near the training field, Alianna asked, "Have you spoken with my father lately?"
Murtagh shook his head, "No, have you?"
Alianna told him she hadn't. Infact, she rarely saw her father at all lately. He was always busy conversing with Durza and planning more attacks on various villages.
Alianna was glad her father hadn't talked to Murtagh. She still couldn't convince Murtagh that he was wrong about her and his supposed vision for the Empire. Eventually, Alianna came to realize that Murtagh would just have to figure it out on his own. She just hoped that he wouldn't find out the hard way.
Not wanting to start another argument, Alianna changed the subject and asked Murtagh if he would like to spar for a little while.
"Alright," Murtagh said, "But this time, I'm not going to take it easy on you."
Alianna knew that he was referring to their sparring yesterday and laughed, "You didn't take it easy on me. I beat you and you know it!"
"I let you win." Murtagh replied.
Alianna laughed again and kissed him. They sparred for about an hour before heading back to the castle for lunch. About halfway back, Alianna stopped and realized that she was missing something. She reached up and felt around her neck.
"Oh no!" Alianna said.
"What's wrong?" Murtagh asked.
"My necklace!" Alianna replied, "It's gone. I must have dropped it somewhere. We have to find it."
"I doubt we will." Murtagh told her, "We've been walking for awhile now. It could be anywhere. I'm sure you can have another one made just like it."
"No I can't!"
"You told me that you don't even remember where you got it from. What's so special about this necklace?"
"I don't know. I just feel that, for some reason, it's important. Please help me look for it?"
Murtagh sighed, "Alright. Maybe it's back at the training field. We could try looking there."
Alianna and Murtagh went back to the training field and searched high and low. They looked for a long time and Alianna was about to give up, when she heard Murtagh speak.
"I found it!"
Alianna breathed a sigh of relief as she walked over to Murtagh and saw that he had the necklace in his hand.
"Where did you find it?" Alianna asked.
"It was right near this tree." Murtagh explained, "It must've fallen off while we were sparring." He turned the necklace over and looked at it strangely, "There's an inscription on the back."
"I know. I can't figure out what it means though."
"Is it written in the ancient language?"
"If it is, I've never heard of these words."
Murtagh just shrugged, and put the necklace back on Alianna, "You really don't know where you got this?"
"No," Alianna said.
"Maybe it belonged to your mother."
Alianna turned away with a sad look on her face.
"I'm sorry," Murtagh said, "I shouldn't have…"
"It's alright," Alianna told him.
"You miss her, don't you?"
"I do. I know that sounds crazy, considering I never knew her."
"It's not crazy at all." Murtagh said, "I miss my mother too."
"At least you got to spend time with her, even if it was only for a little while."
Murtagh just nodded and the two of them headed back to the castle. They were greeted by Evander when they got inside, who told them that Galbatorix wanted to see Murtagh immediately. This time, Alianna insisted on going with him.
When Alianna and Murtagh arrived at Galbatorix's chambers, they saw that the king was in a terrible rage. He was throwing things all around and cursing left and right. From what Evander had told them, the Varden had destroyed three brigades in the south.
"Stay back," Murtagh whispered to Alianna.
Alianna nodded and said, "Be careful."
Alianna stood in the corner of the room. Her father hadn't noticed she was there yet. She watched in fear as Murtagh approached him.
"You wanted to see me my lord?" Murtagh asked.
Galbatorix charged at him, "Murtagh! I want you to lead a group of troops and destroy the village of Cantos!"
Alianna had heard of Cantos. It was a small village where rebels from the Varden were known to hide occasionally.
Murtagh continued, "But sir, what should we do with all those people there? How do we know who's guilty and who's not?"
"Kill them all!" Galbatorix shouted, "They're all traitors! Cut out their hearts; burn them at the stake… I don't care!"
Alianna couldn't believe what she was hearing. She wouldn't allow this to happen. Killing innocent people wasn't right and she didn't want Murtagh to be put in danger as well. She walked right over and stood next to Murtagh.
"Father you can't do this!" Alianna said in an angry tone.
"Alianna, what are you doing here?" Galbatorix asked, "Get out! This doesn't concern you."
"Yes it does!" Alianna said, "Murtagh is my husband and I won't allow you to put him in danger by sending him on this insane mission of yours. You can't destroy Cantos."
"I am king… I can do whatever I want!"
"This isn't right Father. Those people have done nothing wrong."
"Nothing wrong??? They're traitors! They're harboring our enemies."
"YOUR enemies Father, not mine. I won't be part of your madness."
"If you were not my only heir, I would've killed you just now for that little speech of yours. You stupid little wench!"
Alianna started to cry as she spoke, "I'm not stupid!"
"Yes you are," Galbatorix replied, "I had hoped for a son, instead I got stuck with you. You are nothing but an embarrassment to me. You're weak. And to think you will take the throne when I'm gone… ha! You're not fit to rule the Empire. You pathetic…"
Alianna was sobbing heavily at that point.
Murtagh couldn't take it anymore. She stepped in front of Alianna to protect her and said, "Stop! Stop it right now! I won't have you speaking to my wife like that."
Galbatorix replied, "She is, above all, MY daughter and I will speak to her as I see fit. Step aside!"
"I'm not going anywhere." Murtagh said.
"How dare you! This will teach you not to interfere…"
Galbatorix began shouting words in the ancient language.
"Jierda…"
"No!!" Alianna shouted as she stepped in front of Murtagh in order to try and block the attack.
The force from the attack was so strong that it knocked Alianna clear across the room. She fell so hard that she got a huge gash on her right arm. The blood from it soaked her sleeve in a matter of seconds.
"Alianna!" Murtagh shouted as he ran over to help her up.
Galbatorix had an evil grin on his face, "Let this be a lesson to both of you." He turned to Murtagh, "As for you, you will take the troops into Cantos at dawn."
Alianna and Murtagh quickly left the room without saying another words and headed back to their chambers.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Ouch!" Alianna said as Murtagh wrapped bandages tightly around her arm.
"Sorry," Murtagh said as he finished, "It looks like the bleeding has finally stopped."
"Good," Alianna said.
Murtagh kissed her gently, "I'm so sorry! This is all my fault. I shouldn't have believed him."
"It's not your fault." Alianna told him, "This is what my father does. He tells people what they want to hear in order to get what he wants."
"You could've died…"
"But I didn't." Alianna said with a slight smile, "I'm fine. And I can't thank you enough for what you did. No one has ever stood up for me like that before."
"I'd do it again in an instant." Murtagh said as he kissed Alianna again, "I love you Alianna."
Alianna was a bit shocked at first, but then replied, "I love you too Murtagh."
Murtagh stood up, "Are you well enough to travel?"
"I am," Alianna said, "But why?"
"I've been doing a lot of thinking since we left Galbatorix's chambers. Alianna, we can't keep living like this. Galbatorix is pure evil, I realize that now. I'm not going to Cantos and I refuse to serve him. And look how he treats you, his own daughter. Who knows what Galbatorix will do to either of us if we stay. We must leave Uru'baen."
"What are you saying?" Alianna asked.
"I'm saying, we must escape… tonight!"