A/N: Hey everyone. Alrighty. My muse just fired up when it came to this. Just a bit of angst-y sorta sappy drabble...
Disclaimer: I don't own the Inheritance Cycle.
"I love you more than the sun and the moon and the stars, Arya. I just wish more than anything that you would think the same towards me," said Eragon.
The stars twinkled overhead like jewels on an inky black cloth. The moon was gone, but the stars created enough light to see. The light from pulsing embers made shadows dance across Arya's face. Eragon thought he was looking up at a goddess from above and resisted a strong urge to get up of his knee, sweep the princess of her feet, and kiss her with as much passion as someone could handle.
Arya stared into his hazel-brown eyes. They were like swirling pools of untamed emotion. She longed to open the doors to her heart and spill all of her emotions. Her heart yearned to be held in the rider's strong arms. She felt safe and so happy when she was around him.
Eragon's pleading eyes shattered her composer. Her face struggled to stay calm and impassive, but inside, a storm of emotions was ragging. She knew that she would be the downfall of him. She knew that Eragon would die for her. But her life was less important than that of the peace that would follow after the dark king's reign ended.
Arya hardened her heart, using one-hundred years of practice to do so. She took a shaky breath and said, "Eragon. I will be the downfall of you. This relationship can never be. Our duties can not permit us to be emotional attached to each other." She looked into the rider's warm, loving eyes once more and saw pain beyond measure in them. "I'm sorry Eragon. This can never be. Promise me that you will forget about me and complete your duty of bringing about the end of the dark king."
Eragon swallowed hard. He's been through this before, but he never remembered it hurting this hard. It was like a punch to the gut. With a shaky voice Eragon said in the Ancient Language, "I, Eragon Shadeslayer, will stop perusing you, Arya Dröttingu. On my honor as a dragon rider. I will focus on destroying Galbatorix and I will not allow you to become a distraction… For you."
Those words almost broke Arya's heart. It is for the good of Alagaesia, she thought.
"I can not forget you. No never that," said Eragon. "But I do ask one thing from you."
"And what would that be?"
"Please don't forget me." Eragon stood up and kissed Arya lightly on the lips and walked off slightly. Arya watched as the forest swallowed him up. The elf stood there in shock, silent tears flowed down her face. And there she stood until the embers died.
Eragon couldn't take another rejection. Instead of drowning his sorrows in liquor, he drowned his depression in training and studying. It was the only thing that kept him from thinking of Arya. His focus was so intent, he even blocked out his own dragon.
Eragon matured into a 'proper' dragon rider. He let no emotion save for determination rule him. He was very well studied and no one on the battle field could meet his skill.
The day of the final battle came. Eragon felt no nervousness, like the rest of the soldiers. When he faced Galbatorix, he showed no fear. After long hours of fighting, Brisingr was sticking out of the dark king's heart.
He completed almost everything he set out to do after that fateful day when Garrow died. He had avenged Garrow and Brom after the Ra'zac were exterminated. He avenged Arya and her companions when he slew Durza. He avenged Oromis, Glaedr, and all of the innocent lives lost due to one mad man when Galbatorix was killed and also set Murtagh and Thorn free.
Training and studies were the padlock on his love for Arya. When training and studying weren't needed, he created a new padlock: rebuilding the riders. He rebuilt Vorengaurd. The new eggs hatched and a new generation of riders were trained.
But that padlock failed as well. Eragon had no other choice if he were to keep his love locked away. He had to leave Alagaesia and go someplace where he could not return.
So, with a final show of love to Arya, Eragon said goodbye to all his friends for the last time. He knew he would never get to hear Roran deep laugh, see Katrina's dainty smile, listen to Nasuada's powerful voice, hear about Orrin's crazy experiments, listen to Angela's insane theories, hear Orik's booming voice, or see that beautiful elf he loved so much.
He mounted Saphira and flew over the ocean and into the unknown. He knew he couldn't keep his oath if he was on the same land as Arya. He thought that the man that would win over her heart, would be the luckiest man alive. Eragon would be happy for Arya. All he wanted was for her to be happy.
But he did not know, that him leaving Alagaesia forever, would shatter Arya's heart into pieces. Shatter it beyond repair.
Little did he know he was the luckiest man alive. For how could anyone love Arya more? For how could anyone win her heart when it already belonged to him.
If he had only known that he, Shadeslayer, Farmboy, Argetlam, Kingslayer, Bane of the Ra'zac, Bromsson, cousin to the might Roran Stronghammer, Bringr of Peace, Carrier of Hope, the Light in the Shadows, Eragon would have been the luckiest.
If only he had known.