The walls were stone. The room was large with a big old bed sitting on the cold stone floor. It was plush with a canopy and lovely curtains. Runa rolled over in the soft bedding and could have slept for hours. The sunlight peaked into the room from an open balcony as the fragrant morning air reached her and she breathed in deeply.

Stretching, she sat up to find she was wearing a nice silk gown with frills. It was white.

Her wrist was still wrapped in a cast but it was made from something else. There was some kind of leaves and skins and it smelled really awful. When she stretched, she still felt pain in her ribs and it had been weeks now. The room looked familiar but she didn't know why.

"Oh, there's my gown!" she told herself, looking at the black dress hanging on a hook beside a large wardrobe. It seemed that the rips in it were mended. There was a small table beside the bed with a candlestick and half burnt candle. There was also some kind of note lying there as well.

She rolled toward the table and retrieved the note. It was folded over and her name was on the outside of it, in a beautiful handwritten script. She opened it and there were strange looking symbols across the top of the page. She read the symbols to say - Blessed sun, this day greet you in the garden and keep you from all harm. That was nice, she thought. The rest of the letter was not coded as such.

Runa,

Hopefully your wounds are healing. Your sisters have invoked their tomes day and night for your return. Your presence has already been greatly missed and we are preparing the final step in your first test. I know that you will make all of us proud. Don't forget the juice of the wild berries you collected and the other ingredients for your anointing. We will see you at the council fire, this night at dusk.

Ellie

Runa smiled and laid the letter on the table again. She moved to get herself up and went over to the wall beside the wardrobe. She looked into her mirror. There was a wash basin underneath of it, on a pedestal. She took a cloth and began to clean her face. But her face in the mirror began speaking.

"What are you doing?" it asked her.

"Washing my face," she said, "Or your face, stupid."

"Why do you have to be so mean all the time?" the Runa in the mirror asked her.

"Why do you have to be such a little whiner?" She asked her. "I don't have time for you today."

"You have plenty of time," the mirror Runa told her. "We have plenty of time. It's not like we can go anywhere."

Runa stopped trying to wash her face and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Go ahead if you don't believe me," the Runa in the mirror said to her.

"Fine!" Runa said, throwing the towel down. She stomped to the big wooden door. "You think you're so damn smart! You aren't anything but a little goodie..." she pulled on the door but it didn't budge.

"Must be stuck." She pulled again but nothing happened. "Dammit!" she yelled.

"You see. You think you know it all," the mirror Runa told her.

"Help!" Runa yelled as she kept tryingthe door. "Someone let me out of here!"    

Runa woke up on the floor in the hospital room by her door that was closed and locked. She stood up and pulled on it.

"Help! Let me out!" she yelled.

She began beating loudly on the door with her good fist. "Come on! Let me out!"

A nurse came to the door and opened it. "What's wrong honey?"

"I don't want to be here anymore. Can I go home yet?"

"Well Dr. Grey is coming in tomorrow. Can we wait until he gets here?"

"Fine," she said. "I need some water."

"Okay," the nurse said. "I'll bring you some."