Fortified Minds, An Inheritance Ff

Chapter Fourteen

I sat curled up in a ball, this can’t be happening, it’s just a dream and soon I’ll wake up and Murtagh will come dancing into the room with some melted cheese on toast telling me I shouldn’t have drank all that wine last night.

A hand ran through my hair and a sob burst through my lips, I knew it wasn’t him, I knew it would never be him.

“What’s wrong?” Eragon asked and I sat up and wrapped my arms around his shoulder, crying into his shirt. “Aénor, tell me.”

“I’m pregnant.” I whispered and he chuckled, causing me to sit up and glare at him.

“I thought you were going to say you were dying.” He shrugged and I laughed despite myself. “Come on, it’s not all that bad.”

“I’m pregnant with your brother’s child, the brother who happens to be bloody Varden enemy number one!” I exclaimed throwing my hands in the air, “Murtagh’s not going to be here when I need him, he’s not going to know until this whole thing is over, how am I meant to tell him?”

“We could send a letter to your home.” He suggested and I just shook my head.

“You can only find it if you are taken there by someone who knows where it is.” I frowned and he formed an o.

“What about the castle in Uru'baen?” he said then shook his head, “No one would do that mission.”

“We’ll just have to hope that this all simmers out before the baby is born or soon after.” I sighed rubbing my face free of the dried tears. “At least I’ve got you, Katrina and Roran.”

“Fat lot of help that he is.” He snorted pulling back and to his feet, hand held out to help me up. “Come on, pregnant women eat a lot apparently and so do I.”

I gave him a sad little smile of appreciation as he walked with his arm around my shoulder towards the centre of the camp where there was sure to be food being served up.

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I sat at my window watching as the sun set, the mountains in the distance breaking up the vast flat expanse of desert before us. It’d been two month since I’d left, since I’d last seen Aénor. God I miss her, just remembering her name causes actually physical pain and I have no idea how long this is going to last.

Every flash of red I turn hoping to see her running towards me, I hope that’ll pass.

“Apparently the dragon rider has a female friend.” One of the soldiers chuckled, “He barely looks old enough to know what to do with a female.”

“And he’s knocked her up, all the people who pass through that area here about it.” another stated.

“She’s a true beauty though.” The dwarf we’d captured stated from his little cage.

“It’s true?!” the first soldier laughed, “Might start listening to the gossip now.”

I turned to listen to the men, Thorn turned an ear too. “What does she look like then?”

“Dark red hair; real little.”

Aénor. Thorn stated at the same time the thought crossed my mind, he missed her too.

“Feisty as well, keeps all the soldiers at bay when they go anywhere near where they ain’t supposed to. Saw her un-man one right in front of me.”

“Is she sickly?” I asked hoping I wouldn’t sound too interested.

“No, but there were murmurings of her being pregnant as I left. No one knows who the father is, shared a tent with Eragon but they say she left her husband at home.”

It can’t be Aénor. I let out a sigh and cracked my back when a soldier looked back at me. She wouldn’t sleep in the same tent as him.

She might, you told her he was her brother now. Thorn shrugged and I sent him a glare, they were not talking about Aénor, just some look alike at the same camp. Ask about her.

And look desperate; I can’t in case things go wrong for her.

I know what you mean but you’ll worry about her just as much.

She’ll be all the safer for me keeping her name off my lips. I snapped and he rolled his eyes before closing them again and drifting to sleep.

I rubbed my hands and patted the locket against my chest, she’d painted a miniature of us before I’d been called back and I know as long as it’s with me, so will she be.