Arya sighed as she looked at the mounds of paperwork that awaited her attention. Even though I'm with child, I still have work to do, she thought ruefully.

Slowly, reluctantly, she glanced over the first page. It contained a long, tiresome discourse on the amount of grain that lay in reserve in Ceris's storehouses. The overseer wanted her opinion on its distribution. Arya bit her lip pensively. Perhaps, if she hurried, she could send off her reply that day.

A familiar voice interrupted Arya's thoughts.

"Arya."

She jumped slightly. "Eragon, don't sneak up on me like that! You frightened me."

"You? Frightened?" Eragon responded mockingly. "I doubt that the warrior princess ever gets 'frightened'."

Arya rolled her eyes. "Just as well, announce yourself before you walk right up behind me."

Eragon walked towards her. "I did announce myself. I called your name."

Arya sighed. "You do not give up, do you?"

"Never," Eragon murmured mischievously, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "I see that you are still swamped with work."

Arya grumbled her assent.

"Don't you think," Eragon said teasingly, "that you could take just one small break? You know what they say. Pleasure before business."

"That's 'business before pleasure,' and, no, I cannot take one small break. I'll be here all night as it is. Now run along before I put you to work."

""I'm not a child, you know. Don't treat me like one," Eragon muttered, releasing her from his embrace.

Arya looked up to the ceiling. "Sometimes I wonder."

"That was cruel," Eragon quipped, slightly miffed at Arya's foul temper. "Even for you," he added.

Arya sighed. "I am tired, Eragon. Now leave me in peace so that Ican finish my work. Isn't vanir around to spar with you? Or Murtagh?"

Eragon's jaw clenched momentarily in anger before he muttered, "I'm not some child that you have to entertain, Arya. I can help you, if you'd like. Perhaps I could-"

"No, Eragon," Arya cut in, sounding frustrated. "I think that I shall be fine. It is still early yet. Perhaps, if I keep working I might finish at a decent hour. In the meantime, don't let me keep you. Why don't you find something to do?"

Eragon nodded and then slowly walked back out of the apartment.

:::::::::

Dejectedly, Eragon walked into the main courtyard. He had hoped to spend at least some time with Arya. It seemed as if they had barely seen each other lately. He had been arranging to bring the Oromis and the young Riders to Ellesmera. She had been busy with politics, family, and friends. Yet, somehow, the awkwardness between them was caused by more than the fact that they had been apart.

Ever since finding out that she was pregnant, Arya had been…different, not very noticeably, yet, different in the small things-like her attitude. In the pat three months, Eragon had barely seen her smile. She seldom laughed and her eyes had lost the sparkle that they had held at the end of the war.

Instead, she was sullen most of the day…depressed even, though Eragon could not fathom why. He knew that, most likely, her being pregnant had something to do with it; but, if Eragon remembered correctly, Arya had once said that having a child was a great honor. Why then was she so unhappy?

For one thing, she treated him as though he were a child. And at night, she did not curl into his arms as had previously been her custom. Her sleep was troubled. She thought that he did not notice. But he did.

Every night, without fail, Arya tossed and turned, murmuring strange mixes of words, indiscernible to Eragon. Sometimes she would clench and unclench her hands or whimper. Once, she had even screamed.

Eragon's heart ached for her. He desperately wanted to reach out and reassure her. But he knew that Arya found such displays of emotion contemptible and that trying to help her would only push her away. So, he was forced to content himself with watching her silently…and hoping that she was all right.

The birds whistled and sang above him lending a bit of vibrancy to the otherwise tranquil surroundings. Eragon sighed and, not really having anything better to do, decided to take a walk.

:::::

"Where have you been?" Arya asked with a definite edge to her voice as Eragon came through the door.

Eragon closed the door and slumped against it in weariness. "Hmm?"

"I said, where have you been? I was worried about you. I couldn't reach you or Saphira with my mind."

"I got lost?"

"Lost?" Arya queried disbelievingly. "What do you mean 'lost'?"

"I was out walking in the forest and I got lost. All the trees looked the same…all of the animals." Eragon scratched his head. "I think I must have gone in circles the entire time."

"Why did you not contact me for help?" Arya asked, settling herself back on the divan.

"I didn't want to disturb you," Eragon said, throwing himself down in the seat next to Arya.

"Well you could have just contacted Saphira."

Eragon shook his head. "Not really."

Arya gave him a puzzled look.

"She was with Thorn," Eragon added darkly.

"Ah…" Arya murmured.

"So, did you finish your work?"

Arya nodded. "I finished an hour ago. I have been trying to reach you ever since. I thought perhaps you were angry."

"Angry?" Eragon queried.

"About earlier."

"Oh," Eragon murmured. "That…no I'm not angry. I understand you're tired. I only wish you would rest more. Might do you some good."

Arya shook her head. "I'll have plenty of time, and plenty of cause, to rest in the coming months. Right now, the best medicine for me is keeping busy."

Eragon shrugged. "Just a suggestion." An awkward silence stretched between them. Eragon twiddled his thumbs and looked out the window into the black night. Arya too stared pensively off into the distance.

Finally, Eragon took her hand in his and murmured, "Arya, I was wondering…that is, I wanted to ask you if there was anything I could do to help you. I know that you like to deal with your own problems, but I also know that sharing your pain with others can help alleviate it. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Arya looked slightly uncomfortable with Eragon's sudden display of concern, but she mastered herself enough to say, "Eragon, we have been through this before. You want me to share my every trouble with you. But you must understand that I am not accustomed to being open with others. I do not want you to spend your time worrying about my troubles. I am-"

"No," Eragon said softly but firmly. "You are not well."

"Pardon?"

Eragon looked up at her, determination burning in his eyes. "Every day, I look at you. And every day, I see someone who is smart and talented and strong and beautiful. Yet I also see someone who is afraid, afraid of feeling. I look at you, Arya, and I feel so powerless to help you. I love you, Arya; and seeing you suffer hurts me. You look so haunted. At night I see you tossing and turning and crying," he paused, voice building with emotion. "Damnit, Arya, we're going to have a child by this time next year. Can we not resolve this now? What is wrong?"

Arya looked into Eragon's eyes, her face hardening.

How ironic, Eragon mused, remembering the time long ago when he had asked a similar question.

Finally, Arya looked away. "Eragon please…This is none of your concern."

"None of my concern?" Eragon's eyes narrowed. "What is wrong with you? Of course it is my concern!! You are my concern! I…Arya, you're breaking my heart."

Arya sighed. "Why, Eragon? Why do you persist?"

Eragon reached out and gently cupped Arya's face in his palm, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Because I love you." And with that, he rose and went into the next room. A few minutes later, Arya heard the bathwater running.

She sighed.. The truth was simple: Gilead, her mother, her father…Faolin. When she closed her eyes she could see herself- at the mercy of Durza's whips and chains…fighting off Durza's soldiers…trying to avoid their touch…crying herself to sleep…wishing for death to take her.

She shuddered. Why had those horrible memories resurfaced?

Sighing again, Arya stood. She supposed she would have to explain to Eragon. He was in pain as well.

::::::

"Eragon," Arya murmured as he came out of the bathing room, toweling his hair and donning his robe.

Eragon looked at her, a mixture of love and anguish caught up in his brown eyes.

Arya was momentarily startled by how much older and more mature Eragon had become since their first meeting long ago. His face was thinner and his eyes more knowing. His stance also reflected a stronger and more confident individual.

"Yes?" Eragon asked.

Arya looked away from his eyes. "Perhaps we should talk."

"We should."

Simultaneously they both sat upon the bed. Eragon placed his hand over hers, reassuringly.

Arya looked into his eyes once more and in them seemed to find the strength to speak. "I apologize, Eragon, if my actions have led you to believe that I enjoy keeping things from you. On the contrary, the fact that I am able to come to you and speak freely is one of my favorite things about you. But, some things from my past are…difficult to dredge up. It is not that I do not want to tell you. Rather, I was raised to do things alone."

"You cannot do everything alone," Eragon said softly.

Arya nodded. "This is true. But that is how I have lived my entire life. Old habits are difficult to break. But I shall try now, wiol ono."

"That is all I ask."