Chapter One

"Amy, come down here," Amy's mother yelled from downstairs, her shrill voice grating on her daughter's nerves.

"Coming," Amy yelled back, putting down yet another book from the mortal realm. The girl trudged unwillingly out of her room and down the stairs. When she got downstairs, she noticed that her mother had a wrapped package in her hands.

"Your father and I decided to get a present for you," her mother stated, a faint smile gracing her lips.

"Let me guess, there's another ball that I have to attend," Amy said unhappily, taking the present from her mother's hand. Her mother simply nodded her head.

"You know I don't like to dance," she whined. Her mother gave her a sharp look.

"Well, I guess I have no choice. When is it?" Amy asked, forcing an obviously fake smile.

"Tomorrow," her mother replied smugly. She then walked off, which meant Amy was free to go back to her room.

As the angry girl closed the door behind her, she threw the presents on her bed, forgetting about it. She quickly picked up her discarded book and finished it, savoring every page.

Amy stood up and stretched her legs, walking over to her vast collection of books. As she looked she found that she has already read every book that she owned at least twice. She sighed, and went back to her bed.

The girl laid down, hitting the discarded bribe from her parents. She opened it, finding that it was another book from the mortal realm – Eragon – but thankfully one she had never read.

She changed into a pair of breeches and a light cotton shirt, and grabbed a satchel. Shoving a set of extra clothing inside, for she intended to spend the night at her destination, Amy lightly tossed the bag over her shoulder and opened her window. Looking out, she made sure no one was watching, climbed down, and sprinted away as fast as she could, hiding in the shadows of her house.

She continued her flight until her sanctuary - better known as the tree house - came into her sight. Amy sighed in relief and slowed down, coming up abruptly next to the tree.

Climbing up, she pulled herself up onto the small, wind-weathered deck running around the outskirts of the small tree. Entering the tree house proper, she put down her bag on the black of misshapen wood that served as a couch.

Amy swiftly searched for Eragon inside the mess of her once neatly-folded clothes. She started reading as soon as she was able to extricate from the mess' death-grip. Reading intently, she began to imagine what it would be like to escape to the world of Alagaesia.

Eragon woke up after his first night of sparring, sorer than he has ever been in his entire life.

"How much longer until we get to Yazuac?" Eragon asked Brom whinily.

"We should be able to see the city by nightfall," Brom replied. Eragon was about to complain, starting yet another argument, but he saw something blocking their path.

The young dragon rider dismounted, and cautiously approached what looked to be a person lying in the road. He discovered that it was a young girl, perhaps 15 years of age.

"Brom- " Eragon started, but was cut off.

"We can only help her to Yazuac. Pick her up and get back on the horse," Brom said with a bit of concern laced into his voice.

Eragon shrugged, and lifted her up onto his horse with a little difficulty, because of his soreness. He also grabbed the bag next to her. He tossed it to Brom, who caught it with ease. Getting up on the horse, behind the unconscious girl, they then continued on their journey.

"Are you alright, little one? You stopped," Saphira said, concern lacing her mental voice.

"Everything is fine. We just stopped because there was a girl lying in the middle of the road. We are going to take her to Yazuac," Eragon replied back, effectively ending the conversation.

Amy felt herself bouncing up and down. As she opened her eyes, feeling rather groggy, she found she was on a horse. She tried to look around but could not, not without allowing whomever she was with to know that she was awake. The girl then opened her eyes fully, and heard a voice from behind her.

"Brom, she is awake." The voice said. So much for deception.

"Of course. Stop and we will find out who she is," said a man's voice. Using her amazing powers of deduction, she assumed that voice to be Brom.

She felt the horse stop moving, as she quickly tried to formulate a plan, but failing miserably. The guy behind her then got off and helped Amy down. Once her feet were on the ground, the unknown man let go of her, so she started to run. The man groaned, and ran after her, tackling her to the ground. He picked her up by her waist, and carried her back to the horses.

"Please, let me go," Amy said in a fake weak voice. The man, confused, looked at Brom for instruction. Brom nodded his head.

"Who are you? Did you kidnap me?" Amy said in a soft voice, trying not to let her fear show..

"I am Eragon, and this is Brom. No, we did not kidnap you. We found you lying in the middle of the road," Eragon said.

"Did you say that your name is Eragon?" Amy said, a little confused. Eragon nodded his head, a confused expression gracing his features.

"Oh my god. I have to be dreaming," Amy thought.

"Now, who are you?" Brom asked, trying to get the 'conversation' back on topic.

"I-I am Amy," the girl stuttered, trying to take this all in.

"Saphira, get down here" Eragon ordered.

Amy heard something over head. She looked up and saw a sapphire blue streak speeding towards the small group. Amy then looked at Eragon, and said, "Is that Saphira?"

"How did you know?" Eragon asked, very confused.

"I'm not, uh, sure." Amy lied, hoping they would buy the weak response.

She saw they didn't, as Saphira landed. She then growled at Amy, scaring her. As a result, she shot into the air with a small squeak. Amy then slowly drifted, rather ungracefully, back to the ground, and back to the surprised and confused group.

"I have some explaining to do, don't I?" Amy asked. Brom simply nodded his head.

"This is going to sound extremely strange," Amy began, looking resigned.

She then proceeded to explain everything she knew about the realm that she had come from, why she was here, and what she was, but really succeeded only in confusing her listeners.

Brom looked at the girl with an expression of disbelief. I don't believe you, his expression said. However, he simply nodded his head when Amy was done, and got back on his horse.

"Can I have my bag back?" Amy asked, spotting it. Brom went and grabbed it, tossing it roughly at her head. Amy barely caught it before it impacted forcefully with her skull.

"Since you both have a horse, should I fly with Saphira, or walk next to the horses?" Amy asked.

"Neither," Brom stated. The girl gave him a questioning look.

"You will ride with Eragon, on his horse," Brom said, making sure the girl had no possible way of escape.

Amy stepped over resignedly to Eragon's horse, and mounted it, scrabbling for purchase that the slick leather did not have. Eragon climbed on behind her, with much less effort. Amy blushed with embarrassment, as Eragon slid his arms around her waist to hold her in place. They traveled quickly, making it to Yazuac.

Thank-you to the Ninth Layer for Beta-ed my story. It was unbelievably horrible before.