a/n I don't own anything cept my made up characters I know I've made lot's of spelling mistakes. Srry I never claimed I can spell and I will try to fix most of them hope you enjoy : )

I know that I've done wrong

A thin girl slipped her way down a rocky path. If you looked closely you would have seen her hair was cut raggedly as if done by a knife, her dress was once fine but was now torn and ragged. To anyone watching they would have thought her mad. She appeared to be talking to herself.

"I know," she said and turned a little to the left. "How's that?"

"Don't you be snippy with me I'm going as fast as I can..." she paused as if waiting for an answer

"Well some of us don't have any other means of travel we kinda have to walk."

The beginning of her story lay in the heart of Aligasia in the castle of King Gallbitorix

A girl walked in to the throne room. She wore her dress proudly. if you looked at the front you would see a normal emerald dress but if viewed from the back it was unique. The dress was designed to bare the back almost to the waistline. Displayed on the back were the assassin's marks tattooed into her back they were easily covered with a normal dress so her rank could be easily concealed. Her raven black hair was caught up in a net so as not to conceal the marking

"My king" she said bowing deeply.

"There is a small box in my treasure room. it has a device in it bring it to me." he ordered handing her a small golden key. "Be prompt."

She bowed once more before turning and walking away. She walked quickly to the treasure room and opened the door locking it behind her. She searched quickly knowing the punishment for slowness. As she was searching a voice seemed to call to her. In it she heard centuries of pain and loneliness. She followed the voice to the back of the room were to stones lay on a velvet lining. One was black the other a greening blue. She ran her hand lightly over the black one. Startled she pulled her hand back as a crack appeared. She sat and watched as more and more cracks appeared. Finally a scaled creature burst forth. Its wings were slightly damp and its eyes were red in color.

'Its about time' a voice said 'c'mon we're leaving you can't stay here. Pick my up and hide me under your cloak.' it ordered. Unthinking she obeyed. a light flashed and pain flared in the girls hand. She had been taught to handle pain, she continued as she had before without pausing. They fled.

The black dragon looked up at the girl days later as they traveled.

'You know I don't even know your name' it stated.

"Its Amelia." she said without looking up from the fire she was attempting to light." and yours is?"

'I don't know you haven't exactly given me choices you know. Its up to us to choose one.'

" How about echo." she said naming the dog her parents had given her before she was chosen as an apprentice.

'It is acceptable' he said snuggling in closer to her as they prepared for sleep.

The girl continued to slide down the slope as her companion soared overhead. He somehow seemed to know the way to a group of people he said would help her. He had named a group of outlaws known as the knew she wouldn't be welcome, to many of their people had fallen by her hands in the years since she had become a full fledged assassin. She kept the thought to herself as they struggled to reach them. About midway there Amelia found a surprise. Right in her path was a small tightly wrapped bundle. Echo didn't seem surprised. Calmly he instructed her to pick it up and continue on their way. When questioned he answered vaguely saying it was dropped by someone with there best interests at heart, though not the Varden, they didn't know about her yet. Someone who couldn't be revealed.

Inside the bundle she found a couple daggers some food and a canteen of water. They continued on. Everyday they traveled echo seemed to grow larger. One night Amelia found that echo could almost curl up around her keeping her warm in the nights that seemed to grow colder and colder.

'Night in the desert are cold' he informed her. ' It means we are getting close to the desert. There you will have to be more careful with the amount of water you have. At the next spring fill all three canteens with water for they are the last you will see for some time.' he paused then continued on thoughtfully. ' You shouldn't walk all the way across the desert. How do you feel about borrowing a horse.'

"I suppose I could do it if there was any horse around."

'There is a small village a little ways away from here I will lead you.'

The next night she wore a black wool dress and she rode a midnight black horse. Her hair was concealed with the cloth that men wrapped around their head when they entered the desert. She rode during the mornings and evenings curling up with echo when the night held the desert in its icy grip and dozing in whatever shade she found or created when the sun blazed strongest. Sometimes she would find a bundle with water or food or on the hottest days when she thought of collapsing in the heat she would find a shady place already prepared for her. Finally the mountains loomed over her. She looked at her reflection in the first pond she found. it was fed by a mountain spring. she looked tired and really thin. she was amazed that after all that sun she was not tan but her reflexion remained just as pale. she continued on with only a couple differances, she no longerhad to stop at noon she she made more progress and secondly the bundles stopped turnign up. usually they appeared about every 2 or 3 days now it had been over a week without them. she asked echo and he said not to worry there were reasons that he could come no closer.

a couple nights later echo raised his wings and took flight. amelia looked around as the first of the men crepted into her small camp. "your bussiness?" he questioned

'the truth' echo whispered in her mind

" i seek the varden." she said her heart racing as she looked around at the men.

"dangerous words for someone to speak with the kings ears everywhere." the leader said stepping into the firelight.

"true but i have done much already to earn the wrath of the king what more harm could a few words do?"

"how could such a fair lady as yourself earn the wrath of the king."

" i have what he considers his."

"and that is?"

" a priceless artifact i have in a safe place. shall we continue this or will you take me to them peacefully?"

" i will take you to them if you permit me to search you first."

"as you wish i have nothing to hide."

they found the small daggers and the bow she had recieved. they unbuttoned the first few buttons of her dress in the back to check for the markings they found.

"an assasin." the shout went up as she was knocked to the ground.

"safe conduct indeed echo" she said as the world went black.

"anyone catch what she said" the leader asked

"something about an echo." another replied they shrugged and took her to the prison cell deep within the varden.

she awoke as a bucket of water was dumped on her. a tall girl stood before her with an Elvin man lounging against the door frame. "you wished to be taken to the varden welcome assassin." she said looking down at her.

"i don't feel so welcome." Amelia said rubbing a knot on the back of her head.

"I'm sorry but as she just mentioned you are a trained assassin in the employ of our enemy." the man spoke in a soft voice full of authority.

"was." she corrected looking at the door.

"And we are to believe you why?"

"I didn't fight back. i stated what i wanted truthfully and I didn't try to hide anything."

"And we're to take your word that you come in peace. If you do what do you seek with the varden?"

" Truthfully i didn't want to come. If I had not been instructed to come i would not have."

"And you were instructed by whom exactly?"

'Truthfully my little one.' echo commanded

"Echo"

"Echo is?"

" my traveling companion. he says if you would like to meet him he would come peacefully if you would let my take you to him. he does not know the way in, and he wishes to meet you and see that a i am safe. please i know that you have no reason to but trust me i beg you."

" i think we should meet this echo if he is so eager to meet us. i would like to meet the man who would send an assasin into our mist."

"more like lead. he showed me the way." she corrected again.

"how did he know the way?"

"im not sure he never told me."

she were lead outside where they were jioned by a group of armed men. her wrists were still bound and attached to a chain that the biggest man held. outside she was told to find echo. she lead them to a large clearing .

stopping she announced. " we are to wait her he will come to us."

"how does he know were are here."

"he just does." she answered looking around eagerly. the moment he entered the clearing she ran as close as the chain would allow her. the dragon quickly closed the rest of the distance. they stood looking at each other until the stunned elvin man spoke.

"i take it this is echo."

'i am and i would thank you kindly if you could release my rider. it is hard to check her over with her tied up.' the dragon said looking at the elvin man.

he motioned and she was released. she was also checking him over. with a small cry she flew to his side.

"what's the matter?"

"he's bleeding." her voice was paniced as she helplessly let her hands flutter over the wound.

' a scratch dear one i met up with a soldier and he had orders to take me back. we fought i won.'

"wiese hail" the man spoke as the wound closed itself.

"im eragon" he said sticking out his hand. " and you are the last rider."

"whats wrong with the other egg?" she asked absently as she inspected a couple more small wounds. they had pretty much healed. if she judged right they weren't even going to scar.

"other egg? there were three yours mine and murtaughs."

" no there was a blue green one sitting in his treasure room next to him." she said as she ran her fingers over echo's scales.

"you've been in the treasure room?"

" i guess it's time to tell you my story."

as they sat in a counsel chamber inside she began.

"my name is amelia. it was the name they gave to me when i was chosen as an apprentice. i lived in a village along the spine i don't remember it's name or the names of my family. i barely remember the spine. i was ordered to forget them when i started training.i finished about a year ago and i was named a full assasin. the day i fled i was ordered to get an object from the treasure room. when i entered a heard a voice calling. i went to the back and he was there in his egg waiting for me. another sat next to it. i couldn't return to the room he would know i was hiding something from him. i did the only thing i could to keep him safe. i fled. now i stand before you. i can see it in your eyes. even with the pledge of my dragon you still doubt my word, because of a few marking on my back. we will leave and fight our own battle if need be. i will not stay another night with a people who do not trust that i am honest. i am not any more who my marks claim me to be. the only one i owe any allegience to is echo. no other creature hold sway over my mind. eragon there is a way for you to know this i will lower all my walls. come and see for yourself. the only reason i sought you out was to fight for a world were echo can live in peace."

"if your permission is freely given i will enter your mind."

she felt the prodding as she lowered her barriers. she felt him search through her memories. the only ones he couldn't surface where the memories before she was taken. she had wiped them from her mind when the king had commanded. when he commanded you had to obey.

finally eragon withdrew. " we can trust her she hid nothing. she is truthful."

she had a horrible headache and wanted nothing more than to sleep.

she woke up in the night as she curled up with echo. her back seared with pain and she screamed at the intensity of the pain. The door burst open as echo screeched a challenge at the unknown attacker. Eragon ran to her as she screamed again. He knelt down by her side as she screamed. "Bring arya and ang'la to me at once" he ordered over Amelia's screams. They arrived quickly and eragon waved them over to him. He had turned her on to her stomach and ripped the gown off her back. The tattoos were glowing an evil red color. And the skin around them was vividly pink in color. When he felt them they were hot to the touch.

"she is lucky." ang'la said inspecting the area. "If she weren't so far away the magic would have killed her already. Amelia listen to me. Can you hear me?"

the girl nodded slightly.

"can you hear echo listen carefully i need you to concentrate on our voices as i instruct you. follow all my instructions alright."

the girl nodded again, her eyes squeezed tight.

"take eragons hand hold it tight. i know it hurts but you need to concintrate. now put your hand on echo he is with you. feel for the magic. eragon help her to find the magic. show her yours give her a little and then help her find her own. quickly." they worked through the night following ang'la's instructions though they didn't know exactly what they were doing. Arya watched the door and kept everybody out so they could concintrate.

about twenty four hours later ang'la walked out and eragon stumbled out. Arya went to help him walk to his room. Saphira met him in the first available passageway that would fit her. she helped him to climb on her back and walked slowly the rest of the way. Arya helped him down and into bed then she went to find Ang'la.

She found her in the mess hall eating.

"what was that?"

"galbitorix puts magic on some of his underlings. the more valuable ones at least. the magic was placed in the tattoos in a way they were the things the allow him to focus his energy on. each tattoo is the same yet different. he has an exact copy made with ink mixed with her blood. when an assasin betrays him he has a way to eliminate the threat. i have done all i can to remove it. the rest of the battle is up to her. her will added to eragons saphiras and most importantly echo's should be enough to counter his. tell eragon to get rest if i need him i will call. now i'm going to sit with her have someone posted outside so that i might call if i would need no one not even you can interrupt." she stood and walked out. Arya sat and someone brought 'la sat with her for a few more days then seemed satisfied and left to get some rest. the next morning amelia's door opened and she walked out shakily. the men at her door helped her to the mess hall where she ate.

jokingly she questioned them. "i thought i had earned a little trust do i really need men to guard my door?"

"no we weren't there to guard you we were there to call back ang'la if she was needed, in case things didn't work to well. don't worry the danger should be past."

the guards showed her to the baths and found a maid to call for ang'la should she be needed. when Amelia got out of the bath she was ready for sleep gain.

eragon and ang'la came to see her the next day. ang'la opened the back of the dress while eragon turned away. she had him look. the area was still tattooed but it was no longer inflamed. the tattoos were just as vivid but they looked less angry. she is out of danger for now though the only way to remove it completely is to destroy the copy he has in his possesion. luckily i have told her how to counter it. she should be able to evade him in the future. long enough to get back to me or you at least. now come on we have to discuss how to get it back it can't stay there for long or she will die. the magic was applied slowly over time and it is very powerful. she can't go herself it would have to be someone on the inside. late that night Amelia snuck out. she put Echo in the saddle and they flew. heading toward the castle and the man she had served since she could remember.