Don't Let the Darkness Cover Me

The Caged Animal and a Prisoner’s Servant

1 Year Later

I stood to the left of Ajihad while he was seated at his walnut desk, awaiting the arrival of the Dragon Rider. His two-story study, paneled with rows of books, and scrolls stuffed into the bookshelves. An iron staircase led to a balcony placed with two chairs and a table. White lanterns hung from the walls of the entire study. An oval rug lay over a stone floor and two chairs, that were occupied, were placed in front of the desk Ajihad was at. Seated in the chair on the right, was the Dragon Rider or Eragon as I heard when they introduced, and in the chair that was directly across from me, on the left, was a man with dark hair that reached down to the nape of his neck. I couldn’t see his face because he kept his head down so his dark locks fell to cover his features. Out of the two, he was the one that stroke my interest the most, although, many other people would beg to differ.
Tapping Ajihad on the shoulder, after he whispered something to one of the Twins, he turned in my direction. The look I gave, and my glance in the mysterious man’s direction, said it all to Ajihad. As you see, Ajihad and I share a special bond that, even with a look, we know what the other is trying to say. He nodded in approval, and I made my way over to stand in front of the dark haired man.
“Stand,” I said in a commanding tone.
Hesitating, he stood from his seat in the chair, making sure to keep his face out of my view. I grabbed his chin and forced his face towards me. The look he gave me was pure hatred. My hand dropped from his chin, and then, I knew exactly who it was.
‘Murtagh, the son of Morzan.’
“Turn around and take off your tunic,” I commanded.
His look of pure hatred deepened as he took off his tunic and turned around to show the scar that ran from his left shoulder down to his right hip. I ran my right hand along the scar. My calm and collected mask broke as the high, shrill scream of a girl rang in my ears.
‘ “No! No! NO! NO! AHHHHHHHHH!” she screamed as a flash of black came into her peripheral vision. Pain seared across she back as she felt… ’
Murtagh pulled his shirt back on, breaking my thoughts and the contact I had with his skin. He turned to face me, the same look of hatred on his face. Turning, I walked back to my spot behind Ajihad, pulling back together my mask of calmness. Everyone was giving me curious looks, but Ajihad’s face had we-are-talking-later look written all over it. Ajihad, then, ordered a couple guards to take Murtagh to a windowless room. As everyone left, I just stood there waiting for the interrogation to begin. And as on cue, Ajihad asked,
“What is bothering you, Star?”
“Nothing.”
“That wasn’t just nothing.”
“I was just reminiscing on something that happened a long time ago.”
The way I avoided eye contact with, told him that I wasn’t telling him the whole truth, but he dropped it. I never did talk about my life before the Varden, and I never plan to, and Ajihad wasn’t the one to pry into others’ secrets either.
“Well if everything is ok then I want you to take care of Murtagh.”
Anger rushed through my body, but I kept control of my temper. Nodding I stood from my seat and made my way out of the study. After I shut the door, I leaned against it and sighed.
‘What! I have to practically obey the son of Morzan like a prisoner’s servant.’
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Breakfast and lunch had gone uneventful today. Yesterday I was ordered to be the caretaker of Murtagh. When I went to his room, that was more of a luxury than a prison, he had been asleep. I just quietly set the food on the nightstand next to his bed. And in the afternoon, he had been reading a book, and it must have been interesting because I doubt he even heard me come in. So again I put the tray on his nightstand. Right now I was eating my dinner of some sliced meat, rice, and water. After I was finished, I took the tray of food next to me that had the same exact thing and headed off to Murtagh’s room.
When I came near the door, one of the guards knocked on it three times. It signaled to him that there was someone coming into the room. I entered the room and the guard shut the door behind me. The room was warm with a washbasin in a corner and a desk in another. Covering the floor was a plush red rug. And lying on the four-posted bed was none other than the caged animal himself.
‘Of course he is still reading that damned book! He doesn’t even notice that anyone is kind enough to bring him something to eat.’
As I set his tray down on the nightstand, the most surprising thing happened. He muttered a small “thanks” and took a glance in my direction. I just stood there dumbstruck by the idea that he actually has some manners.
“You should probably stop staring. Someone might think you’re interested.”
“As if anyone could be interested in a traitor like you,” I scoffed.
“You could have fooled me,” he said as a confident smirk grew onto his face. At that moment, although I didn’t know it, I had struck an interest in Murtagh, the son of Morzan.
‘Ugh! I’m gonna wipe that smirk off his face along with the rest of his facial features!”
“You have a look as if you are going to murder me,” he said breaking the silence I had set by thinking of the many different ways I could kill him right here.
“I’m actually thinking about that right now. Remember I’m the one with the lethal weapon.” My lips turned to mimic the same smirk that was planted on his face.
“You wouldn’t.”
“Don’t doubt that I won’t,” saying as I reached for my sword.
As I saw the fear flash in his eyes, I knew that he wouldn’t continue anymore. Withdrawing my hand from the handle of my sword, I sat on the end of bed. He gave me a curious look, and then continued with reading from where he had left off.
“You seem pretty content with just lying around and reading all day long.”
I saw him mark the page and put down the book, obviously realizing that he wasn’t going to get much reading done while I was still sitting here.
“Yeah, but I would like to get out for some fresh air. Though, the people out there would probably be uneasy. Most probably wouldn’t stop themselves from giving me harsh looks or words. I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody attacked me because they want revenge because of what my father had done.”
“I don’t see why someone should take revenge on you because of what your father has done. It’s just blaming you, an innocent person, for being the unfortunate one to be his son. They should actually feel sorry for you. Growing up in a dangerous environment, no loving parents to be there for you, no freedom because they don’t want anyone to know you exist, resulting in no friends to rely on. It’s just like living in hell.”
“How would you know about that?”
I took a glance at him, his face full of surprise. I knew I had revealed too much. I stood and made my way to the door and bid farewell, all in an attempt to avoid that single question.