A/n: sorry it took so long, but I have other stories that people want me to update too lol, I'm working as fast as I can but I try to keep good quality :], so please enjoy!

Healing

Aris walked away from the group in a blank daze. Her mind seemed fogged as she attempted to wrap her mind around what she had just learned. "I can't heal…I can't stop anybody from doing things…my magic is so limited…I'm broken…" She thought to herself miserably.

She walked for a little longer until she found a fallen log. Sitting upon it heavily she slumped and covered her face with her hands, fighting the urge to cry.

Since when had her emotions been so free? When had she let them begin to affect her? It obviously wasn't helping. She closed her eyes and clenched her jaw; she would regain control of herself immediately. With a deep breath she shoved the feeling of failure and disappointment away and locked it behind the barrier in her mind that had been unconsciously been let open. Her face relaxed back into a familiar blank mask and she stood, heading back to the main group.

As she turned to go back Eragon suddenly burst through the trees. "Aris! Are you okay? I never healed you and I was worried." He fumbled over the words in his hurry to speak.

"You're concern is unnecessary. But I would appreciate being healed." She spoke dryly. She saw Eragon recoil from her voice. His brow furrowed as he blinked and suddenly restudied her face.

"Of course." He nodded and approached her slowly. He watched her carefully before gently resting his hand over her side. "Waise heill." He spoke quietly.

Aris was unresponsive as her side ached with pain as the bone sealed back together. He held his hand there a moment longer and lifted his other to her shoulder, "Are you okay?" He asked gently.

"Quite fine Shadeslayer." She nodded and slid from his hands, walking past him. He stood there for a moment longer blinking confusedly, then followed her blankly.

"What was that?" He wondered.

"I have no idea, that did seem quite odd…it was like the first time you spoke to her without the fear." Saphira replied.

"You're right…that can't be good, though this news can't be exciting to her, just when she's starting to recover…"

"I would guess that Aris was beginning to get used to the idea that she was finally entirely free from enslavement. She was free in her mind, and her body was healed. Then all of the sudden she discovers she will forever have a reminder of what happened to her. Something she can never be free of." Saphira mused. Eragon nodded to himself as he looked up to see Aris fragile form stepping deftly through trees and over roots without paying attention.

He couldn't help himself, he studied her. Her long black hair, despite being tied up, still hung to her mid back. It was almost in curls, waving gently in its restraint. Her shoulders were mostly exposed by her tunic and the pale white skin looked smooth and soft. Her back was thin but she held it straight, showing internal strength, inner pride. Her waist was narrow and it gently widened into gently swaying hips which led to long thin legs.

"Really Eragon, I could do without the inspection, I have to see that too, at least block it." Saphira griped. Eragon cringed, chastised, and tore his gaze away, just following the sound of her feet instead.

Finally they emerged, a few seconds apart, into the clearing. Aris walked directly to a large boulder and sat down, staring off into the distance, ignoring the stares from the others. Eragon walked over to Saphira and shook his head, looking at Oormis for an explanation.

"Let her be." He said quietly, "She was improving before; lets just say she has to start over again."

The others nodded and then began the tasks they had been assigned.

o0o0o0o

Hours later, night had fallen and all were back in their rooms, Aris walked aimlessly through the trees of Du Welden-Varden. She wandered and remembered, lost in the memories of her youth. Faint smiles tugged at her lips with the memories of her mother, but they often slid away to the deep tugs of sadness that pulled at her heart.

She couldn't get over the idea that she was alone in the world. She had the people from long ago, back when she was young, spirited…alive. In her current state she didn't feel so, she was alone, depressed, and there was no one to help her. Even as a child when something had gotten to her she had gone to no one aside from her mother or father, when he was available. Now the two beacons of reassurance in her life had been put out, and she hadn't the fuel to light another.

Her cousin was there she supposed, but Arya seemed to have her own problems to worry about, and Arya had always been guided by a strong sense of righteousness, rather than by what was best for that particular person.

There was Katrina, she was a good friend, but how could Aris bring herself to rain upon Katrina's now happy life? Aris would not be the one that pushed sadness back upon her. Murtagh was kind, but pushy and loud, not exactly one Aris could sit beside and merely talk to, and Murtagh would no doubt attempt to cheer her up, not listen.

Then there was Eragon…she liked Eragon. He was kind and shy, funny in his own way but he seemed so careful about how he approached her, like he wanted to do anything but upset her. The thought almost made her smile.

It seemed that she had been through all these arguments before. The thoughts tumbling round and round in her head as she argued with herself over nothing. There was nothing to argue about, just something to distract her from the lingering sense of solitude.

Aris paused as she realized this, her hand resting gently on the trunk of a tall tree. Swallowing harshly she ran her other hand through her hair, tugging the leather restraint from it as she did. She thought of the Menoa tree, how Linnea had sung herself into a tree to escape her pain, Aris turned to look at the tree speculatively, would she be free of this torture in her mind if she did the same? Would she escape the constant dread of new days?

With a sigh she pulled away from the tree and shook her head, she had duties and tasks, she could not free herself until Galbatorix had been defeated. When that was done…then maybe she would find a way to rid herself of pain.

o0o0o0o

Eragon gazed at the scroll before him without retaining its meaning. His mind was elsewhere as he lay on the cushion with Saphira. It couldn't be healthy to become this obsessed with anyone so quickly, even Arya had drawn his thoughts so quickly.

"Perhaps it is because of her condition, you have an affinity for the weak and injured." Saphira mused.

Eragon snorted skeptically, "Injured perhaps, but weak? Hardly."

"Then again, perhaps you are merely attracted to her." Saphira chuckled, "You certainly have a high regard for her, and no doubt the constant draw her form has for your eyes is not a result of pity. Even skin and bones as she is you admire her, I daresay that tells all."

"She is beautiful, I can only imagine when she is healthy and in shape again…" His imagination wandered for a moment before a prod from Saphira's nose refocused him, "And how could anyone not admire her, look at what she's done…what she's lived through, and how she still remains so vigilant and strong. Even if the way she deals with it is painful."

"Painful to whom? Only you dislike it so." Saphira rolled her eyes.

Eragon kept his silence, unable to think of a retort. Saphira snorted and lay her head upon her forelegs, "Just be careful with how you treat her, and she will come around, you'll see."

"Perhaps…though her beauty is sure to draw so many more eligible elves that vie for her attention as well." Eragon shrugged, a frown furrowing his brow as he tossed the scroll to the side, recognizing a lost cause when he saw it.

"But, how many will admire her for more than that? You haven't mentioned her rank once, and her as a person draws you as much as her looks." Saphira argued.

"That's true…maybe I'll go find her…" Eragon sat up, running his hand through his hair and straightening his tunic.

"Have fun." Saphira withdrew from his mind with the echo of a smile. Eragon grinned and mentally told himself to thank her later for the privacy. He leapt up with renewed energy and an anxious smile took his lips as he dashed down the stairs.

After about a ten minute search he came upon the tenor of her consciousness, the melody of her mind the sound of melancholy strength. He paused as he came around a tree, taking the moment to observe her. To his delight she'd taken her hair down, it brushed gently at her waist, shining in the moonlight. Her bare feet were on their tip toes as she stretched for a fruit on the branch evading her stretched fingertips.

o0o0o0o

Aris had eventually wandered back towards Ellesmera, a light hunger pulling at her stomach. She stopped not a five minute walk from the city when she had seen a large pomegranate almost ready to drop from the branch. She reached up only to find that her fingers fell short by at least a foot.

She stood on her tip toes and reached again, this time only slightly short of reaching the ruby red fruit. With a sigh she lowered back onto her feet then lunged back up, her fingers brushed the outer surface but she didn't grip it before her momentum carried her back down. She heard a chuckle behind her and glanced behind her to see Eragon smiling warmly at her, leaning up against a tree.

"My height is not beneficial in these situations." Aris spoke softly after a moment, gesturing lamely to the tree.

"Well, luckily I came upon you then, for mine," He walked to her and stretched up, plucking the fruit from the tree, then he handed it to her, "is."

She accepted the fruit and stared down at it in silence. Eragon looked around for a moment, searching for something to talk about, when she suddenly looked up, "Unfortunately, I don't have the regular elven height…" She spoke quickly.

His mouth twitched up at the corner, it seemed like she didn't know what to say either. "I wouldn't call you short though, rather tall for a woman."

"And what is that meant to mean Shadeslayer?" Aris' eyebrow twitched slightly upward.

Eragon grinned, "Nothing in the least Milady, I grew up in a human village, all the woman there were short."

"So perhaps my human heritage hindered my vertical growth." Aris' voice turned thoughtful.

"Perhaps, or perhaps whoever it is that gives people their height merely wanted to watch you struggle to reach pomegranates." He shrugged and flashed a grin at her.

"How very rude of them." She said back, a hint of a smile pulling at her lips.

Eragon chewed on his cheek as silence took them again, he looked at her and she was once again staring at the fruit in her hands, mindlessly turning back and forth in her thin hands. After a few more moments of strained silence, Eragon sighed and rocked back on his heels, "So…I guess I'll see you later…." He said.

"Oh…okay." She murmured. Eragon hesitated for a few more moments then nodded once and turned away. He hadn't gotten more than ten feet away when he heard her, "Wait…do you want…want to share this with me?" She held out the fruit before her.

He smiled and nodded, "I'd love to." He walked back to her side and grinned to himself at the breath she released.

They walked for a while, him following her lead as she made her way through the trees she seemed to be familiar with. "So why are you out so late Shadeslayer?"

"Eragon please, and I just felt like getting some fresh air." Eragon answered with a shrug, "The nature here is unlike any other."

"I must agree," Aris nodded, "I have a beautiful place in mind, if you don't mind following me for a little while longer."

"Lead the way." He gestured in front of them, "Did you come out just for the fruit?"

"No, I just saw that as I was walking."

"Walking to…a place?" He hinted.

Aris looked up at him with a ghost of a smile, "Oh, I began walking after we returned, and simply continued until now." She shrugged.

Eragon nodded, helping her over a fallen tree, "You seem to be in better spirits."

"I daresay it would appear that way." Aris replied, brushing a tree with her fingertips as she walked around it.

"But? It isn't the truth?" He questioned, following behind her now, watching her thoughtless grace.

"Not entirely. Rather, I've decided to focus on something else." She fingered a flower as she passed it.

"That's good in someway I'm sure, but how will you ever get past it?" He asked as he avoided stepping on a sudden baby raccoon that darted past. He stumbled to the side, turning around to find himself not a foot away from her. He looked up in surprise to see her looking up at him curiously.

"I don't know." She answered truthfully. "Be very quiet." She said then reached out for his hand.

He was quickly distracted by her touch as she led him forward. Her little hand was lost in his grip. She pulled him through the leaves that hung before them and he looked up with a gasp. They were standing on the bank of a gently flowing river fed by the stream trickling down a rock face.

He stood there for a long minute before speaking, "Amazing." He murmured.

"Mm-hm." She nodded, "Beautiful, this was my mother's favorite spot."

"Why do we have to be quiet?" He whispered, using it as an excuse to lean near her ear.

"We don't, I just wanted you to enjoy it as it is undisturbed." She explained. She tugged on his hand again and led him to a large rock that sat over the river. Sitting down she let go of his hand as she tucked her skirt under her.

He sat beside her and turned so he was facing the side of her face as she looked out upon the river. After a moment she blinked and fingered the fruit in her hands. She slid a thumb into the top of the fruit and with a tug she split in two. Looking up at him with those violently blue eyes she handed him a side.

He smiled and began to pull apart the seeds popping just a few into his mouth before clearing his throat, "So, about earlier…?"

She looked up blankly, "Earlier?" She asked. Eragon was momentarily distracted by her slender fingers placing each seed one by one between her ruby lips. "Eragon?"

He flushed and looked away, "I'm sorry, um…right, earlier. The whole, I'm going to ignore it…I just don't think that's a great idea."

Her hand paused in mid-air as she thought about it, slowly she placed the seed between her fingers in her mouth then she set the fruit aside, brushing her hands off and placing them on the cool rock beside her as she leaned back. "Why is it that you care? It is my decision." She didn't look at him, staring into the shadows on the opposite bank.

"I know it's just…well I know it isn't good news…and I doubt anyone would feel happy about it…but just ignoring it, it'll just stew and every time you try to practice gramarye it will anger you again. You were beginning to look happy, peaceful again…I don't want you to lose that." He looked away, embarrassed.

"I appreciate your concern." She murmured, she hesitated for a moment, "What would you suggest then?"

He looked back at her in shock, "I-I…oh, umm" He stuttered, shocked by her willingness. "Well…you could talk about it I guess, maybe look at what you still can do…work on ways to get around your uhh problem."

"And, who may I talk to, who would care to listen so much?" She turned to face him now.

"Well…I…I would." He mumbled, glancing up at her slightly. Her eyes were amused and laughing, "And, of course Saphira would, and Arya I'm sure, and Katrina, you guys are friends!" He said in a rush, blushing again.

"I do like talking with you." She nodded in agreement easily, as if it made no difference. He grinned, feeling like a little boy with a fresh piece of taffy from the traders. "As for your other suggestions…it isn't the fact that I can't do certain magic, I realize that I have more strength than most, enough to work around a problem such as that without struggle…" She fell silent for a moment, looking down.

"But…?" He prompted, reaching out hesitantly to take her hands in his. She looked at their joined hands and then at him, a slight smile tugging at her lips.

"He followed me…he was right…he won." She whispered.

"Who won?" He urged her on.

"H-He did…Bryshaw." She mumbled, emotion leaking into her voice despite her tries to restrain it.

"Bryshaw…was he… was he the slaver? The head one right? The one you killed?" He squeezed her hands a little in reassurance.

She started talking very quickly, her voice strained. "Yes, I hated him from the moment I saw him, I could tell he wasn't a good man, he was the one that found me in the forest when I was ten. I hadn't been careful enough, but I tried to escape, I killed a few of them…I was too tired though."

"Your mother had just died, it's more than-" Her fingers pulled from his and she gently placed two on his lips.

"I've heard it before, thank you." She nodded, "That isn't the point though. The point is that he was angry, a little girl had defied him, killed his men! He wanted to kill me, but he was too cruel for that."

"What?" He frowned confused.

She gasped as she remembered his words, "Killing me would have been an act of kindness, a relief compared to what he but me through…You insolent girl, I was going to keep you until you were an adolescent, they sell far better in the Empire. But now, now you're mine and I am going to break you until you hand your head, until you serve me with fear in your eyes. Then I am going to keep you as my obedient servant to keep me happy as long as I live." She repeated his words to Eragon, bowing her head as the tears began to flow.

His jaw clenched and very gently he tugged her forward, gathering her against his chest as she controlled her tears. "I'm so sorry."

"I resisted for seven years…seven long, long years I kept my face straight through all the beatings, all the insults, and all the torture. I fought him, determined to not give in, and determined to be as strong as people had told me. I would not lose to this mongrel." She whispered against the material of his tunic.

"You did win, you're here right now, you beat him." He murmured, stroking her hair softly.

"But I didn't! He did break me! He broke part of me, he snapped a piece of my mind and it can never be repaired. He will forever be with me, that little broken piece, no matter how insignificant, how unaffected I will be physically, it will always be with me. It will be there, reminding, mocking me. I can't escape him, he will always have some sort of control over my life…I can never be completely free…" She gripped at his sides and pulled herself close, his arms wrapped firmly around her.

"Aris…he didn't do this." He whispered, "A potion did this, he couldn't have affected you like this, a low, dirty scoundrel couldn't have made something like that and he wouldn't have thought to give it to you so often if he wasn't scared of you. He didn't break you, he made you stronger. Do you really think anyone would consider you weak because you do things differently? No, you're simply going to show how smart, how strong you are by beating this." He gently gripped her shoulders and pushed her back to look at her, "The only way he can ever truly break you is if you let this beat you, if you give into it and give up."

She blinked at him for a moment then hastily rubbed at her eyes. "I never…how is it you…" She stared up at him in slight awe.

"You just needed another perspective." He laughed quietly and pulled her in for another hug.

"Yes." Her whisper was muffled against his chest. "Thank you."

"Absolutely anytime." He promised.

"How is it," She turned her head so she could speak clearly, yet not pulling away, "That you always are the one I cry upon?"

"I don't know." He shrugged, "I don't mind."

"It shouldn't happen, I hardly know you…" She sighed.

"We can fix that!" He chuckled.

The soft exhalation of breath against his chest signaled her light laugh, "I think I would like that." She said.

Pomegranates forgotten they sat like that for a long while watching the moon comfortably. Before long Eragon heard her breath slow, and he looked down with amazement. She was asleep against him. Opening his mind he reached out for Saphira, connecting instantly.

He relayed the night to her, knowing she would find out eventually anyway. "What do I do now?"

"Well I would suggest either waking her up, or sleeping with her there. You know as well as I do that elves don't dream, you try to carry her back to her room and she'll wake up anyway."

"True, it isn't as if I haven't slept sitting up before…" He couldn't quite deny that he wanted to stay like this.

"Well then I'll see you in the morning, good sleeping hatchling." Saphira withdrew from his mind again, this time leaving a tickle of her consciousness against his. Eragon smiled and bowed his head, inhaling her delicate scent as he let his eyelids closed, thanking whatever gods might exist for allowing this night, for letting him meet this girl.

o0o0o0o

A/n: So I know this didn't really advance the story but I needed this to happen so I could take the next chapter into big things, I couldn't do that with the whole issue lurking in the air, hope you liked it anyway, and please review!!!

Btw, it anyone would like to be a muse/beta for this story please let me know through PM, I could use one!