Brooke: *sing-song voice* WE'RE BACK! WE'RE BACK!

Rebecca: Oh, so now Keeper does the capslock. Great.

Meg: Okay, so apparently, the story is in four parts now.

Sarah: Really? KEEPER, MAKE UP YOUR MIND!

Me: It's not my fault! Anyway, I only own that which is mine :D Enjoy

"You used to be the one true thing in my world. You told me that you loved me...should keep your best friends close by, but keep your enemies closer." -Example

For a place called Helgrind, it sure was cold. Ellie and Rebecca were huddled together under a blanket while Roran and Eragon were out "scouting."

"Remind me to thank Meg when we see her next." Rebecca muttered, pulling the harsh fabric closer.

She hesitated, "Do you think she really gave her heart to cure the hurt?"

Rebecca did not look at her, "You saw the scar, but she hates needles. I don't think whoever-he-was removed her heart, but numbed the feeling with magic."

"You're right," Ellie acknowledged. "But she seems convinced, I fear for when she sees Murtagh in battle-" A branch snapped and they reached for their weapons.

"Easy, it's just us." Rebecca lowered her dagger much faster than Ellie, her sword. He kept leading her on, only to send her away. Why did everything have to be so complicated with him?

She glanced at Roran and Rebecca who were trying to get some sleep befor an attack beside each other, their fingers intertwined. Oh, how jealousy bloomed in her heart for the affection they shared, and once again, she found herself considering asking Meg who had removed the emotion of love for a man from her heart.

A shiver crept up her spine when she felt someone's gaze upon her and she looked up to catch Eragon's eyes which abruptly looked away. Unintentionally, she felt a little piece of herself wither and the words Meg had told Murtagh ran through her mind. Do not take the blame for this. You and I? We were born to die. She suddenly felt quite ill.

When Rebecca woke, she instantly felt the absence of her betrothed beside her and groaned. Without getting up or even opening her eyes, she asked, "They left without us, didn't they?"

"Yep."

"We're going to kill them, aren't we?"

"Yep." And without another word, they sped off and into Helgrind, eyes and ears on alert. Bodies of former Ra'zac littered the ground where the cousins had already plowed through.

Eragon and Roran were by the cells, fighting two Ra'zac and failing to notice the third. Quick work from Rebecca left Roran's foe lifeless and the third, which was about to attack Eragon from behind was rendered the same by Ellie.

"Thanks." The dragon rider said. "And now to destroy the eggs."

Ellie and Rebecca waited by the cells for them to return, for they had no intention to take part in destroying another race. The idea sat heavy upon Ellie's heart as they waited. She understood their desire for revenge upon Garrow's death, but there was another reason. A reason she just didn't know yet.

Eragon would not have risked his life for mere compensation for his Uncle's death, even if it would strike a blow to the King. Why else...?

"Hurry!" Roran cried, taking Rebecca's hand and leading her out of Helgrind. "The Ra'zac weren't very happy about the egg smashing. We must leave, now!"

"Where's Eragon?!" Ellie asked, stopping them.

"He told me to get on to Saphira with you two and wait, but we must be prepared to leave!"

"You two go ahead! He's not going to do as he said. Listen to Saphira, she'll keep you informed."

"But, Ellie!" Rebecca's cry was lost to her as she tore through the hall, following her instincts and the trail of bodies to reach Eragon who stood in a circular room that had a lone man hanging from chains on the wall.

"I told you to leave." Eragon growled.

"I didn't listen." She replied coldly, choosing to ignore his presence, but continue the conversation. "Who's he?"

"Only the man that removed Meg's power to love."

Her jaw slackened, but she refused to allow him to catch her by surprise. "You would know this, how?"

"Solembum and a vision."

"Did you tell her he was here?"

"No."

The man chuckled, "Ah, friends of The Wandering Lady? I am not surprised. She did not seem like the type to spend her days alone in the wilderness." Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and his right eye was swollen shut.

"'The Wandering Lady'?" Eragon asked.

"That is what she is, is she not?" The man cackled cryptically. "Though I hear others call her The Heartless Lady, now that word has gotten out." He looked at Ellie. "You, you look as though you need a cure to your heart. I could do that, you know-"

"I'd rather feel pain that nothing at all."

"That's what your friend said as well-"

"Enough!" Eragon said something in the ancient language and the man howled in anguish, his eyes glazing over and losing the capability to see.

"What are you going to do with him?" Ellie murmured.

"Ellesmera. I will cast a spell that forces him to travel there and the elves can do with him as they please." The man cried out, but he could not change his fate.

Ellie's heart fluttered at the thought of Ellesmera—and Nari—she had not been away from the place a couple months and already wanted to return. "And what are we to do, O Brilliant One? You sent Rebecca and Roran back on Saphira."

"To protect them, and you, had you been wise enough to accept my protection."

Oh, how much she wanted a box of legos.

Meg clenched her teeth, struggling to remain expressionless as the tribe leader, Fadawar, hurled insult after insult at Nasuada. Since proving herself in battle, Meg had been permitted to be Nasuada's personal body guard and she was already making a name for herself that struck fear into the Empire. Though, she knew some stories exaggerated.

Fadawar was risking much in insulting Nasuada. In the blink of an eye, he could be dead should Nasuada wish it so, but she knew that would not be the case. "Then I say you are unfit to lead the Varden and as is my right, challenge you to the Trial of the Long Knives."

Meg clenched her fists and growled low. "I do not think it wise to accept, my Lady."

"Ah, The Heartless Lady, long have I wished to be in your presence to see which stories are true." Fadawar smiled darkly.

Her gaze turned to him, "Do not test me, regardless of which are true, they all name me deadly, loyal and short-tempered. My bad side is not one you want to be acquainted with." She was deadly, she was loyal, but she was also incredibly patient. Stories got that wrong.

"Enough," Nasuada said. "I accept. Bring the following people to bare witness..."

As the Trial began, Meg could not help but think of what had become of her. Since Murtagh's death, she had changed from a bookworm to an assassin. Stories called her both The Heartless and The Wandering Lady. They said that her heart had been removed and that she could not be enticed by any man and obeys the order of a woman.

True. She thought. Some is true.

Nine cuts later, Fadawar submitted and Nasuada fainted after insulting King Orrin. She had won. As Meg tended her, she snickered at the pride-wounded King. "Well done, Nasuada," she murmured. "You have made most of us proud."

She stayed by her side and was graced by the company of Elva who waited for her to awaken.

They sat in silence for a long while until, to Meg's hidden surprise, Elva spoke up. "You are a very brave woman."

Meg snorted, "Bravery has nothing to do with it. My actions were made out of pain and fear. There is no honor in that."

"All of my actions are out of the pain I bear. Does that make me without honor?" She challenged.

She smirked, "Depends. Are your actions to aid what you believe in no matter the cost? Or are they only to prove a point?"

The child fell silent. She knelt in front of her and smiled warmly, "It's alright, I'm as stubborn as you, but you shouldn't let that come in the way of accomplishing good things."

Again, to her surprise, Elva hugged her and hesitantly, she accepted the warm embrace.

Nasuada cleared her throat and smiled. Meg nodded and bid her farewell and a threat to not ever do such a thing again before leaving for others to speak with the leader.

With a deep breath, she went directly to her tent and plopped on to her bed. She closed her eyes and didn't bother to wipe the tear that slipped out.

Seeing Elva, a child, had brought forth memories a time when she was a teen in the U.S. And she had dreams and ambitions; but those had changed. She had wanted to have a family, a daughter or son, like Elva who looked up to her and adored her. She had come so close to having that dream when Murtagh and she had love, but the dream had died.

It was then that she felt something press against her lips. Like a bullet, she was up and had the intruder pinned and held still by a knife. "Who are-" The words died upon her lips as she gazed into the eyes of Murtagh. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to see you." He whispered, keeping his voice low.

"I do not wish to see you."

"Meg, if your feelings for me were taken away, you would have killed me." He said firmly. "Please, I love you-"

"And I loved you. Now, you're dead to me."

He looked so wounded, her heart ached—no. She had no heart. "Then why am I still alive?" He growled, the smallest amount of hope in his voice.

"You won't be for long." She raised her throwing knife, but he did not fight back. In fact, he bowed his head and accepted his fate. She closed her eyes and made to kill him only to cry out in pain as the hilt burned in her hand, causing her to drop it. "What did you do?!"

"Nothing, I swear!" He exclaimed.

"What are you?" She whispered.

He looked at his feet, "I'm a monster. But you, Meg, you saw someone other than a beast in me and loved me for that real me. You loved me. Without you, all I am is a monster."

She was panting; fear, tears and denial in her eyes as she backed away from him. "No, Murtagh. I am the monster. I can not love you."

She could see that the words struck him hard and turned away, tears finally spilling on to her cheeks on their own accord and she closed her eyes. She felt his hand on her cheek, but did not acknowledge him. "Meg," He whispered, soothingly, seductively. She did not pull away when he pressed his lips to hers.

Suddenly, everything within her seemed to be on fire. There was so much pain in such a brief instant that a cry escaped her and she clutched her chest—her scar.

The next thing she knew, she was on the ground and Murtagh was tugging at her shirt. What was he doing? Did he really think that he was going to-?

No. He wanted to see the scar; he wanted to know why she was in pain. She stopped struggling and froze, every movement hazing her world in pain.

The scar was glowing red hot, but it faded until only part of it remained and as it did, the pain subsided.

"Meg," He whispered. "You're healing."

"Meg? It's Brooke, are you okay?"

"Fine!" She called, her voice cracking. "Don't come in yet, I'm not dressed!"

"Because we haven't changed in front of each other-"

"Brooke Grace, you will wait! This world plays by different rules that ours!"

"Fine, don't get your knickers in a bunch."

Meg looked to Murtagh, she saw hope in his eyes but she could not give that to him. "You need to go before someone sees you, they will not be as kind as I."

"No, not until you tell me-"

"Tell you what?! That I love you? I can't, Murtagh, I won't."

"No, you barely ever told me that. Tell me that you will follow me."

"What?"

"Tell me!"

"Meg, is someone else in there?!"

"No! I'm almost done!"

He grabbed her shoulders, refusing to budge. "Tell me, please."

With an exasperated sigh, she said, "When the others leave for the Varden, I will go with you. I will go with you wherever you make your leave. I will go with you anywhere, even to death. Do not mistake your importance to me, wherever you go, I will follow."

"You remember." He whispered.

"Yes, I remember," She sobbed, "Now go!" She shoved him under the flap of her tent and hurried out to Brooke who raised an eyebrow at her flustered friend.

"What was that about?" She asked.

"Nothing." She replied. "I'm just still adjusting to this world's clothes and I lost my undershirt."

"Liar."

"I'm a heartless assassin, watch who your loose tongue is calling a liar."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"I still know your spots, Grace."

"I'm ticklish! It's not a crime!"

"No, it's a weakness!" And with that, Meg lunged at her and tickled her until her sides and cheeks hurt. This act was stopped when someone cried out, "They're back!"

No one needed to say it twice (though many did,) to make Brooke, Meg and Sarah jump to the landing zone and welcome their friends, er, friend. "Where's Ellie?" Sarah asked, ignoring the curious stares of everyone that was not yet accustomed to a werecat.

"She stayed behind with Eragon." Rebecca replied. Roran kept a firm hold on her, as though she would run the moment she had a chance. Saphira was the one who explained what had transpired and Arya, poor, annoying Arya, leaped up and proclaimed her duty to search for him.

Four of the original group remained, guess how many girls pounced upon her when the she-elf jumped like a deer in the headlights?

"What is the meaning of this?!" Arya cried from under them.

"I'll tell you the meaning, you-"

"Brooke, shut up!"

"Make me!" And thus, both Brooke and Arya were pinned to the ground with the girls sitting atop them.

"Sorry, Arya, but Ellie is with him. He will be safe enough. Meanwhile, we can not afford to lose you." Meg said calmly.

"But-"

"In other words, stop leading him on and telling him that you two can have nothing." Brooke said harshly. "If you don't want to be with him, then stop trying to be with him!"

"SHUT UP, BROOKE!"

"Arya, you're staying here." Sarah said as Rebecca dragged Brooke away with Roran's help. "Don't worry about Eragon or Ellie, they'll be fine. Just worry about the Varden and not arses like them."

"But someone needs to ensure they are safe and returning." Nasuada intervened.

"That is true, my Lady," Meg said "Seeing as I am not myself as of late, I believe Lady Sarah is the best option."

"What?" Sarah asked in Meg's mind. Out loud, she said, "That's right. I'll start as soon as I talk to my colleague."

Nasuada nodded; she trusted Meg's judgment. Obeying Sarah's wish of speaking with her colleague, her instantaneous response was digging her claws into Meg's arm. "Why'd you sign me up for this?! I don't want to go back into the Empire!"

"Think, Sarah! You can transform into a cat and no one is after you yet while Arya's been hunted for decades and I have a price on my head!"

"I never said I wouldn't do it! I'm just not happy that I was volunteered to do it."

"I'm sorry, but everything is in motion now. We have to help or else we can't go home."

"Because we all want to go home right now." Sarah's said sarcastically. "Rebecca and Brooke are engaged, I have Solembum, Ellie's in a Taylor Swift song and you're in a bad romance—I'm a werecat, don't think I don't know about Murtagh's little visit."

"Enough," Meg growled. "You have a journey ahead of you and I have been away from Nasuada far too long. Good luck and God speed."

Sarah rolled her eyes and shook her head at the retreating back of her friend. Boy did she have it bad. Who else could make a heartless killer's start beating again?