The Truth About Lies (An Inheritance Cycle Fanfiction)

Nothing To Forgive

"Eragon..." I stopped, unsure if it was my place to tell him. "Eragon and Saphira have decided to take the eggs, and all the Eldunarí... They are leaving Alagaёsia."

"What?" He seemed shocked at what I had told him. "Where will they go? And why?"

"He believes it is the only solution to the problem of reestablishing the Riders," I explained. "Any place in Alagaёsia will be too close to civilization. Wild dragons are known to be fond of livestock, and he fears they will create problems for Nasuada's reign. Besides, the Riders should not favor any one race over the other, and he worries that if the dragons are raised nearer to one group of people, it could sow conflict. It is not ideal, but he is right in that it is the only way. They are going east, to the uncharted lands beyond the Hadarac Desert."

"You speak as if you are not going with them." Once again, his skills of perception astounded me.

"Well," I said hesitantly, "that depends on you and Thorn." Drawing in a deep breath, I prepared myself to tell him what Amera and I had decided. "If you two decide to come back to Alagaёsia, then we will journey with Eragon, and I would ask you to come with us and help to train the next generation of Riders. If, however, you have decided to stay in the wilderness, then we will stay in Ilirea."

"I do not understand," he said, and I could see the confusion in his eyes. "Why would you stay in Ilirea when Eragon needs your help? I know you have family here still, but I would argue that Eragon needs you more than they do."

"That is the other thing I need to tell you." He fell silent, eyeing me carefully and waiting for me to continue. "In the aftermath of the battle with my father, the dungeons were emptied of all their prisoners. We found... My mother was amongst them, Murtagh. She is alive. For whatever reason, Galbatorix kept her alive and concealed her existence from everyone."

"That cannot be," he said breathlessly.

"He tortured her in that dungeon for seventeen years," I continued. "When she came out of it, her mind was a mess. An elvish healer has been working with her, and she's gotten better, but there is still a long road before us. I have thought of taking her away from here, far from the painful memories that plague her mind, but I do not know if I can help her on my own. I am not sure if taking her away will do more harm than good."

"It sounds as if you already have your answer," he said quietly, reaching across the table and taking my hand up in his.

"Then you have decided not to return," I whispered, feeling the tears come to my eyes. He pressed his mouth into a thin line, but his silence only confirmed my suspicions.

"Half a year is not enough time, Tabatha," he said, tightening his grip on my hand. "This time alone has been good for us. Under Galbatorix's crushing grip we could not bond as a Rider and dragon ought to. But now, we have been given that opportunity. All we need is more time."

I had fallen quiet, but my mind was racing. I'd had the feeling in the weeks leading up to this moment that I already knew what he would decide. I just hadn't allowed my heart to admit it. "How long?" I asked, my voice sounding small and defeated.

"I do not know." The tears escaped from my eyes, and I found I could not look at him for fear of more coming. His hand left mine and reached up to wipe the tears from my cheek. "I am sorry, Tabatha"

"I understand," I replied, even though my heart was breaking. "I told you that I would not fight you on this... and I shall not. My heart is breaking, but I must let you go." There was nothing more he could say, and he knew it.

"Let us talk no more of this, only enjoy the time we have with one another." I wished in this moment that I could read his thoughts, to know what he was feeling and thinking. But my powers did not reach that far, and I could only guess, and hope, that he was hurting as much as I was. If he was not... I did not want to think about that. We finished our meal as he told me of the wonders he had seen in the north, with only very few people. But none of it held my interest. I put on a smile for him, no matter how forced it felt.