AN: I think this is the fastest I've gotten a new chapter out in a long time lol. I don't know, the ideas all of a sudden came to me and I couldn't stop writing. Hope you all enjoy it :)

A look of both shock and amazement was all over the soldiers face.

"It's you! I can't believe it. We've been searching for over a week."

Despite being completely terrified, Alianna somehow managed to keep her voice calm. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean sir."

"I think you do. The king told us what to look for- red hair, brown eyes."

The soldier stopped speaking for a moment when he saw Alianna's stomach. "What's this? He never mentioned that you were with child."

"You're mistaken. I'm not who you think I am. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Alianna went to walk away, but the soldier grabbed her arm. Instantly, with her free hand, she reached for her sword only to find that it wasn't there. She quickly remembered and cursed herself for leaving it in one of the bags that Thorn was carrying.

"You're not going anywhere." He called out and the second soldier they had seen last night appeared from one of the side streets.

"Well, what do we have here?"

"You've spent time in Uru'baen. Tell me, is this who I think it is?"

The second soldier looked Alianna over. "Aside from being with child I would say so. Is she wearing a locket?"

"Locket?"

"Yes. She always wears a silver locket with a sapphire gem on it."

Before Alianna could react, the first soldier yanked on the string of her cloak, causing it to fall off and reveal her locket.

Alianna was coming very close to using magic. But before she did she would try to talk her way out of it.

"I know things must be difficult for you both." she said. "The king forcing you to travel like this and be away from your families. If you let me go I'll give you whatever you want."

The second soldier laughed. "I doubt that. You see, the king is offering a rather large reward for whoever brings you and Murtagh in. Speaking of Murtagh, where is he? Surely you're traveling together."

Alianna lied and said she didn't know where Murtagh was.

"Don't make this any more difficult. I'll ask you again. Where is he?"

Before Alianna could speak again she heard a familiar voice.

"Right here!"

Murtagh appeared out of nowhere and stabbed the second soldier in the back with his sword. As he was finishing killing him, Alianna could see the first soldier about to attack.

"Murtagh!" she yelled.

The soldier slammed his elbow into Alianna's mouth, causing her to stumble backward. Alianna quickly got up, ignoring the throbbing pain coming from her lip. The soldier was charging at Murtagh and she knew she only had seconds to stop him. Scanning the ground for any kind of weapon, Alianna found a rock and slammed it into his head.

The soldier slumped to the ground. Alianna stood there for a few seconds until Murtagh helped her onto her horse and shouted at her to go, saying he would be right behind her.

They quickly rode past all of the villagers who had come out of their house to see what was going on. As they were nearing the gate, Alianna could see a group of soldiers beginning to close it. Alianna looked back at Murtagh, who told her to keep going. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

"We're never going to make it!" she thought.

But somehow they did. The galloped through the gate only seconds before it closed.

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Alianna and Murtagh rode for hours. Finally at nightfall they met up with Thorn in a secluded area. Thorn assured them that they hadn't been followed.

Murtagh got off of his horse and walked over to Alianna, asking her if she was alright.

"I'm fine." she told him.

But as he helped Alianna down, she felt something trickling down her mouth. She winced in pain as she touched her lower lip.

Murtagh looked at her more closely. "You're not fine! Your lip is split open."

Alianna couldn't believe it. She knew that the one soldier had elbowed her in the mouth and remembered the pain afterward. But with everything going on she hadn't had time to check.

Alianna tried to tell Murtagh that it wasn't as bad as it looked. He didn't believe her.

"I can fix it." he offered.

Alianna nodded as Murtagh said the words and almost instantly her lip was healed. She thanked him as she wiped the blood off of her face.

"The baby…" Murtagh said.

"He's fine." She had felt the baby moving around just moments ago.

But despite this assurance, Alianna saw that Murtagh was visibly shaken by everything that had just happened.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Murtagh shook his head. "I never should have left you alone. Why did I listen to you?"

"I'm sorry." Alianna said. "They came out of nowhere. I swear I…"

Murtagh interrupted her. "You could've been captured."

"But I wasn't."

"But you were seen! We both were. Galbatorix will figure out where we're going. He'll know you're pregnant."

"What are we going to do?" Alianna asked.

"We'll have to stay off the main roads and avoid any villages. Atleast for the time being."

"What about our food supply? You said it was running low."

"I can hunt until it's safe enough for us to go into a village. You still have our money right?"

Alianna nodded but when she reached into her pocket the pouch with their money was gone.

"Oh no." she said.

"What is it?"

"The money. It must've fallen out of my pocket during the fight."

Alianna could tell that Murtagh was angry, but he was trying not to show it.

"I'm sorry." she said.

"We can't do anything about it now. What's done is done."

"How long will our food last?"

Murtagh guessed two days, maybe three. "Whatever food we have it yours. You need it more than I do."

Alianna rolled her eyes. "You're being ridiculous. You need to eat too."

Murtagh finally agreed to go hunting. "Thorn will stay with you while I'm gone."

"What do you mean?"

"From now on either myself or Thorn will stay with you at all times. I'm not leaving you alone again."

Alianna protested. "I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

"Really? Then why did I have to step in when those soldiers almost captured you? If I wasn't here you'd have no idea which way to go. You'd be lost!"

Alianna could feel the anger inside of her rise. "How dare you! You know this is the first time I've ever been outside of Uru'baen. I'd help you if I could. Why are you being like this?"

"Because you…"

Thorn, who had been trying not to interfere, suddenly let out a loud growl and spoke to the both of them.

Enough! Fighting like this won't help us at all.

Thorn turned his head towards Murtagh.

Why don't you go and hunt? I spotted a heard of deer not far from here.

Murtagh tried to say no, but Thorn insisted.

The two of you need some time apart to calm down. I don't want you to say anything you'll regret. I'll look after Alianna. I promise.

Murtagh nodded in agreement, but then glared at Alianna. Alianna glared right back at him.

As Alianna watched Murtagh walk away, she felt the baby give her a strong kick in the ribs.

"Oww!" Alianna said as she rubbed her stomach.

She spoke out loud to her son, not caring if Murtagh heard her.

"Don't worry. Your father isn't always like this."