Chapter 21:
Split
The sun was shining bright when Arya emerged from her tent. She squinted in the sunlight, and covered her eyes with her hand. She glanced around, looking for Eragon, but she didn't see him. That's strange; he's usually waiting for me when I wake up. She shrugged, and decided she would meet him at his tent. As she departed, she began thinking about her conversation with Nasuada from the day before. It had involved Eragon and her fake love for him. She despised the idea of lying to him, but she was doing it for the good of the Varden. She wanted Eragon to be happy so that he could work better for the Varden. While it wasn't the best way to go about things, it worked the best. Nonetheless, it had been a disputed topic between her and Nasuada for weeks now.
She was approaching Eragon's tent now, it usually took her longer to get to his tent, or had she been too encompassed in her thoughts? She opened the flap to his tent and found Eragon clipping Brisingr to his belt. "Hey Eragon. You want to go for a walk? I found a nice stream running next to a copse a few miles from camp." Eragon just pushed past her without saying anything. She looked at him curiously, what was wrong with him today? "Eragon? Are you alright?" He suddenly whipped around, his eyes were on fire.
"No, I'm not alright!" Arya recoiled. The vehemence in his voice was at an unimaginably high level. And he was yelling at her. Was he angry at her?
"What's wrong?"
"I think you know what's wrong." Then she understood his anger. He had found out about the ruse.
"Eragon I-,"
"Don't try to explain. I'm done and I don't want to see you again. I just can't believe you would do this to me Arya. After all we've been through."
"I didn't want to do it. It was for the good of the Varden."
"The good of the Varden? What about me Arya? I loved you with all my heart. And I thought you loved me too. And then to find out that you were faking? Do you know what it feels like to have that ripped away?"
"Yes I do!" Rage exploded inside her as old memories of Faolin being pierced by that damned arrow flooded into her. "I loved Faolin and when Durza killed him it ripped me apart. I know exactly what it feels like, Eragon."
"Then why would you do that to someone else?" His eyes were suddenly filled with pain and sadness as tears rushed to his eyes. He shook his head at her, and stalked off, towards the exit of the camp. Arya began to follow him, but a giant blue tail barred her way.
Eragon is too angry right now. You have to let him cool down. For now, let me speak to him. Believe me, he still loves you. Don't worry. Arya began crying, she had just lost one of her only friends. She thought back to what she had done, and cursed herself for doing such a thing. Then she asked herself, Am I more sorry that I lost a friend, or that I may have lost his love? She found that she couldn't answer that question.