Together for forever and beyond

Chapter II

After our talk we both raced back to Ilirea. Arya told Nasuada that she had become the queen of the elves. Nasuada insisted that we celebrate. Both me and Arya argued but Nasuada wouldn't take no for an answer so we celebrated. Everything after that was a blur.

…

The next thing I can remember is lying on a bed next to Arya completely exhausted.

I could tell that nothing had happened because we were both fully dressed and I didn't have that pounding in my head that I get after I had been drinking too much. I knew nothing would happen if neither of us had been drinking.

I could feel through my mental link that Saphira and Fírnen were sleeping, together, just outside my window. They hadn't left each other's sides since they had mated. They were trying to spend as much time together as they could before we left.

This was when I realised that we were in the room that Nasuada had given me. The room only had four pieces of furniture: a desk on the western wall, a dresser in the north-eastern corner, a bed on the southern wall and a small table on the eastern side of the bed. The dresser was made of plain oak and had four drawers. The drawers held formal clothes that Nasuada had given to me for meeting nobles and for wearing to court. These were only here because I was going to leave them behind.

The desk was also made of oak. I kept my spare parchment in the small drawer on the front. It had one inkwell, two quills and a small pile of parchment, on top.

The bed was also made of oak. It had simple white sheets and two pillows at the head of the bed. Next to the bed there was a small table. It like all the other pieces of furniture was made of oak. It was square and had three shelves on the front. The shelves held the few belongings that I kept in 'my room': Brisingr, a spare set of clothes and a copy of Domia abr Wyrda, not the copy Jeod gave me. The copy Jeod gave me was safely tucked away in my saddle bags, which were protected against theft of any kind.

There were two doors off 'my room', one that led into the corridor in the centre of the northern wall and one that led to a private bathroom on the southern wall next to the bed on the opposite side than the table. In the bathroom there were only three pieces of furniture: a toilet in the south-eastern corner, a bath that covered the whole western wall and a sink next to the door on the northern wall. It was all made of ceramic and was very plain.

The walls of my room were all painted white. There was only one window that was on the eastern wall. All in all my room was very simple. I had never really thought of it as mine because it was just after she had given it to me that I decided I was going to leave Alagaësia. I knew that I was going to have to leave it soon. I hadn't even tried to make mine.

All my belongings were in Saphira's saddle bags, which were just outside my window next her. I then realised that Arya's breathing had changed, she was awake.

"I never thought that I would say this but I'm glad the feast and celebrations are over." I said letting the exhaustion take over my body and my voice.

I can feel the bed shift as she sat up on my right. I turn my head so I could look up and see her face. As I did so I saw her whole body. She was wearing her usual form-fitting outfit.

It made me blush to think of her as more than just a friend but I couldn't help it. I knew I would miss her when I was gone.

This made once again think of what would have happened if she had said yes to coming with me.

"Me too. I never knew that it could be so tiring to make one simple announcement. This almost makes me wish that I didn't say yes to be queen of the elves. Actually it does make me wish I said no."

At this I sat bolt upright and stared at her. What was she thinking, was she about to say what I was just thinking? Was she going to change her mind?

"What are you trying to say, Arya?" I asked with a questioning, yet surprised expression on my face. I knew she would be able to see it on my face but I didn't bother to cover it up.

"I think that I am trying to say that I have changed my mind. I don't want to be queen of the elves; I will come with you to restart the dragon riders."

"Arya are you sure about this you have lived here all of your life. You have people that you will miss and responsibilities that you won't be able to do."

"Eragon, you should know that you are the only person I would miss if I left but since we will be leaving together that won't make a difference. The only other person that I would miss was my mother but she is gone." I could tell she was sad even though she was trying to hide it. She had loved her, even if she didn't show it.

"Are you completely sure you want to come with me? It will be hard to change your mind after we are there. You should think about it and tell me your final answer tomorrow morning. OK?" I just kept thinking that this wasn't like her why did she really want to come with me to help restart the riders. Did she want to be more involved in the riders or did she want to be with me? I hope that she just wanted to be with me but I wasn't sure. Maybe it was that she wanted to finish her training.

"I'm going to bathe; I will see you at breakfast?" Arya asked as she stood up and headed to the door.

"Wait! You have to swear to me in the ancient language that you will think about what I said because if you don't I will question your decision, ok?" she had to think about it because if she didn't she might regret it later. I didn't want her to come with me only to change her mind and leave right away. "Swear it to me." I asked almost begging her.

"Fine" she said with a sigh. She did swear it to me in the ancient language. I knew she would think about it which made me happy.

To tell the truth I was glad that she had changed her mind. I hadn't wanted to say what I did but I knew that it had to be done. I just hoped that she didn't change her mind now, after she had raised my hopes.

I was thinking that if she did end up coming with me she might get to know me better and fall in love with me. If she did it would be perfect we would have all the time together in the world. I really did hope she would come with me.