(A.N.) Thank you, yet again, to all the very loyal fans I have out there (PjRock14, Dessert Maniac, Elvendiath, LinkGirl101 [who reviewed both ch.12 and 13], and wolfpackof1). Thanks for reviewing ch.12 + 13. As I wrote this chapter my mind was thinking ahead towards the end and how I would like to write it. Not including this chapter, there will be another filler chapter with possible fluff and random stuff and then things will get very serious. I still don't see this story going past 16 or 17 chapters.

Eragon and Arya's relationship deepens (but no lemons yet :P) and major plot development comes in this update.

Onward!

(Standard Disclaimer Applies)

Ch.13

Arya

She was glad the cold months had passed by quickly. It was not something that she was used to, or fond of for that matter. She shifted her weight to one side and folded her arms across her chest as she listened to Nasuada speak.

"I hope you all have enjoyed these few months of rest. I can certainly say that I have, and I am sure that many of the soldiers would agree." Nasuada said. She wore an elegant dark shirt with brown leggings and long leather boots. A long curved sword rested at her hip.

Eragon nodded in agreement to Nasuada's statement and Arya's eyes shifted to him. She knew that Eragon had suffered from nightmares, but she also knew that they had stopped once she had she had returned her feelings to him; that and when she starting sharing a bed with him. She assumed that, given the circumstances, Eragon's mind would be rid of the nightmares. But now Arya was not so sure. Lately, Eragon had been waking up in his sleep, sweating and breathing hard. She had noticed, she always noticed, but chose not to say anything. Mostly due to the fact that Eragon was not waking up screaming or flailing his body as he used to do. So what could be bothering him now? And why has he chosen not so share this with her?

"It is time to look forward." Nasuada continued. "We will spend the next few days going over our plans to attack Uru'Baen. Eragon, Arya, Blodhgarm, Roran and Jormundur," She eyed each person as she spoke, "I will need to speak with you in private."

Arya nodded and watched all those whose name was not called, leave Nasuada's tent. Nasuada took a seat in her plush chair and motioned for everyone to take a seat.

"I wanted to speak with you all alone because you are my most trusted soldiers and leaders." Nasuada said to everyone. "The fact that the laughing dead showed up at the battle of Dras Leona has proven to be a problem." She continued. "Their presence begs the question of whether Galbatorix knew we would be attacking his city at that time, and if that is true then we have an even bigger problem."

"You think there's a spy among us?" Eragon asked.

Nasuada nodded. "I do. It wouldn't surprise me; after all we have spies in the city of Uru-Baen." Everyone nodded. "As such, I would like to discuss our battle plans with you five individuals only. Our other commanders will be informed of our plans on the day of battle."

Eragon frowned. "That is a risky move. We need our commanders to be well informed before the battle so they can work with their troops."

Nasuada looked at Roran. "That is something I will have your cousin work on. Roran, you will be in charge of explaining to all the commanders of our plans on the morning of battle. As well as giving them orders on the battle field itself, since you will know exactly what our plan will be."

Roran nodded. "Good." Nasuada said as she stood. "Then we will meet here tonight to begin working on plans to take the black castle, and every night until we are fully prepared to attack."

Nasuada dismissed everyone. Eragon stood up and walked over to his cousin. As they began to converse, Arya stood up and left the tent to wait for Eragon.

As he exited the tent he had a small smile on his face, but it disappeared as he Arya frowning at him.

"Is everything alright?" He asked her.

Arya sighed and closed her eyes. "How have you been sleeping lately, Eragon?" She asked him.

He looked momentarily surprised by her question, but his eyes soften. "Arya, it is not what you think. I am not having nightmares."

"And when were you going to tell me about these dreams? You have been waking up constantly every night, breathing heavily and sweating." Arya replied, he voice increasing slightly as she did. They had moved away from Nasuada's tent now, and away from unwanted attention.

Eragon blinked twice. He was obvious taken back by her reaction, because Arya was too. She didn't know why this was bothering her so much. She did not express such childish human emotions like this. But when it came to Eragon, she realized that she did, in fact, act much differently around him. She folded her arms and waited for an explanation from him.

"I will show you, come." He replied. Eragon took Arya's hand and walked towards their tent.

Eragon

Arya's behavior was extremely surprising to Eragon. He did not except her to act this way.

"And what way did you except her to act? Detached? You should be happy that she cares enough to worry about you like this and not ignore her companion." Saphira argued.

"True…still, it's just not…Arya." Eragon replied.

He could feel Saphira's agreement. "You are right little one; this is a new Arya that we are seeing, just like the Arya you saw at the river."

Eragon's cheeks grew red as he felt heat flood his face. Had his mind been open to Saphira when he had bathed that day? He could feel Saphira's amusement, but she said nothing. As they neared their tent, Eragon walked over to Saphira and pulled out Glaedr's Eldunari. Arya looked at him oddly but he said nothing and entered their tent. She followed him and just stared at him as he sat on their cot.

"What are you doing?" She asked him.

Eragon looked up at Arya. "About my dream…I think it means something. I wanted to show it Glaedr and see if he knows something about it."

Arya was silent for a moment. "I see." She finally said, taking a seat next to him.

"I will show the dream to all three of you." Eragon said, smiling back at her.

Arya only smiled back and Eragon wondered if she was still upset with him. He dismissed the thought and slowly extended his mind to the golden orb.

"Yes Eragon…what is it?" Glaedr's voice reverberated through Eragon's mind.

"Master, I wanted to show you something. Could please take a look at a dream that has been troubling me?" Eragon asked.

There was a few seconds of silence before Glaedr replied. "A dream? Of what nature is this…dream?" He asked, slightly confused by his students request.

"It's similar to the dream I had before I met Arya, if you remember how I had somehow scryed her in my sleep." Eragon replied.

Again there was few seconds of silence before the great dragon replied. "Then show me, Eragon."

Eragon nodded and closed his eyes. Bringing up the memory in his head, he extended his mind out to Saphira, Arya and Glaedr. Once the memory faded, Eragon opened his eyes to see Arya staring at him with even more confusion that before.

"You think this dream has some meaning?" She asked, not unkindly.

Eragon nodded. "There must be a reason for it; why else would I have the same dream over and over again?" He asked her.

"I believe I have an explanation." Glaedr replied.

Surprise and excitement took over Eragon's face. "Really?!"

"I do. What you saw Eragon, was Doru Araeba; more specifically, Vroengard. How you were able to dream of the capitol of the dragon riders is beyond me. My guess would be that some magic is at work here." Glaedr replied. He seemed sad at mentioned the ruined capitol.

"What about the cave I saw? And the woman?" Eragon pressed.

"I cannot say anything about woman, that remains a mystery. The rest it what confuses me. I know exactly where that cave leads to, but what bothers me is why, when you mentioned the Rock of Kuthian to me so many months ago, I could not remember its location or anything about it." Glaedr replied.

Eragon sucked in a breath of air. "You mean…that cave leads to the Rock of Kuthian? Then we can find the Vault of Souls!" Eragon shouted in excitement.

"The journey to Vroengard is dangerous Eragon, are you sure you want to go?" Glaedr warned.

"I have to. Solumbums words of finding a weapon under Menoa Tree were true. He'll be right about this too. It's our best chance to defeat Galbatorix. We must go!" Eragon exclaimed.

"Very well, we should leave as soon as we can." Glaedr replied.

"We will go at first light." Eragon replied.

"I will come with you." Arya suddenly said.

"No, you need to stay here." Eragon replied.

Arya furrowed her eyebrows, her temper rising slightly. "Eragon, how many times do I need to tell you that I am more than capable of—"

"I do not tell you to stay before I am worried you will get hurt!" Eragon almost yelled.

Arya blinked twice, Eragon rarely ever got angry

Eragon sighed. "I am sorry, I did not mean to get angry. I only meant that you need to stay here, with Varden. I do not know how long this journey will take and the army could move on Uru'Baen by that time. They will need a strong warrior like you to help lead them, Arya." Eragon had turned his body to face her now.

"Eragon…" Arya whispered. "Eragon is right, Arya. Lady Nasuada and the Varden will need you to fight with them if this journey proves to be a long one. Eragon and Saphira will also need to find their true names, which could also take some time. It is also a task that they must complete on their own." Glaedr replied.

"Forgive me. I did not understand your meaning." Arya said to Eragon.

Eragon smiled and grasped her hand. "There is nothing to forgive, Arya." Eragon said in the ancient language.

Eragon could feel Glaedr's conscience leave his mind and fall back into his Eldunari. "We shall leave at first light…" His voice echoed through Eragon's mind before Glaedr had closed his mind off to them.

"We found it little one's; The Vault of Souls!" Saphira said happily as she stuck her snout into their tent. Eragon chuckled and watched as Arya extended her hand to touch Saphira's large nose. Saphira's throat rumbled in satisfaction and Arya scratched her nose gently.

Eragon laid back down the cot, overwhelmed with excitement at his success in finding the Rock of Kuthian. "I hope we can find something useful…" Eragon said out loud.

Arya gave him a weak smile and lowered her body on top of his. "You have come so far Eragon, do not let such thoughts bother you. I know you will succeed, as you always have." She whispered to him as she stroked his face.

"Arya…" Eragon smiled at her. He propped himself up on one elbow and took her face in his free hand, kissing her lightly on the lips.

Eragon began to pull away slowly, but Arya didn't seem to want to stop. She leaned into him and kissed him with a bit more force than he had. Eragon chuckled through a kiss and wrapped his arms around Arya, pulling her closer to his body. Arya moaned lightly as her chest pressed against Eragon's and she ran her hands through his hair.

Eragon broke off suddenly and looked at her. "You seem to be in a good mood." He laughed.

Arya blinked twice. "I-I am sorry, I don't know why I'm acting this way." She said.

Eragon furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean? We are doing nothing wrong."

Arya shook her head. "It's not that…it's just…" She trailed off and when she did not finish her sentence, Eragon decided to press the issue.

"It's just what?" He asked. He was looking up at her face, with her long raven black hair spilling over his chest.

Arya bit her lip. "It's just…well I have not experienced such emotions and…pleasures before you Eragon. Every time we kiss, I want you more and more, but I know that we cannot progress our relationship further yet."

Eragon was becoming more and more confused by the second. Was Arya saying that she wanted to…do that?

"Of course she's saying that you blockhead!" Saphira yelled at him.

Eragon blushed crimson red. "Saphira! This is not the time to be in my thoughts!" He chastised her.

Saphira grumbled but withdrew her mind from his. Eragon cleared his throat. "Arya, I do not what you to feel as though you must go through with something like that. You know I would never force you to do something that you do not want to." Eragon said, smiling at her.

Arya smiled back at him. "I know Eragon. That is why…why I love you..."

Eragon's eyes widened. "A-Arya…you love me?!" He asked, totally in shock.

"Is it so hard to believe?" She said in the ancient language. "I love you, Eragon-Shadeslayer." She repeated.

Eragon felt like he could literally fly. It was the single most amazing feeling he had felt since his mind connected with Saphira's.

"I love you to, Arya." Eragon said to her in the ancient language.

Arya's melodic laughter filled their tent. "I know Eragon, I know."

Arya

She found herself once again in Nasuada's tent, listening to her go on about a tactical approach to begin their assault on the black castle. "I liked the idea that Eragon had at Dras Leona. If we can get a small group of well trained, strong soldiers to infiltrate the castle while the Varden army attacks then we can at least keep Galbatorix occupied and not focusing his attention on the army. I was thinking that Eragon, Arya and Blodhgarm would be perfect for the job." She finished, turning to the three individuals.

There was a few seconds of silence before Eragon spoke. "I am sorry Lady Nasuada, but there is a chance that I will not be with the army when you begin the attack."

Nasuada's eyes widened. "What? Why?!" She almost yelled.

"Peace." Eragon replied. "The reason for my absence is of the utmost importance. It is something that Saphira, Glaedr and myself must do. Believe me, I would not go unless I felt that the fate of this entire land and its people depended on it." He said reassuringly.

It looked like, for a moment, that Nasuada was about to argue with Eragon, but the glint in her eyes went away and she relaxed her face. "Very well, Eragon. Can you at least tell me when and where you are going?" She asked him.

Eragon nodded. "I can. I leave for Doru Araeba at first light to the ruins of Vroengard."

"Vroengard?" Nasuada repeated. "What could possibly be there that could help you?"

Eragon sighed. "Trust me, what I seek will help me. I know it." "At least I hope it will." "It is difficult to explain, but I promise to meet you on the journey to the black castle or in battle."

Nasuada did not look happy, but there was little she could do about the current situation. She turned to Arya. "And will you be going with him?"

Arya shook her head. "I am not. I will stay here to aid you in battle." Arya felt a tingle of disappointment in her mind. She wanted to go with Eragon, but she understood it was something he and Saphira had to do on their own.

Nasuada sighed in relief. "Well that is good. We will need you, Arya." Nasuada said to her.

The group spent the next hour going over details that had been given to them by one of the spies deep within the city via a runner that was sent to meet him outside of the walls. At the conclusion of their meeting Arya watched as Roran approached Eragon.

"You be careful cousin, I know how you have a knack for trouble." Roran joked.

Eragon laughed. "You and me both cousin. Don't win the war without me alright?" Eragon grinned.

Roran snorted. "You don't have to worry about that Eragon. After all, you are the only one who can defeat that evil king."

Eragon's lips twitched into a small smile. "I only hope that I will be strong enough to defeat him, everyone is depending on it." He said, placing a hand on Roran's shoulder.

Arya knew Roran could not see it, but she saw the look of disappointment that passed across Eragon's face. There he went again, doubting himself. As Eragon said his fair wells before leaving, Arya watched as everyone wished him a good journey and good luck.

As Eragon left Nasuada's tent, Arya slowly followed him, taking his hand in hers as they walked back to their tent.

(A.N.) Sorry for the short chapter. It's all I could think about to write in this one. As I said, major plot development is on the way! Also, now that Eragon has left for Doru Araeba, I will be writing some Roran POV in the next few chapters so let me know if you guys like that or not.

Until next time!

Demonzmagic