Eragon walked down the dirt path, Arya wrapped tightly around him, contemplating everything that had happened to him in the past few hours. Two days ago he would never have believed that Saphira was in heat or that Arya held a passion for him, and yet here he was, walking to his needing dragon with the woman of his fantasies nestled warmly under him. The notion of Arya's love was intriguing for him; it did not upset him, but he wondered why she would reject him for so long, forcing him through immense emotional pain, and then admit her love for him when he had finally stopped pursuing her, at least outside of his mind. Eragon felt slightly hurt by this, but not enough that he could refuse his feelings for her.
They walked on towards Saphira's location in silence, enjoying the intimacy of their current position. Eragon was certain that Arya could easily have healed the wounds she had received during her fight with Galbatorix's horde of the Laughing Dead, for she was definitely stronger than him, and even he felt like he would be able to heal her, but he believed she was simply looking for an excuse to get close to him. He enjoyed the position they were in, so he didn't complain. Though Eragon's mind was still clouded from the blow he received, he managed to vaguely sense Saphira's presence in a clearing around a bend in the road.
As he thought about what might occur in the next few hours between Saphira and him, Eragon felt a great number of feelings intertwine within him, the most dominant of which were fear and uncertainty, though they were insignificant compared to another, more powerful sensation. He could not tell for certain, but he thought it was longing. He had no idea what it might mean or why he was feeling such a way. Recently, Eragon noticed that his feelings began to make less and less sense. It seemed improbable that he would be able to interpret it, so he decided not to dwell on it. The two of them rounded the turn and immediately halted.
Eragon winced as a deafening roar broke the previous silence, amplified by his elven senses. He was forced to release Arya from his grasp so he could clap his hands over his ears, though it did little to alleviate the intensity of the sound. Looking up, he could see nothing but a blur of sapphire shades rocketing towards them. There was no time to think of how to avoid the projectile. The force collided with the two of them, and Eragon was thrown backwards from the sheer velocity of the impact. He landed violently on his back and slid backward a few feet before grinding to stop. Pain encompassed his entire body, and he struggled to regain a standing position. Unable to do so, he remained in a low crouch. Eragon directed his attention to whatever had knocked him over and beheld Saphira, who had pinned Arya under one large paw and was glaring at her like a hawk eyes its prey, razor-sharp teeth displayed. A vicious snarl permeated the air, and Saphira's intent was made painstakingly clear. Angela's words about how Saphira's behavior would escalate rang throughout Eragon's mind, and he knew something had to be done before she hurt someone. He assembled words in the ancient language as fast as he could, knowing that every second counted.
As the last words of the phrase escaped Eragon's lips, Saphira's body tensed and struggled against some unseen force. She was edged away from Arya by Eragon's spell, which proceeded to hold Saphira in place, despite her struggles. After a fierce bout of resistance, she relented and lied motionless several feet from where Arya was. Saphira seemed to immediately calm down and, with a sigh, she adopted a sullen expression. Eragon felt sorry for her, but before he went to her, he remembered that Arya was just attacked and probably needed more assistance than Saphira did. He looked over to Arya and saw that she had risen to her feet. She somehow managed to display the cold, emotionless expression that Eragon had so often associated with her. Even for an elf, Eragon found this an impressive feat; few people could even be in the presence of a dragon and remain composed. She had just been assaulted by one, and she looked as though nothing had happened. Eragon slowly rose with a grunt and took a step towards her, but stopped when she held up a hand to stop him.
"I'm fine, Eragon. I'll just head back towards the camp; Nasuada likely needs me with preparations for the move. I will, perhaps, see you later tonight," a hint of her earlier emotions at the edge of her tone. "Besides," she added in a whisper Eragon could barely hear, "I don't think it would be wise for you to show any affection towards me with her around. She doesn't seem to take too kindly to it." Eragon was confused by Arya's ability to suddenly conclude something like that about Saphira, but before he could form a question to ask her she had already walked away.
Arya's fluctuating emotions seemed very odd to Eragon. Something is going on with her. These apparently random changes in her behavior are not normal. Perhaps Saphira's attack affected her more than I was led to believe. He sat there, stupefied, for several minutes until he heard a soft whimper and realized that he had forgotten to tend to Saphira. Concern for her state of mind coursed through him as he walked towards her. Remembering what had just transpired, he angled his path so as to avoid Saphira's mighty jaws. He was fairly certain she bore him no ill will, but it wouldn't hurt to be cautious. That and he felt slightly fearful of her after seeing her attack. He had no idea what her aspirations for the assault were, but if he had to guess Eragon would agree with Arya; it likely had something to do with Arya's show of affection. When Eragon gently placed a hand on the aft end of her side, she shuddered and let out an almost inaudible moan. Eragon disregarded the sound, though he thought for a brief moment about what it could have meant before concluding that it probably meant nothing. He reached out with his mind, but found that it was still gridlocked, and he could not initiate contact with his dragon. Turning his head to meet one of her somber eyes, Eragon began to speak.
"Saphira, as you've probably figured out, I can't hear your thoughts as you can't hear mine, but that does not mean I can't speak to you. Listen, I'm sorry for how I've neglected you these past few days. I know how you've been feeling, and it really hurts me to know that I've done nothing about it. I have no idea if you know this or not, but you're in heat." Saphira shifted slightly and her facial expression briefly showed what Eragon thought was surprise, though she quickly masked it, returning to her dull gaze. "I didn't know until a few hours ago, and I would have found out sooner if I gave you the attention you deserve. It's just that Arya has been on my mind recently." At the mention of Arya, Saphira's eyes hardened and she let out a low growl. All the anger and fury he had seen moments before returned as a moderate plume of smoke billowed out of her nostrils while she exposed her teeth. Hoping to change the subject, Eragon continued. "I hold nothing against you for what transpired a few moments ago; I'm sure you had your reasons. Besides, I know you're not yourself right now. You won't be, either, until someone does something about it. So here's my idea: I will go back to the Varden's camp, get my pack, and come out here to spend the night with you."
Her eyes widened and gave off an expression of utter shock as she grasped his meaning. The rage he had seen in her eyes suddenly disappeared and gave way to a very questioning expression, almost as if she didn't believe what had just been said. Eragon was unsure where he had gotten his proposal from, but he supposed it would have to be done at some point. And better sooner than later. Saphira attempted to stand, but found that she was still pinned by Eragon's spell. Seeing this, he released the enchantment and watched as she rose.
"So, what do you say?" Eragon asked after she had gotten up. She swiveled around and faced him while lowering her head so that their eyes were completely level with each other. For a long of time, she glared at him, searching him, though for what Eragon knew not. His gaze never left Saphira, and he took the time to really observe her. Thousands of her stunning scales glistened under the sun, giving off an image of beauty unparalleled in all of Alagaësia. Eragon always thought that she looked magnificent in the sunlight. He began to analyze Saphira's gaze. While her eyes were definitely of a questioning nature, he could have sworn that he saw a glimmer of hope in them, though it might have just been his imagination. Eventually her investigative eyes transformed into ones of joy. She slowly bobbed her massive head, mimicking the human custom.
"All right, then. I'll go down to the camp. You stay here, and I shall return here in a few hours," Eragon said as he turned and walked down the path he had come from. As he progressed through the trail, he began to wonder what he was going to do when he returned. He didn't know much more than the basic concepts of mating with a woman, and trying anything with Saphira was going to be much more of a challenge than if it were with any other person.
After a lengthy and ponderous stroll, Eragon finally reached the outer perimeter of the Varden's camp. During his time in the forest, the barriers that had constricted his mind were gradually lifted. By the time he could finally sense his surroundings again, Saphira was too far away to converse with. Eragon concluded that they would have enough time for talking later on in the night anyway, so he continued to walk until the entirety of the camp came into view. Though the sun was beginning to set, the entire grounds buzzed with activity; people moved to and fro in an attempt to gather all of their belongings for nightfall, when the Varden would move out of the forest in the cover of night.
Eragon was greeted by Nasuada, who stood impatiently by the side of a guard post. Upon seeing him, she walked over at a brisk pace. "Where have you been?" she demanded as she jabbed a finger into Eragon's chest. "We are leaving in a few hours, and you're off lollygagging in the woods. That was completely irresponsible. You haven't even started to collect your possessions, and that alone could take more time than we have! Also, where is Saphira? I haven't seen her since the battle, and—" Nasuada was cut off as Eragon threw up his hands in an attempt to silence her.
"Please Nasuada, let me speak. I have been very preoccupied recently with personal matters." Nasuada was about to let loose a comeback, but Eragon cut her off before she could. "As for the specifics, it would be best if it was left out of conversation. Anyway, I'm sure that if you want to know more, you could ask Arya. I don't know how much information she'll be willing to give, but you could try all the same. As for my belongings, I'll gather them on my own time. You should not worry about my preparedness; I will be staying behind tonight."
A look of disbelief covered Nasuada's face. "What? Why would you feel this necessary? How could you possibly justify this? Eragon, the Varden needs you; why would you leave us in such a crucial moment? What if we're attacked while we're moving? We would be completely defenseless. For that matter, what if the Empire follows us and comes across you? Nothing is more important than you staying alive, Eragon." Her interrogations in such a manner for some time, though Eragon paid little attention to it.
When Nasuada had finally finished her string of accusative questions, Eragon said, "Nasuada, take solace in the knowledge that it is imperative that I stay here tonight. If you still demand answers tomorrow, which you probably will, I will share this information with you, but not until then. For now, however, I must leave, and please do not hinder me any further. Time is of the essence."
Nasuada gazed into Eragon's eyes, and Eragon thought she must have observed something in that moment, for a look of sympathy came over her, and she protested no more. She stepped aside and gestured to the inside of the camp. Eragon gave her a quick nod and then started a light jog towards his tent. He paid little attention to his surroundings; the only thing on his mind was his speed and his destination. Every moment was another in which Saphira's emotions welled up, and if he took much longer than he already had, they might boil over and she might suspect that Eragon had abandoned her in the clearing. To him, that was one of the worst possible things that could happen.
Eragon finally saw the opening to his tent and quickened his pace. After he had made sure there was nothing dangerous inside of his shelter, he entered. Once inside, he immediately set to work preparing his pack. While gathering his belongings, he had some time to think. His thoughts remained almost entirely focused on Saphira. It was a mystery how far this situation was going to go, or for how long. Eragon's feelings were a mottled mess. He knew he loved her, as one might love a blood-relative, but it was a mystery to him if he loved her. Emotions swirled in his head and mixed into one amorphous blob of desires, ideas, and fears. Mostly, however, he felt sorry for Saphira, for she had been alone for quite a long time.
In more ways than one, he thought to himself as he grabbed his pack, in which he had stored some of his most needed possessions. Eragon looked around at some of the items in the tent and decided they were either too unimportant or too large to be carried at that time. I'll just have someone in the Varden take these with them. He then figured that, as long as he was in his tent, he might as well have something to eat as he hadn't consumed anything all day. Saphira would surely understand if I took a few extra minutes to feed myself. Dropping his bag, Eragon got out a small piece of bread and began to nibble away at it as he thought about everything that had gone on in the past day.
Everything was happening so fast, it was almost impossible to keep track of what was going on. Simply thinking about recent events was not the only reason he took his time, however. Secretly, Eragon hoped that, by some miracle, things would resolve themselves this once. It was clearly not going to happen, but that didn't stop him from hoping that something would simply repair Saphira's state without Eragon's interference. His love life was one of the few conflicts to which he could not come up with a solution. Normally he could easily make decisions, making him decisive and efficient. In the case of his feelings, however, there was little he could easily interpret. His problem lied specifically on Saphira. The more he thought about her in general, the more confused he became. Part of him felt like they were destined to be, the other saw her merely as his dragon and mental partner, nothing more. That part of his mind was constantly portraying the idea of a romance with her as an absurd impossibility by proposing multiple reasons why they simply could not be together.
What if I do decide that I wish for us to mate, but her feelings for me are only a part of her heat? Considering how I have never received any hint of intimate love from Saphira, it's quite possible that it's just her condition. If that were the case, then our love would never survive. And even if we do give consent to be together, how would it work out? We're completely different species, and she's much larger than me. That and, if everything's proportional, intercourse would be very unpleasing for the both of us. Fate has cursed us with a large amount of setbacks, but who knows, maybe she will still want to try. What of Arya, though? I don't think I could simply drop her out of my life. With her recent revelation that she held feelings for me, I don't think she would take too kindly to me ignoring her. At the same time, however, it doesn't seem like Saphira would enjoy Arya being with me, regardless of if we choose to become intimate. There would always be a part of her that would resent Arya, and a harbored grudge always leads to violence.
He felt like his love for Arya and whatever he felt for Saphira were going to conflict heavily in the future, and he might have to make a choice between the two at some point. He hoped with all his being that the time for that choice didn't come soon. Still undecided in his endeavor, Eragon ate the rest of his bread, threw his bag over one shoulder and took one last look at the interior of his tent. Deciding that he was prepared enough to return to Saphira, he turned towards the exit and prepared to leave. There stood the last person Eragon had expected, or wanted, to see: Arya.
Saphira sat alone in the clearing, revisiting the still fresh memory of Eragon's plan in her head. Though he did not directly state his intentions at the time, she could assume his meaning. I mustn't think of it, she told herself. What if Eragon has no intention of doing what I think he does? If that were the case, I would only be getting my hopes up. The way he proposed his idea, though, made it seem as if he was alluding to something. Either that or my current condition is getting to me. Eragon's revelation that Saphira had been in heat had caught her off guard. Looking back, she could see all the tell-tale signs of it, though at the time her emotions and desires seemed perfectly natural, almost as if she had felt them for her entire life. Perhaps I have, and they merely required the right conditions to fully display themselves to me. As if to prove that idea,her feelings had become more pronounced recently, especially the two she thought of most; her longing for Eragon and her increasing dislike of Arya.
I don't know what Eragon sees in her, she thought grimly. She has very little physical appeal, even by the standards of beauty set by humans, and those are to the point of disgust. Besides that, she doesn't even have a likable personality. She's always cold and cruel, even to the ones she cares about, which includes Eragon. Just the fact that she neglected him for so long reinforces my point. He deserves someone far better than her; he deserves someone who understands him, who sympathizes with his struggles, who is always there for him, lending a helping hand, never leaving his side. He deserves someone like me.
Saphira was certain that, at least currently, she wanted Eragon as a mate. Saphira did not care if it was simply the heat; she wanted them to be together. The thought of the two of them being more than Rider and dragon filled her with a level of happiness found only during her care-free days with Eragon as a hatchling. But then the Ra'zac, controlled by the Empire, came to Carvahall, ending all of that. The Ra'zac were dead, but the Empire was still a very real and dangerous threat.
Saphira came to a realization; if we were to decide to be lovers, we could never be truly happy until Galbatorix has been defeated. There would always be something in our way to distract us from our relationship until we no longer are tasked with overthrowing the tyranny of this land. Since the egg-smasher is unlikely to perish anytime soon, it is highly probable that my lack of any permanent mate will continue. She continued to think about her doom until she heard a rustling in the distant bushes. The sounds were definitely coming from a human, as few other animals would make such a disturbance in the forest for fear of predators, and fewer still would approach what was unmistakably a dragoness. Saphira's heart lifted slightly. Little one?
To Saphira's dismay, Angela the herbalist made her way out of the thicket, followed by Solembum, who padded along close behind her. "Hello, Saphira," she said, "I had hoped I would find you here."
What are you doing here, Angela? Saphira asked, not unkindly.
"Looking for you, of course. As for why I'm looking for you, let's just say that I like to be where things are happening; and you, my friend, are quite the center of attention as of late."
Saphira was confused by Angela's vague words. What do you mean? Please elaborate, Angela.
The herbalist chuckled softly to herself, seemingly unaware of Saphira's question. Solembum walked past Angela and rubbed against Saphira's side, and she tried her best to ignore him and his purrs of pleasure at being scratched by her scales. Angela pulled a peculiar contraption out of her pack and began to fold it in seemingly random places. Within about a minute, the device had been transformed into a crude chair. She set it on the ground and proceeded to sit in it, gazing at the sun, which had nearly finished its course across the sky. The entire world seemed completely focused on the herbalist, as if it were eagerly awaiting her voice. All was still, and the very air seemed tense. Angela sighed and said, "You know, it's not often a dragon mates nowadays. Let alone with a human."
Saphira was shocked by her words. She cocked her head and, to herself, thought, how could she know if Eragon means to mate with me if I don't even know for myself? There was a tediously long silence in the clearing as she stared at Angela, hoping she would continue and explain how she obtained such knowledge.
"You shouldn't worry so much, Saphira," she eventually said, "I know a great many things. Who do you think told Eragon about your predicament? Do not fret, for everything is going to be fine between the two of you. There is only one thing that should be concerning to you, but I shall refrain from speaking it, for now at least. Perhaps in the coming days I shall tell you." Saphira stared at her, hoping she might tell her what this concerning thing was, but Angela had said as much as she would on that subject, and there was no forcing her to reverse her decision.
At least I finally have a certainty about Eragon; he indeed loves me, at least enough that everything is going to be 'all right', as the herbalist puts it, she thought to herself. This knowledge put to rest a deep doubt that, until then, had told Saphira that Eragon might not even consider her as a lover. But now, that part of her was gone and her feelings could project themselves without fear of being rejected. Solembum stopped rubbing against her side and padded up to look into one of Saphira's eyes.
Be cautious, Saphira Brightscales, both great happiness and great misfortune lie in your path. Dark forces lie in wait behind every corner, whose sole purpose is to cause you harm. If you aren't wary, they will be able to impact you, your cause, and the ones close to you. As Angela has said, you are the center of attention, and the fate of our cause depends on your actions in the time to come. This is simply a matter of staying alive and safe, and it may come to a crucial point in a matter of days. These forces could be watching at any time and may be anywhere, so do not become preoccupied or distracted with any one thing, as it can lead to your downfall. So I say again; be cautious, Saphira. Finished with his ominous warning, he padded over to Angela and mewed softly. The woman looked at him for a moment, and then turned her attention to Saphira.
"You would do well to listen to Solembum's advice. I don't know what he told you— he can be very secretive sometimes— but one should never ignore the words of a werecat. Anyway, I must be off. I don't want to be in plain sight when the fun begins." Smiling to herself, Angela picked up her chair, dismantled it into its former position, and strode off into the woods, though from her words Saphira guessed that she would not travel very far. Solembum followed behind her at a quickened pace, but stopped at the tree line and made one final glance at Saphira before making his way into the forest.
"Where are you going?"
Arya glared at Eragon with her usual expressionless eyes. Eragon remained silent, though it was impossible for him not to hear her question. If Arya were not blocking the only exit, I probably could have just told her something inconsequential and moved along. Now, however, the only way I'm going to get out of here is by giving her answers she finds acceptable. A silence grew between them, until Eragon finally decided on an answer that he might as well try.
"I've just finished packing for the move tonight and I was about to go and see Nasuada. She said that she would have a task for me when I was done here. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be off."
"That was a sore attempt at a lie, Eragon," Arya responded, crossing her arms. Eragon feigned a look of incredulousness, but it seemed to have no effect on her. "I've talked with Nasuada since you've gotten here. She said she was about to give you an assignment, but you claimed to be on a personal errand of the utmost importance. She also noted that there was something in your eyes, your expression, and your very posture that conveyed such a sense of urgency that she let you pass relatively undeterred once she noticed it." She looked him up and down for a brief moment. "I can see what she meant. You seem rushed, as if something depends upon the speed of your actions. I will ask you again, not only as one wishing to give counsel, but as a friend concerned for your welfare; where are you going?"
Eragon searched Arya's expression, searching for any indication of her intentions, but found nothing. He remembered that elves often hide their true intent, and while Arya wouldn't directly harm him, it would still benefit him to know the true reasons why she was questioning him. Not knowing her motives made answering her question all the more difficult. Should I tell her about Saphira? There is no guaranteed reaction I should expect, though several of the possible ones frighten me; not the least of which being her disapproval, coupled with her attempting to convince me to undertake a different approach to the situation. Considering how Saphira reacted to Arya's interference between us earlier, I should avoid provoking Arya into such a decision. However, I don't know of many ways I can convince her to let me leave other than telling the truth.
He considered his options; he could tell her the entire truth, which would be the easiest solution with one of the worst possible outcomes. He could also tell her only part of the truth, but that could lead to her doubting his explanation was the whole truth, which would amplify the severity of whatever he decided not to tell her if it was ever revealed, for it would mean Eragon viewed it as necessary to hide it from her. He disliked this idea because of the repercussions that would surely follow if she concluded that he was not being entirely truthful, which she almost certainly would, given her intellect, so he counted that out. The only other means of evasion he could come up with without wasting any more time thinking about it was to continue lying. That was a foolish plan, and he discerned that, in all likelihood, she would find the actuality of the situation eventually. He sighed and returned from his period of thought, and looked up at Arya.
"All right, I will tell you. But first, I ask that you do not speak of this to anyone until I tell you it is appropriate to do so." She complied, though Eragon noted that she did not speak in the ancient language.
Oh well, he thought to himself. If she tells someone, fine. I don't have the time for an argument about this with her. As long as she doesn't interfere with what has to happen tonight, I guess I'll deal with it later. Eragon reached out with his mind and, once it connected with Arya's, shared the memories of everything that had transpired in the past two days. He was cautious and omitted the short period where he was infatuated with her after his discussion with Nasuada, and instead replaced it with a falsified memory of him simply walking to his tent and lying down and resting. He decided to leave the dream unchanged, though he knew of no reason why he would want to. It just seemed important somehow. After he had shared the memories, starting from events just before his meeting with Nasuada to a few moments ago, he once again closed his mind off to her.
Coming back into reality, Eragon tried to scan Arya for any changes in her expression, and could find none, though it seemed as though she might be sorting through the massive amounts of thoughts, sights, feelings and actions that he had just streamed into her. If anything had changed in her expression, it was that she looked as if something had finally been confirmed, like some hidden piece of information had finally been uncovered that allowed two ideas to finally be welded together.
She looked at him and said, "Eragon, I must ask you another question; what is it that you most desire? From what I have gathered from your memories, you have been teetering on some thin line, unable to make a leap in either direction, for you fear that once you have fallen one way, the other shall remain forever sealed, and you will always wonder about what might have been." He assumed Arya was referring to his love for either her or Saphira. As much as he disliked the idea, he agreed that it was very depictive of his situation; he seemed to lean back and forth between loving either Saphira or Arya, and that he had been in this struggle, albeit unknowingly, for some time.
It almost felt to him like some part of him had always loved Saphira, but until recently it had never been prominent enough for him to actually recognize it as love. Arya, on one hand, was physically compatible with Eragon, though she was often cold and mentally detached from him, and he doubted that that part of her could really change much. On the other hand, Saphira and Eragon shared a mental bond, making their attraction easier and less complicated than with someone like Arya, where their ideologies were, at times, completely different. However, the physical act of loving Saphira seemed nigh impossible.
"I don't know what I desire, Arya. I honestly don't."
"Come now, Eragon, surely you must have some inclination as to what you want to do."
Eragon's voice rose as an argumentative tone crept into it. "It's not about what I want to do. It's about what I need to do. I will not forsake you or Saphira because of what I want to do. I will not let the two most powerful and influential individuals in the Varden become hostile towards each other because of what I want to do. I will not watch our cause fail, making the sacrifices of countless utterly worthless, because I act upon what I want to do." Eragon looked at Arya, waiting for a response. It was unknown where he found the words he said, but he acknowledged that every word he said was the truth. If the two of them turned against each other, the Varden would quickly crumble. They could barely manage a war with the Empire; an internal conflict would quickly ensure their defeat. Before Arya could form a response, a great and bellowing presence filled Eragon's mind and, from what he could see, Arya's.
What are you two bickering about? Evidently, one cannot rest while the two of you are present, Glaedr growled. Eragon quickly apologized for waking him and proceeded to share the memories he had just transferred to Arya, though it did not entirely appease the elder dragon. This time he did not remove the excerpt about his infatuation. I see, Glaedr said, Eragon, I agree on your earlier points; you have to do what you have to do, and not base your actions upon your feelings at this time. In the future, when things have had time to simmer and it is no longer threatening to our cause, you may decide who you wish to be with. Until that time, however, Saphira needs you more than Arya does. My recommended course of action is that you should go and tend to Saphira. This conflict you're enduring may be discussed at a later time.
Eragon bowed. Thank you for your advice, master. Eragon edged his way around Arya, who had taken on a trance-like state, neither standing in his way nor moving out of it, but when he was almost through the tent's flaps, Glaedr's presence once again made its way into his mind.
Eragon, wait. I have a request of you; would you take my Eldunarì with you? Your knowledge on the subject of 'dealing' with a dragoness is rather lacking, and I think I may be able to provide some assistance. Not about to argue with that statement, Eragon turned around, headed back into his tent, and used magic to retrieve the chest in which he had hidden Glaedr's Eldunarì. Once he had stored it in his pack, Eragon once again left his sanctuary and strolled out of the camp, listening intently to Glaedr as he gave him basic instructions what he was going to have to do.
Author's Note: Sorry this took so long. I basically went from having four hours of free time a day to about half an hour, so there wasn't a ton of time to write this. I also didn't really want to just blow through it just for the sake of getting it done. I would rather spend two months writing half-decent material than push out a horrendous heap of garbage in a week and a half. Also, I know I said there would be some kind of 'intimacy scene' in this chapter, but when I was writing Chapter 2 there came a point where the chapter was over 10,000 words long and I still wasn't done so I decided to break it up into two separate parts. The sex scene was one of the things that got moved over. Anyway, Chapter 3 is almost done, I just need to put some finishing touches on it, so expect that to be coming soon. Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to read/review this story.