Darkness permeated the vast forest of Du Weldenvarden, blanketing even the most pure and glowing of places with a thick blanket of inky black. It had been dark for some time now and most of Ellesmera's inhabitants had retired to their chambers. Yet, amidst the dark homes and pavilions, one lone candle burned softly and steadily in a small compound off of Tialdari Hall. Despite the fact that the candle was nearly burnt down to the nub, still it burned, enough to illuminate two anxious faces, one man and one woman.

"I do not want you to be burdened with this," the female spoke softly, cupping tenderly the face of the male with a cool, gentle hand.

"And I am not!" the man countered, his voice taking on an almost pleading tone. "Arya, listen to me. I want to be here for you, not halfway across Alagaesia! I couldn't bear to be apart from you! Especially not at such a time as this! If I were to leave you now-"

"Peace, Eragon," Arya murmured. "Very well, you shall have your way. But I shall await the day when you change your mind. I know you will. You are young and unprepared for this. I understand."

Eragon shook his head. "You cannot understand! My wish is to be here, in Ellesmera, with you, and with my child."

Arya rolled her eyes. "You wish that now, but what will take your fancy in a few months, or years? Eragon, I cannot imagine that you should wish to spend your days with a woman five times your age and with a child that you do not want."

"I have never said that!" Eragon hissed.

Arya sighed. "No, you have not, but it is true all the same."

"I want this child!" Eragon replied in the ancient language.



"Why?" Arya countered.

A silence ensued.

Finally Arya said softly, "There, you see. You cannot tell me. But I shall tell you. You want this child because you seek another way to bind us together. You know how important children are in my culture. You know that if we have a child, we are more bound together than ever before. Is that not true?"

Eragon turned away from her and looked out the window into the starless sky. "Arya, I love you. Surely you must know that by now. How can you not?"

Arya pressed her lips together in a fine line and seemed to be trying to gather up a fresh resolve to combat this new tactic. "I know, Eragon. And you must know that I love you. But I was right in my first judgments. We are too far apart in age. Perhaps later on we will be more suited for each other, but now… now you are still young."

"I'm twenty!" Eragon cried out. "My age didn't bother you a few months ago!"

"Eragon, a war had just ended! Neither of us was in our right minds. If we had taken time to analyze the situation…"

"Analyze!" Eragon again cried out. "How can you analyze a feeling? Especially one so enigmatic as love?"

Arya looked deep into his eyes and spoke firmly, "Eragon, deep in your heart, you know that our actions were wrong. I blame myself for letting our feelings get out of hand, for I am the elder. We were too impulsive. In the rush of things, amidst being grateful that we were even alive, we were swept up into something improper. I am sorry."



Eragon stood. "Oh this is fine, Arya, just fine! You carry my child and now you want me to just travel on back to Vroengard and pretend that none of this ever happened? What are we going to tell the child as he or she gets older? That his father is dead, or has abandoned him?"

"Or her," Arya corrected.

"Don't be smart!" Eragon snapped back. "Have you any answers?"

"Eragon, I have none as of now. But what I do know is this: You are twenty years old. Just twenty. You are only young once. Go out, enjoy life, friends, celebrations, other women. And then, perhaps if, after many years, you still feel that you wish to live with me in Ellesmera, then return. That is all I ask of you. I would never feel right if I had not rectified my mistake of forcing this responsibility on you before your time." Arya closed her eyes briefly and then looked directly at Eragon.

"So this is what it's all about then?" Eragon questioned angrily. "Is this whole scheme just a way to ease your conscience?"

A look of deep hurt crossed Arya's face making Eragon feel guilty for just a moment. He should not give her grief, especially because of her condition. But then the feeling passed as he remembered what Arya wanted of him.

"Eragon!" Arya responded. "I want what is best for you, as I always have. You are being unfair. I merely want you to be happy! Is that too much to ask?" She stroked his cheek with her hand again in an attempt to pacify him.

"But Arya," Eragon murmured softly, "I am happy here, with you. I want to love you in the way that you deserve to be loved. I understand that I am young and sometimes a bit foolish, but give me some time. I know that I can be the man that you want."

A small tear formed in Arya's eye, but she did not let it fall and instead raised her head higher. "I do not want you to try to be someone that only time and experience will cause you to become."

Eragon seemed to be feeling slightly desperate again. "I want to take care of you and our child, Arya. I don't want you to have to lift a finger. I promise that I will be there for you through everything. And besides, you forget that I have been through much already. A child and an elf princess shouldn't be that much trouble, now should they?"

Arya smiled softly. "Is this what you really want, Eragon? Know that I am fully prepared to release you from our ties if you so desire it."

Eragon shook his head. "I couldn't leave you."

"You have duties!" Arya protested solemnly. "The new Riders must be trained."

"They will be trained," Eragon assured her. "I can bring them here. Oromis would not mind staying here. And your mother would thoroughly enjoy having children here."

Arya looked softly at Eragon, trying to search his eyes and thereby his heart. Upon seeing that same flame of love that had burned within him so strongly all those months ago, she murmured defeatedly, "You foolish boy, you have trapped me into keeping you here. You should feel ashamed for making me give up a principle I feel strongly for."

Eragon smiled and, as he took her into his arms, whispered, "Are you glad that I am staying?"

Arya looked at him pensively. "Perhaps."

And with that, Eragon extinguished the candle and helped Arya into bed (not that she needed the help, of course). Sighing contentedly, Eragon settled himself down on the bed and threw a protective arm over Arya. Before falling into his dreams, he gently leaned over and kissed Arya's stomach, where his child grew stronger day by day.