I lay on the ground, beaten and bruised, with a deep wound in my gut and a fire in my chest. I had fought my way through a monster's lair and this was the price of my arrogance for believing I could outwit the devil himself. I was alone in my suffering, all alone in the darkness, despite the visions that swam before my weary, grit-filled eyes of my loved ones, despite the urgent words of a man whose face I could not see, but who I knew was everything I breathed for. I was alone with my pain. My body was torn and broken. I felt my life slowly slipping away from me, trickling through my grasping fingers like water. I stopped fighting, and waited. The pain was too much for my heart to bear any longer, and I welcomed death like an old friend. I prayed for the end to come and the darkness to consume me.
And then I woke up.
I could never remember the day being so bright or the air so still. I was in the heart of the forest, by the river that ran all the way to Farthen Dur. I recognised this place...I would know it with my eyes closed. It was the exact spot I had first met Murtagh. Across the shining waters of the Edda, a slender doe was grazing on the bank opposite me. She raised her head, revealing a smooth triangle of white fur around one of her eyes. A noise to my right startled her and she turned on her tail, leaping away into the safety of the dense thicket behind her. I turned around, knowing without any doubt that I would find him standing there. He was smiling at me, with love in his eyes. He was just as handsome as I remembered, and I felt that my heart might burst with love and pride in the knowledge that he was mine. He reached into his pocket and pulled out something small and shiny. He lowered himself on bended me, gazing up at me with hope shining in his beautiful eyes as he produced a beautiful gold wedding-band.
"Kate...will you marry me?"
As my heart swelled with joy, a small, nagging voice in the back of my mind whispered darkly to me, and try as I might, even from the peak of my euphoria, I could not ignore it.
Murtagh doesn't call you Kate. Murtagh never calls you Kate.
And then I woke up.
With my eyes still closed, the first thing that struck me was the absence of pain. I placed a hand on the now smooth skin that had, only a few hours ago, been torn and bloody. Murtagh had done a good job. My eyes flew open at the thought, and I sat bolt upright, almost head-butting the man who had saved my life.
"You're awake." He grinned, brushing my hair behind my ear and leaving his palm resting against my cheek. "How do you feel?"
I leaned into his touch, kissing his palm lightly, and he sighed, tenderly, leaning in to capture my lips in his. I closed my eyes, and locked my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He pulled away with a small, frustrated groan as the kiss grew more heated, and I frowned, pouting in disappointment at the sudden loss of his lips on mine.
"Am I to take that to mean you are feeling better, then?" He asked, with a roguish grin. I smiled, brightly, tracing over every line of his perfect face with my eyes, drinking him in. Someone coughed pointedly from behind me and I turned to see my father, Selena, Cailan and Garth standing a few feet away. I smiled, pushing myself to my feet and running towards them, enveloping my father in a hug.
"Father..." I pulled back, looking up at him, and he smoothed a hand through my hair, smiling happily at me. "I am sorry to have dragged you into this. All of you," I said, looking guiltily at Selena and Garth and the innocent child in my sister's arms. "I should have known that Galbatorix would try to use you to get to me. I should have foresaw what he would do, and I should have protected you all. I can't ask you to forgive me, but I will do everything I can to make sure that you are safe and well cared for. The Varden's living quarters are not quite as luxurious as what you are used to...in fact, they're more like...er...well, tents, if I'm being perfectly honest..."
My father waved a hand, dismissively.
"Whatever lies ahead, we will adjust. I am just glad that you are alive, and we are all together again."
"You were willing to lay down your lives for me." I said, softly, looking from him to Selena. "You should never have had to make that decision...but I will not forget it. You came through for me, when I have done nothing to deserve your loyalty or your love. I will make it up to you, in any and every way that I can." I promised, fiercely. My father pulled me back into his embrace, patting my back the way he always would when I was younger, and I closed my eyes, breathing in the smell of what I could only describe as "home".
"Do not be ridiculous. You are my daughter. I would die for you a thousand times over." He whispered in a voice that was thick with emotion.
"As would I." Selena asserted, stroking my arm with a loving smile. I know I did not deserve their devotion, but I vowed to myself that I was going to do everything in my power to earn it.
"That's a fine man you have there." My father smiled, and I glanced up to see that he was looking past me, to Murtagh. "I knew it from the first moment I met him...I would never have promised you to him otherwise." He said, humorously, and Murtagh grinned, blushing. "The King's nephew...how glad am I that that isn't true? I don't think I could bear to have Galbatorix as an in-law."
"My, how times have changed." I teased, smiling from ear to ear at his approval which, I had not realised until just now, I really needed. "But don't get ahead of yourself, old man. We're not exactly planning the wedding." I grinned, winking at Murtagh. He smirked, shaking his head at me.
"Trouble in paradise?" My father asked, in the embarrassing way that fathers often do. I laughed, shaking my head.
"No trouble here, sir. But there is a funeral to be had first." Murtagh replied, grinning at me. "We wouldn't want to lose half of our guest-list while they danced a merry jig on the King's grave."
"Especially as the bride would more than likely be joining them." I added, smiling.
"Along with the chief bridesmaid." Selena piped up.
"And the groom." Murtagh admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, sheepishly.
Am I really joking about my wedding to Murtagh with him and my father? Is this really happening? I asked Obsidian, but only silence answered me. I frowned a little.
"Wait...where is Obsidian?" I asked, looking from my father to Murtagh in confusion.
"He and Arya have gone to Ellesmera to get Eragon...given the circumstances and my presence here, we thought it best that Eragon learns of our situation before we go into the city. I doubt we would be welcomed with open arms if I was to ride in on Thorn with no explanation...we would be attacked on sight." Murtagh explained, and after the initial jolt of irrational jealousy that I felt at the news that Obsidian was flying with Arya while I recovered from my wounds, I nodded, accepting the sound logic of their decision. "We travelled while you slept. We are less than a half hour from the city's borders. Eragon should be here soon..." He said, trying to sound upbeat, but I could tell from the way his shoulders had stiffened and his jaw worked nervously that he dreaded Eragon's reaction to the news of his freedom.
Don't worry, Tag. Eragon is your brother. He may be hurt and he may be angry...for a time. But that will pass and he will be just as glad to have you back as I am. I assured him, and he met my eyes with some degree of surprise at the sound of my voice in his mind, but I did not want to make his private doubts known to everyone there. Well...maybe not just as glad as I am...I added, with a mischievous smile, and he grinned, appreciatively.
Perhaps later, I can show you just how glad I am to be back with you...when we are alone...He hinted, winking, and I felt a deep blush rise in my cheeks. He grinned, knowingly, and I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the visions of us that were flashing, unbidden, in my mind's eye, and thanking all that was good in the world that Obsidian was not here to see them.
Cailan giggled happily in Selena's arms, and I turned to face them, smiling adoringly at the child. He reached his arms out towards me, asking silently for me to hold him. I looked at Selena, hopefully.
"May I...?" I asked, and she grinned, passing him to me. I took him in my arms and he buried his head in my hair, gurgling and mumbling nonsense words. "Are you telling me stories?" I asked, raising him above my head, and he squealed with delight. I grinned, bringing him in to kiss him on the forehead.
"He likes you." Selena smiled, her eyes shining with happy tears. Garth placed a hand on her shoulder, lovingly, and she glanced up at him proudly as they watched their son.
Murtagh was watching us with a strange look on his face, and when I caught his eye, he smiled, a little sadly I thought.
What...oh. So much had happened last night that I had completely forgotten the revelation that Murtagh had believed I was with child. His child. He had accepted that knowledge completely, without the slightest hint of hesitance or regret. But how could we possibly bring a child of our own into this world? When war and disaster lurked around every corner? Murtagh and I were Dragon Riders: we were warriors, not parents. And yet...as I held Cailan in my arms, a strange longing crept over me. I knew that it was just my body's natural impulses...I knew that girls of my age naturally felt this instinctive need, this broodiness...I knew that it was not what I wanted, not really...but I could not quite bring myself to believe that this was not everything that I wanted when Cailan reached out a chubby hand and grasped one of my fingers, giggling and talking gibberish to himself.
"They are coming." Murtagh informed us, darkly, before I could consider the subject in any more depth. I looked up at him, questioningly. "Obsidian told Thorn told me." He explained, gruffly. No sooner had he spoke than Thorn burst through the canopy of trees above us, landing roughly beside Murtagh. Cailan squealed in excitement at his appearance, clapping his chubby little hands together.
Hello, Thorn. I nodded in greeting.
Katharean. He replied. I have not forgotten our last encounter. He reminded me, flashing an image in my mind. I saw the scene through his eyes as he awoke from an enchanted sleep to find himself bound in chains of my making. But I owe you a debt of gratitude. Had you not been so foolhardy as to come to Galbatorix's palace, Murtagh and I would still be his prisoners. Any wrongs you have done me in the past have been repaid ten-fold.
I would not say the same of you. I replied, haughtily, countering him with a vision of his fang sinking into my shoulder. But I would like to call it even. For Murtagh's sake.
For Murtagh's sake. He agreed. We both nodded in accord, but Murtagh was too busy pacing back and forth across the forest floor to notice our exchange.
Katharean! Obsidian's consciousness touched my own again and I felt like an amputee who had suddenly regrown their lost limb. You are awake! I could kill you! If you had told me you had been stabbed, I would have flown twice as fast.
How fast do you fly now, Obsidian? I asked, pointedly.
I will be with you in seconds. He replied, and I felt my nerves kick in to overdrive. Even though I had tried to reassure Murtagh that Eragon would be okay, I knew that it would not be the case. If I knew Eragon at all, and I was fairly certain that I did, this was going to get messy.
And Eragon? I asked, anxiously.
Saphira flies with me. Get your family out of the clearing...her thoughts are dark.
"Selena, take Cailan." I muttered, passing him back to her. "Father, Garth...take Selena and Cailan for a walk. That way." I pointed in the opposite direction from which Obsidian and Saphira now flew towards us. "This could get a little heated." I said, anxiously.
"Will you be okay, Katharean?" My father asked, narrowing his eyes in concern.
"Of course. Eragon is my best friend, he will come around if I talk to him. But when there are three large dragons involved in any conflict, it is best to keep the women and children out of harm's way." I replied, smiling reassuringly.
"You are a woman, and you are my child." My father replied, but I could sense that there was no real argument in him. I grinned at his words.
"Go on. They'll be here any second now." I patted him on the shoulder, and turned away, walking over to stand by Murtagh and effectively silencing any rebuttal that my father might have for me. As they left the clearing, Selena flashed me worried look, and I nodded, trying to signal that all was well. She looked unconvinced, and redoubled her pace, obviously aiming to put as much distance as she could between the impending confrontation and her infant son. Murtagh reached for my hand, holding it tightly in his.
"I'm here." I told him, and he looked down at me, with a small, anxious smile. "And I'm not going anywhere."
"I love you, Katharean Athem." He muttered, kissing me briefly. Thorn grumbled, slightly, but we ignored him. "Whatever happens...I love you."
"And I like you quite a bit." I joked, and he nudged me with his shoulder, affectionately.
And then, we waited, for it was all we could do. Neither of us spoke: we barely dared to breathe. We tensed in unison as the familiar sound of wing-beats met our ears like low thunder, and I closed my eyes, as my heart pounded in time with Obsidian's pulsing wing muscles, so close I felt I could hear his great muscles shift under his skin as they pulsed and contracted, propelling him ever closer to us. And right behind him, less than a half-second later, the tell-tale sounds of Saphira's flight joined Obsidian's and formed a steady chorus with the beating of my heart, pounding in my mind like the drums of war.