Renewal

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon or Eldest, just Arianna and Nolan

Chapter 4: A Second Chance

After a night's rest, Arianna had made a decision. She realized that she needed to improve when it came to battle and it would kill her in the final stand against the king. Only a few days earlier, Arya had made her an offer that she couldn't refuse. She could go back to Ellesmera and be ready to fight the king's strongest men. And she had accepted it. Her brother reluctantly agreed to it while Nasauda disagreed with her saying that they needed her. She had given one last order before her leave: to march to Uru'Baen and follow orders like they would in any normal situation.

"Arianna, you are our commander." One of the men said. "And you will be even when you live."

"I agree with him, Ma'am." Another said. "When you get back, we will need you more than ever."

"I know but I want to follow my brother like you would when I here." She replied. "And be careful."

She left then to finish packing, feeling guilty for taking time to improve herself. Despite this, Arya reassured her that the Varden would have her back with a better chance of winning. After a final look around, she took her bag and left. Codas stood outside her quarters then followed her walking as graceful as he always had. At the edge of the camp, Arya met her and looked at Codas. She examined him seeing that he had gotten bigger since the last battle.

"I've always wanted to ride him." She said looking up at him.

"I think he'll trust you." Arianna replied, reassuringly. "Won't you?"

He got down, letting Arianna on first then Arya who looked at him with some awe. Before they could take off, a red dragon had come and landed beside them causing Codas to growl loudly. Arianna gave him a stern look.

"Lady Nasauda wanted you to have an escort." He said.

"We don't need one." Arianna said bluntly.

"I'm following orders." He replied.

"No one will trust you where we're going." Arianna said.

"Can I at least try to earn yours?" He asked.

"You can try, Dragon rider." Arianna said. "But you have to earn Arya's as well."

He nodded and soon flew behind Codas who was flying with an immense amount of strength and grace. Soon, their green and red shapes couldn't be seen, leaving their fates to them. On the ground, Nolan watched with some awe then walked away feeling like she had been taken away from him again. But she was old enough now to do what she needed to do. He went back to the camp seeing Nasauda watching the same sight from a distance.

"When your sister first came to us, she wasn't as strong as she was now." She said. "I remember seeing a very broken girl who had an unhealed wound."

"The scar on her back." He replied, sighing. "I know that it hurts her."

"Correct me if I wrong but maybe she likes the pain to remind her." She said,looking to the skies. "To remind her of the burden she has as a Dragon rider."

"Burden." He replied. "I wish I could take some of it."

"You'll never be able to." She said. "But you can help her by fighting side-by-side with these men."

He nodded and walked away, feeling reassured. He knew now that she would be okay and become even stronger than she was now. As the sun started to set, he went back to his duties to oversee the moving of the camp.

Night had fallen quickly on the desert and Ayra, Arianna, and Murtagh rested under the protection of dragon wings. They had a long way to go before they reached Ellesmera and all of them were exhausted from the journey. Arianna and Murtagh both lay asleep their faces grimacing in pain from their scars. Arya remembered a time where she would stand for hours then collapse out of pain and exhaustion. She would sometimes start running fevers and convulse. She couldn't do much about it since she had refused to go through the Blood Oath Ceremony. For now, he let her sleep. She learned how she came to be with the Varden and realized how much she and Eragon were alike.

Arianna tends to be stubborn, Codas said, I wouldn't let that stop you from convincing her.

She has a strong will but I will try, Arya replied, when her uncle was murdered why did she run away?

Ari didn't want to stay; she was in so much pain that she wanted to leave, Codas said

And Murtagh did it?, Arya asked.

Yes, but she's forgiven him. The king she never has, Codas said.

Who has forgiven him, Arya said. He took away a freedom and replaced it with tyranny.

I know the Varden will win. I have faith that we will kill him, Codas said.

He severed the connection and dipped his head. Arya sat there seeing the sun rise and Arianna get up to see how long the journey would take.

"We still have a long way to go." She said, watching the sun rise with her.