#brom (inheritance cycle)

[good-morzan-inheritance-cycle]

The boy’s car bumper stickers

Roran: baby on board, family stickers and 1# dad. And then a pit bull sticker. He doesn’t have one he just thinks they’re neat.

Eragon: “please don’t tailgate I’m just a girl”, dragon sticker, and “honk and I’ll cry” all of these were given to him by friends. Only ones he actually bought himself was “cat dad” and “tell your dog I said hi”

Murtaugh: he doesn’t have stickers, he just lets Eragon draw pictures on his dirty truck. It’s not gonna go to the carwash for at least 6 months, so might as well let Eragon doodle.

Orik: probably has some cool looking tool/weapon decals. Hasn’t taken off the ‘just married’ sticker it’s been there for at least 2 years. But he has no intention of taking it off. Also has a family set of stickers but it’s not at all accurate to who’s actually in his household because Eragon said it would be funny.

Brom: thinks car stickers are stupid. Has none.

Morzan: finds the dumbest puns and weirdest most misspelled car stickers at any and every gas station trinket shop he can find. His favorite is one that says “welcom to Mexico” yes, the misspell is intentional. Murtaugh lowkey hates driving his car because of this.

Oromis: doesn’t have a car. But Brom did put up an old license plate on the wall he found that says “01D3lf” (old elf) Morzan and Brom didn’t tell him why it was funny until MANY years later and Oromis didn’t know where Brom lived.

[everythingloveandanimated]

Fanfic that wants to be told, but words keep escaping me when I put it in story form. I know HOW I want the story to go, I can SEE IT in my head like a movie! But words escape me like child trying to avoid going to bed.

Okay! Here we go!

Title: On the Boundary Line

Murtagh and Eragon are fighting the next Big Bad. The final battle takes such a toll on them, their lives are hanging by a thread and they wake up, each alone, and find themselves in a sort of limbo.

Murtagh's perspective is first since he was the one I thought of first.

He wakes up, looks around and remembers the last thing he saw and felt. He wonders if he's dead. A voice assures him that he's not dead yet. He barely recognizes the voice, but it is familiar. He sees his mother, Selena. They embrace and then talk things out. He asks why she left him behind, she explains the situation. (Personal theory ->) She wanted to take him and tried to get Morzan to agree that he should have some time out of the castle. Morzan refused, and things started escalating and came to a boil when Murtagh started crying over his ruined horse toy. Morzan threw his sword, Selena healed him, but now she really couldn't take him with her because of his injury and because Morzan was ordering a closer eye on Murtagh (think supervised visits). Selena also told Murtagh that she didn't want to leave him behind when she went to Carvahall, or when she died. Selena apologizes for leaving him alone, and for bringing him into such a dangerous environment, and for not being able to do more for him. Possibly a few other questions happen, which result in a reconciliation between mother and son. She tells him she's so proud of her beautiful boy. (Also had the thought that Selena tells him that Eragon is close and will probably have the same questions. She gives the option to hear them himself, or wait until they find Eragon.)

Then another voice comes in, Tornac. Murtagh is a bit hesitant, guilt-ridden that Tornac life was cut short trying to get him away from Galbatorix. Tornac comforts him, saying it was worth the risk, and his death was worth it if it bought Murtagh a few months of freedom. He also tells him that he watched Murtagh's life up the point. Murtagh hangs his head, knowing that Tornac would not tolerate some of his actions. Tornac says he understands why Murtagh did what he did, and notes that Murtagh has grown from who he once was. He affirms his pride in him, when leads to another tight hug.

He also says that when Murtagh is tired of calling himself "Morzansson" he can call himself "Tornacsson". Murtagh is floored by this, but grateful, oh so grateful since he saw Tornac as a father figure. Soon after Murtagh pulls his mother into their hug so that he can hold and be held by his two parents.

(I thought of having Selena go see Eragon while Tornac is talking with Murtagh, but no. Murtagh needs this moment. It doesn't seem right for Selena to disappear when Murtagh is distracted by Tornac)

Murtagh admits that even though he knows of his responsibilities, he doesn't want to leave this moment. His parents agree on both terms, but know that

Eragon's piece starts with seeing Brom then Garrow and Marian.

He embraces Brom for the first time since learning that he was his father. He asks where they are Brom explains. Some banter and some talk happens. Eragon admits that he once entertained the idea of bring Brom back from the dead, but the Eldunarí advised against it. Brom affirms that they guided Eragon rightly. The summoning of souls back to their bodies is not a good practice (goes more into details than I can think of right now)

They hug again as Eragon cries on his father's shoulder, saying he's missed him. Brom shares the sentiment. He is so proud of Eragon, how much he's accomplished in so short a time. What he has decided to do with his life, and how he has lead people towards a brighter future. He kisses Eragon's forehead.

Eragon sees Garrow and Marian and embraces them tightly. He apologizes to Garrow that he couldn't save him and the farm. Garrow forgives him and appreciates what Eragon was able to do for him before he died. Marian holds her nephew-son close to her. So, so proud of who he became. How much he's grown from the little boy to the full grown man, and how he's chosen to live his life.

Then, Murtagh, Tornac and another woman walk towards them. It takes Eragon barely a moment to recognize her. He starts a step or two towards her before he runs to her. They catch in another embrace. Tears flowing harder and faster than their other meetings. Selena clutches Eragon. "My baby, my baby!" Eragon savors this moment, beign held by his mother for the first time in "living" memory. They take a moment to look at each other and take in their appearances. It strikes Eragon that his mother is around his current age.

Once mother and son are acquainted one of them gesture Murtagh over and for the first time, Selena holds both of her sons close. They ask their questions and she gives the answers they have been wanting. (upon further reflection, this feels a bit crowded and not as private. I’d like it if Selena could talk to her sons without an audience.)

Murtagh meets Garrow and Marian. It's strange, they are his blood family but it's like meeting strangers. Garrow shakes his hand, Marian hugs him, happy to meet her other nephew.

Murtagh gets a moment with Brom. Things are tense. Murtagh notes to Brom that it's a good thing Brom wasn't alive when he found out about Eragon's parentage. Some talking back and forth and finally, Murtagh asks a burning question. If Brom had survived, would he have chased Murtagh away? Born answers, he'd be cautious, but he wouldn't turn away Selena's son after he quickly proved himself. Brom apologizes for not getting to Selena faster, and admits that he mourned her when he was alive. Maybe a few more lines of talking before they shake hands(?).

Their time draws to a close, Murtagh and Eragon need to go back. They say their final goodbyes (maybe this is where Tornac tells Murtgah he can call himself Tornacsson.) Tornac send Murtagh away with handshake, one armed hug, and a kiss on the forehead. Murtagh sardonically jokes that Tornac is not making this departure easy. Tornac chuckles an apology, one last look of understanding is exchanged between mentor and mentee, adopted son and adopted father.

Eragon hugs the adults who raised him one last time, Garrow and Marian asks that Eragon say hi to Roran, Katrina and Ismira for them. Eragon agrees.

Murtagh shakes Garrow's hand, and gives Marian a hug when she gives him one.

The brothers meet Selena one last time for a tender hug. Their time once again cut short with her. She repeats her love for them and affirms her pride in her beautiful boys.

Murtagh and Eragon walk back to the waking world as their parental figures watch them. Selena stands next to Brom under his arm, Tornac next to Selena, arms at his side. Selena puts hand on Tornac's arm in thanks. Garrow and Marian stand near and behind Selena, Marian with a hand on her shoulder.

........

Another thought tangent... maybe I could have the father figures show up first, then when Murtagh and Eragon are together again Selena shows up. But I like the idea of Murtagh having a private moment with Selena without Eragon. In a draft where Selena is the last person they meet, Murtagh has to fully accept that he has to share Selena with Eragon. Not a bad thing, just not the vibe I was going for.

Annnyyyyway! If you've read all of this, thank you so much. Feedback is appreciated.

[murtagh-thorn]

I just wanted to say. I found a hc that is HEARTBREAKING but I kinda love it a lot?? it makes me sick

I love the idea of Selene being resentful of Eragon, and developing a deep love for Murtagh after he is born, with him being the "real" kid from her husband, while Eragon is a proof of her "mistake"

I can't tell how cannon complacent it is, bc I haven't read the books in a while, but I wanted to know your opinion about it!! (Also I would love to hear your opinion or hc about any of their relationships)

Ooooh, that's interesting. I don't know of Selena would necessarily resent Eragon for being a "mistake," since I think by that point she was miserable with Morzan and actually loved Brom. So imo, her marriage to Morzan probably felt more like the mistake than her affair with Brom. I like to think that if things had worked out better and she'd lived, she would've found Brom and gone into hiding with him to raise Eragon (or at least have stayed close by in Carvahall like Brom did in canon), then eventually tried to go back and rescue Murtagh after Morzan's death (ooohhh, now that I'm thinking about it, that would make a super cool AU). But I can see her sort of resenting Eragon's safety and opportunities compared to Murtagh's and having a lot of guilt over Murtagh's situation.

As far as headcanons about their relationships, I think by the time Brom came along, she definitely wanted out of her marriage to Morzan and saw Brom at first as a ticket out/way to establish some control over her life. But then I think, based on what the original series said about them, she did eventually fall for him and likely wished she was married to him instead. At that point, I thinks he likely regretted running off with Morzan in the first place and felt a lot of guilt over Murtagh's situation, but knew there wasn't much she could do without endangering both of her children and it probably tore her up inside. Extreme trauma/stress like that during pregnancy can really fuck you up, and while I don't think we ever really knew for sure why she was so sick before/after delivering Eragon, I think that was likely the cause and why she's no longer here. It seems clear in the Murtagh book (and a little from the original series) that Murtagh himself felt a little abandoned by her, but also idolized her just because for so long she was the only affection he got. It sounds like she wasn't around much and "distance makes the heart grow fonder," so I feel like he probably really longed for her a lot of the time when she wasn't there. It seems like he has some more understanding and sympathy for her situation in Murtagh and holds more resentment towards Eragon just because of how lucky he was compared to him, and sort of sees himself as Selena's "true" son because of how often he makes comments along the lines of "unlike Eragon, I'm not a bastard." I'd love to see a bit more in the next book about how Murtagh feels about his mother and Brom's affair and Brom himself. I think I remember in an interview, Paolini said if Brom had been able to rescue Murtagh, he would've and tried to raise him as his own even though it would've been painful.

I think Eragon really idolizes his mom and understands how difficult her situation was as well, but he didn't get to know her like Murtagh did, so he doesn't really have that "how could you leave me" resentment that Murtagh likely still has a little bit of. I'd also love to see more into how Eragon feels about Murtagh after having more time to understand his situation and sit with it a little more. He seems a little insensitive, judgey, and just doesn't even try to understand how Murtagh's life was from his POV in the original series (which always annoys me; I know he's young, so I hope that's something that improves with age for both of them) and says some very cruel things to him as a result. I'd really like to see his opinion grow and change and have them maybe meet and have a conversation about it in the next book, cus I think that's very needed for both of them.

Sorry for how long it took me to respond, but thanks for the ask! I love talking about this stuff, so my inbox is always open.

[brisingr-sword]

would like to point out that while garrow’s farm is 10 miles from carvahall, if you keep going it’s therinsford in the other direction.

also i’m assuming it definitely is the beard that ages brom, although i have a theory that he started graying pretty young (and that eragon will have a good bit of gray by the time he’s thirty even with the transformation).

finally i feel like i was stabbed when i read “His war cry has been the same since he was six.” kill me why dont you. something about eragon and roran always drive me crazy (its because me and my sister have also both found ourselves becoming entirely different people after a separate and short yet defining period of our lives)

Hello, I'm back, with things I have noticed about Eragon that makes parts of the book very strange or funny or sad

Garrow's farm is TEN MILES OUT from Carvahall, which is already small. What the hell was he thinking??? It takes like 3.5 hours to walk that much???? And Eragon walks FURTHER THAN THAT to go hunting at 15???? Go behind you??

When hunting in the beginning, Eragon spends days just going for one doe. Which, all things considered, is not a lot of meat, especially for what's probably a 4 day hunt. For one person, it's unrealistic to carry more than that, but still.

Leading on from that, I'm led to believe that their family probably mostly ate bread and vegetables, and maybe cheese. No wonder he's pretty attached to meat.

Despite living so far away, Brom knows Eragon's knack for asking Too Many Questions, which implies this happens often.

How the hell does Brom make money? Storytelling??? There's only so much money that can get you in fifteen years, he's definitely got something on the side. He was a gardener in Morzan's estate for a while...

So far up north and isolated, Eragon DEFINITELY has a STRONG farmer's accent. Combined with his formal training with the elves, he probably has the weirdest way of talking, where it's both overly formal and casual at the same time.

Eragon is such a prodigy it's not even funny. By the time he meets Murtagh, he's a good enough swordsman after JUST A FEW MONTHS that they're literally equal. Murtagh has been doing that his WHOLE LIFE with a really good swordsman. Magic also comes pretty good to him, even if he's not always sensible with it. He learns to read well enough to read full books in a week.

Eragon and Roran are pretty similar with the dangerous stunts they pull, except Eragon's are usually with magic and Roran's are physical. They are both absurdly intelligent too, even if Eragon is known to act like a dolt sometimes. In his defence, he's stressed and like 15-17 years old. All things considered, he could be far worse.

Somehow, with his back ripped open and cursed, with his dragon crashing through the crystal ceiling which is raining on top of him, Eragon is able to not only remember to stab Durza in the heart (requiring turning around), but also shout an unnecessary spell.

Eragon probably could do magic before he bonded with Saphira. His mum wasn't a rider and had the "genes" for it, and his dad was a rider. It wouldn't be as strong, but maybe he's such a powerful spellcaster because he had some sort of baseline.

I bet that the first time Eragon wandered into the Spine, he was pretty young, and everyone kinda assumed him dead. He came out a week later with a bunch of rabbits or something

The fact that the Blood Oath Celebration made Eragon very pale implies that he's naturally the whitest boy ever and he just had a constant tan going (likely, because he's a farmer). This is just very funny to me, that in removing all injuries it took his tan.

Another point for absurdly powerful Eragon - the fact that his accidental curse had such an impact on Elva, to the point that it straight up affected her development. It wasn't even a spell! Or intentional!

I'm sorry, but Eragon casting empathy and that unintentionally killing the bad guy is so funny. He was SURRENDERING, but cut a bitch so deep that he imploded himself. Iconic.

Literally he is just so nice. Willing to run across the world, separated from Saphira, to support Orik in his campaign - when he totally could have given an excuse, or even just say the truth, which is that he's very much needed where he is. There's so many more examples, but he's just a good person.

I'm sorry, but Oramis was kinda a bitch for assigning the one hour of duelling in his training. Like, it flares up his seizures like crazy (which he ALSO SUFFERS FROM), AND he doesn't stand a chance against the elves in strength. I understand the point, but something had to give there. At the very least, reassign someone that won't actively torture him??

Adding onto that, we know that he's only able to succeed at the listening to the forest task after the transformation. I suspect that the mind is a sort of "sixth sense", and we know that elves have stronger senses; it's possible Eragon would have to have been bonded for a decent while for this to even be possible. I bet anything that human riders were usually trained by elder humans, and Oramis was struggling with a fledgeling human instead of an elf, as well as the time constraint.

Why the hell does Brom look so old? Yeah, he's old, but Galbatorix doesn't look that old? Is it something to do with his dragon being dead? The way I assumed it would be is that riders look like thirty for a verrrryyyy long time, no? Is it because Saphira died? Was he just going to perpetually age? Or does the beard age him?

Your cousin who feels like a brother goes missing, ran away, after your father's death. Soon you're leading everyone you've ever known to the rebellion in a desperate attempt to keep them safe and save the woman you love. Your cousin is wanted, even more than you are. He returns. He's different. Barely human anymore, hardly the boy you once knew. He's their last, and only hope. His war cry has been the same since he was six.

Now that I think about it, Garrow really is the odd one out in the family. His sister was the Black Hand, a highly dangerous assassin and magician. His son is Stronghammer, one of the deadliest soldiers in the country. His nephews are Eragon and Murtagh, both highly skilled swordsmen and magicians, riders, and both known as Kingkiller. Garrow is a farmer who can read.

Selena naming her son Eragon is soooo funny. "His dad - who is a secret! - is a rider, and Eragon was the first rider. It's so uncommon a name even among the elves that literally nobody will know this. My abusive husband and the evil king both know I hail from this place. He totally won't stick out in any way whatsoever!" Iconic, 10/10. It worked???

If any of these are inaccurate please remember I am going off my very deep-seated knowledge from reading the books so many times at a formative age. I haven't actually read them in years

[mist-the-wannabe-linguist]

I've been thinking, isn't it odd that Eragon (or anyone else for that matter) wouldn't know anything about the Ra'zac when they were a plague on humankind for their entire history until some 700 years ago after humans arrived to Alagaësia and the Ra'zac that followed them were driven to extinction by Dragon Riders. Human culture should be full of folk stories, songs and horror tales featuring the Ra'zac and Lethrblaka, same as most European cultures have stories and songs featuring wolves even though they are now in many places pretty much extinct and very much not a threat.

But then I remembered this

Same as how you should not speak of the devil, same as how in Czech death is often called "the toothed one" or "godmother with the scythe" instead

What if the Ra'zac and Lethrblaka were never mentioned by name in humankind's stories, but only by euphemisms and noa-names. And when the monsters were driven to extinction and their last members hid in the shadows, only the euphemisms survived and humanity started forgetting what they originally referred to

[insanity-all-the-time]

(from eragon_memes on instagram)

https://www.instagram.com/eragon_memes?igsh=MTg3NTc0b3FwZXlzdQ==

[someeragonmemes]

2 revelations: eragon is a horse girl and Brom was at stonewall

[dragodraws1]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to our beloved storyteller and the nicest old man in all of Alagaësia: BROM!!! I was really undecided at first about how to portray Brom so much so that I made several designs, which I might post later, but I liked the final result, I hope you guys like the result too (≧▽≦). Soon I'll also post our favorite traitor Murtagh, I should probably post it much sooner than Brom's, since I'm almost at the end of his art.

[dia-viller]

Eragon is such a hater

[mattizard]

I like to imagine that Brom still got to see and participate in some of Eragons firsts. Like the village is sitting around a campfire and Brom tells one of his stories and little Eragon wriggles free from his aunts grasps and waddles over to him- his first steps. And Brom gets to catch him and everyone thinks it's just cute but Brom, on the inside, is so happy that Eragons first steps were towards him.

[good-morzan-inheritance-cycle]

Ladies and gentlemen, yo girly got her own (official) first car. (Her name is Bertha)

So have IC characters with their own first cars. (But no models. Because I can’t name any outside of like 3)

Morzan: an old beater he found on the side of the road that said ‘free’ and didn’t run. He used much duct tape and lots of prayer to get it running. Only got rid of it because he couldn’t put a car seat in it once Murtaugh was born.

Brom: his eldest brother’s old pickup. He was the youngest of like 500, so it’s a miracle it even had tires when he got it.

Eragon: legally isn’t allowed to drive. Honestly if he was a woman, he’d be used as propaganda on why we shouldn’t drive.

Roran: his first car wasn’t a car, it was a tractor. He messed with something and was able to go like 80mph with it. Honestly it’s surprising he’s not in jail.

Katrina: a brand new little car she treated like gold. Drove Eragon around once he was deemed a hazard to society. Makes it all pretty and girly despite safety experts saying not to. Roran drives it more than her so if someone tries anything and fights him, that’s their fault for being sexist.

Arya: actually just got her bike license cause she didn’t see the point in a car, got an electric second hand off Facebook marketplace.

Oromis: cars didn’t exist.

Angela: a unicycle. She goes on the freeway.

[everythingloveandanimated]

Do you guys think one of the reasons Murtagh is angry at Eragon for Selena “leaving him behind/not choosing to save him” is because Eragon is the only person who was part of that situation who is still alive? Do you think one of the reasons is because Murtagh needs somebody living that he can be mad and respond back to his anger (misplaced as it is)? Do you think it’s because the people he would hold accountable (Selena and Brom) are dead?

[karlachismywife]

My amazing fiance got me a special edition set of one of my favorite series: the inheritance cycle by Christopher paolini and just omg they is so fucking cool @aelinvioletrose thank you sooooooooo much I love them and I love youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

[thesilverhunt3r]

Time travel au where Murtagh gets thrown back to being a teenager, kills off galbatorix, and hatches thorn. He starts planning to go pick up Eragon and talk to the elves.

He has the horrible realization that he's stuck with the throne. Fortunately, he also realizes that there is one responsible adult he's (technically?) related to that he could drag into this: Brom.

All of this results in Prince Murtagh showing up in Palancar Valley with a small entourage to recruit Eragon and Brom into this nonsense.

[thearunadragon]

Imagine Roran calling Brom “Uncle Brom.”

I don’t know how I feel about this.

[cs-cabin-and-crew]

Oromis doing the same training techniques on Eragon as he did with Morzan and brom, is the equivalent of that one almond mom giving you parenting advice while their kids are actively licking a wall.