Two of a Kind

"That's none of your damn business!" I growl as I rip my head out of the king’s hold. He smiles down at me, and I suddenly feel something wap around my body.

"You need to watch your language. It's not becoming of a lady to swear so much. Especially one of your stature." He says as he moves away from me.

"What do you mean, stature?" I ask, watching his every move. He sits on his throne and turns to look at me.

"You'll find out before long, so don't worry" He says as he snaps his fingers. The red egg flies back behind the map and the map instantly looks the way it did before he had cut it. The green one floats over to him, and it lands on a soft looking cushion thing. I watch the egg with worry in my eyes. "Do not worry. The two of you are more valuable alive then dead." I sigh in relief that he isn't planning on hurting the egg....yeah, I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about the baby that I have never met.

'This is insane! Why is it that I care more about that little thing then I do myself?' I mentally sigh to myself. "I am so....confused!" I say as I move my head so that I can reach it.

"That's part of being a new rider. The dragon is beginning to connect with your mind." The king says as he watches me. My eyes grow wide as I feel something tapping on my mental barriers. I figure whatever it is has to be friendly since it doesn't take much to break through my wounded barriers. I open them, and am met by a picture of darkness.

"What the hell!" I hiss as I push myself against the wall, eyes darting around the room, trying to see the threat I had felt.

"What?" I look up to see the king grinning. I look away, embarrassed by my strange reactions.

"Nothing. I just felt a little woozy." I lie. He watches me as I close my eyes, and try to reconnect to the mind from before. I grin when I find it.

*You be rider?* A squeaky voice asks in my head.

*Yes. I am a rider.* I answer the voice. I feel its happiness at my words.

*What is your name?* The small voice asks.

*Um.....what's yours?* I ask back, not wanting to give too much information to the strange voice in my head.

*I do not have a name...* The voice says sadly. My mouth practically drops open when understanding dawns on me.

*You're my dragon, aren't you?* I ask the voice, both hopeful and worried.

*Yes.* The voice answers back. I'm stunned for a moment.

*When are you going to hatch?* I question my new partner. I feel its excitement.

*Soon.* It says, and I smile. My eyes narrow when I see the two bald ones walk into the room.

"What do you have to report?" The king asks. The two bald ones bow, and look at the egg sitting next to the king.

"Um....we followed the boy for a few days, but he lost us." I see the king narrow his eyes, and the bald one takes a step back.

"Not to worry, my king. He was traveling to the Varden. We will be able to watch him once he reaches it." The other bald one says. "The rider will be within our clutches." I laugh, and all three of them turn to look at me.

"You honestly think you'll be able to get your greedy hands on m....on Eragon?!" I shake my head. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Why you littl-" One of the bald ones says, taking a step towards me. I narrow my eyes, and pull on the chains holding my wrist.

"Enough!" The king booms. I jump, and look towards him. "No one is to harm her. She is far too precious to lose." The king says, staring daggers at the bald ones.

"Please forgive us, our king." The bald ones say, bowing. I jerk on the chains, and the king looks at me. I shrink back, and lower my eyes.

"Leave" The king commands, talking to the bald ones while looking at me. They instantly stand up, and leave the room.

A week has gone by, and nothing much has happened. I've been tied to the wall for most of that time. I sigh, and open my eyes when I hear something cracking. When I look, I see the dragon egg wiggling back and forth. Suddenly, my hands are free. When I look up, I see the king.

"Go to the egg. As soon as it hatches, you will be moved to a different room." He commands. I nod my head, and cautiously walk towards the egg. When I get up next to it, I fall down on my knees. I watch as the egg falls apart, and smile when a green dragon tumbles out of the emerald egg shell.

"Hello, little one." I say, smiling. I put my hand on its head, and gasp in shock when a sharp pain shoots up my arm.

After a couple minutes/hours of sitting on my hands and knees, I feel something pulling on a strand of my hair. I look, and smile when I see the dragon.

*Are you alright?* It asks in wonder. I run my hand over the top of its head after I had sat back up.

*I'm fine. Just surprised by the shock.* I mentally sigh with a shrug. I look down into the baby's eyes, and see the life in them. *So, what's your name?* At that exact moment, I'm ripped away from my dragon, and dragged towards the king. I'm pushed to my knees, and gasp when I hear familiar laughter. "D.....Durza!!" I squeak.

"Been a while, hasn't it?" Durza says, walking out of the shadows.

"Not long enough." I say, eyes narrowed.

"Enough!" The king commands. Both of us turn to look at the king's annoyed look.

"Forgive us." Both Durza and I say in unison.

"Very well. Since the egg has hatched, it is time that you get your own place here." The king says, smiling. I stare at him in confusion.

"Y....you're going to let me out of here?" I ask. His grin grows.

"Yes. I have a room ready for you." He says, walking towards me. "And your dragon, of course." He adds when he sees the suspicion in my eyes. I turn, and look around.

"Where is he?" I ask, worried.

"I had him brought to the two of yours room. He's waiting for you to get there." I smile.

"Okay, I'm ready." I say, turning to walk out of the room.

"Oh, by the way." The king says. I stop, and look back at him.

"Yes?" I ask.

"You are to remain in your room until someone comes and gets you." The king commands. I bow, and walk out of the room.

"Milord?" Durza asks.

"Yes?" The king says, looking at him.

"Do you think it wise to let her go off by herself?" Durza asks, looking in the direction that I had disappeared in.

"She won't try anything." The king says with a smirk. He looks at the map of Alagasia, then turns back to Durza. "I want you to prepare for our attack against the Varden. We shall attack just as soon as she is ready for battle." The king says, smiling evilly. He motions Durza out of the room. Durza leaves, and the king laughs.

Meanwhile, I get to the room that my baby dragon is in. I walk inside, and smile when I see him.

"You're safe!" I say, relief evident in my voice. He runs to me, and I hug him against my chest, tightly.

*I was worried that they hurt you.* He mentally sighs. I look down at him.

"I don't think you have to worry about that." I say, absently.

*Why?* He questions.

"Because....there's only three dragons left, and one of them hasn't hatched yet." I say, sadly. He looks at me, and I see the sadness and curiosity in his eyes.

*How did that happen?* He asks. I sigh, and look up at the ceiling, wishing it were the night sky.

"There was a great war, and all of the dragon's except for three eggs were...killed.." I choke out the last word.

*So.....who is the rider of the other dragon?* He asks. Then another question pops into his mind. *Is it a female?* He asks, excited.

"The rider is my twin brother....and yes, she is a female." I answer, cautiously. "Why did you want to know that?" I ask.

*Just wondering.* He says, mentally shrugging.

"Alright." I say, giving up on the subject. I look around the room, and smile when I see a window. I walk up to it, and stare out into the night.

*Beautiful, isn't it?* He asks. I look down at him, and smile.

"Yes, it is. I love watching the sky." I look back out the window, and he climbs up to sit on the ledge with his tail swinging back and forth.

*Hey, rider?* He begins. I look at him.

"It's Kayashi." I whisper.

*Okay, Kayashi?* He says, and I look back out the window.

"Yes?" I ask.

*What's it like to be.....out there?* He asks, looking out the window. I look at him in shock, and he looks away from the window and directly at me.

"Um.....well....it can be hard, but in a lot of ways.....nothing can beat it." I say with a hint of sadness in my voice.

*Do you miss it?* He asks.

"Yes. I do." I say, turning away from the window.

*Why did you choose to leave?* He asks, watching me.

"I didn't choose to. I was captured, and forced to come here." I say sadly. He looks up at me with wide eyes.

*They......forced you to?* He asks, not understanding. I sigh.

"Yes. They forced me, but I'm glad they did." I whisper.

*Why?* He asks.

"Because, if they hadn't, I wouldn't have met you." I say, smiling at him. I climb into the bed, and he jumps down off the window. He runs to me, and crawls into my arms.

*Don't worry, rider. We're going to get out of h-* I look down at him when he suddenly stops talking/thinking, only to see him sound asleep. I pull him closer to me.