The Truth About Lies (An Inheritance Cycle Fanfiction)

Certain Complications

A knock at the door suddenly startled me out of my thoughts. Who could that be? If it was a guard, he would have just come right in. And if it was Ajihad... I dreaded to think what would happen next. Then came another knock. "Tabby?" I heard someone call. My heart dropped into my stomach... Eragon. "May I come in?" he asked. Slowly, I stood up off my bed, staring with wide eyes at the door. What am I going to say? What is he going to say?

"Of course," I called softly. The guard outside the door unlocked it and let Eragon in. The soldier flashed a glance at me, eyes narrowed in scrutiny. Eragon assured him I wasn't a threat, and he finally conceded to close the door. With the hollow slamming of the door came an eerie silence within my prison. I looked down at my feet awkwardly, folding my hands in front of me. I was too ashamed to look Eragon in the eye. Finally, he spoke first.

"Tabatha," he began slowly, "is it true what Ajihad says? You didn't deny it yesterday... I have to know." I kept my eyes averted, but I nodded my head slightly.

"Yes," I whispered. "Galbatorix is my father." There was a long silence on his part after that. But what more could I say? I heard a bit of shuffling on the other side of the wall, and I knew that Murtagh was listening. What a lousy little snoop he is...

"Why?" he finally said, his voice choking up a bit, and I knew he was trying to restrain tears. "Why didn't you tell me?" I finally found the courage to look at him, balking at the look of desolation on his face.

"How could I, Eragon? After what happened last night, how could I even think of telling you that your sworn enemy is my father?" I was trying to hold back my anger and frustration. "Your reaction would have been pyroclastic. Nothing I could have said would have made you believe that I meant you no ill will."

"You don't know that!" he protested.

"Can you say with certainty that you would have believed me?" I countered. He clamped his mouth shut, unable to reply to that; only confirming what I already knew to be true. "That's what I thought."

"Still, you should have been honest with me," he mumbled. "I can't say how I would have reacted, but I wish you would have just told me the truth." He paused here for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Is Ajihad also correct when he says you and Murtagh are spying for the Empire?" I felt my face growing hot with anger as I glared at him.

"How could you say such a thing?" I seethed, coming closer to him. "I only found out he was my father a few months ago when Brom told me! You are my best friend Eragon! I would never do that to anyone, let alone you! It wasn't my decision who my father was. He tricked my mother into believing he was someone else, and when she finally found out she tried to run away!" I knew it was probably wrong for me to be angry with him right now, but I couldn't help it. How could he really think that? Eragon huffed and looked away from me.

"I'm sorry, Tabatha... It's just..." He paused, looking back up at me with sad, brown eyes. "I'm still trying to absorb all of this... How can he be your father? He's never married, so far as I or anyone else knew."

"My mother was deceived by him, but he also deceived everyone else. She only found out what he truly was after I was born. She feared for my safety-and rightly so-then she gave me to Brom for safekeeping. He took me to my aunt and uncle's. Eragon, he killed my mother..."

"Are they really your aunt and uncle then?" Eragon asked, a hint of skepticism in his voice.

"Yes," I replied. "Horst was my mother's brother. I am sorry I lied to you, Eragon, truly. But I had to... For my safety, and for yours. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" My tone had become pleading. This was my last chance. I needed him to forgive me, even if I was too proud to admit it. I didn't want to lose his friendship. After a moment, he looked into my eyes and began to move closer. What is he doing?