AN: Hi guys thanks to everyone for taking the time to read my fanfic i never expected to get over 400 readers in just three chapters and i just wanted to thank each and eberyone of you for reading. I also wanted to thank my four reviewers so far:
Firebender, Elemental Dragon slayer, Scribefortheking and Apple Jaxx for your really positive reviews.
Plus(I know this is dragging on sorry) I also wanted to thank all those guys who have favourited my story. Sorry this was so long anyway Enjoy.
The past few months had been a blur to Arya as she sat in a quiet glade that was her escape from everything, whether it was her duties as queen or as the head rider in Alagaësia. It seemed that everything she did was mired in a political mess whether it was sorting out trade agreements with the dwarfs and humans or just sending out a young rider to sort out a minor dispute between farmers. While all these things were small and insignificant individually, they were so numerous that much of her time was spent in meetings with both Dathedr and her other subordinates or with Murtagh regarding which rider to send where and whether they should be accompanied by another rider.
As she sat in the glade; the same one she had taken Alassë to some five months earlier. She looked up into the sky and watched as the clouds floated lazily by. She reached out her mind towards the forest that surrounded her and took joy in sensing the mind of every creature around for nearly a mile. These creatures ranged from a tiny caterpillar wriggling up the trunk of an ancient pine tree to a wolf stalking through the forest in search of its next meal. Arya began to focus her attention on the wolf and built a mental picture of both the wolf and its surroundings from the numerous small animals around the wolf, she observed as it lifted its snout and sniffed the air several times before following the scent of a small doe about half a mile away. The wolf's conscience began to fade away as the distance between the two of them increased until it was so tiny it was like a candle flickering at the end of an extremely long tunnel.
As she snapped back to reality she could not help but envy the wolf, how easy life must be to only need to worry about the next meal and finding a mate during season. She mused to herself. But at the thought of mates her thoughts turned back to Eragon and her feelings of warmth and contentedness immediately turned to a feeling of dread and loneliness.
Why, oh why had she left him on that boat? How much happier would she have been if she had left with him? Would she feel guilt for abandoning her people? Probably. But it would not be as great as the guilt she felt now; she couldn't imagine it was even possible to experience more guilt than this.
Sighing she stood to leave; although her mind begged her to stay and just think. She knew she had matters to attend to, matters that greatly outweighed her feelings of sorrow.
She made her way through the forest at a sedate pace observing the living city around her.
She soon reached the clearing where the practice fields were situated and found Alassë, Kevalth and Fírnen all waiting for her.
During the intervening five months since Alassë had revealed the voice to her she had taken Alassë on as her student for extra tuition. The young student did not appear to mind giving up her free time for training for as far as Arya could tell the students were still wary of her, but one student, Hartwin. had overcome these barriers to become her only real friend, his decision was one that had lost him much respect amongst his fellow students but one that had greatly increased Arya's respect for him. She now taught her for several hours on a one to one basis after the other students retired for the day, meanwhile Fírnen tutored Kevalth.
Her lessons ranged wildly from literature and the study of the ancient language to perfecting her sword technique, she now could hold her own against Arya for long periods of time with relative ease and had even succeeded in hitting Arya on more than one occasion. Something that even Murtagh could not hope to achieve with any kind of consistency.
You took your time, my queen! Fírnen said with a pompous voice thick with sarcasm. Much to the amusement of Kevalth and Alassë.
"Yes if you were any later we would have finished our 3 years of training and travelled all the way to Du Islinger!" Alassë added with a smile and a voice every bit as pompous as Fírnen's.
"I apologise but something important came up that required my attention." Arya replied also with a smile on her face.
She knew she could not deceive Fírnen but did not want the young students to know the details of her love life. During their tutoring a casual friendship had developed between the four of them and Arya found that she could slightly drop her usual Stoic Façade and talk much more openly with Kevalth and Alassë than she could with most others. That said she still did not trust them enough to reveal any real secrets such as her feelings for Eragon, she also doubted they would be of much use as they had never met Eragon being born after his departure.
What are we working on today masters? Kevalth asked in his high pitched voice
Today we thought we should simply go for a flight together and we would also like to have a discussion with you at some point. Fírnen answered
Alassë and Kevalth were obviously delighted at this as Kevalth raised his head to the sky and set forth a torrent of bluish, brownish flames that shot some fifty feet in the air scaring many a bird in the nearby forest. All four of them laughed as they watched the birds scatter in all directions.
After their laughter had subsided the riders climbed onto their dragons back before with one enormous flap they were airborne. It didn't matter how many times Arya experienced this sensation of flight it never wore thin. It was one of those rare experiences in life that were as exciting the millionth time as the first.
As they flew Fírnen would call out manoeuvres mentally to Kevalth who would then follow Fírnen in a complex sequence of twists and turns that on more than one occasion threatened to throw Alassë from the saddle.
After every sequence she looked a deathly white and looked to be on the verge of vomiting.
You must practice this on your own more often that way you, Alassë shall become used to the motions, and Kevalth you must learn your partners limits and never exceed them, you must understand that a rider too ill to fight is as good as a dead one.
Yes, Master. Alassë and Kevalth replied simultaneously.
After this they continued to fly for around another half-hour, talking about everything and yet nothing. Eventually silence fell upon their small party with each simply content to bask in the Beauty of the forest that stretched as far as the eye could see and the sun quickly falling from its perch high above the world to be replaced by the moon before its inevitable return.
If only life was that simple, thought Arya, to know that each day would be followed by the next. Yet we are stuck in turmoil our entire lives fearing what may be around the corner… fearing the unknown. Unaware that she had forgotten to close her mind to the others.
The unknown is what makes life exciting, countered Fírnen, without stuff waiting to be discovered or truths long lost to be rediscovered there would be no point to life.
I agree, my greatest desire in life is to travel to realms unknown, to know things unknown to any other being and to learn the ways of the world. Alassë added, evidently awed at the very thought of travelling to unknown realms.
And while Kevalth did not say anything he gave a mental nod in agreement with the others.
Arya sighed; you are right as always Fírnen.
Arya did not sigh because Fírnen was always right but because the conversation had come dangerously close to the subject Arya and Fírnen wished to discuss with their young students about. She felt extremely sad about what she and her partner would tell them, but also joy for them as they would achieve their dreams.
Closing her mind to Alassë and Kevalth she spoke only to Fírnen, I think we should land now and talk to them.
I agree, there is a clearing over there I shall land there.
Once they had landed in the small clearing that was barely large enough for the two dragons to stand let alone sit or lay, the two riders disembarked and wandered towards an old, twisted tree trunk now on its side after it had finally given in to the destructive force of time. They sat on it and for a few minutes simply sat on the trunk and listened to the cries of animals all around. As the sun's light began to fade so too did the sounds of the animals until all that could be heard was the sounds of crickets making their incessant noise and the occasional rustle in the brush from a night-time forager going about its nightly business.
Eventually Arya spoke, "Me, Fírnen, Murtagh and Thorn have decided that you and Kevalth are ready to travel to Du Islinger and complete your training."
"But surely we must complete our three years of training before we can leave for Du Islinger?" Alassë asked with confusion etched across her face
"You are the most talented students we have ever seen, Fírnen tells me Kevalth has mastered just about every trick he can teach him and that he is truly ready for adventure." She paused to let the news sink in "Murtagh tells me that you excel in every form of magic and that your healing skills are unparalleled by anyone he has ever seen." Again she paused "As for me I can assuredly say that you are one of the best swordswomen I have ever had the honour to fight against, I can maybe one other who has challenged me so much." She paused again, this time for her own benefit.
"Thank you, masters we shall not let you down." Alassë said with evident wholeheartedness.
"We know you won't, however we must send another more senior rider along with you due to your youth and inexperience."
"Who will that be?" Alassë inquired
"After much discussion between myself and Murtagh we have decided that the rider to accompany you shall be me." Arya answered with a smile that barely concealed her joy at the thought of seeing Eragon again after so many years.
Although there was also a seed of fear that had taken root at the back of Arya's mind, what if he no longer loves me? After all those rejections has he finally given up and moved on? However Arya knew deep in her heart that he still loved her and that is what she listened to.
Alassë looked aghast "B-but my queen surely you have your duties here not just as queen but also as the head rider in Alagaësia, you cannot just leave!"
"I have had many years to think up a solution to this and that is too install Murtagh as head rider and also to have Dathedr as Prime Minister in my absence." Arya said very pleased with herself for thinking up such an ingenious solution.
"Surely Lord Dathedr would never go along with such a scheme?"
"At first he did not but he soon saw the sense in this as he knew sooner or later I would leave to visit Du Islinger and agreed we should have a plan for just such an eventuality."
"I see but what will the rest of the elven families think of their queen suddenly leaving?"
Arya smiled at this, Alassë had so many questions that she reminded Arya of Eragon, always the curious one with a seemingly infinite number of questions. Arya hadn't realised how much she had missed Eragon's questions until now, they were yet another thing that Arya greatly missed about Eragon.
"I shall make an announcement tomorrow at dawn and we shall leave later that day so they can think whatever they will, it is of no real concern to me" Arya said while in her mind saying my main concern is to see Eragon again.
Do not forget Saphira. Fírnen added
Of course not, how could I when all you ever do is think of her? Arya joked.
You're one to talk with your constant thoughts of Eragon this and Eragon that. Fírnen retaliated before beginning to laugh in his rumbling, deep voice.
Suddenly a thought occurred to Arya, While Alassë was generally a rather outgoing and confident person the one thing she had always shied away from in conversation was family.
"Do you wish to visit your family before we depart as it may be many years before you return?"
Alassë looked up at Arya and tears began to fill her eyes. "I have no family, my parents are dead and I have no brothers or sisters." Diamond tears began to fall freely now, flowing along her beautiful, angular face like a river heading towards an ocean.
Arya felt tears well up in her own eyes as she watched this young elf sob and shudder with grief at the loss of her parents. She continued to watch as Kevalth touched his snout to her head and Arya knew that he was mentally calming Alassë.
Once the sobs had ceased and Alassë had had the chance to dry her eyes on the sleeves of her light blue linen shirt Arya asked as gently as she could "How did they pass from this world?"
"My father died in a practice accident while sparring with my mother before I was even born, my father tripped just as my mother was slicing at his waist and she hit him full force in the side of the head and he…he d-died instantly d-despite the f-fact the swords were dulled." Alassë answered nearly breaking down at the end but managing to hold herself together, she continued "My mother was depressed for the rest of her life and took her life when I was just 18…" She trailed off as if deep in thought
Arya knew what it was like to lose a parent so young having lost her father as a child, but to have lost both her mother and her father at the age of just 18 was horrendous, especially for elves who could live eternally if luck be on their side.
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Alassë in a tight embrace. At first Alassë flinched as if unsure what to do but soon relaxed and soon began to gently sob on Arya's shoulder. Soon Alassë could cry no more and withdrew from the embrace.
Arya quickly readdressed her emotions and took on her emotionless mask once more before saying, "Come now we must rest and gather our strength for tomorrow, also we must speak with Eragon Shadeslayer, the Head rider about our plans."
As she flew back to Ellesméra Arya could hardly contain her excitement at the prospect of speaking to Eragon once more.
Two more things I wanted to say (again sorry) I find it really difficult to write from Arya's POV cos there is nothing in the IC books about her inner feelings so this is my interpretation of how i would describe her feelings, finally just wanted to say im now on easter holiday- equivalent to American spring break (Hooray) so expect lots of new chapters probably every other day maybe every day, so thanks again and please do review.