A/N: Awww...I love my reviewers! Thanks to those of you who do review. This chapter is named after you guys!

Oh yes. I screwed up when writing this. In my first chapter, Rebecca reads Anna a story. Then later I'm saying she can hardly read at all. So sorry. Let's just say...Rebecca had attempted to keep her ability to read, but Anna's storybooks were really all she had, and she basically knew them by heart, so she could read a couple stories or two. But nothing else. Yes, it's a lame excuse, and if you come up with a better one then I would only be all too happy to change it. It is understandable if you all want to rant and rave and whatnot about my pathetic writing skills, but it would be nice if you didn't flood my inbox with hate mail.

Thank you.

Rebecca's POV

I awoke early and immediately reached over to the other side of the bed, only to find it empty. Of course it was empty, I was all alone.

This was strange. For the past few years I'd always woken up with somebody else. Whether it be Murtagh, or Anna, who always preferred to cuddle up next to me in my bed than go lie down in hers.

I rolled out of bed, and tiptoed across the room to a door that led into a small washroom. I washed my face and brushed my hair, then got dressed for today. It only took me about four or five minutes total, I wasn't too concerned about my appearance for today. I was too worried.

Murtagh had said the soldiers would be arriving in Furnost today. I might now what had happened to Anna by tomorrow. Maybe even tonight.

I ignored my rumbling stomach and instead cleaned the room – though there wasn't that much to clean, as I had only been here a matter of hours. I walked over to the bookshelf, and pulled out a thin book with an emerald cover made of a soft fabric over hard wood. There was no title. Curious, I flipped it open to the first page.

O made and "ah" sound, right? Ah...ahn...ahnc...ahnc? O – N – C...E. Ahnkeh? Maybe it was a different language.

No, the C and E together would have made an "s" sound. Ahns. What other sounds could and O make? Oons. Ohns. Once. Once...once u-up...on. Once up-on. Once upon a t..imeh. No, time. Once upon a time.

I sat down on my bed and spent the rest of the morning struggling through the rest of the story. I worked so hard on just the individual words, that it was difficult to understand what the whole story was about, though I could sort of string sentences together.

Around noon I heard a gentle tap on my door. I slammed the book shut, frustrated with it, and went to answer.

It was Murtagh, of course, but he looked different. He was wearing armor, and a sword hung from his waist. He had a helmet tucked under an arm.

"Rebecca." He inclined his head.

"Hi. Come in." I stood aside to give him room to walk through the door, but he shook his head.

"I don't have the time."

"Oh." I stared at him stupidly.

"Becca, I'm...I've got to go."

"Where?"

"A lot of places. I can't tell you. But I'll send news as soon as I can."

"When will you be back?"

"Not for a while. A couple months."

I couldn't reply. A couple months? It might as well be forever. I knew he would return, of course he would return, but there was always that feeling. That fear. That question constantly at the back of my mind – "What if I never see him again?" I just nodded.

"I wish I could take you with me." He seems bitter, almost angry now. "It's so frustrating, being under constant control and supervision, not...not being free." He pounded his fist against the wall.

I stepped forward. "Hey," I said. "Don't talk like that. Shhh..." I embraced him, though it was not particularly comfortable, with his armor on. "Murtagh," I whispered. "Murtagh, life is hard. Life is difficult. But if you look hard enough it is worth living. There is something here on this horrible, unfriendly, frustrating earth that keeps you going, keeps you breathing, gives you strength when you are too tired to go on and want to just give up."

"Life is worth living," he repeated. He pulled out of my embrace, and me arms dropped back down to my side. He took my shoulders and held me at arms length, gently, looking afraid that he was going to break me. "I know that. I just wish you did."

"I do!" I insisted. "I...I..." Did I? Yes, he was worth living for, Anna was worth living for, but...but did I still want to live, even with them? Did my speech to him make me a hypocrite? "I don't know," I said finally.

"Yes you do. Think about it."

"Master Murtagh!" A slave boy ran into the hallway. "We – we've been all over the castle looking for you!" he panted. "The King needs a word, he...he's not in a very good mood."

"Thank you." Murtagh looked at me seriously once more. "Think about it," he repeated. "I love you." He released me and turned to follow the slave boy. I stood still.

Then he was gone.

Awwww...poor Rebecca. Galbatorix is such a jerk! Murtagh! No! Come back! So sad...

So...reviews? Please? I need to know how this was. I know it's short, but I'm starting the next one right now. Wow...I just went back and re-read it and it is short. Next one should be longer. Notice the use of the word should, not will. Hm.

Bye!