After helping himself to a large bowl of soup, some mashed potatoes and a pile of steamed squash, Eragon looked around for a spot to sit. He found a table and a few empty seats at the back of the hall and gave a wave to Roran and Arya to join him.
"When are you going to give up your rabbit food?" Roran jested as he sat down at the table.
In comparison, Roran's plate was piled high with meat from the fresh Nagra Orik's hunters had provided the kitchens that day. Arya looked at the meat with veiled disgust. To anyone else, she appeared neutral on the matter, but Eragon knew she barely tolerated the killing of animals. It was different for him. He grew up a hunter and had enjoyed meat on occasion, but since his transformation it was usually only when it would have been rude to refuse or he had no other option.
"If you had shared the mind of that Nagra before and as they killed it, you wouldn't have a stomach for it either," Eragon said.
Roran grunted at that, and they ate together in silence. Everyone devoured their food, and Roran let out a belch after a large swig of mead.
Eragon laughed and Arya smiled.
"Excuse me," Roran said.
He leaned back in his chair, seemingly observing the two of them.
"I'm happy for you," he said sincerely. "Now when are you going to visit Carvahall? Katrina and your niece and nephews were quite upset that you're in Alagaesia and haven't come to see them. And it's been too long since you visited as well Arya."
Arya had assisted the humans of Carvahall throughout the last fifteen years, and she had even visited herself a handful of times. When Roran was in the early days of rebuilding the city, his vision to build a castle was seen as a little mad. Without magical assistance, it would have taken at least a decade for the villagers of Carvahall to complete the city. Even with assistance from Nasuada and Arya, it took a little over two years before it was finished. Roran refused to build the castle until last, ensuring that homes and trade workshops were the priority when they first returned to Palencar Valley.
The last time Arya visited was three winters past. She had to attend to some business in Osilon, but she was missing Eragon more in those days, so she decided to fly with Firnen the short distance to Carvahall to check on his family. They were like an extension of him that made Eragon feel closer to her even if he couldn't be. It was nice to see Katrina and Ismira especially. Their relationship was everything she had never had with her own mother. The pair fought of course, but they had this way with each other that spoke of a deep kinship. Each seemed to know what the other was about to say or do, and there was rarely a problem the two couldn't conquer.
"We plan to return to Ellesmera for my formal resignation and transfer of power after the conclusion of the games," Arya said. "But Saphira wants to build her nest in the Spine near Carvahall, so we'd need to stay for a few weeks if it's not too much of an imposition."
"Excellent!" Roran said, smiling. "Wait till everyone hears you're both coming. When you say nest, do you mean...?"
"Yes!" Eragon just about crowed. "Saphira and Firnen are going to have two hatchlings before long."
"How long until she lays her eggs?" Roran asked.
"It varies but usually about 3 weeks after," Eragon said. "Then it takes them another few weeks to hatch if they're wild, but Saphira says she won't know if they're to be bonded or not until she lays them. We likely won't see them too much over the next month or so. This time is sacred for dragons. If they were wild, they'd have gone off to build their nest immediately. In Arngor we usually don't see the dams for a couple of months until they emerge with the young ones. Sometimes you can spot the sires hunting during the later weeks though."
"Firnen says he'd be happy to carry you with us if you don't mind spending a week or so in Ellesmera," Arya offered Roran.
"I'll have to find someone to take my horse back," Roran said. "But that can be arranged with one of the men that accompanied me from Therinsford. I'm getting too old to journey back and forth across Alagaesia. I can't say I'll ever get used to flying, but it's much faster. Tell Firnen his offer is appreciated, and I'd love to ride with you all. It's an honor to be invited once more to the heart of the forest."
It seemed Roran had gained some eloquence since Eragon had left.
Ellesmera, in contrast to the rest of Alagaesia, was mostly reserved for elves without a formal invitation. The other rulers had adopted a policy of inclusion throughout their cities, which helped to promote unity. Elves had long memories though, and many felt it was only a matter of time before corruption from the other races took hold. The result of that line of thinking was that many elves living in the capitol hadn't left the city since the rest of the forest was opened. They essentially refused to mix with the other races.
The riders had tempered this sentiment in many as they were always welcomed in Ellesmera, but some of those same elves reasoned that the bond with the dragons made riders different from the rest. Even though they included members of every race, they were in a category of their own as there wasn't an elf alive that would disrespect the will and judgement of a dragon. Skeptics refused to believe peace would last for long though. After all, the order of old had been much larger when it fell due to the madness of a single man.
Eragon leaned back, feeling content after the meal, but his mind drifted to Roran's words. He knew he had been away from Carvahall too long. The thought of visiting his niece, nephews, and Katrina filled him with a warm sense of longing. Carvahall was home, or at least it had been. Now, with the weight of his duties in Arngor, he wasn't sure where home was anymore. But he missed the familiarity, the simplicity of life there.
"I'm excited to see Carvahall again," Eragon said, his voice warm. "It's been far too long. How are Katrina and the kids?"
Roran smiled proudly. "Katrina's doing well, as are the little ones. Ismira's grown so much. She'll soon be taller than Katrina! And her brothers... well, they're causing their fair share of trouble, as boys do." He chuckled. "They're strong, just like their father. It'll be good to have you around, Eragon. They ask about you constantly."
Arya listened quietly, her own memories of Carvahall fresh in her mind. She'd always been a little envious of the family bonds she saw between Eragon and Roran. Her life had been so different. The closeness she witnessed between Katrina and Ismira, how they could communicate without words, had reminded her of everything she and Islanzadí had never shared. But now, with Firnen and Eragon, she felt something new—something she had been denied for so long: a sense of belonging, of family.
"I remember my last visit fondly," Arya said softly, her eyes distant. "Katrina was kind to me, and I appreciated the warmth of her home. Carvahall has a charm all its own. It's not as grand as Ellesmera, but there's a strength in its people that makes it... remarkable."
Roran grinned. "That's the truth. We've been through a lot, but we're still standing. The town has grown so much since you helped rebuild it, Arya. You'll barely recognize it."
Eragon nodded. "It'll be good to see the changes firsthand. And Saphira's eager to build her nest in the Spine. It'll be peaceful there for the hatchlings."
Roran took a sip of his mead, considering. "I still can't wrap my head around Saphira having hatchlings. Seems like yesterday she was barely big enough to carry you."
Eragon chuckled, fond memories flashing through his mind of those early years with Saphira. "She's grown a lot since then. And Firnen's been the perfect mate for her. It's strange to think they're going to be parents, but it feels... right."
Roran's expression softened. "Aye. You've both come a long way. I'm glad to see you happy, Eragon. And you, Arya," he added, looking at her warmly. "I always knew you two were better together than apart."
Arya smiled, a quiet gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you, Roran. It hasn't always been easy, but I think we're both where we're meant to be now."
There was a brief silence, the weight of shared memories and future hopes hanging in the air.
Roran cleared his throat. "So, when do you think you'll head back to Ellesmera?"
Arya glanced at Eragon. "We plan to leave right after the Games. I want to handle my resignation quickly, and Saphira is eager to get started on the nest. After that, we'll make our way to Carvahall."
"You know we'll be ready to welcome you," Roran said, standing and stretching. "I'll make sure the whole village knows, so you're greeted properly."
"Let's keep the fanfare to a minimum," Eragon said with a grin. "I'm just a farm boy from Palancar Valley, after all."
Roran smirked. "You keep telling yourself that, cousin."
With a final chuckle, Roran bade them goodnight and left the hall, leaving Eragon and Arya to themselves.
As the hall quieted and the last of the evening's meals were cleared away, Eragon turned to Arya.
"It feels strange, doesn't it?" he said. "Me returning to Carvahall... I left as a boy and came back a rider, but now, after everything... it's hard to know what I am anymore."
Arya reached out, placing her hand over his. "You're Eragon. That's all that matters. Titles and power don't define who you are."
He looked into her emerald eyes, feeling the truth in her words. "And you? What will it feel like to leave your throne behind?"
Arya exhaled softly, her gaze thoughtful. "It will be hard, but it's necessary. The elves will continue without me, just as they did before. My path lies elsewhere now—with the riders, with you."
She smiled, a rare vulnerability showing through. "I'm not sure I know how to be anything other than a queen now, but I want to find out."
Eragon squeezed her hand gently. "We'll figure it out together."
The quiet understanding between them deepened, and they sat in companionable silence for a while longer, watching the flickering fire in the hearth as the night deepened. Eventually, they stood, hand in hand, and made their way back to the dragon hold. The future, with all its uncertainties and challenges, was waiting for them—but they would face it side by side.