Chapter 12
Saphira landed lightly on a strip on grass near Feinster. As troops from Feinster came rushing out the city gates, Eragon and Arya slid off of Saphira. Blodhgarm and the other elves caught up to them. Eragon stared out over the rolling hills and breathed deeply. He placed a hand on Saphira's neck and smiled. He was glad to be back, nothing more. He touched the pouched he had tied to his belt to make sure it was still there. With a sigh of relief he returned to the business at hand.
As they were escorted to Nasuada Eragon noticed how Arya seemed to be a bit nervous. She was unusually awkward and her skin was lightly flushed. He put a hand on her shoulder and she jumped a little. As she turned to look at him he murmured in the Ancient Language, "Be at peace, no one will know what happened in Uru'baen."
"Thank you." whispered Arya her eyes betrayed more than just thankfulness, something more that Eragon could not make out.
"What happened?"
"As I said to Arya, nothing I will reveal until the time is right."
"Bah!"
They reached the house Nasuada was using as Eragon entered, everyone glanced up with amazement. Orik was the only who did not seem surprised to see him. His face had a broad grin stretched across it. Orrin, Jormundr, and Nasuada looked like they just saw Galbatorix dancing a jig.
"What? No, we missed you Eragon?" joked Eragon with a small smile.
"We thought you were gone." whispered Nasuada.
"Not quite." said Eragon as he walked next to her. As he did he bent leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "Murtagh say's he's sorry for everything that happened. He also told me to say that he meant every word he said that night."
Nasuada looked into his eyes for a long minute, as she broke away Eragon saw tears flowing down her cheeks. She sat down, biting the cuff of her sleeve. She put her head into her hands. "D-did he say anything else?" gasped Nasuada. Eragon shook his head.
"My Lady, do you wish to explain this to the rest of us?" asked Jormundr, a concerned look on his face.
Nasuada uttered a choked laugh as she answered, "Murtagh and I... We...We were going to get married. the ceremony was suppose to happen but the Urgal invasion happened."
Everyone in the room was silent from shock. Eragon, Arya, and Saphira didn't betray their emotions but Orrin's mouth was hanging open like a hinge. Jorumndr's eyebrows were raised higher than Eragon thought was humanly possible. Orik fell off his chair.
"B-but what about your father? Surely he didn't give you his blessing." spluttered Orrin.
"Ha ha... He was the one that suggested the marriage be held so early. We went to him the day after Eragon's trial by arms with Arya was finished. He had Murtagh holed up for appearances. In reality Murtagh let my father probe his mind alone." whispered Nasuada.
"I do not know if this is the best time for another surprise but I believe I should show this now." murmured Eragon. He untied the sack and pulled out a green, oval object. It was completely smooth and it was a light forest green, with a crisscrossing web of black streaks.
"Murtagh gave it to me when we were leaving. He hid it with magic so only I could see." said Eragon. It took a full three seconds before the room erupted into a clamoring of conversations. Sensing that it was a good time to leave Eragon slipped the egg back into his pouch and ran out off the house. Arya, Nasuada, Jormundr, Orik, Orrin, and Saphira were close behind.
Soon the only ones still able to keep up with his speed were Arya and Saphira. He continued to run until he was standing on one of the hills outside Feinster. Arya and Saphira reached him seconds later. He sat down with the pouch next to him looking at the sun slowly set over the horizon. Its warmth and color splashed over the land causing beauty to spring up wherever it landed.
"Why did you not mention this to me before?" asked Arya, as she sat down.
"For the same reason you did not tell me your heritage. For safety. You and others might try to take away the egg."
"You know as well as I do that I must take the egg."
"I can't let that happen. Trust me Arya. Trust me like I trust you. Trust me to do the right thing. Finding the egg's rider is my burden, not yours. You've carried it long enough. Its time to let someone else carry the mantle."
"Of all the things you ask for Eragon... You ask for the most difficult one. However I trust you. I will not take the egg, you have my word." uttered Arya.
Eragon relaxed and stretched himself out on the grassy hill. He closed his eyes and said, "I wish that this war would just end. No more lives would be lost. No more pain need be felt."
"We all wish that Eragon, no matter which side we are on. Sadly the only solutions are to surrender or endure. The former is not a choice so we must endure. You will survive. I know you; you are not so weak to be broken this way. The Eragon I know is stronger than that."
"Thank you."
Eragon paused to enjoy the peace and tranquility. Moments like these were rare in war and only a fool would not savor them. A thought reached him and he voiced it, "How was it that you were captured by Faolin? And where were the other elves?"
He opened his eyes to see Arya's darkening. She bit her lip before answering, "You wish to know? Very well, I shall tell you. Faolin and I were friends to say the least. To see him return made me ignore my common sense and I lowered my guard. He and I were...close. We could talk about anything and everything. He gave me a sense of peace that I never had before. We-"
Saphira growled and alerted them to a runner coming from Feinster. The man seemed to be panic stricken and agitated. He ran up to them and said in a voice hoarse from exhaustion, "Sir! It's your cousin Roran. He's gone missing!"