Roran Garrowsson. Sloan The Inheritance Cycle. Katrina The Inheritance Cycle. Elva The Inheritance Cycle. Arya The Inheritance Cycle. Orik The Inheritance Cycle.
Murtagh The Inheritance Cycle. Lady Lorana. Queen Islanzadi. Menoa Tree. Fadawar The Inheritance Cycle. If not, then let there be no mistake: Nasuada is the leader of the Varden, not me. And I believe that she ought to be the one to inherit the throne. Of course you believe she should inherit the throne.
If I thought that you or anyone else would make a better ruler, then I would say so! King Orrin scowled. Always it is Nasuada and the Varden you favor, and before her, it was Ajihad. You are right; the Surdans have contributed much to our cause.
I freely admit that without your help, we never would have been able to attack the Empire as we did, and you deserve recompense for what you have risked, spent, and lost over the course of this war. But I have a counterproposal, one that perhaps will satisfy all our interests. Aroughs, Feinster, and Melian will all be yours, as well as the isles to the south, once they are under our governance.
By this acquisition, Surda will nearly double in size. Surda would remain yours to command as you see fit, save for one exception: the magicians of both our countries would be subject to certain restrictions, the exact nature of which we would decide upon at a later date. Along with those laws, Surda would of necessity have to contribute to the defense of our combined territories. Should either of us be attacked, the other would be required to provide aid in the form of men and materiel.
King Orrin placed his goblet upright in his lap and stared down at it. My family has ruled Surda since Lady Marelda won the Battle of Cithri and thereby established both Surda and the House of Langfeld, and we can trace our ancestry all the way back to Thanebrand the Ring Giver himself.
We faced and fought the Empire for an entire century. Our gold and our weapons and our armor allowed the Varden to exist in the first place and have sustained you through the years. Without us, it would have been impossible for you to resist Galbatorix. The dwarves could not have provided everything you needed, nor the elves, as far away as they were.
So again I ask, why should this prize fall to you, Nasuada, and not me? And because-as with everything I have done while leading the Varden-I believe it is what is best for our people and for the whole of Alagaesia. Have I not amply demonstrated my ability to lead? Why, just yesterday, with a single spell, Trianna helped me to discover two entirely new gases. Imagine what could be learned if magic were systematically applied to the disciplines of natural philosophy.
These experiments were not always safe, as Nasuada discovered when he was injured in an explosion caused by mixing phosphorous and water in an enclosed space.
He was more than a bit tickled to show her a neat side-effect of his still-healing ear drum:. It was so unexpected, Nasuada burst out laughing, and after a moment, Orrin joined her, releasing a plume of smoke from his mouth. The two quarreled when Nasuada grew irritated with his focus on what she felt were frivolous pursuits.
They eventually came to a grudging truce: she understanding the benefit of setting aside some time for diversion and he for setting his mind to more serious matters.
That is, opposing Galbatorix in secret. You must excuse me if it takes a while to accustom myself to this new reality. Their irritation erupted once again when he refused to lend more gold for food and still delayed rallying his army for the war. Some time later, Orrin was astounded, then irate, when Nasuada solved her financial issues by having her magicians construct high quality lace and selling it much cheaper than that produced by Surdan weavers.
Many things happened prior to the Battle of the Burning Plains: Orrin was introduced to Eragon and Saphira, who had returned from training in Du Weldenvarden; the Urgals asked to join the Varden in revenge against Galbatorix; and Nasuada made the executive decision to accept their help without consulting Orrin—much to his displeasure.
It was still a difficult fight. They did win, but not without heavy losses, including Hrothgar, who was struck down by a mysterious Rider astride a red dragon. A notable example was her participation in a Trial by Knives with Fadawar. Were she to lose, Fadawar would become the leader of the Varden; it was a disastrous prospect.
Nasuada endangered the entire cause—and without consulting any of the other leaders. Orrin attempted to bribe Fadawar into releasing her from her oath, but to no avail, and later unsuccessfully tried again to stop the proceedings when it appeared Nasuada might die from her wounds. Fortunately, she won. Orrin respectfully reprimanded her for risking her life on a relatively minor partnership with the wandering tribes, especially since her death would have left the Varden in complete disarray.
Nasuada unwisely belittled him for worrying, and he left in anger. On some topics they agreed, however. The first task was to rally morale, so Nasuada and Orrin gave speeches lauding the brave deeds of Eragon and Saphira. The smooth-faced king was gifted with a superior intellect. But his personality was too rarefied, too eccentric, and too subdued for him to be a receptacle for the desperate hopes of the humans that opposed Galbatorix.
He would not be able to unite the land as Nasuada has united the Varden. Nasuada felt the king overstepped his boundaries, to which he responded:. Eragon answers to you and only you. By the Trial of the Long Knives, you have gained dominion over the wandering tribes, many of which I have long counted among my subjects. And you command as you will both the Varden and the men of Surda, who have long served my family with bravery and determination beyond that of ordinary men.
I am not ashamed to admit you have had more experience and success than I in waging war. Our prospects are too precarious for you, me, or any of us to indulge in false pride. However, since your investiture, you seem to have forgotten that I am still the king of Surda.
You act as if yours was the only verdict of moment and the opinions of others are of no account, to be trampled over in pursuit of whatever goal you have already determined is best for the portion of free humanity that is fortunate enough to have you as their leader. You negotiate treaties and alliances, such as that with the Urgals, of your own initiative and expect me, and others, to abide by your decisions, as if you speak for us all. And when I have the temerity to ask why Eragon—the man whose very existence is the reason I have staked my country in this venture.
By treating me as if I were no more than an overzealous, overinquisitive underling whose childish concerns distracted you from more pressing matters. If you cannot bring yourself to respect my station and to accept a fair division of responsibility, as two allies ought to, then it is my opinion that you are unfit to command a coalition such as ours, and I shall set myself against you however I may. She apologized.
Eragon explained his actions at Helgrind in full, to secretly sentence the butcher Sloan for his crimes. We could be the worst tyrants in the whole of history, and given enough time, Angvard would bring us to heel. But not you. Humans are a short-lived race, and we should not be governed by one of the Undying. We do not need another Galbatorix.
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