Inheritence Fanfic - Heir to the Empire

Chapter 2

Nasuada stood on her battle charger horse, watching as the ship drop anchor a few feet from the docks. She could make out the soldiers that stood on the side facing the shore with their shields up. A head appeared between the shoulders of two of them.

"Identify yourself!" a Nasuada called out to the ship as it approached.

"I am Harold, Captain of the Guards protecting Dain, Prince of the Brodring Empire and son of King Galbatorix!"

Harold's answer unsettled Nasuada's guards, who started to mutter to each other until Jörmundur ordered them to be silent. Nasuada turned back towards Dain's ship. "Galbatorix and Shruikan were overthrown and killed almost a year ago."

She couldn't see Harold's reaction from this distance. But she did hear the roars of outrage coming from the soldiers on the ship. After a few moments, the ship started inching closer towards the harbour.

"What do you intend to do with the Prince?" Harold demanded. "We will never hand him over to be executed!"

"He will be given a fair-" Nasuada started.

"What? Trial?" Harold growled. "We have been gone for nigh on five years! Prince Dain is the heir to the Empire and we will see that his throne is returned to him!"

The was a cheer from one of the soldiers on the ship and soon they were all cheering and pumping their fists into the air and chanting, "LONG LIVE THE KING! PRINCE DAIN'S THRONE! LONG LIVE THE KING! PRINCE DAIN'S THRONE!"

When the ship finally touched the dock, one of Nasuada's guards threw down a plank while the rest threw grapnels and pulled the ship even closer. After securing the chains to prevent the ship from pulling away from the harbour, Nasuada watched as her guards stormed the ship.

Strangely, the soldiers didn't put up a fight. They didn't resist in any way aside from growling when they were pushed onto the shore to be arrested.

"My Lady!" one of the guards shouted, running down the plank to fall to his knees in front of her. "There's no one else on board."

Before anyone could respond or react, there was a tremendous roar as a huge dragon flew overhead. The dragon was a dark grey but that was all anyone could make out before it was flying away, already in the distance.

Nasuada saw it turn and head back towards them and waited calmly as it stopped in the air. She could see a small figure on its saddle than spoke with a magically enhanced voice.

"I am Dain Kingsblood, son of Galbartorix and heir to the throne of the Brodding Empire! I have returned home only to find my father murdered and my trone taken by the usurper!
This is not the last time we will meet but before I go, I want you to know that those soldiers are under my protection! I will take vengeance if I find out that those soldiers have been executed for doing their sworn duty!"

And with that, the dragon and its rider flew away. Behind her, Nasuada could hear the soldiers cheering as they watched the dragon become a speck on the horizon.