AN: I felt bad for leaving you with a cliff-hanger. So I stayed up until 12.40am to finish this off, even though I have an all-important interview tomorrow. What is life? I need to sort out my priorities.
There was a ripple of confused murmuring throughout the room as one by one, every eye in the hall turned to the person Galbatorix was addressing. I shook my head in denial. No, this wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. And where was Arya? If anything had happened to her, it would be all my fault.
I have led us to our deaths.
"I knew that you would never be able to resist a distress call...I counted on it. You heroes are all so...predictable. I do admit, I am a little disappointed that Eragon did not accompany you...I had hoped that he cared about you as much as the people said he did. I should have known better than to pay any heed to gossip...no matter." Galbatorix drawled, with the air of a man who was very much in control of the situation.
I wonder if it will hurt...when he kills me...I thought, numbly, shock and anger reverberating through my being.
I will never let that happen. Obsidian roared, but he was too far away. Even he would never be able to reach me in time.
"Ladies! Gentlemen! I would like to introduce the entertainment for tonight." He called, like a compère at a show. "This girl-" He pointed at me, accusingly, "Is a Dragon Rider, guilty of treason and the murder of my guardsmen. She is none other than Katharean Athem, the girl you all believed to be dead. But you are not dead, are you Katharean? No, you were just pretending. You were hiding...cowering behind a lie and leaving the fighting to the men you swore to protect."
"That's a lie!" I countered, before I could stop myself. "You held me hostage! You placed enchantments on me! You stole a year of my life from me!"
"More lies? Now, is that really the way a young Lady ought to behave? Hmmm? Nevertheless, you are lying. You are a member of the Varden and a traitor to the crown. I should have your head. However...being the merciful ruler that I am...I am going to give you a second chance. Renounce your loyalty to the Varden...and swear an oath of fealty to me...and I will let you live. You understand, of course," he addressed the nobles around me, "I cannot allow her to live if she continues to pose a threat to my people."
"No, you can't-" Murtagh started, stepping in front of me, but the king waved a hand, dismissively.
"Silence." He commanded, in a bored tone, as if Murtagh was no more than a disobedient pet. His mouth clamped shut with an audible snap and his face reddened with anger. I stepped around him, speaking for the both of us.
"I am no threat to the people, Galbatorix. I am fighting for the people, fighting against you! This man," I pointed at him, looking at the shocked and confused faces around me, "is a tyrant and a murderer. This man would keep us all under his boot, and we are to be content with the scraps from his table. Do not believe his lies. I am one of you. I was born a noblewoman, but I fight as a Dragon Rider. I fight as the Rider that Galbatorix created. How else, do you suppose, I would happen across Obsidian's egg when we all know that every last Dragon egg in existence was stolen and guarded by him? I was forced into this war by your hand, Galbatorix. And as long as I have breath in me, I will continue to fight against you. So you do what you have to do. Kill me, dirty my name, take all that I am. Because as long as I have life in my veins, I will never swear fealty to you." I spat, glaring at him, all of my fear forgotten. A flash of red caught my attention from the edges of my vision, and I glanced left and right to see six guards, three on either side of me, approaching slowly. I ignored them, for they were far enough away that they did not pose an immediate threat, and they seemed to be hanging back, waiting for the signal to attack. I focused my gaze on Galbatorix, defiantly. A slow, cruel smile played on his face and I knew that I would not like what he had planned.
"Very well, Lady Athem. But before you make your final decision, there are a couple of people here who might persuade you to reconsider." He raised a hand, beckoning to the guards behind him, and I watched their activity with bated breath. I heard my sister's outraged cries before I saw her. She and my father were being dragged into the room through a door behind Galbatorix, and they were led to the front of the table by a cluster of stone-faced guardsmen. I made to run towards them, but Murtagh grabbed my arm, shaking his head in dire warning, and I looked hopelessly into my sister's frightened eyes.
"These people are accomplices to a known enemy of the crown. They will be tried and hanged for their crimes against me. Unless..." He said, smirking down at me, "you amend your ways and pledge yourself to me. Lord Athem will be stripped of his lands and title for his gross insubordination, but I shall allow both him and the girl to live. If, and only if, you swear fealty to your King."
I shook my head, looking from my sister's tearful face to my father's stoic one, looking for an answer that I did not find.
"I...I...I have no choice." I whispered, fighting back the tears of defeat that threatened to fall. I would not cry in front of Galbatorix. I would not. I looked into his hateful face, baring my teeth angrily. "You are a monster."
"I am your King." He snapped, coldly. "And you will obey me."
"Katharean...no." Selena choked, openly sobbing now. "No, you can't. You can't give in, not now, not for our sakes."
"Selena, I have to. I will not let you die for me."
"You will." My father ordered, in a calm, commanding voice. I blinked, looking at him questioningly. "You will not utter a single word of loyalty to Galbatorix, do you understand me? Your sister and I have spoken already. We will lay down our lives for you. But you must not yield...you must promise me. Promise me that you will not stop fighting."
"You dare to challenge my authority, Athem? After all of my years of kindness and generosity to you, you turn your back on me? And for what? For the pertinent, disobedient daughter who abandoned you? Why would you sacrifice everything for this...traitor?" Galbatorix demanded, and I looked at my father, silently asking the same question. He smiled at me.
"Because I realised that the daughter I have is the daughter I wanted." He replied, and I smiled, blinking back tears of love. He craned his neck back to look at Galbatorix, with a confident smirk. "And she will destroy you, sire."
"Enough!" Galbatorix thundered, furiously. "Guards! Arrest that girl!"
The guards started towards me, and that's when I made my move, too fast for anyone but Murtagh and Galbatorix to see. I ripped off my mask and darted towards the closest guard, delivering a swift kick to his abdomen and wrenching the sword from his belt as he fell backwards, toppling both of the guards behind him. I spun around and plunged the blade through the belly of a fourth guard before side-stepping quickly and lopping the head cleanly from the fifth. The last guard standing drew his blade, stepping backwards uncertainly, the fear in his eyes almost enough to stay my hand, but my need for survival was greater than my impulse for mercy, and I hurtled the sword through the air where it came to rest, embedded deeply in his chest. He was dead before he hit the ground. Panicked screams erupted around me from the gathered nobles, the spectators to my bloodshed, but I paid them no heed, kneeling swiftly and gripping the hem of my skirt, tearing the fabric all the way to the waistband to free my legs. I ripped the short-sword from it's straps around my thigh, just in time to meet a second wave of men as they charged towards me with their swords raised, and then I was dancing again, only this time the only musical accompaniment was the biting of steel and the tearing of flesh. When the song of battle ended, I looked around at the bodies of the men I had dispatched with a hollow feeling. My eyes flickered up to meet Galbatorix, who glowered dangerously at me. I raised my chin, challengingly, the familiar rush of battle and bloodshed making me bold and reckless. His eyes widened in anger, but only for a moment, and the anger was replaced by something like amusement.
"Murtagh." He commanded, in a low, almost sing-song voice, and I whipped my head around to face the man I loved, who was already shaking his head in refusal at the words that had not yet been spoken, but that we both knew were coming. "Lady Athem has proven to us that she will not relinquish her foolish efforts to defy me. Kill her."
"No..." Murtagh breathed, both looking and sounding like a broken man. His eyes were wide and pleading as he turned towards the King. "No, I can't, I love-" He started, but Galbatorix cut him off, his eyes alight with bone-chilling anticipation.
"Kill her...now." He commanded, slowly. "Take off your mask." He reached up and wrenched the mask from his face, dropping it at this feet. "Draw your weapon." Murtagh complied, stiffly, his arm visibly shaking with the effort to defy the command, but it was futile. "Walk towards her." I could see that he fought each step that he took towards me, but his body betrayed him once more. I looked into his eyes, and my heart ached when I saw that they were streaming with silent tears. He shook his head in denial, gasping in pain. I closed the distance between us, sheathing my sword as I did so. I would not fight him. I would not make this any more difficult for him than it had to be. I reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair from his face, devouring every inch of his beauty with my eyes. If these were my last moments, I was going to make them count.
"Shh...it's okay, Tag. You are not to blame for this. You are not responsible for any of this...you cannot blame yourself. You are only responsible for showing me everything that is good and right with the world. You showed me how to live. You showed me what life can be. My life is yours, as is my heart. As it has always been, so shall it always be. I love you, Murtagh." I whispered, meaning every word.
"No...Katharean...please, I..." He choked, as fresh tears continued to stream down his cheeks. I brushed them away with my thumb, relishing every touch, committing every detail of his face to memory. "I love you. Oh, God, I love you so much." He gasped, capturing my lips in his. I closed my eyes, falling into the kiss, loving every second of him, treasuring every part of him. To Hell with our audience. To Hell with Galbatorix. This was real. This was what mattered.
"Enough!" Galbatorix commanded, in disgust at our display of affection. Murtagh broke away, unable to resist the command. I smiled up at him, trying to communicate all of my love for him with my eyes. "Kill her!"
"Aim true, Tag. Just...make it quick." I whispered, closing my eyes. My father and sister's cries of anguish and denial sounded in my ears and I felt the air around me whisper as Murtagh drew the sword above his head, sobbing.
"Now! Do it now!" Galbatorix ordered.
Obsidian...I love you.
The seconds stretched on, but the pain did not come. Was I already dead? No...my heartbeat still pounded in my ears.
"No...I won't do it." Murtagh whispered, fiercely. My eyes flew open as something undefinable shifted in the air around us. Murtagh met my gaze, looking shocked and confused, but no longer anguished.
"What did you say to me?" Galbatorix growled, dangerously. Murtagh kept his eyes on mine, as if he feared that if he broke our gaze, the spell would be shattered.
"I said no." The sword fell from his grip and clattered to the floor, harmlessly. A heartbreakingly joyful smile spread across his face and he laughed in disbelief. We shared a look of incredulity as he took my hand in his and turned to Galbatorix. "I will no longer obey you. You have no more power over me." He boomed, proudly, and I gazed up at his face, basking in the glow of his moment. I wondered how often he had dreamt of this, dreamt of gaining his freedom...probably about as often as I had. "I should thank you, really. If you had not tried to make me hurt the one person I value above all else, this might never have happened."
The King roared furiously, and I took advantage of his outburst, gathering all of my power to me and hurtling a wave of raw energy towards the guards that still held my father and sister, knocking them backwards over the table.
"Run!" I shouted, and they sprinted towards me, holding each other as they ran. Galbatorix called for the guards to seize us, but Murtagh grinned.
"Brisingr!" He commanded, and an inferno of flames erupted from the ground, forming an impassable wall between us and the guards. As one, we turned and ran for the door, picking off a few of Galbatorix's men easily as they tried to stop our escape. We burst through the doors, and I ushered my father and Selena ahead of me, with Murtagh by my side. I stole one last glance at the carnage behind me, and met Galbatorix's murderous eyes through the haze of heat caused by the flames. I grinned, triumphantly, and slammed the doors closed behind me, turning and almost slamming headlong into Arya. Her mask was gone and her dress was torn and scorched, but she looked otherwise unharmed.
"Arya! What happened?" I demanded as we ran for the exit.
"I reached the reservoir, but it was trapped. Shruikan was in the dungeons, waiting for me. It was then that I realised what had happened. I escaped, barely, and got back here as fast as I could. The water..."
"It's okay, Arya...Galbatorix planted those visions in my mind to lure me here, the water is safe." I assured her, but she shook her head.
"No, Katharean...I opened the reservoir. The waters were whispering...they have been tainted by magic. I was attacked before I could administer the antidote." She replied, in a pained voice. I stopped running and the rest of my party stopped as well, looking at me questioningly. I turned to Arya.
"Give me the antidote." I said, holding a hand out expectantly. She shook her head.
"No, Katharean, we have to get out of here, it is too dangerous to go back." She pleaded. Murtagh stepped towards us.
"Go back? Have you lost your mind? We have to move!" He exclaimed, urgently. Arya looked at Murtagh and threw me a questioning look.
"It's a long story...he changed his true name, or something happened, anyway. He's with usnow." I explained, dismissively. She seemed to accept this easily, clearly more concerned with the matter at hand. "Arya, give me the antidote. Get out of here, I will meet you in the forest. Galbatorix will not expect me to go back, his dungeons will be the very last place he will expect to find me."
"His dungeons? Katharean...no..." Murtagh shook his head in disbelief. "That is suicide!"
"Yes, well, I have already cheated certain death once tonight, I guess I'm feeling lucky." I replied, impatiently. "Arya..."
I ignored Murtagh's words of protest, instead focusing on Arya. We looked at each other, arguing silently for but a moment before she sighed and placed the vial in my outstretched palm. I curled my fingers around it, carefully, and nodded in gratitude.
"Kathy, what's happening? Why have we stopped?" Selena asked, approaching our huddle, and looking fearfully between our faces. I grimaced, slightly.
"Selena, Arya and Murtagh will make sure you are safe. Go to the house and get Garth and Cailan...it is not safe for any of you to return there any more. Do not worry...you will be safe, and I will join you as soon as I can." I promised. She opened her mouth to protest, but I cut her off. "Selena, there isn't time, you have to go. All of you, now!" I demanded, breaking free of the group and running back the same way I had come. A strong hand gripped my arm and spun me around.
"Katharean, don't do this." Murtagh pleaded. I hated to leave him like this when we had just been reunited, but I knew that I had little choice in the matter. I would not let Galbatorix win.
"Murtagh, I have to." I said, wrenching my arm free of his grip.
"Then I'm coming with you." He insisted, defiantly.
"No! Murtagh, you have to get my family out of here. I am trusting you to make sure they are safe. I will be fine. And besides, if I do run into trouble, help is never too far away." I said, glancing upwards pointedly.
I very nearly was too far away, Katharean. Obsidian muttered, darkly.
"I'll be fine." I promised, sounding more confident than I felt. "I can take care of myself. Murtagh...this is what I came here to do." He held my gaze for a few seconds longer and then looked away, swearing under his breath.
"I'll take your father and sister into the forest. Do you remember the place where we met?"
I nodded. How could I forget?
"I will wait for you there. Katharean..." He kissed me, fiercely, and I could sense the fear and desperation in his kiss. "You better be there. I won't lose you again."
"I won't be lost." I promised, forcefully. "I will see you soon. Wish me luck." I turned to my father and Selena. My sister's eyes asked a thousand questions, but they would have to wait. I nodded, reassuringly. "You heard the man. I will be with you again soon." I rushed forward, embracing them both, quickly. The sound of distant, armoured footfalls met my ears, signalling that the King's guards had rallied and were heading in our direction. "Now go!" I spun on my heel and drew my sword in a single, fluid motion and strode purposefully towards the sound of the approaching enemy.
"Katharean!" Murtagh called, and I glanced back, meeting his gaze. "I love you."
I grinned, warmly, despite the pounding of my heart and the adrenaline coursing through my veins.
"And I love you." I replied. "All of you. But if you don't disappear now, we will all be declaring our love for one another as prisoners in Galbatorix's dungeons."
The guards were getting closer and I took off at a run, hoping to meet them before they could reach the corridor and impede my companions' escape.
My wish was granted, and as I rounded the corner into the adjoining passage, I met the point guard with a swift parry and thrust of my blade and he fell to the ground. There were only four more men following him and I dealt with them in a flurry of swishing robes and biting steel, and the air sang with the sound of four suits of armour clanging against the stone floor. I did not stop in my advance as I tried to mentally recall Arriana's crudely-drawn map of the castle. I was almost certain that I was heading in the right direction, and before long, I found myself at the top of the stairs leading down into the dungeons. I thanked my lucky stars that, other than a token force, my progress had gone largely unopposed. I supposed that it was not such a surprise, given that my destination was probably the last place the King's men would expect to find me. I just hoped that the bulk of his force had not found the rest of my party before they had managed to escape.
As soon as I started my descent into the dungeons, the air around me became damp and cold, and I had to fight not to gag at the stench which filled my nostrils. I wondered how many poor souls had met their end in this wretched place...and then I decided that it would perhaps be better if I did not know.
"Right...Arriana said there would be a crank on the east wall..." I muttered to myself, scanning the entrance chamber for such a device. I breathed a small sigh of relief when I found it and strode over to it, ignoring the crunching of small bones under my feet as I did so. The crank was stiff but easy enough to use, and as the wheel turned, I heard the unmistakable screeching of stone against stone as a concealed trap-door slid slowly into the floor, revealing a gaping, dark hole. I scrambled over to the hole and peered in, but the darkness was so complete that I could not make anything out. I reached around on the floor and found what I was looking for: a small rock, which I dropped through the opening. Sure enough, less than a second passed before I heard a small splash below me. This had to be it. I reached into my pocket and produced the small but crucial vial of inconspicuous-looking, clear liquid and, without hesitation, poured the entire contents into the hole, breathing a small sigh of relief at the reassuring trickle echoing in my ears which told me that my job was done.
"Okay, Kate...now you just have to get out of here without getting yourself killed. Or worse..." I told myself, shaking my head.
How is it that you always manage to find yourself in these situations when it is impossible for me to reach you? Obsidian asked in exasperation.
It's a talent. Or an extreme character flaw and gross lack of judgement, one of the two.
If recklessly endangering your life on a regular basis is a talent, then you have been blessed with a rare gift, Katharean Athem. Obsidian replied, and I couldn't help but smile.
The sound of armoured footsteps approaching the dungeon entrance met my ears and I drew my sword once more, rolling my shoulders.
Here we go again...I sighed, rushing forward to meet my enemy in the looming darkness. How many guards can he possibly have left to kill?
AN: Please review! The next chapter is just about done but I'd like your feedback, it's always much appreciated!