Hey! First off, so sorry for the delay (it's been a while huh?) but I've been really busy!

School got hectic for one. But I've been working on other writing and a lot of art! A person can't really do so many things at once, and I had to prioritise. This was unfortunately not as demanding as the other things.

Anyways, here's chapter two!

Chapter 2

Alone

Eragon rolled over as he slowly overcame his deep slumber; the morning sun warming him as he stretched in his bed.

His fingers ran across the bed beside him, as if looking for something. All they found was warmth, warmer than any other part of the sheets he lay on.

Everything smelled like pine.

With a jolt, Eragon sat up but the world kept moving and he lurched forward clutching his head in pain.

"Urrghraa," he groaned as everything spun around him. It felt like his brain was too big for his skull and it throbbed in pain. A wave of nausea spread through him and his tongue felt like moss had grown on it.

He murmured a spell to relieve his pain, although a dull throbbing remained. He cracked opened his eyes only for the light to attack him, but he withstood it as he looked beside him.

The bed was empty, although it looked like it had recently been occupied.

Suddenly blurred and flashes of the night before sprang to his mind as he attempted to make sense of it.

He had been with Arya in the cavern. They had spent the whole night in town celebrating. He remembered something about snow and then an image of Arya pressed against a wall before him presented itself and he flushed as more random and heated memories made it clear what had happened.

"Arya?" he whispered just as he heard the sound of a door closing from outside his bed chamber.

Panicking, he sprang from his bed and quickly found his pants to cover his otherwise nude self. They had been thrown haphazardly on a sword rack but he had little time to wonder how they had gotten there.

He raced through his rooms, his bare feet slipping, and flung open the door to the cavern. He grasped the railing to stop himself from falling down the stairs.

"Arya!"

Arya had paused in her escape as her head snapped towards him, like a doe about to bolt.

He ran down the stone steps, nearly falling as he went.

They both stood there, Arya having taken a few steps back in response to his descent. She looked wild and ruffled, her dress from the night before slightly wrinkled and Eragon could see faint red spots along her neck.

He flushed.

"Did we really..." he knew the answer, but hearing it from her would ground things. Hearing her confirmation would seal the deed that was done. He took a step forward.

"Yes," was her quiet reply as she took a matched step away from him.

"Arya...where are you—"he started.

"I am sorry Eragon Shadslayer," she cut across, her voice clipped and stern.

"Sorry?" he asked, his confusion clearly flying through him. "Why are you sorry?"

"Because what happened should not have," she replied stiffly. "And for that I apologise."

The two of them stood there for what seemed like forever.

"Arya, listen, perhaps what happened did not happen the way—" Eragon began.

"It should not have happened regardless of the circumstances!" she replied heatedly. "I was careless; I should not have forgotten myself so easily."

"You have never been more yourself than last night!" Eragon shot back in defence. Memories of her laughter and smiles flooded through him to assure him that he was right.

"You are not one to tell me who I am!" she ground out, her brow sharp in anger.

"I am someone who knows you better than anyone else Arya!" he said in anger and despair. "I know every truth about you, Arya. Your very being and true self!"

"There is little truth when impaired by magic and drink, Eragon!"

There was silence as a gust of wind entered the cavern.

"Please Arya, let us talk about this." He pleaded.

"Eragon we are worlds apart. Mine is back in Du Weldenvarden, and yours is here. We have known this as such for a century," she spoke softly, one of her hands weaving its fingers through her hair. "I did not want this to happen, I don't want to hurt you Eragon. Never you."

There were tears in her eyes.

"Arya!—"

The wind howled and a giant Emerald mass landed on the strip. Saphira quickly followed Fírnen and positioned herself beside Eragon as she faced Fírnen and an Arya who had taken advantage of the distraction to distance herself.

He quickly ran forward in pursuit.

"Arya, don't do this! Let us talk about this!" he demanded.

Fírnen let loose a fierce growl, hissing at his approach as Arya leaped to the top of his saddle. Saphira let out a growl in response in his defence. Through his heart and mind he felt the despair it caused Saphira, and faintly too, he felt Fírnen's as well.

"Arya please, don't go. Not like this," he pleaded before her and their other halves. "You must know I would never do anything to hurt you, I care about you too much. You know my feelings Arya, you know me!"

She did not reply right away, her eye's piercing his own as they seemed to search him.

"Yes, I do know you Eragon. That is why this is for the best. I'm sorry," she said faintly. "Farewell Eragon, Leader of the Riders."

And like some haunting dream from long ago, Fírnen swept his wings and dove off the lip of the cavern.

She was gone again. And this time, it hurt more than ever before.

It was worse than any other time.

He collapsed to his knees as tears fell down his cheeks.

He felt Saphira move to him, enclosing him with her body and wings. He was hidden from the outside world.

Oh little one…

"I don't understand why. What could I have done to—"

She is confused by all this Eragon, just as much as you are. But she chose to fly away than confront the matter at hand. I felt her distress through Fírnen, do not take anything what she said to heart.

"But, I—I can't stand this. I've destroyed us Saphira. I've ruined everything. Everything I sought to keep is gone. I lost her…"

It will be all right Eragon. Cry now, I will protect the both of us while you do. Then we will wake as one like before.

And so Eragon did. He had not cried in almost a century. But now any sense of happiness he had felt in his new world seemed tainted. There had always been a cause.

A hope.

But he had ruined it. And she had too.

So he laid there, curled on the stone floor while surrounded by the warmth and protection of his heart and mind.

Yeah...It was short. But this is a chapter that could not be dragged out. Which is also why I'm embarrassed as to why it took so long! Well, if you want more, check out my deviantART (which is linked in my profile) for images and comics about this story. Although it is mostly post- A Moment in Eternity.

Not going to lie, I don't know when I'll get the next chapter up. I've got a convention to prep/make art for (Anime North, I have an artist table). But I'll try!