Me: Once again, I am back and it's getting kinda cozy!
Arya: What. Did. You. Make. Me. Do.
Me: Dear Arya, I made you do nothing. If you really had a problem with be- you almost made me spoil it!
Eragon: Spoil what?
Me: Ugh can't you read? Look up and you'll see it!
Murtagh: Why did I have to lose?
Me: Why are you whining about it now? That happened like three chapters ago!
Murtagh: So?
Me: I own nothing. And just a warning, there might be more spelling errors than normal because I am jacked up on sugar and coffee and can't really see strait! Don't say I didn't warn you!
Chapter 3: The Blizzard
'It's a good thing I got you under my wing so soon' Saphira said, looking up. 'It has begun to snow.'
"Will you be okay in the snow?" Arya asked, concerned.
'I shall be fine little one.' Saphira reassured the raven-haired elf. 'I was hatched during winter and I was always outside. Your dragon will be fine as well.'
"Thank you Saphira."
'Anything for family.'
Eragon spoke up suddenly. "What are you going to name your dragon?" he asked.
"I am debating between Drákos or Apókries." She told him. "What do you think?"
Eragon thought for a moment. "I like Drákos. It sounds… I don't know it just sounds like a good name for a dragon."
Arya nodded. "What do you think Saphira?"
'I like Drákos. Eragon is right. It is a good name for a dragon.'
Arya turned to her dragon. "What do you think," she asked the small dragon. "Are you Drákos?"
The small dragon jumped up and down, squeaking happily.
Eragon laughed. "He seems to like it."
"Well then Drákos it is!" Arya declared.
'Now that that has been settled,' Saphira cut in, 'can we please sleep?'
"Of course!" Eragon cried. "You must be exhausted."
The mighty sapphire dragon did not deign to respond, merely lay down and closed her eyes. Before she trapped her smaller companions beneath her wing, the newly named Drákos darted out and settled on her back.
"It seems your dragon does not wish to sleep with us." Eragon pointed out.
Arya sighed. "If he does not wish to, I shan't force him to."
Eragon chuckled. "It seems unlikely that he would want to be in a closed space so soon after hatching."
'If you two don't lie down and go to sleep in the next four seconds, you are going to get a blast of smoke in there.' Saphira grouched at them.
"Yes mother." Eragon said sarcastically, but he lay down none the less. Arya followed suit quickly. Within moments Saphira was asleep.
Arya was painfully aware of the small space between herself and Eragon. The sad part was that she did not want the space to be smaller. She was having to fight the overwhelming urge to scoot closer to him.
After wresting with her unruly emotions for what seemed like an eternity, she gave in and scooted closer to him. She hesitantly placed her head on his chest and wrapped an arm loosely around his waist. Arya felt the man beneath her stiffen. After several moments he began to relax and wrapped his left arm around her waist, lightly resting his hand on her hip.
When she felt his arm come around her, Arya felt a surge of contentment flow through her. She smiled to herself and buried her face in his well muscled chest, letting the scent of sweet basil wash over her.
Arya awoke later that night. She sleepily raised her head and looked around. When she looked to her right, she was startled to see a pair of chocolate eyes staring back at her. Then it all came flooding back to her. How she had given into her body's desires and curled next to Eragon and allowed him to hold her as she slept. And the scent. His scent. It had lured her into a deep sleep. That delicious scent was still surrounding her.
How have I never noticed how amazing he smells until now? She thought to herself, still staring into his captivating eyes.
Before she could make sense of what she was doing, she lowered he face toward Eragons. When she did come to her senses, she jerked away from him and sat as far away from him as the closed space would allow. She drew her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees.
A tense silence ruled between them for several minutes. Eragons' eyes were wide with surprise. Finally, Arya broke the silence.
"I'm sorry." Was all she said.
Confusion emanated from him. "What happened?" he asked. "I woke up when you moved and when I opened my eyes you started lowering your face."
Arya refused to look at him. 'It's the damned eyes' she thought. She studied her knees through fuzzy eyes.
Arya answered very slowly, seeming to think about each word carefully before she allowed it to escape her lips.
"I woke up and lifted my head. When I looked toward you I was shocked to see you awake. I was shocked to see where I even was. Then yesterday came flooding back and I felt the urge to lean forward. I don't understand it. I just knew I had to stop before I did anything regrettable."
"If you leaned forward any more, I probably would have kissed you." Eragon admitted. "But I'm glad you stopped. I have no desire to be your archery target."
That managed to get a weak smile from Arya. She then said "I wonder what time it is. It's still dark so-"
She was cut off by a blast of cold air and a cheery 'Good morning.' from Saphira.
Arya tried to return the greeting, but Drákos hurled himself into her stomach and she went to the ground with a small 'oomph'.
"Now Drákos it is not nice to bruise your Rider." She scolded gently. He gave her a happy lick to the cheek and scurried away.
Arya started to follow him, but Eragon caught her arm and said "So I am going to assume you want to forget this little incident?"
She gave him a sharp nod and walked on.
Suddenly Arya stopped walking, causing Eragon to almost run into her. "Where is Drákos?" she asked.
Before anyone could answer, there was a shrill squeal of fear and a triumphant, if high pitched, roar.
Drákos scurried around from behind some trees. Saphira hummed with satisfaction when she spotted a rat in his jaws.
'We seem to have a young hunter on the rise. If Galbatorix were he'd be trembling in his boots!' Saphira cried in joy.
"How do you know what kind of footwear the tyrant wears?" Eragon asked smartly.
Saphira snorted, causing a small jet of flame to come out. 'Shut up and get on.'
"Yes ma'am!" he snapped a salute and hopped onto his dragons paw, then to her shoulder and into the saddle. When he was seated, he reached down for Arya, who now had her arms full a green bundle of scales.
Seeing that she couldn't grip his hand without dropping said bundle of scales, he leaned over farther and snaked an arm around her waist, then proceeded to pace her in front of him.
When she gave him a confused look, he told her "It's easier for me to hold onto you than the other way around while your arms are full of Drákos."
Arya nodded and allowed him to keep his arms around her.
Eragons' concern was unneeded, as it were. Drákos was always flying next to Saphira, clinging to her tail for dear life or sitting on Eragons' shoulders.
Even though Arya was seated in front, and should have been telling Saphira where to go, she was so astounded by the unfolding landscape below her; she could not for the life of her focus on anything else. So it was left to Eragon to direct Saphira.
Before Arya could regain her senses, Saphira decided to show off all the maneuvers she knew and would be teaching Drákos.
After about an hour of flying, it began to snow lightly, but within matter of minutes it was a full on blizzard.
'I have to go down!' Saphira cried. 'I can't fly if I can't see!'
'Go down as fast as you can then!' Arya screamed with her mind.
Saphira complied and went into an almost vertical dive. When she got to the ground, she tried to draw herself around them, but Arya screamed "Where is Drákos?"
In response, her little dragon squeaked and started to run away.
Before Arya could protest, he sent her a mental image of a small cave.
She shouted over the storm "Drákos has found a small cave where we can wait out the storm!"
"Show us!" Eragon shouted back.
Arya grabbed his hand and followed her dragon.
When they reached the cave Eragon, Arya and Drákos entered first. Saphira curled up in the entrance to the cave to block snow from entering.
"Will you be warm enough Saphira?" Eragon asked, clearly concerned.
'I'll be fine little one.' She assured him.
Eragon nodded and settled down on the opposite wall of the cave from Arya and Drákos.
Just as he was settling down to go to rest until the storm abated, a very loud 'DADDY!' blasted inside his head.
Eragon jerked up into a sitting position. "Did anyone else hear that?" he asked.
"What? The word 'daddy' being screamed into all of our skulls?" Arya asked. "Yes I think we all heard that."
'We all did.' Saphira confirmed.
'Mommy? Daddy?'
Almost simultaneously, the three of them realized that Drákos had spoken.
Arya groaned. "Great," she muttered "my dragon learns to speak at two days old and he starts calling me mommy and Eragon daddy. Just perfect."
Eragon was struggling not to burst out laughing.
Saphira had no such inhibitions. She had her snout buried under her paws and was laughing hard enough to shake the ground.
"This is not funny!" Arya growled.
'It's all about perspective.' Saphira informed her through her laughter.
'Why daddy no sleep with us?' Drákos asked.
'He is young one.' Saphira told him, pushing her Rider over with her tail.
"Oi!" Eragon yelled. "Not okay!"
Arya sighed. "Its fine Eragon. Only to keep Drákos quiet."
'I quiet.' Drákos informed her.
"Right." Arya was getting unnerved by Eragons' proximity to her. She cleared her throat. "We should wait for the storm to stop, and then leave as fast as possible."
Saphira nodded. 'I will sleep until then.'
"Sleep well." Eragon told her, but she was already asleep. Eragon felt something nudge his arm. He looked down and saw Drákos trying to get him to move closer. He kept at it until the length of Eragons arm was brushing Aryas'. He then settled down across both of their laps.
"Perfect." She muttered. "Well if we are going to be this close to each other we should at least be comfortable."
"What do you mean?" Eragon asked, somewhat nervous.
In response, she took the arm that was still brushing hers and looped it over her shoulders.
"That's what I mean."
"Oh." Was all Eragon could manage.
"Enjoy it while it lasts." She told him as she snuggled into his side. "Enjoy it while it lasts."
And with that, the beautiful raven-haired, emerald eyed elf fell asleep.
Me: Well did ya like it? Did ya did ya did ya?
Arya: Shut up they liked it!
Me: If you don't be nice I will make your life miserable.
Arya: You already have!
Eragon: Hey!
Murtagh: She would like it better if it was me.
Arya: Lies!
Murtagh: It is not a lie!
Saphira: It's rainin men! Halleluiah! It's rainin men!
Arya: Who is it rainin?
Saphira: Eragon and Murtagh.
Arya: I'd be outside dancing in the rain!
Me: You love him! Review!
