"Well, well, well what do we have here?" I heard a voice say and this scared me. God, how it scared me. I was afraid to open my eyes to see who it was, but it did not sound like my father so I took a chance and opened my eyes. Outside the door stood my good friend, Gilmor, who was a shade like me. He was only a few years older than me and had longer, wavier hair that was down to his shoulders, it was also a dark red like any other shade. He too was beautiful but with calmer features than mine. His face was smoother and more gentle than mine or probably any shade out there. In fact, his appearance was so beautiful that it was his job. He works here only to get answers from women, so all he has to do is to mesmerize the women with his beauty and just like that he gets answers from them. He did not even have to hurt them but that never stopped him. He was a very good friend of mine, but with something like Aranel sleeping on my chest I am not so sure I can trust him.

I slowly got up trying not to waken Aranel but her eyes were shot open and looking at Gilmor. I walked to the door and opened it for Gilmor and I heard Aranel move into the corner of the cell. Gilmor looked at her too as if she were something to eat, but I quickly snapped him out of it as I said,

"What brings you here?" He looked to me and smiled as he said,

"I was just walking by and I saw you two cuddled up sleeping. Not something you see every day, actually, its something I have never seen. Does your father know about this?" I did not know how to answer that, but I figured that he did so I said,

"I think he might. He banished me to see her so…"

"Banished? And here you are sleeping with her! My, my, Kobal, I thought you respected your father." I looked down and smiled a bit as I said,

"You have no idea, Gilmor."

"No idea about what? … Don't tell me that young Kobal is in love." I looked to him and gave him a smile to show that he was right. He smiled too and laughed out,

"Kobal, you are going to be killed! Your father will lynch you to a tree!" I laughed too and I never thought I would laugh over a matter like this, but Gilmor put it in such a humorous way. He looked back to Aranel then took my gaze in and said,

"Well she is a beauty and I can see she is afraid of me." He chuckled and I did too as I gazed back to the corner to see her balled up. I walked to her slowly as if I were approaching a frightened animal. Gilmor followed as I crouched down and placed my hand on her shoulder as I said,

"Aranel, this is my friend Gilmor." She still looked quite frightened so Gilmor bent down and said,

"No need to be afraid of me, love." There he goes unleashing his charm. Aranel seemed to calm down a bit as Gilmor took her hand and said,

"Aranel, such a pleasure to meet you." Then he led her hand to his lips and kissed her hand. That was Gilmor for you there and although it was his instinct to do that I became a little angry with him. I grabbed the back of his tunic and said,

"And it is about time for you to go." He smiled slightly and said,

"I was just introducing myself to her." I sighed and knew this was true. I turned to him and gave him a little smile to show him I was not mad and said,

"Just go." I turned away and kneeled down to Aranel but then I heard him say,

"Alright, but I must ask you … You are banished to be here, yes? So I imagine that Durza would not be so happy that you are here. Correct me if I am wrong." He was right and I was happy he reminded me. I looked to Aranel and she had on that innocent face of hers. I held it and said,

"I must go, but I will see you again tonight. I promise." She grabbed my face as well and kissed me. I kissed back and we both did not hesitate to let go until Gilmor said,

"Kobal? Your father may I remind you." I came up for a breath and looked to him and said,

"Right, thanks for that." I turned to Aranel and gave her one last kiss on her forehead and she said ever so softly,

"I love you." I smiled at her and those words as I replied,

"And I you." After that I stood up and followed Gilmor outside. Once I locked the door I turned to him and he had a slight smile on his face but his red eyes were not so friendly. He put his arm around me as we sauntered down the hall and he said,

"Kobal, what are you getting yourself into? Falling in love with a prisoner and not only a prisoner an elf! You might as well prepare the fire you are about to jump into." I knew all of this. He did not have to tell me. So him being my best friend I asked him for help.

"I know Gilmor, but I cannot help it. That is why I want to ask you for help." He took his arm off of me and he stopped as he said,

"Oh no. Don't you drag me into this! I am afraid of your father enough as it is!" I smiled a bit then became serious and said,

"Please Gilmor she is very important to me. I have never loved before and this is something I do not want to give up!" Gilmor stepped back and looked hurt as he said,

"You never loved me? Kobal, I am your best friend!" Now I knew he was kidding I played along and laughed, but slapped him in the back of the head and said,

"Come on! Be serious! I really don't know what to do. My father is not in charge of her now and god knows I don't want that! He hurts her, Gilmor, and every time I see her it's a new scar from my father!" Gilmor pursed his lips and said,

"Well you shouldn't be surprised, that is what your father does." I needed answers! All he was doing was just giving me facts about my father. I grabbed him by the shoulders and said,

"Gilmor! Please I need your help!" He smiled and laughed out,

"Alright, alright! Just give me my shoulders back!" I hadn't realized I held onto his shoulders so tightly. I let go and he rolled his shoulders forward and backwards many times before he said,

"Alright, so what do you want for me to do? To find a way from Durza to stop seeing Aranel?" I nodded anxiously. I felt like a dog waiting to receive one hell of a bone. Gilmor thought for a moment and said,

"Well, I could try to persuade Durza for him to let me watch over Aranel, but I will not promise anything. Your father may not let me because he knows I do not do the punishing part but we shall see." I was happy for this plan it was not great but it could work. My father had a lot of respect for Gilmor so this could follow through. I smiled and gave him a manly hug as I said,

"Thank you Gilmor! Thank you! I am forever in your debt!" I heard Gilmor chuckle out,

"You bet you are."

-----------------

It felt like many hours passed as Gilmor talked to my father about Aranel, but strangely it was only about fifteen minutes. Once Gilmor came in my room I jumped up from my bed and said excitedly,

"Well, what did he say?" Gilmor did not smile, and that was not a good sign. Great! Now my beautiful Aranel will have to suffer. No, I will get her out of here … tonight. Gilmor finally spoke,

"He managed to say … yes." And just like that a smile appeared on his face and one on mine. Forget my plans I had a moment ago! This one will follow through. I yelled in triumph even though to you it may not sound so exciting, but to me it was the best thing to hear right now.

"So what exactly did you say?" I said, eager to hear his sneaky lie. He sat on my bed and said,

"Well I told your father that I noticed there was a new prisoner in Gil'ead and I offered if I can grace her with my presence. I persuaded him with reminding him of my outstanding skills of getting answers from prisoners. So, he was very intrigued and he let me take over. But I must remind you, Kobal, that if she does not answer my questions I will have to punish her, but never as much as your father did." I understood, but it killed. At least she was away from my father. Gilmor got off my bed and made his way out the door. Now, where was he off to?

"Where are you going?" Gilmor turned to me and said,

"It is a little past breakfast time. You do not want your Aranel to starve now do you?" With that being said he smiled and left. I smiled to knowing that Aranel was in good hands.

------------------------

I came to her the same time I had last early morning. I was excited to see of how she was without a new wound on her body. Once I unlocked her door and came in I heard her whisper with enthusiasm,

"Kobal!" Well I guess she was not nearly dead so that was a good sign. She sounded happy. It was extremely dark in that room even for a shade but I finally found her and wrapped my arms around tightly. She imitated me and wrapped her arm around my waist feeling the warmth I waited for throughout the day. I loosened my grip on her to take a look at her and not a scratch on her. I smiled and said,

"Did Gilmor treat you well?" Her smile grew and said,

"Yes he was very kind to me and … very seductive. But I was not influenced by his actions." Actions? Great, what did he do to her that was seductive. I became worried and I hope he did not go over the top with his seduction.

"What did he do to you?" I asked in a worried voice as I grabbed her shoulders tightly. All she did was laugh so I guess that was a good sign.

"Don't worry, Kobal, he just persuaded me by touching my cheek or hand like you did that first night." Well that sounded like Gilmor, but hopefully that will not turn into what me and Aranel turned into, besides he knew not to have relations with prisoners since he was not foolish like me. I looked down at her face and I guess she saw my worried look so she reached her warm hands to my face and said,

"Kobal, I will never let him go any further than that and he will not. Don't let this get to you." She pulled my face into the gravity of hers and we kissed slowly at first, but the quickened with more passion. I grabbed the small of her back as she tangled her fingers in my hair. All of this felt so good and I couldn't get enough of it. I slowly backed her into the wall, careful not to bash her sweet head against the wall. Once she was where I wanted her to be I started to kiss down her neck and stopping at her collarbone. What really shocked me is that her clothes reeked of the smell of blood but her skin smelled like the forest. She had been in this hell hole for almost a month and she still smelled like the forests of Ellesmera. Amazing.

She held to me tightly she her hand was still on my head, caressing every little hair on my head. I kissed back up her neck and met her lips again as she was eager to meet them. I then heard a presence in the room, but I ignored it. I was so spell bound by Aranel's grasp, but then I felt someone else's grasp grabbing the back of my tunic.

"What the hell?" I accidentally said out loud. But then I realized who it could be. My father. I froze I just simply could not move but then I heard a voice,

"Don't give me that approach! I am saving your ass!" Thank God! It was Gilmor and he was saving me yet again. But what was going on?

"Wait, what's going on?" He turned me towards him and he had on a panicked face. He quickly said,

"Your father, he was walking toward your room and he looked angry. He assumes something, Kobal, and you need to leave Aranel now! He can appear any second!" Fantastic. I panicked as well, but I needed one more kiss from Aranel and to tell her everything was going to be okay, but Gilmor would not let me. He grabbed my back again but this time he took me somewhere else. Aranel was not there the ugly stone wall was not there. But what I did see was the early morning sky and trees surrounding beneath me. I did not know where I was, but I knew I was elevated quite a way off the ground. I turned and saw Gilmor in a ball with his face in pain. Great! What the hell happened?

"Gilmor, are you alright?" I asked as I touched his shoulder but he recoiled and said in a sharp tone,

"Don't touch me!" What the hell? But then I started to understand. This was something that happened to me when I teleported for the first time. But Gilmor always teleported what was so different this time? I waited moments until he finally curled out of the ball his was so tightly in and said,

"Sorry, it took a lot of my strength to do that." Confused, I said,

"Why you do that a lot almost as frequent as my father." He shook his head and chuckled painfully out,

"Kobal, your so thoughtless! Of course I can transport by myself all the time, but with two people it takes a lot out of me." Of course! I am usually intelligent, but I guess I was a little empty headed at the moment. I fixed my gaze to the horizon to see that Gil'ead was not too far away, but where were we? I looked around and were on an edge of a tall cliff, a very tall cliff. I sat upright and dangled my feet off the edge as I looked down to the clash of trees that lay below. Gilmor joined in and sighed as he said,

"Durza was very angry for two reason, Kobal." Two? Great now I am in double trouble?

"Great! Well, let's hear it then." Gilmor sighed again and looked to the horizon and said,

"Well you know this one; he thinks you and Aranel have a relationship, but there is something that made him mad that has nothing to do with you two… You know Eragon, yes? The next pathetic dragon rider?" Oh yes, right him. Well I have forgotten all about him and I wanted to know more,

"What about him?" Gilmor clenched his jaw and still held his eyes to the horizon as he said,

"Apparently he is a big threat, there have been stories about him already and it has only been a month! A stupid farm boy becomes a legend it's … it's just not right … Anyway this angered your father and I think he was on his way to your room to take his anger out on you, and I could not let that happen to my friend." He placed his hand on my shoulder, but I was dreadfully confused,

"My father would never do that." Gilmor shook his head and said,

"Think again because by the look of him, he was not going into your room to have a sweet conversation and he would be even angrier to not find you in your room. So please do not hesitate to say thank you." Woops I forgot my manners,

"Sorry, Thanks… So anyway about this Eragon, what's with him?" Gilmor shook his head and said,

"Nothing but a disgrace. A fifteen year old farm boy as the next dragon rider! What folly! He's probably a pathetic, weak, little boy. I will laugh to see the day he falls!" As Gilmor talked more and more about this Eragon the more I hated him. That Eragon better not think he is greater than me or anyone else because he will be in for one hell of a surprise. Something tells me if we ever cross paths it will not be a happy ending for him and his dragon.

A/N: So yea sorry for another longish update. PLEASE REVIEW THOUGH! I am getting a lot of favorite story alerts from many people yet I only get two to three reviews per chapter. Please review! I love reviews! But thanks for reading guys I really do appreciate it. Okay I will let you review now.