We arrived back at the castle after about an hours trek through the woods, I could've tried to escape but it would've been a death trap. One, it's Ash's domain, where he has the most power. Two, I still wasn't 100% after the panic attack. And three, probably the most important, I needed to gain their trust. His trust.

I realised now, looking back at Durion's castle and Ash's. They were extremely similar except that Durion's was black and Ash's was white. Obviously the interior for each was different but the layout and design were almost identical. I hesitated at the entrance but Ash pushed me forward slightly, not enough to piss me off but enough to convey his message. I gave him a dirty look but listened to him and entered the main door first. Ash overtook me in the hall then led me into the kitchen, he sat down at the head of the table and gestured for me to take a seat next to him. I took the seat aimed towards the door so I could see what was going on in the room and out the door and also so that the table was between me and the rest of the room. I watched as Dylan and Issy walked past the door, giggling quietly. Ash cleared his throat, bringing my attention back to him, he nudged a glass of water towards me which I gulped gratefully, the walk back had taken more out of me then I had initially thought. I put the cup back on the table and thanked him quietly.

"Okay. You know why you're here?" Ash made it a question.

I nodded, he gestured for me to elaborate. I rolled my eyes and brought them up to meet his bright blue ones.

"I am here so that you can tell me the rules and return the shit you stole from me."

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly at my crude language. Point 1 to me.

I knew he disapproved of the way I spoke but screw him. It's my mouth I can say whatever the hell I want to.

"As long as you abide by my rules, I will use or punish you in any way. I think this is fair, the rules are hardly unreasonable. If you do have a problem with them you may bring it up once I have finished. Until then, keep your smart mouth shut." He kept eye contact the entire way through his little warning speech, I kept eye contact. I had had practice with Durion. Ash was nothing compared to his alive, amethyst eyes. I tipped my head slightly and waited for him to continue.

"1. You will remain in my castle unless you have my personal permission or are accompanied by one of mine. 2. When in the castle you are allowed everywhere except personal rooms unless told otherwise. To avoid boredom, there will always be one of us in the castle, food available and I will show you the other facilities after we clarify this. 3. You will take lessons from us four weekly, an hour every monday, tuesday, thursday and friday. Dylan and I will rotate between teaching you how to fight. Mistalya will teach you the way and history of Iashatherr and how to be and act like the royal you are. Iscilia will also help Mistalya but in addition will teach you more on healing and herbology, she will answer your questions about our world. I believe that is all. Do you agree and understand?"

I went over them in my head, they were reasonable. I nodded slowly as if still contemplating which I kind of was. I couldn't find any problems or loopholes and so I agreed.

"Perfect. Now there's still the issue of your things. If you come with me I will show you your new accommodation, and where I assume you will spend most of your time. That is where I have put your items." He stood up at the last word and I noticed he had grown. A lot. Very fast. Ash now neared around 6 foot, I was still around 5. His hair had also grown unexplainably long, down to his hips like a single, glowing icicle.

He stretched his hand out to me, I took it and he helped me up from the chair, not that I needed the help. I smiled at him, first smile in a long time.

We exited the kitchen and walked until we found ourselves back in the hallway. He turned us to the right, looking at the double door that I'd been forbidden from going down the first time I was here. I looked up at him and found him looking back at me. His eyes held the affirmation I needed, we were going down there. He looked away and stepped in front of me, allowing our then conjoined hands to fall away separately. He looked back at me and tilted his head, beckoning me. He opened both the doors at once and stepped to the side, revealing a room completely opposite to that which I was expecting.

It opened into a room similar to the grand hall at Durion's castle but circular. The centre of the room had mats covering the tiled floor, there were pillars holding up the roof and huge stained glass windows. Showing terrible but beautiful scenes. The ceiling was carved into a huge mandala, arching up at the same point so that the intricate centre of the huge flower was the highest point in the room. Around the walls and walls of glass were weapon stands. One wall of the room had targets on it and the opposite side had a rack with crossbows, bows, all kinds of bolts and arrows and throwing knives. There were shurikens and basically and throwing weapon on this one rack. There was one with whips and chains, one with daggers and short swords, one with spears and kali sticks, one with swords, machetes, cutlasses and katanas and a final one in the corner with my oil stained set on it. There were dummies and punch bags in a see-through cupboard opposite the wall. There was everything. I was in complete awe. I looked back to where Ash had been standing. He had left, the doors were closed but ajar enough for me to know I wasn't locked in and on the floor by where Ash's feet had originally lay, there was my locked and a leaf with 'ENJOY' etched onto it. locked and a leaf with 'ENJOY' etched onto it.

You can guess what I did for the rest of the night..