Eragon saw it as the last light faded away. In the early light of the moon, the eastern shore of Alagaesia rose up like an old friend.

"There it is," Eragon said to Saphira. She roared triumphantly in the night.

Eragon cast his thoughts outward to the others. We will sleep on the shore for tonight. Tomorrow will be an easy journey to the city. After that we will move on to Vroengard.

The others gave a silent acknowledgment. Eragon focused his attention back on the approaching shoreline. From the light of the moon, he could make out shapes on the sand. As they approached the forms grew into figures, some shifting around, others being still while bearing torches. Eragon tried to count but there were too many.

A presence brushed up against Eragon's mind, shifting his focus. Curious, he allowed the consciousness access to his thoughts.

Eragon Kingkiller, said a voice in Eragon's mind. This is Lord Dathedr, we wish to be the first to welcome you back to Alagaesia.

Eragon smiled. The elves would be the first to greet them. Who would want to meet the first wild dragons in over a century more than the ones who had such a history with dragons?

Thank you for the kind welcome, Lord Dathedr, Eragon said in his mind. It will be nice to see some familiar faces. I can see that you have quite the group gathered. I wasn't expecting such a homecoming.

News of your return spread quickly. When the reports of the dragons got around, many wanted to make the journey to be some of the first to witness it.

I bet. Well just incase some forget, these are not regular dragons. They do as they please when the please. Make sure everyone exercises some… caution, Eragon said.

I will be sure to relay the message, Lord Dathedr responded.

And here I thought that this party was for me, Eragon said with a slight smirk.

Lord Dathedr paused. Well, there are some that were more interested in seeing you than the dragons.

Instantly, an image of Arya exploded into his mind. His heart beat faster and his stomach released the familiar brood of butterflies.

Is she…is she with you? Eragon asked the elf. Why wasn't she contacting him? If most of the elves were on the beach then surely she would be there with them? She was the queen after all.

No, she is not I'm afraid.

Eragon slouched slightly in his saddle. He would see her again, of that he was sure. It just wouldn't be tonight. A part of him was disappointed even though he originally didn't plan on having any welcome party at all. But he pushed that emotion away. They were almost at the shoreline and the crowd of elves was backing away to give them space to land.

Saphira was the first to touch down and the others followed suit. Eragon looked around at the awaiting crowd. He had never seen so many elves this quiet together. His own breath seemed to echo over the beach.

He followed a few of their gazes as they switched from Saphira to Niriada and to the others. The dragons were scanning the crowd as well. Niriada was in a slight crouch, while Dulvir's burnt orange wings were partially unfurled. Voraugh, nearly invisible in the darkness except for the reflection of the moon off his scales, had his head low and his muscles tensed.

Well, this could be bad, Eragon thought.

Saphira lifted her head to the stars and blasted a column of fire into the night sky causing everyone to jump, including a couple of dragons. Then, the elves all cheered. The sound crashed over Eragon like a thousand war cries. Elves rushed up to Saphira and the other dragons.

Eragon spun around, ready to interfere if one of the dragons went on the offensive, but they all held their ground. They were showered with flowers and leaves as the elves danced and sang. The melody instantly relaxed Eragon and the tension left his body. He found himself smiling and being pulled off of Saphira and into the crowd. He was twirled and spun in a mass of moving bodies and singing forms.

Eragon laughed and enjoyed the glorious chaos of the moment. He moved and stepped to the ongoing melody until he made his way back to Saphira. She already had her saddle and bags removed and was swaying to the melody while the younger elves played around her. Niriada was perfectly still, but she was sitting on her hind legs and at least seemed to be relaxed. Rylor had his head up and was strutting among the twirling crowds while Avrae was bouncing around in the surf, letting the waves crash over her. Eragon saw Voraugh lying on his back while a group of elves rubbed his stomach. Dulvir was eating a feast that had somehow appeared before him while the surrounding elves watched, transfixed. Eragon heard a roar from behind and turned to see Trissary darting in and out of the crowd, apparently winning a game of chase.

"What a sight, isn't it?" Eragon turned back around to see Blodgram smiling behind him.

"Indeed it is. How does if feel for you?"

The feline elf smiled. "It is good to be among my people again. I had forgotten what energy they can bring when prompted. Its rejuvenating." He shuddered as if a chill ran down his spine and Eragon saw the hairs behind his shoulder stand taller.

"I haven't seen them act like this since I was in Ellesmira."

"It's been a while since they have had something to celebrate about. This moment will be remembered for ages," Blodgram said. He pointed into the shifting crowd. "Look at those two."

Eragon followed his finger and saw Fosier and Kyliel in the midst of a dancing and laughing group of elves. They were in the center of the group and looked to be bursting with energy. They bounced on their feet and danced from elf to elf while adding their own vocals to the melody. "They deserve it. Those two have made some amazing progress. Even though they aren't Riders, I consider them as my first students."

"I know they are forever grateful for that."

"Honestly, I am the one who is grateful. They helped out a lot this past year, more than I think they realize."

Blodgram nodded as he watched the crowd.

Eragon saw one elf break from the horde and walk up to him. Lord Dathedr was dressed more formally than the other elves but still seemed to be enjoying himself. "Eragon, it is good to finally see you again."

"Likewise," Eragon said clasping the elf on the shoulder. "This is quite the pleasant surprise." Eragon said gesturing around him.

"We have a lot to be pleased about. Those seven are a symbol of a new age," he said as he pointed to dragons. "They symbolize the return of hope. And it is you that is responsible, so from all of us, I would like to say thank you."

"The least I could do," Eragon said in a sweeping bow. Lord Dathedr raised an eyebrow.

"You seem different Eragon, more… at ease."

"I guess I have grown into a more relaxed version of myself this past year. But trust me, it wasn't an easy journey. I have the bruises to prove it."

"You trained on the island?" Lord Dathedr glanced at Eragon again, like he was getting a second look at an old fairth. "I was under the impression that you were working on your mental fortitude to cast a healing spell on Vroengard."

"I did, at first. But it was extremely difficult and dangerous as well. I had a few close calls. So in order to distract myself, I began sparring with Fosier and Kyliel. What I started realizing was that as my body got stronger, so did my mind. The stronger my body got, the better I was at spell casting."

"And now?"

"And now I believe I can fix Vroengard," Eragon said with an easy smile.

"That would be quite the feat, Eragon. That is a massive area to neutralize. We tried once you know."

"You did?"

"Yes, we took a large group of our top spellcasters to the island. We combined our energies and released the spell. It worked for a small area around us, but it couldn't be sustained and the contamination of the rest of the island eventually leaked back into our clean zone. I must admit, I am skeptical that you can do it alone, after only a year of training."

"Don't worry about me, I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

"I have no doubts you are stronger than what you were during the war, but the amount of energy needed to pull this off is more than any one person is capable of. If you truly believe you have the key, then let us help."

"You want to help me?"

"Of course. Having the dragons and the new Riders at Vroengard is the next step in returning to the way things were in the past. I'm sure nearly everyone present would make the journey with you."

"Wow, Lord Dathedr, that is generous. But, I have to decline."

The elf's eyebrows arched. "You decline? Eragon, you cannot do this alone. Allow us to help," Dathedr insisted.

"Lord Dathedr, this problem has been my main focus for the entire past year. I have worked non-stop until I was completely confident I could restore that island to its original state. I would not have returned if I did not think that I would be able to accomplish my goal. But, there is another side to this. By attempting to cleanse the entire island, I risk having the contamination reverse onto me if I fail. If some of your people are there helping me, they could be in danger as well. I do not want to take that risk." The elf still looked uncertain. "Okay, how about this. If I cannot do it alone, then you can gather as many people as you want and make the journey out there."

But if I can't do it, I doubt even that amount of spellcasters would be enough, Eragon thought.

"But please, let me try this on my own first," Eragon said.

Lord Dathedr stared at Eragon for a while. "You are holding something back, Kingkiller."

Eragon felt a tug at the corner of his mouth. "What makes you say that?"

"You are too confident. Yet, I know you are not a fool. You know that you alone do not have the power to complete this task, but you still insist on doing it alone. Therefore, there is another piece of the puzzle I am not seeing."

"Maybe you are right. I guess only time will tell."

"Indeed it will."

Eragon thought for a moment and then decided to ask the question that had been nagging at him since they landed. "So, what happened to the Queen of the Elves? Did she get tied up in her queenly duties?"

"The Queen is a very busy woman. I am sure whatever she is doing is of the upmost importance," Dathedr said with a lazy twirl of his hand. Eragon looked closer at Dathedr. Was that a smirk on the elf's lips?

Eragon opened his mouth to respond when a thunderous roar echoed above. He looked up and instinctively drew his sword while locating Saphira with his mind. She was off to his right, where she had been engaged with a group of merry elves. She was already moving towards him when they locked eyes.

A new dragon? Eragon thought. But that wasn't Thorn's roar. There must have been a wild dragon that hatched without me realizing. Damn!

Saphira, can you sense how high up it is? He asked as he vaulted up onto her.

Yes, he is descending rapidly.

He?

That was a male roar. Eragon readied himself for Saphira to take flight when the dark sky lit up in a flash of green. Eragon was stunned, unable to move. Green?

There was another roar and a dark green dragon fell from the sky and onto the beach. It landed hard, yet in control, sending a wave of sand outwards.

There was a rider on its back.

The crowd exploded in a frenzy. Eragon looked around confused. The elves were happy, not frightened. The dragons seemed to be the only ones acting properly; Niriada was crouched and tense along with some of the others, while Trissary and Voraugh had already taken to the air.

The dragon still had a few tongues of green flame flickering from its maw. It was an impressive creature, big but not bulky, built with a balance of speed and strength. It's green scales reflected the moonlight so he looked like he was covered in thousands of tiny crystals.

The Rider gracefully slid off the saddle and onto the ground.

"Eragon, Saphira, I would like to reintroduce you to Firnen."

Firnen? Eragon thought. Then it slowly dawned on him. Firnen, Arya's dragon. Oh, she's good.

Eragon slowly slid off of Saphira while casting his mind out to the other dragons. This dragon is a friend, he means you no harm. Eragon walked forward through the parted crowd towards her. She had the biggest smile on her face.

"You think you are pretty clever right now, don't you?" Eragon said.

"I wouldn't say clever."

"No?"

"No, I would say…" She tapped the bottom of her jaw with her finger. "Charmingly whimsical."

Eragon stood before her and paused to take her in. She was wearing a simple yet elegant green tunic that hugged her waist and leather pants that showed off her slender legs. Her hair matched the darkness of the night but shown in the light of the moon. Her emerald eyes pierced him making his hands sweat.

"Hi," Eragon said.

"Hi."

"Well it looks like, Lord Dathedr," Eragon said loudly above the crowd, "lied to me."

"He did not lie. I wasn't with him… I was far above him."

"And spying on me from the clouds is considered of the upmost importance?"

Arya put her hands on her hips. "Yes."

"Yes?"

"I need to make sure you don't do anything stupid."

Eragon smiled. "That does sound like me."

"Mhm."

Eragon took a step closer. "So, what would me doing something stupid look like?"

"Well, I think it could be a number of things."

Eragon took another step. He noticed her fingers fidgeting. "Maybe if I looked the Queen of the Elves directly in her eyes, that might be stupid."

"That might be," Arya said holding his gaze.

Eragon took another step closer. The scent of pine filled his head. "Maybe, if I told the Queen she looked more beautiful than I could possibly hope for, that might be stupid."

"Very stupid."

Eragon was now inches from her. It was all he could do to not get lost in her eyes. "And if I kissed that same Queen, probably very stupid."

"Probably."

"Well, Your Majesty," Eragon said holding his hands up, "I guess I'm stupid."

Eragon lifted the bottom of her chin with a gentle finger and brought his lips to hers. He kissed her with a passion that had been building for a year. She felt as though she melted into him. The worry and stress that had built up simply fell away. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and she ran her fingers through his hair. He had nearly forgotten what it felt like to hold her. The sensation sent a feeling of warmth coursing through his body.

After a moment, Arya pulled away slightly. "It is good to see you again," she said softly. Eragon was vaguely aware of everyone watching. What once was a wild crowd, was now completely still again. He didn't care.

"It is good to see you as well." Eragon put his forehead to hers. "I have missed you so much," he said in almost a whisper.

Arya bit her bottom lip, something he had only seen her do a couple times. "I have missed you too."

If you two would take a moment to breathe, I wouldn't mind a proper re-introduction. The voice echoed through Eragon's mind, deep and rich. He reluctantly broke away from Arya and looked up. Firnen was looking down at them, his large green eye sizing up Eragon.

"Yes, right," Arya said backing up. She had a sheepish grin on her face. "Eragon, this is Firnen."

"It is nice to meet you… again," Eragon said.

Likewise, Kingkiller. My partner of soul has mentioned you quite a lot. Arya shot the dragon a look that made Eragon cringe, although a small part of him wanted to dance around with joy.

I shouldn't dance, Eragon thought, it would ruin the whole mysterious Kingkiller image.

"Firnen, I would like you to meet someone again. This is Saphira." Eragon gestured to his dragon as she walked up to join them. Saphira stood before Firnen, looking him over. She was still bigger than him, but not by a lot. The two stood for a long moment, just looking at each other. Then, Firnen lowered his head slightly, and Eragon saw a green glow in his mouth. Before Eragon could ask what was happening, Saphira attacked.

The two dragons grappled to the ground, Saphira ending up on top. The elves around them yelled and backed out of the way. Saphira had her forearm on his left wing, pinning it to the ground. The green dragon roared and loosed a blast of flame in her face. She wavered from the onslaught and lost her hold on Firnen's wing. He used the opportunity to spin his large form out from under her. They squared off again, each dragon looking frighteningly fierce.

Eragon glanced at Arya who was surprisingly calm. She had that unreadable expression that made it impossible to figure out what she was thinking.

So this is what it looks like when a dragon challenges another, Eragon thought.

The dragons exchanged blows and Saphira ended up getting her mouth around Firnen's neck. Eragon felt Arya stiffen beside him. Firnen ducked to the ground, forcing Saphira to follow. She came off her feet and Firnen spun out of her grasp. He followed up with a swipe of his tail that connected with Saphira's side. While she was recovering, Firnen charged and slammed into her. Saphira stayed on her feet and loosed an enormous column of blue fire at Firnen. The green dragon jumped into the air to get out of the way, but Saphira flew directly up at him and got her teeth around his neck again. This time she had momentum on her side and used it to bring Firnen back to the ground. He landed hard on his back with Saphira on top of him. He struggled for a moment, but eventually yielded.

Saphira let go and gave the other dragon space to rise. Firnen got back to his feet and seemed okay, save for some cuts on his neck and around his wings.

It looks like he made you work for that one, Eragon said to Saphira.

He did. This one's fire is similar to mine.

Let me fix those wounds for you, Eragon said as he extended his arm.

No. These must heal on their own. It is the way mating works. Saphira made her way over to where he and Arya were standing. You have an impressive partner, Arya. He is a swift and intelligent dragon.

Arya bowed her head to Saphira. "Thank you, Saphira. It is good to see you after so long." She reached up and put a hand on Saphira's snout. "You are looking as fierce as ever. I assume you kept Eragon out of trouble while you all were away?"

Saphira snorted. That one is hopeless. He seeks out trouble rather than avoid it.

Arya looked at him. "What does she mean that you seek out trouble?"

"A conversation for another time," Eragon said with a wave of his hand.

"But—"

"Firnen, that was quite a show," Eragon said walking up to the green dragon. "I haven't seen Saphira fight like that in a long time. You gave her a good shot."

She is an intense and ferocious dragon, Eragon. I am honored.

Eragon glanced at Firnen's wounds, which were a lot worse than Saphira's. "Those look pretty rough, but I am guessing you wont let me heal you either."

No, I will not.

"Fair enough. Would you like to meet the other dragons?"

A few have already opened their minds to me. I assume that Saphira was the lead dragon out of the group. They respect my fight with her. Those two have yet to say anything though. He gestured to Niriada lying down and Rylor off to her side.

"Ah yes, well he doesn't really talk at all. And she is a proud one. It will take more than a fight with Saphira to gain her respect. But I think you'll be okay."

The green dragon nodded.

"You are not going to be able to ignore me forever," said a stern voice from behind. Eragon smiled and turned. Arya stood with her arms crossed. "I'll ask again, what kind of trouble did you get into while you were away?"

"I don't know if I can tell you… how good are you at keeping secrets?"

"Eragon, seriously?" Arya gestured to the enormous green dragon walking off.

"Yeah…" Eragon stepped closer to her. "I guess that is a pretty big secret." She nodded in agreement. "Well, you remember all those talks we tried to have but I was either too tired or too beat up to chat?"

"Oh, I remember. And I haven't forgiven you for that either. I would spend entire days in meetings, giving council, and running my land but still have the time and energy to reach out to you, and when we finally talk you are too tired. Honestly Eragon, I understand sparring two elves at once is tiresome, but to be that tired all the time?" She put her hands on her hips to emphasize her last point.

"I stopped sparring with the elves after the first month we were there."

Arya's eyebrows arched. "Then, who were you fighting all those other times?"

Eragon just smiled and nodded behind Arya to where some of the dragons were lounging. She followed his eyes and then turned back sharply. "No."

"Yes."

"But— how?"

"Magically dull their claws and teeth, and my sword. Still hurts getting hit by them, a lot."

"Eragon, that is the most idiotic and dangerous thing I have ever heard of."

Eragon shrugged. "Now you know why I haven't told anyone."

"But they could have killed you!"

"They almost did… a few times, actually." Arya's eyes grew wide and her hands balled into fists. Before he could say something, Arya connected a blow right into his shoulder. The punch was strong enough to spin him around.

"Ow! What was that for?" Eragon demanded.

"For being so thoughtless! What if they had actually killed you? Eragon, everything you are working for would have been for nothing. In one day the return of the riders, the return of Vroengard, all of it would have been lost!"

Eragon saw a vein sticking out in her neck that he had never seen before. She was angrier than he had seen her in a very long time.

"You are a dragon rider, and so is Murtagh. You all would have trained the new riders and figured out a way to fix Vroengard without me. Or you would have found a new place. I have no doubt the future riders would have been fine in my absence."

"No, Eragon. We would not have been fine." And with that she stormed away from him.

The rest of the night became a blur to Eragon. The elves eventually settled down enough to let him and the dragons get some rest. Somehow they had created makeshift shelters on the beach without him noticing.

I need to learn how to do that, Eragon thought.

Before turning in for the night, Eragon conferred with Lord Dathedr about his plans to leave for Iliria in the morning.

"That sounds fine. We will be returning to Ellesmira in the morning."

Eragon handed over a few dragons eggs that had been marked for riders to the elf. "Start bringing these around your people. It is time that we start discovering the next riders." Dathedr tried to remain passive, but Eragon could see a slight smile on his lips.

"I will right away. However, why are you not telling the Queen these plans?"

Eragon rubbed his shoulder. "Well, it appears the Queen is upset with me."

"Ah."

Eragon's eyes found her among the crowd. She was speaking with a few of her people and pointing off in different directions to which they promptly followed. He watched her give her orders and lead her people. She seemed to be perfectly at ease in her position. She gave a last order and her eyes found him. Eragon gave a little smile, to which her eyes narrowed and she turned away.

"Well, I trust she will get the plans for tomorrow. I am going to get some rest and try to figure out what I did wrong. Goodnight, Lord Dathedr."

"A good night to you as well, Kingkiller."

Eragon's skin felt as dry as bone. The Hadarac desert spread out before him like a sea of sand. The hot air seemed to cook him alive, while the wind tried to peel his flesh off.

The dragons on the other hand were in much better condition. In fact, they seemed to be enjoying themselves quite a lot. Their wing strokes were slow and relaxed, yet they still kept pace. The warm climate aided in propelling them forward.

Fosier and Kyliel were no longer flying with him and neither was Blodgram. In some ways it felt odd, he had grown comfortable with their presence. Fosier and Kyliel wanted to spend time with their families but Blodgram had wanted to stay. Eragon insisted that the elf take some time off. He would be needed once he was ready to journey to Vroengard. In their place, someone else had joined his group.

Eragon looked off to his side where Arya was riding Firnen. She hadn't said a word all day. He didn't even realize she was going with him until they had broken camp and she had climbed atop Firnen who was already fitted with provisions.

When the group had landed for lunch, it was even worse. As soon as they had landed, she immediately walked off to eat alone. When he tried to follow she shot him a glare that said, "back off."

Just give her time, Saphira said to him, snapping him out of his reverie.

"What?"

I can feel you staring at her. She will come around, just give her time.

"I guess. I don't know, it is just driving me nuts. I hate not knowing what exactly she is upset about."

Eragon spotted a cluster of rocky plateaus a head of them. He relayed to the group that they would end for the day and get an early start in the morning. The thunder of dragons descended in response, aiming for the plateaus.

Once landed, Eragon saw Arya take off Firnen's saddle and provisions and then walk off to the edge of the plateau. She seemed to be looking out over the desert, but then she walked over the edge and out of view.

Screw this, Eragon thought and went after her.

When Eragon reached the edge of the plateau, he saw Arya already walking in the sand at the bottom. He hurried after her.

"Where are you going?" Eragon yelled as he finally reached her.

She didn't respond. She didn't even give the slightest hint that she heard him. Instead, she continued onward, her raven hair being tossed in the wind and her sword scabbard gleaming in the desert light.

"Ayra!"

Still nothing.

Eragon could feel his pulse quicken. He didn't like being ignored, especially when he didn't know why. His mind went inward and opened up to the wild energy within. Immediately, his body filled with power and he used that strength to propel him into the air, arcing forward and over Arya. He spun so that when he landed, he would be facing her. Using a wordless spell to soften his descent, Eragon landed a few feet before her.

Ayra was shocked at first, her eyes growing wide at him appearing before her, but she quickly returned to her stern cold gaze as if nothing had happened.

"What is going on?" Eragon demanded.

She stared at him, showing no signs of being phased by his presence. Instead, she sidestepped and made to go around him.

"No," Eragon said and reached out for her shoulder. In a flash, she spun around knocking his arm away. Eragon opened his mouth to respond but her leg was up and knocking him backwards into the sand before he could utter a syllable. "Arya, what are you—"

"Did you not even think of anyone but yourself?" she yelled at him. Then, her leg was up in the air again and falling towards his face. This time Eragon was ready. He rolled away and got to his feet quickly as her heel hit sand. "No," she continued, "you were only worried about the next challenge."

Her fist came at him like a rush of wind. He turned and dodged the attack, all the while working to comprehend what was happening. Arya, the love of my life, is trying to fight me… sure, why not.

Arya spun away from him and drew her slender sword in one smooth motion.

"Okay Arya, come on," Eragon said with his palms up. "Just talk to me."

"Eragon, you just never think!" She brought the sword across in a swift arc to his side. In a flash, he had Brisingr out and in the sword's path. The clang of steel on steel echoed across the sand.

"Did you even consider what would happen if you failed?" She spun low bringing her sword for a leg shot. He jumped back and she pressed him with a series of attacks in quick succession. He blade was a blur of steel before him. He easily blocked and parried each attempt, but he was still reeling from the idea that it was Arya controlling the blade.

"How would we continue if the one to defeat Galbatorix died on some far off island? How would the new riders learn about what it means to be paired with a dragon?" Eragon sidestepped a swing and blocked a stab.

"You and Murtagh are great riders. You two could teach them."

"What about Saphira, Eragon!" She said as she swung the blade particularly hard. He felt his arms vibrate with the effort to block it. "What about your friends and family!"

Eragon noticed that her eyes were shining. Was she crying? She danced around him, sending in attack after attack. She was a fierce warrior and anyone else would have probably been dead a long while ago.

"What about me!" Her sword connected with his, inches from his face. "Did you not even think about how I would continue if you had been killed?" Eragon stared at her for a moment. He took her in: her red face, the vain in her neck, and the tears in her eyes.

Damn, he thought.

Eragon dropped his sword to the sand and then pushed hers away from his face. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into a strong embrace. "I'm sorry," he whispered to her.

Eragon felt her release her sword and slowly wrap her arms around him. With her head pressed under his chin, he heard her sniffle. "I'm so sorry," he said again.

He just held her there, in the middle of the desert, wishing he could take her pain away and hating himself for being the cause of it.

After a moment he felt her shift slightly. "Eragon, I know the things you've been through. I watched you kill Galbatorix. But, dragons are different. I've seen images of what they can do to a person. It's scary."

"It's not that I was being selfish and looking for a thrill. You have to believe that. I hit a wall, I wasn't getting any better with my training. I had grown stagnant. Fosier and Kyliel had only gotten me so far and I needed to find a new way to improve. I started out slowly and took as many precautions as I could. Plus, Saphira was always by my side."

Eragon reached down and lifted her chin so she was looking at him. Her beautiful emerald eyes looked lighter in the setting sun. "It was the thought of never seeing you again that allowed me to continue. Not finishing my training meant not being able to come back here. I would have had to continue on and search for a new place to raise the riders. I didn't want that to happen. Spar with the dragons, get stronger, and come back to you. That was the plan. I am sorry I scared you." He held her gaze, determined to show her his words were true.

She sighed and rested her forehead against his chest. "You're going to make me go crazy."

Eragon laughed. The act helped release all the pent up tension he was carrying. "Yeah, it's looking like it." She looked up at him, a small smile played on her soft lips. "I'll try and make it worth it," he whispered. She arched an eyebrow and he smirked back at her. Then, he leaned in and brought his lips to hers.

Her lips were somehow still soft in the desert air and they fit with his like they were designed for it. He ran his hand through her hair and breathed in the scent of pine that he would never get used to. Her arms reached up his back, caressing each muscle. With his other hand, he cupped the side of her face and kissed her more fervently, showing her his passion. She matched his enthusiasm by moaning softly under her breath and pulling on his shirt.

Eragon felt his body heating up, his heart racing. His whole being ached for her, like a beast with an insatiable appetite. He bit her bottom lip and kissed his way to her ear. Gently biting on her ear, she moaned, louder than before. Her hands went underneath his shirt and traced across his chest. He was sure she would feel his heart beating out of his ribs. Eragon released her ear and gazed at her. She was the most amazing thing he had ever seen, and his whole being yearned for her. Looking into her eyes, he could tell that she felt the same way.

She inhaled sharply and pulled on his shirt, bringing his lips back to hers. They fell to the sand atop each other as the sun finally fell beneath the horizon. In the light of the moon, Eragon slowly took off her tunic and she in turn took off his. He took in her form and traced it with his hands. It sent his heart into a frenzy. She breathed deeply at his touch and arched into him, her moans of passion growing.

Eragon could feel himself slipping, the world around him fading. His heightened senses were on overdrive, and his head felt like it was on fire. A beautiful and powerful bliss threatened to overtake him. His hands slid to Arya's leather pants while hers went to his. His surroundings drifted away until there was only himself and Arya, together. A loud moan of ecstasy filled his world and then he was pulled away on a wave of euphoria. In a single moment in time, all the walls came down. There was nothing separating him from her and they became one. In that instant, Eragon finally felt whole. She looked into his eyes and was simultaneously both vulnerable and strong. He smiled back at her and lost himself in her embrace, vowing to never let go.

I hope that this is enough Eragon and Arya to make up for all the training chapters. I enjoyed writing this one and hope you enjoyed reading it. Let me know what you thought with a quick review.