The last morning came around all too soon. I woke up and my hart dropped. I had to leave at lunch time. I was so sad that I was leaving. I was returning to the man who changed my life.

Going down stairs I came across Lysandrea.

“I’ve been thinking. I will change for you, but I get to be the animal of my choice” I said trying to repair any, what could be called, friendship.

“Alright then” she said stiffly.

I thought for a moment about what animal I wanted to become. And turned into….a mouse. Small and harmless.

Looking up at Lysandrea I saw the faintest tug at her lips. I could safely assume that was as close to a smile as I was going to get and turned back into an elf. I walked past her but as I reached the botham step I heard “Thank you” behind my shoulder.

I spent the morning with Morena and Eragon and even a little bit with Septimus. We had a huge lunch. Boiled ham slices and soft warm bread with lots of chicken salad. It was great.

After lunch I went upstairs to get my wedding dress, rolling it up and putting it under my arm, I hugged Morena good bye. Then turned to Septimus and Eragon. Eragon took one of Septimus’s hands and I took the other. Morena and the beautiful hall dissolved into the shadows.

The Summer court sun bathed down on us when we arrived, a few meters from the house. Dropping both our hands Septimus tuned to me and gave me a small smile and a nod, I smiled and nodded back. He then took refuge a couple of meters away. I looked at Eragon.

“Turn around” he told me. I turned so my back was to him and then I saw his arms come over my head.

Between his hands was a silver chain and something dangled from it. He clasped it around my neck. It was the perfect length. I looked down and saw it was a silver star outline and in the middle was a diamond.

“Its beautiful” turning to look at him I said, “thank you”

“I thought you should have a little bit of night court to keep close.”

I walked closer to Eragon went up onto my toes and gave his cheek a gentle kiss. Taking a step back I looked into his eyes and said, “Thank you for everything. I’ll see you next month” I walked to the house. Just before I opened the door I looked back, Eragon was watching me. I knew he wouldn’t leave until he was sure I was safe. Smiling I went inside.

Shutting the door I walked in and put my dress down on a cabinet. Suddenly out of a door rushed Arramen followed by Saphira and then Farross. Arramen threw his arms around me. “Are you ok? Did he hurt you?” he asked.

Saphira was next. Her arms went around me and hugged me so tightly I thought that my ribs would crack. “What happened to your dress? And what is that?” she pointed in disgust at my new necklace.

“Oh this? I have always had it” I lied.

“Why have I never seen it before?”

“I usually tuck it in”

“You didn’t answer my questions” said Arramen.

“Well then to answer them, Yes I’m fine and no nobody hurt me.”

“That’s fine then” Farross said who was leaning against the wall.

The days returned to normal almost immediately except I didn’t have to plan a joining ceremony. I spent most of my days alone or I had Saphira talking to me. She never let me say a word and always assumed my answer. Sometimes I wanted to scream ‘Shut up nobody cares’ but of course I couldn’t. There were a few good things that came from being alone nearly all the time. I had plenty of time to practice shielding and turning into different animals. I set my self a goal. To have the ability to turn into a hundred different animals by the next time I would go to the night court.

One dinner I said, “Arramen will you teach me to do useful things. Like how to make a fire and how to use a bow and arrow or a blade?”

“Females shouldn’t learn that type of thing. Your too delict.” Arramen replied.

“I agree. I will show you how to sew tomorrow” Saphira chimed in.

I asked again the next day and got shot down again.

I had had enough. I still had a week to go until I could see the night court again. I was just about to go for a ride and then Farross came up to me.

“What do you want Farross?”

“Saphira says you can’t go riding without an escort. so I am to go with you.”

“Fine. Hurry up and get on a horse”

He got his white stallion ready and I lead us out of the gardens and towards the woods.

Breathing in the summer air, I rode as fast as I could. We reached the woods in no time and I got off.

“This is what its like to be wild and free.” I said closing my eyes and raising my arms I span to the fast music I could remember from the night court. I stopped and said, “Why is there no music in the Summer court?”

“There is. It’s just for special occasions.”

“But why?”

“Because that is the way Lord Arramen likes it.”

“What? so no joy?”

“You have spent too much time in the night court. I will tell Arramen and Saphira that you should be kept indoors”

“NO! I am not going to be kept indoors for a whole week.”

“Yes you are. Now lets get back to the Manor and have some lunch.”

I was about to object but before could Farross grabbed my arm and took me home.

Farross told Arramen and Saphira as soon as we got back. After a lot of shouting, I was only banned from leaving the Manor’s vast grounds. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, I ended up spending a lot of time in the end garden. The days dragged by. The closer I got to going to the night court the longer the days felt.

The morning of the exchange I woke in a good mood. In a few hours I was going to be back in the night court to my real friends. The night previous I had managed to get to a hundred animals magical and non-magical.

Arramen came to my room, “I wont let him take you. Not again.”

“I made the bargain. I have to uphold my end.”

“Why did you have to make the bargain in the first place?”

“One of my cuts became so infected it was killing me.”

“You were dying?” the surprise in his voice made me feel guilty for not telling him before. But then I snapped out of it. He was trying to control me, by keeping me from doing things.

“Yes… Eragon will come after lunch and I’ll see you after the week”

Arramen saw that as his invitation to leave. Sighing I got changed into night court attire. I looked down and saw the star necklace Eragon had given me. I hadn’t appreciated how delicate and beautiful it was until now.

I walked down the stairs and went into the dining room. Sitting down I helped myself to breakfast.

I spent the majority of the morning in the library, but reading was almost impossible. My thoughts kept going to Eragon and my eyes kept watching the clock. The hours tick by way too slowly. Standing up I went into the rose garden. I pick some small flowers and threaded them into my hair just because I could. As soon as lunch was on the table I ate as quickly as I could and dashed out the room. I was pulling on my shoes when there was a knock on the door. Before I could stand up, Arramen opened the door.

Face to face with Eragon, the two Elves scowled at each other. Suddenly Arramen’s fist punched Eragon in the face. Taking a few steps back and holding a hand over his face, Eragon yelled, “What the hell you idiot!”

Arramen approached Eragon. “You already stole one female from me. You cannot take another.”

“Arramen stop. There is nothing you can do about it.” I said.

“HE SHALL NOT TAKE YOU!” in Arramen’s fury he turned and with his hand still slightly streched out, he had backhanded me across the face.

Seeing this, Eragon tackled Arramen to the floor. As soon as Eragon jumped on Arramen and put his hands around his neck, Septimus had sprinted down the hill. With a final punch Eragon got off Arramen, and took my hand. With the shade of the manor, Septimus shadow travelled us to the night court as fast as he could.