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"They are getting ready to attack. We should be down there, with them, instead of up here." Florina said as she put on her armor and watched the Varden mill about outside the wall.

"We could you know."

"No, I wish though. With Nasuada still in Galbatorix's claws, I can't do much against him else she gets tortured to within an inch of her life."

"Florina!" Murtagh's voice echoed across the cave. She didn't turn to face him and waited to respond until he was next to her.

"What is it?"

"He wants all of us in the throne room." His eyes flicked over her armor. She secured the rose in her hair before she spoke.

"We will be there shortly." She responded. Murtagh looked as if he was about to argue, but a growl from Kuldra silenced his protests. He nodded and walked away. She watched as Saphira landed next to the Elves. A quick thought told her that it was not real and that Saphira and Eragon were waiting somewhere else. She watched the illusion as it crashed into one of the green towers that stood. A couple minutes later, Murtagh and Thorn passed them and into the air.

"Florina,"

"Yes?"

"You are supposed to be in the throne room with me and the children." Florina bit back the reply she wanted to say.

"We are coming. Let's go."

She stood in the shadows as he had asked of her. They were waiting for Arya, Eragon, Saphira, and a young girl by the name of Elva. Not to mention Murtagh and Thorn to join them. She watched as the gold door opened and their guests walked in. The door slammed shut behind them. Next to her, Galbatorix spoke.

"I have been expecting you. Welcome to my abode, Eragon Shadeslayer, Saphira Brightscales, Arya—daughter of Islanzadí and Shadeslayer—and you as well, Elva, she of the Shining Brow. And of course, Glaedr, Umaroth, Valdr, and those others who travel with you unseen. Welcome all. We have much to talk about." Florina watched as the group made their way closer to the dais and stopped when they were about thirty feet away. They couldn't see her even though the light reflected off her armor. "So, you have come to kill me." Florina found the thought tempting. He wouldn't be expecting her to pull her blade and take his head. She could end it here and now, without having to shed any other blood but his. She placed a hand on Naegling, ready to draw it. She took a deep breath.

"Do it, Florina. End it now." The children walked out.

"Unless you stop your attack, I shall kill these two and I shall kill them if you dare attack me again. In fact, if you displease me excessively, I shall kill them anyway, so I advise you to be courteous. And that goes for you as well, Daughter." Florina growled and took her hand from Naegling's hilt. She glared at the back of the king's head while he spoke more. He didn't want to reveal her just yet. She would rather reveal herself. She knew the Word. She knew how to use it. Galbatorix had told her, had given her the knowledge. She could use it to save the children and kill him. She would be able to get rid of his wards and kill him. Murtagh and Thorn walked in and Galbatorix had them stand to the left side of the throne. "Naina!" The rest of the lanterns lit and she and Nasuada were revealed. She could see the look of horror in the eyes of her friends and Elva. Eragon looked from her to Nasuada.

"Nasuada, are you alright?" She nodded. "Has he forced you to swear fealty to him?" She shook her head.

"Do you think I would let her tell you if I had?" Galbatorix asked. "But as it so happens, I have not. I decided to wait until I had gathered all of you together. And now that I do have you here, none will leave until we know your true names and you have sworn fealty to me and mine. That is why you are here. You are here to bow down before us."

"Us?" Arya challenged.

"Yes, us. Florina, my child, step forward. You are being rude again." She did and he took her hand. "I admit, she looks more like her mother than she does me. But she is my child. Emily was able to prove it. Though, Florina is having a difficult time accepting that her blacksmith did not father her. I will give him credit. He raised her well." Eragon noticed Naelging on Florina's belt and the rose in her hair. She looked much the same as she had the last time he had seen her. The only difference was that her eyes seemed older.

"What has he done to you?" He thought to himself as he looked at her. He turned back to Galbatorix.

While Galbatorix and Eragon talked, the king never let go of her hand. She struggled not to shiver. "Kuldra, I am going to kill your guard. He will not kill Nasuada. No matter how this ends, I will not sit by and let him win. I am going to fight." She moved her mind to the guard's and killed him with a simple word. Kuldra made sure he made no noise while he fell.

"Prove it, then. Release me and meet me in honest battle. Show that you are still a warrior to be reckoned with. Or live with the knowledge that you are a sniveling coward who dares not face a single opponent without the help of your Eldunarí. You killed Vrael himself! Why should you fear me? Why should—" Florina looked at Eragon in fear.

"Is he crazy?! Galbatorix will kill him."

"Have faith in your brother." Florina watched, her eyes never leaving her brothers as they prepared to fight. After a few tense minutes, they began. Florina's eyes flicked to Arya. She was hurt to see the rage that was directed at her. She reached out to her.

"Arya,"

"No! Why have you not killed him yet? You've had plenty of opportunities to kill him! He has not had you chained to a rock like he has Nasuada!"

"Listen to me! I'm sure that Kuldra told you what happened when Oromis died. Think, do you think I would have risked their lives just to kill this bastard! Give it time." She noticed Galbatorix glance at her and she turned her eyes back to the fight. She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing that her friends were doubting her. Then, her brothers gave each other wounds that would have killed a normal man. Murtagh looked at Florina and mouthed words to her. She nodded slightly, knowing what was about to happen. She and Murtagh had discussed this possibility when he had come to her about freeing Nasuada. Murtagh shouted the Word along with others. She dove and pushed the children away from Galbatorix. Kuldra and Thorn jumped onto Shruikan. Saphira joined them once the spell that held them was gone. Once she had the children safely next to Nasuada, she ran at Galbatorix, drawing Naegling. She would kill him. He had taken so much from her. It would end now. Galbatorix spoke the name of the ancient language and letta. Everyone except for the king stopped. She struggled against the invisible bonds that held her. She had the strength, she knew. She took a deep breath and pulled the energy stored in all of her gems she combined it, never taking her eyes from the man who claimed to have fathered her. "Father or not, I will kill him." She whispered the Word and continued running forward. She sent half of the energy to Eragon and used the rest to get past Galbatorix's shields. But he was prepared. He turned and met her blade.

"Insolent child. Do you not remember my threat?"

"I would rather be half dead than let your threat rule me." She hissed. She could feel Eragon still grappling with his mind. "Together." She told him. She felt Eragon draw from the energy around him, including her. She didn't fight it. She needed to keep Galbatorix distracted. She felt Elduna turn her attention to the spell Eragon had suddenly cast. She felt the memories of all the dragons. She added hers to it. She also felt a distant memory added to it. Galbatorix dropped his sword and put his fists to his temples.

"What have you done?" He hissed. Florina joined the spell, calling the memory of her life with Caleb and the pain of learning of his death. He shouted and ran at Eragon. Florina jumped in front of her younger brother and blocked the blow. Her arms were weak from the previous fight. Even in his clumsy state, Galbatorix was able to knock her aside. She growled as he turned back to Eragon. She jumped at him, sending Naegling through the king's heart while Eragon ran him through the stomach, barely missing her. She was suddenly being pulled to Nasuada. Halfway there, the king vanished in a flash of light and then darkness.

"Wake, Brave One. Wake before the spell kills you." Florina opened her eyes and ended the spell that had given them protection from the blast. She didn't understand. She should not have been driven unconscious. Then she remembered. Some force had slammed into her. She did a mental check. Everyone was alive. Elva was unconscious and Murtagh nearly so himself. She didn't look around the room. She knew it was destroyed. She got up and turned to the stone and the children. They were unharmed by the blast. She looked to Nasuada. She spoke the Word and muttered jierda and the shackles broke. Murtagh helped Nasuada onto Thorn after telling Arya where to find the egg. She pulled Eragon onto Kuldra.

"Let's go." The three dragons trotted from the throne room, avoiding the parts of the ceiling that were falling. They made it out into the courtyard in the confusion. She personally took the children back to their parents, the balding man bowing his thanks as he led his children inside. She returned to the others, noticing that Murtagh was trying to heal himself. She turned Eragon around forcefully and held him against Saphira's leg while she healed him. "You're not much good to her when you are dying." She muttered in the ancient language.

"You killed the man who fathered you. You killed your father."

"He is no kin of mine."

"Florina, there is no denying it. He fathered you and you killed him."

"He threatened my family." She said and turned to Nasuada and Murtagh. "What do you plan to do now, Brother?" She asked him. A small grin graced Murtagh's lips.

"Well, I'm going to be alone. We need to be alone. With all the hurt we've caused."

"I understand. Know that you will be welcome at my hearth. When I find where that is, you'll know."

"And what of you? What do you plan to do now? Will you take the throne?" Florina looked at him, fire raging in her eyes. "No, of course not. You have other duties. As Kuldra is the oldest dragon living now, you have to lead the Riders that may return. Take care, Sister." She smiled and then he was gone, leaving behind the Eldunarí that Galbatorix had given him. A few minutes later, Eragon and Saphira took off after them. She turned to Kuldra.

"Where are you hurt?"

"My wing feels funny. I think it may be sprained. But other than that, I am fine. Shruikan was not able to land a blow on me."

"That is good." Florina used the remaining energy in the sapphire to heal Kuldra's wounds. Afterwards, Kuldra picked up her Rider and took her to the Varden's camp outside the city where she could get some rest.

"I wouldn't have dared this journey if I thought my child would be safe from him."

"Him?"

"The king."

"What has the king got to do with your child?"

"Morzan has been away, hunting he says. I was with my son at his castle. The king decided to pay his trusted servant a visit. He found me and my son. My son is only a year old, so what can he do. And the soldiers will not go against the king. I thought I was safe in my rooms with the wards that Morzan placed on the door. It was a foolish thought. The king broke them easily, and, and," Selena shook as she relived the memory. Caleb placed the cup in her hands.

"So this child, it is his?" She nodded. "And so that is why you came?" Another nod. "How much longer?"

"A month. I was hoping to get here three months before the child was due. But I ran into some trouble on the road. Morzan is looking for me. I already know what I will tell him. He is not going to know about this child."

"Do you have anywhere to stay while you are here?"

"Only with you, if you will have me." She looked at him. There was a pleading look in her eyes that he could not refuse. He sighed.

"I will wake Emily. We have a spare room you can stay in until the baby is born." She nodded her thanks. When Caleb and Emily returned to the room, she was asleep, curled like a cat in the chair.

And so the war has ended, but it is not the end of trouble for Florina and Kuldra. Thanks for reading and please review!