Islanzadi felt shock ripple through her as Arya made her announcement. Arya and the Shadeslayer are mates?
"What?" She managed to keep her calm and polite façade, while her voice belied her shock at that.
Arya's face took on an amused expression.
"Mother, Eragon and I are mates now." She repeated politely.
"Are you sure, Arya?" Islanzadi asked. "I thought…Faolin…" Islanzadi trailed off.
Eragon, looking at Arya's expression, whispered in her mind, "If you wish otherwise, I will release you from our vow. The past day will be forgotten, and we would be just friends again."
'No, Eragon. I love you and nothing would ever change that.' Eragon felt a trickle of defiance mixed with anger pass through their mind link.
'Your wish is my command, Arya Svit-Kona'
"Mother, Faolin's dead. I've moved on." Arya replied firmly, though she paled slightly.
"If that is your wish, Arya, I won't object." Islanzadi replied.
At that statement, two things happened. Eragon's jaw dropped, and Arya hugged the Queen. The weird thing was, Arya hugging her mother, something that she did not do ever since King Evandar was killed fighting the Forsworn.
"Thank you, mother." Arya said softly. "But why?"
Islanzadi led the both of them to a large, deserted area before shielding it from all others. "I know what it is like to feel such young love, Arya." Islanzadi replied.
"But who?" Eragon asked, frowning.
Islanzadi paused, letting the curiosity in both Arya and Eragon's minds peak before answering.
"Brom was my second love after Evandar." She said, before lifting the spell and walking away.
Arya and Eragon looked at each other in silence.
"Did you know that?" Eragon asked Arya.
Arya shooled her head slightly.
'Ha! I knew.' Saphira said triumphantly.
'When did you know?' Eragon was shocked.
'I knew ever since Brom touched my brow.'
The three of them sat in a comfortable silence, Eragon and Arya leaning against Saphira, holding each other close.
Eragon felt hope then. Hope that he and Arya would be able to defeat Galbatorix and somehow survive it. He would do it for Arya, so that they both could live together happily, free.