Well, looks like my last promise went to naught. That's what school does *mutters:* blooming school, it's not like it helps anything ANYWAY…except for…that career thing…but who cares about THAT?

Anyway, back to the story:

Arya lifted her head and looked at the collection of kings, Queens, Riders, Dragons and wise bystanders…and lastly at the Insert.

"According to you, we are characters in a book and this is not a real world…" she said slowly and not all too impolitely, but it was quite clear that she did not hold much of the Inserts opinion.

"I never ACTUALLY straight out said that…I may have hinted…subtly...that that was the case, but I never actually admitted it"

Nasuada gave her a frustrated glance "but you didn't deny it either!" she growled and sat down on the bench between Orrin and Eragon.

Once again they had found themselves in the hall of discussion, but what the council was holding was less a discussion and more, it seemed, a hidden competition of power and wit. Nasuada thought it unnecessary for Arya to stick her nose into the business of her people and incidentally Arya was of the same opinion and had no idea why Eragon had roped her into this troublesome riddle. Orrin and Orik wanted nothing more than a solution and would go to any means to attain their goals, and so were mentally on their knees begging the elven woman to stay. Angela was grumpy. The Insert kept on being threatened and accused and frankly, nobody knew who was in charge anymore and everybody (excluding perhaps Solembum and the Insert) was trying to prove that they were worthy of that role.

Insert did not reply, even when everybody's eyes were turned on her.

"Well," Angela broke the silence "that settles it"

Eragon frowned "settles what? That we're all made up? that we have no free will? That we will live and die in another all-mighty persons imagination and be forgotten when our time has come?" he was becoming increasingly panicked.

Angela rolled her eyes "no, that settles it; we need to have a pot of tea and clear our heads a bit. Where is that lovely woman…Aila I believe she is called, she makes the most delicious tea I have tasted in a long time?"

Murtagh glowered at her. What an anti-climactic response…

~~0~~0~^.^~0~~0~~

Aila hovered over the tea pot and tried to figure out what to say. She had already had her place made secure in delivering the tea to the queen herself, but how could she convince them to let her help with the eradication of the horrible beings?

~~0~~0~^.^~0~~0~~

Murtagh stood up. "I wash my hands of the matter, I seem to have no power over anything anyway, so it doesn't matter what I say" glaring at the guards still holding the Insert to show that he meant them, he stormed out of the room.

"What a spoilt…" the Insert was glared into quietness.

Meanwhile Murtagh opened his door to an all too familiar sight.

"Oh…I've seen you before. You're the one who disappeared with a rainbow…"

"Starlight," she bowed and smiled "I have found and lost my Eragon again…could you help me?"

Murtagh smirked "he's with Arya…what do you say to that?"

"HOW COULD SHE? THAT B****!" Starlight screamed. She clapped her hands together and called something in a language that has never existed and never will and might have been an attempt to speak elfish. Starlight grinned and a blue unicorn appeared.

Murtagh stared at it "I…was…actually…" he blinked "joking…when I…"

The unicorn neighed and Starlight stroked its head lovingly "she's called Moonlight"

Murtagh's eyebrows raised themselves "you're ability to give your victims unique names defies all description" he said in a low voice.

Starlight bowed "I know Murtagh, but I'm sorry. I love Eragon too much to leave him, and I am sure you can at least TRY and find true love with Nasuada"

Murtagh shook his head in disgust "may the gods and their disciples help us"

~~0~~0~^.^~0~~0~~

Nasuada flicked her wrist at the guards "listen to Murtaghs commands from now on will you?"

"And I still say he's like a spoilt teenager…"

Ignoring the Insert, she beckoned Aila to come into the room. Dutifully sharing out the tea, she began to speak. Starting out by saying each name and their respective title, she continued with a lot of stuttering and choking and nervous shaking, so much so that she spilt some of the tea onto the Inserts lap and began to panic and cry.

Nasuada was about to dismiss her when the Insert held up her finger and actually placed it onto the queens lips "don't you dare." She hissed "don't you even think about it"

The Insert managed a solemn and serious shake of head before the guards dragged her away.

"I just wanted…" Aila took a deep breath catching herself. The Insert had given her time, now she could use it. "I want to help" she said determinedly "to erase this vermin from our wonderful lands and bring peace to all women abroad, oh your highness, please, I beg of you! Let me help. I do not expect you to discuss or even look at me, all I want is that you know, when the time comes, I will be a reliable supporter of your decision and actions"

~~0~~0~^.^~0~~0~~

Well, this sucks. The Insert looked away in disgust, trying to stay as far away as possible from the writhing mass of Sues. The paths that led between the cells had been stuffed with the beings and all that kept them from the castle was a heavy wooden door and a flight of stairs, on which the Insert was perched.

She stared down at her grubby pyjamas and the grotty steps and groaned "well, this is just great. Leave it to me to find a way into Alagaësia, completely forgetting the fact that I might want to find a way back OUT"

A few of the Sues snorted or laughed at her, breathing words of mock under their breaths.

"Oh be quiet you shiny haired doll-faces! I can talk to myself all I want, I'm in a right spot of bother, I am"

In the silence (though it was not all that silent, the crinkling of the clothes echoed so loudly it was quite distressing) that followed, the Insert started to hum, and then sing;

Can you see the villains dancing
hiding from the light?
Casting shadows on the walls
with long and crooked fingers…

It was a song she had heard over and over as a child, and quite possibly the reason behind her apparent eccentricity…or insanity…either would do.

Say your prayers to the Lord
as the day draws night
for only they will hold them
at bay until the morning light

Searching through the fears
and phobias within your head
hide your feelings well my dear
from the shadow-creatures lurking

Imperfection; jealousy, vanity is scorn
for the innocence of those
who accept their incompletion
at the shaking of a head…

She trailed off. "hey…I'm a GENIUS!"