Punishment

The day finally arrived when they had been traveling through endless green trees that they came to the clearing that was Ellesmera. Paths and

trees came into view and after looking at it for a moment Eragon recognized it as the huts and roads that made the capital of the elves. A

feeling of cold dread filled him. How would the queen of the elves react when she heard of Arya? Arya herself was less then a week due, and

that made Eragon feel better about being in the city. Maybe the queen won't punish us at all. He snorted in self contempt. Yes and maybe

Blodhgarm will leave me and Arya alone for ten seconds. Of course the elf would never do that. When he was not physically watching them like a

hawk he cast a spell that alerted him if Eragon's and Arya's skin should meet. And if it should, even by accident, the elf would then cast another

spell that put a force field where ever they were that made it so that they could not get within ten feet of each other. What the elf didn't know,

and could not, was that he and Arya were fulfilling the desires of their love for each other in the comfort of their minds, the one place Blodgarm

could never reach. They had decided it would be best to wait until the return trip to get the egg. Or else the risked losing it in the wild.

The plan, of course, was Blodhgarm's invention. He invented every plan they had. Part of it was because of Arya's upcoming birth giving. No

matter how much the elf disliked the idea of Arya giving birth to a human elf half-breed he would not let the queen's daughter die just because

she was not where there was a good healer. So they had gone directly there instead of stopping in Fiom. With the approach of the coming

battles the elves had decided that, due to Evendar's fate in battle, Izlanzadi was transported by magic back to Ellesmera, where she was

coordinating their attacks in the western parts of Alagaesia. Eragon had been there when Blodhgarm scryed Nasuada to tell them of his plan to

go to Ellesmera and he noticed how instead of being thoughtful, as she usually looked, Nasuada closed her eyes and her head tilted upward

and she seemed to be inhaling something. Then Nasuada told Eragon to leave the room and so, of course, he did. Once outside he listened in

on there conversation with the same spell he had used to eavesdrop on Brom and Jeod so many months ago. "Ah Blodhgarm last night was

amazing. Can you really do that at will?" Eragon was curious so he uttered a spell that would allow him to see through the wall and those see

what was going on. It took a moment for the spell to work, during which time there was no noise in the room. When the spell finally took affect

he looked into the room and saw that Blodhgarm had a pleased, close to wanting look on his face.

It was the look of a starving man in front of a grand feast. Eragon could not imagine why, until he turned his eyes onto Nasuada and after

looking for a split second reverted his eyes back to Blodhgarm. Nasuada wore no shirt, nor bra, nor did he think any cloths at all. Blodhgarm

nodded his blue head. "Indeed I can. Do you still have the orb of gold I sent you? Without it I will not be able to." Nasuada nodded her head

and arched her back on the chair, super imposing her shinning chest. Unlike when he saw Arya naked, when his eyes stayed plastered to her

eyes, with Nasuada he looked at her without reservation, eyes almost always on her chest or waist. "I would not ever even dream of losing it."

Blodhgarm nodded and smiled. "I am glad that you enjoyed it. So then I have you're permission to it again?" Nasuada smiled also. "You have

my order to do it again." Blodhgarm twisted his hand in the elves simply of respect and said, "I look forward to seeing you again with no cloths

on." And then the mirror cleared. Blodhgarm sighed and stood. It was then that he straightened and smelled the air. Then his eyes turned

towards where Eragon was watching him through the wall. He let out a near hiss of surprise. Then, with the speed of an elfish arrow, he stood

outside, glaring at Eragon. "What do you think you're doing?" Eragon stood to his full height, which put him about an inch taller then the elf. "I

could ask you the same thing. What do you think you're doing?" The elf snarled. "Why were you spying on us?" Eragon shock his head. "Are

you going to answer all my questions with another question?" Blodhgarm snarled again. "You have no right to spy on us like you did." Eragon

had to fight the urge to laugh. "Oh, really, to the best of my memory you were telling Arya, about a week ago, that she had betrayed her kind

by mating with me. Yet here find evidence of the theory that Arya made up." Blodhgarm turned his head. "Just drop it, okay Eragon. Ask

Nasuada later if you wish." Eragon shrugged.

"And speaking of the love of my life, where is Arya?" He shrugged. "I am not sure." They left the house they were in and found that she was

waiting for them outside on her horse. She smiled when Eragon came into view. He smiled back. Of all the people he had ever meet, Arya was

by far the one he cared for the most. They started to ride at there usual pace, which was a brisk trot. They couldn't do more then that due to

Arya and the sharp pains she received when she moved to quickly. And now they were walking through the trees of Ellesmera. Eragon's dread

grew as they closed in on the huge tree that made up Izlanzadi's home. In less then five minutes they entered in the queens' throne room. Ten

noble elves stood sitting on either side of a twenty foot table and at its head sat the queen of the elves. Izlanzadi. As one the 11 elves turned

their noble faces towards the 2 elves and the 1 elf human standing in the door way. Arya, Blodhgarm, and Eragon all went down on one knee.

Izlanzadi said, "Rise Eragon and Arya." As he stood Eragon noticed how Blodhgarm looked pleased with himself. He obviously expected

Izlanzadi would be in an outrage over her daughter. Izlanzadi stood with a flow of her clock. "I have heard for several days now of your

upcoming birth. Are the rumors true?" Arya nodded. "They are, mother." Izlanzadi closed her eyes. Eragon looked over and saw that

Blodhgarm's eyes said, "Yes! Finally! I've been waiting for this all week!" Then to Eragon's utter astonishment, Izlanzadi rushed at Arya and

hugged her like a mother did her daughter. "Oh daughter I am so proud of you." Looking sidelong at Blodhgarm he saw that the elf looked as if

he could not understand what was going on. Arya herself seemed a bit taken aback. Blodhgarm let out a hiss of outrage. "What? You do not

plan on punishing her?"

Izlanzadi looked at him. "No I do not. My daughter has returned to Du Weldenvarden, and has shown us once again that she is independent to

an extreme. And that she could rather be loved then be thought highly of." Then she turned her gaze onto Eragon, and he felt like he was a

rabbit on the ground, and she an eagle in the sky, watching him. "I assume that you are the father?" Eragon nodded his head. "That I am, Your

Majesty." Izlanzadi let go of Arya and faced Eragon. Her fists tightened and he was afraid that she was going to hurt him. Then she relaxed.

"Well I will not make much of it. Come, my daughter to my room where we may talk. And Eragon I assume you would want to talk to Oromis and

Glaedr. After you are done with that you know where you're room is." And then with Arya she departed. The queen was right. He did want to

talk to Oromis, so he walked out of the tree, past a furious Blodhgarm, and ran to the Crags of Telnear. When he got there he looked up at the

crags, nearly a mile up. Then he slowed his breathing and then said, "Risa!" He began to float up. Ten minutes later he alighted upon the top.