Ok thanks for the reviews. That was exciting to hear feedback. Umm… now bear with me here ok! I know this chapter is a bit far fetched but it is necessary to create the story line. I know it is a bit ridiculous what happens but I couldn't think of any other was for the story to unfold.

Chapter 2; No harm done

The four farmers continued to lead Arya along a short hallway once they reached the top of the staircase. They walked to the last door. Arya was just contemplating whether she should act before of after they enter the room when a hand shoved her in the back and forced her inside.

It was dark inside the room; the only light was coming from the street outside and a dim candle flickering on a small table in the corner. It was dingy, with a dirty looking cot in one corner and the small decaying table with the candle on it in the other. She was glad that she had not planned on spending the night at the inn.

Arya was just about to spin around and confront the farmers now that they were alone, when she froze. Sitting at the small, rotting table were three men. They weren't just any men however they were three of the Empires soldiers. Galbatorix's soldiers. They had stood up when the farmers had entered the room apparently not looking for company, but once they had seen Arya standing with them they had lowered themselves back into their chairs smirking.

This immediately put a stop to Arya's plans of escape. For the first time that evening she felt a flutter of panic in her stomach. She knew that she could easily take care of the four farmers and the soldiers but she couldn't. Galbatorix knew that Eragon was out of Surda and hiding in the Empire somewhere. If she killed the soldiers and the farmers it would lead Galbatorix closer to where they were travelling. It would be obvious that it was no ordinary group of travelers who would kill these men. But if she only injured them and escaped the soldiers at least would go to Galbatorix after they figured out who she was.

It took no more than a second for Arya to analyze her situation. All of the farmers in the room were laughing drunkenly. One man shoved her in the back and she allowed herself to fall to the ground. Please leave! Leave! She thought desperately at the soldiers. She couldn't let this happen but she couldn't give away her and Eragon's position either.

She closed her eyes as one of the farmers walked towards where she was lying on the ground. She felt him handling her roughly while the drunken laughter of the other men was still ringing in her ears. The man pulled up the dress that she was wearing. Oh No. She tried to block out all feeling so that she wouldn't know what was happening. She didn't want to know what was happening. And to Arya's surprise, she was successful. She managed to block out all thought and feeling of what was going on around her and was only shaken out of her trance by the sound of chairs being pulled along the ground.

Her eyes flicked open and she saw the soldiers standing up from the table. One of them stretched and yawned while the others filed out the door. She felt like yelling at the last man to hurry up but stopped herself as he finally walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

In a split second Arya had grabbed the man who was practically lying on top of her and threw him across the room. He slammed into the opposite wall with a resounding crash! The three other men didn't move a muscle, but merely starred at her, dumbstruck. The largest farmer- who she had just thrown- staggered to his feet, pulling up his pants as he went. Arya glared at the men as she leapt to her feet.

She cast her mind out of herself and felt each farmer's unguarded consciousness. She forced herself into their minds, not taking any care to be gentle, before pocking at the furthest corners of their thoughts. She saw them all shudder and one man actually fell to the ground at a particularly vicious prod. Then she drew herself back out of their minds and they all visibly relaxed. The largest farmer bellowed and ran at her, but Arya merely grabbed him by the throat and threw him back into the now cowering group of men.

They all fell to the ground as the farmer crash down on their heads. Suddenly the door flew open and Arya spun round to see who the intruder was.

Eragon was standing in the doorway looking anxious, his eyes flicking all over the room. "What are you doing here?" Said Arya angrily as Eragon took a step into the room, closing the door behind him. His eyes were focused on the tangled pile of men on the floor.

"You were gone for a long time" he said "I thought you might…" He trailed off as Arya raised her eyebrows at him.
"You thought I needed your help?" She asked still annoyed at his interruption. Eragon didn't reply, but merely starred as Arya turned back to the men on the floor.

They had managed to get their now unconscious leader off of them and were now sitting helplessly on the dirty wood, too frightened to get up. They recoiled slightly under Arya's furious glare. "Don't ever do that again." She said in a voice ringing with authority. She muttered something under her breath and the men keeled over backwards, unconscious.

She turned to face Eragon who was looking at her, a slightly guilty expression on his face. "I clearly told you to wait for me." She said angrily.
"You were taking a long time. I wasn't sure if…" He trailed off again, then; "What happened?" He looked at Arya frowning slightly. She sighed, then said;
"Eragon we have to go. We can find a place to camp outside of Eastcroft." Eragon continued to stare at her, a slight frown on his face as she hadn't answered his question.

He didn't argue however and instead gestured towards the only window in the room. Arya nodded and together they opened it and jumped to the ground some 12 feet below. As they landed they set off running through the deserted town, the only noise being the sounds of their feet beating lightly in the ground.

They made their way towards the outer wall of the town. They found a post that was protruding from the wall and began to navigate their way over it, freezing whenever a watchman walked underneath them. They made it to the top of the wall and dropped lightly to the other side of the palisade. Something clanged together as they landed, coming from Eragon's pack, which Arya took to be armor. Then silent as ghosts they began to skirt the many farms that surrounded the town, avoiding any person they saw.

They finally stopped, well out of sight of the town, in a small hollow. Arya dug a small hole in the earth then muttered "Adurna risa." The hole slowly filled up with water and then she spoke the words for skrying.

Nasuada's face appeared, shimmering upon the surface of the water. Both Arya and Eragon greeted her and she quickly expressed her relief at Eragon being found. Then to both Arya's and Eragon's surprise, she told them that she wanted them to stay in the empire for another three weeks. Shocked Eragon asked "Why my lady?"

"I know this is the last thing that either of you want to do, but we need someone to spy upon the town of Melian. We have received information that tells us, a very important spy of Galbatorix's is hiding out there. Also he is receiving supplies for the soldiers that are being recruited there. It is important that this connection is stopped as it is a great benefit to Galbatorix's efforts. I was hoping that the two of you would be able to take care of this man for me?"

She starred pointedly out at the pair of them and Arya looked at Eragon. "Are you capable of staying in the empire for a few more weeks" she asked. Eragon thought. Though he missed Saphira and her absence was like a constant ache in his chest, he knew that this was very important. Eragon sighed and nodded. Arya turned back to Nasuada and said "We will do it." Nasuada nodded gratefully.

"I understand that it is not perfect timing but it is important." She continued on to give them the details of their mission, making it very clear that she did not want to expose themselves until it is completely necessary to take care of the spy. "Well good luck. I wish for you to contact me everyday if it is possible. If I do not here word from you, two days in a row I shall assume you have been captured." Arya and Eragon nodded then bade her farewell.

Arya let the spell fade and the water drained back into the earth. The she turned around to face Eragon only to find him already starring at her. "What?" she asked raising her eyebrows.
"What happened" he asked slightly angrily. Arya knew straight away what he was talking about and knowing that she wasn't going to win this argument told Eragon about the soldiers and what had transpired in the inn.

His face became stonier and stonier with every word she said until she thought he might explode from the pressure. Hoping to calm him down she said quickly "Eragon, I don't believe that the farmer managed to… you know. He almost did but I don't think so, so there was no harm done, stop worrying." Eragon didn't look convinced and he said quietly
"Are you ok?" Arya was surprised by concern that was thick in his voice. She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Eragon you know it would take a bit more than a close call to upset me."

He nodded then began to pull a blanket out of his pack, occasionally glancing at Arya anxiously over his shoulder. Arya rolled her eyes and pulled a blanket out for herself. They both lay down on the hard ground. She hoped that she wouldn't have to put up with Eragon's concern. She wasn't too sure how she felt about the event herself but it definitely wasn't bothering her too much. She sighed. They had more pressing matters to worry about now. She rolled over and was almost immediately overcome by sleep.

I hope that wasn't too bad. Don't worry I will probably skip the mission that Nasuada gave them. That was just to pass time you know! Thanks for reading. Sorry if it's a bit short again!