Dunei - A Murtagh Love Story - Eldest Fan Fiction

Chapter 15

A cool breeze wafted from the courtyard into the bedchamber. Lorena pushed herself into a sitting position and rested her chin on her knees. It had still been dark outside when she had fought Galbatorix again that morning, then when it was over she watched him pick clean clothes off the floor, change, and leave without a backwards glance.

Sunlight now reached into the courtyard. Lorena noted how much lighter it was during the mornings and afternoons, as the overhang covering the capital blocked out the hottest midday sun.

She looked over at the carved wooden door and wondered if she could leave through it, wondered what would happen if she tried. A shiver ran through her as she thought of the punishments Galbatorix might give and instead decided to sit and wait. Routine dictated that her handmaidens would be here soon.

* * *

Murtagh dropped the scroll on the desk beside him and reached for another. He sat in his study leading off of his bedchambers, the shelves still held the literature he had accumulated over his years in Urû'baen. Galbatorix had visited him that morning, and brought with him a stack of parchment.

"You already know the basics of magic, I've made sure of that. But now that you are a dragon rider you will be able to harness it and use it." The scrolls rolled along the desk in a cream wave. "Read these by the afternoon and come see me in the west library." Then he left with a whirl of his cape.

The scrolls contained information on the basics of magic, majority of things he already knew with a piece of information here and there that he had forgotten. He was two thirds through them when he became distracted by the prospect of the west library. He knew from growing up in the capital that that library was off limits, Galbatorix's personal collection that was too large to keep in the study by his bedchambers. He wondered what wonderful and terrible things may lurk in there.

* * *

The soft fur from the Urzhad pelt tickled Lorena's face. She lay belly down on the skin, her chin resting on her crossed arms, glaring at the carved wooden door. She had already received a visit from a healer, and her handmaidens had come with breakfast and helped her dress before cleaning the messed room.

Maybe I can go out. Galbatorix never said anything about staying here, if he had expected me to stay he probably would have unlocked some rooms in the courtyard. She didn't really believe her own reasoning, but she didn't want to stay where she was. She climbed to her feet and approached the door. Carefully she reached out grasped the handle and paused. Nothing happened. She gently pushed down and paused when she heard a click. Nothing happened.

Lorena pulled the door open and looked out, careful not to cross the threshold. There were no guards, nor servants, nor any passersby. She pulled the door fully open and stepped out into the corridor, letting the door close behind her with a click. Nothing happened.

She let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, reached out and held the wall for support. Glancing back at the door she wondered why it had been so easy, and if Galbatorix would somehow know. She thought that she could run back in before anyone spotted her and informed him that she had in fact left the room but she quickly pushed that thought away. With a shrug she moved off the wall, if Galbatorix knew then he knew, nothing could be done about it now. Besides, she wanted to get out of there, even if only for a while.

* * *

Lorena ambled through the castle hallways inattentively. She was surprised that there were not many people roaming the hallways, and she noted that when she did happen across someone they might nod their head in acknowledgement but not say a word to her. With no destination in mind she simply walked, checking out how big the place was.