Empire: The Final Battle.

Chapter 9:

Thank you all for your reviews! Sorry for any mistakes in the last chapter. And guys, believe it or not, but there was a cliffy at the end of the last chapter. When Murtaugh said "Take care of him". Who did he mean? Mwahahahahah.

And dudes, if you want to, read these other stories by the Backward Forward Gal:

Extremely Random Pairings

MSN in Alagaesia.

Ways to make Arya Homicidal.

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Later that night, Eragon sat with Arya in silence, some way away from the rest of the Varden.

"What happened?" Eragon asked. Arya hugged her knees. Her hair was pulled into a neat, low ponytail at the back of her head, and loose strands of hair framed her face.

"When I was taken from Helgrind, they took me to Uru'baen. I was – tortured - as you could see by my Spirit Child, and about a week later, I met Galbatorix. She shivered. He tried to make me swear allegiance to him, but I wouldn't, so he – put me under a spell."

"Why didn't he just kill you?" Butted in Eragon,

Arya sighed "He needed me. He knew I was the only elf outside Ellesmera, and he couldn't give up that chance." They sat in silence.

"What did Murtaugh mean, when he said 'look after him'?"

She turned her head to look at him. "I do not know." She said, her voice portraying no emotion. Eragon nodded.

"Eragon, I am once more in your dept for saving me. For that I thank you."

Eragon shifted uneasily. She had a way of saying things that made Eragon feel guilty for some reason.

Eragon dared to ask; "On the way to Helgrind, what was troubling you?"

She looked away. "You already know, Eragon. I knew everything my Spirit Child said, and did."

"But she couldn't, or didn't, talk!" said Eragon, almost laughing.

"That is true, but she could speak. You need not to talk to make yourself understood, do you?"

He thought about it for a moment. "No, you do not." They sat in silence.

"Did Galbatorix know of your Spirit Child?" He asked.

"No, he did not. It has no side affects to me, and she would seem like a normal girl."

"Normal!" Eragon laughed. "Normal as in carrying a dagger around, having it confiscated, then turning up with it in your possession the next day? Or perhaps normal is being put into a different room, then turning back to find her sitting in the room she was just taken from?"

She smiled, for the first time since she had cheated death. "I suppose not. But," she smiled "It is quite easy to walk into a room and retrieve daggers, no? And how difficult is it to turn up in different rooms when you can walk through walls?"

"She could walk through walls" choked Eragon.

She smiled. "Spirits," she said, choosing her words carefully. "Are very powerful," she said, nodding. Eragon voiced a question he had been wondering about since he had found out about the Spirit Child;

"How, though. How did you manage to send your spirit across the land?"

She picked up a dry leaf and started playing with it between her hands. "I am not exactly sure, I guess it was similar with what happened in Gil'ead, except I managed to send a physical message to you. I knew what I was doing, I just didn't know how I was doing it."

Arya's face turned blank, as though she was receiving a message, much like the one Eragon could receive from Saphira. She suddenly snapped out of it, a short while later.

"What happened?" Asked Eragon, frowning slightly.

"Nothing, I was simply remembering something I had to do. "I must head back" she stated, rising. Eragon stood with her. She nodded him good bye, then left, towards the campsite, leaving Eragon alone in the woods, watching the sunset.

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A short distance later, Arya paused, looking back towards Eragon, making sure he could not see her. She sighed, and headed deeper into the forest.

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1 MONTH LATER

Eragon awoke to a deep rumble from Saphira who lay outside. He stretched and yawned, stepping from his bed. It had been exactly one month since He had saved Arya, one month since things had returned to normal. Yes sir, just your normal planning-to-attack-overly-insane-ruler-of-the-nation day. He sighed and shook his head, leaving the tent.

He had promised Nasuada to meet her in her tent early morning, and he intended to do so. Saphira opened he eyes as he passed and stretched, then followed him towards their leaders tent.

When they arrived, Eragon and Saphira found Arya and Nasuada discussing something. Their conversation halted when he entered, Saphira poking her head through the door.

"Nasuada, Arya" he said, greeting them in turn.

"Welcome, Eragon and Saphira. I have need to discuss the transportation of the egg to Ellesmera." The egg had been guarded and protected by a hundred guards and ten sorcerers throughout the month, and recently all the Varden children had touched the egg, trying to get it to hatch, all to no avail.

"I wish to have it transported soon, as Arya says she is needed back in her home soon enough."

Eragon nodded, turning to Arya "When do you leave?"

"I shall leave tomorrow, if possible." She said, turning to Nasuada, who nodded in confirmation.

"It is possible, you may leave whenever you wish. You are dissmissed," said Nasuada.

Eragon bowed and left with Arya. They walked together until they reached Eragon's tent and said goodbye. But Eragon paused, watching as Arya headed back into the trees, instead of her own tent. He frowned, and went to follow, but was stopped by Saphira's wing.

No, little one.

She has been spending a lot of time in there.

Aye, that is true. But I am sure it is just because she misses home.

Maybe.

For the rest of the day, Eragon tried to find Arya, but to no avail. When he finally found some information on her where about, it was from Nasuada, who said she had already left for Ellesmera.

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They heard no word from Arya until over a week later, when she arrived back at the Varden with a guard of four Elves: Estador, Matren, Sherrutin and Kayosi.

She dismissed her guard with a wave of her hand. They had already discovered Saphira, and scurried over to fawn over her. Arya shook her head.

"I see your Queen didn't let you come back un-guarded," he smirked.

She scowled, and then rolled her eyes. "No, after what happened before she was not going to let me travel without assistance again, you should have seen her rage when I told her I had come un-protected." She shook her head. Eragon laughed.

"How have things been around here?"

He thought. "Quiet, to quiet," he said truthfully. "I would have expected another attack from Galbatorix by now."

"Expected, but not wanted." He nodded.

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Later that day, Eragon went to visit Arya. She was reading from a book titled 'Du Brisingr.' She smiled when he entered, closing the book and putting it next to her on the bed.

Eragon greeted her. "I was heading to meet my cousin and his fiancé, and wondered if you wanted to come. I had asked Orik as well but he is busy."

She nodded and stood, following him to the cluster of tents provided for the Carvahall citizens. They soon found almost the entire village grouped around a table, eating dinner. When they were noticed, a hush fell across the table and Eragon fidgeted slightly next to Arya.

Finally Roran stood and went over to Eragon, greeting him with a bear hug.

"Eragon! I am happy to see you again!" He said grinning. He was soon joined by Katrina. Who smiled openly at them.

"Katrina," he said in greeting. "How are you feeling?"

"I am fine thank you," she answered, turning to Arya. "I never got to thank you for your part in my rescue." She said. "I am glad to see you are alright."

Arya nodded. "And I you." Just then Sloan walked out from his tent and spotted Katrina, Roran, Arya and Eragon.

"Katrina!" he growled. "Get away from them!" He commanded, grasping her wrist.

"They mean us no harm, father!" protested Katrina.

"That one carries a weapon!" he growled at Arya. Eragon looked down and saw that indeed, her elven blade was clasped to her belt.

"Arya, why did you bring your blade?" He asked.

She averted her eyes. "Let's just say, they were orders." Eragon smirked, then turned to Sloan.

"She means you no harm" he said.

Sloan ignored his words. "You get away from my daughter!" he yelled. At this point the rest of Carvahall were on their feet, mother's covering their children's eyes.

Sloan whipped out a meat knife and struck towards Arya's head with ferocious speed, but before anyone could blink, Arya had her blade out and had stopped the attack. Sloan blinked in surprise.

All of a sudden, Arya froze. She turned away from the group, looking across the lands. Eragon frowned.

"Arya?" he asked. "what do you see?"

"I do not know." She glanced around, then headed towards one of the tallest trees and jumped up several branches, earning gasps form several onlookers. Eragon called up to her.

"What is it?" He saw her eyes widen. She jumped the entire length of the tree to the ground, landing in front of Eragon, earning several screams.

She grasped his wrist. "Murtaugh," she breathed. His eyes widened.

"What?"

"Murtaugh, he brings a large army."

"Are you sure?"

"Who else flies on a red dragon and leads a large army bearing Galbatorix's crest?" He didn't need to know anymore, and took off towards Nasuada's tent, contacting Saphira.

Meet me in Nasuada's tent.

What? Why?

Arya has seen an army approaching, lead by Murtaugh. She growled.

Meet me there now! He said, cutting off the connection.

As promised, Saphira was waiting at Nasuada's tent, and Eragon and Arya entered to see a pale Nasuada.

"Is what Saphira saying true?" she asked. Eragon nodded.

"We need everyone ready for battle in less than half an hour." Stated Arya.

Nasuada nodded and called Jarvis and Jarsha, sending them off to alert as many people as possible. Nasuada dismissed Arya and Eragon to get into their battle armor.

Upon arriving at his tent, Eragon relayed the events of Arya's meeting Carvahall quickly to Saphira whilst changing.

How could Arya have known?

I know not, maybe she heard them.

Hmmmm.

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The entire Varden stood waiting in silence, waiting for the attack. They could now see the army, with Murtaugh circling overhead. Saphira and Eragon stood on the right side of Nasuada, Arya on the right.

Tension was high as the last of the men came back from taking the elderly, children and women to a safe place. Finally, the two armies stood face to face, Murtaugh above.

At last, the two leaders raised their arms, and the fight began. Eragon tackled several men alongside Arya, whilst Saphira attacked magician that just didn't want to die. Eragon glanced up to see Roran smash a man's head with his hammer, and Nasuada pull her blade form the stomach of another. Murtaugh and Thorn hovered overhead, watching the battle.

What are they doing?

I do not know, but be alert incase they attack.

After a short while, Thorn swooped down and landed on the ground not far from Eragon and Arya. The men shied away from them.

"Hello again, Arya." He said. "The king is not very happy with you." She scowled. "Nice to see you, Eragon." Eragon growled in return. Murtaugh drew his blade.

"One on one, you and me, Eragon."

"Bring it on"

Their blades clashed with a shower of sparks. Eragon attacked his right side, which Murtaugh blocked and pushed Eragon in a loop. As he twisted, Eragon caught sight of Saphira and Thorn fighting above, and Arya taking on seven men. He spun back to Murtaugh, trying to hit him. He was once again blocked. Murtaugh attacked, pushing Eragon to the ground, knocking his blade form his grasp, just as Arya had. Eragon gasped in pain as his ankle broke.

"Eragon!" Yelled Arya, attacking Murtaugh from behind. He swung his blade to meet hers, and Eragon could only watch helplessly as they fought. Arya seemed to have the upper hand, until Murtaugh mentally called Thorn, he came up behind her and knocked her unconscious several feet away. Murtaugh advanced to finish her.

"No!" Screamed Eragon, but his voice was lost in a ferocious roar. Startled, Eragon looked to Saphira, who was busy attacking the men, but looked up in alarm.

Then a emerald green dragon dived from the sky. It was slightly bigger than thorn, but less so than Saphira. Eragon's heart fell.

Galbatorix got his dragon egg to hatch.

But then he noticed, the dragon didn't have a rider. This confused him. Then the dragon came to land above Arya. He sat up in alarm, he could crush Arya. But the dragon landed with both its hind legs either side of her. It looked at Thorn and roared arching it's back.

Then Eragon heard a distinctly male voice in his head.

Don't touch my rider!

Everyone, on both sides of the fight stopped to stare at the dragon. Eragon was puzzled; who did he mean? He didn't have a rider with him. But then the dragon stepped to the side and bowed its head over Arya, nudging her slightly with his nose. Arya shot upright, breathing deeply. She surveyed the scene, then her eyes fell upon the dragon. Her expression went from shock to horror.

She stood shakily, still staring at the dragon. They stared at each other. Then Arya approached him and touched his nose.

Murtaugh looked as shocked as him, as the green dragon turned and growled at him. Then it attacked, soon joined by Saphira. Murtaugh turned on his heel, jumping onto Thorn and taking to the air, leaving the emerald dragon roaring after him. The rest of the men retreated in a hurry, heading back over the plains.

The Varden roared in triumph, as Eragon headed over to Arya slowly. She stood; head bowed, and only raised it when he stopped in front of her.

Without speaking, he reached for her palms. She didn't resist, and he soon found what he was looking for, on her right palm, a shining sliver orb, with a milky white sheen.

He let her arm drop, staring at her in shock.

"Arya…"

"When I was under Galbatorix's care, the egg hatched for me. I refused to swear allegiance, but he needed us, so he put me under the spell. My dragon was too weak to fight yet, so I was sent in alone." She bowed her head.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She looked away. "I could not, Eragon."

"Why not!" he yelled.

She glared at him. "Because of this." She turned and walked towards the woods, her dragon following her, shooting a quick glance at Eragon before he took off over the treetops to follow his rider.

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Author's Note:

How cool was that!? He he. A new dragon! And my longest chapter yet! Thing is, I dunno what im gonna do next! Someone give me a suggestion!

Love: Me