Dunei - A Murtagh Love Story - Eldest Fan Fiction

Chapter 03

When they stopped to rest for the night they were almost out of the Beor Mountains, the Hadarac Desert would have been visible if not for the darkness. The Kull carrying the two humans dropped their cargo heavily onto the ground before making their way to the centre of the camp.

Lorena tried to lift herself but found that the enchantment controlling her muscles was still in place. A hand grabbed her arm and rolled her onto her back, Lorena looked up to see a Twin above her. Something hard and cold pressed against her lips and Lorena's heart caught in her throat. She tried to thrash against her invisible bonds panicked as to what he may be doing to her. A liquid trickled into her mouth, it had been in the skin too long but it was undeniably water. Lorena welcomed the liquid, wishing for more.

Almost immediately after the flow began it finished and Lorena prayed that she wouldn't choke. "I am curious to see what King Galbatorix plans on doing with these two." The Twin peered down as he handed the water skin to his brother.

"I would make them both slaves. Put them hard at work with the filthiest jobs imaginable, and when I was bored I'd use them to extract all kinds of pleasure."

The Twin above Lorena leaned down, his face only centimeters from her own. "Have you ever seen a flayed man before?" he grinned horribly, "I have seen a man flayed alive, I have always wanted to try it."

From the corner of her eye Lorena saw the second Twin lift a long dagger. "I wonder how long a man can live without his skin," the rhythm of Murtaghs' breathing changed slightly, "I wonder if we could twist magic to allow a man to live without his skin." The Twin passed his brother the dagger and Lorena could see a red liquid dripping from the tip of the blade.

"Maybe our King will let us try it," he whispered as he pushed the blade into Lorena's flesh. She sucked in her breath as skin broke and the metal scraped her collar bone. Lorena was fighting tears when a shout from the Kull stole the Twins attention. The magicians growled and took their leave. There was arguing between the Twins and Kull but Lorena was unable to make out what it was. Though, she was grateful that they were not visited by the Twins again that night.

* * *

The next morning the pair was woken when the Kull threw them back over their shoulders. They continued into the desert throughout the day, the hot sun searing their exposed flesh. Lorena wondered how they would survive if not for the regular short breaks where the Twins trickled water down their throats.

The group camped the night in the desert, Murtagh and Lorena thrown next to each other to have their body temperatures keep the other warm. A hand shaking her arm woke Lorena the next morning.

"Get up," the Twin ordered. Lorena stared at him nonsensically, causing him to shout "Get up!"

She found that her limbs, while heavy and clumsy where again under her control. After several attempts Lorena managed to push herself off the ground. The Twin pushed something into her hand, she looked down and discovered the heel to a loaf of bread. It took all her energy to chew. Looking to her left she saw Murtagh finish off his own scarce meal. Lorena pulled at the bread until it broke in two and handed Murtagh a piece. Murtagh nodded in appreciation before the Twins returned. When handed a water skin, they both drank greedily, dehydrated from their time in the desert.

When finished the Twins again placed a hand on their captives brow and ensorcelled the pair. The band travelled throughout the day and by dusk the grainy sand had transformed into hard packed dirt. That night as they made camp from the corner of her eye Lorena spotted lights in the distances, she watched in silence as they grew bigger and eventually a Kull shouted and pointed. The Twins stood on the edge of camp and greeted a group of horsed men. They wore red tunics with gold thread embroidered in the outline of a jagged flame, indicating their alliance in the Kings army.