Hi, everyone! Sorry for taking so long to update, but here it is! Also, I forgot to do a disclaimer in my previous chapters: If I owned Eragon, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction, so don't sue me!
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CHAPTER 3: TIME WILL TELL AND NIGHTMARES
Brom sat in a chair in front of the roaring fire and pondered what Arya had told him. He knew that despite Arya's practically nonexistent relationship with her mother, her mother would be extremely worried about Arya. Queen Islanzadi most likely knew about the disappearance and supposed death of her daughter, and although the Queen had banished Arya from her presence, her mother still cared about Arya a great deal. Brom knew Queen Islanzadi only banished Arya in a fit of rage and anger and fear of Arya getting hurt, and now regretted it. However, both women were stubborn, and refused to make up with the other until the other apologized. Queen Islanzadi was most likely grieving for the "death" of her daughter, and, unfortunately, the wards around Du Weldenvarden prevented Brom from magically contacting the elves to tell them Arya was alive and well. Brom sighed and thought "Only time will tell, and right now we must focus on the present, and fight the dragon egg, or the dragon and its rider if it's hatched." Leaning forward to gaze into the fire intently, Brom commanded, "Draumr kopa!" as he pictured the dragon egg in his head. The fire's flames flickered for a moment, then turned silvery gray. Releasing the flow of magic that was leaving him at a rapid pace, he leaned back in his chair thoughtfully. The absence of a picture could only mean two things: the egg was nonexistent because it had hatched, or it was surrounded by wards, presumably in Du Weldenvarden, or worse, in Uru'baen. Another thing Brom wondered about was the span of time Arya had been in Gil'ead. Although Arya had guessed she had been there for about a week, maybe longer, Brom guessed it had been longer. It had most likely been two weeks, perhaps three, depending on how long it had taken her to get to Carvahall. Either way, she didn't remember most of her time in Gil'ead. Whether this was because she was asleep or the shade had removed the memories of being imprisoned, Brom didn't know. "Only time will tell," he thought once more.
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Arya sat with Faolin in a meadow in the forests of Du Weldenvarden, her homeland. They laughed as they talked, until the forest turned dark and forbidding with an air of menace. "Run, Arya!" Faolin yelled. Arya stood up and frantically looked around at where to run, but red flames burst into life in a circle around them. Arya ran back to Faolin, but he had an Urgal arrow sticking out of his chest. With his dying breath, he said, "Remember your promise. Leave me; save yourself!"
"No!" Arya yelled, preparing her magic to save him, but then Faolin laughed a high, cold laugh, and turned into Durza, who hissed, "Where is the egg?"
"I don't know!" Arya sobbed before a flash of pain shot through her body and an evil mental force assaulted her mental barriers. "We will find you," Durza promised, "The empire will get the egg. You have failed."
"NO!" Arya screamed, thrashing and trying to escape the evil shade before her. "Arya, calm down," a soothing voice commanded, "It was just a dream." Slowly, Arya came back to the present and found a force holding her down on the bed. She opened her eyes to find Brom pinning her down on the bed and looking at her with concern in his eyes.
Arya's breathing slowed as she stared at Brom, recovering from her nightmare, and whispered, "It was only a dream."
Brom stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "Do you want to talk about it?" He gently asked. Arya shook her head silently. "I'm fine," she responded. Brom smiled slightly and said, "Say that in the ancient language." Carefully choosing her words, Arya repeated in the ancient language, "I will be fine."
"Will you?" Brom contradicted in a voice so low, Arya wondered if she was meant to hear it. "Alright," Brom said, accepting her words, although he still didn't believe her. "Get some sleep. We'll look for the egg in the morning." Arya nodded, obediently closing her eyes. Brom could tell she wasn't asleep because of the way her body was still tense, most likely from her nightmare, but he hoped she was tired enough to fall asleep again. Brom closed the door of his guest room quietly and walked back downstairs to sit in his chair by the fire, and fell asleep wondering if the egg had hatched already, and who it had hatched for.