AN:
I got a lot of positive feedback both on this story and the others so I just wanted to start by saying thank you! I really wasn't sure about this story but you gave me the motivation to make sure it's as good as I can get it at the moment…
meriland25: I'm glad you liked Not The End and that you like this one… hopefully you'll like the others as well!
BrightWatcher: I'm glad that you like how I portrayed Arya! It's always making me nervous to write about Arya and even more from Arya's POV… I'm always scared I'll make her OOC… You'll get to see a bit of Murtagh the chapter after the next.
Old friends:
Eragon awoke to the sound of Saphira's breathing. He rolled to his side and saw the sun has started to climb in the sky through the window in his room. Deciding that he's slept enough, he got up, stretched and then put on his clothes.
'Saphira' he said softly in her mind with a mental nudge as he walked out of his room.
'What?' she said sleepily and yawned.
'Are you feeling like getting up?' he stopped next to her and started to scratch the scales behind her ear.
'No. I'll get up later. Wake me up when Firnen and Arya get here.' And with that she went back to sleep.
"I will" he said aloud and walked out of the dragon keep and headed to find Roran. He found his brother with his wife in the kitchen.
"Good morning!" he greeted the two.
"Morning" the couple answered.
"Would you like some breakfast?" Katrina asked.
"I would thank you."
As Katrina got some food for Eragon, Roran went to one of the rooms and got Ismira, who was awake now, and they all sat and ate together.
"Do you need any help with the preparations?" Eragon asked once they were finished and cleaning the dishes.
"Well, most things are ready now." Katrina said. "We still have to cook the food, but there's nothing you can do there."
"We also need to organize the tables outside" Roran said.
"Then count me in."
"OK. I'll help you" Roran said and after handing Ismira back to her mother and kissing them both, led Eragon to one of the rooms where big tables were stored and the two started getting table and chairs out behind the house were there was a beautiful view of the forest.
"So, brother, have you found yourself a mate yet?"
"What?" Eragon shouted and dropped his side of the table they were carrying, causing Roran to curse with pain as his arms were pulled down and he strained his back not to fall.
"You heard me" he said with a smile and put the table down before he injured himself.
"What kind of a question is that?" Eragon asked incredulously.
"The question of a caring brother.
"So, have you?" There was a suspicious smile on Roran's face.
"No." Eragon said slowly.
"Really?" Roran said doubtfully, his smile growing by the second. "Are you sure? A rider such as yourself, lead rider even, and the man who killed Galbatorix, is supposed to be beating away the women with a stick. I mean," he started to chuckle, "if you can't get a mate, what kinda chance to you think normal people have?"
"Not a very good one I suppose. Can you drop it?" Eragon was starting to feel uncomfortable.
"No." He said simply. "Look, you can either talk to me or, I'll be forced to call Katrina for help, maybe even Saphira." The threat did its job. Eragon didn't like the idea of having this conversation at all, much less with a crowd that all seemed to be against him somehow.
"Fine! What do you want to know?"
"How do things stand between you and Arya?" Roran asked with a little too much satisfaction in his voice. After shooting him a dark look Eragon answered.
"We're friends. Close friends." Eragon didn't want to say more than was necessary. Unfortunately, Roran didn't find this answer satisfactory.
"OK. Then let me ask you this," Eragon breathed a sigh of relief for his brother didn't pursue the matter. "What happened on the boat the day you left?" the sigh turned into a groan.
"We didn't talk at all and then we said goodbye and she left." His ears got red. It wasn't a lie, it was part of the truth.
"I think you're leaving out something."
"Ummm…" The air suddenly got a lot warmer.
"Well?"
"She kissed me" Eragon finally admitted. It was good to finally say that. Back in Dras Garjzla only the original elves that came with him knew about the kiss but they, being elves and respecting their privacy, didn't say a thing and never even mentioned it.
"I knew it!" Roran roared and Eragon shushed him.
"Not so loud" he hissed.
"Sorry."
Eragon started to blush and smile sheepishly as he remembered the touch of Arya's lips on his and her body pressed up against him.
"A good memory is it?"
"How did you know?"
"Eragon look at yourself" Roran said amused. "A monkey could have figured out what you are thinking about."
They picked up the table they were carrying before and started walking again. Silence reigned for a bit but it seemed that Roran was not able to hold back the question.
"So what happened after that?"
"Well, I don't know if you remember, but I left after that" Eragon said sarcastically.
"I know that! I mean what happened between you two? After all the time you've loved her you can't tell me you left it at that and expect me to believe that." They reached all the other tables and put the one they were carrying in place. Eragon made to return to the house but Roran held out his hand and stopped him.
"Don't make me call one of the ladies" Roran threatened.
"Well, we've been talking through mirrors every other week or so" Eragon found his throat to be a lot drier than he remembered and his hands shaking more than they had ever since the war. "But that's mostly about Rider-Queen stuff." He said and waved his hand in dismissal.
"You know," Roran said grasping Eragon's shoulder as he made to leave again. "The elves may have taught you the ways of their slick tongues but they have yet to change your behavior. You still do that thing with your ears and eyes when you're lying and it appears that you also do it when you tell only half the truth."
"Fine!" Eragon almost yelled in frustration. It seemed there was no fooling his cousin today. "We've also been exchanging letters, don't ask me what about" Eragon said with a warning finger, "I won't tell you or anyone else no matter what you do so don't bother."
"Fair enough."
And with that Eragon thought the conversation was over, that is until they reached the front door and were about to enter the house.
"I just wanted to say one last thing and then I'll drop the subject, at least for now" he added at the sight of Eragon's raised eyebrow.
"I'm really glad that your suit after Arya finally worked out for you. I really hope you'll be happy now." With that said Roran gave Eragon a pat on the back and walked through the door without giving Eragon a chance to respond.
"So, did you tell anyone you were coming?" Katrina asked later that day.
"No. I didn't want to spoil the surprise!" Eragon had to shade his eyes with his hands when he looked at her. They were all standing outside the house and looking at the sky, waiting for Arya to arrive.
"But what about after you arrived?" she pressed on.
"Everyone I might have told is coming either to the party today or next week and I wouldn't miss their expressions at seeing me for the world!" Eragon said with a devilish grin.
They waited for another short while in which they stood in silence until Eragon spotted something.
"I think I see them." His elven sight allowed him to see the green spot in the sky much earlier than all the others.
'Let me see!' Saphira said eagerly and he sent her a mental picture.
'Yup, that's them' she confirmed. 'I wish I could see with my own eyes though. Your sight, as good as it is for you two-legs, is not as good as mine.'
'Well, we want to surprise them and we won't be able to do it if you're standing outside, you overgrown lizard.'
'Careful Eragon,' Saphira said with a soft growl. 'I might decide that I just can't resist and start talking to Arya right now, and who knows what I might let slip.' She sent him a mental picture of him sleeping on the ground in a clearing with a full moon above which brought a slimy memory back to his mind.
'Sorry Saphira' he said weakly, and also a little afraid. She appeared satisfied.
By the time they finished talking Arya and Firnen got close enough for everyone else to see them including Ismira who was, strangely enough, pointing at the green dot in the sky with shouts of excitement. Eragon looked at her enquiringly. It was Roran who explained.
"Last time Arya was here she got along really great with Ismira. It seems that Ismira remembers her."
Eragon turned back to the spot in the sky and drew his hood up despite the heat. He didn't want Arya to see him just yet.
Ten minutes passed until the strong sound of wings filled the air and a strong wind followed, blowing dust into the air. The entire gathered family had to avert their faces from the dust and when they could look again they saw Arya kneeling on the ground next to Firnen. The entire family started walking towards her, with Eragon drawing back a bit and Ismira urging her father on to go faster.
They met her a few paces from Firnen who was now without a saddle and sniffing the air around them. When Eragon was close enough for him to sniff he looked at him with a curious look but Eragon looked him in the eye and shook his head. The green dragon considered him for a moment and nodded in response. Eragon breathed a sigh of relief.
"Greetings Arya!" Roran called her and handed her Ismira who was practically reaching out for her.
"Greetings Stronghammer!" she said and took Ismira from him. The baby wasted no time and wrapped her hands around her neck in what would have been a death grip if she was any stronger. As it was, Arya still found it harder to breath. "Greetings to you as well Ismira" she said with a laugh and a giant smile started to spread on her lips as she hugged and kissed her cheek. Eragon has never seen her like this. There was an air of happiness in her that was new and only increased as she held and kissed his niece.
After a short while of her entire attention turned towards Ismira, Arya turned to Roran and greeted him again and then hugged Katrina. Eragon watched the whole thing from the side and was very amused as Firnen looked almost happy when Arya brought Ismira to the ground next to him.
'Hurry up Eragon!' Saphira screamed in his mind. 'I want to see them too!' Precisely at that moment Ismira turned around and tugged on Arya's pants to draw her attention from Katrina who she was talking to.
"Yes?" Arya said politely with a smile gracing her face, the same one she had every time she looked at her.
"Gon!" Ismira did her best to shout but only half managed.
"Who's gone?" she asked curious and behind her Roran and Katrina shared a laugh.
"Gon!" she tried to shouted again and pointed in Eragon's direction.
"Who's that?" Arya asked the couple.
"A very good friend of ours you might know" Katrina answered and only made Arya more curious. She started walking in Eragon's direction and he then started walking to her. When they were close enough Eragon stopped and touched his fingers to his lips in the traditional elven greetings.
"Atra esterní ono thelduin" Arya was taken aback by this stranger's knowledge of the Ancient Language and the elven customs but quickly recovered, like the queen of the elves should.
"Mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr" she answered.
"Un du evarínya ono varda" he finished which only increased her bewilderment.
"Who…" she started to ask but he raised his hand and stopped the question.
He lifted his hands to his hood and slowly lifted it.
Arya's expression changed slowly from bewilderment to amazement and then to pure joy.
"Eragon?" she asked not believing her eyes.
Eragon didn't have to answer that because at that moment Saphira's had just about enough of hiding and got out of the dragon hold and roared. Firnen got up and roared in response and the whole of Carvahall was forced to cover their ears at the strength of the roar.
'You were right' Saphira said in his and Arya's head. 'This expression is truly priceless.' Eragon couldn't help but grin at her words.
It took Arya another few moment to gather herself but when she did she closed the distance between them and hugged him. He returned the gesture happily. He really enjoyed having her next to him again.
"You still should have told me" she said into his chest and he smiled.
"And ruin the surprise?" he said with a laugh and gave her a soft squeeze.
It was late at night and Eragon and Arya were sitting on his bed.
After the greetings all of them walked to the back garden and sat and talked for a long time in which the dragons flew into the spine. They talked until the sun had set and then they went inside to eat. After that Arya retired to her room to freshen up from the flight. The next time Eragon saw Arya she was outside his room's door with fresh cloths. They've been talking for a few hours since then in which the dragons came back and immediately bade their riders goodnight and fell asleep.
"How is it like being a queen?" Eragon asked breaking the silence they've been in for half an hour.
"What is there to say that you don't already know?"
"Well, when we talk about it you tend to just give me the dry details, how the rebuilding of the forest goes or some boring meeting that nothing came out of. No offense, but I think there might be more to it that you're not sharing."
Arya looked thoughtful for a few moments but Eragon was patient. They were past the stage when he was afraid of angering her.
"Forgive me for not sharing, it's just that I'm not used to sharing in general, especially about this. I can't talk to anyone here about that because of stupid politics but I forgot I can talk to you about it."
"That's fine." He said and reached for her hand. He grasped it and gave her a soft squeeze. She smiled at him and held his hand, their fingers intertwined.
"Well," she started and put her hand in her lap, still holding his. "The elves are an old and stubborn people. It seems that they are too much inclined to let time heal the wounds and when they do plan to act it's only after very long conversations and many meetings.
"You know that since you left, almost a year ago, there was little to no progress with re-growing the forest and the trees that were hurt or destroyed in the war?" she said angrily. "Some elves think that we should just let the forest heal itself while the others are arguing about which trees should be grown and which areas should be mended first."
She took a long breath to calm herself before she continued.
"Don't get me wrong. I love my people, otherwise I wouldn't have stayed, but it's just annoying that I'm stuck in endless meaningless meetings when I could be with you." This last thing she said quietly but Eragon still heard her and, despite her distress, he was heartened to hear that she wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her.
"I wish I could be with you too" he whispered softly to her.
She leaned forward to him and very softly and fleetingly pressed her lips to his.
"I know" she said.
"Didn't you say you were singing trees at the west?" Eragon said after a few minutes of staring into Arya's eyes.
"Yes I did." She sounded proud at that. "After a couple of months of useless debates I decided that I've had enough and need to take matters into my own hands. The trees there have suffered for quite some time now from logging and I thought it would be a good place to start. It's also quite far away from most elves and so I though it will attract less attention and resistance. I was wrong apparently." Despite what she said there was a small smile on her lips.
"It appears that a certain elf called Allem has been deeply connected to the trees there and even lived there until the fall. He thought that we should not meddle with his trees and that we should leave them to him. I told him that while he's more than welcome to help us grow the forest back he cannot do this alone for there are simply too many trees and he would probably have more pressing matters in the future that will not allow him to work at a fast enough paste."
"How did he take it?" Eragon said amazed.
"You can imagine that he didn't like and that he thought other elves would not understand how the trees were before the war as he does."
"You put him in charge didn't you" Eragon said after noticing a hint of amusement in her eyes.
"I most certainly did!" she said and Eragon couldn't help but smile at her happy expression.
"Of course he didn't like it either" she continued. "He lived for centuries alone and away from others and so was not happy about being in charge of two dozen elves.
"At the end he had to give in and understood that if he wants the trees to be like they were before he had to do what I tell him."
"I guess it helps in arguments if you're someone's queen doesn't it?" Eragon said amused.
"It does tend to give you an edge" Arya said and Eragon thought he heard satisfaction in her voice.
They continued talking for another hour or so until Eragon pointed out how sleepy Arya looked. She agreed that she was indeed tired and so retired to her room.
"Good night" Eragon said at the door.
She was very close to him and leaned in towards him, softly pressing her lips on his for a few short seconds.
"Good night" she said and walked to her room.
AN:
Did you like it? I hope you did but I have no way of telling unless you review!
This chapter originally ended with a little more ExA but I decided that it just didn't feel right at the moment and that I'll save some for later! Don't be too mad…
See you soon!
