Chapter 44: Parting Confessions
Eragon looked at the two of them. Arya held the ruby ring in front of her, then put in the pocket of her leggings whereas Murtagh turned on the spot and ran as fast as he could towards Nasuada's tent.
"Looks like he is determined, rather different than me," Eragon said, and sat down on a wooden bench. Arya sat down beside, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"I wonder if those two will get together, because if they do, then things will get rather good with you." Arya lay down on the bench, placing her head on Eragon's lap.
"Why will things get good with me?" Eragon asked, gazing into her beautiful eyes as he stroked her hair.
Arya closed her eyes as the soothing sensation comforted her, "All three brothers, you, Murtagh and Roran, will have found your beloveds. You really can be happy then" said she.
Eragon looked at the sapphire and ruby dragon, who were walking in circles around the emerald dragon, "Perhaps, but that does not imply anything. Roran is already married, I can't marry and Murtagh has still to confess his love… so, things are rather complicated."
"It looks like you really do love me then, don't you?" Arya placed a hand on his cheek and pulled his face so that their eyes would meet.
"Arya, of course I love you." Eragon muttered.
Arya looked at him seriously, "Then why did you doubt me yesterday? Why did you lose the golden faith that you had in me?"
Eragon was shocked that she knew of it- he tried to look away from her but her hand didn't allow it-, "I . . . . don't know Arya, I regret it now, but what Naeivya said struck a nerve. I really feared the fact that you did not love me as I loved you, so that is why I doubted you. But I don't doubt you for any reason anymore, and I really am sorry…."
Arya's expression was of clear satisfaction, "You really are unpredictable, Eragon, very unpredictable."
Eragon bent down and kissed her, then hurriedly straightened up when he heard a voice say, "Hello Shadeslayers, having a good time?"
Eragon looked up to see Angela walking towards him and Arya, Solembum trotting behind her. Arya tried to get up, but Eragon placed a hand on her shoulder, forcing her down.
"Nothing escapes your notice, does it Angela?" Eragon asked as Angela sat down beside him, and Solembum leapt onto her lap.
"No, but you two are not the only love birds around, I was just visiting Nasuada and I found her and Murtagh…kissing." Angela laughed.
Eragon and Arya laughed as well, "Looks like Murtagh did have the nerve to tell her." E
Angela looked at Arya, who was lying with her head on Eragon's lap, then at Eragon. Solembum purred deeply and jumped onto Arya knees. Arya looked at him quizzically, and Eragon was sure that he was telling Arya something. He secretly entered her mind then.
Listen carefully, for this is of utmost importance to you. When shards of metal shall be made, and your happiness shall be drenched, you shall have a new mentor. Your life shall change exceedingly then. You may not be able to know the problem of your beloved, but when the time comes you will have to protect him. He shall try to save you, but his life will be in your hands. This is all I shall say, make of it what you will.
With that Solembum jumped of Arya and returned to Angela's lap, where he curled up. Angela looked at Arya, then at Eragon again, "Arya, would you like me to tell your future? I have offered to tell everyone's who spoke to Solembum, so I think I shall make the offer to you as well."
Arya looked at her gratefully, "Thank you Angela. Tis' really appreciated."
Angela smiled and pulled out the knucklebones of the dragons. Eragon looked at them, and he remembered when Angela had told his future.
With a pang he remembered that his fate had been to leave Alagaesia forever, though he had tried to forget it several times.
Angela placed them carefully on the bench, then exclaimed, "Manin! Wyrda! Hugin! "
Just like last time, the process of the knuckles bones repeated, and Angela studied them carefully. She smiled at first, then her face turned a little grave, and graver, then finally showed shock.
"What is it, what does it say?" Arya asked, getting up and looking at Angela. The herbalist looked at her in complete astonishment, then beckoned her closer.
"Infinity or long life, which we already know," Angela said. "But then things get a little grave. Here it says that you will have an epic romance, which has already begun. Your loved one shall never desert your side, except once, due to the situations. The love you shall share will be pure, and you will live together for the rest of your lives," Angela smiled at them as Eragon and Arya kissed.
"Still, there are sad things as well, a death is close Arya. A death which will bring you great pain and grief, and even more suffering. Even your loved one will not be your side at that time, but he will try to help you. He will be in graver danger then, and only you will manage to save him," Angela looked at her sadly, "And worse is this, when a great battle will be raging around you and no one will be able to help you, an old enemy will come to your aid. Death is imminent even on that day." Arya tensed, but Eragon wrapped an arm around her to comfort her.
Angela showed them the final knucklebone, "And here is the worst of all. You shall leave your ancestral home and leave this land. You shall have a new home, far away from your old one, and you shall have new company."
Eragon looked at Arya, who was wide eyed, and seemed to be afraid.
"What can this mean? Angela, what can this mean?" Arya muttered to her.
Angela shook her head, "Calm down, Arya, it is not so serious. Things will happen when they will happen, and you can't escape them. Relax, and enjoy your time with Eragon, that will help you the most."
Arya nodded at her, and Eragon said, "Enough of this, let us talk about something else."
"Like what? How many dimples the moon has?" Angela asked, laughing.
Eragon muttered, "Angela, I remember you mentioning in Tierm that you were older than you appeared. How old are you exactly?"
Angela looked at him sternly, "Well, promise me you won't laugh when you hear it."
Eragon and Arya nodded, "I am. . .I was born a hundred years before the Fall…"
Eragon's jaw dropped, and Arya's eyes widened, "That means, your age is more than mine and Arya's put together… fantastic." Eragon said, fighting the urge to burst out laughing.
"Angela, you were almost a hundred years old when I was born, how is this possible? How have you lived so long?" Arya asked.
Angela looked away from them, though Eragon could tell that her expression was that of pain and grief, "I-I am half-elf, I 'm the daughter of two dragon Riders. One was elvish and the other was human." She kept looking away from them, though Eragon could see that there were tears in her eyes. Solembum hissed.
"Angela, we won't tell anyone, I promise. You can tell us what is bothering you, we are friends now." Eragon said in the Ancient Language, and Arya promised the same after him.
Angela looked at him, sorrowful, "No, Eragon. It is something that I would like to keep to myself for now."
"Angela, if you don't tell someone, you will burst from it. Just look at yourself, where is the herbalist who was checking for toadstool, sorry, frogstools?" Eragon said, smiling at her, "You can tell us, we already promised not to tell anyone… I know what it feels like when you don't know your own parents. I had to live with it from my childhood as well." Angela nodded at him, and Solembum purred deeply. Eragon hoped that he could help the herbalist in some way, for she had helped him many times, and he owed her his life.
Angela bowed her head to look at Solembum, "They were both killed in the Fall, but I never met them. They left me with one of their friends, who treated me as vermin. I escaped eventually at the age of twenty-eight, and reached Tenga." Angela pulled out a kerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes.
Eragon stared at her, shocked but then he entered Arya's mind, who was feeling sympathy rather than surprise.
How many more secrets exist around us? Probably many, but we must not be disturbed by them, for we cannot change them. Yes, we can't change them. Poor Angela, she doesn't even know the name of her parents. She is much more unfortunate than me.
"I became his apprentice, and lived with him for a hundred years. He was long-lived as well, but I never knew why. . . .After those hundred years, I decided that I should go ahead and get some practical experience, so I left him and wondered Alagaesia for another fifty years or so, then I returned to live with him again. The Fall took place at that time, so I knew my parents were no more." Angela began to cry at this, then leaned on Eragon's shoulder. Eragon was taken aback to see the usual witty and lively herbalist become so distressed. He wrapped an arm around her nevertheless, much to Arya's irritation, who gave a small cough which Eragon didn't notice.
"But I knew that my father had been an elf so I went to Du Weldenvaden to get more information, I learned magic when I had lived there for a decade, after which I decided to return When I did return, I found my home burned down and only Urgals there, looking for something. Tenga was nowhere to be seen, so I left and came to Tierm, because I thought that Tenga had been killed. I met Solembum during that time…He told me about the Varden, and I decided to join them. I became a part of it when it was just a new organization, and I returned to Tierm." Angela finished, then began to sob uncontrollably.
Eragon looked at Angela, sympathetic for the way her life had wound around, and rather impressed by how she managed to keep a humorous attitude always.
"Calm down Angela, you know that Tenga is not dead. I promise that when I, Arya and Murtagh return, we will go to him. Until then, keep smiling, because your execution is not going to happen as long as the three of us are alive." Eragon said, and Angela got a little smile on her face, though she kept on leaning on his shoulder.
Eragon laughed before he could stop himself, "I will have to call you…. Great-great-great-grandma now"
Angela gave a shaky laugh, then let go of him. Solembum was purring lowly, and Angela gave him a small smile.
"How's Elva?" Eragon asked, trying to change the topic of discussion. Angela wiped her tears and took a few deep breaths before replying.
"Very annoying. She doesn't listen to anything I say, she just listens to her own conscience. If she wants to hurt someone, she does it and laughs. If she wants to make anyone regret that they were rude to her, then she does that as well. But she is clever enough to avoid you and Saphira. She knows that you, Eragon, won't be affected by her powers because you gave them to her, and she likes Saphira. Though I don't think her powers can affect dragons or even elves. I think it will only affect humans, dwarves and maybe Urgals." Eragon looked ruefully at the sky.
"Don't blame yourself for her fate anymore Eragon, you tried to heal her and you also accepted your mistake. There is no need to worry so much." Arya said softly, tapping his cheek gently.
Yes, little one, there is no need to ponder on it now. I know Saphira, but it still hard for me to believe what I did to her. I know…By the way, Murtagh won't come back until you go and call him yourself so hurry up. How do you know that? Thorn told me. Fine, we will go after some time.
They waited for Murtagh there, but when he didn't come for almost an hour, Eragon decided to go to Nasuada's tent.
"It will be fun to see those two. I can finally tease Murtagh, he has been annoying me a lot nowadays." Eragon said to Arya and Angela as they walked towards the command tent.
They reached the tent, and saw that the Nighthawks were sniggering. Eragon knew what was going on inside so he winked at them and he, Arya and Angela entered quietly. Solembum followed, flicking his tail from left to right.
Nasuada and Murtagh were embracing each other, their lips stuck. They were so entranced in their kiss that they didn't even notice Eragon and the others, who just stood there, chuckling and sniggering until the couple in front of them stopped.
Murtagh let go of Nasuada, he had the happiest expression Eragon had ever seen on his face. Nasuada, too, looked happier than she had ever seemed. They were both happy to be with each other, just as Eragon and Arya were.
"You have both finally gotten together. Congratulations, Murtagh and Nasuada." Eragon laughed when they both let go of each other, and jumped back in surprise. Murtagh looked at him in an annoyed way, and Eragon grinned at him. Nasuada just seemed to be embarrassed.
"So, are you both going to stay together anymore, for we must leave soon, brother." Eragon continued, then slapped Murtagh on the back.
Nasuada blushed as Angela continued to laugh at the both of them.
"When did you get here?" Murtagh asked angrily, trying to act as if everything was quite normal.
"A few minutes ago. Did you give it to her?" Eragon laughed again as Murtagh looked at him uneasily. He turned around and said, "This is for you Nasuada, it is the only gift I could make in the time I had." Murtagh pulled out the golden necklace.
Nasuada beamed at him as he clasped it around her neck, and kissed him again.
