Okay, so to answer some questions. Yes, it is going to go beyond Inheritance, but not in the same fic. I am currently planning a sequel for this story. This is not the end. As for what's next, enjoy the chapter!
"So, Emily wasn't lying. Galbatorix did father me."
"He may have fathered you, but Caleb raised you. Think not of how you were conceived but how you were raised and what you have done with your life." Florina said nothing as she sat in Kuldra's saddle, trying to remove the sting of betrayal she felt from the locked memory. "Think about it, Florina." Kuldra continued, feeling the betrayal her Rider was feeling. "If you had known before the war that you had been fathered by Galbatorix, would you have been able to kill him? Would you have been able to fight him with the Varden?" Florina hung her head.
"No. I don't think I would have been able to. But he still should have told me."
"But he did." Kuldra flicked the dawn-red sapphire around Florina's neck with her tongue. "But he also knew that you would need your own beliefs in order to fight the man who sired you. Does that make sense?"
"Galbatorix may have forced his seed into my mother, but Caleb will forever be my father. I will not let the blood in me change that." Florina smiled and rested in the saddle. At least we are finally free of that monster."
She looked up as Eragon entered the tower room that they were in. He joined their tight circle, standing by Saphira. She nodded to him and Orik greeted him warmly. Everyone else stayed silent. They stayed like that, giving Florina time to ponder the dream that had been left her by her father, Caleb. The truth stung, but she understood his reasons. "At least he would be proud." She told Kuldra who was resting in the courtyard below, using Florina to listen to the conversation yet to be had. Finally:
"We have a decision to make." Däthedr said.
"That we know, Elf." Orik grumbled.
"Let him speak." Orrin said. A mocking smile appeared on the king's face. Florina scowled. "I would hear his thoughts on how he thinks we should proceed."
"There is no hiding the fact that Galbatorix is dead. Even now, word of our victory wings its way across the land. By the end of the week, Galbaotrix's demise shall be known through the greater part of Alagaësia."
"As it should be." Nasuada agreed. Before the elf or anyone else could say anything, Florina spoke.
"Be that as it may, it raises a question. Who will take his place? We have to give them an answer before civil war breaks out in the wake of the one we just won. They will be asking themselves which of the,"
"Which of the Riders will take his place?" Orrin sneered. "Is that what you are going to say, Black Daughter?"
"Do not put me in the same lot as him, Majesty. You may not live to regret it." Florina growled. "They will expect the obvious choice. The one who killed him." She finished. Everyone looked at Eragon. He was silent a moment. Florina didn't take her gaze from Orrin.
"No." He finally said. "It would not be right." Florina nodded. "Also, no matter how untrue it may be, it would be wrong to take it from the one he claimed as his heir." The air suddenly seemed cold to Florina as everyone turned their eyes on her. She remained silent. Arya was the one to break it.
"Florina is not his daughter. We all know that. Not to mention that she has other responsibilities that come first. Which leaves us two choices. You, Orrin, and you, Nasuada." Orrin looked at Nasuada.
"I assume," he said carefully, "you wish to assert your claim."
"I do." She answered.
"Then we are at an impasse, for so do I. And I will not relent." Florina loosened her dagger in its sheath without realizing it. "The only way I can see to resolve the matter without bloodshed is for you to renounce your claim. If you insist on pursuing it, you will destroy everything we have won today and you will have no one to blame but yourself for the havoc that follows."
"So," Florina said before Arya could, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "you would turn on your allies for the throne?"
"No, I would turn on the Varden to win the throne."
"Why?" Nasuada laughed. Orrin laughed in outrage.
"My people have housed, fed, and equipped the Varden. They have fought and died alongside your warriors and, as a country, we have risked far more than the Varden. The Varden have no home. If Galbatorix had defeated Eragon and the dragons, you could have fled and hid. But we had nowhere to go other than Surda. Galbatorix would have fallen upon us like a bolt from on high and he would have laid waste to the entire region with his Riders by his side! We wagered everything-our families, our homes, our wealth, and our freedom-and after all that, after all our sacrifices, do you truly believe we will be satisfied to return to our fields, with no other rewards than a pat on the head and your royal thanks? Bah! I'd sooner crawl. We've watered the ground between here and the Burning Plains with our blood and we'll have our recompense! I will have the throne!" A thunk sounded audibly throughout the room. Orrin looked at Florina, wide-eyed. Her eyes were just as wide. Wedged into the wood just above his right ear was her dagger. Florina looked at the dagger and then at the others. Däthedr's hand was on Orrin's shoulder. He had moved the king away from her dagger. Arya and Nasuada were pale. Before anyone could think, Florina was moving.
Eragon grabbed her arm, she wrench it from his grasp and avoided Saphira's paw. "Kuldra!"
"I'm coming." Florina jumped over the balcony. She didn't notice that her necklace had come unclasped and was now laying on the floor of the room. Kuldra caught her in her claws and flew towards Du Weldenvarden. Back in the tower room, everyone looked out the window in shock. Arya picked up the fallen necklace and focused on the dawn-red sapphire.
"Eragon," Orrin demanded, "go after her!"
"No one will go after her." Nasuada commanded, her voice rising in anger.
"But she nearly killed me! This is why you shouldn't,"
"This was not Nasuada's fault." Arya's voice broke over the talking. Eragon looked at her and saw her shaking. "This is Galbatorix's fault." She murmured a spell and everyone saw the memory that Caleb had had Emily place in the gem. Once it was over, Arya pocketed the necklace.
"How is this his fault?" Orrin demanded as Eragon took the dagger from the chair.
"He used blood magic." Däthedr answered. "He believed Emily enough that the Golden Rider was his blood child that he tied his blood to his throne. We all saw the memory of the man who raised her. Her conception was horrendous, a mockery of a sacred union. Her mother sought to save her from the life she would have had here. She didn't know. We can only assume that this memory was unlocked for her to view after Galbatorix had died."
"Why didn't she say anything?"
"She doesn't believe herself to be his daughter." Arya answered. "But what happened today," she trailed off and looked out the window. "I will speak with her when the time comes. For now, let us get back to the issue at hand." She took the dagger from Eragon and held it in her own hand.
"I'm never going to be free of him." She cried. Kuldra said nothing and flew as fast as the wind would allow her. Florina hadn't needed to share what happened in that room. Their minds had been linked and so she had seen it all. She was curious as to why she hadn't felt the urge and stopped her Rider. They both knew that was how the bond worked. Kuldra flew for a week straight, sustaining her Rider with her energy until they could reach the forest beyond. Gilderien stopped them briefly to allow them entry. He could tell from Florina's state of mind that something was wrong. Kuldra didn't stop in the city. Instead, she flew straight to the Crags of Tel'naeír. Florina said nothing as she looked at the clearing. So many memories of days she had spent here with her teacher. Oromis's hut still stood. Kuldra plucked Florina from the saddle and settled her next to her. "Why did you bring me here?"
"Because this is the safest place for you."
"I'm not worthy to stay here. Not after what happened." Before Florina could even think of avoiding her, Kuldra had her Rider pinned to the ground, a claw firmly, but gently, holding her down.
"You are more worthy to be here than you think, Golden Rider. I did not choose you because your father found me. I chose you because you were worthy to lead the new generation of Riders. I knew there were other eggs. I knew that they would someday hatch and that those Riders would need a leader. I saw that leader in you. That is why I chose you. Oromis chose you to give his blade to. He made YOU his heir. Do you think we made a bad decision, because I do not? Now, quit feeling sorry for yourself and get some sleep. Tomorrow, you have to set about making your own hut."
"What are you doing here?" She asked as she levered a large branch into place. She had decided that she would make her hut using as little magic as possible. She hadn't expected to see Arya until after the decision on who would take her mother's place would be made. As it was, only Lifaen knew she was on the Crags of Tel'aeír with Kuldra, but he had yet to visit her and he had sworn to tell no one of her whereabouts. She still wasn't ready to face anyone yet. She and Kuldra had talked of the new monarch and what they would do and Kuldra had learned to recognize the spell when it pulled at her Rider. When that happened, she would hold her in her paw and not let her go until the urge had passed. They both knew that it would be a long time before she could show her face in the Empire again. She was very sure she would never be able to show her face in Surda.
"I didn't know you were here." Arya answered. A few quick taps of the hammer and the branch was in place. Florina jumped down from the roof and looked at Arya. In her arms was a green shape, a shape she knew well.
"So, it hatched for you. I am glad." Florina smiled. "But you still haven't said why you are here."
"I was hoping to raise Fírnen here." Kuldra stepped forward and examined the little dragon. Florina's mouth twitched at the gold dragon's amusement at the angry squawk from the green hatchling.
"When did he hatch?" Florina turned back to her house. She was almost done with it. She had spent the last weeks working on the framework of the house before she sang the four trees together. She was about a dozen yards away from Oromis's hut. She would use it if Eragon ever visited her and he needed a place to stay, but she did not feel worthy to stay in it.
"A few weeks ago when we passed the wards in the forest. Truthfully, Florina, I am glad I found you. I was afraid I would have to go searching for you." Arya led the horse further into the clearing. Florina saw her shield and knew her armor was in the saddle bags. "One, I thought that you might want you things. You left them in Ilirea."
"Thank you." Florina said in a hoarse whisper. Kuldra moved from the hatchling to settle behind her Rider. She recognized the tone in her voice and wasn't sure what she would do with someone to lash out at.
"You haven't found a way to ward yourself against it, have you?"
"Only Kuldra. She's not bound by whatever spell he's cast. I've tried using the Word and nothing happens. I am still wanting to kill whenever we talk about who could possibly be on the throne. Not even wards can stop me. Only Kuldra. Is Orrin safe?"
"He is alive. Though I dare say he wants you dead."
"No doubt. I did almost kill him. You said my things were the first reason you wanted to find me." Florina started digging her armor out of her saddle bags and putting it in her makeshift camp. She spread it out, making sure everything was there. She was saddened when she didn't find her necklace. The three pendants had meant so much to her. The fact that she had lost the necklace made her feel unsafe and unsure.
"The second is to tell you the reason." Arya touched her arm. Florina looked and saw her necklace. She smiled as she took it and placed it back in its place, her hand brushing the rose in her hair. "The reason that none of the obvious fixes are working is because Galbatorix used a different type of magic."
"What do you mean he used a different type of magic?"
"He used what is called blood magic. Meaning that he said a Shade spell over his blood and bound his blood to the throne in Ilirea. When we were trying to decide on a monarch, that is the reason you nearly killed Orrin. Even though your mind and heart did not want the throne, the spell on your blood compelled you to defend what is yours by birth." Florina jumped to her feet.
"But I don't want it!"
"I know, please, calm down." Fírnen, who had been climbing onto Kuldra, squawked angrily when she moved to grab her Rider if need be. Florina crossed her arms, glad that Naegling was on the saddle across the clearing. But the dagger was in easy reach. Not to mention that it would take Kuldra no time to fly to Ilirea to help her take the throne. Arya stood and pulled Florina into an embrace.
"It would be so easy to snap her neck. Then she wouldn't be able to stop me."
"But I would, Florina." Kuldra growled in her mind. Florina faltered. She hadn't realized she had slipped into that mindset. She had done so well with keeping it at bay. Florina took a deep breath and returned the hug. Arya pulled back and smiled.
"Would you like to know?" Florina bit her lip.
"It might help keep the urges at bay when talking about the Empire." She told Kuldra.
"How would that help?"
"I would never be able to hurt Nasuada."
"You also said that about Arya and you thought about snapping her neck."
"I still have to know. I am the leader of the Riders. What if the Empire needs help? Eragon won't be able to help them quickly enough."
"And this blood spell Galbatorix put on you?"
"That's why I am never going to be separated from you again." Florina turned to Arya who now had Fírnen in her arms again. "Please tell me that Nasuada took my place."
"She did." Florina smiled when the urge didn't hit her. She wondered if it had been because she had offered it up, asking if someone had taken her place.
"Could it have been that simple?"
"So, your house, what's your plan?" Florina launched into the design plans she had for the house. She was sure that she and Kuldra would be staying in it for quite some time as Eragon had told them that the land on Vroengard was poisonous and needed to be cleansed. It would take extensive research to know what type of spell would be needed and the words for it. Though she was sure she might be able to do it with the Word.
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