Awake

The next thing you know, you're awake.

You open your eyes. Where are you? That's not your ceiling. You cautiously sit up. A small tent. You are confused. The last thing you remember, you were reading a book. Oh right, then the whooshing. Then you closed your eyes.

I must've dreamed all that, You think, Nodded off as I read. Where am I though?

You get out of bed. You're still wearing your clothes. You leave the tent. A bunch of tents are here.

Where in the world am I?

You see a tent that is significantly larger than the others. Banners hang on it, and two guards stand on either side of the doorway. You walk toward it.

"You cannot go in there," One guard said gruffly.

"Why not?"

"Our queen is in the midst of a meeting," Said the other, more gently, "We're not permitted to let the likes of you in."

"What exactly is the likes of me?" You ask.

"Commonplace people," Growled the other, "No doubt some swashbuckler with what you're wearing. Definitely no elf, by your face and ears."

"Come on!" You plead, "I just want to talk to someone."

"Why?"

"I want to know where I am."

"You're on the burning plains, you are," Said guard two.

"But one doesn't exactly wander here accidentally."

"You're not making any sense," You counter, "The burning plains are a fictional location from a book."

You notice the guards appear to be wearing armor. Medieval by the looks.

"Fictional," One snorts, "You're here aren't you?"

"You're saying the person in there is Nasuada?"

"No, I'm saying that you are on the burning plains."

You notice the air is quite foul with the smell of burnt plants, "Well Imma go in anyway."

You try to open the tent flap, but the guards draw their swords, and block your way, "I like you," The gentler one said, "You have spunk, but the punishment of entering there without permission is thirty lashes. You don't look like you could survive half of that."

You consider this, "How do I get permission?"

"You don't," One growled.

"What I suggest is that you speak to the Argetlam, or the herbalist, Angela."

"Thank you," You say, and shoot a glare at the other one, "Where are their tents?"

"'Where is the Argetlam's tent?' You ask," The mean one laughs heartily, "'Where are their tents?' There isn't a soul here who couldn't tell you. Try the one in front of the resting dragon."

"Excuse him," The kinder one said, the other still laughing, "The herbalist is right over there. And the rider, well, he's in that one right there."

"Thanks again," You shoot a final look at the, still laughing guard, and stalk off.

You head to Angela's. You always liked her character, if indeed you are in the burning plains. You think you could get along well with her. You push open the flap of the tent.

"I tell you Solembum," You hear a woman say, "If that Shadeslayer is off flying with his dragon again, I might explode. 'Get Eragon. Go do this. Take Elva' All they do is tell me what to do. Hello? Who's there?"

"My name is Alex, I'm looking for an audience with the queen," You say, "Her guards told me I might be able to talk to you."

"Alex? I don't know anyone by the name Alex," She said, "Wait, maybe I do, what do you look like, Alex?"

"Come and see," You say.

She walks in, hair in curlers, "I don't know you."

"I don't exist."

"Everyone exists," She said, "Where are you from Alex?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I did tell you," You say, "I'm not supposed to exist."

"What do you mean?" She was intrigued, "I'll believe almost anything."

"What if I told you that I was from a different dimension, where people drive around in self-powered chariots and speak to each other with little glow boxes?"

"Uhh-"

"What if I said that this place only exists in a book, and I'm not a character in it?"

"Wai-"

"What if I said that I know what Solembum told Eragon when you first met him?"

"Shu-"

"What if I said that I knew every little thing about the Varden, and could tell Galbatorix right now?"

"No one knows every little thing about the Varden," She countered, "Not even the Varden."

"I do," You say, "I know what Nasuada is talking about right now."

"Then why do you seek counsel with her?"

"She's sending Roran off on a mission," You say, "He will disobey orders, and get lashed for it."

"What?!" She asked, "How did you know that? Actually, I know, you listened at the back of the tent."

Naturally, it was an estimate. You were guessing at what they were doing, but you knew the story well enough to give an educated guess.

"You won't ask me about how I know he will disobey direct orders?"

"I tell fortunes."

"Ugh," You exclaim, "Please?"

"You won't get in if you're there for the right reasons. Nasuada has her ways of finding out if you are a danger or not."

"Yes, I know. Her name is Elva. I'm aware."

"Hrumph," She fumes, "You know way too much. You are already a danger. I might as well let Nasuada deal with you. She might know what to do. Now scram, before I use tinkledeath on you!"

You roll your eyes and do as you're told.