I do not own the Inheritance Cycle or any characters that were in the books.

Oath

Eragon flinched but managed to block Arya's sword despite his hesitation. It had been days since he and Arya had escaped the castle and Arya had been trying to help him get past the lasting trauma by sparring with him, spending time with him, and doing anything else she could think of to try to help him recover. She seemed to have recovered completely but every once in a while he caught her crying when she thought he wasn't around. She never admitted to it and he never brought it up but he knew it wasn't her own injuries that had devastated her so badly.

Arya spun and swung at Eragon from behind. He stopped trying to fight her and let his body take over. It was the first time he had stopped trying to act normal since they escaped. He blocked her swing and tripped her then rested his blade to her throat.

"Not bad," Arya said.

"I know," Eragon said grinning knowing full well she had let him win.

He helped her up and rubbed his arm for the millionth time that day.

"Still feeling phantom pains?" Arya asked.

"Yeah," Eragon said. "It's getting better though."

"That's good," Arya said smiling.

He looked away into the trees just as Garzhog stepped out carrying the equipment they had been forced to leave in the castle.

"The Kull is gone," Garzhog said kneeling and holding the equipment out. "He left these."

The equipment consisted of Arya and Eragon's Rider swords, Eragon's belt, and Eragon's ring. The swords they had been sparring with were normal elven swords.

"Thank you," Eragon said.

He put his belt and ring on and smiled. Simply having the ring his father, Brom, had left to him, technically, made him feel much better. Arya could tell and smiled.

"Thank you," Eragon said again. "I have something for you too."

He handed Garzhog a gold Rider sword and Garzhog stared at it.

"It was Oromis'," Eragon said. "I think it suits you."

Garzhog stared at the sword then bowed so low Eragon thought he might do a somersault. Then he stood and rushed off to show his dragon. Eragon sighed and sat down. Arya sat beside him and leaned on his shoulder. After a few minutes, he decided that he should say something, anything, about knowing she wasn't as okay as she wanted him to believe.

"Are you okay?" Eragon asked.

"Fine," Arya said.

"Are you sure?" Eragon asked. "I saw you crying, multiple times."

Her gaze fell to the ground and a moment later, she burst into tears. He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. She sobbed into his chest and he lightly ran his hand through her hair. After a little while, she managed to stop crying for the most part. He continued to run his hand through her hair until she finally calmed down.

"Are you okay?" Eragon asked again.

"No," Arya said. "It was my fault. If I had broken out sooner you wouldn't have had to go through all that."

"Arya," Eragon said in the ancient language while making her sit up and look at him. "Nothing he did to me was as bad as having to watch him hurt you. I would have taken double that amount of pain for all of eternity if it meant that you would be safe and happy for all eternity."

Arya stared at him for a moment then kissed him. He kissed her back and after a few minutes he pulled away and hugged her again.

"I love you," Arya said.

Eragon's heart skipped a beat. It was the first time she had come right out and said it.

"I love you too," Eragon said.

Arya held him closer and Eragon smiled. He had waited a very long time to hear her say those words. Hearing them, was worth any amount of pain that anyone could ever inflict on him short of her dying. And that, he would never let happen. He silently swore in the ancient language that he would protect her, no matter what the cost.

THE END

Read and review. Sorry for the short chapter.