Brothers in Arms

Chapter I

A Desperate Gamble

Disclaimer: I don't own Temeraire or the Inheritance Cycle; If any should appear, I own any and all Original Characters.

It was a desperate bid, infiltrating Galbatorix's citadel in Urû'baen to steal the last dragon egg.
Indeed, if Nasuada hadn't gotten word from several very reliable sources, that said Galbatorix and Shruikan had flown north to try and reclaim Gil'ead, they probably wouldn't have dared.
And better news, it appeared Murtagh and Thorn had been sent to garrison Belatona, leaving the citadel entirely in the hands of palace guards and courtiers who considered the news about the Varden's assault as wild rumour, rather than hard fact.

They're about to get a very rude awakening. Thought Eragon with satisfaction to himself.
He, along with Saphira, Joed, Arya, Angela, Solembum, Noelfavrel, a dwarf of Dûrgrimst Vrenshrggn called Gringlok and his Fanghur mount Ornthrond, were following Joed down a large tunnel that would bring them into the citadel's treasury.
It was risky taking so large a party, but it was necessary, considering how they planned to make their escape.
They'd all volunteered for the task, and their was no doubt in anyone's mind, that this would be a masterstroke, possibly even the killing blow in the war.

Eragon glanced, not for the first time, at Gringlok.
The dwarf had arrived with Ornthrond, scarcely three hours after Glaedr had fallen, and had declared upon behalf of his clan that he was to fight alongside Eragon, at the behest of his clan chief.

They'd made good to their promise as well, decimating an Imperial counter-attack before it had even come into sight of the city, not six hours later.
Eragon shook his head again at the absurd image of the dwarf, standing between Ornthrond's shoulders as he flew, and shooting down soldiers as they fled with his great Feldûnost horn bow.

He was snapped out of his reverie by a nudge from Saphira.
Joed had come to a large archway in the huge tunnel, and was beckoning impatiently.
This tunnel wasn't the same one Hefring had used twenty years before.

It was a different one, that Joed had only just discovered a few days previously in his scrolls and books.
A motion from Eragon, and everyone held their weapons in a readier grip.
They were about to enter the citadel proper.

They ascended the stairs within the arch in good time, Saphira and Ornthrond not even taking up all that much room in the huge passage.
Imagine what this place would've been like while the riders were at the height of their reign. Commented Saphira in a tone that surprised Eragon.
It was an awed tone.
And we shall see it returned to how it was should we succeed. Vowed Eragon with conviction.

They walked in silence a while longer, still nowhere near anywhere where guards might be patrolling, and it was sometime past midnight, so what guards there were, were probably dozing at their posts; which was a good thing, considering Saphira's and Ornthrond's claws clicked against the floor with every step they took.
Minutes crawled by excruciatingly slowly, each moment, they were all expecting a battalion of palace guards to surround them, backed up by Galbatorix's pet magicians, as well as the black king and his dragon.

But their fears were in vain, they came to the treasury undetected, and a muttered 'Deyja,' by Arya and Eragon slew the guards instantly.
After that, it was a simple matter for Saphira and Ornthrond to pry open the treasury doors.

Contraire to what they'd been expecting, the treasury was practically empty:
In the exact centre, standing on a small plinth was the last dragon egg, a foot in diameter, and the rich green of moss growing on the banks of a forest stream.
Around the edges of the treasury were ranged irregularly sized gems of varying iridescent colours.
The Eldunarya of dragons, stolen during the Fall.
Hands tightened on weapons, and mental barriers went up, as the group cautiously entered the treasury.

When they were all halfway between the egg and the doorway, a hidden portcullis thundered into the floor, trapping them.
That had been expected, it was what had fouled the original attempt at theft nearly twenty years ago, and Hefring had only been strong enough to transport Saphira's egg clear before he'd been captured and killed.
Still, the portcullis set off a thunderous boom that echoed through the deserted halls and corridors.

They quickened their pace, and reached the plinth as in the distance shouts of confusion could be heard.
Now they were on a time-clock.
Eragon quickly snatched the egg, and leapt onto Saphira's back-

-Just in time to avoid being shot in the back with a crossbow bolt.

At Ornthrond's surprised squeal of pain, Eragon jerked around, avoiding a second crossbow bolt by a fluke.
Turning back again the other way upon seeing the bolt lodged in Ornthrond's shoulder,-and subsequently dodging a pair of arrows meant for him,- Eragon was just in time to catch a fifth arrow meant for him, and see Murtagh, Thorn, and five soldiers clad in burnished steel plate armour, with cloaks of rich red.

'Enough!' Ordered Murtagh sharply, and the five red-cloaked soldiers finished reloading and stood ready, still as statues.
A crooked grin broke out on Murtagh's face.
'So, you took the king's bait Eragon, commented Murtagh calmly, as he and Thorn advanced into the room, while Gringlok yanked the crossbow bolt from the now pissed-off Ornthrond's shoulder.

In the background, the red-cloaked soldiers fanned out.

'I didn't expect you to bring company though.' Continued Murtagh, at Eragon's silence.
'But I'm sure that Thorn, my Vermillion Guard and I can put paid to your followers, and capture you without too much trouble.' Assured Murtagh, as Gringlok stepped forwards a pace with the crossbow bolt in one hand, a two bladed dwarven axe in the other.

He was quickly joined by Angela, and Arya, both women with their respective weapons at the ready.
'Arh ya blackguard, now yea 'll pay for the slaying of Hrothgar, at the blade of my axe!' Promised Gringlok savagely.

Eragon, go, we'll keep Murtagh busy, just get out of here. Ordered Arya sternly.
Eragon drew Brisingr and jumped down from Saphira's saddle.
'No, we end this now.' Said Eragon, passing the egg to Joed, who along with Noelfavrel and Solembum quickly moved and mounted Ornthrond, who was hissing threateningly at Thorn.

Nobody moved, as in the distance the sounds of running feet echoed.

Without warning, the Eldunarya around the room began to glow.
A low humming began to build, and everyone glanced around uneasily, unsure of what was happening.

'Oh hellfire, get out of here!' Shouted Murtagh urgently, and instantly, his Vermillion guard threw themselves clear of the treasury as a blinding flash, and a colossal sonic boom went off in the treasury.
When the dust cleared, eyes readjusted to the light, and heads stopped ringing from the sonic fallout, and one of the Vermillion Guards looked back to see what had come of his master, he saw that the intruders, Murtagh and the last dragon egg in Alagaësia…

…Had vanished into thin air.