The Truth About Lies (An Inheritance Cycle Fanfiction)

Choosing Sides

Tabatha's POV

Why is this happening? Why, when I think I know just what I believe, are all of my resolutions shattered? I'd been of the firm belief that Murtagh betrayed me for the past three months; but then why would he have told me about the servants and the tunnels? Was he trying to trick me so I'll be caught by my father? But then... there was such sadness in his eyes. It was like he'd known what I just did with Evander, and the thought broke his heart, but he still tried to help me. Never have I been so confused before.

I was back in my room, pacing across the wide floor irritably while all of these thoughts and more coursed through my mind. As I was buried deep in my own thoughts, a knock came at the door. "Come in," I called irritably, thinking it was Evander. But when the door creaked open, I saw that it was in fact Galion. My heart skipped a few beats as I wondered why in the world he would be here.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness," he said, bowing slightly. "I hope you are feeling well?" He must have noticed what a heightened state of emotion I was in.

"I'm fine, thank you," I replied briskly. He was about the last person I wanted to see right now besides my father and brother.

"Excellent," he said cheerfully. "If you'd be so kind as to follow me, your father has requested that you join him in the vaults."

"So he can force me to touch an egg that will never hatch for me?" My voice was full of poison, but the strange pale man didn't seem affected. He just continued smiling on, like nothing in the world was wrong, and turned to wait for me to join him. With an agitated sigh, I followed him out into the hall and down the tower, into the belly of the castle. The walls were damp with moisture and the air seemed heavy, making it difficult to breathe. The ten guards that stood in front of the door to the huge vault parted at our arrival, and I felt my heart beating quicker. Here we go...

***

My father stood in the vault with his back to the door, staring intently at the green dragon egg. Whatever thoughts were coursing through his mind, I could guess that he was frustrated. Deep in a shadowy curve of the circular room, Murtagh stood leaning against the stone wall, looking up at me from under a curtain of hair that had fallen in his face. There was a look on his face that made me think he was in some kind of pain. But I couldn't imagine what that pain was.

"Thank you for joining us, Tabatha," the king said darkly.

I scoffed slightly at the absurdity of his words. "It's not as though I really had a choice, is it?" But he said nothing in response; only continued to stare blankly at the egg where it sat shining upon its pedestal. I stood there awkwardly for a moment, looking between the two men before me, and then finally decided to go up to the pedestal. The green egg sat unmoving and unblemished, just as it had the day that I'd first seen it. Hesitantly, I reached out a hand and stroked its smooth service and then spread out my consciousness to see if I could sense the baby dragon inside. Galbatorix didn't seem like he knew what I was doing; if he did, he gave no indication of it upon his face. The mind inside the egg seemed small, and it didn't respond when I probed at it. He must have been in hiding; not that I blamed him, after being in the presence of the king for so long.

'Don't come out yet, little one,' I said softly, sending his mind comforting and soothing thoughts. 'It isn't safe. There are evil men here who would enslave you. Be patient; your Rider will come soon.' The baby made no response, not that I was expecting it to, so I withdrew my mind back into myself and placed my arm back at my side.

"The dragon will not hatch for me," I said firmly, turning back to my father. "You have failed." His lip curled involuntarily, and I saw that my words had affected him.

"It may be that this dragon will not hatch for you, but once Saphira comes to me, there will be more..." he said quietly. "One way or another, you will be a Rider, and you will rule by my side, daughter. You cannot escape your fate." Without saying anything further, he whirled around and stormed out of the vault, his black leathery cloak snapping behind him. When he was gone, Murtagh and I were left alone in the vault. He looked up at me quickly and caught my gaze, but remained silent.

My heart was hammering in my chest, but I knew I had to say something. This may be my only chance to mend whatever relationship we have left. And I knew that's what I wanted to do now, for certain. "I'm sorry," I finally breathed.

"Wait," he barked quietly, holding two fingers to his temple. "He is not gone yet. We must wait until his attentions are directed elsewhere." It seemed like a lifetime passed in the few minutes of silence that followed. My heartbeat slammed hollowly in my ears, filling up my head. Finally, Murtagh pushed off the wall and came over to me. "He's talking with your brother," he whispered, "we have a few minutes."

"You said you wanted to explain things to me," I began cautiously. "So speak."

He sighed and hung his head. "Where to begin?" I watched him closely as he searched for the words, but remained silent. "That day, in Farthen Dur," he said, causing my heart to leap at the memory, "when I left. I wanted to speak to you upon my return. I wanted to tell you that it was real for me, all of it. I lied to you because I was afraid of myself, of what I would do and how it would look to others. But then I realized that I didn't care. All I wanted was you, Tabby."

"Then why did you leave?" I demanded, feeling the tears pricking at my eyes and willing them to go away.

"I had to," he replied. "My aim was to leave, but first I would have to earn the Varden's trust; that was the best way I could think to do it. I was going to beg you to come with me. I don't know how I would have convinced you, but I wasn't going to give up. And then... well, things didn't turn out the way I planned. The Twins captured me and put me under a spell, the same one your brother used on you at the Burning Plains, and they brought me back here. Your father was furious with me for running away, and he was in here when we first arrived. It was a cruel twist of fate, and an accident really, that I even touched Thorn's egg, and he hatched for me a week later. Your father put me under extreme torture, day and night. We were chained in the dungeons, and every day he would have some new twisted way of getting information out of me." My heart began to hurt from imagining what he'd been through. "I could not keep my memories of you away from him... I'm sorry, Tabatha. Eventually, he was able to learn our true names and used his black magic to bind us to his will. We are enslaved, and must do his bidding, at the risk of great pain."

I was crying freely now, and he reached up a hand to wipe the tears from my cheeks. "I'm so sorry..." I whispered, leaning my face into his hand. "I do not know why the gods have dealt us this hand. What are we going to do?"

"I'm going to help you find a way out of here," he said quickly, his voice full of determination. "However I can. Galbatorix is planning to leave here in a few weeks time, to visit one of his magistrates that's been stealing from the treasury. That will be our one and only chance to get you out. After that, I've been instructed to leave as well. He's left me in charge during his absence, so I'll find some way to distract your brother."

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, shaking my head slightly.

"Because no matter the pain we have caused one another-" He paused here, no doubt thinking about Evander and me- "I still love you, Tabby. I have from the moment I saw you. Now you must go. Your father will be searching for me soon." Now that I had finally listened to him, I didn't want to go. But I knew he was right.

Without saying a word, I put a hand to his cheek and lifted myself up on tiptoes to plant a quick kiss on his lips, feeling the butterflies in my stomach as our lips met. "Thank you," I whispered. Then I turned and nearly ran out of the vault, feeling my heart tearing in two. I felt a sour swirling in my stomach, a result of the mixed feelings and thoughts that I knew could not coexist together in one place for too long. Eventually, I would have to choose, and that was something I didn't think I was prepared to do.

***

Note: I've adjusted the timeline a bit, but just know that at this point it is nearing the end of Brisingr.