Ria knew that she had to tell the truth when she answered his questions, if she didn't, she knew he'd suspect she was lying. Ria wasn't stupid, she knew that if she didn't answer the questions he asked truthfully, then he would take the answers by force. He would take the answers, along with the many other secrets about herself. She was surprised that he only had asked the questions he did, and not more. He was testing her...

Ria decided that Galbatorix was becoming too interested in her, and she needed to avoid him even more. She would ask Maggy to move her back to washing dishes and scullery work. Ria would avoid him till she figured out what to do next. She didn't trust him, he was a murderer of people and of dragons. Ria also had to be careful, his minions could be hiding around any door, spying on her if Galbatorix wished it.

"Where have you been!" Maggy was in a huff, and looked overstressed. "You didn't get into more trouble, did you? You better not have girl!"

"Don't worry Mag, I didn't." Ria dared to not say more.

Maggy only gave her a look of suspicion, "Well grab them carrots over there, and get slicing for the stew."

Ria awoke early the next morning with a terrible migrane. She rubbed her head, and sat up casting her eyes around the room. There was hardly any light coming in from the six inch window that was set on the upper part of the room's wall. The quarters were halfway under the castle, so the window was just a meager strip of glass near the ground...at least when you looked at it from the outside.

It was Ria's day off, and she sighed with relief and joy...and a little bit of pain. She hauled herself out of bed to wash up and change into a casual dress.

It was blue with a white lace-up bodice that fit snugly against her ribs. Ria wore a black leather belt with a silver filigree buckle...it had been her father's. The dress had a full skirt, and was not at all shabby, but of course, not as fine as the noble's dresses. She had bought the dress, as well as a few others, so she would have something to walk around the court with, instead of her drabby maid's uniform. It was her day off, and she wanted to feel like more than just a kitchen made, even if it was only for a little while.

Ria put her hair up in an elegant way,and she secured it with a few small sapphire-jeweled combs that her mother had left behind. She left a few pieces of hair hanging by her face, and the rest she gathered at the back of her head in a prettily designed bun. Ria checked her reflection and realized she had her pendant hanging outside of her dress, and quickly tucked it in her bodice. It was a silver sword with an emerald blade, and there was a dragon wrapped around it. It too, had been her mother's.

Ria arrived at the kitchen's to get a glass of water, and a tonic from Maggy. Mag seemed to know how to whip up anything, to fix anything. She was hoping that Maggy had a solution for her migraine. Ria knew Maggy would be up early, and would already be making breakfast for the nobles, but what was in the kitchen when she got there, was surprising.

A man sat at the scrubbed counter in the middle of the kitchen. He had chin length brown hair that tied back, and a dashing scarlet and gold tunic set off by black leggings. His face was calm and emotionless, and chiseled as if it were stone. He looked to be around her age, or a little older, and was finely built. He was a picture of utmost aristocracy, so it puzzled her that he was in the kitchens. Ria looked around, but Maggy was elsewhere, and something told her that it was planned that way. Despite his dashing looks, she had a feeling that she should have been dashing out of there...and she would have, but he had already seen her.

"Are you Ria?" His voice was lightly masculine, and gentle.

"No," She lied, "Ria's gone. She left for the market. I could tell her you were here when she comes back...What would be your name?"

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow, but sighed. "I'm Jerihl. Tell her that the King requests her presence at dinner tonight, and also wishes her to bring his noon-time meals from now on."

"I will." Ria curtsied.

He bowed and left.

She sighed with relief, "Well, that was easy."

"What did you do this time? And to the King! Of all people Ria!" Maggy's scolding voice issued from behind her.

"Maggy!" She turned around on her heel.

Maggy advanced on her, rolling pin in hand. "What was it this time? Tell me Ria, or I will find another use for this rolling pin." She waved it expressively in Ria's face.

"I didn't do anything Mag, I promise." She gave Maggy a pleading voice. "He started asking me questions yesterday, and now, all of a sudden, he is becoming interested in me." She shrugged, as if blowing it off. Ria actually felt dread rising in her stomach, which also clashed profusely with her migrane. She rubbed her temples, "Do you have any tonic for a migraine?"

"Yes, actually, I do." Maggy turned around and busied herself with preparing it. "Now, what exactly did he ask you?"

Ria seated herself at the countertop. "Just a few questions...Like where I was from, where were my parents...things like that."

"Uh-huh." Maggy had a thoughtful look on her face. "What are you going to wear?"

"WHAT!" Ria exploded, "We're talking about King Galbatorix asking me to dine with him, he doesn't just do that. What other filthy servant, that you know of, has ever been asked to join the King for dinner? He has a motive behind this Maggy..."

"Well, of course he does...Maybe he found out your station of birth, and wants to try to give you a good life again."

Ria snorted. "As much as I love that you see the good in everyone Mag, I don't think King Galbatorix has ever done anything that hasn't benefited himself."

Ria traced her finger lazily along the gate to the the castle, she was thinking about many things. First off, how the heck she was going to get out of the mess she was in? She could just leave, it seemed the easiest solution, but something was gnawing at her curiosity. Did he really have something good to offer her? She didn't know, but she was cautious to find out. Ria certainly wanted her old life back, but she also hated the restraints that came along with being a noble women. Not that she ever experienced them, but she did view them from afar, and to her, that was the closest she wanted to get.

It would certainly be adventurous to leave, and be a rogue. She always wanted to explore Alagaesia, but then again it was a dangerous place, especially with all the Urgals running about. Ria could defend herself, she was more than a proficient swordsman, and she could use a bow with ease, but she had never been alone.

A large gust of wind hit the back of her, and she whipped around to see a massive black dragon fly closely to her head. It landed, and a rider dismounted from its back. The creature gave her an almost intimidating look, and she scowled inwardly at her horrible luck of being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. The rider was Galbatorix, of course, the only dragonrider in Alagaesia.

He approached her, and as custom, she started to kneel as all servants do. As she bowed her head to kneel, an arm stopped her, and she looked up in surprise.

"A curtsy will do." He said simply, in his smooth, well oiled voice.

She gave him a deep curtsy.

He looked satisfied, "Do you find my dragon frightening, Ria?"

"A little big, yes. Frightening...no...Your Highness."

"Follow me." He turned, and she followed him into the castle. "You're looking certainly different. More like a member of my court."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." She stared at the back of his head, as she followed him.

"Would you like to be a member of my court, Ria?"

"I don't know, Your Majesty."

"A strange answer, but I accept that it's the truth." He continued to walk. "What makes you doubt that you want it?"

"The fact that I am a women, therefore I would have to abide by the rules of a women."

"I don't think that it would be that bad. It would be a life of privilege and luxury, certainly more than you are used to?"

"I don't wish for luxury and privilege, Your Highness, I wish for adventure and respect. If I had that, I would be happy."

"Perhaps that is what you will get." Galbatorix turned and opened a pair of Ivory doors, gilded in gold. He marched through, and Ria trailed behind. The room was small, inelegant, and the walls were lined with guards. The King didn't stop, he thrust open the next set of doors, and marched through those as well.

The next room was basically a long, plain hallway. It was lined with torches, and between each torch was a member of the King's guard. Ria followed him through the next doors, which led into a splendid room. Various swords and armor hung on and lined the walls, glittering magnificently as the light from the large gold and crystal chandelier bounced off them. There were stands where jewels and goblets of precious metals rested. On the far end of the wall was a large mural, it glowed in all of its jeweled splendor. Silver and gold filigree twisted down the wall, making patterns of branches and leaves in Elvin fashion.

Set on the vines were jeweled flowers of various shapes and sizes. Some were large and bold, others were small and delicate. Ria let a quick intake of breath escape her lips, but she continued to follow Kind Galbatorix.

He stopped at the mural, and placed his hand on a particularly large flower. He mumbled a phrase that Ria couldn't understand, and the middles of the flowers began to rotate and move as if they were pulleys. The veins of filigree retreated to the edges of the mural, leaving a door exposed.

Ria followed King Galbatorix again, and he led her into a considerably plain room. It was bare except for a chair and a fireplace.

He turned to her, "You will stay here for the next few hours. This is a test, Ria. If you pass, you will have your wish... If you fail, you are back to being a kitchen maid." With that, King Galbatorix shut her in the small room, leaving her with many questions.