Hey, what's up? If you have been reading my other stories and been wondering where I have been for this time, I want to apologize. I was getting ready to blame it on me being busy or something, but I have to be honest with you all and myself. I've been downright lazy, and I've had plenty of time to write. But my laziness ends here, I promise. Oh, and the next Rider Saphira update is coming soon, don't worry.

If you are expecting an amazing fic, please feel free to leave now. If you are expecting a fic that I have tried my hardest on, then this is it.

If you have any advice, please don't be afraid to tell me. I would really like to know, because that's the whole reason I'm here in the first place: To improve my writing. Also, if this chapter has you confused, please don't let that stop you from reading the second. It will explain a lot, and even more on the third.

All was still and silent. Anna tip toed through the dark library, clutching a dagger in her hand so tight that her knuckles were white. If she made one noise she would be found out, and every guard in Galbitorxes castle would swarm there. Her slender frame was illuminated as she passed a window that the moonlight was drifting through. She was tall, and in this light her short hair was a dark, almost brown color, although it was actually red.

She wore tight cloth clothing. It wasn't heavy, made no noise and it wouldn't trip her up. Those were three solid reasons she wore it, especially for this mission.

She realized her mistake when she stepped into the light filtering in through the window. She stuck close to the wall now, ducking under any windows so her form wouldn't be visible against the sky and the ocean below it. She heard the gentle waves lapping against the shore, and she found herself taking one large step for every lap, as if it might cover up any noise her bare feet made. She wore no shoes. She needed none.

Anna took a deep breath. She reached the double doors leading out of the library. She was making good time. The sun wouldn't rise for another three hours or so, so there were less people up and about in the castle.

Her goal was a simple one. Get inside the castle and get the battle plans from Galbatorixes room by any means necessary. It was by far the most dangerous task she had ever been assigned, and she would not fail. She couldn't, for death would be the price to pay.

Anna heard nothing on the other side of the door. She got on her hands and knees and peered under the door where light was shining through. She saw no moving shadows of mens feet. That was good enough for her.

With the slowest of movements she inched the door open. She didn't open it all the way, just enough for her to squeeze through. Like she thought, no guards. With a trembling hand, she closed the door again. She wasn't brave, like she sometimes liked to believe, but she had to do this.

The hallway was dim, and it seemed to stretch forever. Candles hung from chandeliers and some were sitting atop bookshelves. Galbatorix did love books. Particularly ones about dragons. The paintings on the wall suggested that. That, and the fact that he had a strong love of himself, for between every picture of a dragon there was a picture of him. In some of them he was on the battlefield, others he was standing beside large piles of gold and jewels. He thought very highly of himself, that much was certain.

It was only when her mind started to drift that she heard footsteps. Quick footsteps, hard, pounding. They got louder. There was nowhere to hide.

The owners of the noise rounded the corner. Five or so heavily armed guards, yelling in loud voices. Most of what they were yelling was mixed and slurred, and it dawned on Anna that they must have been drinking recently. That was what they did behind Galbatorixes back, apparently. It must be better than roaming the halls of a castle all night.

Too easy. This thought wasn't inspired by bravery, it was actually some sort of pity for the men she had to slaughter. But what if she didn't have to kill them? She didn't need to worry about them escaping and alerting anyone else, they had done that with their voices. Even at this moment she heard guards yelling from the direction she came.

So they had her cornered, did they? Not quite.

A dagger was nice for slitting a mans throat subtly, but she would be doomed against these men with their swords. Why, even one of them was lugging around a broadsword! It would cut her clean in half if she tried to fight.

Anna made up her mind. She wouldn't surrender, nor would they let her on second thought. She couldn't turn back for risk of running into the possibly sober crowd of guards, which would have been worse. She ran straight at the soldiers in front of her. They didn't even have time to raise their swords.

She sprang forward like a lion, knocking the man in front of her over backwards. She landed cleanly on his chest, and before any of them could do anything she made it through the gap. Now they were behind her, just like she had planned.

Now she ran. She concentrated on taking deep, steady breaths through her nose. It did nothing to calm her, but her stamina withheld. She heard the men behind her. Now and again she would tip over a bookcase or a vase on a pedestal to try and trip up the guards.

The stairs were ahead. The great spiral staircase that went on for ages. Without looking back she bolted up them, covering about two to three steps with each stride. She heard the guards, and they were close. She acted on instinct alone, and with a mighty voice that echoed through the castle, she yelled, "Adurna!" She was no magician, but she knew a few spells. They came in handy, considering she wasn't a warrior, either.

Water from an unknown source flooded the stairs behind her. The tidal wave engulfed the stairs, and by the mens screams behind her she figured they had gotten washed back down. But she did not slow her pace. They might catch back up if she did.

She reached the top of the stairs sooner than she thought, and there before her eyes was the large double door, trimmed with gold. Galbatorixes room. Without hesitating she pushed it open. He wasn't here. Good.

There was a bed big enough for five people in the middle, various chests and dressers against the wall, and there, on top of a small table, were the battle plans. The plans that could defeat the Varden once and for all. She scanned over the page, making sure it was the real deal. It was. She stuffed it into her pocket.

The second she did she heard footsteps running through the hall behind her. She looked over her shoulder and sure enough, here came nearly a dozen men, armed from head to toe. The leader spoke up. His voice was smug and confident, and she knew under that helm he had a large, mocking grin. "Well well, look what we have here. Trying to steal the kings plans, eh? You know what the punishment for that is." All the men stepped forward at once, and Anna took an even bigger step back.

"Afraid of death, girl? You shouldn't have come. You will fail like all the rest of them!" The men behind him all yelled their agreement. The bunch was moving closer, and it reminded Anna of a pack of wolves moving in on a frightened rabbit. That was how she felt now, small and outnumbered.

Anna spat at the mans feet and turned to run. Luckily her light clothing allowed her to move faster than the soldiers with their heavy armor. She ran to the window near the bed and opened it. The guards were right behind her. She didn't look down. If she did they would catch her. She scrambled out the window and onto the roof. Anna heard the men behind her, but she made her way over the castle. Some of the red tiles slid under her feet and made her loose her balance, but she carried on.

Fear and panic flooded over her, and she doubled her speed. But the next time a loose tile slipped she fell on her back. She began to slide down the steep roof of the castle and toward the ocean bellow. If she fell at this height she would die for sure. She could use a spell, but what if it used too much of her energy?

Anna stabbed the dagger at the roof, trying to get it to stick. It wouldn't, it merely bounced off one of the tiles and she lost her grip on it. She could think of no spell under this pressure, and with a terrified scream she slid off the roof at a quick speed. It was a long way to the sea bellow, possibly filled with jagged rocks that would break her bones when she slammed into them.

Her vision flickered as she was falling, and in the sky above her she thought she saw a red dragon. Then everything went black.

-----

Anna gritted her teeth as she felt a stinging in her shoulder. She opened her eyes slowly and found herself in the forest. It all came back to her now. The mission, and more importantly her failure. She almost wished she would have died during the mission to avoid any punishment Galbatorix might have.

"About time you're awake." Came a voice from only a few feet away. Her head snapped to the left to see who it was. But she knew even before she saw his face. She knew that voice. "Murtagh, why did you save me? I failed, I don't deserve to live. Or are you doing this just to see my execution?" Ah, Murtagh. His dirty black hair was hanging down over his face like it always did, almost hiding the grin he wore. Many of the maids felt weak at their knees around him, although Anna never saw the attraction.

"Now why would I do that? Just because we are not necessarily friends doesn't mean we have to be enemies, now does it?" He outstretched his hand, helping her sit up. She was now leaning against the back of a tree trunk, examining her bandaged shoulder. Murtagh must of noticed. "That was Thorn. When he caught you his claw slipped, and, well, it wasn't pretty."

Thorn spoke up next, and although he was no where to be seen, his voice echoed in both their minds. Sorry, love. I forget how delicate the human skin is. Anna shuddered, having never gotten used to a voice inside her head. But she accepted his apology nonetheless.

"I failed, though. Galbatorix will have me executed." At her words Murtagh laughed. When she gave him a questioning look he explained. "You actually believe they saw Thorn catch you? My dear, you underestimate his speed. He caught you and fled before anyone could bat an eye. They must believe you escaped. More importantly, you escaped with this." He reached into his bag and pulled out the battle plans, setting them on the ground.

"You went through my belongings?" If Anna could, she would have punched him, but her shoulder made her incapable of any such thing.

"It fell out." Murtagh shrugged his shoulders. Sure it did. Anna thought, but she didn't speak it aloud. Instead she lifted the waterskin that Murtagh had left beside her to her lips. The cool water felt good as it ran down her throat, and it seemed to bring back the strength in her voice. "So I passed?"

"Yes, and Galbatorix has a surprise for you. Oh, and Happy Birthday, Anna."