A Journey Into Apprehension

"My queen, you are requested to an audiance."

"And who may I be giving my audiance too Lord Däthedr?"

"Eragon Shur'tugal my lady".

Arya gazed upon Lord Däthedr with a guarded expresion. It had been nigh two hundred years since Arya had gazed upon the one person that held her heart. But only Firnen truly understood the affection she had for him.

"Very well, I shall be their momentarily."

At that, the elven lord walked away leaving Arya deep in thought.

"Firnen, what do you think he wants?"

" I can not say. Go and talk with him, I am sure this he is not just contacting us just for idle talk."

As Arya walked over to the scrying mirror, she beheld the same Eragon that she left two hundred years ago. His brown eyes pierced her soul, but not in a harsh way but rather in a soft loving way. His brown hair flowed to his shoulders.

"Atra esterni ono thelduin, Arya Drötting."

"Un du evarinya ono varda, Eragon Shur'tugal."

"Mor'rana lifa unin hjarta onr." Finished Eragon.

"And what may I do for you Eragon?"

"Arya Drötting, Saphira and I as well as fellow rider and dragon Mahein and Banez are planing on coming to Ellesméra for the Agaetí Blödhren."

Arya was taken back. In the many years since they had departed, they had only exchanged but a few letters adressing the riders and Alagaesia. She yearned to see him in person.

"I would be honored for you and your fellow Shur'tugal to come and celebrate here in Ellesméra, when may we be expecting you and company?"

"We are leaving at dawn so that we have plenty of time to fly there and to rest."

"Very well, I shall see you soon"

At that, Arya saw a hint of a smile before she walked away.

"Firnen, Eragon and Saphira are coming in a weeks time."

She was shocked at the amount of passion and excitment that he possessed to see the one dragon that held his heart. She knew, he knew that Saphira still possessed the same feelings back towards him. How he knew? She knew not.

"I can only wonder if Eragon feels the same way as I feel about him. In the years I knew him, he would moon after me but I treated him horribly. What if he had fallen for another rider?"

"Oh Arya, Do not be so hasty." He said. "That night on the boat, I felt the power of you speaking his true name, and his name spoke volumes of the passion he had for you. Do not be so quick to dissuade yourself. When the time comes, you and he shall realize how much you have missed eachother and how much you two truly love eachother."

"You are right. Come Firnen, let us fly and enjoy this fine evening we have before us.

The sun was emerging from the edge of the world. Great hues of yellow, red and orange shone across the ocean making the water sparkle with a glorius sheen of brilliance.

"Come little one, we must meet Mahein and Banez."

"Aye let's go." he replied.

In a few moments, Eragon and Saphira had left their great house on the bluffs and flew to the front gates of Dragonhold. There, Eragon saw the great purple dragon shining in the rays of dawn. And beside him Mahein waited.

"Are you ready? Mahein?"

"Yes Ebrithil"

At once the two riders and their dragons flew from Hartke Island. Two Hundred years though Eragon. Two Hundred years since I had last seen the Spine or the Hadarac Desert. But most importantly Arya. My love I am coming. For five days they flew, following the Edda river. Great anticipation built up within Eragon and Saphira. Mahein or Banez could never begin to understand what drove their masters. But aside from anticipation, Saphira and Eragon where both nervous. Eragon never understood how Saphira knew Firnen still loved her deeply. When he would question her, she would simply just reply, I just know. He wished he was that sure about Arya. But he couldn't help but wonder if he she had found a more suitable partner. On the fifth day of leaving Hartke Island, they had reached the Hadarac Desert.

"Saphira, we are home once more" he said with a great grin that spread across his face.

She growled in agreement. Eragon could tell that she was in a hurry to get to to Ellesméra. He too was in a hurry. For another three days, they flew. And flew and flew. Eragon could feel Saphira begin to tire, even Marhein and Banez took notice but did not comment. Saphira refused to stop especially on the morning of the third day when they saw the great emerald forest. The forest that beckoned to them, that begged for them to come closer. By mid day, they had could see Ellesméra.

"Saphira? Shall we announce our arrival?"

Within a second, Saphira unleashed a roar that would scare any that stood in her way. But it was also tinted with desperation. Desperation for an answer. After a minute, a roar resounded from the woods below them.

"They should be here soon any day now!"

"Yes Firnen they should" She replied with a smile. She couldn't help but feel happy for Firnen.

"What's wrong Arya?"

"I am just nervous to see him again. When he looked upon me, his eyes had so much hurt and angst in them. But at the same time, he looked upon me with such love and care. I just wanted to cry and let him hold me. I wanted to lay with him and listen to the sound of his heart beating. I wanted to kiss him."

"Oh partner of my heart, he must surley feel the same."

"No. If I was him I would feel upset and hurt. Not once did we try to go and visit him and see the riders home. Not once did we go to see the wild dragons."

"No we did not. But if we had gone to visit, I know that I could not have left and I know you could not bear to leave him a second time."

Firnen was right. Arya could never bring herself to leave him again a second time.

"Firnen, I don't know if I can bear to see him leave again. I really don't. I almost want to curse him for coming. Because my heart aches." A tear began to slide down her cheek.

Not a moment later, they heard a roar. A roar that looked for a reply. One that could never be ignored. It was the roar of greif, sadness, but also joy and happiness. It echoed across the entire city. In an instant, Firnen unleashed a reply. Arya could feel the excitment wash through him.

"Come, let us go meet them."

Arya quickly hopped onto Firnens back and wiped her tears away. Eragon was here.

As Saphira landed, Eragon qucikly spotted Firnen. He had grown, although not as big as Saphira, he was close. Beside him stood the person he both dreaded and was most excited to see. She looked radiant. In his opinion, more beautiful than he had ever seen her before. But upon closer inspection, he could tell something was wrong. She had been crying. She may have been able to hide it from most people, but not him. He knew.

"Atra esterni ono thelduin, Arya Drötting."

"Un du evarinya ono varda, Eragon Shur'tugal."

"Mor'rana lifa unin hjarta onr." Finished Eragon.

Mahein too repeated the same phrase to the queen.

"Hello Saphira, it has been to long."

"Well met indeed Arya."

"And you too Banez, it is a pleasure to welcome both you and your rider back to Ellesméra. Especially on this momentus occasion."

"Thank you Queen Arya, it is a pleasure to return" Rumbled the dragon.

"Come, let us feast! You all must be tired and famished from your long flight. We have prepared a feast in your honor Shur'tugals."

"Thank you much Arya Drötting." Replied Eragon.

Arya and Eragon both held the gaze. Her beautiful green eyes saw through his soul. He wanted to do nothing more than to hold her and whisper her true name to her. But formalities had to stand. Especially infront of all the lords and ladies. At once, Firnen and Saphira flew off together after Eragon and deposited his things. A servant took his belongings to his house, the very house that Vrael once lived in. Maheins stuff was taken to Tialdarí Hall. Although Mahein was from Silthrim, Eragon could see that he was happy to be back in Du Weldenvarden. A giant table was set outside where all the nobles gathered. At the end of the table Banez sat and watched. It reminded Eragon very much of the first time he had been to Ellesméra, when it was her who sat at the very spot. The feast was merry and many questioned Eragon about Hartke Island and how the wild dragons where. But Arya was strangely queit. Everytime Eragon tried to strike a conversation with the queen, it would end as quickly as it began. It was as if she was afraid. The odd time Eragon would make eye contact with her, all he could see was fear and apprehension in her eyes. And he couldn't understand why she felt this way.