Chapter 13:
Rewind
Eragon started, light momentarily blinded him. Someone was saying his name. It sounded like Arya. But how was that? He looked up into a blurry face. "Eragon? Eragon? Oh, you're finally awake. You fell asleep and started convulsing. What happened?" He sat up so fast he almost hit Arya in the nose. He looked around; Saphira was sitting next to him, curled up in a ball. Arya's bouquet was sitting a few feet away. He stood up, feeling as dizzy and queasy as he did on his first flight with Saphira. "What's wrong?" Eragon looked at her. He had the look of a person who was thoroughly paranoid.
He recounted his vision to the two of them and then he grabbed his bracers from Saphira's saddlebags. He quickly slipped them on and then looked at Arya. "They're coming," he said, "I have to get ready to fight."
"No, Eragon, it could have just been a dream. Please, don't go. There's no re-," but he had put a finger on her mouth to hush her. When he removed it she was silent, and he kissed her so passionately that her heart fluttered and she gasped. She leaned back and their tongues touched briefly. She quickly got lost in the moment; she wrapped her arms around his neck and he put his on her waist. They only broke contact to breathe. He kissed her again, but this one was brief, and then he slowly walked towards Saphira. Before he got on her he looked back.
"I love you Arya, now and forever." He said it only because they both knew this might be the last time they ever saw each other. Before she could respond, he leaped onto Saphira's back, and she took off quickly, buffeting Arya with the eddies of wind produced by her massive wings. And she was left alone.
Eragon's POV:
It had been hours since Eragon had left Arya in the meadow, but there was no sign of Murtagh or Thorn. Anywhere. He heard a roar, and he jumped so violently that he almost fell off the saddle. We need to go back little one. They're not coming.
He was loathe acknowledging it, but she was right. She had been telling him that for two hours and he had denied her each time repeating the same line. "They're coming, I saw it." But they had never appeared. Okay, let's head back. He agreed reluctantly. Saphira turned around and started back. They weren't far from the Varden; they had just swept over every inch of land within a mile. As they flew over the meadow, they noticed a black figure.
Arya's still there? He thought to himself. Saphira landed quietly, and Eragon pulled off his bracers. He dropped them and then dashed over to Arya, who was cross-legged on the ground, crying. He sat down next to her and she immediately stopped crying and looked up. He had never seen Arya cry, it really made him feel bad that he had brought this upon her.
"Eragon!" She practically screamed it in his ear and with his enhanced hearing he momentarily went deaf. She flung her arms around his neck and put her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her waist and returned her embrace. "You're alive, I thought- I thought that…," She pulled her head off his shoulder and looked him in the eyes. Her green eyes were so gentle, so tender, so loving. The tears had long since faded, the deep sadness had been replaced with a warm, bright joy that did nothing but make the world beautiful. She let out a quick sob and then kissed him. It was a quick, fleeting touch. He wondered at it, and before he could ask about it she was already off, running back towards camp. "If you want anymore, you'll have to catch me!" She yelled over her shoulder. He laughed and stood up, already starting after her.
He could feel Saphira laugh, she took off and pursued Arya as well. He quickly caught up with her and tackled her, rolling in the air so that he hit the ground first. Saphira landed beside them and snorted. Arya giggled and laid her head on his chest. Eragon put a hand on her head and began stroking her hair. She murmured so faintly that even with Eragon's hearing it was almost impossible to make out.
"What?" She put her lips to his ear; her hot breath tickled the nape of his neck. She whispered quietly, and immediately after she finished she retreated. He raised his eyebrows.
"Really? You want me to?" She nodded sheepishly. "I guess we're mates then." She mumbled something else, and he laughed. She looked up at him with a hurt look on her face. "You're serious?" She nodded again. He smirked. Taking it as a go ahead, Arya began to unlace the strings of Eragon's tunic. Um…Saphira?
I know, I know… She pulled the tunic over his head as Saphira took off to hunt. Eragon threw his belt off and looked at Arya, whose boots and tunic were already on the ground. She giggled and Eragon began to kiss her, he trailed from her lips…to her neck…to her chest where he unlaced her bodice. She giggled again, and Eragon pulled off his own boots. This was all him.