Chapter 32: The Beginning of the End

I of all people should have known that happiness could easily come to pass.

It has only been a fortnight since we learned that I am with child and yet here I am, feeling all the joy sucked out at me as I receive the summons from my father just as I've finished my dinner.

I feel my palms sweating as I make my way to his study, my stomach roiling at the thought of what he might be needing from me. I hope it has nothing to do with the child I'm bearing.

I'm still a short distance away from the study when I suddenly hear voices.

"I care not if he was my friend and peer, Master, I want to join the hunt," Brom was saying in a heated tone.

"It would be better if you let the senior Riders do it." There's my father, as passive as always. "You may have finished your training but you still have much to learn."

There was a long pause, followed by the sound of Brom clearing his throat. "But would I not learn better if you let me get out there and do what a Rider is supposed to do?"

I throw the door open, disrurpting their talk. They both look up at me - my father from his desk, Brom from a chair across the room. The human stood up, mouth half-open in greeting. I hold out my hand, motioning for him to return to his seat before turning to my father. "What's happening?"

"We've received news from Ilirea," he says grimly. "It's Galbatorix."

I feel myself turn cold. My hands quickly fly to my quickening belly, suddenly fearing for my sweet, unborn child. "What did he do now?"

"He has gained an accomplice, or so we have heard from the scant number of accounts." My father looks so much older as his silver gaze pauses at Brom's face.

Brom's mouth twitched. "He has Morzan with him now and - and he also murdered an apprentice - Sidrain, an elf."

"Is there a reason as to why he would murder an apprentice again?" I feel myself turn cold - not just for another senseless loss of life, but also because of Morzan.

It's hard to believe that he would betray us for a madman, I muse.

I feel Brand stir in my head. There are many things that are hard to believe in this world, Ash. I could feel him echoing my sorrowful disappointment and I bask in our shared emotions.

I love my dragon. I could not even imagine parting with him and losing our connection.

"They... stole Sidrain's dragon, Shruikan. It's something unheard of." Despite his composure, I know my father enough to see the dark flickers of unrest in his eyes.

And why would they steal a dragon that has been bonded to a Rider already? Brand muses, sounding just the slightest bit confused as he let his thoughts be known to everyone in the room. He could not bend it to his will even if he truly is still desperate for one.

We know that. Oromis sighed - it was barely audible, but it was there. How are we to know a madman's motives? How are we even to know what he promised Morzan?

"Someone once said that Galbatorix now knows of dark arts," Brom offers quietly. "Maybe he... he tempted Morzan with it. Morzan used to tell me that our tutelage felt inadequate to him."

Oromis nods. "The temptation of power is all too possible." He pauses, surveying the two of us in his usual placid silence.

"We can't tell anyone about this, right?" I finally ask.

"That's true. I believe you may tell your husband, but absolutely no one else - and especially not Eoran." My father's words send a jolt running down my spine.

Eoran... he will take this news badly. I shudder.

Then we shall not tell him, like your father already ordered us. Brand sends a tendril of comforting warmth through our bond.

"What will you have us do?" I wrap my arms around myself, wondering what this could mean for the future.

Oromis smiles. "Forgive me, my daughter, I know you are pregnant but I want you and Brom to visit Ilirea. They have been asking for us to send over someone to help with the investigations."

"And you're sending the Master Lorekeeper and a new Rider?" I shake my head and laugh just a little. The reckless, adventurous part of me is clashing with the sudden protectiveness I've been feeling since I learned that I am with child. "Very well, Father. We won't disappoint."

We leave the next day.

It's a hot morning. The sun is blazing above our heads as I talk to my husband one last time before leaving.

"I'll make sure none of your Wisdoms misbehaves," he chirps as he wraps his arms around me as tightly as he could.

I reach forward and kiss him, savoring the warm touch. "And I'll make sure that the child I'm carrying will be safe."

"I know you will," he said, pride in his voice. "Why would I doubt you?"

That elicits a smile from me. "Stop flattering me."

He plants a kiss on my lips. "I've never flattered you, I only say the truth."

I stick my tongue out as I untangle myself from his embrace. "I must go." I give his hand one last squeeze which he returns.

"I will be waiting day and night until I can see you again," he promises me.

I smile and mount Brand. Well then, my dear dragon, are you ready?

As I should be! He spreads his wings and takes to the air, where we join Brom and Saphira.

Are you sure that you're both ready for this? I ask.

Brom nods, determination on his face. I still can't believe that he betrayed us. Morzan was like a brother to me!

I'm not sure if he meant to do it but I feel the excruciating pain of betrayal that he felt. I'm sorry, Brom.

Morzan is the one who should be sorry, Saphira interjects, her thoughts a low growl in her head. He and Galbatorix both.

And what about his dragon, Alfara? I ask.

Saphira paused, her icy blue gaze sweeping over me briefly as we began to head south and east. I find it hard to believe that a dragon would consent to this but if she did, then she will have to pay, too.

I nod in approval. Spoken like a true dragon.

She all but glows with pride, though she tried her best not to let me sense it.

Ilirea is much, much hotter than Doru Araeba, the summer sun beating down upon every living thing with unabashed cruelty. The dragons love heat, of course, as beings of of fire, but I must admit that I'm starting to feel uncomfortable.

This is odd. You've never minded the heat that much before, Brand notes in mild amusement.

I sigh and rub my arms in discomfort. I know. This must be because of my pregnancy. I've heard stories of what it is like when someone is with child.

Ash-elda, is something wrong? Brom asks as we land right at the outskirts of both the city and the Rider outpost.

I shake my head, smiling. I'm sure you've heard that I'm pregnant. I'm simply feeling a minor discomfort from it, nothing to worry about.

He nods grimly and dismounts. Good to hear. Tell me if you feel anything odd, please.

I will, thank you. I turn to Brand as I also dismount, grinning. The child has grown, has he not?

He has. And so have you. Brand nuzzles me before soaring off to hunt with Saphira, leaving me and Brom by ourselves.

I glance at my companion. "Are you ready?"

He steels himself, clenching his fists before resting a hand on the pommel of his blade, Undbitr. There is a grim look on his face when he turns to me, the fire of rage burning in the depths of his dark eyes. "I have to be."

The confusion and distress among the other Riders is evident the moment we step into the outpost. Everyone could not believe the extent of Galbatorix's madness, his new abilities, and the way he was able to sway Morzan - and Alfara - to bend to his whims.

We arrive just after Sidrain's funeral, so the mood is still quite somber as we sit down with the witnesses and hear them all out.

By the end of the next three hours though, we are still in the dark. All everyone knows is that Morzan somehow got in contact with Galbatorix and left a gate open after his patrols, and that he snuck the former Rider into the apprentice quarters.

I am about to give up and call it a day when the last person we are tasked to talk to holds out his hand to stop us. He is the most senior Rider in the outpost, a human named Adranor, short of stature but powerfully built, his dark hair streaked with gray and his dark eyes piercing.

"Master Lorekeeper, please do not be alarmed, but there is something else that the other witnesses did not know - after all, they are not yet senior enough to be entrusted with this..." he trails off, eyes flickering to Brom.

"Go on. I trust this lad," I assure him, wondering what this is about.

"They were able to get into our outpost's Eldunari cache. I have no idea how - Morzan is too new to know of this..." he turns away as he trails off, and I can all but sense the shame he felt for the lapse of security.

Brom tugs at my tunic, curiosity alight in his dark eyes. "Forgive me, Ash-elda, but what is an Eldunari?"

I put my hand on his, shaking my head. "It's best if we talk of the Eldunari later, Brom-finiarel. We must finish our task first."

He opens his mouth as if to object, but he backs down and relents to my utmost relief. He turns back to Adranor. "Did they only break in or did they steal anything?"

"Five and thirty Eldunarya," Adranor says glumly, bowing his head. No wonder he feels shamed. I would be feeling the same way. "That's a quarter of what we were allowed to keep here."

Brom turns to me. "That's... not good, is it, Master?" His hand flies to his head. "Saphira is not pleased."

And why would a dragon be pleased to hear of this? The Eldunarya are our most precious, most guarded... Brand trails off, and I briefly see him release a jet of fire in the open air. Knowing Galbatorix, he would be using them for whatever twisted game he's playing.

I try to calm him down despite the outrage I'm also feeling. Anger will lead us nowhere. Control yourself.

"They would have stolen more if the alarm was not raised," Adranor goes on, clearly emboldened by the fact that there is no outburst from either Brom or me. "They got away, but not without a fight."

"But Sidrain was the only casualty, correct?" I ask him.

He nods. "There were injuries, but nothing fatal. I still worry, Master Lorekeeper. A madman like Galbatorix might use these Eldunarya for his whims."

"I know, and with his dark powers, those whims could be devastating." I bow my head, which is still whirling with so much unwelcome thoughts. "Thank you for your time, Rider Sidrain. Is there anything else you wish to tell me before I dismiss you?"

He pauses, as if thinking. "Nothing - but I want you to know that you have our utmost cooperation, no matter what happens."

"As you should. Very well. I know you are very busy after these... recent events. I have much to discuss with Brom-finiarel." I smile and wait for him to leave before turning to my companion. "I know you have a lot of questions."

"Saphira is already telling me about this... Eldunari." He doesn't look too happy. "If it has a dragon's consciousness in it then it means it also has their strength and..."

"Yes, someone can earn the dragon's cooperation and use the energy stored within them - or someone with dark sorcery may try to bend them to his will and force them to cooperate." I shudder at the thought of my own words. The latter seemed like the most probable outcome when it comes to Galbatorix.

Brom stands up, cheeks turning red with rage. "Then we have to do something - look for them, hunt them down..."

"There's only you and I and our dragons. There's Galbatorix and Morzan and Alfara, maybe even Shruikan, and the power of the Eldunarya they have with them," I point out. "We know not where they are, either."

It does nothing to calm Brom. "Then what would you have us do? Sit around and wait?"

"Calm yourself," I snap, pulling him down to his seat. "Think, lad, think! We can't just go around barelling into fights unprepared. This is what almost got me killed before!"

"I'm not you," he growls.

"This is about Morzan, isn't it?" I point out. "You feel... personally betrayed by him."

He looks away but says nothing. It's enough for me.

I put a hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him. "Look, I want to run after them as much as you do, but we must practice caution. We'll go back to report to Father so we can start the search. Does that sound acceptable to you?"

He gazes at me, dark eyes tormented. He bites his lip so hard that he draws blood. "Very well, Ash-elda. I will wait, as you wish."

Arrrgh, this update took too long to write. Been a little sick and really, really busy in my new job. I have to admit that I don't get paid enough for this.

Anyway, we all know what's coming soon. *coughs* The Fall is coming and a pregnant Ash is going to get caught up in it. We'll be seeing more of Brom and Saphira in the next chapters and a glimpse of Morzan.

Read and review, as always!