Chapter Three

The Light on Your Hands

It was early morning, the dawn just breaking above the eastern horizon. And Eragon's eyelids fluttered open. He looked around, delirious to where he was. But when he felt the pain in his leg, he remembered. He moaned and then coughed, and then stretched his arms before Arya noticed that he was awake.

"Eragon!" Arya said, exasperatedly. "You shouldn't move so much…"

"Sorry…" Eragon put his arms down and sighed.

"You should get more rest, it will help heal your wound,"

"I'm not tired… I just slept for two days straight!" Eragon protested, sitting up.

Arya sighed.

"Lay back down," she ordered. Eragon grumbled, but did what he was told.

"I'll help you fall asleep…" Arya said, kneeling down next to him.

'Yeah right…' Eragon thought.

Arya was quiet for a moment, then her beautiful voice broke through the silence, like a crystal, ringing clear and true.

"Fare you well,
My dear,
I must be gone
And leave you for a while.
If I roam away
I'll come back again,
Tho' I roam ten thousand miles,
My dear,
Tho' I roam ten thousand miles
So fair thou art,
My bonny lad,
So deep in love am I,
But I never will prove false
To the bonny lad I love
Till the stars fall from the sky
My dear
Till the stars fall from the sky
The sea will never run dry
My dear
Nor the rocks ever melt with the sun
But I never will prove false
To the bonny lad I love
Till the stars fall from the sky
Till the stars fall from the sky
O yonder sits that little turtle dove
O yonder sits that little turtle dove
He doth sit on yonder high tree
On yonder tree
A making a moan
For the loss of his love
As I will do for thee
My dear
As I will do for thee
Fare you well
My dear
Fare you well
My dear
Fare you well
My dear
Fare you well
My dear
Fare well…
Fare well…
Fare well…"

Arya sighed after finishing her song. Seeing that Eragon was asleep, she repeated the song while gently stroking his hair. While she sang, clouds fractured the sky and small drops of water started to fall. The rain became greater and Arya pulled the blanket over Eragon's head, so that it wouldn't get too wet. She lifted her head to the sky, watching the water rain from the heavens. And she sang, her voice lifted above the sound of the falling water, melted into the wind, and was carried off to the distant mountains.