As soon as I crossed the border all different types of monsters came crawling out and circled me. One very angry centaur grabbed my arm and said in a rough voice, "My mistress Cassandra the enchantress of Pyrinthia orders your appearance in her court immediately." With that they blindfolded me and dragged me away.

When the blindfold was ripped away from my eyes, I was standing in a huge chamber of looming stone walls and no natural light. Large torches lit the room but it still cast an eerie flow over a throne with a woman with electric blue eyes and white blond hair. Her blood red silk dress had a slit up one side exposing pat of her thigh. Her presence dominated the room. Next to her was Arramen who say in a small chair and on even smaller stools sat all the other lords, I could tell she was trying to humiliate the powerful and proud lords. I kept my focus on Arramen, until the woman I assumed was Cassandra spoke, "Ah so it is true, Arramen got a woman from the Mortal Realm. I am surprised" her voice was so sarcastic and lacked any essence of surprise.

"Release the Lords they have done nothing." I said with all the confidence I could muster, which wasn't a lot.

"No..... Unless you strike a bargain with me"

"Why?" I asked with trepidation and unease.

"Because I'm bored and it would be fun." Fun my ass.

I glanced toward the lords, they looked desperate, practically pleading with me to agree. It was my fault that they were here. The feeling of guilt almost choked me.

"What are the terms of the bargain" I demanded. I had to at least try to help.

"I will release all the lords and you and my control over you all the moment you have upheld your side of the bargain, now for your side. Do three tasks for me and any thing I want you to do if the inspiration should hit me. Seem fair?" She didn't wait for my response. One of her creatures came up behind me and rugged my hand forward. Cassandra stood with unnerving grace, walked over to me and shook my hand.

"I'm afraid you failed to mention where I would let you stay and how I could treat you" As if I even had time to say anything. What a bitch!

She ordered the monster to take me to the dungeon.

The dungeons were so cold, dark and damp. The creature threw me in and locked me in with the depressing scraping of keys. Sitting in the corner with a huff I thought through everything that had happened. I was forced into a stupid bargain with a enchantress who is hundreds of years old. I came back to a whole different realm out of my own guilt and a nightmare. I was in a freezing dungeon all alone. I felt so frustrated and to be honest a bit useless.

I didn't realise I had stared to cry until I felt a splash of water on my hand. The cold felt like it was closing in around me. Until all of a sudden a warm breeze floated towards me and encircled me like strong protecting arms. Then music followed. It was beautiful. Sad yet comforting. It slowly crescendoed. Filling me right down to my soul. The feeling made my situation feel less depressing and I even managed a faint smile.

A few days later, I only knew this from counting my meals, the centaur that brought me here took me back to the throne room. This time there was a massive maze in the middle. I was put on the edge and faced Cassandra, "As soon as you enter, the maze will sink into the floor so your can be observed from above. BEGIN!" I was shoved backwards into the maze and just like Cassandra said it sank into the floor.

When the maze stopped sinking just as a deafening screech echoed around me making the floor shake. I was so frightened i sprinted, not concentrating were I was going and ran straight into a huge grey snake. When the snake hissed it had two meter long fangs and when I looked up to its eyes there were dents instead. It was very grotesque and unnerving. I realised the snake was blind but it could still hear me and smell me. Running back the way I just came I heard a hiss and the sense of movement behind me. Oh god it was coming after me. My anxiety spiked.

Suddenly seeing a tunnel just big enough for me to clamber through. I dived into it and desperately crawled in deeper. The snake stopped then slunk past. The ice cold mud at the bottom of the tunnel have me an idea.

I had finished covering myself in mud and was crawling through the tunnel when it suddenly got bigger and the floor was no longer cold mud but bumpy rock. Feeling the rocks I realised with a start when my fingers fell into a circular whole that these weren't rocks but human skulls. Feeling around a bit more my hand brushed something sharp. I grabbed it and identified it as a snapped bit of bone that was a little bit longer than my fore arm. This would be wonderful for my plan.

I managed to crawl out of the tunnel and back into the maze. I wondered around seeking the snake. I found it quickly and threw one of the skulls I had picked up. I hit it on the back of the head. It was a rather large head so I didn't have to suffer the embarrassment of missing. It turned with surprising speed and came at me. I dodged its first strike and moved around its head. It sniffed the air but found nothing fore the mid concealed my sent. Gripping the makeshift bone spear I ran and leaped onto its back and jammed the spear into its skull. The writhing snake shrieked then went still and silent. The fight was over. The maze raised until it was the same height as it had been before I had been thrown in. I found the exit really quickly and walked out. Everyone was silent in shock, then a cheer went up through the lords. Cassandra screamed for silence. It came instantly. She ordered I be put back in my cell with no food for the next two days for killing her pet.

With hunger biting me, I brushed as much dried mud off me as I could. I lay down and closed my eyes trying to sleep because was exhausted. Suddenly quiet footsteps approached with a jangle of keys someone walked in. Not bothering to open my eyes I asked in a hoarse voice, "What do you want?"

" Clean yourself up and eat this. " A voice I recognised and didn't realise how much I wanted to hear it. Opening my eyes, I saw Eragon's calm face above me. I looked to my left and saw he had brought a bucket of water, a cloth and a tray of food. I have him a week smile and sat up. Taking the bucket and cloth I washed my face, arms and legs even though they were partially covers by my ripped and ruined clothes. Eragon produced a brush out from his pocket, I went to grab it but he said, "Don't. You eat . I'll do it"

I nodded and sat down to eat. Eragon sat behind me and ever so gently brushed out the cracking mud and all the knots and tangles. When I was done eating I felt my hair. It had been plated and styled into a tight and secure bun. When I looked at Eragon in bewilderment, he just shrugged and said, "It will stay out your face and won't get so tangled or dirty"

" How did you learn to plat so well? " I asked.

"I have a sister remember. I had to learn"

After a heart best of silence I asked "I have a few questions for you. 1 what were you going to say your power was at The Fire Festival? 2 What are you doing here? 3 why do you and Arramen hate each other? 4 what is my power? 5 How can you feel it? And 6 why did I feel really sad when you looked at me after you and Arramen had stopped shouting at each other when you were again the Manor talking about 'her' who I assume is Cassandra?

All the question I had bottled up rushed out of me. But for some reason I trusted Eragon and felt comfortable asking him.