A week had passed since the dragon had hatched on the floor of my bedchamber, and as yet he had remained undiscovered and uncompromised. However, I knew that our good fortune would not hold for much longer. In the seven days he had been living in my room, he had eaten more food than the rest of my family put together, and my father was beginning to grow suspicious.

And it was not only his need for sustenance that was becoming a problem, at a week old he was the size of a Labrador, meaning that he had more than doubled in size. I could only hope that this escalated rate of growth would not continue, otherwise he would be too big to fit in my room before the month was out.

I knew that I had to form a plan, and quickly. I had tried to do this many times, but every course of action I had contemplated involved running away on my own, with a dragon, stealing money from my father and breaking his heart. Deep down, I knew that I had no choice but to follow this path, as much as my heart protested…although I had hoped for a little more time than I was being given by the rapidly growing dragon.

Within a fortnight he was the size of a horse, larger when you included his tail and wings, and I knew there was no way I could keep him a secret if he was to remain in my bedchamber. As I lay in bed, contemplating my new situation, my mind wandered to the grey stallion in his stable at the other side of my family's paddock. Other than the stable-hand, I was the only one who ventured there…and so a temporary solution began to form in my mind.

The next day I visited the stables and found Sel, the stable-hand, mucking-out my sister's mare. He looked up and smiled as I approached. I returned his smile, nervously, gripping the money pouch concealed in my hand.

"Good morning, Lady Athem." He greeted, cheerfully.

"Good morning, Sel…and how many times must I ask you to call me Katharean?"

"I apologise…it's just a habit." He replied, blushing. I nodded and continued,

"I am here on behalf of my father. He said to thank you for all of your hard work over the last few months. He feels you deserve a holiday."

"Begging your pardon, Katharean, I appreciate the gesture…but I cannot afford to stop working for any length of time. My wife is expecting a child and we need all the gold we can get…"

"I know. Which is why my father demands that you stop working for ten days with full pay." I replied, handing over the purse. He looked at me with wide eyes and words failed him. I smiled, a little sadly, when I saw how much such a pittance meant to the man.

"Lady Athem…Katharean…I cannot tell you how much-"

"I know." I interrupted, not unkindly, but the thought of leaving Puff in my chambers on his own was making me more nervous than I cared to acknowledge. "Go home, enjoy your holiday…and give my love to your wife."

After getting rid of the stable-boy, I led my horse out of his stable and into the paddock. The summer months had been kind this year, and they in turn had given way to a gentle autumn, so I knew that the stallion would be perfectly fine without shelter for a few nights, leaving the stable empty for the dragon. This, at least, bought me a little more time, but I knew it would not be long before even the stable became too small so, in the dead of night, after ensuring that the dragon was safely locked in the stable, I crept out of my bedchamber and snuck into my father's library in the East Wing of the house.

I found what I was looking for, a map of the lands outside of my home, and turned to head back to my room when something else caught my eye. A dusty old book, an inch thick at least, was stood sandwiched in between a recipe book and a horse-care guide. I ran my finger down the spine, leaving a trail in the dust, revealing gold, shining letters.

"A World Forgotten: The Legend of the Dragon Riders…" I read the title aloud, frowning in confusion. "Why would my father have this?"

I knew that if I took this large, heavy volume, it would not go unnoticed, but I could not pass up the chance to find out more about the dragons of old. I might learn something important about my own dragon.

After arriving back in my bedroom, I sat the map of Alagaesia to one side and flicked through the pages of the book. I knew I did not have time to read it from cover to cover, so I skimmed over all the details of ancient battles and political feuds, before coming across a section of greater interest. On one of the pages was an exquisitely detailed drawing of a dragon and rider. I wondered if the proportions were accurate, because if so, the dragon in the book had to be the size of a large house.

I tore my eyes away from the picture and pushed the feeling of unease to the back of my mind and read the writing on the opposite page.

The bond between dragon and rider can never be fully explained or understood, except by those who have experienced its power first-hand. There are several stages in the forming of this bond.

First of all, the dragon identifies and marks it's chosen rider with what the elves call gedwey ignasia (see picture on next page).

Slowly, I turned the page, although I knew in my heart what I was going to see before I did. A picture of a hand, facing upwards, with a shining, silver oval burnt onto it. I recognized it immediately, for I had one exactly like it on my own hand, where I had first touched the dragon's skin. I had known before now that it was no ordinary burn. Instead of fading with time, it had grown brighter and silvery, both horrendous and beautiful at the same time.

So that was it. The dragon had chosen me to be his rider. Did I have no say in this? I read on, desperately trying to find a way out, ignoring the voice in my head that told me that this was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

The second stage is the mental bond shared by dragon and rider. In almost every recorded case, the riders have rejected this connection when it first presents itself to them, but it often becomes a source of great comfort to them as the dragon matures.

It was all making sense to me now. I had often found my thoughts invaded over the last week or so by a voice that was not my own, although I had found it easy to ignore. I shook my head and turned back to the book, but before I could read on, I heard a noise outside my bedroom door. I quickly hid the large book under my bed and threw my covers around me, faking sleep.

The door was opened quietly and I recognized my sister's soft footsteps as she crept over to me.

"Katharean!" She hissed, and there was an urgency in her voice that I did not fail to notice. I turned to face her, questioningly.

"Selena…what's wrong?"

"It's father…I heard him speaking with a man downstairs, and he seems to have found you a suitor. I heard him promising your hand in marriage…only…"

"Only?" I demanded, the panic rising in my chest.

"It was the King's nephew…I don't know anything about him, but they were talking about dates and…" She bit her lip as though what she was about to tell me was causing her physical pain.

"What? Selena, tell me!"

"You are to be married the day after next…I am so sorry!"

I closed my eyes, allowing this new information to sink in. I shook my head and looked at my sister, taking her face in my hands.

"No…I'm sorry, Selena."

"What are you talking about?" She asked, clearly puzzled.

"I won't do it."

"But you didn't hear father, he was adamant!"

"No, you don't understand. I won't do it, I will not marry into Galbatorix's family…I'm leaving."

She opened her mouth to protest, but seemed to see the sense in my actions.

"When?"

I bit my lip and heard the voice in my head again, the one that was not my own. It did not speak in any language that I understood, but it spoke of urgency. I sighed, finally accepting the truth that I had been denying to myself for the last two weeks.

"Now."