Book 1: Chapter 13-Rejected Prophecy

#13: Rejected Prophecy

Eragon

Throne Room

"We brought to you this witch whom people had been listening to lately. Now, the whole Kingdom believes that the Queen is carrying a life", Aystar pushed the witch in front of Volde. The King raised his chin to intimidate the witch. "Give me a name. You wouldn't like being called a witch. I suppose", Volde crossed his legs. "My name is Hyria", she stayed kneeling on the floor the peek at the King. "Tell me, Hyria. What were you telling my people on the streets?", Volde hummed. "Your wife, The Queen is carrying a life inside her which seems to be true. I cannot see her presence. It is either you brought her to some safe place or you killed her before she can even bore someone who will replace you", Hyria spoke fearlessly. Volde laughed hysterically. "Burn this witch at the town circle that people will see what happens to those who bring false announcements", Volde stood up. "Your Grace, before you burn me, would you just allow me to sing a song for you", Hyria stood up. "Will it be considered as a chant?", Volde looked at Varick who seemed puzzled by the presence of the witch. "Make sure you don't mess up", Volde sighed and just stood on the platform evading the stares of the witch.

"The emerald gem passed through the fire but it wouldn't melt. It was pounded by thousands of hammers but it wouldn't bend. Thy small crow with little feathers flew high up in the sky and with the breath of dragon fire, it wouldn't die".

Hyria continued with the song. Varick's eyes widened seeing a pattern of prophecy in her song. She stopped and Volde couldn't explain the fear he felt hearing the song. "Your Grace, allow me to accompany her to the cell", Varick requested.

Cell

"How many people have heard you prophesying about it?", Varick stood and talked to Hyria who was behind the bars. "The King must've misunderstood. If you will let me live, I could do the honor of explaining it further", Hyria chuckled. "You are a witch. Eragon suffered a good loss because of what his predecessors had told him and the rest of his people. That song had been passed through decades", Varick sighed. "May you still be alive to see the prophecy unfold before your eyes", the witch gave a sly smile. "When the east settles on the west and the north is drowned in the sea and the south stops to rain, the center will rise once again to restore what was lost and to throw what was found. Live to serve the one true King. If you kill that young man, fate will start to run its course. ", Hyria held unto the bars. Varick was horrified by the thought of killing Volde. A sword was thrown straight at Hyria's neck. Blood splashed on Varick's face and neck. "Goodness gracious. So, you were here discussing the death of the King. I cannot overlook a rebellion", Aystar went down the stairs. "You killed her even before the trial started", Varick pressed his lips together. "A snake should be killed before it gets bigger", Aystar sighed and pulled out his sword.

"You should really kill a snake before it gets bigger", the two bewildered men looked inside the cell and saw Hyria fixing her head to its usual position. Aystar was about to use his sword once more but Volde entered the cell. "Haven't I made my words clear? She is to be burnt", Volde furrowed his brow. "The town circle is holding a procession as a commemoration of the founding of the Kingdom of Eragon", Varick informed. "You are free to go", Volde opened the cell. "Your Grace, what are you doing?", Aystar held onto his shoulder. "This is my way of disrespecting that name. I shall save a witch's life as gratitude for their tenacity. Do you still have a question about that, Lord Raven?", Volde asked. "I owe you my life, Your Grace", Hyria bowed. "You will return a favor when the time comes", Volde said without looking at her.

Aystar's Room

He opened the door and saw Aya drinking wine on the bed. "You have the audacity to drink here and enjoy life", Aystar sighed. "What else can I do? I was stripped of my power since that royal adviser came", Aya shrugged. "You are up to something, aren't you?", Aystar knows his wife. Aya would be so calm before a great storm. "Your son is expecting a baby", Aya confirmed. "That was just a false alarm by that witch", Aystar also poured wine into his cup. "Why do you think she's not here with us?", Aya hummed. "And how are you going to prove it? What does that brat having a child has to do with having him listen more to us?", Aystar gritted his teeth.

Aya stood up and circled around the grunting man. "Why don't we get rid of the bigger crow and wait for the replacement? The witch already gave assurance to the town's people about the baby's prophecy. There will be no doubt that the dynasty we are creating will come to pass", Aya said with a disinterested voice. "Whose voice is listening to these past days? How are we going to do that? Bithen soldiers are also here. We have no idea where that woman is", Aystar sound frustrated. "Do you think I made some arrangements with Andor for no reason? Fortunately, the Kralj has an unusual obsession with emeralds which we coincidentally have much of them", Aya smirked. "Are you prepared to say your farewell to your son?", the Hand of the King confirmed to the King's mother about the decision. "I will laugh if you say that you have a soft spot for that brat?", Aya's eyes sharpened.

Royal Garden

Varick carried the books he finished writing to the citadel for them to create more copies. He heard someone playing the harp. His feet were leading him to the source of the calming music. He met the King along the way. "Did you call for some musician inside the Palace?", Volde asked. "That, I am not aware of", Varick shook his head. Volde continued walking until he left the garden.

Throne Room

Volde entered and saw the unfamiliar people. His mother and the Hand of the King serve them well bringing the best wines and finest linen for the table clothe. "Who are these people?", Volde sat on the throne. He studied them and saw a scepter in one man's hand. It was the scepter of the moon. "Are you his interpreter?", Volde looked at the noble-looking man with decent features besides the one who is sitting. "The Kralj knows how to speak the common tongue", Keane bowed his head. "We pay a visit to you, Your Grace, to give gratitude to your Mother who gave an outstanding gift", Zakili was referring to bringing a mother to the Children of the Lost in Andor. "What kind of gift might it be?", Volde was curious. "I gave him a woman to marry and emeralds for their weapons", Aya answered as she gives a bow of the head to Zakili.

Volde furrowed his brow. He heard of the political hostage but never heard of the emerald being bought by Andor. "The Kralj would like to offer a feast for you and the Queen, Your Grace", Aya informed. Volde clenched his fist and knew that Aya is planning something. "The Queen is praying for the war that is about to come. How can she feast when his people are about to go into a war?", Volde raised his chin. "It would be an offense for the Kralj to reject his offer", Aystar bowed. Volde mentally cursed Varick for not being there when he needed him the most. He even made a perfect reason for the absence of his wife.

Royal Garden

"Good music is always the best way to lure a faint heart", the lady spoke when Varick was standing in front of her. "How-", Varick gulped and dropped the scrolls he is holding. "You have become aged, my father. Is the King treating you well?", Zefania placed the harp on the grass and stood up. She was no longer the small child Varick carried in his arms. "Don't come near me, Kraljica. I don't deserve such endearment", Varick covered his face and tears welled in his eyes. Ignoring the man's politeness, she shook her head and ran towards Varick. She gave him a tight hug. "I am a father who wasn't able to protect her daughter from becoming a slave", Varick finally broke into tears. "What nonsense are you saying, Father? I wasn't a slave in Andor. Didn't you hear me? I was the Kraljica, their Queen", Zefania chuckled and also wept with him. Varick knew that it was even worse.

The two made the distance to each other. Zefania led Varick's hand to hold unto her stomach. "And soon, I will become a mother", Zefania had a sweet innocent smile on her face. Varick was mistaken. Zefania is still the child he carried in his arms. "Tell me more of your stories", Varick led the young lady to visit Wise Cressen.

North Eire

Town of Hinter

"There's no one here. We've been walking for miles and we haven't seen a single person", Audric complained looking at a deserted plain covered with snow. He saw some flags with a raven's sigil. "It's been a long journey, Declan. Maybe we should take a break", Noldorin dropped the bag he was carrying. "Stay here and the wolves will eat you", Declan continued walking. "Audric is right. We haven't seen even a single person. Did they abandon this place?", Noldorin looked around. "Those scavengers came here and attacked unarmed citizens. This was the former owner of a powerful house. They were direct descent of the Eire's second brother. When the last direct male descent died, it is a known decree to make the son of this house the next King of the North. The Queen made a pact with the Ravens and ordered all his people to hunt down every single one of them. The one who led the hunt was the father of the King of Eragon, Lord Aysar Raven. ", Declan narrated. "That was-", Audric gritted his teeth. "Did they all die?", Noldorin looked at Declan's eyes. "Some ghosts remained to have their revenge. People believe it so and reported that they were haunted after leaving this town for only a few days. That's why they abandoned it", Declan answered.

They heard someone coughing a few meters from them. "Stay here", Declan ordered Audric. Noldorin entered one house and saw an old man leaning on the walls. His skin is already pale and his clothes are covered in ice. He must've stayed long and coldness crept into him. "Let's go, pretty one", Declan pulled Noldorin's hood. "We have to bring him with us. He's dying in cold", Noldorin tried to remove Declan's grip. The huge man looked at the coughing old man. Noldorin thought he was going to carry him. Declan pulled a dagger from his pocket then threw it on the old man's heart. Noldorin was frozen watching the old man gasp for air then suddenly freeze on his spot. "Why did you do that?", Noldorin raised his voice. "You're the captain of Haven and yet the death of one stranger, someone not belonging to your kind, brings out that expression from you. If you desire to let someone sit on any throne, your hands will be sullied with blood; may it be your enemies or even your comrades. That is a better death than being eaten by the ice. He can no longer be saved. That is my conviction and if you say I am wrong, there's nothing you can do to bring his life back", Declan looked at Noldorin. "Let's go back before Audric also gets bitten by this unforgiving weather", he passed through Noldorin and held on to his shoulder. The Riverdellian lad who grew up in gentleness and calmness clenched his fist and went closer to the corpse to remove the dagger from his chest. "May your soul flow like a river", Noldorin said in a soft voice.

He went outside and raised his head. He saw some bandits holding Audric as their hostage. "I thought no one ever came into this place ever since", Declan prepared his large ax. Around ten bandits were gathered around them. "Heh~ Who do we have here? A golden-haired man, ginger, and also a child. They will be a good supper for our Master", one of them licked their tongue.

Bithen

Camp Cell

The cell was created with a bunch of bamboo trunks. Gilbert's hands are tied. His feet are chanted in a huge post. He heard some footsteps. He opened his eyes and saw Geryon with disappointed eyes. "You can kill me now", Gilbert shot a glare. Geryon placed the lamp on the post to brighten the dark place allowing him to have a glimpse of the man's emerald eyes. "Why did you do that?", the huge man sat in front of the prisoner. "I refuse to join the battle. I am a prisoner of Oneison and that will never change. I was brought there to protect someone. That amulet is mine, I sold my life to the Captain and he named me as his son", Gilbert looked at Geryon with pair of determined eyes. "The elders had been discussing how they are going to dispose of you", Geryon sighed and looked intently into the man's eyes. A few days before, the soldiers saw an amulet of Oneison in Gilbert's room which he shares with Nymeria to keep her safe from the soldiers. Geryon was convinced that it was Nymeria's. He knew about Gilbert since he was a child. He knows whose bastard he was. "It was that girl, am I right? She is the second child of the Captain?", Geryon opened. "She has nothing to do with this. Just kill me now", Gilbert raised his voice.

Geryon stood up and pulled the man's collar. "You cannot go asking for people to kill you, voluntarily", the king's guard clenched his fist ready to punch him. He waited for a response from Gilbert but it was plain acceptance of what will happen next. Geryon lets go of him by throwing him to the ground. "I grew up in the North. When I was a child, my father would push me outside the cold winter night. You wouldn't believe that a huge guy like me had a lot of fears growing up. I feared the dark, the heights, the spiders, and even blood. My father exposed me to all of those for a whole decade. I never did outgrow it. But one night, the nobles attacked us and I overcame all of it. My father died in front of me with a lot of blood coming out from him. My mother was pushed into the highest wall of our city. I was forced to be locked in a dark room for days and nights. There are tons of spiders crawling on the body", Geryon narrated. "All because we carry the blood of who could have been the next King", Geryon added and gritted his teeth.

All because we carry the blood of who could have been the next King.

"Were you that scared that the first life you took was of a little young girl?", Geryon reminded of the incident. "How did-'', Gilbert caught someone in the corner of his eyes. "They said that I should tell everything about you to save you", Nymeria entered. "Oneison didn't follow the oath they made. They promised to take care of you like one of them. This woman will suffer the consequence of that broken oath", the giant was about to leave. "I am begging you. Please, I will fight in this battle. Just don't do anything to her", Gilbert had tears welling in his eyes. "What is this woman to you that you are willing to risk your life for? What is she to you that you are willing to stain your hands with human blood?", Geryon wrapped his huge hands on Nymeria's neck. The question made Gilbert give Nymeria a long stare. "It doesn't matter what she is to me. The innocent should be exempted from a condemning and unjust death", the young man broke the chains by himself.

Chapter end