A/N- Apologies for the thousandth time :P Better late than never please?

Chapter 10- Unrequited

Mairon fiercely jabbed and slashed at his sparring partners guard, wearing down the younger rider with a ferociousness and sick concentration that to the untrained eye, looked completely impeccable. His mind, however, was tempestuous. Arya Drottning had not smiled for decades on end. That exquisite sculpture that the younger riders had desired to make sparked something in her demeanour. He effortlessly parried his opponents strikes and disarmed the weaker human with a push of magic.

Saying nothing, Mairon pulled the babyish human up and shook his head. "Again."

They continued trading blows, his mind still distracted. Why does she not see that I did not want to disturb her past? I did not want to create the image of her with that old fool.

Angrily, he sliced down his sword with a savage brutality that got the other riders staring at him. This was very unlike his usual fluid and beautiful fighting style. The level of control required to create beauty out of the art of swordplay was beyond him today, no matter how much he tried. What is this anger that gives me power so? What am I really frustrated at? Her unwillingness to show the sculpture to the public? Or the fact that it made her smile?

The other rider, who was now cowering, scrambling backwards on his behind, yelled out. "Stop! Stop! Please!"

Mairon blinked, looking down at his almost whimpering opponent, and stepped back in shock. "I...I'm so sorry." He pulled him up, apology in his eyes. "Waise Heill" he slowly moved his palm across the bruises on the human's hands.

Sheathing his sword, he glanced around at the surrounding riders, who were nervously gripping their swords. They had seen him have a breakdown before, but it had never been this severe. He sighed, scrunching his brow and walking towards the open field in the other direction. Calling out with his mind, he waited for the sound of thundering wings.

Eragon-elda was foolish to never return to her. She has been broken beyond repair, a ghost of the person she once was. Mairon had been to Bjartskular and back to complete his training, fifty years of torture, and had come back to see Arya's spirit drained. As time went on, it simply waned away even more, as his own feelings for her waxed on. His love for her only grew stronger as her own love for life wasted away. He longed to tell her, but she only ever saw him as a student. Not even that. I train the other riders now, but I will never be her equal. I am caught between hierarchies and ghosts of her past.

He exhaled sharply, realising why he was so frustrated. She will never move on until she knows that he has. He looked up, seeing the beat of black wings above him. "We need to go, Melkor"

The dragon grunted, and bent down to allow Mairon to climb into the saddle. I need to give her freedom from this unrequited hope.

Eragon

They had to find a place to sleep. The sun was setting, and the cloaking spell that he had cast over Saphira was draining his strength. Urging her downwards, Eragon used more energy to cloak her completely as they flew towards the capital, flying over it. He looked downwards with a wistful smile, adoration in his eyes. This was the city. The machines of industry and the magic of the riders had restored Ellesmera beyond its past glory...

Towering buildings of stone and metal rose like monoliths across the valley, entwined with the forests. Nature and infrastructure working together like symbiotes to create a vivid sense of contrast yet admixed into each other to create unparalleled beauty. Unparalleled by anything inanimate. For anything sentient, the greatest beauty lies in her eyes.

Scintillating emeralds that could peer into your soul...

He shook his head as he focused on the horizon, rather than having a dalliance in his mind with his forgotten passions. His eyes brimmed over with tears as great cliffs rose in front of them, deserted but for a shrine at their edge. A wave of sadness swept over him, coming from the Eldunari. Glaedr.

The golden shrine on the Crags of Tel'naeír...

Saphira landed beside the shrine, bowing her head down before the beautiful construction. There were intricate carvings of the war set within the gold, and between the carvings was a small opening. Saphira touched her snout to the gold below the opening, eyes closed in remembrance. Eragon dismounted and looked inside the opening, and pursed his lips when he saw what was in it. A fairth of Oromis.

Gazing at it for a few moments, Eragon allowed memories to come back to him, and he was overcome with grief. Pulling himself back to the present yet again, he touched Saphira's wings, comforting himself against their velvet touch. She rumbled, and the Eldunari sent waves of sympathy towards him.

He exhaled sharply, wiping away tears brimming at his eyes. "Right then."

Looking around, he saw the area deserted. The riders had newer training grounds and no one had been there for ages. Oromis' hut is empty, little one. But can we occupy his home so readily? It was never ours.

Glaedr rumbled a response. I think in the situation you are in, he would have wanted you to.

Eragon smiled weakly, and entered into the hut, promptly collapsing on the floor in exhaustion. Goodnight, little one, Saphira rumbled.

A/N- Not my best, but hope it satiates you for a while. Next update will be faster than previous one. Hopefully within the next week or two.

REVIEW PLEASE! I THANK ALL OF YOU WHO REVIEWED AND READ THIS STORY! AS FOR CO-AUTHOR, I have gotten a number of people in PM's offering to assist, but I cant decide who would best suit my style of writing, so...if you're truly actually interested, then please PLEASE send in a small excerpt of your writing. I'll give you the prompt too, so it'll be easier to match with mine. [Eragon see's Arya as queen, but in disguise, at the Agaeti Blodhren celebration, and speaks with him] Please be as creative as you want, and I'll see who's thought process is like mine ;) (Oh and no pressure, it doesnt have to be too long, and if you dont want to use this prompt, its fine, any other Eragon/Arya situation with the conditions in this story are good-as in, 1000 year separation) THANK YOU SO MUCH!