-A year later-
"You look beautiful, Arya." Onóra said as she watched her best friend try on her wedding dress. "You are sure to take Eragon's breath away next week."
"I can't believe the wedding is so close." Arya smiled at her friend. Her smiled faded as she watched Onóra's eyes grow dark. "Have you heard anything from him?"
"Nothing since the day he left a year ago. I could sense that he was struggling with everything that happened under Galbatorix, especially the mind control. But I haven't even been able to sense him in several months. Arya, I'm starting to lose hope of him ever coming back." Onóra turned to face the window. Eirwen was watching her and could sense the hopelessness as well.
"Murtagh will return soon, Onóra." Arya laid a hand on her friend's shoulder.
"How soon? Mother is already trying to get me to accept one suitor. Of course, Brom is more than happy to scare them all away." Onóra smiled a little. Months after returning home to Du Weldenvarden, Onóra had received at least a dozen suitors and Brom had chased them all away. "I miss him so much, Arya." Tears stung her eyes.
"I know you do. Amelia will come to understand in time." Arya left to change out of the gown. They had training soon.
"Hello, Eragon." Onóra wandered downstairs to the side chamber of the throne room. "Arya will be right down." She laughed a little when she noticed her brother blushing.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather us wait…?"
"No! There is no telling how long Murtagh will stay away. I'd rather you went ahead as planned and stop asking me!" She bolted from the room and headed outside. She stopped when she saw Brom standing next to Eirwen.
"Onóra, what's wrong?" Eirwen watched as her rider approached.
"It's still so hard to breathe." Onóra nuzzled her dragon's neck.
"I know. For me as well."
"Onóra?" Brom cleared his throat. He placed a hand on her shoulder as sobs racked through her body. "He will return. He won't be able to stay away much longer. It's just as hard for him to be away from you…"
"Come on, Murtagh! Come out with us for once." A group of men stood in the doorway, urging him to join them on yet another night of fun.
"No, how many times do I have to say it?" Murtagh was annoyed. "Thorn, let's get out of here." He walked outside and looked to the sky. He had kept being a dragon rider a secret for a while now but he no longer cared what people thought. Gasps rippled through the group behind him as the red dragon landed in front of the inn.
"It's about time, I was wonderinf when you were going to stop hiding." Thorn's gaze settled on his rider. "Now if you would just say that it was time to return home…"
"Come on, Thorn, it's time to get out of this town." The pair took to the sky and headed to yet another town. They stopped for the night near a stream.
"Murtagh, when will we be able to return home?" Thorn looked up at the clear sky.
"I don't know, Thorn." Murtagh leaned back against Thorn's shoulder.
"Murtagh, if you can hear me say something, please." Onóra's voice echoed in his heart. He didn't say anything; he couldn't. "Well, I just wanted to hear your voice… I miss you so much it hurts to breathe. Eragon and Arya are getting married next week… Are you ever coming back to me? Or have you found someone else? Mother is trying to get me to accept a suitor… should I?" Murtagh's hands clenched into fist at that last part.
"Why ask such a thing?!" His voiced caused Onóra to jump. "How can you ask that?!" His anger was evident. She tried to remain calm.
"I ask because I haven't heard from you in a year. Not once have you said how you're doing or asked how I was doing. The longer we're apart, the more my doubt grow, and the more my doubt grows, the more my mark fades. If you plan on staying away forever, tell me now so I can learn to breathe again…" She could no longer stop the tears. As the tears hit the soulmate mark, the pain grew; the loneliness grew.
"Onóra?!" Murtagh felt the heaviness of her loneliness. The connection they shread was growing weaker. Images flashed in his mind; images of a heart being shattered because he was too selfish to realize that everything he did was connected to another person. "Thorn, it's time to go home." He knew that he could no longer avoid the truth. Galbatorix's voice had kept telling him that Onóra was better off without him in her life, but seeing those images and feeling her pain he knew the truth. "Onóra, I love you. I am coming home. We're a long way off so I don't know if we will make it in time for the wedding. I miss you and will get to you as soon as I can."
"I still think we should postpone…" Eragon said the morning of his wedding.
"And how many times has your sister said 'no'?" Brom replied.
"Eragon, postponing our wedding will only add to Onóra's heartache." Arya said before heading out of the dining room.
"Is he still saying that he wants to postpone?" Onóra was standing near a window outside the dining room. "Murtagh didn't think he'd make it in time, but as much as he'd want to be here, he wouldn't want that."
"I know. That is why we are still going ahead as planned." Arya replied. The two women headed to their chambers to get ready.
"We're almost there." Murtagh said as the Du Weldenvarden castle come into view. "I didn't think we'd make it in time."
"You doubt my speed?" Thorn joked. He could sense Eirwen and that made him move faster.
"I would never doubt your speed, Thorn." He laughed; something he hadn't done in a long time. He could sense Onóra but didn't do anything. He wanted to surprise her. "It's good to be home."
"Indeed." Thorn said as they landed near Eragon's balcony.
"Murtagh!" Eragon shouted when he noticed him climbing up onto the balcony. "There is something called a door… "He shook his head.
"Yes, but this leaves a greater chance of surprising Onóra." Murtagh smiled and hugged Eragon. "It's good to see you, brother."
"My sister is going to kill you." Eragon teased. "If my father doesn't first."
"I will not kill him, Eragon." Brom entered the room. "Unless he puts Onóra through that again."
"Never again, Brom, never again." He shook Brom's hand.
"I take it you haven't seen her yet?" Brom asked as he handed Eragon his sword.
"Here." Eragon threw a change of clothes at Murtagh. "Now that you're here, you can be my best man. No offense, Brom."
"None taken. Arya has asked me to escort her down the aisle anyways. I just wish I could see Onóra's face when she sees him standing next to you." Brom smiled and then headed over to where the women were.
"Are you okay now? I mean, with everything that happened…" Eragon asked and watched Murtagh's eyes darken.
"There are still some things I have to deal with, but after hearing the agony in Onóra's voice, I could no longer stay away." He smiled a little. "Of course the thought of someone else coming in and thinking he could steal her from me…" He hands clenched into fists as jealousy coursed through him.
"I wouldn't worry much about that." Eragon looked at Murtagh. "Brom has been more than gracious to chase them off." He left out the part about Lady Amelia being very fond of one of the suitors who has refused to give up on Onóra so easily.
"I cannot believe this day has come already." Arya stood in her wedding gown and watched Onóra's face.
"You are more beautiful than words, Arya." Onóra smiled at her soon-to-be sister. "May today bring you a lifetime of happiness."
"We could have waited, Onóra…" Arya reached out to her friend.
"No. How many times must we go through this?" Murtagh said he would be here as soon as he could…" Tears stung her eyes as Onóra tried not to think about the double wedding that could have been. "Even if he were to return soon… there is much to work through before we make this step."
"It's time." Brom knocked and then entered the room. "You both look beautiful." He smiled and then the three made their way outside where the ceremony was to take place. Onóra stood in front of Arya and Brom, facing the altar. With her eyes closed, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves and tried to drive thoughts of Murtagh from her mind.
"Open your eyes, sister." Eragon could feel the torment Onóra was dealing with… a torment that was unnecessary.
"Onóra, open your eyes and walk." Eirwen was situated between Saphira and Thorn. Her white wings tipped with red as Thorn's red wings were tipped with white. Onóra opened her eyes and locked eyes with someone who calmed all her fears with one smile.
"Murtagh?" Her tone was full of surprise. She had to keep herself from running to him.
"I'm here, love." Murtagh's heart raced as he noticed how beautiful Onóra looked. Her once short, auburn hair was now long and flowy. Her golden-brown eyes sparkled like real gold in the light of the setting sun. Onóra had to force herself to focus on the ceremony. She would rather be wrapped in Murtagh's arms, but she scried as Eragon and Wrya exchanged vows and then shared their first kiss. They weren't sure what the future held, but they knew they would face it together. Murtagh would probably always struggle with what he went through, but now he didn't have to struggle with it alone. Onóra would be right there, reminding him that he was the perfect man for her.