"How is she?" Eragon asked sullenly.
"Not good. Galbatorix reopened the wound he had given her before, which never healed."
"Oh."
Don't worry, little one, I'm sure Arya will be fine. She's pulled through other things, right?
But none of that was as serious as this.
I ignored Saphira's comfort, and sat down in a wooden chair outside of the tent.
"Eragon, I'm sorry." Eyris had come, also.
"What for? It's not your fault."
"No, not that. I kept her secret from you."
"Why?" I asked, looking up.
"Because, she couldn't face you after the…incident…under the Menoa Tree. She had lied to you, and lied to herself, also. Not only did she break your heart, but she broke her own, also."
"Oh. I see."
"When can we visit her?" asked Eyris, now sitting down next to me.
"They don't know."
"It's really bad, isn't it?" Eyris asked compassionately, speaking softy.
"Yeah." I whispered. It really was bad, and I couldn't stand the thought of…of if she didn't…
(&)
Eragon looked lost sitting there, and I couldn't do anything to help my beloved Rider. He had blocked me from his mind, not out of anger, like normally, but out of sadness. I can only hope that Arya gets better. I still can't believe that she's a Rider. And Aiedail is her dragon. I guess Eragon still hasn't realized it.
(&)
Eragon sulked off later that evening, off into the forest. I followed him above and landed in a clearing.
Eragon, my we mope together?
Aiedail…yeah, of course. Why?
Well, Arya is my Rider. Had he actually forgotten that Arya had been posing as her childhood friend, Edoc'sil?
Oh, yeah. That's right.
You really do love her, don't you.
Yes. As you love Draumr.
I hummed in reply. Draumr is a magnificent dragon, and we had already decided to become mates.
I'm sure she'll be fine.
Can you talk to her?
No.
Why not?
Because. Because there was too much pain. All I felt was pain inside her head, and I could do nothing but take some of it for myself.
And then it happened.
Aiedail?
ARYA! You're awake!
Yes. I didn't expect…
To be saved?
Yes. I thought my wound was fatal. How is Eragon?
Sulking.
Why?
You.
Me?
Yes, you confessed right before you 'died'. Don't you remember? It was all mushy…really disgusting…
I could sense the shock emanating from her. She didn't remember?
Oh. Oh, okay! I remember now! I'll come…
No, stay put! You shouldn't be up yet. We'll come to you.
But…
I SAID STAY!
Persistent and stubborn, that's my Rider!
(&)
Eragon rushed into the tent, happy that Arya was going to be fine. And he could now see her, awake and doing wonderfully. When Aiedail had told him the news, he had run so fast that Aiedail could barely keep up.
Arya looked at Eragon, and smiled. Eragon ran over to her, and scooped her up in a big (but gentle) hug.
"You worried me," Eragon said, teasing Arya.
"Well, I'm sorry, Mr. I've Never Worried Anyone Especially Not Arya!"
"I've worried you?"
"Every day of my life since I met you. First as a protector, then as a Rider, then as a friend, and now…"
"I love you, Arya."
Arya was taken aback. She hadn't expected this…so early!
"I…I…I love you too?" she said weakly. Arya had said this to no one before except Faolin. Her first love. But she did not love him anymore, for she had moved on long ago.
Love was something that had always troubled Arya, but she put her heart into that phrase and into the kiss that Eragon gave her soon after. They were married soon after, and Murtagh was the new king of the humans in Alagaesia. He had been under Galbatorix's control, but not of his own will. Everyone agreed that he would be a good, fair ruler, and they wiped his father's name off of both him and Eragon. Arya bore Eragon twins, a girl and a boy, whose names were Brom and Edoc'sil, named after two very important people in the lives of the new couple. Roran and Katrina never married, because they had found Katrina dead at the Raz'aks' hands. After slaying the Raz'ak, Roran committed suicide (A/n: I know, tragic, isn't it?). So the lands of Alagaesia were finally at peace, and…hopefully…it would stay that way.