"Arya Svit-kona"
Christopher Paolini owns Eragon. I do not.
This story contains insight into what I believe Arya went through during the course of her relationship with Eragon, starting with their first visit to the Menoa Tree, in the second book, Eldest.
The moon vividly shined overhead, at its full strength and glory as it was in the stage where it was full. Light streamed down from the moon, lighting up the branches and leaves of the Menoa Tree, and casting the soft shadows on the roots below, where Arya and Eragon were resting.
Arya knew that Eragon possibly had feelings for her that went beyond just mere friendship. So, she took him to the Menoa Tree, and he felt all the experiences including the fact that it was not only alive, but intelligent as well. Arya then proceeded to tell him the history of the Menoa Tree, how Linnea had fallen in love with a much younger man, and though she was happy his attention turned elsewhere to another young elf. Linnea rose up and struck the woman down, killing her. She immediately regretted what she had done, and so she sang herself until she and the tree became one.
She hoped that Eragon would respond to the subtle message, and realize that he must give up on his youthful ardor for her, and together they could focus on their real mission, helping the Varden, and destroying Galbatorix, once and for all.
So, she backed him into a corner, knowing that he would have to acknowledge what she said as true, and hopefully give up on pursuing her. Not that he had done anything to pursue her, but she felt as if she knew him better than anyone else, and the way he looked at her left no doubt in her mind of where his feelings truly lied.
[From Eldest "I think," he said, knowing that a clumsy reply could turn her against him, "that what he did was cruel… and that Linnea overreacted. They were both at fault."
Arya stared at him until he was forced to avert his gaze. "They weren't suited for each other."
Eragon began to deny it but then stopped himself. She was right. And she had maneuvered him so he had to say it out loud, so he had to say it to her. "Perhaps," he admitted.
Arya sat by his side, silent for a while. "Perhaps," he had said. Perhaps. She did not show any emotion on her face but inwardly she groaned. Did Eragon's feelings go further than just the ardor of growing up? No, that couldn't be right. Being in a relationship with him was just too far away for her to see. She was a hundred years old, and he was a boy. However, Saphira chose him of all people, she thought. Frustrated with her thoughts she was glad when Eragon mentioned her being home. She then chastised him for comparing her to a human woman, reminding him for the third or fourth time that it was not so. However, she recognized that Eragon did not mean to compare her to a human woman. He was speaking of her being a princess, and being ignorant of the customs by which elves lived their lives.
Inwardly, she sighed.[From Eldest She hesitated, then hugged her knees against her chest and propped her chin on them. "I had many years to perfect those arguments with my mother."
She felt unusual that she could share these facts about her life with Eragon, and seemingly with no one else. He had rescued her from her captivity and torture, and then made haste to get to the Varden so she could live. Eragon came from a farming community. Perhaps that is why Saphira chose him, because his heart was right and being ignorant of the politics of the situation in Alagaesia, Surda, Farthen Dur, the Varden, and even of elves, which had the most subtle politics of all. Perhaps that is why she could trust to share so many personal information with him that she could not do with anyone else.
For whatever reason, Eragon had considered her life as valuable, even more so than she considered it, and even more valuable than his own. He did not understand that as a Rider, his wife was more important than hers. He did not know how much she owed him for that fact, and probably when she said, "Wil Ono" (for you) when he had asked her to chase the Urgals who had taken Murtagh and the Twins he took it to mean, "I am doing this for you personally, not because you went through what you did to save my life."
[From Eldest "Oromis-elda," he said, working each word around in his mouth before letting it escape, "is quite thorough."
He winced as she gripped his arm with bruising strength. "What has gone amiss?"
Later that night, she returned to sit under the Menoa Tree. The cicadas were still chirping, as was their custom in all ways of life. She mulled over what Eragon had told her about his blessing actually being a curse. She could not fault him for he did not know what he had done. Nor did Saphira catch the mispoken word that sealed the girl's fate. Wryda (fate) she thought. Yet Saphira had blessed the child with a gedway ignasia, and that was a blessing indeed. Arya knew that was significant. She also knew that no other rider and dragon had been like Eragon and Saphira. Except perhaps Vrael and his dragon, or perhaps the original Eragon.
Arya stopped, completely dumbfounded. She had just compared Eragon to Vrael or the first Eragon. He is just sixteen, a farm boy at that! she told herself sternly. Yet he had been much more than a farm boy, and his actions in battle as well as his studies with Oromis, which were proceeding at a rapid pace, and not only because of the precious little time they had, but also because he and Saphira were unique, decried her assessment of him as wrong.
"Wyrda," came the sound from the white raven above her. Startled, she looked up trying to find him in the night. When Arya found him she noticed that his eyes were boring into hers. Before she could do or say anything, he flew away.
"Fate," Arya said angrily. Bladgen occasionally said something worthwhile, but most of the time, the proper course of action was to ignore him. This was one of those times. She noticed then that her face had a confused look on it, half was angry with Bladgen, half was almost blushing. "Barzul!" Arya said angrily, and stomped off.
I appreciate reviews. Further chapters will be up soon. Starting this chapter with the description of the moon is significant, but I'll let you figure out why. Hint: It has to do with Eragon.