Chapter 11

"One year,"

Life as it was stopped for Eragon. He spent one year in that terrible darkness. He spent one year calling for anyone to come only for him to face his father after all these years.

Arya continued "I know that would be too much for you to handle Eragon," She said, walking back to the bed, making sure to avoid the cracks of glass and the flowers on the floor. She sat down next to Eragon who still didn't say anything.

Eragon started shaking now. That terrible darkness had surrounded him for one year?!. Breathes started coming in and out heavily. And a bit quickly as well. But he had remembered an important event that had happened before that terrible year.

"A-Arya, may I see y-your right hand?" Eragon asked, as he was trembling, but he still faced Arya, who was now sitting next to him on the bed. Arya looked away and made sure to cover her right hand with her left. She seemed to have a scared look on her face but Eragon didn't have a good look at her face.

"Arya?"

"I d-don't know what to tell you Eragon," Arya said.

Eragon went to grab her hand but forgot about the broken arm he had. So his body had been covered in the searing pain that had happened again.

Arya seeing this a chance to divert the subject went to help Eragon. "Your body did not heal during this one year," She said, chuckling a bit. "Even Oromis did not know what to do," She said holding the bandage to wrap Eragon's arm. She started clutching the bandage tightly. "You've been gone for a year Eragon," She said. Eragon was sure he heard some sniffling coming from her.

Eragon started feeling bad for her. She must've gone through some pain after this one...year. Even saying it in his mind had given him some aches in his body. "So it seems," Eragon said.

"Neither Oromis or Brom could access your mind, Glaedr and Saphira could not either, even your own dragon could not access your own mind," She said, part yelling. "Kayda had started accumulating anger for you since that day," Arya said.

That would explain her curt responses to Eragon when he had woken up.

Is that true Kayda?

...

Kayda?

No response again. It appears that Kayda was ignoring her rider. After I explain what happened to me for this one year to Arya, I"ll find Kayda and tell her. She has to know.

"Is she the only one who harbors anger for me?" Eragon asked, looking at Arya. He started scooting closer as well, but was astonished to see that she had stood up from the bed. She was now standing next to the bed, with her back to Eragon.

"What have you been doing for this past one year?" She whispered. She was whispering as if she was scared of the answer.

Eragon thought about it. I suppose it would be easier to show rather than tell

"Can I show you rather than tell?" Eragon asked, looking down. The terrible memories in his mind were not ones that Eragon liked to dwell on for such a long period of time.

Arya did not say anything but nodded and turned around. Eragon noticed the red, tear stained eyes stood out against her otherwise pale skin and raven-colored hair. Eragon did miss the emerald green eyes she always had. But this past one year must've changed her as much as it changed him.

Arya sat down on the bed next to Eragon who focused his year long trek into a way that would not take one year for Arya to know everything.


Eragon let out a deep breath. The window in the back no longer poured in the sunlight that Eragon had awoken to. It now showed the mystical stars of the sky and the pitch black darkness of the sky. The same darkness that had surrounded Eragon and the same darkness that Eragon now feared and hated at the same time.

Arya was sitting next to him, with tears pouring out of her eyes. Her right hand still covered by her left. Why would it still be hidden. Eragon thought that the two of them had gained trust with each other now that Eragon had shown her what had happened to her in the past year.

"We'll have to talk to my father about this Eragon," Arya finally said. She had not spoken for a while. The room was dark without any lamps. Arya watched as Eragon looked around the dark room with realization.

"Forgive me Eragon," She said quickly.

She quickly got up from her seat on the bed and went to light the lamps in the room using magic. Eragon looked with interest as he noticed how fast she lighted the fires. She's improved

"You're right that we have to tell your father but we need to find Kayda now, she has to know," Eragon said, the last part quietly to himself as if convincing himself.

"Glaedr and Saphira have had trouble calming her down and they say that Kayda may become a wild dragon," Arya said. The two had not talked about what had happened to Eragon in that darkness, he had only shown her. Arya had cried after seeing the events that had happened to Eragon but to Arya's surprise Eragon had not cried at all. That Arya could not understand. Arya thinks that Eragon is holding in his tears and trying to push through the pain. But Eragon doesn't understand that the best way to stop the pain is to understand the pain.

"I see," The Rider in question said. He seemed sad about his dragon.

"You can talk to her tomorrow, you need the rest" Arya said. "I shall go bring you dinner," She said, as she opened the door to leave.

"Wait," Eragon said unexpectedly. Arya had assumed that Eragon was hungry like her, for they both had no food during the day. Arya turned around and face Eragon. Eragon beckoned her to come closer with his left hand, the hand that wasn't apart of the broken arm. She got closer but wasn't close enough for what Eragon was planning so he beckoned her to come closer again with the same hand.

When she got closer, Eragon quickly grabbed her right hand and brought to his eyes. There was a ring. A ring. Eragon let go of the hand as Arya quickly ran out of the room.

Eragon let his hand stay in the air. He did not move. He quickly forgot his pain in his arm and his leg and he stumbled to leave the medic room, as soon as he was able to leave the room he stumbled again to find some sort of support to keep him standing. He found a pillar a couple feet away that he could latch himself onto. Eragon reached out with his left hand to wrap himself around the pillar and did so but not without a few stumbles and trips. He needed to find his other self. He needed to find someone that was apart of him.

Kayda?! Eragon yelled mentally, extending his reach to as far as he can go. He might've woken elves from their sleep but he didn't care. He yelled again apologizing for everything even stupid choices he made in the past that were not even relevant to this entire wandered for a long time, so long that the moon was beginning to set and still he wandered around the forests. He was far from the capital now that is for sure. Eragon tripped over a tree root that had been above the ground rather than below it, and Eragon fell right on his stomach and broke his nose as well. Eragon rolled over and and rolled over his broken arm which caused more pain for the young Dragon Rider to go through. But Eragon didn't care, he just wanted Kayda to come to him.

Eragon began to give up hope and started to close his eyes before he heard a magnificent roar from a dragon up above. Eragon was blinded by the dragon's brilliant blue glow in the setting moon before it yelled in Eragon's head quite loudly Eragon!

Kayda?!

The dragon in question swooped down from her place in the moon landed on the grass of the forest and stood up tall, allowing Eragon to see how large the dragon had become. Her scales were a brilliant blue as blue as the lakes within Du Weldenvarden. She had horns coming from the sides of her head as well a assortment of sharp teeth within her mouth.

Kayda then got closer to Eragon to see if it was really him.

"Aye it is me my dragon," Eragon said, tears coming out his eyes from the joy of seeing his dragon again after so long.

Kayda thrust her head towards Eragon's body to which Eragon responded with an audible "oomph". But he did not care, he just wanted to be one with his dragon again.

You've been gone for so long Eragon

I know

When you were showing Arya what happened to you in that time, I peered in to see

Ah

I apologize for my heinous crimes Eragon

I forgive you

No you don't understand

I don't need to Kayda

I've become a wild dragon

Not anymore, we're one now my dragon

One...?

We're one now Kayda Eragon said, repeating it once more again. Kayda hummed in content. Come I shall bring you back to the medic room, Arya is no doubt worried about you

Arya is engaged now Kayda

Don't worry little one, Arya has already fallen for you, now you just need to fall for her

I already fell for her Kayda

Oh good, then you just need to convince her parents

I'll save that for tomorrow, now is the time for rest.

Kayda and Eragon then flew back to the medic room in the capital city. While flying to the medic room, Eragon saw many elves staring at the Dragon Rider and the dragon as they passed by. It seems that Eragon might've woken the elves whilst looking for Kayda.

In the medic room, Eragon found Arya and a bowl of soup in her hands, with Arya sitting on the bed. Eragon went into the medic room by the window, it was open so Kayda flew Eragon to the window. And thats how Eragon found Arya.

Arya looked towards Eragon with worry, quickly putting the bowl soup on the nearby bed-stand and going over to help Eragon.

"What happened to your nose?"

"I fell,"

"You're always getting injured,"

"I know,"

"You could've told me you were searching for Kayda, I could've joined you,"

"I know,"

"And it was dangerous being outside in your condition,"

"I know," Eragon sat on the bed and Arya pushed his legs to rest on the bed as well. Arya gave the motion with her hand for Eragon to scoot over, to which he did. Doing that, gave Arya space to seat and feed Eragon the soup.

The soup was good in Eragon's opinion. "Arya where'd you get this soup?" Eragon asked.

"I made the soup," She said curtly. Eragon has not known Arya to cook at all. If anything she would eat the cook's food. "A year is a long time Eragon,"

"No need to remind me,"

"And yet I do,"

Eragon looked at Arya's right hand. She was no longer covering it and let it see the light the lamps in the room gave it. Silence fell over the room. Eragon, finding the silence a bit uncomfortable, decided to make conversation. "So you're married now?"

"Engaged," She replied.

"You wanted this?"

"No,"

"But you still went along with it?"

"Yes,"

"I see,"

"Eragon, its complicated, at that time ties with House Valtharos, and my mother deemed it satisfactory to marry me off to improve the ties,"

"And did it?"

"Did it what?"

"Did it improve the ties?"

"That is between the monarchs and House Valtharos,"

"It isn't then?"

"I didn't say that,"

"But you implied it,"

"Drink the soup Eragon," Eragon did as Arya commanded.

"Where'd you learn to cook,"

"The chef of the palace taught me,"

"And what your mother think of this?"

"She deemed it satisfactory,"

"Arya,"

"She said that a wife of someone as important as the heir to House Valtharos should know how to cook,"

"Arya,"

"What?" She said, behind clenched teeth.

"Why do you seek your mother's approval?"

Arya did not respond but rather put the soup away and made her to the door.

"Arya?"

All Eragon got in response was the closing of a door.

It seems you upset her

Eragon let out a sigh. Kayda, if she comes back, she loves me

Eragon waited and watched the soup become cold. The sun was beginning to rise and he was about to fall asleep until he heard a creak at the door and a voice saying. "Happy birthday Eragon," And then the door shut.

You won

I did

Wipe the goofy smile off your face

Ah today is a good day Kayda, allow me to have this one smile

Fine, go rest my little rider

And Eragon started to feel his eyes become droopy and he shut them

Goodnight Kayda

Goodnight...Arya


Hello again my faithful readers. It is me, the author of this fanfiction.

I'm proud of myself for pushing out another chapter. It might be shorter than other recent chapters but quality over quantity right.

I launched a poll on my profile so go check that out. Remeber to review and everything else if you like the story.

Buddy: Hello again, I used to like you before you said cheers mate, now I don't like you anymore, but thanks for the review, I appreciate it.

Remember if you do a review I'll be sure to respond to it in the next chapter which will hopefully be tomorrow.

Now I think that is it.

Goodbye my friends.