Hi guys! Sorry for updating a bit late… My mom distracted me with so many things the past few days that I wasn't able to get on the computer for more than ten minutes at a time. Last night we played Monopoly until three in the morning and we ran out of 500 dollar bills! Anyways… to the story!

Eragon's tremors slowly began to end. Nasuada strained to hold him past Arya's limp body, which lay in both of his arms now. He cried out and wiped his eyes, pulling back from Nasuada's caring embrace to be seen by everyone as a red-eyed Rider holding his mate where she lays, dead to all except by her barely visible breathing through her shining armor, which hadn't gotten bloody in the slightest as the Riders were not needed in the foot battle. Her flawless face had wind-whipped hair surrounding it, making her look even more beautiful.

Nasuada put her hand on Eragon's shoulder lightly, to which he did not respond. "Eragon, go and bring her to your tent. I will bring you food when I can." Doing something she shouldn't, although known for an act of kindness, she walked around his body and gently planted a kiss on his lips. Her hues closed and she pressed her lips deeper before removing herself with dignity, opening her eyes. Eragon hadn't seemed to respond to the kiss at all, he was still just staring off into space. This lost look on her vassal's face was more than she could bear.

Eragon opened his mouth and murmured something Nasuada couldn't quite hear, but it sounded like "Yes, Nasuada." He turned to the tents, and Nasuada watched him until she saw a tent flap be pulled away and Eragon was swallowed by the blackness, letting the flap close its mighty mouth.

--

Saphira and Bhronnë were off to the east of the battlefield, Saphira trying to comfort Bhronnë in his frenzy about his Rider. She laid her head next to his, her neck intertwined with her mate's. Just then a thought hit her: If we had killed Galbatorix before freeing his dragon, Shruikan would have died too. Saphira kept this to herself however, and murmured comforting words to the emerald dragon. He nestled to her closely, muttering unintelligible words to himself in his mind. Because of the two eldunari Eragon had gained, Saphira was larger than fully-grown Bhronnë and she wrapped her large, velvety wing around his body, completely covering it and helping him calm himself under a shade of sapphire.

I love you, Saphira. He choked out.

Saphira answered the same, and sighed as she felt him move around and slip into her. She knew what to do now as her instincts took over her.

--

Thorn flew around, igniting piles of bodies to be burned. He glanced over to where Saphira and Bhronnë were mating and felt longing in his heart. The next dragon egg is male; as far as Galbatorix could know. I will not be able to have a mate until Saphira's eggs hatch. That will be too long… He flamed a piled more than needed, causing a few of the Varden to jump backwards. All over he heard loved ones being reunited. It irked him that he and his Rider could not have the mates that they so desire.

Thorn sighed, in a fake bliss breathing a trickle of flames over the last rotting pile and flying to the west end of the bloody grassland, submerging himself in an icy lake.

--

Murtagh approached Nasuada's tent, going to tell her his feelings towards her. He took a few deep breaths, telling himself to enter. Finally he pulled apart the tent flap and walked inside only to be rotted at the spot he stood.

Nasuada was kissing Jormundur passionately; he had his shirt off and was going to work on her bodice. Neither of the two noticed him, as they were alone in their world of bliss. Nasuada's bodice fell to the floor and Murtagh gasped. It wasn't just a bodice; it had covered her whole body. She was conformed to Jormundur, naked and in the presence of the man who loved her more than his own life, more than his dragon.

Tears streamed down his face at the beauty of her body that would never be his, as it attacked another man's with ecstasy and longing in the movements. He knew all hope for his love of her was lost then. He could only tell her that he loved her and then leave.

"Nasuada, I love you more than my own life or my dragon's life. I would give it all to you." Murtagh paused and watched as Nasuada removed herself from Jormundur immediately, facing him naked. It made him cry harder as he could barely get his last sentences out. "And I am sorry to see that you are already loved. Good luck to you, Jormundur. If you hurt her I will kill you, for it will fill my whole being and not release me ever." He ran out of the tent, crying madly. He sprinted past the Varden's encampment and into the bloody battlefield, his feet spraying the liquid and occasionally a few small body parts.

He kept running even after the shallow pond of blood ended. He didn't know if he'd ever stop.

--

Nasuada felt guilty immediately after Murtagh had left the tent. She put the cloth tent locking on the flaps and turned to Jormundur. "How long do you think he was watching?"

Jormundur shrugged, looking guilty as well. "I do not know, but I thought I had sensed a presence before I took off your clothing. I ignored it because I couldn't get my mind off of you. I couldn't bring myself to do it. And then he confesses his love for you…"

"I knew he loved me long ago. When I attempted to break into his mind he protected it with all of the love he had for me. It was the same feeling as Eragon had for Arya… He thinks I am his soulmate. He told me once before and I didn't realize it was not just immaturity of a young person. He is twenty-nine now and his longing has only to increase for me."

Jormundur nodded, seeming to understand. "When he confessed just now he poured it out in his mind. He was angry, to put his words just as he said them, they were 'I cannot stand the thought of Jormundur shoving himself into my love. It is just too much to bear.' I have felt jealousy towards other men who approach you Nasuada, but for Murtagh I feel only sadness."

Nasuada looked a bit dumbfounded at that. "Why is that, Jormundur?"

"Because I will never be able to love you as much as he loves you." He looked down, past his bare chest and to the floor. "I cannot stand to see a man like that when I am with you. I am not saying I do not love you, for I do, but Murtagh's love surpasses mine by a great many leagues."

Nasuada was quiet. She was looking down past her naked form, and approached Jormundur, touching his chest gently. "Are you saying I should go after him?"

"Yes."

"Then let me give you a parting gift." She kissed him long and forcefully, pressing herself into him. She removed herself and clothed her body once more, giving him a light kiss before leaving the pavilion and leaping onto her horse, galloping toward the small speck of Murtagh in the distance.

--

Eragon brought Arya into the tent and undressed her. Seeing her so lifeless did nothing but make him withdrawn. He pulled down the sheet of their bed and laid her on it, pulling it back up to her shoulders. He straightened her body to make her look as if she were sleeping peacefully. He sat on the outside of the bed and didn't touch the food Jarsha had brought in. He noticed Murtagh sprinting by and Nasuada on her horse about ten minutes later. He knew what was going on, because of unconscious listening.

He lay down, feeling nothing. Putting his hand under the sheet, he grasped Arya's limp hand and held on tightly.

"I will not let you go, my queen. You will return."

The only response he had was his Arya breathing steadily, a few seconds between each rise and fall of her lungs. Silent tears tracked down his face, as he knew she was unreachable.

--

Arya fell to the bottom of a black pit. She knew she was not in the real world, but in a different world. She stood, gasping as she felt no strength to continue standing. An arm reached out and she took it, steadying herself without noticing who the person was.

"My daughter. I have missed you much."

Arya's eyes flicked immediately to the man grasping her arm. King Evandar was the owner, standing in all of his splendor before being slain on the battlefield. She wrapped her arms around him, embracing him greatly.

"Father." She acknowledged, smiling at him.

"I see you have inherited my swordsmanship."

Arya nodded, tucking a strand of raven hair behind her ear.

"And you once had a mate named Faölin." Arya's cheeks went hot as she felt twin rivers streak down them. "I am sorry to mention it, my child. He joined me however and is here now. Would you like to greet him?"

"I will take care of that, Evandar." Faölin walked up to Arya, a small smile on his face. Arya cried out with joy and embraced him.

"My mate… I have missed you." Arya said.

"Your past mate, Arya. But there is nothing past, present or future here, so it is still correct."

Arya pressed her lips against his; placing one hand on his shoulder blade and one went through his soft hair. Faölin kissed back passionately, his hands locking at the small of her back. He opened his mouth and Arya accepted his tongue gratefully, twisting hers around his and pushing his head against hers with her hand as she massaged his scalp. Arya pressed her hips against his and he pulled her even closer, conforming their bodies together to where there was no space between them. Their grips became even tighter as their kiss gained speed; their heads twisting side to side and their mouths open to each other, waiting for more kissing between breaths.

King Evandar watched this, as the two had forgotten he was there. He had never seen more passion in a relationship he had watched, but he hadn't watched many relationships like this before. He sat and became interested when Arya pressed her hips into her deceased mate's, although he knew that they had performed sex before. The scenery changed to Du Weldenvarden, a few miles outside of Ellesmera. He could tell the romancing couple noticed, because the kiss broke for a second.

"Remember in the forest?" Arya asked Faölin.

"I do. Would you like to repeat the memories?" Faölin's eyes met Arya's as their noses touched. Arya answered with a breathtakingly passionate kiss, pulling at his shirt and getting it out of the way. Faölin unlocked his hands and swiftly undid Arya's bodice. It fell to the ground, not needed.

Evandar gasped internally. He hadn't known that Faölin was so good at taking off Arya's clothes, and his eyes went wide when her top hit the ground. He did not need to see his daughter and Faölin naked by any means, but he could not stop watching, as he was not allowed. He winced. Forgive me, Arya, Faölin and Islanzadí.

Arya and Faölin however, did not notice Evandar anymore. He was just another bush in the forest setting. Faölin's hands ran through Arya's long raven hair as he kissed her passionately. She kissed him more forcefully, and slipped off his breeches, then his underwear. He yanked off her leggings and panties. They stood there, pressed against each other, kissing passionately in a false forest scene in front of Arya's father.

Faölin dropped onto the grass slowly and with grace. Arya held onto him, twisting her tongue in his mouth violently. She shifted her position and was sitting on top of Faölin's hips with her legs spread wide. As she waited for him to get ready she moved her lips to suck on his lower lip. He was ready and nodded. Both gasped as they entered each other, not having felt the feeling from each other for a long time. She moved up and down, making Faölin's eyes roll with pleasure.

Evandar could not stand to watch it anymore. He silently crawled to a place where everything but their heads were hidden behind a bush and sighed quietly with relief.

Arya increased the pace and Faölin matched it easily, having much practice with Arya coming back to his memory.

Faölin sighed. "Arya….." He convulsed slightly, proving to Arya he had his orgasm. She increased his moaning, making it louder until her own switch flicked and she moaned louder than he. Her movements became lethargic until they stopped and left her and Faölin gasping for breath.

"Faölin…" she panted, careful not to say Eragon's name as she normally would. However, saying her past mate's name left a bad taste in her mouth. She knew it was wrong, what she had just done. She got off of Faölin's glorious body and lay down beside him.

"What is wrong, my love?" He asked her.

Arya looked away from Faölin's gaze. "I feel like I just did something wrong, my love. I almost called out Eragon's name… He is my mate and I have a child now."

Faölin's eyes lit up. "You finally have a child? I am so happy for you, Arya!"

"But he was not with you… He was with Eragon. And it was a mistake, as in we didn't mean to have him."

His eyes stayed lit. "It is all right, Arya. I am happy for you and I know you must get back to your world with your new lover. Know that I love that you have finally found your soulmate, and take care of him." Arya nodded, breathing normally now. "All you have to do is find the white door in this blackness. When Eragon came here, it was his mother and father he saw. It took him awhile to get the hang of finding the door, though. Just look for his presence."

The two stood and hugged before getting dressed and returning to King Evandar. "Are you ready, Arya?"

Arya stood on her toes to kiss Faölin lightly and give him a strong embrace. She went to her father and hugged him also. "I am ready."

Okay, this is an unhappy chapter. In the next chapter some things will be resolved though, so look forward to it guys!!!

I appreciate reviews.