"What do we do now?" Lira whined, standing ankle deep in animal waste.

"We shovel it out of the way, moron." Alaria snarled, already starting on the disgusting task.

"Well, if you're so certain; why don't you just do it all yourself then?" Elyria scowled, wrinkling her nose up at the task.

"Because in case you haven't noticed, we're being watched." Her sister replied. "And if you two don't do anything, then I'm sure we'll all be punished."

"You assume right." The silken voice of the King simpered. He was standing over in the hallway, with three young men behind him.

"These are Murtagh, Eragon and Roran." The man introduced each with ease. "Once you are finished here, go to your room…in the dungeon, and freshen up before each of you must choose between them."

"For what?" Lira asked, naive and Alaria cringed at her sister's ignorance of their role here in this Hellish place.

"You are here to entertain these men until they train in the morning." Galbatorix was perfectly reasonable. "If I find that you are not doing your job, you will be punished."

"How do we choose?" Alaria asked, slightly apprehensive. She was scared at what was implied, but more scared she might make the wrong choice and end up dead.

"You can each choose a room, and whichever of the boys is in the one you select will be your owner." He answered, eyeing her vaguely. "Now keep cleaning up then get ready…the boys are."

With that he walked away, two of the boys following. The one that stood in the shadows was the taller one, the angry one. She stared back into his Gray eyes; shivering at the pain she saw reflected there…she wanted to be his…

He turned away, melting into the darkness and Alaria sighed, shovelling faster as she tried to please her new master.

"Why are you going so fast?" Lira demanded. "You don't actually want to serve those wretched men do you?"

"No." Alaria breathed heavily from the work. "I just think that if we don't speed up, we may be punished."

"Well, then hurry up." Elyria ordered, flicking her pale hand at the pile of waste. Alaria ground her teeth and cursed silently, slipping slightly.

About half an hour later, Alaria was sitting in the candle light, fixing herself up. She washed herself vigorously, trying to get rid of the bad smell. When she was satisfied, she looked into the bag that the King had given her. Grimacing, Alaria pulled a crimson silk nightgown.

"I cannot wear this." She whispered. "I will look like those girls in town, the ones in that house that only sordid men go into…I cannot…i…i…I am one of those girls now… I have to obey or I will die…get used to that, Alaria and pull yourself together, you re not a child."

She looked at herself in the mirror and Alaria's lip quivered. Sighing sadly, she fluffed up her hair and smoothed random fly away hairs with her hand. Alaria slowly slid her pale blue dress off followed by her corset and undergarments. A few tears began to fall and she looked away from the mirror, as she pulled on the nightgown and strode out into the hallway.

A large passageway greeted her, gloomy and grubby. Alaria shivered in the cool and walked over to one of the doors. Upon opening it she found nothing but a room of armour. The next three were the same and she started to feel scared and useless again.

"Where is it?" she thought. "Where is the right room?"

Slowly she turned the doorknob in front of her and held her breath as she stepped inside. There was a figure bent over in the corner, his face obscured by the shadows. As she entered he turned and Alaria gasped, seeing the dark haired young man.

He was dressed in battered clothes, crouching in front of the fire. The hilt of a dagger produced from his boot and his serious face was mysterious to her, the fierce eyes framed by locks of brown hair. By his bed were a bow and a long hand-and-a-half sword, as well as another, the blade shining an iridescent red, longer and sharper then the other.

His grey eyes pierced Alaria's and she sat down, shakily curling up on the ground opposite him.

"Can this be any more awkward?" she whispered, not wanting to look at his shirtless chest as she stared down at her hands. He shrugged. "Do I at least get to know your name?"

"You were already told it by Galbatorix." he replied.

"I don't remember." She sobbed. "Your name...you're about to take something from me without my permission...can I at least have your name?"

"Murtagh." He sighed. "And I'm sorry, I really am…but this is what I want."

"And it doesn't matter that I don't?" Alaria whimpered, hanging her head as He crawled closer, pulling his clothes off as he went. Numb with fear, Alaria glanced down and saw how big he was. It was the first time she had ever seen a man naked before and her face flamed. Her body was shaking and she breathed harshly, feeling her heart beating quickly.

"Scared?" he whispered in her ear. Alaria shook her head as the tears fell quickly.

"I'm ready." She said through quivering lips, knowing it was what he wanted to hear.

His body was warm and hard on top of her. His lips kissed her chest and neck. Alaria felt him at her entrance and gasped as he entered her body.

Alaria bit her lower lip and opened her eyes as he lowered his chest a centimetre or so above hers. Murtagh's face was buried in her neck as he pumped slowly in and out of her. She made no attempt to move or moan in any pleasure, because there was none as she was scared, confused and alone. Alaria bit down on her lip harder as he quickened his pace. He kissed and softly bit on her neck as she just laid there. A minute later he was grunting as he came. A wave of relief washed over Alaria as her body shook and she was breathing heavily when he rolled off of her. She covered up her lower half and pulled her nightgown down. She sat up and felt the tears rush down again as Murtagh turned away.

"Why did you do that?" She begged, watching as his face hardened.

"Because I yearn for it." He growled, watching as hot tears escaped from her eyes in every direction.

"Well, why did the others?" She asked indistinct. "Are they your brothers?"

His eyes blazed and she wondered if he would punish her.

"Eragon is and Roran is his cousin." He answered. "My brother is a Dragon rider who has the only female Dragon in existence and his cousin…well; he can make for a great slave to our master."

"So you are bound here just as I?" Alaria noted. "Then why do you not see the suffering you are causing me and leave it alone?"

"Because your father sold you to him and then you chose me." Murtagh spat, glaring at her. "And I feel like this, so you cannot refuse. Now, be quiet and let me sleep."

She started to rise but his large hand caught her waist and drew her back down.

"I never told you to leave." He chastised her, before pulling her closer. Alaria stiffened. Surely, he would not want to still sleep with her after what had just happened?

"Se mor'ranr ono finna" He murmured sleepily in a different language Alaria didn't understand.

"What did you say?" She whispered, afraid to offend him.

"May you find peace." Murtagh's grey eyes burned into her soul. "Because you and I are more alike then you know and you will need it, I'll warn you now."

"Thank you." Alaria answered, feeling herself drift further into depression. He curled tighter and she sobbed, muffling the noise with her forearm as she tried to succumb to the darkness that lurked around every corner.