Disclaimer: As usual I own nothing. Do not sue me…or kill me for the plot of this chapter.
The battle had left everyone hollow shells. It had been a bloodbath, a massacre. The Loyalists had retreated shortly after the purple dragon had disappeared. The dead lay in piles, unrecognizable corpses.
Arya sat alone next to Eragon's bed. She had sustained minor scratches, but nothing to worry about. She had healed Eragon instantly and brought him to the castle. Galzra and Saphira sat outside. She had yet to hear any ill news of the battle, that she was sure would eventually come. Someone she knew always died in battle. All that was left to wonder was who. She was lucky to survive herself, and she hoped that Trianna would stay away until she had her child.
Eragon groaned. He opened his eyes. His vision slowly focused on Arya. "Am I…dead?" he asked softly.
Arya shook her head. "No Eragon…I was able to save you," she whispered. Silent tears fell down her face. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I thought that I had lost you," she sobbed.
Welcome back among the living, little one, said Saphira, though this time, she was not joking with him as she always used to.
What happened? He pulled Arya closer to him.
Trianna stabbed you, informed Saphira. I thought that I had honestly lost you…and Arya had to break Tasha's and Amestat's calves to get to you in time.
Eragon frowned. His body trembled. He had honestly come very close to dying this time. How many are dead and wounded? He was unsure if he wanted to hear the answer. He had only witnessed small bits of the previous battle, and it did not look good, not for either side.
I do not know…you've only been out for a couple hours, replied Saphira.
"Arya…thank you," murmured Eragon. He kissed her forehead lightly. "I do not know what I would do without you there to save me from every situation imaginable. So, Tasha has betrayed us…." He frowned.
"She has," confirmed Arya stiffly. "I knew that we could not trust her."
"That changes things," mused Eragon.
"How so?" asked Arya. She pulled away and looked deep into his deep brown eyes; they were so close to a caramel-amber color.
"We have a Shur'tugal that we might have to destroy," answered Eragon with a bitter note. He sighed heavily. "This is a never-ending circle."
Arya leaned her head against his shoulder. "We will get through this," she said softly.
--
Three days passed. They were shocked to see that among the dead was Nasuada. Eragon fell to his knees when he saw his liege being brought into the castle on a cot with a pale-dead look on her face. He cried out in agony and rage.
Arya wrapped herself around him from behind. Despite her usual composure, tears slid down her face. She had become quite close to the Varden leader, and now she had a peaceful look on her face…the first peaceful look since Murtagh had joined Galbatorix. She looked around her and saw blurred images. "Murtagh…where's her baby?" she asked in a low, desperate voice.
King Orrin stepped forward. "Her son is being brought here," he said with great sorrow in his voice.
"How did this happen?" Eragon sobbed.
"She took an arrow to the back of her neck," informed King Orrin. "All our magicians were destroyed by Trianna's knot of magicians…the same ones that used to work under Galbatorix."
Eragon shook with rage. He barely heard Saphira's and Galzra's laments. It made no sense to him. He could not comprehend any of it. Nasuada…dead…it was impossible. Her last command rang in his ears. He had to raise Murtagh now. He was bound by an oath of duty. He forced himself to look away from the body. "When will the funeral be?" his voice shook with emotion.
"In two days," answered King Orrin. "Excuse me, Shadeslayer…I have other duties that I am obliged to."
"Eragon…I am sure that Nasuada would not want you to mope around," whispered Arya. "C'mon…you need some rest…." She pulled him up and led him to their room. She pulled him next to her in their shared bed and whispered words of comfort in his ear while rubbing his back gently.
--
The next two days passed quickly for Eragon. He always had stuff to do, helping with burying the dead and spending as much time as he could with Arya and the two dragons. Somehow, he found comfort in their presence. The smell of blood no longer bothered him.
On the morning before Nasuada's funeral, he finished cleaning and polishing his armor. Arya sat next to him, with Murtagh in her arms.
"It's going to be hard…raising two children," she commented to him softly.
"We will manage," replied Eragon hollowly. His mind was preoccupied with the coming funeral. He set his armor aside and leaned against the wall that he sat against. "I can't do this!" He hid his face with his hands to hide the tears.
"Oh, Eragon!" Arya sat next to him and pulled him close to her. "Do not be ashamed to show that you are mourning…you were close to Nasuada. This is a day of mourning." She sighed. "Come…we should get ready."
Eragon nodded numbly. He pulled on his armor and belted his sword. He thought that he should be getting used to burying his friends and family, but this was no easier than when anyone else had died on him. Saphira…do you think that it will ever get any easier?
No, little one, Saphira answered honestly. It will never get easier.
Arya stood; the movement making her look awkward. "Are you ready?" she asked softly.
"I will never be ready," replied Eragon sourly with a frown of greatest disgust. He grabbed his mate and pulled her against his chest. His whole body shook with fear and sorrow. "Promise me…promise me that you will never let yourself die in battle. I cannot go through losing anyone else…least of all you, my love."
"Eragon—I—" She was at a loss for words. Under normal circumstances, she would have disapproved of his behavior, but she also knew that this was hard for him. She had to choose her words with care. One wrong word, and he might be lost to her forever. "I have Galzra when you cannot protect me," she murmured.
Eragon nodded numbly. "That will do…c'mon, before we are late…they want us…they want us in the front of…the procession." The words were hard for him to get out, and it pained him to say them.
Together they walked to the orchard where the funeral-goers were waiting. Saphira and Galzra were clad in their dented armor. The procession was slow, and they walked to the beat of a loud base drum. Nasuada's guards carried her body at the front. Even the Urgals were walking in the procession with looks of pure sorrow and regret. Eragon knew that it was a tragedy when one of their war chiefs died, but it still shocked him to see so much emotion in something he once thought were brute killers.
They stopped at the south gates of the city. A massive graveyard covered the hills. Eragon wondered just how many had died in the war against Galbatorix. He reached out for Saphira to steady himself.
A hole was already dug out. Nasuada's body was placed in her dirt bed. King Orrin stepped to the front of the group.
"Lady Nasuada fought in the hopes of someday living in peace," he began. "She always had the best interest of her people in mind. She always fought in the front lines, even when she was advised to stay in the rear flanks. I will always miss her advice." He stepped back to the group.
Arya passed Murtagh to Eragon. She walked next to Nasuada's body. Tears shielded her eyes, begging to be released. "I knew Nasuada her whole life. I watched her grow up. In all my years, I've never seen such a pure leader. She proved herself worthy as leader of the Varden from day one when the Council of Elders tried to undermine her leadership. She was very compassionate and trusting. Before she died, she gave birth to a son whom she named Murtagh…after the man that she loved." She resumed her place beside Eragon and took Murtagh back into her arms.
Eragon stepped up. Memories of Islanzandi's funeral flashed before his eyes. He shook the memories away. A hard lump formed in the back of his throat. "I only knew Lady Nasuada briefly…when I came to the Varden to get help for Arya, they were on the edge of battle and I agreed to fight for them. In that battle, Nasuada went against her father's orders and joined the fight. Shortly after that battle is when she took command of the Varden and I swore fealty as her Rider.
"Nasuada was always kind to me. I will miss her to the end of my days."
Saphira and Galzra filled the air with their lamentations as the soil was placed over Nasuada's body. The pure beauty of the sound made even the most masculine of men break down in tears. Eragon and Arya held each other close. It was all they could do to not have a nervous breakdown.
Disclaimer: Sorry that it's short and all…I had to get this out of the way as soon as possible. I am trying to finish this before I enter my senior year in the fall. I am also trying to move out soon.