Discaimer: I only own Florina and Kuldra.
Choices will be made in this chapter. Enjoy!
He watched as the healer stepped from the dark halls below the servants' quarters. He guessed it was another way down to the dungeons. He figured only that a prisoner had wounded themselves trying to escape. He watched her as he talked to another maid. Finally, he could stand it no longer. The way the healer constantly walked down to the dungeons intrigued him. He waited for the next time she walked up from the dungeons. "Excuse me, Madam. A beautiful woman such as yourself deserves a song in her honor. Why are you using a lowly servants' entrance?"
"My dear Sir, you are a terrible flirt you are." He smiled a radiant smile at the woman.
"Is there a special prisoner down there that you must administer to?"
"You could say that. She is to go to the priest and join them in their work at the cathedral."
"She? Well now, that is interesting."
"Yes. I feel sorry that she had to be tortured. Even though if a man had her looks it would send a chill down mine spine, she is too sweet to go to that place. She is scared of it."
"What does she look like?"
"Dark hair and dark eyes. And she has a strange mark on her right palm. I noticed it when she was unconscious." He gave her another smile and sang a short ballad for her. His mind was occupied with thoughts about the prisoner in the dungeon. He finally asked to bring entertainment to this special prisoner. His gut dropped as his suspicions were confirmed. She was lying on her stomach on a small cot. From the rise and fall of her back, he could tell that she was feigning sleep. The red welts on her back showed in sharp relief against her smooth, tan skin. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. She didn't move. He sang of dragons. Particularly of a gold one named Kuldra. It was complete fiction, he knew, but it was the only way he could think of to let her know who he was and that Kuldra was alive and fairly well.
"Is she hurt?"
"No, she is with Saphira. Eragon and I have come into the city to find the Ra'zac. She told us of the ambush."
"They are to send me to the cathedral soon." The tone of her voice told him that she had resigned herself to her fate. "As long as the healer doesn't open her mouth, Tábor won't know that I am a Rider. And if he doesn't know, then neither will the king."
"The king is coming?"
"Within the week. The Ra'zac will be preparing for his arrival. You have to get Eragon out of the city and far away from here. He will not be able to get the Ra'zac. They are too well protected."
"Why are you here?"
"They are looking for my father. I have told them that he is dead. But if the king wishes to see me, then he will know. I will only be able to fight him off so long. You two have to get far away from here."
"Once the boy knows this, he will change his mind. Right now, he is determined to go after the Ra'zac. This news will change his mind. He will want to come after you."
"NO! You must not let him try to rescue me. I am lost to you now. Tell Kuldra to go with you. Tell her that if I ever escape, I will find her. Tell her also, that I love her." Florina cut off their conversation and Brom ended his song and left the dungeons. He exited the same way he had entered and returned to the Golden Globe. They exchanged information, including the king's coming to the city.
"While I was there, I talked to a healer and got to see a special prisoner. She is the one who told me that the king was coming. Unfortunately, this prisoner is to join the priests at the cathedral. Quite an unjust punishment if you ask me."
"Did you get her name?"
"If she gave it, I didn't hear it. She as laying on her stomach with her face to the wall. It was hard enough to hear her tell me about her fate and the coming of the king."
"Can we save her?"
"I'm afraid not. Those dungeons are guarded very tightly. There will be no getting her out of there." Eragon's face fell. Brom felt Kuldra brush against his mind.
"I know the truth, Old One." She said.
"If she ever escapes, she will find you. She told me to tell you that she loves you."
"Thank you, Brom. Thank you for trying."
"It has been my pleasure."
"So what do we do now?" Eragon asked.
"This is your quest."
"Well, Saphira and I could fly around Helgrind to see if we spot the entrance. The Ra'zac will surely see us, as well as all of Dras-Leona."
"It is a problem." Brom agreed. "And that's not the only one." He thought to himself.
She opened her eyes as her cell door opened once again. She turned her head and saw Lord Tábor standing outside the bars. Two guards entered the room and pulled her to her feet. A maid entered with a brown robe. Florina let it be slipped on her shoulders and put her arms through the sleeves as gently as possible.
"I was under the impression that I would be joining the Priests of Helgrind after the king had come and gone." She said as they took her out of the cell.
"They have agreed to keep you safe for me." He said sadistically.
"And who's to say that I won't try to escape."
"Don't worry. You'll have very apt guards around you. Now come on." She suppressed a groan of pain as the guards pulled on her arms. She was drug through the halls and out the main entrance. People lined the road to the cathedral. When someone joined the priests, it was a major event. It didn't matter if they were forced. She took a deep breath and shook her head so she could hide her face with it. Brom and Eragon may be on the streets. Brom knew that she was on her way to the cathedral, but she prayed that Eragon did not. If Eragon saw this, she knew he would try to save her. She could not have that and then risk having him be captured as well. No one knew her as a Rider. But most everyone knew that Eragon was. With how much trouble Eragon has caused him, the king surely wanted the young Rider under his command. She was determined not to let him have two.
The crowd thinned as they got closer to the cathedral. She looked up at it. The gargoyles sent chills down her spine more than the beasts on the walls and the marble heroes and kings. She kept her eyes straight ahead and blinked rapidly to keep the tears from them. Her eyes fell on the words. "May thee who enter here understand thine impermanence and forget thine attachments to that which is beloved." She scowled. "I will never forget you, Kuldra. You are my life. I wish I could have been there with you so we could grow old together." They entered the cathedral and she was given to the priests of Helgrind.
He slowly walked up the center row to the altar. He had noticed the commotion earlier and had been repulsed by it. A woman in a simple brown robe had been led into the cathedral with an armed escort. It sickened him because he had a feeling that this was the woman who had given Brom his information. He wished he could save her. But also knew that he could not do that without alerting the Ra'zac to his presence. He could not kill them and protect the woman at the same time. He knelt at the altar to pay homage to the cathedral and the horrors it had seen. He turned to leave and froze. The Ra'zac were standing in the door. Filled with rage, he shot two arrows at them. They dodged them with inhuman swiftness. Caution cooled his passion. He looked for a way out as a line of soldiers entered behind them. His eyes widened as he saw the woman kneeling on the steps. He had not noticed her before. He knew that since he was going to escape, he could take her with him. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the vestibule to the left of the altar.
He ignored her protests of pain as he dragged her along. He led her into a garden that was walled on all sides. He could hear her gasping for breath. He realized that she had been a prisoner and she had possibly been tortured. He turned to lead them out, but a hiss stopped him. He made a quick decision. He picked her up, threw her over the wall, and jumped. Only the tips of his fingers cleared the wall. He slammed against the wall. He heaved with his arms and cleared the wall and fell into an alley. The woman was off to the side, still trying to catch her breath. He could feel her glare through her hair. As the Ra'zac jumped over the wall, Eragon grabbed the woman and ran, pulling her along. He finally stopped in a crowded market and they hid beneath a wagon.
"Saphira, the Ra'zac found me. We're all in danger! Check if Brom is alright. If he is, warn him and have him meet us at the inn. And you and Kuldra be ready to fly here as fast as you can. We may need your help to escape."
"He'll meet you at the inn. Don't stop moving. You are in great danger, both of you." She said after a moment. Eragon mumbled to himself before rolling out from under the wagon, pulling the woman with him. He hurried inside with her and quickly packed their belongings. He was loath to leave her alone. Once the priests found she was missing, they would be hunting her. She helped him saddle the horses. He had her hold onto Deloi's reins.
"What happened?" Brom asked as he swung onto Snowfire and the woman swung onto the black stallion.
"At least she knows that we are in danger." He thought quickly before answering Brom. "I was in the cathedral when the Ra'zac appeared behind me." He explained as he climbed onto Cadoc. "I ran back as fast as possible, but they could be here at any second. Saphira and Kuldra will join us once we are out of the city. I kind of stole from the priests as well."
"We have to get out of the city walls before they close the gates, if they haven't already." Brom didn't have to say what would happen if the gates were shut. He glanced at the woman as he lashed Snowfire with the reins. As they neared the gate, Eragon pulled on the reins in dismay.
"They'll cut us to pieces!"
"We have to try!" The woman yelled. "I am not going back."
"I'll deal with the men. You keep the gates open." As they neared the pikemen, Brom raised his hand and spoke. The soldiers fell. Eragon shouted and the gates grounded to a halt. The three of them shot from behind the walls and Eragon released the spell. On the outskirts of the city, Saphira and Kuldra met them. They stopped. "Rider her. And stay in the air, no matter what happens to us. We'll go south. Fly nearby. I don't care if they are seen."
"I am glad to see you, Brave One."
"Go to the mountains by Kuasta. I will meet you there."
"Don't be too long."
"I will let Brom explain to Eragon where I have gone." The two of them watched the gold dragon take off to the west. Soon after, Eragon and Saphira landed due to the wind. She guided the stallion so she was between the two of them. "Thank you for saving me."
"Where will you go now?"
"To find my father. After that, we will go to the Varden. I told you not to tell him." Eragon could hear the ice in her tone.
"He didn't tell me. I had no idea that you were there, Florina." Saphira's head snapped up in surprise. "And why didn't you tell me, Brom?"
"She asked me not to. I knew it was her when I went to see her." Brom said. Florina turned to Eragon.
"And when you hear a person in pain, learn to think!"
"What do you mean?" Eragon asked, his face pale. Florina shook her head. "At least stay. Perhaps I can heal your injuries."
"No. I have to get as far away as possible. Tábor was questioning me about my father. If I am recaptured, I will receive worse than I got."
"But,"
"No, Eragon." Florina moved her hair from her face. Though, it didn't help with the whipping wind. "Thank you for seeing me there and thank you for taking me along. They will be looking for three people. Not one alone or two. What are you going to do, Eragon?" He didn't answer and then shrugged. All his hunting had been for nothing. "If you decide to come with me to the Varden, I will wait in the mountains near Kuasta for three days." She didn't say anything else. She didn't need to. "If you ever decide to go to the Varden, I will see you there. If not, I will see you when this is all over." They stopped the horses and she gave them each a quick hug.
"May your sword stay sharp, Florina."
"And yours." She returned before leading Deloi out from between the two of them and then turning west. She paused a moment to wave and then galloped off. They continued on before camping between two boulders and ate a sparse dinner.
"How did they find us?" Eragon asked as Brom put away his pipe.
"One of the palace servants warned me there were spies among them. Somehow, word of me and my questions must have reached Tábor… and through him, the Ra'zac."
"We can't go back to Dras-Leona, can we?"
"Not for a few years. It might be wise to go with her."
"But we can't, not without leading the Empire to her and them."
'Good, you are using caution."
"Will we ever see Florina again?"
"We might. But first, we have to stay alive. To start, we have to survive the night. It will be the most dangerous because the Ra'zac will be hunting us in the dark, when they are strongest. We'll have to trade watched until morning." Eragon started as a flicker of movement caught his eye. Then Saphira roared and he lost consciousness.
"Kuldra!"
"I am here." The gold dragon appeared at her camp just outside Belatona. She had rode through half the night and needed sleep.
"Will you watch over me?"
"Always, Brave One."
I know Eragon's escape followed the book alot, but it could not be helped. It was the ony I could think of for them both to escape, including her rescue. Hope you all enjoyed. Thanks for readind and please review.