With that settled, they made their way down to dinner. Rows of tables had been moved into the great hall. There was enough space for nearly 20,000. He could see Orik and Hvedra at the center of the largest and most ornate marble table that ran perpendicular to the rest. Rowan, Solembum, Angela, Orin, and Nar Garzhvog were already in attendance, and Murtagh and Nasuada were as well. Orik motioned for them to come sit beside him at the table reserved for the leaders of the races.

"We gather today to celebrate the bonds forged between us!" Orik bellowed to the masses once most had arrived. "While our beliefs and ways differ, at our core, we are all Alagaesians."

A great cheer rose up at his words.

"We dwarves have labored long to make our first hosting of the Games legendary, and I hope you enjoy the efforts of my people and mine city over the next week," he said proudly. "Now eat, drink, and be merry! Tomorrow the Games begin at dawn!"

Applause rang out, and everyone began talking and eating.

There were a myriad of dishes in the style of each race available to all. Eragon and Arya helped themselves to some bread and fruit. Arya passed him a bottle of faelnirv after taking a sip herself. While Arya spoke to Nasuada on her left, Eragon was quickly assaulted with a myriad of questions from Orik.

"So, tell me Eragon," Orik said "What is this I hear about you besting Arya with the sword and carrying her away over your shoulder? Are you to marry? When shall we expect little ones?"

At Orik's last question, Eragon unceremoniously spit out the gulp of faelnirv he had just taken, causing the whole table and many others in the crowd to turn and look at them. Arya had of course caught everything Orik said with her superior elven hearing.

She stood then, as they had attracted the attention of many others in attendance. Eragon could see the general tone of the room change as whispers began spreading throughout the crowd. Arya amplified her voice with magic and began to speak.

"I know many of you have heard legends, songs, poems, and many other forms of tale regarding the Elven Queen and the Lead Rider," she said, pausing for effect. "I wish today, to confirm them."

Gasps and bursts of chatter broke out among those present.

"Eragon and I have been mates the last 15 years with little contact but through a mirror," she revealed.

More gasps and looks of astonishment were given in response to her statement.

"Our respective duties have prevented us from being together," she explained. "As our coupling is a massive shift in the balance of power."

Many nodded at that, their thoughts having travelled that direction.

"To fix this imbalance, I will be stepping down as Queen upon my return to Ellesmera, she said with a tone of finality."

More whispers erupted. Many of the elves cried out at this in shock and cries of "No!" could be heard.

Arya put up a hand to silence the crowd.

"I know this has come as a shock to many, but it is long overdue," she said. "The power of the Riders should not have ever been coupled with that of a leader of a nation," she finished, echoing Umaroth's words to her. "It creates unbalance and distrust, and it often interferes with my ability to fulfill the roles of Ruler and Rider."

"I can only thank my people and Alagaesians as a whole for trusting in my leadership these last fifteen years," she said. "But the time has come for me to fulfill my duty to the dragons and riders. My decision is final. I have appointed Dathedr as my successor. Should the elven lords agree to his selection as King, he will lead my people into this new age of peace just as he helped myself, my mother, and my father rule for centuries."

Applause broke out as those in attendance were reassured that the peace they had worked so hard for would hold. Many cheered for the new couple as well.

Then releasing her magic so the volume of her voice was normal again, Arya turned to Orik with a smirk and said, "It is up to Eragon as to whether or not we marry," she said. "And there will be many little ones in the future if I have anything to say about it."

Eragon was in awe. Everything was moving so fast. She had managed to solve several of their problems all at once. Everyone knew, and most seemed genuinely happy for them. While their old friends seemed apprehensive about the changes, they were truly happy for them. He didn't sense as much fear from them as he had expected. Maybe things weren't going to be as difficult as he had imagined.

A bit later in the night, someone in the crowd began reciting a poem that Eragon had never heard.

Deep across an ocean

Not dead but far away

Where Dragons burn

With flaming tongue

The one we hail stays

For Eragon will not come home

His friends and family say

His path was made

The shade, he slayed

But his one true love

He could not sway

For her duty holds her

To this day

The thunder of the dragons

The rhythm of their wings

The number of dead

Between Eragon and the Mad King

The blowing of the horns

Ahead of blue sparkling scales

None of it did matter

For without her

The whole world pales

Eragon held back the emotions swirling in him. He inclined his head to the young woman who had recited the poem, and the crowd let out another cheer.

"How many times have you heard that one?" Eragon thought to Arya.

"Only once," she thought back. "After my reaction, they did not think it wise to allow me to hear it a second time."

Orik slapped Eragon on the shoulder.

"Congratulations brother!" He yelled, laughing merrily and pushing another mug into his hand to proposed a toast to their future and the future of the Riders as a whole.

After a myriad of toasts and conversations about them with Roran, Nasuada, Murtagh, and Orin, he was exhausted and more than a little drunk. Arya looked to be faring no better after finishing off the entire flask of faelnirv post speech. He reached out to her mind, asking if she was ready to turn in.

"I'm ready to go back to the loft," she thought to him, a haze apparent in both their minds. "But I don't want to sleep."