A/N: If you're reading this and have not yet read Parts One and Two of The Cycle Continues, it won't make any sense. Go find Part One: Reunited and Part Two: Beauty and the Beast and read them first. Part Three picks up without intro or summary. For readers interested only in Eragon/Arya, here are the chapters where I focus mainly on them or where they appear for a good amount of time:
1. First Intrusion
3-4 detail their further travel plans, but most of my OCs take part in them.
5. Meeting Baby Varhog
8. Carvahall
9. Attack
12. First Feel
17. Urgralish
19. Winter Traditions
20. Uneasy
21. Enemy
22. Whispers of the Past
23. Ellesméra
24. Rhunön-elda
25. The Menoa Tree
26. Scandalized
32. Back in Ellesméra
34. Ellei-an's Meadow
35. After the Birth
36. The Afterbirth
37. Grooming
38. Mystery Solved
39. Gratitude
40. New Family
Part Three once contained six chapters with links to livejournal and Mature Adult (MA) scenes, but I have removed all of them. I completely deleted two of those chapters from this story, and they can be found on my livejournal page (there are alerts in the story where this happens), though, again, they no longer contain MA detail. In the rest of the applicable chapters that still contain Mature love scenes or discussion of intimate love, I have significantly toned down my portrayal. Keeping in mind the varied opinions of what is and isn't appropriate with regard to such matters, I have now also included a brief warning at the end of each preceding chapter so objecting readers can know to skip them if they want.
Thanks for continuing on with me! ~Autumn :)
1. First Intrusion
Eragon and Arya had remained on the sofa for the night after their second experiment left them relaxed and sleepy. The first had been on the table not long after Willow left, some of her tangible passion igniting their own.
They had pulled the throw from the back of the sofa over them to stay warm, only needing to add a little assistance to their own body heat and the fire in the hearth. The storm outside had continued through the night in steady though mild determination, and the world that morning was blanketed in several more inches of peaceful white. It was a day for staying in and staying warm, and they were snuggling, teasing, laughing, and looking forward to their first undisturbed day in one another's arms when a sharp rap at the door surprised them both.
They looked at each other, unsure whether they should try to quickly dress or remain as they were. In the Urgal village, they had learned a knock at the door was often only a perfunctory alert that someone was about to enter whether one rose to answer it or not. When no one immediately followed the rap, Eragon called, "Who is it?"
"Your brother," came Murtagh's dry reply. "It's quite cold out here. May we come in?"
Arya giggled as Eragon said, "You've caught us at a rather awkward moment, dear brother. If you come in now, you might wish you hadn't."
That was all it took. Murtagh opened the door and guided Nasuada through it, closing it behind him. His face was eager, as if he knew this would be the perfect opportunity for teasing.
Arya was on top of Eragon, facing the newcomers with her arm curled under her head on his chest. The blanket was still over them, but it was clear what they had been up to and that they were naked. Their clothes were all about them on the floor.
"I should have known that would bring you in directly," Eragon sighed. "Couldn't resist the opportunity to observe my expertise, now could you?" Arya giggled again.
Nasuada also laughed, along with Murtagh, who didn't look ashamed in the slightest. Nasuada said, "It seems we're in one of the few places in the world where not only is such behavior completely normal and accepted, but expected. Indeed, if we had been Urgals and stumbled in to find you doing anything other than what you clearly have been, we might have been shocked and wondered whether you had not gone mad."
The laughter increased at her accurate assessment, and Murtagh helpfully contributed, "We've frequently discussed what a unique experience it has been to honeymoon in an Urgal village. From what Grintuk said, I'd guess the few other places that fit my wife's flawless description would be other Urgal villages. What a treasure this place is."
"I couldn't agree more," Arya said, apparently completely unconcerned the two had entered. Though she and Eragon had not at that very moment been making love, they were getting ready to, and they had several times before.
"No blush?" Eragon said in pretended alarm. "This place is having a bad effect on you, my love."
Arya rolled her eyes in amusement. "I'm sure if you two carry on, I'll be crimson in a matter of minutes. Go ahead. I'm ready." She kissed his cheek.
Eragon accepted her invitation with a grin. "So would you care for a demonstration, brother? My wife is amazing at this. She puts Saphira to shame."
Murtagh chuckled as Arya blushed deeply, just as she had predicted. Eragon kissed her cheek. "Did I go too far, love?" he asked. She smiled at him tolerantly, shaking her head and kissing his lips before laying her head back on her arm and running her fingers through his chest hair with her free hand.
"Hmm. Tempting," Murtagh said, pausing as if truly considering it then resuming, "But I'd better not. Wouldn't want Nasuada to be disappointed in the husband she ended up with." Nasuada scoffed and elbowed him. Murtagh dodged her with a roguish grin, wrapping his arms around her from behind. As he stroked over her abdomen, he excitedly said, "Did you hear our news? I suspect the women guessed as much at the birth, but Nasuada is expecting! So we'll all be parents together!"
Eragon hadn't heard nor guessed so he said, "That's excellent, brother! Congratulations! And you too, Nasuada." He grinned broadly at them, tucking one of his arms behind his head so he could look up at them more easily.
"Thank you!" Nasuada accepted in delight. "We're thrilled. But I promise that's not the only reason we disturbed you at this early hour. I feel I have been absent from Ilirea long enough, but Murtagh and I have discussed accompanying you to Carvahall for a brief visit before returning. Since the Urgal conflicts are one of my primary concerns, perhaps I can do some good at the location of the most frequent incursions. Though I trust the advisors I left in charge in my stead, after that I feel we'll need to return to Ilirea, and I don't want to delay unnecessarily. I had hoped to be able to meet Myrin's baby before we departed, but with the storm acting like it has no intention of letting up, we thought it wise to leave as soon as possible. Flying in it will be bad enough as it is."
"Not as bad as you think, with me to help you stay warm," Murtagh reminded her in her ear. "And the other way around. Flying on Thorn has never been as enjoyable in all the years I've been his Rider as these past weeks." Nasuada smiled and turned her face to his, kissing him once, which he longingly returned. Then Murtagh added, "We came to discuss plans for leaving. Do you think it will be soon?"
Eragon said, "I'm not exactly sure. We also hoped for the opportunity to meet the new baby. I'm glad you will get to meet our cousin, Murtagh. He's as good a man as you'll ever know. Nasuada is familiar with some of his more commendable strengths." Nasuada inclined her head in agreement.
Murtagh abandoned his usual sardonic humor to say, "If he's anything like you, Eragon, then I believe you. I'll be honored to meet him."
"And now you mention it," Eragon said, "it might not be a bad idea to travel there as soon as we can. The weather will only get worse the farther north we go. Katrina's baby is due any time now, and Arya wished to be present to help if they allow her to. I never told him of our intended visit, and I'm looking forward to surprising him with our arrival. He thought he would never see me again, and I thought the same."
"Have you heard from Hanin at all?" Murtagh wondered.
"Yes," Eragon replied. "The afternoon of the birth two days ago. We had just awakened from a nap, and we told him to scry us again in a couple more days, since we knew Willow and Varhog were in the middle of overcoming the strange reaction she had. And now that we've discussed the dilemma presented by Kulkarvek with Nar Garzhvog, we can once again scry the others on the Isle after we have decided on our plans. Willow and Varhog might like to be involved, though they also might not appreciate being disturbed after the unwelcome interruption of their honeymoon last week." He smiled as Arya laughed.
Arya said, "You should have seen Willow when she came yesterday to check that the treatment had taken effectively. I've never seen anyone look like that before, though Eragon assures me I have plenty of times."
"How did she look?" Nasuada wondered.
"Ready to snap, she was so tense. From bridled passion," Arya said. "Varhog was pacing like a caged beast. They had been fighting to pass the time, and I can only guess how she used that opportunity to provoke him in ways only she could." Arya shivered a little at the memory.
"I'll scry them," Murtagh offered with a mischievous grin. "Then if I got a brief peek into their creativity, I could pretend it was an honest mistake. They wouldn't expect me to know everything you just shared. Little Willow, a seductive temptress. Strange to think, isn't it, brother? She was always so sweet and gentle and warm. Just a sister."
"Aye," Eragon agreed fervently. "I was stunned at the way her eyes looked when she flashed them at me for a split-second after I greeted her. She was painfully aware and apologized that I got even the briefest glimpse of what was meant all for Varhog. I imagine he has enjoyed his honeymoon almost as much as I did mine with a wife who looks at him like that." He stroked Arya's hair.
"Not much has changed since then," Arya murmured, turning her face to kiss his chest.
Eragon nodded. "No, lucky for me, not much has. Murtagh, I pray for your sake that Nasuada's pregnancy affects her like Arya's has. It has been unbelievable, brother. My wildest fantasies never could have prepared me for the wonderful reality of being with the woman I love. If I had known her pure elf blood runs as hot as an Urgal's, I might have done a better job anticipating this dream come true."
With affected solemnity Murtagh shared, "I think I'm well on my way to the same enjoyment, brother. Nasuada wasn't the leader of the strongest military force in the land for nothing. She's feisty and fearless." Nasuada smiled in the same tolerant way Arya had at her husband's carrying on. Murtagh continued by returning to their previous topic, "We don't need to leave immediately, Eragon. Let's discover how the other Riders fare. I suppose you two would like to get dressed?"
"I expect the sight of me naked wouldn't be a real shock to anyone here," Eragon remarked, smiling. "You and I look enough alike. But when it comes to my wife, I must insist. I fear her true perfection is something I'm fiercely possessive of."
"I completely understand," Murtagh said. "Your clothes are here. Shall we wait in the bedroom?"
"That works," Eragon agreed. "We'll only be a moment."
Murtagh led Nasuada by the hand down the hall and entered the bedroom, closing the door, though it wasn't necessary. The two on the sofa were blocked from their view as soon as they were in the hallway. He held Nasuada and swayed gently with her, humming into her hair, which he stroked as always, never able to get enough of the silky, rumpled texture; the amazing rich color; the sweet, feminine smell; or the unbelievable length and volume of it. "I love your hair," he told her as he had on so many occasions.
Nasuada laughed softly in reply. "I'm glad, my dear," she said. "I love your humming."
In response, Murtagh took it up with greater gusto, singing a few lines of the song for her. He took one of her hands in one of his and wrapped his other arm around her waist as he also embellished his playful swaying into a dance.
He had just spun her once under his arm when Eragon called, "We're done."
Murtagh sighed in disappointment, feigning it was greater than he truly felt. "We'll have to carry on when next we have opportunity, Your Majesty. You're an amazing dancer."
"The lady is only as skilled as her partner," Nasuada demurred graciously. Murtagh smiled, leaning down to softly kiss her before leading her to rejoin the others.
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A/N: The following chapter contains brief mention of a Mature love scene.