AN: Okay, so I'm not going to devote an entire page to FAQs, but I will answer one. The story is set during Brisingr...I think. Would it be awful if I told you that I haven't actually read all of the books yet? When I started writing this, I had only seen the film, and fell in love with the story, obviously...hence, the lack of italics in the speech in earlier chapters ;-) But I'm about a quarter of the way through Brisingr now...and that's when I'm setting this story.

So where is Thorn? :-O

Not in this chapter, but stay tuned...

"So, Selena...what brought about your decision to leave home and never return?" Murtagh asked once he had returned with his belongings and we were sat, leisurely, by the the fire. "I mean, I do not know a lot about family values, only enough to know that kind of choice is not made lightly."

I sighed, deciding to tell him the truth...not the whole truth, of course, but enough of it that would satisfy his question.

"Well...as you guessed, I am from a family of...considerable wealth and station. And, as I told you, I have not yet been bound to another through marriage, an 'unacceptable situation for a maiden such as myself to be in beyond her eighteenth year!'" I grumbled in an uncanny impersonation of my father, enticing a small chuckle from my new companion, and I continued, "...so my father has spent the last year or so finding what he believes are suitable husbands.

Pompous, arrogant, materialistic knaves, the lot of them. Every time, my father and I have fought over his decisions, and every time I have won...which, I suppose, is why he eventually decided to stop asking my opinion.

A member of King Galbatorix's family came to my home the night before last, asking for my hand in marriage, which my father promised him without hesitation. And so you see, if I had stayed there, I faced a lifetime of servitude in our great King's family.

As I have neither the physical nor political power to overthrow such a decision, fleeing was the only other option left open to me." I finished, with an air of determination.

He nodded, and seemed to consider my situation for a few moments, before replying,

"I understand why you left...it's just...of all the women I have ever met, you are the only one who would not thank the heavens upon being offered a royal marriage."

"Then I feel bad for you, as you have obviously been keeping the wrong sort of company."

"Perhaps...although, it seems my luck is changing." He grinned at me and, to my horror, I felt a deep blush rise slowly in my cheeks. I stood up and strode over to my travelling pack, more for something to do to ease the sudden tension in the air than anything else, and returned with the map in my hand, deciding that now was as good a time as ever to go over our journey route.

I spread the map on a reasonably flat rock and beckoned Murtagh to come closer, which he did, letting a curious expression flit briefly across his face.

"So, here is the plan...well, my plan, anyway. Where do you leave us to chase your thieves?"

"Us?" He asked, sharply, and I felt Obsidian mentally scold my carelessness.

"Me...I meant, where do you leave me."

"Mmm...here. In the village of Ceris." He said, scratching his chin, thoughtfully.

"How do you know that that is where they went?" I asked, and it was his turn to look nervous, as if he had said more than he had meant to.

"I have my reasons." He said, quietly, but was apparently unwilling to elaborate, so I did not press him. He traced the trail that I had mapped out with his finger, frowning slightly when he saw where it ended.

"The Beor mountains? Why would you be going to such a place? It is wild and dangerous, and it is said that the Varden base themselves there."

"You have your reasons, and I have mine." I said, coolly. He studied me for a moment, then shook his head almost undetectably and looked back at the map.

"This river...it is small on the map but in reality it is very wide and very deep. How do you plan to cross it?" He asked, raising an amused eyebrow.

This was indeed becoming inconvenient. Murtagh was asking too many questions, and I could feel Obsidian's patience wearing as thin as my own. Of course, crossing the river was not going to be an issue for me because I had Obsidian, but that was not a truth that I was willing to impart on this man who was as yet little more than a stranger.

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it...in a manner of speaking."

"Very well. Let us say that you do find a way across that river. Let us say, and I think this is highly unlikely, but let us just say that you do make it to the Beor mountains. What then? Do not tell me you are planning on joining the Varden?"

I ground my teeth together, enraged by his growing amusement. My silence seemed to answer his question and he chuckled to himself. I felt Obsidian's rage boil inside of me and it took all of my mental strength to stop him from leaving his hiding place and ripping Murtagh's head from his shoulders.

"What is so amusing, pray tell?" I asked, through gritted teeth. He stopped laughing and leaned forward slightly looking me in the eye. When he did so, I felt a strange pressure on my mind, as if he was trying to force himself in, but the sensation quickly vanished, so quickly, in fact, that I doubted it had been anything more than my imagination.

"You are wasting your time. The Varden are very selective about the people they allow to cross the threshold into their inner circle. They are a suspicious and paranoid people, as well they should be in times such as these, and I am not sure that the teenage daughter of one of the Empire's most prominent funders would be a welcome guest at their table. Unless, of course, you have something that I do not know about, some sort of secret leverage. You are a magician, perhaps? Or a great swordsman?"

I shook my head, jerkily, and he sighed.

"I did not think so. Besides, the Varden are a dying breed. They will all of them be defeated by the King before this coming winter, Dragon rider or no."

"Well, that is a matter of opinion."

"In the opinion of us mere commoners," He said, gesturing at himself and bowing his head in mock reverence, "There is no other opinion. It has already been done. Unless something catastrophic happens to the Empire's forces, or unless the Varden can pull another Eragon out of their bag of tricks, theirs is a lost cause."

"Ah, yes, I had forgotten...the Empire have found themselves a Rider of their very own, have they not?"

"I believe that is the case, yes. And as far as the rumours go, the Empire's Rider came head to head with the Varden's, and defeated him."

"Eragon is dead?" I asked, unable to keep the horrified tone from my voice.

"No, not dead, just shamed." He lowered his eyes back to the map and added, "But I doubt he will be so lucky if the two should ever cross each other again."

I could not be sure, but I thought I detected a note of sadness in his voice, which was now so different than it had sounded when he was mocking me a moment before.

"You seem to know a lot about the subject...what makes you such an authority?"

The troubled look on his face was replaced by a smirk, and he replied,

"I am no authority...like I said, wild rumours from the nearby villages are my only source of information."

I studied him, challengingly for a few moments and he returned my stare with a blank expression, giving nothing away. No matter how hard I looked, I could find no hint of emotion or truth in his dark eyes, and I looked away, resignedly.

"It is late, and we have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow. Your disappearing act has most likely caused a stir in the Empire, as the betrothed of one of the King's relatives, and it would not surprise me in the least if Galbatorix has already sent a search party for you. The sooner we leave these lands, the better. You should get some sleep."

I was too tired to challenge him, so instead I headed to my bag and unpacked the bedclothes that Selena had packed for me. Wearily, I unravelled them, and something small fell from within the folds of fabric. Sighing, I bent down to pick it up and froze. Selena's ring. With everything that had happened since my departure, I had almost forgotten it. I slid it onto my finger, but to my dismay it was too big. It could slip off all too easily without my notice, and I couldn't bear to lose the last, precious reminder of my elder sister.

I sighed and closed my fist around it, laying out the rest of my bedding with my free hand. Once I had finished, I collapsed wearily onto my makeshift bed and studied the little trinket. The dying flames of the camp-fire deepened the band's gold surface and danced in the centre of the dark stone, bringing it to life in my hand.

Murtagh finished laying out his own bedclothes, which were ragged and a lot thinner than my own, on the other side of the fire, and looked round at me.

"What's that?" He asked, quietly, gesturing the ring.

"My sister's wedding band. She gave it to me before I left." I saw no reason to hide the truth of this, and the fewer lies I had to contend with, the better.

"So your sister knew of your departure?"

"Yes. She is the only person in the world I have ever been able to trust."

He nodded, and lay down on his side, facing me. The flames from the camp-fire had all but been extinguished now, and only provided enough of a glow for us to make each other out in the darkness. He looked over at me and whispered,

"Do you miss her?"

I thought about this for a moment, and the answer that I found surprised me.

"I don't know...so much has happened since I left...I haven't even had time to catch my breath. This is the first time I have even thought of her...you must think I am a terrible person." I looked away from him, but he chuckled, quietly.

"Hardly...I have a brother and I love him more than I ever thought I could love another human being, in this life or any. But I have hurt him more than you could know. There is not a day that passes when he is not in my thoughts, but that does not make me a good person...only a guilty one."

"We always hurt the ones we love...but I thought you said you did not have any family."

"I was not lying. By blood, we are brothers, but if we were ever to meet again, one of us would surely be destroyed."

"That is sad...is there no way to repair the damage that has been wrought between you?"

"No way that I can see. Would you ever forgive your father?"

"In a heartbeat."

"Are you so sure of yourself?"

"I have never been less sure of anything in my life than I am of myself right now, but I do believe that a man can change. I have seen it happen before...and I can only hope that my father will, one day, realise what is truly important in life. If not...then there is a reason that he will remain in my past, and not make it into my future."

"That is wise...you continue to surprise me with your insights, Selena." He murmured, quietly, and there was no trace of sarcasm in his smooth voice.

"Thank you...I only wish I could convince myself so easily."

We looked at one another for a few moments over the dying embers of the camp-fire, and an understanding seemed to pass between us. Then, Murtagh frowned slightly and rolled onto his back and the moment was gone. I sighed and closed my heavy eye-lids. I did not realise how tired I had been and I could feel myself slipping into a deep slumber almost instantly when a voice in my head brought me back to earth.

Do you trust him?

I opened my eyes, then closed them again, groaning and rolling onto my back when I realised what it was that had awoken me.

Obsidian...I grumbled, mentally.

Do you trust him, Katharean? He repeated, with more urgency. I sighed inwardly.

I do not know. Sometimes I think he knows more about things than he is leading me to believe. I replied, truthfully.

Do you think your father sent him? He asked in a dark voice, and I could feel his concern brushing against my own consciousness.

No, father is a man of action. If he was going to send someone to bring me home, they would tie me to the back of a horse and drag me back, kicking and screaming. Still...there is something that does not quite add up about him...I thought, studying the now sleeping Murtagh.

I agree. I will keep my eyes and ears open for any foul play, and I know that you will do the same. I just wish I could be there with you.

Well, you are...always.

I felt overwhelming pride and gratitude at my words flow through our mental bond and my eyes welled up with tears that were not my own.

Just...stay safe. You humans are so fragile, I fear for your safety when I am not there to protect you.

Do not worry, I will not break so easily. Although I fear I am not as strong as I will have to be in the coming weeks. I have been trying my best not to think on it, but I am certain that, as Dragon and Rider, you and I will be called upon to fight in this war that is not our own. I do not know why you chose me as a Rider, Obsidian, there must have been a hundred men better suited to becoming a warrior than I. I wish I were stronger, I really do...but I do not know how much I have left in me to give. I admitted, reluctantly admitting my doubts.

You mustn't fear, little heart. I see your strength, and your courage. Of all the people in Alagaesia: the bravest knights of the Empire; the strongest workers of the land; the most respected and revered leaders of the Varden, none of them compare with you. I chose you for a reason and one day very soon, all of Alagaesia will see you the way I do, and be thankful that they were alive to witness your greatness. You are right, I think, we will almost certainly be forced into battle against the Empire...and you will shine brighter than any star in the sky and fight fiercer than any warrior in the land...and I shall be with you every step of the way, glowing with the pride of being able to call myself yours, and you mine. I only wish that you could see yourself through my eyes. Katharean Athem, if you were any stronger, you would be a Dragon.

This time, the tears that spilled from my eyes were all my own.

AN: I've been writing this a tiny bit at a time for like two weeks with a severe case of writer's block, so if it doesn't all make sense, please let me know. I haven't proof-read it either, cause I'm just lazy like that lol, but if you see any obvious mistakes...you know the script ;-)

Please review :-)

I don't want to go all gooey on your asses, but I really am sooooo grateful for all of the input you guys have given me so far. It's really encouraging. Please keep reviewing :-) Next chapter shouldn't take so long...