And now, to Florina and Kuldra. Enjoy!
The bracelets jingled on her arms as she walked down the halls. In the sunlight, they looked gold, but they were also silver. She had noticed the difference at the celebration last week. One bracelet, the one with sapphires, was gold while the other was silver. She knew the spell that was keeping Galbatorix informed of her location was stored in the gems. She had purposely looked and found her suspicions correct. There was a limitless supply as the spell didn't take much. It was a tracker spell and so didn't need much energy. She scowled at everyone she passed. No matter what he said, she was still a prisoner. She could not go where she pleased. She could not leave the castle without an armed escort. The servants watched her every move like she was a caged animal, ready to attack at the slightest provocation.
"Relax, Brave One. I feel like I'm going to attack someone."
"I feel the same way, Kuldra. I don't want to be here. We are among enemies. And if Galbatorix doesn't kill us, one of his enemies will now that he has claimed me as his daughter."
"I've heard the people talking about you ever since the celebration. They don't like the fact that Galbatorix has a daughter who is also a Rider. This may work in your favor, in the Varden's favor. This will drive the people to the Varden where Nasuada can tell them that you are his prisoner and his claims are false."
"The fact still remains that they will never trust me. And if they don't trust me, how can I stay here and lead the Riders like I should?"
"I don't know, Brave One. I don't know. But we cannot dwell on that now. Right now, we have to figure out how to get those bracelets off of you."
"I've tried every spell I know and they still won't come off. Besides, I need to gather my energy again. I used almost all that was in the gems while fighting that day. Once we do that, we can leave and hide in the north."
"They will follow us."
"I know. But Galbatorix won't be able to send Murtagh. He'll have to come after me himself. Then, I'll-"
"Florina!" Florina turned to look behind her as she was about to walk into the library.
"What do you want, Murtagh?"
"His Majesty wants to see you, now." After the incident in the dragon cave last week, he had learned not to call Galbatorix her father. No one called him her father after they had been threatened at least once. Except for the nobles. They seemed to enjoy torturing her.
"Fine." She turned on her heel and followed her half-brother down the hall to Galbatorix's study. Murtagh knocked.
"Enter."
"Rider Florina." Murtagh announced as he opened the door. Florina entered with her head high and seated herself in the chair across from the king. She could see that Emily was nowhere around which both pleased and worried her. She didn't know where she had been sent. She knew that Islanzadí would kill the traitor on the spot. She wasn't so sure about Nasuada. She hoped that the few elves there would just kill her and save her the trouble. The thought saddened her, but it was for the best. She couldn't allow something to happen to Nasuada and the Varden. But she didn't want her mother to die either. She was doing what she thought was right by her child.
"What do you want?" Florina demanded. She was not in a good mood and she wasn't going to pretend that she was.
"You and I are going for a flight." Florina began laughing. Murtagh looked at her in horror. Florina could feel Kuldra's worry.
"I'd rather die first." She snapped after calming herself. She didn't want to go anywhere with him. "I refuse to be paraded around like a prize. I am not your daughter and I will not be treated as such."
"You are my daughter and I will treat you however I wish to. And I am not parading you around. You are going to link your mind with mine and you and Murtagh are going to spy on our enemies."
"My enemies are not out there. They are in this room, with me. And you must be crazy if you think I am going to let you into my mind. Send him and go in his mind. I will not spy on my allies." Florina crossed her arms and glared.
"I don't think you handled that very well, Brave One."
"I handled it fine." Florina tried the door again, seeing if her new strength could break it. It didn't move.
"You may think so, but now we are both locked in this city."
"You have to hunt some time. Surely Galbatorix knows that. Thorn won't. He wasn't raised in the wild like you. You are not used to being fed. Even when we were among the elves, you were allowed to hunt. As well as in the Varden. The first chance you get, I want you to go to the elves and fight with them. I can handle whatever he throws at me as long as I know you aren't going to be hurt."
"But we have,"
"Been together,"
"So long that"
"It's hard to be apart." Florina finished. "I know. But worse pain would be losing you to Galbatorix. I refuse to let that happen."
"And I am not leaving you again. The last time I left to hunt, you were nearly given to the Priests of Helgrind. And that was done on a quick hunting trip. Had I not been ambushed, you never would have been captured."
"Perhaps. But then again, perhaps not. There are forces that we do not yet understand and it would be unwise for us to meddle in those affairs."
"But, had we known about your ability, we may have been able to avoid a lot of things."
"Present situation included. I know. Get some sleep, Kuldra. We both need as much energy as we can muster."
"Lady Nasuada, I have, troubling, news."
"What could possibly be wrong, Jörmundr? Most of our army is across the river. It has not been discovered that Eragon is absent. The Varden are prepared to die to save the Golden Rider."
"Lady Florina is the problem. A new rumor is spreading faster than we can spread word that she has been kidnapped."
"What rumor?"
"It is disturbing."
"Spit it out, Commander." Arya snapped from by the tent flap."
"New recruits are saying that we shouldn't waste our time in saving Lady Florina."
"And why is that?"
"You haven't heard? Galbatorix has claimed her as his child. I don't believe it myself, but that is what is being said. He even held a celebration to honor her entrance into womanhood."
"Jörmundr," Nasuada said calmly at Ayra's nod. "Do you know Caleb?"
"Aye, I knew him. A great smith. His work and Florina's has saved the men many times. But what does he have to do with this rumor?"
"Not much. But Galbatorix has been told by Caleb's wife, Emily, that Florina is not the daughter of a blacksmith. She has told him that the Golden Rider is his daughter. Florina didn't say how she was conceived and doesn't believe it herself. She sent Arya a letter stating this and that we should be on the lookout for the woman. I would rather lock her up, but it may not happen that way. Emily is a magician which is the reason she was taken in the first place. Florina hinted at Emily being sent on a mission and that we are not to let her into the Varden."
"Our guess is that she has sworn to him in the ancient language and is on her way here. That being, we have no choice but to kill Emily."
"But what will that do to Florina? That is the woman who raised her."
"It was Florina who told us that we must do whatever we have to in order to protect the Varden. Even if it means her mother's death."
"This war just got harder." The commander mumbled and walked out of the tent, trying to come up with a way to dispel the rumors taking hold. Nasuada looked at Arya.
"What happens if Florina turns?"
"We lose and Galbatorix takes over the world, known and unknown."
"And if we are defeated anyway, with her still with us?"
"Then we are all lost for she and her brothers and their dragons will be slaves to his will." Ayra answered.
She looked around the room she was in. She was trying not to make it obvious that she was. Something was telling her that she was the woman in the gold dress standing in front of Galbatorix and next to another man. She did a quick scan and saw Galbatorix's many nobles. The only one she did not see was her mother. But Murtagh was standing off to the side of the king. Next to the woman in gold, her, was Eragon. She tried not to be scared. Something was wrong. She looked to the far side of the room and saw the four dragons. With a jerk, she was looking at things from the woman's point of view. She was right to assume that it was her.
She looked up from her feet into Galbatorix's dark eyes. There was a triumphant gleam in them. She struggled not to scowl. Eragon turned her to face her groom. He wasn't bad looking, but he wasn't who she wanted. Of course, the one she wanted was dead, along with the rest of the elves and the Varden. Marrying him would get her out of the castle until Galbatorix decided to die. Then she would become High Queen of the Empire, a position she did not want.
She looked at the dragons across the room, to her partner-of-heart-and-soul-and-mind. Kuldra sat, proud and regal, as did Saphira. But in their eyes was a look of defeat. She knew then that Eragon had been forced to serve the king, just as Murtagh and Thorn had. Florina suddenly wondered why she was doing this. "Why am I going through with this marriage? I refused to do what he wanted." She was about to refuse to go through with it when she felt Eragon's hand on her back. She looked at him and he subtly pointed at the shadows next to the dragons. Soldiers were standing, just barely visible to the two enhanced Riders, holding swords to the hearts of the two female dragons. Florina glared and turned back to the king and her groom.
"Princess Florina, will you take this man as your husband? Will you honor him and his name until the end of your days?" She looked at Kuldra one last time, knowing why she was doing this. Kuldra's life had been threatened. She refused to let Kuldra die because of her.
"I will." She answered the king. Galbatorix moved to the groom.
"Lord Alan, will you take this woman as your wife? Will you honor her and her name until the end of your days?"
"I will." Eragon stepped forward and tied the ribbons around their wrists. She cried silent tears as her new husband kissed her cheek. She didn't know why, nor did she care. She was no longer free, and never would be again.
What do you all think? Yes, the end part was a vision in case you were wondering. but what you should be wondering is if it will come true.
Thanks for reading and please review