Dunei - A Murtagh Love Story - Eldest Fan Fiction

Chapter 26

   Something soft tickled Lorenas' face. She moved her head to escape the sensation but it continued. Opening her eyes she found herself lying belly down on the floor, with the soft fur of the Urzhad pelt tickling her exposed skin. Before her was the four posted bed, and Lorena was relieved to see that the King was not there.

   Light flooded into the chambers and she guessed it was early morning. She sighed and winced, her throat stinging. Getting her hands underneath her she pushed herself into a seated position and pressed her back against the wall, content to stay where she was for now.

   The events of the last five days rolled over in her mind, every little detail as important as the next, yet all seeming a blur.

   "M'Lady." Lorena jumped and looked up to see her handmaidens entering the room, closing the door quietly behind them. "Are you alright?"

   Lorena stared at them, lost for words. Was there any way to answer that question?

   Eventually she shrugged and whispered I'm fine.

   Or she would have, if not for the sudden burning sensation in her throat. She grasped at herself, but the pain only worsened so she let go. Panicked she looked to Sigrun who knelt beside her.

   "You have bruises m'lady. I'd say in the shape of fingers if I didn't know better."

   Lorena couldn't help the bitter laugh, ignoring the sting she croaked, "Just bruises? I've had worse."

   "Come m'lady, we've brought you breakfast."

   Lorena shook her head, "I'm fine here."

   Sigrun glanced at the other handmaidens and they disappeared, leaving the older woman with her.

   The pair sat in silence before Lorena spoke up. "How can I keep doing this? How can I keep fighting against him when he just tortures me and the man I love?"

   "It's brave."

   "It's idiocy," Lorena realised, as tears welled in her eyes. "We continue to fight him only to be brutally beaten, tortured, and have our minds violated. All this happens again and again and we still haven't learnt.

   "I watched over ten people die. All because of me. Good men, men who risked themselves to save Thorn and me, to try and help all the people in the empire. I saw a woman and her new born daughter burn to death. Burn to death! A one week old, Sigrun, just because they helped me.

   "I can't do it anymore, I swear by the gods I don't have the strength to keep defying him." Lorena held her face in her hands and wept freely.

   A hand gently rubbed her back and Sigrun whispered, "You just need to rest."

   "No, I can't do this anymore. He killed everyone who helped us, he killed everyone who saw us. No word is going to get to Surda, no word is going to get to Eragon. They won't know that Thorn has hatched until Galbatorix wants them to. They won't even know that we're alive. I can't let good people die for me, I can't let Murtagh or Thorn suffer because of me. I'm done. I give up."

   Lorena dropped her hands gave an exasperated sigh.

   "Galbatorix has won."

* * *

   Murtagh lay curled on the dragon bed in his room, Thorn nestled up against his stomach. To say he hurt was an understatement. His whole body, black, bloodied, and bruised, ached and throbbed with every breath. Thorn wasn't doing much better after his punishment.

   A high pitched shriek echoed through the room as Galbatorix pulled the knife away from the small dragon. Thorn tried to claw his way to Murtagh, for protection, for comfort, but the King kicked him back to the ground.

   The ruby dragon whimpered as he shifted. Murtagh sighed in frustration, unable to do anything to help him.

   I'm sorry, Murtagh.

   Murtagh placed a hand on one of his feet, What do you have to be sorry about?

   We tried, but we failed.

   No, Murtagh rubbed his scales, I'm sorry I didn't give you enough time to get there.

   Thorn lifted his head to lick Murtaghs' chin with a rough tongue, before collapsing, his breathes coming in big wheezes.

   Murtagh remembered Galbatorixs' words, I'll send a healer for your wounds when I see fit. If I find you have mended them yourself beforehand, I'll make sure you the two of you receive injuries twice as severe.

   Sighing, Murtagh closed his eyes and longed for the escape of sleep.