A/N: Okay this is my first story, so be nice! R&R!
Eragon. That one word made her heart leap in her chest. She lay outside the Varden's camp pondering her strange feelings and straying thoughts. She'd discovered she felt different towards her rider not long after the Battle of the Burning Planes. When she felt it, it confused her. She battled with herself over what it meant, she thought about the likely, and the unlikely. She thought long and hard when it had dawned on her. She couldn't love him could she? It would be wrong, wouldn't it? She had been deep in thought, reflecting when he came up behind her. She had been curled into a loose ball after eating a deer, because she had no wish to return, and who would resist her wishes? But as he touched her on the thigh, she was suddenly jerked out of her thoughts, and instantly attempted to hide her thoughts from his prodding mind. Once she had gotten the usual barriers up around her secrets, she let him in. He had been wondering what she had been doing so far away from the camp.
What are you doing? He asked. She paused, and said: Just thinking little one. What about? He asked again. She sighed. He could be so persistent sometimes. My personal matters little one, please don't ask anymore than that. Eragon was confused at this. She never refused to tell him what she was thinking about, so why should this be an acceptation? But he respected her privacy and didn't push the issue. When Saphira realized that she wasn't going to be badgered anymore she relaxed. He sat down next to her, and after a couple minutes began to lazily run his hand over her scales. It was a perfect day. The sun was high, and it was in the middle of the afternoon, with a few clouds whisked through the air. It was after a battle so while the Varden recovered, they didn't have anything to deal with.
Saphira sighed in contentment. But soon Eragon grew uncontent, wishing for something to occupy himself with. He laid there for a second thinking about what they could do in the bright sun. The answer came to him instantly, and he smiled. Would you like to go swimming? He asked. She turned around to face him, and a smiled crept across her scaly face. She lifted herself and snorted a puff of smoke. Eragon laughed and jumped upon her back. She took off in a burst of speed and a flutter of wings. He almost laughed in the intense weight that settled upon his back as he leaned forward. She rose above the treetops and eyed the huge sparkling lake from her birds-eye-view. When Eragon had been gone she could only enjoy herself like this for a few minutes before she started feeling lonely. But now they were together, and she could share the day with him.
She dove towards the lake, and plunged into the water as her rider closed his eyes in readiness for the impact. She shot downward to the bottom of the lake and spread her wings out, pulling up, the rays of the sun changing colors, similar to an eclipse on the edges of her wings as she sailed through the water, like a magical ship. Eragon swam off her back and underneath her, using a spell to help him breathe. He looked up at her and marveled at her beauty. She swam down towards him and nuzzled his face with the tip of her snout. He smiled, grabbed her around the neck and hugged her. Then Saphira got an idea and smiled. She pulled herself out of his grasp, and shot away with a surprised Eragon looking after her for a moment before he realized what she wanted. Then he smiled as well, and muttered in the ancient language: sharjalví and was suddenly pushed towards his dragon. After playing for a time with each other, they reluctantly left the lake, and climbed onto the shore to dry themselves. As they lie on the sand, Eragon began to think. He thought about his relationship with Saphira.
When they were rejoined in the dwarven city he felt such joy that he thought his heart would stop with love. He thought about the times they enjoyed themselves, including just then, and realized how much he cared about her. Maybe he even loved her more than he should. He gradually began to accept what he thought he was feeling. But what if she doesn't feel the same? He asked himself. She might never talk to me again. I couldn't bear that. He thought to himself. He put the thoughts out of his head, and simply lay with his newly discovered love.
That night, sleep escaped Eragon's grasp. He kept worrying about how he could tell her, or how she would take it. So he slipped out from under her wing, which he wouldn't have been able to do without waking her before he got his heightened ability, and walked a little way from camp, as they were placed at the back edge. He squat down on his heels and rubbed some dirt between his fingers, staring at it as he did so. He thought about her personality and how she would react to a threatening situation, he smirked at her protectiveness of him- like he was a hatchling. He thought about how she would respond to a humorous situation. He thought about how she would respond to a frustrating situation. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't figure out how she would react to this situation.
Still at camp, Saphira, missing the warmth, no matter how small it may be, awoke after a few minutes. She saw he wasn't there. But seeing that he had left her in the night knew that he had to be thinking, and not wishing to startle him, decided not reach out to touch his mind until she could see him. The dirt made a soft padding sound as she walked through the little patch of woods. She paused, smelt the air, smiled, and sighed a happy sigh. She resumed walking and after a few moments, spotted her rider through the trees. He was squatting on his heels and looked like he was in deep thought. She walked towards him and touched his mind. He automatically threw up barriers around his mind, but realizing who it was, lowered the barriers around his mind, but put what he had been thinking about in the secretive area of his mind. She said: What are you doing up this late little one? He debated with himself for a few minutes, trying to decide if he should lie or not. Thinking about what we will do after the war.
This confused Saphira. He had accepted her advice about crossing that bridge when they came to it. So why was he thinking about it? She knew he had lied, she could sense the nervousness that came with lying. And she was his bonded, so it was hard to lie to each other. She decided to confront him about it; she reasoned that they should have a complete trust between them if they were to prevail in the task that was set before them. Little one, you are not telling me the truth. She said. What do you mean! I- She cut him off, Little one I want to trust you, but how can I when you just lied to me? I love you, and I NEED to trust you. She said, putting emphasis on the word "need". He suddenly felt a pang of guilt, almost over powering as he realized how he had tried to trick his bonded and loved one.
I- Your right Saphira. I'm sorry. She relaxed a bit, but then said: But you still need to tell me what you were really thinking about. I can see it concerns you greatly, and I want to help. Our bond is very intimate and it pains me that you can't confide this in me. At first she had been irritated with how he had lied to her, but now she was feeling hurt that he wouldn't tell her either why he had lied or what he had been thinking about. Eragon almost told her for a second, but all of his fears bubbled to the surface. But he cracked under her pressure and with a cry threw his arms around her neck, choking back tears. Saphira was surprised at this action and stood still for a moment before her expression softened and she swung her head around and nuzzled him. It's going to be alright little one, I won't leave you.
After a minute, he stepped back and calmed himself. Then he turned to face Saphira and tried to keep a straight face. This was the moment he had been dreading. He braced himself and said. I love you. Not just as a rider, but as a lover. Saphira Bjartskular, I love you. He turned around and looked dejectedly at the ground. Saphira was in shock. She stood rooted to the ground where she stood, her mind still reeling against what she just heard her partner say. After a while, She understood. She used her head to turn him around and surprising him, laid down and pulled him up close to her. Now it was Eragon's mind's turn to rail against what he had to digest. But he didn't care and dug himself into her, simply enjoying their mental intimacy.
She began to explain, I was in the captivity of the egg-breaker for centuries, inside my egg waiting for the right person to come one day so I may be freed. I waited, never knowing where I was. But then I felt you. You were a bright light, and when I felt you, She looked into his brown eyes. I knew that you were who I had been waiting for. I love you my rider. Eragon's heart suddenly leapt in his heart for joy as he heard those words. He hugged her again and this time didn't let go until Saphira needed to breathe. He smiled and laughed. He thought about how lucky he was, to have someone like his beautiful lover. They slept outside the camp that night, wanting to be alone while they "bonded", as Saphira had put it. The last thing Saphira said before she fell asleep was: I love you little one. Eragon smiled. I love you to.
A/N: So watcha think? Horrible? Throw up type horrible? PLEASE REVIEW!
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