Okay everyone! The next chapters up! And I have some very good news, I have two chapters already done and edited, courtesy of my Beta, and it's waiting to be uploaded onto . However, I shall refrain from doing so to keep the suspense an ever living part of this story. But if you all really want it uploaded before next week, I'll cut you all a deal. Leave a review telling me why you want the next two chapters up. And let's aim for at least 20 reviews. And to make things more interesting, the next chapter is the Agaeti Blodhren and the one after that is Arya and Eragon in the forest all by themselves...I'll let your imagination carry you away there. Anyways, that's the deal I'm cutting for you. Take it or leave it :) But if you take, I'm awaiting your favorable and hopefull information review. But anways keep reading!

Sitting on a branch rather high up in a tree, Arya sighed as she watched Eridor practice aerial combat overhead with Thorn. It had been over a week since she last saw Eragon and Saphira. What they were doing she did not know, but she was worried for them. Below her, Murtagh was engrossed with detailing the plants and trees around them, a study that Oromis had assigned him to broaden his knowledge of the forest and to increase his awareness. Staring at him made her think of Eragon. A week ago when they were sitting about the campfire, Eragon had started to hallucinate. At least, that was what she thought. He had stood, covering his ears to block out noises that she couldn't hear and was mumbling to himself. When she went to help him, he had flinched away before collapsing. It wasn't in the norm. Letting her fingers run along the branch that she sat on, her gaze traveled back to Eridor. He had gotten a lot bigger in such a short time frame. Soon he will be on par with going to Thorn.

Thinking of him, Eridor, made her smile. Ever since he'd hatched for her, her loneliness had all but left her. It was comforting to think of him and he now shared a part of her. It was a relationship so intimate that it was hard to imagine that the last few decades she'd spent without him. If you think you've waited a long time, a voice snorted in her head, I've waited a thousand years for you to become my rider.

I'm glad you chose me, she responded in kind. Arya watched as he did a spiral in the air effectively knocking Thorn back. That was a powerful move.

She couldn't help but faintly smile as he accepted her compliment with grace. You, as well as Saphira and Thorn, enjoy flattery do you not? It seems to be the only way to remedy anything with the three of you or to keep you three in the best of moods.

Being a race of power and beauty, it is hard not to take flattery to the heart, he replied as he dodged a claw from Thorn. Besides, if it is not you who are complimenting me, it is another of your kind isn't it?

She couldn't deny that. If she wasn't complimenting him and his prowess, another elf surely would. A statement that is true. Her emerald eyes followed his large and yet muscular build, the emerald of his scales sparkling in the sun. He truly was a beautiful creature. A moment later she could hear his chuckle in her mind. Anyone who glanced up at the sky would be blinded by a mirage of emerald and ruby as the two dragons fought each other.

Are you not tired? Arya asked after she watched Eridor snap his jaws at Thorn as a near scratch to his under belly.

Not in the least, he replied with a surge of energy to prove his statement. To fly feels refreshing.

That it does. She had flown quite a few times on Thorn, Saphira, and Eridor. But she could never let go of the peace she felt when she was air borne wit the dragons. There was an odd sense of tranquility about it. As she sat there in the clearing, she raised a brow when Murtagh called up to her.

Glancing down at him, she waited for him to continue. "Would you like to test out the theory that the only difference between Thorn and Eridor is age?"

She glanced at Thorn and Eridor who were both suspended in air. It seems like a good idea.

It does. She stood in one fluid motion and jumped. Within moments Eridor flew underneath her and she landed with ease onto the juncture between his neck and shoulder. She didn't strap a saddle on for it would restrict his movements while training with Thorn and anyways, she didn't mind flying without a saddle. Beside her, Murtagh was holding onto the spike before him to prevent himself from flying off of Thorn.

Let us show them the strength of an elf and her dragon, Eridor said. Arya nodded. Letting out a roar, the two dragons tore through the sky, though she was unsure of their final destination. Feeling the wind rip past her cheeks and her hair billow out behind her, she smiled into the sky. This was freedom. She turned to glance at Murtagh who raised his arm to her. Smiling, she did the same. The dragons made a sharp turn while racing each other. And from what she was seeing they seemed to be evenly matched.

And just slightly, she felt a tinge of happiness grow inside her. Ever since Eridor had hatched for her, loneliness wasn't a factor of the eternal life that she led. Now she was part of an order that she'd admired since she was a child. It was a great thing that she was given and she would never take that for granted. Never. It seems like we are evenly matched.

Something that you shouldn't feel ashamed of Eridor, you've only just hatched a few months ago, said Arya with her mind, letting him sense her pride for him.

He didn't reply but inside grunted his feeling of appreciation washing over her through their mental link. She rubbed his scales as he slowly dipped forward into a dive. Wrapping her hand about one of his spikes she retained her grip to avoid being torn from his back by the wind. He was hurtling to the ground within minutes and before he crashed into the earth, his wings unfurled, slowing them down until he gently landed on the ground. Moments later, Thorn alit next to them.

With grace, she slipped off Eridor and onto the ground, with Murtagh doing the same, albeit more clumsily. "I think we'll have to call it a draw." He said with a light smile as he patted Thorn's snout.

"It would seem that way," she made her way over to him. This past week, Oromis had her accompany Murtagh on various assignments, such as this one after their training. He seemed intent on Murtagh learning everything there was to know in the short amount of time that they had. "How goes your study?"

His smile had turned into a frown at the mention of it. And she felt a tinge of sympathy for him. No doubt he was frustrated at his lack of knowledge compared to his younger brother, Eragon. Arya had known Murtagh long enough to know that the mention of him being inferior to Eragon caused him humiliation. There was no denying, however, how much stronger Eragon was compared to his older brother. He was also able to defeat her with his blades, which irked her to no end. Eragon was someone, she thought, that was not to be contended with.

"The same as ever," he grunted, glancing at the plants around them. "It seems that I'm the one hard pressed to learn."

"Do no worry so much," said Arya. "You will reach the end of the tunnel eventually."

"But how long will it take?" asked Murtagh, his frustration finally reaching the surface of his emotions. "No matter how hard I try, I cannot achieve anything. Neither with my lack of knowledge nor with my disability." His expression became one of pain. "I'm a sorry rider."

Almost immediately, Thorn let out a deafening roar of defiance, his head snapping towards Murtagh at lightning speed. She couldn't hear what was transpiring between them. After a few minutes, he returned to himself, but his words struck a chord in her. To feel that way…her mind flashed back to a long figure standing on the shore of a beach.

"I do not think so," said Arya watching as her words seem to lift his mood slightly.

He remained silent before speaking again, his words soft. "Arya, have you seen Eragon lately?"

The question caught her off guard. The memory of her panic came back to her when he had collapsed. She stood there for a moment. She had wanted to see him, but she could never bring herself to do so. Whether it was her pride or her fear, she could not be sure. Arya did not fear Eragon himself, but rather her feelings for him. He was someone who, with the short amount of time he had spent with her, captured her trust. Whether or not those feelings had developed quickly due to Eridor's attraction to Saphira she couldn't tell. But she viewed him differently then those around her. He was someone who saw past the exterior and deep inside others. His aloof personality made her curious. Ever since he'd first saved her, she always wondered and constantly questioned: why. But he was never able to give her a straightforward answer. And through all the time she'd spent with him, she'd found herself growing a deep friendship with him. They were two of the same kind, dragon riders who were tortured and imprisoned by Galbatorix.

"I haven't." Arya answered finally.

"Do you think he is well?" Murtagh turned his gaze upwards. "I haven't seen him or Saphira for quite some time."

For some reason her answer, or lack thereof, made her frustrated. "I do not know."

He nodded and then stood there silently for a moment before turning to a different subject. "The day has grown late, Arya." It had. Already, evening was approaching and she had to return to her tree to continue working on her gift for the Agaeti Blodhren: a poem that she had constructed from scratch.

"It has."

"I will see you tomorrow then?"

Arya nodded, and with that, bid Thorn and Murtagh farewell before turning with Eridor at her tail and weaveing her way through the gaps of the trees. There was no doubt in her mind that she would see him the following morning, for they had training together. Letting her feet carry her through the forest, she wasn't paying attention to where she was going, but just went with her gut instinct.

It was something she liked to do. Just wandering aimlessly like the few times she had spent traveling about Tronjheim. It eased her mind considerably. After a while, she stopped and found herself at the foot of an ancient tree trunk. Glancing up, she was slightly shocked to find herself standing at the foot of Eragon's tree. She stood. Well, are you going to enter?

I…she hesitated. Then after a moment's decision nodded. Climbing the stairs that grew out of the tree, she arrived at the top and knocked on the latch. For a moment, there was no response and she thought he was not there before his voice traveled through the door, "Enter."

She did so. Walking into his adobe, she was surprised to find him bending over a large ancient text while eating an apple. From where she stood she could see his entire figure. He looked much better since he'd arrived at Ellesmera but she could see a hint of exhaustion in his expression. He spoke to her in the ancient language like they've decided to do, placing his two fingers on his lips in a sign of respect. She repeated the gesture and moved to where he stood. "What are you searching for?"

He glanced down at his book. "It was given to me by Master Oromis. There is something that I'm studying about for the Agaeti Blodhren."

Arya nodded. His room was still a mess. The scrolls and books that she'd seen before was still littering his floor. He saw the distaste on her face and smiled. "I apologize for the state of things. I haven't had time to clean it."

"It is not my place to criticize," said Arya. She turned towards Saphira, who laid on the floor eating desert next to Eridor, who seemed to have joined her while she was busy greeting Eragon. "It is good to see you again, Saphira."

Her large sapphire eyes turned to her and she blinked. A second later a mind touched hers and she allowed the dragon entrance. You as well, Arya. Her voice became softer. Thank you for taking care of Eragon for me. He can be quite troublesome.

Eragon grunted from where he stood but said nothing. Arya nodded with a faint smile. "That he is." She turned back to Eragon. "How are you feeling?"

He stopped his search and lifted his head to stare at her. "Fine." As he spoke without hesitation in the ancient language she was forced to acknowledge that fact. But a little part of her didn't believe it. Arya nodded. "Would you like some tea?" Eragon asked.

"It would be appreciated."

He nodded and left to find some cups and boil tea. As she stood there, she glanced back down at his research. It was long and elaborate. Detail explanations of objects and spells. It was complex and what he was trying to conclude eluded her. A note to the side caught her eye.

In a world we call reality,

What is fake and what shall remain,

Has nature seen to the inevitable,

Has God left his land to the unstoppable,

What truth lies in this cold reality,

As lies are spun and weaved brought about by words

As death is caused and shed brought about by swords,

As tears fall from sorrow and grief brought about by pain,

What will happen to the reality that remains

What did that mean? When Eragon came back, he handed her a wooden goblet which she accepted. She took a drink, letting the hot tea clear her mind before motioning to his poem. "What does that mean?" she asked, waiting for his explanation.

"It means what it says," Eragon said as he stared down at it. "That the world we live in is a harsh one."

It was a morbid way of thinking but it was true no less. "Not always," said Arya.

He nodded. "Not always." He marked the page of his book and closed it. "What brings you here, Arya?"

"I haven't heard from you for some time and I thought to come and visit," she said honestly, not feeling the need to go about the answer. "Why have you not been to our training with Master Oromis and Glaedr?"

He stared at her for a moment before making his way around his table to sit on the floor of his tree. She followed, sitting across from him. He was quiet for a long moment and for a second, she thought that he wouldn't answer her like he sometimes did. Then he spoke, his words soft, "I was busy researching something important to me."

Knowing better than to ask what it was, she nodded. "Will you come tomorrow?"

"Yes, of that you can be certain." Eragon took another sip of his tea. His brown eyes traveled from the teardrop hole to hold her gaze. "And how have you been, Arya?"

She glanced down at the tea in the wooden goblet and lightly stirred it, watching the ripples form in the water. "Well," but even that was hard to say. Ever since that week ago when Eragon fell, it'd brought to mind images that she would rather forget.

"It does not seem so," he quietly observed. "Would you like to speak of it?"

She didn't respond to him. He made a sound in the back of his throat and allowed her some respite from his question. As she sat there, she tried not to let the sight of her companions falling from their steeds affect her, or the image of Durza standing above her trying to break her. "Have you've talked to someone about your ordeal in Gil'ead?"

His question surprised her for she did not expect it. When she glanced up at him, she found him watching her intently. "Does it matter?" Arya asked softly.

He inclined his head. "It is always best to share one's burden with friends or family," said Eragon, "Forgive me if I speak out of line, but you seem withdrawn, Arya, and though I cannot claim to know you before your capture, you seem very indifferent to your surroundings."

"As do you," she replied. Then she stopped. "Forgive me—"

"There is nothing to forgive."

She stopped, her eyes returning to the ground. "It was not always so," she whispered quietly after a moments hesitation. "Once, I had someone to talk to, someone who understood who I was and where I came from…He was older than I, but we were kindred spirits both seeking the world outside our forest, eager to explore and strike out against Galbatorix. Neither of us could bear the thought of staying in Du Weldenvarden to pursue our interests when we knew the Dragon Killer, the bane of the Riders, was searching for a way to conquer our race. I had already assumed my position as an ambassador for my people decades before he came to the same conclusion as I…but the moment he did, he volunteered to accompany me wherever my duties might take me," she blinked, feeling her throat convulse and a sudden panic and grief clutch at her heart. "I wasn't going to let him, but the queen liked the idea, and he was very convincing…" Arya pursed her lips unable to continue feeling her eyes sting. She didn't want to shed tears, especially not before Eragon.

His voice was gentle as he spoke, "Was it Faolin?"

Her answer left her lips as a gasp, "Yes."

"Did you love him?"

Did she love Faolin? She'd thought she was too young to think of such a thing, that duty was her foremost priority but now that she was faced with that question she didn't know what to say. It was something that she'd constantly thought about. "Did I love Faolin? How would you describe love? For twenty years, we traveled together, the only immortals to walk among the short-lived races. We were companions…and friends."

That was true if anything. He was a close friend to her and would always have a place in her heart, as well as Glenwing. "And then in a single moment, Durza tore it away. They were the first elves to die in combat for nearly a century, Glenwing and Faolin. And when I saw them fall, I understood then that the true agony of war isn't being wounded yourself, it's having to watch those you care about being hurt. It was a lesson that I thought I had already learned during my time with the Varden when, one after another, the men and women I had come to respect died from swords, arrows, poison, accidents, and old age. The loss had never been so personal, however, and when it happened, I thought 'Now I must surely die as well.' For whatever danger we had encountered before, Faolin and I had always survived it together, and if he could not escape, then why should I?"

The sadness and grief that she had tried to restrain by tackling her duty began to well up in her with such ferocity that thick tears fell from her eyes. Her distress must have panicked Eragon for an expression of shock overwhelmed him and his hand instinctively reached out for her, stopping a few inches from her own hand. He lowered it. In the back of her mind, she felt Eridor's comforting presence not intruding but letting her know that he was there.

"Then Gil'ead," Arya went on, the worst of her memories floating back to her from the century that she's been alive. "Those days were the longest of my life. Faolin was gone, I did not know whether Thorn's egg was safe or if I had inadvertently returned him to Galbatorix, and Durza…Durza sated the bloodlust of the spirits that controlled him by doing the most horrible things he could imagine to me. Sometimes, if he went too far, he would heal me so he could begin anew the following morning. I never had more than a few hours' respite to collect my wits about me."

"He needed no more sleep than you or I, and he kept at me whenever I was conscious and his other duties permitted. While he worked on me, every second was an hour, every hour a day, and every day an eternity. He was careful not to drive me mad but he came close. He came very, very close. I began hearing songs of birds that did not exist. See a forest beneath my feet that was on the other side of Alagaesia, and trees grow until they reached the sky. It was one delusion after another. And then you came, Eragon." She regarded him with a wan smile. "You and Saphira. After hope had deserted me and I had resigned myself to my fate a Rider appeared to rescue me."

"Make that two Riders and Brom." Said Eragon.

Arya nodded continuing as if he didn't interrupt her. "It was such an improbable rescue, I occasionally think that I did go mad and that I've imagined everything since. I had escaped with my life and a Rider, and the last of Galbatorix's eggs that hatched for me. Is it not plausible that I've gone mad?" she dried her eyes with her palms. "You say I'm indifferent to my surroundings. I have ever been of a solitary disposition. But if you had known me before Gil'ead, if you had known me as I was, you would not have considered me so aloof. Then I could sing and dance and not feel threatened by a sense of impending doom."

She felt Eridor's snout gently nuzzle her hair and she was grateful for his support. Regaining her composure she turned to Eragon to find him staring at his hands as if considering what to say. For a moment, he didn't say anything. Then, he lifted his head and gazed at her. "Know this Arya, though I may speak out of bounds, I, along with Murtagh, Thorn, Saphira, and Eridor will always stand by your side. Whatever doom comes, then we will all have to weather it as best as we can and see it through to the very end."

He speaks the truth, Eridor grumbled in her head. I will fly to the ends of the world for you.

As Riders and dragons, there is nothing else that we wouldn't do for one another, said Saphira, her voice soft and comforting.

At their words, a warmth began to blossom in her chest, running through her veins and seeping into her bones. They had said it in the ancient language and she knew then that they meant it with every fiber of their being. She favored Eragon a smile. He glanced away sipping his tea before returning a fainter smile in return.

Her world was changing. And she knew now that the sky wasn't her limit. It was her own fear. And she needed to conquer it and face life as it came to her. The thought of it made her smile, Eragon was truly influencing her with his human beliefs, even if he didn't mean to.

Letting her eyes travel to the opening in the tree, she watched Blagden fly past, shrieking, "Wyrda!"

Lately, as you've all noticed. I've been very motivated to write this story and upload hence the two chapters that are done and completed that I will upload based on the reviews ( a great idea.) But ever since I read the ending to Inheritance, my paramount disappoint (dued to the nonexistant romance between AE) was so great it's ignited a flame inside of me. And so I've been tearing through these chapters with speed! Oh and the last part at the end was from Brisingr or the majority and that was due in part to the fact that I believe Paloni could not portray Arya's moment of weakness any better than that. So kudos to you CP despite the ending you laid on us! I'll see you all next chapter which, based on you readers will be up soon. Either tomorrow or next week!