Another chapter down. Don't know how many I will get out this week but I have the next couple figured out so I will try to get the wrote and published.

Arya woke late the next morning. She was surprised when they arrived that Oromis had a second hut built next to his home. He explained that with them staying out here it would give them some privatecy and peace. She had to agree, when the elves deiscovered 3 new dragons and riders they would be over the moon with happiness.

While her people always respected the riders and dragons and gave them their space. She knew that with 3 new riders they would all want to greet them. It would be worse with elves from all over Du Weldenvarden and the Agaeti Blodhren.

Arya stepped outside and saw Eragon doing Rimgar. It look like he had not been doing it long so she went and picked up where he was. The two spent the next hour in almost perfect synce. Neither notice Oromis and Brom watching from Oromis's hut.

When they were done Eragon went over to his sword and drew it. He dulled the blade with magic and turned to Arya. Arya stepped in their hut and stepped back out with her sword ready.

They both circled each other waiting for the other to make the first move. They circled each other for 10 minutes before Eragon attacked. He did not come strait at her knowing she would expect him to. He moved to the opposite of their circling and attacked her at her side. He caught her off guard but Arya recovered quickly. For the next hour the two fought. Neither getting the upper hand before Oromis called them to stop.

"If we wait for one of you to get the upper hand we will be here a while. You both need to get cleaned up so we can head to Tialdari Hall and inform the Queen of the dragons." Oromis informed them.

Eragon nodded before turning to Arya. "We can finish this another time but good duel Arya. It is getting harder to beat you."

"Thank you Eragon. I look forward to finishing the duel." replied Arya.

While Arya went to speak with Oromis a minute Eragon gathered his stuff and headed to the stream to take a bath. He had not been there long before he heard someone come. Thinking it was either Brom or Oromis he did give it much thought. He was surprised it was Arya.

A blushing Eragon called out "Arya"

Arya turned to Eragon "Eragon I trust you."

Eragon knew what she meant. She knew he would not stare and make her uncomfortable. Plus he had already seen much of her from when he healed her. Eragon turned around so she could get undressed.

After a couple minutes "Eragon it is safe to turn around now." called out Arya.

Eragon turned and faced Arya. She was submerged enough that the water covered most of her breast. Both did not say anything for a few minutes they just went about getting clean.

Eragon knew he had to try to fix things. This morning was a good start. "Arya"

Arya looked over to Eragon. "Are you getting out and need me to turn around?"

"No not yet. I need to apologize. When I started pulling away a couple months ago. It was not that I wanted to put so much distance as I needed to distance to work some thing out." explained a nervous Eragon.

Arya sat there a few minutes thinking. Maybe she would discover why. "Apology accepted. Can you tell me what you were trying work out?"

Eragon thought about it and decided to answer her. "Part was that we were getting close to leaving the island and I knew once we did that the war would really start. I lost a lot of people I respected or cared for last time. I'm worried about not saving them."

Arya could sympathize with him. She had lost those she cared about and got to know over the last 70 years. "I understand as much as we wish we could save them all, it's not possible."

Eragon nodded. "I know. I just got to hope to save as many as I can."

"That's all we can do. Was that all or was there more?" ask Arya, knowing if that was it he would have spoke up sooner.

"No. Before I came back you know we were friends. What I never told you was what my feelings were for you." Eragon looked towards Arya nervously.

Arya thought it might be something along these lines. She was just not sure she wanted to know.

"The first time I saw you was in a dream." explained Eragon.

"A dream. How is that possible?" asked a surprised Arya.

"Turns out it was the dragons. They were sending me the dreams so that I would rescue you and we would meet. They knew that I would need you in order to win." explained.

"How did they know?" asked Arya.

"I don't know how they knew it but in a way they were right. You always brought out the best in me. You always drove me to do better. As we became friends you were the ear I needed when I felt overwhelmed. Yes I had Saphira but some times a friend other then your dragon is needed."

"I didn't know why at the time but I was drawn to you. After Brom was killed I was almost obsessed in finding you and saving you. I would drag Mutagh to every small town or village while we made our way to Gil'ead. We would come up with different disguises in order to check to see if you were being held there."

"After we saved you and I learned the basics of what you went threw I started to like you more. You had an inner strength that I had not seen before. You were also the most beautiful woman I had ever seen." Eragon had blush with that last statement.

Arya thought to interrupt but decide against it. "The more time I spent with you the more I saw that I liked. Of course you only saw me as a child and your duty would only allow you to see me also as the only hope there was to bring Galbatorix to justice."

Things got bad between us because I said or did something I should not have. Just before the battle of the Burning Plains I made you a promise not to pursue you unless you agreed to it. After that our friendship took off. We became each others best friend. My feelings also changed. They went to from having a crush to falling in love with you but I kept my promise and buried them."

"Now if you were to ask Saphira she would tell you I did not hide them as well as I thought. She was not the only one to suspect my feelings for you. Blodhgarm would drop hits every now and then. I also caught a few knowing looks from the other elves in my guard."

Arya asked "What of me. Did I know?"

Eragon looked at the elf that had stole his heart. "If you did you never said anything or acted like you knew. I think you must had some idea my feelings had evolved."

Arya decided to ask the big question. "What of mine towards you?"

Eragon was not sure how to answer. He took a couple minutes to put his thoughts in order. "I am not sure. You were always better at hiding your feelings them me. You cared that I know but the extent I'm not sure. I."

"Just before I left for Vroengarg the night Nasuada was kidnapped you and I had gotten drunk drinking Faelnirv. Our faces were less then an inch apart when the attack happen. I don't know how we got that close or who leaned in first. I don't know if anything would have happen but at that moment I looked in your eyes and I could have sworn I saw love. It might have been wishful thinking. It was the first time I saw you with all your walls down."

"So you hoped I did love you as you loved me?" asked Arya.

"I had hoped you would one day. If you were to ask Saphira she would tell you that you did have feelings for me but I never took much stock in it. I guess I never wanted to get my hopes up just for them to be crushed."

Eragon shook his head. "Back to why I was so distance. One of the reasons was my feelings I had for you before coming back and feelings that were starting to emerge as we spent more time together. I guess I never stopped loving you. I know even though you are the same person there are differences in your personality because you did not face the same trails you did last time."

"When I came back I knew that things would not be the same between us. You didn't know me and in the beginning did not trust me. I buried all my feelings for you and tried to get to know you all over again. I needed to built a friendship and trust between us that would allow us to bring Galbatorix down."

"The more time we spent together the more those feelings I had for you before I came back started to emerge. I needed to take a step back and work out my feelings. I own you that. If ever there came a time you cared more for me then friendship I need to make sure what ever I felt for you was because of the Arya in front of me not the one I knew before."

Eragon saw Arya was about to comment. "Look I know you do not nor that you will ever care for me more then friends. I don't expect anything other then friendship between the two of us."

Eragon waited for Arya to respond. "Eragon I wish you would have told me in the beginning. I asked you when we first met and you said we were friends. You even kept Saphira from speaking up. In a way you lied to me. I understand why you did but you still lied. ow do I know what you just said was the whole truth."

Arya stood not even caring she was fully nude walked out of the stream and got dressed. "I need time to think Eragon." Arya left not looking back so she did not see the heart broken rider.

E/A

Eragon knew that it could have gone better. Maybe he should not have been so honest. No not telling her in the beginning is what caused the problems he faced now. He would leave her be. May be he would stay in one of the tree houses in Ellesmera for the remainder of their time here.

Eragon finished washing and then got out. He decided that he would check on his uncle and Roran before heading back to meet up with the others.

"Draumt Kopa" Eragon looked at the view before ending the spell and running to his hut while calling out for Saphira.

E/A

Roran, Baldor and Albriech were up in the Spine overlooking Carvahall. They watched as a small group of soldiers went from house to house looking for those that would were old enough to be conscripts. Word had come from Thermsford that the Empire was taking anyone old enough to serve in the army. The village decide to send all those who would be effected into hiding. None of them cared for the Empire and knew those who left would never be seen again.

They had ben there for two days watching. They hoped the soldiers would get tired and leave soon. The three were sitting together while a few others were off a little. Not much was said.

They all turned as they heard a noise. A minute later Horst came out of the trees.

Baldor stood "Father is all well?"

Horst looked to see they were all well before turning to Roran. "Roran. Garrow has been hurt. It looks bad."

Roran collapsed back down and fought from letting the tears fall. "What happen?"

"It was soldiers. A couple of them tried to get a little friendly with Katrina. Garrow saw this and stopped them but he was hurt before Sloan and a few others could intervene." answered Horst.

Seeing his friend too shook up to ask more Albriech asked the next couple questions. "Will he be OK and what of Katrina?"

"Katrina is fine your mother is taking care of her as for Garrow, I don't know." answered Horst. "I come to get you all. We kicked the soldiers out and are barricading the village."

Roran stood. "Lets go. We can make the soldiers pay."

E/A

Brom and Oromis were waiting for Eragon to come back from cleaning up. Arya had come back a couple minutes earier and said she would be ready in a few minutes.

Brom was just about to go look for his son when Eragon came running out of the trees heading for his hut. Saphira landed a minute later catching both riders off guard. Before they could ask what she was doing Eragon came back out with her saddle and saddle bags.

Oromis called out to Eragon. "Eragon, what is it. What's wrong?" Oromis asked seeing the young riders face.

Arya came out and seeing Eragon mount Saphira. "Eragon where are you going?"

"Carvahall" he yelled before Saphira took off and let out a mighty roar.

Brom tried to stop them but knew it was to late. It was not long before the pair were gone. Brom acted quickly. He grabbed a mirror out of the hut and scryed Carvahall. What he saw worried him. He then scryed Roran then Garrow. When he saw Garrow he knew why his son left in a rush.

"I understand why he left in a hurry. He must have scryed Garrow and seen him hurt and looking near death. Garrow died last time and Eragon left and never returned to keep them out of the war." explained Brom.

I was hoping to get to Carvahall this chapter but the interaction between Eragon and Arya lasted longer then I expected. Next chapter Eragon goes home. How will he be recieved. What will Arya do with the information she found out from Eragon.