Roran and Eragon jumped over to their two loves, tears beginning to creep down their faces. Roran knelt down next to Katrina, cradled her head in his strong, masculine hands, and whispered words of love into her ears. Katrina faintly smiled at her lover, drifting between a phase of consciousness and one of unconsciousness.

Eragon slid next to Arya, shocked at what he had just heard, wondering if his ears had deceived him. He caressed her cheeks, and Arya stared at him with glazed eyes full of passion.

"Do you love me?" whispered Eragon, seeking to find the truth. Arya smiled, put a finger to her lips, and fainted back into a dreamless, whirling state. Eragon sat, dazed, unaware that Arya was unconscious again. His love, the person whom he had unsuccessfully pursued for months – no, more than a year, had just told him she loved him.

As his mind began to comprehend what had occurred, Eragon turned his attention back towards Arya. He noticed that her eyes were closed, her chest unmoving, and desperately began to shake her.

"Don't worry, little one." said Saphira, "She is simply in a state of deep, deep sleep. She is alive, and once her body heals the beating she took as she was captured, Arya will rise perfectly fine."

Eragon, who had noticed that Arya's chest faintly moved up and down in a rhythmic motion, calmed himself. He stopped shaking her, and sat back, content to watch her and insure her safety, unmoving, a sentinel.

"How long will it be until she wakes up, Saphira?" questioned Eragon.

"I do not know. The healing rates of an elf are very much unlike a human's, and I am not sure of the extent to which her injuries affected her. Considering that, as well as the facts that you healed her almost immediately after she was hurt and she is a strong person, I would say in two days. Possibly even tomorrow."

Eragon nodded, and continued to sit by Arya's side. He stroked her hair, gazing at the beauty of her face. It was far from unblemished, but the minute scars from battle and slight imperfections of her face entranced him just as much as her luscious lips and long eyelashes. Time passed as he watched Arya's chest rise and fall, and when she had not woken late into the night, Saphira nudged him on the shoulder.

"It is late, Eragon, go to sleep. I will watch over Arya while you rest."

"But Saphira –"

"No, Eragon. Go to sleep."

Eragon new arguing would be futile, so he quietly rose, walked off to his tent, and fell asleep.

XXX Arya POV

I woke up and daylight streamed into my eyes. I began to move and stretch, but could not. I panicked, realizing I was confined by straps attached to a crudely made pad I was lying on. After determining that I was tightly secured, I calmed down, and thought over my situation.

Understanding that I could not do anything, I let my body go slack and reached with my mind. I felt one strong, beating pulse – mightier than any I had ever encountered. What was it? I did not know. Continuing to use my mind in order to grasp where I was, I pushed outward. When my mind, strong as it was, could not encounter anything, I began to comprehend that we were far, far away from any other life form.

What could get so far away from any other life form? Even high in the mountains, there was sparse scrubs and underbrush. Same in the desert. We obviously couldn't be in a city, because a human projects their blunt thoughts out to the sun. After thinking, I finally understood: I was in the air, on a dragon.

"Oh mighty Skulblaka." I contacted the dragon.

"Yes, Arya." The dragon, clearly a she, chuckled.

"Wait…excuse my bluntness, o glorious dragon, but how do you know my name."

"What are you talking about, Arya? It is I, Saphira, dragon of Eragon. We are flying to Farthen Dur in order to attend the funeral of H'rothgar."

"Who is Eragon? And how did H'rothgar die?"

"Arya, are you feeling well?"

"I am feeling fine – great, in fact. All my bruises from Durza seem to have disappeared."

"What is your last memory?"

I searched my mind. "I was carrying the egg. Faolin and Glenwing died. I sent the egg to a village far, far away, where a supporter of the Varden lived. Captured by Durza, I was forced to put myself into a state of sleep while he tortured me. Eragon, I assume, found the egg and rescued me?"

Saphira paled – that is, as much as a dragon can pale. Ignoring Arya's question, she replied: "I had better land. Eragon needs to know what has happened. Hold on to your stomach."

At these words, Saphira streamlined into a fast dive towards the ground. I threatened to lose what was left in my stomach, though I felt like I had not eaten in days. As Saphira landed with a large thud, I glimpsed a flash of blond hair. This, I understood, was the famous Eragon. And I was about to meet him.

XXX Narrator

Eragon felt and heard, rather than saw, Saphira land behind the horses. He immediately pulled on the reigns of his horse, with Roran and Katrina quickly following. Turning, Eragon questioned Saphira:

"Are you ok, Saphira? Why did you land?"

"I am perfectly fine. I landed because Arya has awoken."

"Oh! Where is she? Is she ok!?" exclaimed Eragon.

"Yes, little one, she is fine – even great, as she said herself."

Eragon moved towards Saphira.

"Hold still, Saphira! I need to get her off of you."

"Of course, Eragon…but there is one thing –"

However, by this time Eragon had already removed the ropes binding Arya. Arya limberly sprung up like a leaf in a breeze, stretching her limbs.

"So you are Eragon, I presume?" said Arya, "It is a pleasure to meet the new Rider of Alagaesia, the hope of our races." Arya surveyed Eragon's features. "I didn't know that there was an elf named Eragon any longer…where did you live? Osilon?"

Arya continued to ramble on about how she was so happy to meet Saphira and Eragon, and how she was in their debt for saving her from Durza, and more.

"Arya," questioned a puzzled Eragon, stopping her talking, "what are you talking about?"

"Eragon," stated Saphira, "That is what I was trying to say. It seems that Arya...has lost her memory. She can't remember anything after Durza capturing, and torturing her."

Eragon was stunned.

"Arya, do you remember saying you loved me?"

"Why would I say that, Eragon? I hardly know you, and you are so much younger than me." Eragon took a deep breath.

"Arya, what I am about to tell you may be surprising, but it is all the truth." Eragon continued to explain, in as much detail as he could, what had occurred since Arya had been captured by Durza, and all of those who had played a part in it. He finished by recapping their fight at Helgrind, and the rescue of Katrina.

Arya sat, silent. "I do not know whether to believe you. The story you have just woven is amazing, to say the least. Almost near impossible, in fact. But I do not believe it would be possible for you to come up with such a fantastic story…surely, if you decided to trick me, you would relate a more believable story. Therefore, I must accept what you have said, though I do not yet remember it."

XXX

The next four days passed in a flurry. The group had traveled towards Farthen Dur, and were finally about to arrive for Hrothgar's funeral. Eragon sat on Saphira's back, glassy eyes starting off into the distance. He was still in a phase of shock, and had tried to wake himself up from the dream he was having many times.

Alas, it was not a dream, Eragon realized. Arya had truly lost her memory from what had happened in Helgrind.

"How could it have happened, Saphira?" Eragon thought.

"What, little one?"

"Arya losing her memory…how could it have happened?"

"Eragon, she is simply suffering amnesia from a blow to the head."

"But how? Why didn't I save her?"

"Eragon, there is nothing you could have done to save her. Do not think at all along those lines. Eventually, someone will say something or something will happen and her memory will return. For now, we must wait. And hold tight, we have arrived."

Saphira folded her mighty wings, and plunged towards the lake. She hit the water and dove under, giving Eragon just enough time to take a deep breath. Pure joy radiated from Saphira's mind as she corkscrewed under the water, and exploded upwards just as Eragon's lungs threatened to explode.

The doors to Farthen Dur were opened, and a small figure could be seen inside. The figure stepped out into broad daylight, and took a deep breath.

"Hail Saphira! Hail Eragon!" cried Orik.

"Hello Orik!" laughed Eragon, "Roran and Katrina will be along shortly, also with Arya. How did you know we were out here?"

"With the ruckus you two were making? Everyone on the far side of the Beors could hear you!" Orik gave off a mighty chuckle. The two men and dragon walked into the opening in the Beors. Orik viewed the face of Eragon, which had become suddenly serious.

"What is wrong, mine knurlheim (A/N: sp?)? asked Orik. Eragon proceeded to tell him of Arya. "This is…great trouble. We must inform Nasuada immediately."

XXX

So I'm going to make that the end of this chapter D Sorry…I have some GREAT stuff lined up for the next chapter. This was really a filler chapter. The only important thing is that little twist I decided to throw in there about Arya losing her memory. Don't worry, though. I already have a way to clear that up – just wanted to throw in a little thing to make you know who's really in charge of the story :p

I want to sincerely apologize about how long this chapter took. I had a week long vacation, tons of homework, and more. So it might not be that good as I hurried to get it out today  And there definitely might be some mistakes 

Well, R & R. I have some EXCELLENT stuff lined up. The prophecies have some great meaning. I've got some nice turns. And I can't wait to see your reaction to next chapter 

See ya!

Fricai

PS: Roran, Katrina, and Arya arrived just after Orik finished speaking. I didn't want to put that in there cause it felt kind of pointless, but they are there, and will be there at the start of next chapter. Kind of like when CP ignored the horse at the Stone of Broken Eggs or w/e.