Here is chapter 3… Hope you like it!

Thank you very very much to Eragon Bromsson who reviewed both chapters! And thank you to Aussie surfer who also reviewed!

Sorry for the long time between updates but life is still a problem… to many things to do and not nearly enough time…

So Arya is starting to break down a bit and is slowly losing control of her long-banished emotions and Islanzadi is worried and confused.

Italics are flashbacks, dialogue or thoughts

Disclaimer: Ahum… this is Fanfiction not the actual book. Did someone miss this somehow?

From Chapter 2

Her eyes slowly filled with tears against her will and before long they overflowed, trickling down her cheeks as almost-suppressed sobs shook her small body. Eventually sleep took her and she drifted into a dreamless sleep.

Troubled Islanzadi extinguished the lamps and dropped a soft kiss on Arya's brow before gliding silently out of Arya's apartment, leaving a note on a small table near the door.

Just because

She comes off strong,

Doesn't mean she doesn't

Go to bed crying.

And even though she acts

Like everything is fine

Maybe

Just maybe

She's really good at lying

Arya POV

Arya awoke and rose much the same as the morning before and was on her was on her way out of her rooms when she saw a note on the small table by the main door to her rooms. Confused she opened the note to find it blank bar a small sentence that her parents would tell her every night before she went to sleep and was part of an elven legend "I do not know beneath what sky or on what sea shall be thy fate. I only know it shall be high. I only know it shall be great." written in strong cursive. Dropping the note back onto the table she turned and left her rooms as fast as she could. She ran into the forest itself and took the smallest and least used trails she knew, to get to the training grounds without being seen.

Shortly before the training grounds she slowed to a reasonable pace and pushed all unwanted thoughts to the back of her mind. Stopping on the edge of the crowded training grounds she scanned them for an elf that would be a suitable challenge to spar with. After a few moments of contemplation she strode over to an elf named Sihlarn whom she had not spared with for many years and who was an excellent swordsman. As she reached him she greeted him politely and asked if he would like to spar with her. As she was the princess and known to be very good with swords asking was a mere formality. He naturally accepted and they blocked their swords, moving into different starting stances.

As the first move was made Arya became completely absorbed in the duel and they started to move in a fierce dance, starting off slowly to warm up but before long, both swords were moving through the air at lightning speed. Slashing and blocking, parrying and thrusting she was unaware of little but the two swords around her. Unaware of the crowd of elves gathering around their princess and one of the best swordsmen in Alagaesia, the duel eventually ended over three hours later with Arya crouching on the ground Sihlarn's sword hovering above her heart while her sword pointed at the his neck, who was bent down on one knee. They were both out of breath and covered with sweat while the crowd -which by now included most of the inhabitants of Ellesmera- stood in shock, as many were aware that Arya was very good but they had no idea that she was almost better than Sihlarn.

As Arya's breathing slowed and evened out, she became aware of the crowd around them she exchanged the usual pleasantries with Sihlarn saying, "Thank you, it has been many a season since I have had the pleasure of sparing with such a skilled opponent as you." She then turned to the crowd and waited for the inevitable questions from the shocked elves who were staring at her almost reverently. The crowd murmured but when no one actually said anything directly to Arya she started walking and the elves parted before her, forming a path to the edge of the training grounds where Arya disappeared into the trees leaving a large group of confused and still stunned elves staring after their princess.

Islanzadi POV

Islanzadi was in the war room an hour after sunset, looking over maps and statistics when Daethr entered with a knock, bow and the usual greetings. He had a strange look on his face and after looking at the maps for a while he finally asked "How much do you know about Arya's skills with the sword?" Islanzadi stood puzzled for a moment before replying "She is competent at the very least. I have not seen her practise since she was 30, I imagine that she has improved. Why?" Daethr stayed quiet for a few moments before responding, "This morning she went to the training grounds and spared with Sliharn… it ended in a draw… After almost four hours." "Four hours? With Sliharn? Is she truly that good?" "Yes she is. I was called to watch it about an hour after it started; most of Ellesmera watched at least part of the duel."

Islanzadi heard this with disbelief and sank into a nearby chair, when her daughter started learning the sword she had struggled but once she learnt the basics she had shown her natural talent and quickly picked up what she was taught, but she never imagined that Arya would become one of the best! Daethr continued "Her technique is incredible, reflexes are excellent and she displayed some moves that have never been seen before. I imagine that she was even better before her capture as she would not have had anyone challenging to spar with since her guards were killed." Islanzadi nodded and thanked Daethr for informing her and moved the conversation to the Varden and the training needed to properly prepare the elven warriors for battles that they had not participated in for one hundred years, all the while her mind spinning with the new information that she had just received about her daughter.

Arya POV

Arya left the training grounds and began running, her feet carrying her easily and smoothly along maze of the paths in and around Ellesmera, while her mind buzzed with thoughts. Eventually she left her thoughts and became aware of where her feet had carried her. She was about 5 miles away from the centre off Ellesmera, in an area that was quite isolated, an area that very few elves even knew about, and those that did rarely went there. Before long, she entered a clearing with a clear pool, about 30 feet wide. The pool was filled by a cascading waterfall about 10 feet high and from experience Arya knew that the waterfall hid a rather large cave that held a path at the back which led to the top of the waterfall.

As she walked over the smooth water, long past memories filled her mind. Running through Du Weldenvarden…Hearing laughter behind her… slowing down to turn around…Seeing Faolin following her…Tripping over a root and falling onto soft grass as Faolin caught up to her and fell down next to her and grasping her hand… Lying on the ground, next to the large pool as Faolin murmured sweet words in her ear before he stood and picked her up, threatening to throw her into the water...

Shaking her head to clear her head she hesitated before stripping down to her undergarments and diving into the deep part of the pool, relishing the feel of the cool water on her skin, still hot from the duel and from her run. She drifted to the surface and took a deep breath, returning to the bottom where she grasped some reeds and lay on a rock, eyes closed feeling the water around her, caressing her body and for a moment, she could believe that Faolin was lying next to her.

Eventually, when her lungs ran out of air, she opened her eyes and pushed off the bottom as hard as she could, flying up and out of the pool, managing a flip in the air before re-entering the water with a splash. Returning to the surface and floating on her back, she gasped for breath as she took in the changes to the trees around the pool since she was there last- with Faolin. The trees were a little bigger, a few more animals were living in them, but the changes were barely noticeable, almost as unchanged as if she had been here with Faolin, laughing and swimming, only the day before.

She flipped over and swam towards the waterfall, and the cave. She dove under the waterfall and entered the cave, pulling herself out of the water and onto the smooth stone floor where the had spent so many hours together, talking, kissing or just sitting quietly sharing thoughts in each others mind. Here, away from everyone and completely hidden from the world Arya let all her masks drop and sat, hugging her knees mourning her mate for the first time since his death.

Islanzadi POV

After Islanzadi finished talking to Daethr about 2 hours after he arrived, she headed straight for Arya's rooms only to find them dark and empty. Standing in the dark sitting room, she decided to wait for Arya to return so she turned on a lamp and sat down on the couch with a scroll of elven tales found in Arya's study. An hour later, she was awoken abruptly by the sound of the main door opening and then closing a few seconds later. Arya entered the sitting room looking immaculate -hair glossy and smooth, falling in a thick waterfall, skin clear and even, clothes neat- suddenly stopping in shock, near the doorway when she saw her mother on her couch and as she dropped her glamour.

In the few seconds it took Arya to re-cast the glamour spell Islanzadi saw her true appearance –her hair was tangled and matted, eyes red and cheeks blotchy and her clothes were wrinkled and covered with mud, dirt and leaves. Islanzadi released a gasp and began to ask Arya what had happened to her when she was cut off "Mother, I apologise for not being present when you arrived. I hope you have not been here long, is there something that I can do for you?" Restraining emotions and masks dropping in place, mother and daughter studied each other before Islanzadi eventually said. "I heard about your duel this morning and I came to ask some questions as it caused quite a stir around Ellesmera. Everyone has been shocked and astounded by the unknown skill with swords that their princess has… but it is rather late now so I shall not keep you from sleep and keep my questions to myself until tomorrow."

Arya inclined her head and replied, "As you wish" as Islanzadi stood up and began to leave. When Islanzadi reached Arya, she stopped and cupped her cheek, looking into her daughter's eyes and murmured, "I do not know beneath what sky or on what sea shall be thy fate. I only know it shall be high. I only know it shall be great." "Pleasant dreams be with you." Islanzadi dropped her hand and swept from the rooms, leaving Arya alone and confused.

Arya POV

The day was already half over by the time Arya stirred and tentatively opened her eyes, the previous night after Islanzadi had left it had taken her several hours to untangle her hair and clean her clothes. Once everything was clean and back to normal, she had stored all of her remaining energy in her diamond ring- which wasn't very much- causing her to pass out on her bed. She got up and walked around her apartment, looking for anything strange or out of place and like the previous morning she found a folded note on the table by the door. She strode over to the table and hesitantly opened it, letting out a relieved sigh when she saw that it was merely from Orik, requesting that she visit him when she could.

She dressed and bathed, before setting off to visit Orik. She found him sitting in a corner, writing furiously, in the Main Tialdari Hall. As she walked towards him, he looked up and greeted her with a huge smile that made her give him a small smile in return. He stored his writing somewhere and she began to show him around the gardens and they fell into simple, easy conversation.

Orik was her oldest, living, actual friend from the Varden and she was pleased to be able to spend some time with him. Eventually though, the conversation turned to her duel the morning before and her heritage. Orik was very surprised of how little know her talents with sword were known and the amazement of the elves had kept him amused for the rest of the day, as there was little talk of anything else. When he prodded slightly at her heritage, she gave him a brief explanation and the topic was left for another time.

She left Orik several hours later, talking to an elf making a sculpture of a tree from metal and returned to her rooms to eat and read, falling asleep just after sunset on the sofa in the sitting room.

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