Eragon certainly was privileged – that was at least what he thought of himself.

If fate grants you a chance just as this, if it grants you just two days in your life spent with one you cherish, then certainly you are blessed. And he had been granted exactly that again – again and again.

Still she was there, sitting beside him on the cooling blanket of soft grass…

"You are looking better today, have I told you that already?"

Now her gaze, lost in the swirling lights of fire before, found his and spread warmth within him so much more intensively than the flames ever could.

"Did I look so bad yesterday?"

He couldn't miss the amusement in her voice and smiled in return. But he wasn't in for ridiculous talk right now.

"There was an inkling of exhaustion behind all your curiosity and eagerness yesterday; today it seems to have all but vanished. Did you have a nice day?"

"That I had. It was a pleasure to see you teaching – even though it was a very unfamiliar sight for me", she grinned a lopsided grin at him, "Old habits die hard."

Of course he wasn't the youngling she had known any longer. He chuckled darkly.

"Sure… Lessons were easy on me today as well. I don't take it for granted anymore that these puppies act like sane persons who you can speak reasonably with – it is always a delight when they do exceed your expectations then. Have they at least been polite to you? I couldn't help to recognize that you have been beleaguered nearly all the time."

"I am fine enough", Arya gave back, a small reassuring smile gracing her features, "Though I am not used to such open displays of curiosity anymore – people here are not as… conservative as they are among mine people. Even as Queen I am usually not as beleaguered, as you called it, as I have been here as a guest. But rest assured, none of them had crossed the line."

"That is good. And I am sure you are right – it is my very purpose for our Riders to be more trusting and open-minded, though not naive of course. Yet it is a stretch sometimes to get even the young elves to open up a little bit; I am glad when you say that I had succeeded in doing so."

As an answer Arya only inclined her head in her own graceful way, her eyes now roaming again their surroundings – and all the people that were here with them, sitting just as the both of them on a soft, wide lawn of lush emerald green grass – though its colour was drenched by the bright lights of the flames.

It was Fírnen's and Arya's second evening in Minuial – just yesterday they had arrived in Eragon's city – and again Eragon had arranged an event in their honour, as was only righteous regarding their high-ranked guests.

In a sprawling meadow just a few hundred yards east from Minuial's borders most of the citizens of the valley had come together again to celebrate, eat and drink around an enormous bonfire – as had become custom among them, as Eragon had told Arya earlier, whenever a Rider and his Dragon came back to Minuial from a longer journey.

And a very special bonfire it was – for the fire that consumed the great logs of wood was dancing in front of their eyes as colourful as a rainbow, every flame another shade of green, red, yellow or violet. This was not done by magic, as Arya was told, but by filling holes and slots within the wood with various salts that dyed the flames in its own tint.

Dinner had just been finished when the sun had started to set and then Fírnen had had the honour to enlighten the bonfire with an emerald torrent of flame. And in the shifting lights of that awe-inspiring fire the Dragons and Riders had then seated themselves, the last without the comfort of chairs or tables, but that as well seemed common among them, and drank of juice and wine.

In the beginning the Riders had gathered around the bonfire and had listened to songs and stories of whoever wanted to share his thoughts, but then the crowd had scattered rapidly to small groups or couples. Just the Dragons had stayed close to the fire to enjoy the sight of the colourful light doing wondrous things to their equally colourful hues. Saphira and Fírnen were bathing in the light and warmth as well, laying side by side and sharing thoughts and images with their brethren.

By now the last traces of daylight had vanished; night surrounded them and the stars were shining brightly in a nearly black sky crowned by a crescent moon.

Eragon and Arya had left the circle of light as well and now sat at the brim of the meadow where the lawn heightened to a slight slope just metres before the leafy trees reconquered the ground again.

A longer pause in their conversation had for some time now become a comfortable silence and Arya started a bit when the sound of movement rustled beside her. But Eragon met her slight alarm with a warm, amused smile, now laying on his back on the slop with his arms crossed underneath the back of his head. His eyes left hers before anyone uttered a word and drifted upwards. She watched him sighing in what seemed contentment and then followed his gaze towards the blinking stars.

For some minutes they both examined the beauty of the cool silver lights, but even though the stars themselves didn't look any different here than they did in Alagaësia, Arya still found the constellations unnerving.

"Do you remember what we were talking about in Ellesméra?", she asked and again met Eragon's gaze, "The stars are not the same here. None of these constellations have I ever seen before."

"That is only logical and, as you said, I already told you so", in contrast to his words he kept his voice very mild, treating her with adequate care, "Why is it unsettling you so much?"

She raised her eyebrows at his question, but thought even herself that she may act much more confident than she actually felt.

"You think I am unsettled?"

A grin appeared on his face and he nodded twice, slowly and annoyingly self-confident.

"Yes, that's what I think. You have once been better at cheating, you know", he grinned at her still, but waited eagerly and a bit anxiously for her remark. He didn't want her to feel bad.

Arya lowered her head again, watching the bonfire some distance away yet directly in front of her. Her voice was very low when she answered.

"I have never been "better at cheating" you, you have become only better in reading me, I am afraid", she looked at him shortly, eyes twinkling, but still not completely at ease. She sighed once.

"I know not for sure. I guess it just reminds me of how far away I am from home – and how far you are indeed away when I am in Du Weldenvarden. I have never been so far from home – so far from everything I know and I am familiar with. And…", she grimaced now and glanced at him with what seemed to be shame, "I mean… Everything is so foreign to me, the stars, the plants, it makes me feel… lost, I guess. As if I wouldn't be able to find my way home again."

He frowned in confusion and sat up partly, worried about her speech that was so unlike her, yet Arya didn't react to him; she still looked straight ahead.

"What are you talking about… You have more senses than just your eyes, Arya, and you know that very well. You could not get lost, even if you were to be abandoned in a land a thousand miles farther away. You know that. You know that you would always find your way home."

He reached out for her when she didn't answer him immediately and brushed his hand once softly down her upper arm. Then at least she turned to him, yet still smiling in that shameful way.

"I know I am talking foolishness, don't think too much on it."

But one side of his mouth twisted downwards.

"That won't be possible, I am afraid. But if it stresses you that much – so come on, let's do something about your ignorance", he said confidently and as cheery as he could. He twitched at her sleeve to underline his words, "Come here and see."

And he laid back again, making himself comfortable while waiting for Arya to follow suit, a little worry about her unease still in his heart and mind.

And she did, slowly she seated herself a bit closer beside him and then let her back rest against the soft grass, her legs still pulled up, her hands folded on her chest. She tried to fight back her sudden indisposition with a few deep breaths and only succeeded in doing so due to her concentration and the warm feeling and sounds of the one beside her.

"So maybe we start here", Eragon said, ignoring her silence and raised his arm, aiming at some bright stars slightly left of them, "Can you see the constellation there? Five bright stars and three smaller ones?", than he smiled at himself for of course it would be difficult for her to detect what he was pointing at from her point of view, "Here."

He took her right hand with his left and held it up as well, pointing at the stars with both their hands.

"Can you see them? They are roughly arranged like an animal with legs and a long neck or head and due to that", he smiled, "we decided to call them The Dragon. And also because there is one other star above them, do you see it? You could make a line to that one and count it as the Dragon's wing."

"I see…", Arya's voice was faint, but eager.

He let their arms down again, giving her a last gentle squeeze before ceasing his touch. Turning his head to look at her, he saw that she was still brooding over the skies and watched her for a while, hoping that she was fine.

And indeed, when she looked back at him her eyes were brighter than before and her cherry red lips were forming a small smile.

"Can you show me more, please?"

He laughed at her curiosity with a deep voice. He felt very much like playing for a little more time – the look of her laying beside him, the appealing form of her whole body and her angled legs was very pleasant to his eyes – as was the look of her beautiful face and the way the black strands of hair were framing it so softly. The sight of her at his side struck a deep chord within his own body, the sound of it vibrating through his limbs. He had to take a deep breath to clear his thoughts.

"I will. I will show you everything we can see."

And he did. He talked to her about the stars and the names of the constellations, the occasions and people who had led to their naming and how they used the stars to find their way throughout the hinterland of the mountains.

"But I will show you some of these things later, when we are indeed out there, it will prove to be more fruitful."

"Where will we be going?"

Eragon turned to her, smiling cheekily and winking.

"Oh, here and there… We will see."

She scowled slightly at his answer, to his immense amusement, but refrained from asking any further.

To placate her, he decided to address something that once had amazed her greatly. He hoped that she would still hunger for more information on that particular subject.

"As you seem interested in the stars and the skies, there is a theory you might be interested in."

"So? And what kind of theory is this?"

"You remember what I told you and all the others in Urû'baen about our flight to Vroengard? About the storm?"

His questions had been of a rhetorical kind - of course she would remember that. And indeed – Arya's gaze got more intense with every word he spoke.

"You said that the earth appeared round. And that there had been more stars than one could see from the ground. That the sky was hollow."

"That's right. Now, as it would be easier to show you these things later as well – we have a model in the rooms of the astronomers – I will keep my mouth shut for now", his grin widened considerably as she scowled again and he held up his hands in surrender to sooth her, "But – for the time being, if you agree to it, I would like to give you a small riddle to think about. When you have solved it, or think that you have done so, we will talk further about it. Does that sound fair to you?"

"And if I cannot solve that riddle we will not talk about it?", she squinted, but in good humour.

"That depends. You could give up."

Eragon laughed dearly as she considered his option and grimaced.

"Well, I do not seem to be able to convince you otherwise. So what is that mysterious riddle?"

And Eragon pointed to at the sky again, but not at the stars but at the sickle-formed moon.

"Look at the moon as it looks now, remember what it looks like at other times, and then think of what I told you once. Then tell me this: Why is the moon changing its shape?"

They looked at each other for a small thoughtful moment, then Arya opened her mouth as if to say something – only to be stopped by Eragon who laid one finger over his own lips.

"Don't. Think about it again. And do so without letting your reasoning get tainted by prejudice or convention. Don't let the things you might once have been told tamper with your reasoning – with your logic", he grinned again, a spark shining brightly in his eyes, "I am curious of what you will think about."

"Hmm. Then I will have to think about it very hard, I guess."

"I count on that."

After a last shared smile their eyes drifted away from each other again, each occupied with thoughts of their own.

Arya was still trying to puzzle out what Eragon meant about the moon and its various phases, but even as she did she recognized herself that she would need much more time and quiet to solve this riddle as she momentarily had. But her mind was very determined at keeping her busy with astronomy and right now she didn't feel like fighting its desires – a rare thing for her, but treasured for exactly that. She felt quite at ease.

Whereas Eragon now gazed at the rainbow-bonfire again, thinking about something much more important – and he tried very hard to keep his mind focused on the task at hand and not let it wander too much. But it was very hard for him to ignore all the evidence for her presence that his senses perceived so very vividly. He sighed. He was relaxed, but he didn't feel at ease as much as he thought he should.

"There is something else I wanted to propose to you", he began and cleared his throat slightly.

"Something else, it is?", Arya spoke after kind of awakening from her daze; her tone clearly mocking, "Shouldn't it be enough to spent a silent, comfortable evening in front of this beautiful bonfire with me?"

Eragon chuckled at her witty remark, but indeed felt a bit guilty. Her jest had rooted in truth after all.

"I am very sure it should. But then I do not know how much longer I will be blessed with your presence. I really have to use every moment I have."

For the first time today he reached out towards her, very slowly again, and brushed two fingers down her soft cheek. He watched her for a moment after speaking – watched her face growing sombre just as his and watched her eye lids twitching as he touched her skin.

"I will not be gone this fast", she but whispered as he lowered his hand again.

"That you do not know", he gave back just as softly, "And even because of that I would rather not squander our time together – even though hurrying has become quite foreign to me here. But I digress… What I wanted to say is - as it is, your timing couldn't have been any better. Just some days ago Saphira met one of the wild dragons – her name is Yanimn and she is the mate of Gaidon, the leader of the Wild Ones – and she informed her that one of the females had laid an egg currently and that she wanted to offer it to us."

After speaking he waited a second for Arya's reaction and wasn't disappointed for eyes widened and sparkled with anticipation.

"Another egg… Another Dragon and Rider… And so soon after Imara and Miomar found each other. Did Yanimn speak about the identity of the mother?"

"Not much. On Saphira's inquiry she only said that it was one of the very young females, not more. They have another way of thinking, the Wild Dragons, they often think not as individually as we do – as especially humans do", he admitted.

Arya apparently preferred not to comment his remark – maybe out of her own sense for courtesy – but seemed deep in thought.

"And you want us now to take the egg directly towards Alagaësia when we leave? When will you receive it? And who will bring it to you?"

"To answer your first question: Yes – and more. And I will not "receive" it. And no one will bring it to us", he smiled at her slightly annoyed face, "This… this is your obligation. Every Rider here has accompanied me during his early apprenticeship to Imrath Skulblaka where we honour our bond with the people of the Dragons – to lead the next Dragon to join our ranks to his destined partner. Unfortunately you never had the chance to do so obviously and so I thought you would like to seize the opportunity and come with me. And even better", he added, looking at her with innocent eyes, "We would have some time together – on the road, just like in old times."

"On the road? Not above the road?", she asked queerly but smiled warmly enough at him, "But either way – indeed just like in old times."

"Yes… Well, I thought, as you wanted to learn something about the plants and trees that are growing around here – and we have some animals too that you have for sure never seen before – I thought we could leave our Dragons to themselves and travel on horseback?", he shrugged, unsure of her approval, and hastily said, "Of course, if you do not like the idea we could also fly – or run."

Arya was surprised by his proposal – and showed that openly – but obviously not averse to it either as her smile remained unchanging, even with her head slightly inclined.

"It's a long time ago I have been riding a horse – and even longer that I have ridden for a longer period – but why not? It may not be as fast as running, but more comfortable and enjoyable for sure."

"I am glad. So, I would like to start early tomorrow already as not to lose too much time sitting idle around here. Are you alright with that?

"I have no objection. Just - could I choose my horse on my own beforehand?"

"Of course. But rest assured, all our horses have been treated and trained with utmost care. I will show them to you tomorrow. You haven't been able to take a look around our stables in the morning?"

"No", she shook her head, "I was lead alongside the barn on my way to the training ground, but I haven't seen much."

Eragon nodded. He had assumed that much as the training grounds – where Arya had watched him teaching some of the younglings earlier – had been installed just next to the riding arena. This institution had grown in time to much greater significance as Eragon had intended to in the beginning. He was readily aware that at least learning crudely how to ride a horse was important for all of them, even for a Dragon Rider, as often times convention and circumstances could leave you with no other option – and in the very beginning of Minuial they had just needed a place to host their packhorses. But he had underestimated the interests of many elves and humans who had lived their past live very close to this animals and now wouldn't want to abandon their fascination for them. Many of them were now training and shaping their horses in their leisure time; some of the animals had even been brought here for them from Alagaësia.

When Eragon told Arya these things she only nodded in understanding and he was sure she would be one of them too if she were to live here. He was happy that she had accepted this particular offer of his for he needed indeed as much time as possible.

His former revelation had proven to be stubborn – a night of thinking through their situation hadn't been able to change his mind – or heart…

"Can't you think of anything else? You start to bore me, really."

Eragon laughed at Saphira's words; he knew that she was only joking.

"I am sorry dear, but I fear I do not even feel like trying to stop…"

A slight growl now came from between her jaws, but contrary to that harsh sound he felt the soothing feelings within her mind getting stronger.

"I know not really what to think of it Eragon… I know how you feel – and I know as well how I feel for Fírnen – but I do not know what to do with that."

He sighed now and leaned back as far as he dared without having to fear to lose his balance. He was sitting on Saphira's back, the both of them returning home after the feast in the Great Hall to Arya's and Fírnen's honour.

"Yes… But maybe in this case thinking too much through it would be more harmful than helpful. I mean, I am not completely sure either, but then… What am I to do? It might be folly to wait any longer… I don't know if fate is willing to give me more such broad hints any longer. If you… if you want, or long, or love someone for such a time – again and again – without stopping… When shall there be the point to finally stop fighting? Shall I just give up because it's not easy? I cannot. I don't think that I have had enough of her already, Saphira."

A billow of black smoke enveloped him shortly as his Dragon snorted.

"Obviously not. But do you think she will share your opinion? I am not so sure of that and her concerns would be justifiable enough. After all she is Queen of the Elves and she will return to her people soon enough. Consider this as well, Eragon, consider everything. For even under the best of circumstances your togetherness – and with that your happiness – cannot last for long", her head turned around for a moment to look her Rider in the eye and her mind felt even softer, "I do not want to discourage or dissuade you from wooing her, understand that. I am only scared that you might hurt yourself with your doings – and Arya as well."

Eragon remained in thought until they arrived at the edge of the city and Saphira headed for the terrace beside his house. He thought long about what she said for there was not only dome truth in it but rather was truth leaking excessively through it and he couldn't just ignore something this vital to him.

But he couldn't help it.

"Do you know what?", he began when he jumped off her back and walked slowly up to the balustrade, his gaze wandering westwards again.

"No. But I am already afraid enough for having a strong foreboding…"

He laughed at her well thought of words, yet his voice had a drop of bitterness in it.

"I don't care."

"Oh, I knew it!"

Saphira's tail slashed over the floor – she was clearly agitated – and her hot breath bathed his neck as she came to his side to look beyond the lawn in front of their house – towards the place she was reading herself for night right now.

"Of course you did. You can hear my thoughts. But joking aside – I really meant what I said. It is the price I know I could pay for what I would win in her. Even a hundred years of waiting, yearning and hurting would be worth to endure just to have a day with her by my side."

"Are you sure? Eragon, I will only ask you this for one last time: Are you absolutely sure that you mean that?"

He knew her question wasn't one to take lightly and so he gathered all the conviction he could evoke inside of him. He spoke his next words aloud – and in the ancient language.

"Yes. Yes I chose today to keep her in my heart – no matter the cost, no matter the pain."

For a short while he fell silent, deep in thought and feeling, and tried to understand and feel all of the daring prospects manifesting in front of him.

"It comes to the same. I have been acting and feeling this way, even if partly unconsciously, for near on a century now, I can as well start to let it become fully conscious – in both my acts and thoughts."

He felt Saphira breath in deeply at his side; the sound of the airflow was nearly deafening so close to his sensitive ear.

"And what of her? If what you say is true, then what will happen to her?"

"I know what you mean", he spoke softly, pressing his hand against her strong side, "But this is not my decision to make. I can only leave it to her and her alone, cruel as it is. I will be as gentle as I can, you know that, and you know that I would never want to hurt her purposely or out of my own selfishness. Arya will have to make a decision – no matter to what end. If she feels as strong as I do – then I know that she will be courageous enough to make the right one. If she rejects me again – if she does not feel for me as I do for her – then it will be the right decision as well."

Again his eyes wandered towards the one window beyond the lawn, the one window that held his interest tonight and awoke so much more longing inside of him. He wondered whether she had already gone to bed – there was no light in this dark, but that didn't have to mean anything considering her keen sight – and he let his thoughts wander for a short while. He had never seen her really deeply asleep and longed to see her face when she was dreaming.

"Alright, I think I should fall asleep right now…"

A wide grin graced his features, but he didn't turn to look at her as he send her away with the most gentlest of mental touches.

"Don't stay for too long, little one."

"I won't. Just for a little while longer."

And a little while longer he stayed, dreaming about what had been and what could be.

And a while longer even had elapsed since he and Arya had uttered a word now, both of them staring at the rainbow-coloured flames again.

Remembering the last night Eragon sight internally at his dilemma. He knew what he wanted – but wasn't sure at all how to get what he wanted. And he was well aware and scared of the effect the pressure of time could have on him – scared to do something stupid, something rash, something that would finally tear her irrevocably from his side. His gaze returned to her face.

Arya ignored him for a minute, letting him consciously study her features it seemed, and he saw her fascination for the whole situation in her eyes and on her face, but also a restlessly thinking and judging mind. He wondered what she thought about or what she searched for in this profane meadow as she looked down towards his brethren with more intensity than before.

When turned back to him a slight astonishment had been added to his former revelations.

"Many have come to live here with you… I had forgotten how many… It is admirable that so many had decided to follow their sons and daughters – just as how many others had decided to help you here. And elves as well."

"Yes, and I am very thankful for it. I cannot make this a public place, but I try to keep our gates as open as possible."

She didn't answer him, but looked away again, concentration obvious on her face. He wondered…

"You said there wasn't much choice", she spoke with a voice as quiet as gentle summer night's breeze, "But I see plenty down there. Plenty beautiful women. Good women."

She awaited his answer, searched for it in his very silent face, but was left disappointed.

For in the few seconds he had to answer he couldn't even think of a handful of eloquent words. Her eyes left his again.

"Some of them are courageous, wise, strong and gentle yet – and young as well – and whole. And very beautiful…"

"Yes. I know. I know all of them", he barely whispered with a throaty voice. Still his thoughts were racing in endlessly confusing circles. Arya still looked away from him.

"And if you wanted to… If you really wanted to… you could have nigh all of them, couldn't you?"

It had been quite a time ago that a spoken word had made him feel this apprehensive – he hardly felt like finding an appropriate answer, again, wondering what she wanted to hear from him. After mere seconds that felt like a solid minute of silent consideration he decided to tell her just the truth.

"Yes. I probably could."

His full and undivided attention was resting on her turned away features – and it was because of that that he was able to see the small twitch of her eyelids and lips. The taut skin aside her eyes alone spoke for her tension. He wondered what had ignited this sudden urgency inside of her.

"You said it yourself", he began lowly, soothingly, "If I wanted to. I do not want any of them."

It was as though she had been reading his thoughts before. As though she would know already much more than he felt comfortable with. The thought was so very clear in his mind.

I do not want any of them. I have always only wanted you.

But couldn't make himself tell her about it – not here, not yet. She wouldn't like all the things he had to tell her.

And yet Arya's stark emerald eyes were suddenly boring into his with an intensity he could hardly withstand. Yet he held her gaze unwaveringly.

"If I were not here with you…", her voice was so much more gentle than her eyes, "Where would you be now? Where is your place among them?"

He understood what she meant immediately.

"At Saphira's side of course. She would be alone as well – if you were not here", he tried to smile a bit to ease up the tension, "I do have friends here, Arya, of course I have; Blödhgarm for example. Do not worry about me. Of course the younger Riders are more comfortable with staying among themselves – especially at feasts. After all I am their teacher and I understand perfectly well that it is easier to enjoy your leisure time without your mentor seeing and hearing everything you do and say. It is their very right to have this opportunity as well."

She looked away again after he spoke, her gaze drifting over the couples and groups around the fire again.

"I see your point. But still… It is always like that, isn't it? You will always be their teacher and they will always be your students… "

"Yes, that's true. But as you said yourself, there are many others, many that are no students of mine and we enjoy their company as well. But I have to admit that you are partly right", he smiled ironically, "Sometimes it feels as if it would indeed always belike that."

She nodded as though he had confirmed what she had assumed from the beginning and again her eyes softened.

"I thought it to be like that for I often experience the same. You are never one of them when you are ruling. I regret that you have to endure this hardship. It shouldn't be like this for you."

"No, it don't want it to be like this either. And so I cherish the few I can truly count as my companions even more."

Then he reached out, laid his hand softly upon hers and trailed his thumb across her skin.

"I often miss the comfort of the ones I once had by my side… I miss my family and I miss Nasuada and Orik – and you. But I am not alone. We are not alone. No matter what hardship there had been in my life that had always been true – I have never been truly alone. Even though that doesn't keep you from still missing the love you know had once been there. But, well, it could all be far worse, couldn't it?", he smiled warmly.

Yet the warmth wasn't reflected in Arya's eyes, even though she turned her hand to intertwine his fingers with hers and gripped them tightly.

"I wish… I wish I could help you. I wish…", she trailed off and now looked at their interlocked hands with gloomy emerald-green eyes.

"You do."

Eragon spoke in a very low voice and inclined his head to find her eyes again. His other hand helped her with the same by curling underneath her jaw to lift her face up, now close to his.

"You are here, aren't you?"

And her features softened even more under his touch and his gentle words. She allowed his contact without even the slightest sign of disapproval until he took his hand away on his own. Eragon only hoped that nobody watched them too closely.

"Do not worry", he spoke on, squeezing her hand again, "I am fine and the few problems I have will work out one way or another. Do not worry, not about me."

I would rather you would worry a bit more about yourself…

But again, this were words he couldn't utter aloud – not for now, not tonight.

"If you say so… I will try", she said smiling and winking, her hand still holding his. A second later her attention was shifting he could tell, she seemed to listen very hard.

"Have you seen?", she tilted her head slightly aside, her eyes following the motion, indicating Eragon to look towards the rest of the attendant people.

"Yaela is here", she spoke on, but her gaze lingered on his face – and his reactions, "And she is looking over at us from time to time."

"Hm. Of course she is here, but…", he wrinkled his nose, "I had hoped that nobody would look too closely towards us."

At that Arya chuckled slightly, regaining his full attention.

"I am afraid you hoped in vain… She is watching us intently – even though she tries to hide it. I can see so much even from here", she took a deep breath, "Obviously she hadn't given up pursuing you yet."

"No. But she had never made on open try at it again and so long I will ignore it. For sure she is patient – patient as an elf", he grinned, "She has time enough to wait."

And she might fear now to have taken too much time, he added in thought.

Arya didn't react for some long minutes, rather watched Yaela and remained deep in thought. Her behaviour amused and somehow even pleased Eragon. He didn't think she was truly jealous, but she was obviously careful about the subject. He liked the concept.

"Eragon?"

His smile broadened.

"Yes?"

"She is no student of yours."

"Obviously not."

He had to strive hard to keep his face straight. Maybe she was jealous after all.

"So", Arya began, her eyes finding his again, her hand tightening slightly around his, "Why did you reject her?"

"I told you already", his brow creased slightly, "It's hard to put into words. It just didn't feel right to me. I didn't want to."

"But you said you liked her… Maybe it would work out", her voice was very low, "Maybe, if you had given it a chance… Don't you think it would be worth a try?"

Internally he felt like crying out because of her words. Why couldn't she see this truth for herself?

"What am I to do Arya? I cannot feel any desire to have more of her than I already have. Should I force myself to be with her?", he shook his head, "It would mean to put my heart in chains."

She dropped her gaze.

"No, if you are sure… Then of course you shouldn't force yourself to anything. I just thought… Forgive me… I regret that I brought it up."

A gentle smile lit up his features. Once again he reached out and stroked down her cheek with the tips of his fingers. At his soft touch she looked up again.

"Don't. There is nothing to forgive, you have meant well", he hesitated for a short moment, but for her sake he decided to tell her what she wanted to know. He leaned closer to her, speaking very softly.

"As I told you before, I went along with it, thinking the same as you just did, to give it a try… But then, someday, Yaela seemed to think that everything was going very well", he looked aside, uncomfortable, "She tried to kiss me."

Arya didn't react openly to his words, but her face was very straight, and Eragon thought that she was hiding whatever she thought and felt about that. He took a deep breath and carried on.

"As I said, she tried. When I recognized what was happening, in this very moment the concept seemed so incredible wrong to me, that I shied away from her," he grinned lopsidedly, "I felt like throwing myself to the ground just to get away from her. Then I knew that this couldn't be right for me – that she just couldn't be right for me. I spoke with her about it and – that was all."

Arya nodded, her eyes still silent.

"You have done the right thing. And, again, I am sorry about what I said. I didn't know…"

"Of course not, how could you?", he smiled at her sympathetically, caressing her hand again, "And then there is something else…"

He leaned very close to her and on instinct Arya imitated his movement, their faces now only inches apart.

"What is it?", she seemed confused by the look on his face – he was grinning mischievously at her.
"Do you know what?", he leaned even closer, their cheeks touching, his lips at her ear and her black locks fittingly touching his nose. He couldn't feel her breathing.

"I just like dark-haired women better."

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Ok, at least I am back… So sorry for the -looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong wait….

I hope you liked this, even though this chappie is only kind of a fill-in for the next events…. Tell me what you think! I might need some time to really get into things again… But I really try now to post quite regularly to finally bring this to an end…

So guys I do not even try to explain to you why I had to stop writing, but now let's go on!

See you hopefully soon!

Cheers!

AryaNuanen