The Return of the Guardian

Chapter 19

 Lena gasped. Eragon's visage followed suit as she watched his jaw drop. Behind her, she felt Durza shake as he laughed at their reaction. Eventually, Lena gathered her composure to ask, "How can this be? Surely, you lie!"

Lena had no expectation for an answer as the knife around her throat crossed her mind once more and fear crept into her as she knew she'd die not knowing the truth, that is if Eragon was unable to come up with a solution to save her. He was always coming up with something last minute, however, their current predicament left them with very little options.

Her thoughts shifted once more as Durza stopped laughing. To her surprise, he obliged answering her question. "Your bracelet gave you away, my dear," his tone mocking once more. "As soon as I saw it on your wrist a few days ago, I knew I recognized it, however, I had to be certain. After some research, I discovered that indeed, I was right and then had to inform the King. That's when I had you placed in nicer accommodations. However, the King had nothing to do with you once I told him the news, and now here we are."

"Her bracelet gave her away?" Eragon asked, meekly.

Adding to his question Lena asked, "Fine, it gave me away, but you still never said how you recognized it. You had to have seen it before now and I want to know on who? I've had this bracelet for as long as I can remember, so I am utterly confused."

Lena actually did not believe Durza; somehow she felt he was making up a story just to entertain them, yet deep inside of her, she had a twinge of uncertainty. She had all the "What if..." questions run through her mind, but then she would shake them off and tell herself how ludicrous they sounded. However, she had to remember that she had crossed over into a mystical, medieval land with dragons and magic, so everything could really be possible at that point. Though thinking she was from this land made her very uneasy.

"I know what you are doing, stalling my hand, however, if it is answers you want before you die, Lena, then so be it. I can be accommodating once more. I mean. it's not like you will relish in the truth for very long." He laughed again. He was enjoying their torture.

"Well," Eragon prompted, getting annoyed. He too was very uncertain about the story Durza said, yet somehow he had hoped he was telling the truth for it would make sense why two women had come from the same place, yet he was still puzzled by how she was supposed to be this 'Guardian.'

Durza hissed at Eragon, "Do not rush me boy!" After, he quickly composed himself as if he never snapped at all, and said, calmly, "Lady Aribell, your supposed mother, previously had the bracelet. She was married to Lord Delvin Sabre, a man who had never sworn loyalty to the King. That's why, Lena, he has nothing to do with you."

Now, Lena was even more confused, her parents were not from Alagaesia! She was born to Elizabeth and Brian Penn...or at least that is what she had always known to be true. Now that she was in a strange land being fed a bunch of stories, she had no idea what was really truth and what was fantasy. Her head reeled until she felt a headache come on.

Becoming impatient, Durza continued, "I know you think I am lying, however, later you may discover that it is all true, for I may be one for torturing, but I do not lie. Whatever her relationship to Aribell and Delvin, she cannot be trusted, unless she is by your side joined with the King, else she is only a threat."

"Then why did you place me in nice quarters? If you knew about the bracelet belonging to a, well, a traitor, then why try to show me decency?"

Now Durza really started to become irritated. "I already told you, I love torture, now let us move on from these petty questions and get back to the point. Eragon," he tightened the blade against Lena's neck until blood started to ooze from a cut, "Will you join the King, or not?"