It's a new chapter!And it's Imontar's perspective, for the first time. Updates should be somewhat regular for the next few weeks, I think. I know, it's so unlike me.
Final word count: 2057 words
The air tasted crisp and fresh, cold-wind-over-land. The sky stretched blue, benevolent and peaceful over the world and the sun, beaming down over Alagaesia, seemed pleased by what she saw. It didn't look like a day for war. Yet, far below Imontar, soldiers and Riders manned the wall of Illirea. Dragons skimmed the horizon in distant flight, searching for signs of the approaching army. Imi should have been luxuriating in the sun, enjoying the unexpected heat of the day but instead she was tense and wary. She felt a strong urge to bite and tear at something, but her prey refused to come within range of her teeth.
The dragon was curled on one of the royal palace's highest turrets, presiding over the city. Below her, Imi could hear even through layers of stone and brick and mortar the agitated yammering of the two-legs. She could feel, even through the distance Ala tried to keep between them, her mind-mate's vexation.
Guess I'm not being as subtle as I thought, Ala commented grumpily.
Not subtle at all, Imi replied, undaunted by her Rider's foul mood. What is it?
The answer came to her in a disjointed series of images: the queen, sick and listless in her bed, her courtiers gathered around her with wide, avaricious grins stretching their faces grotesquely - like carrion birds, Ala thought furiously - and Captain Selkirk, his ruddy face contorted into a parody of a stern, authoritative expression, and the armies, Jasem's armies, marching steadily towards a city that was unready for their coming attack. Underlying all of this was a constant refrain, steady as a heartbeat: Dagny, Arne, the prince, are they alright, they have to be alright, what could have happened -
Calm, Imi soothed. Everything will be fine. Arne and Laine are there to help them.
I know, Ala replied. I just can't keep myself from worrying. If we had any word from them at all - Oh, by all the gods and their mothers, what is this lackwit saying now?!
Ala's attention was drawn back to the meeting she was currently entrenched in, between Maorik, Arne's second-in-command, the three Riders accompanying him, Ala, Aesir and Kieran, and the Captain of the City Guard and the Commander of the Queen's Army.
"- sole guardianship of the city," the squat one was saying, the little fat one. What was his name?
Selkirk, Ala supplied. Moustachioed git. He's so concerned with preserving his own precious authority he won't accept any help from us. I don't think it's occurred to him that there's going to be an actual battle.
"The Riders understand your position, sir," Maorik soothed, nodding as though the guard captain was being completely reasonable. "Be assured, we in no way intend to overstep our bounds -"
"Yet you already have, Rider!" Selkirk squawked. "Commander Artur will support me in this - you will support me, I am sure, Commander Artur -"
"I'm sure I do support you, Captain," Artur agreed in his lazy drawl. "Y'see, Shurrtogall - am I saying that right?"
"No." Ala said sharply. Kieran cast her a sideways look.
Artur focused on her and a slow, flirtatious smile spread across his face. "Well, please enlighten me, m'lady."
Imi could feel waves of dislike emanating from Ala.
Do you want me to eat him?
Very much, her Rider answered seriously.
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Dagny: An Inheritance Cycle Fanfiction.
FanfictionFifty years after the events of Inheritance, Queen Nasuada is dying, and with her, the fragile peace that was established when Galbatorix was defeated. While civil war between conflicting factions of humans seems ever more likely, and Nasuada's only...
