Chapter 12

It has been a while since I uploaded a chapter, but this time, I don't have an excuse, other than I have been a bit lazy. I also realised a mistake in one of the spells. For the word "come", I did Kuasta, when it was meant to be Kausta. Anyway, here is chapter 12.

(Eragon)

'About what?' he asked.

'You know very well what. That was a stupid thing you did to the poor child,' Arya reprimanded.

'Is it? In my book, what I did was fine, I don't-' he said but was cut off by Arya by a hit on his face.

Arya walked over from the other side of the room and slapped him. She struck him so hard, his left cheek became purple. He spat out blood on the mattress and looked up at her. This was the first time she had ever hit him in anger. Even during the war, she had never touched him in anger or hate. He was shocked. He had done many foolish things, this was a minor one compared to a few others. She had just slapped him for abusing a child and not for herself.

'Why did you do that?' he questioned, his voice groggy from the new mass of blood forming in his mouth.

She slapped him again, this time with her forehand on the other cheek. Her bones causing more pain than the one she had done with her palm.

'The first was for what you did to Rya. This was for not realising your mistake. I don't even fully know what happened yet because I haven't heard Rya's complete account of what happened, but the least I expected was some remorse from you for what you did to your future student, your kin and a Rider,' she spat disgustedly. Eragon saw tears forming in her eyes.

He had been shocked by the way she had hit him, but this was even more confusing. He had next to never seen her cry. The only times he could remember from the top of his head, had been when Oromis had died, when Eragon had left her, and when they had been reunited. Realisation hit him hard in the face. Arya likes children. The time when Horst's daughter had been born, she had said: 'I would never let a child come to harm.' During their encounter with Galbatorix, the two children were threatened, and she had stopped Umaroth from attacking because of it. There were also other, more minor incidents, but Eragon had understood from the evidence he now had possession over.

'I-… I'm sorry,' he whispered. 'I didn't fully comprehend the extent of what I did…'

Arya fought back the tears, but a sniff didn't help her dilemma. Eragon could easily tell that she was trying to prove that she was stronger than that. She released a long sigh.

'I forgive you Eragon… but I don't think Rya will as quickly as me.'

Eragon steeled himself before asking a question that had a slight chance of pulverising the relationship he had with her, but he had to know.

'Arya?' he called, trying to get her attention.

'Yes Eragon?' she answered.

He sighed before asking, 'Arya… do you want to have children?' he asked cautiously.

Arya shot a heavy gaze at him, her emerald eyes piercing through him like the force of Galbatorix's mind on his own.

'How did you know?' she asked in a cold voice.

Eragon grew suddenly worried. He hadn't expected her to ask this. Should I tell her? He thought to his self.

Yes you should, Saphira's voice suddenly resonated in his mind.

He could feel anger reverberate through the emotions funnelling into him through their link. A dragon's anger was no small thing to ignore.

'How did you know?' Arya pressed, her voice becoming desperate. Her eyebrows were furrowed in a sharp "v".

'I gathered evidence from what I had seen during my time with you in the war. You said you would never bring harm to a child if you could help it. You also stopped one of the most powerful Eldunari from attacking Galbatorix because of the two children he had in his custody. I also remember-'

Arya held a hand up to silence him. 'I think I have heard enough. You don't need to elaborate any further.' She then added something else which sounded like something close to, I now see how weak you have made me.

Eragon stayed quiet since he hadn't fully heard what she had mentioned and decided not to make any accusations on his mate.

'Arya. I know how much you want children, but… I don't know if I can give you that,' he said in an embarrassed manner.

Sorry. I had to end the chapter there. This author's note is made on my phone. I had a power cut in my house and I'm very glad that I saved the document onto OneDrive, allowing me to upload this from my phone. Anyway, I'm sorry this chapter is a little short, so I'll make up for it tomorrow with two. Please leave a review and I'll hopefully update the story tomorrow. :)