First of all I would like to say a few things. First and foremost, this is NOT my first fanfic. I have written a couple others on Inheritance Forums and this was originally intended only to be a test of an Islanzadi character type. I never actually intended to make a full book out of this, but I decided to go ahead and do it after an overwhelming amount of positive feedback on IF.

Chapter 1: New Responsibilities and Freedom

The rustle of the wind swept over the camp of the Varden, carrying with it the scent of burning flesh. It was the day after Feinster had been conquered by the free forces, one agonizing night since Eragon and Saphira's masters had been slain by Murtagh, or was it Galbatorix? What Eragon witnessed through Glaedr's Eldunari still puzzled him greatly. How could Galbatorix have the strength to take control of Murtagh from such a distance and still hold Glaedr and Thorn in place? It was almost inconceivable.

Regardless of how Galbatorix was able to do such things, Eragon knew it spelled trouble for him and the Varden. He and Saphira had kept themselves sanguine by assuring each other that they would be able to defeat Galbatorix, whereas in reality their chances of victory, should Galbatorix decide to challenge them, were slim to none.

He noticed Saphira fading in the distance, her glittering sapphire scales reflected rays of light across the plains, creating a spectacular display across the morning sky. A few moments prior she had notified him that she planned to take a quick bath in the nearby river, and that she planned to spend some time hunting. Eragon wanted to go along with her; however he knew that the Varden would need him and that it would be reckless and irresponsible to fly away for his own pleasure when so much work remained to be done.

Eragon yawned loudly. He had only gotten a few hours sleep due to how long it took to win the battle. Before he had returned to his tent he had visited Arya and spoke to her for a short time, checking her for any injuries that she may had sustained from the previous battle. He knew that Arya was no incapable human woman, but he also felt obligated to make sure that she was safe, if for no other reason than his own sanity.

Eragon was knocked out of his reverie as Jarsha, the Varden's young messenger boy, trotted up to him. His guards blocked the boy and Blodhgarm inquired his purpose for visiting Eragon, for the elves had yet to see the boy and were unaware of his duties. Eragon caught Blodhgarm's eye and shook his head, signaling the elf to stand aside and allow Jarsha to pass. Jarsha nodded in thanks to Eragon, who responded with a slight smile. The boy was constantly puzzling him. He almost reminded Eragon of a younger version of himself, only far less curious and a little less inclined to get himself into trouble.

Eragon noticed that Jarsha seemed far more at ease around him, likely because Saphira was off flying and he wasn't worried about being eaten as a snack. "Nasuada requests your presence, Shadeslayer, and that of Lady Arya."

"Have you spoken to Arya yet about this?" Eragon's voice betrayed little to no emotion, which he could tell had a slight effect on the young messenger before him. Silently he berated himself for being so impatient and careless with people.

"No," Jarsha replied, giving Eragon a slightly quizzical look.

"I will attend to it. You may go, Jarsha." The boy bowed respectfully and jogged away. By the speed at which he left Eragon judged that even without Saphira being present, Jarsha was far from comfortable around him, something which he was able to sympathize with.

With a slight sigh of annoyance Eragon began walking towards Nasuada's tent, the one place that he didn't want to visit. Eragon extended his consciousness towards where he knew Arya's tent was, but was surprised to find the tent empty. He quickly scoured the rest of the Varden, searching for the unmistakable consciousness of Arya, but he was unable to locate any such mind. Eragon was slightly disturbed by her reticence on a daily basis, but he assumed that she would at least be reachable the day after a battle, the time when she was needed the most.

As Eragon arrived at Nasuada's tent his elven guards mixed with Nasuada's Nighthawks. The Nighthawks showed obvious discomfort at the thought of allowing the elves to stand guard beside them, for very few people had seen elves or knew what they would do in a dire situation. They were unpredictable, something that nobody liked.

On the other hand, Eragon's guards showed no signs of unease as they stood beside the Humans, Dwarves, and Urgals. An Urgal Nighthawk, who bore an emblem of leadership, proclaimed, "Lady Nightstalker, Eragon Shadeslayer requests and audience."

From inside the pointed tent Eragon heard Nasuada call out, "You may admit him."

The Nighthawks stepped aside upon Nasuada's declaration, allowing Eragon to enter the tent. The first thing Eragon noticed about the inside of the tent was that Nasuada was alone except for the lone figure of Islanzadi in a mirror beside her. He also noticed that Nasuada eyed Islanzadi with something akin to fear, or maybe submission. Eragon could only assume that before he had arrived the queen of the elves and the leader of the Varden had gotten into some sort of argument, and that Islanzadi had won. Skirting a small box on the ground, Eragon took a seat near Nasuada and Islanzadi. Eragon and Islanzadi exchanged the traditional elven greetings, and Eragon was taken by surprise when Nasuada prompted him with, "Atra esterni ono thelduin."

"Mor'ranr lifa unin hjarta onr." Eragon was slightly taken aback by Nasuada's knowledge of the elvish customs. He waited a moment to see if Nasuada would add the third, more formal, line. When nothing was forthcoming he asked, "What is it that you need from me?"

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news," Islanzadi began. Her usually smooth and calm voice was laced with traces of sorrow.

Eragon stopped her with a raised hand, already knowing what she was going to speak of. In a low voice, so that no eavesdroppers would hear, he said, "I am aware of their passing, my queen. Glaedr entrusted his heart of hearts to me before we set off from Ellesmera. I saw the battle through his eyes." A tear came to Eragon's eye as he remembered what Glaedr had been thinking as Oromis had passed into the void. He silently promised himself that he would never make Saphira go through anything like that.

Islanzadi was affected in a similar way, for Eragon saw her wipe a crystal tear from her cheek. Silence reigned for a moment, a tribute of respect to the fallen Rider and dragon, and then Islanzadi said, "I am pleased to hear that Glaedr's knowledge is still alive with you. We shall need his help if we are to prevail in this war." Islanzadi paused for a moment. "Other than that, I believe there is only one other thing to attend to that pertains to official war business. First, I believe Nasuada has something to say to you."

Eragon noticed Nasuada gulp before standing up, eyeing Islanzadi the entire time. She reached for Brisingr, which was strapped onto the Belt of Beloth the wise, and drew the sword slowly. He didn't make any attempt to stop her, he knew that if she had hostile intent he would easily be able to neutralize her before she could utilize the weapon. "Please kneel, Eragon."

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Islanzadi nod in approval, encouraging him to do as Nasuada requested. Eragon felt somewhat awkward as he knelt before Nasuada, all the while wondering what exactly this was about. She raised Brisingr and rested the tip on Eragon's forehead, creating a slight pressure between his skin and the blade. "The queen of the elves has requested that I release you from your oath of fealty to me, and she has given me sufficient reason to do so. As of this moment I release you, Eragon Shadeslayer, from my service. You are free."

Eragon stood up and accepted his sword from Nasuada as she proffered it to him. In a single fluid motion he sheathed the blade and bowed graciously before Nasuada. "Thank you." Nasuada inclined her head.

Islanzadi waited a moment, allowing Eragon to enjoy his newfound freedom. After a moment she asked, "Eragon, where is Arya? I seem to remember telling that human messenger to find her as well."

"I do not know exactly, but I would guess that she is near a group of trees that I noticed while we were flying in from Ellesmera." Eragon saw the worried look on Islanzadi's face, causing him to add, "I plan to go and find her as soon as we are done with this meeting."

"Please do." Eragon was again surprised by the emotion he could sense in her words. He could tell that Islanzadi was concerned for Arya and deduced that the elf hadn't contacted her mother the previous night. Eragon put his thoughts aside as Islanzadi said, "You are likely wondering why you have been released from your fealty to Nasuada." Eragon nodded. "I name you the official Lead Rider, Eragon Shadeslayer. It was Oromis' wish and I agreed wholeheartedly with it. You are worth of the title."

Eragon wasn't surprised by Islanzadi's statement, after all who else could be the Lead Rider? Oromis had even discussed it with him on several occasions. He replied to her statement by saying simply, "Thank you, I knew that was coming." Islanzadi gave a brief, birdlike nod in understanding. Eragon's lips twitched as he remembered Islanzadi's concern for Arya and decided to have a little bit of fun with it. "Do you know about Arya, Islanzadi?"

"What about her?" The maternal concern Eragon had noticed earlier sprang forth once again at the mention of Arya.

"What she did during the battle."

"She isn't hurt, is she?" Islanzadi's face grew slightly tenser as she asked her question.

Eragon smiled at her reaction. "I healed her wounds, although we would have both died without each other." He worded his statement so that it would provoke a more noticeable response from Islanzadi so he could confirm what he had noticed.

"What happened?" Islanzadi demanded. She was obviously irritated by Eragon's hesitance to tell her of her own daughter's predicament.

"We were attacked by a shade at Belatona." The queen gasped, which was something that Eragon had rarely seen an elf do. Eragon assumed that Islanzadi would take the mention of a shade very badly, seeing as how only three warriors in all of history has survived the slaying of a shade. Well, he corrected himself. Four now.

"How many died?" she asked, already assuming the worst had occurred.

Another smile found its way onto Eragon's face; he was amused by Islanzadi's pessimism. "The shade killed nobody. You have your daughter to thank for that." A hint of pride colored Eragon's voice as he spoke of Arya's accomplishment.

Islanzadi scowled at Eragon. "How could you allow Arya to face a shade alone? You are the Shadeslayer, you should have fought him!" Her voice had grown to a shout by the end.

Eragon wasn't perturbed by her sudden outburst, as he knew that she was just concerned for Arya. He chose his next words in an attempt to disarm the queen and once again bring civility back to their conversation. "I fought alongside your daughter, as I always do. However, it was her who dealt the final blow to the shade and earned the title of Shadeslayer. Be proud of her, Islanzadi. Arya has accomplished a great feat."

"I am proud," the elf whispered, quietly enough so that only Eragon could hear. "You and her make quite the team, two shades now. Incredible."

"Thank you, your highness."

"And you are sure that she isn't wounded?" the queen asked insistently.

"I saw to it personally."

"Good, good. I need to speak with you privately later on, but we still have a few things to discuss with Nasuada." Islanzadi seemed to be thankful for his actions of behalf of her daughter, and Eragon wondered what exactly she wanted to discuss privately with him. His head told him it would be about the Lead Rider position, but his heart said it was personal.

Since both Eragon and Islanzadi has stopped talking Nasuada said, "Well then, on to other business. Winter is quickly approaching. We have agreed that the Varden will capture Belatona before winter and we will wait out the season inside the city. The elves will stay at Gil'ead until after winter when they will converge upon Dras Leona with us and together we shall destroy it." Islanzadi nodded, confirming Nasuada's words.

Eragon thought the strategy was acceptable, albeit with a few hesitations on the part of the elves remaining stationary for so long, but he was curious about his master's fates. "What will be done with Oromis and Glaedr?"

"We will preserve their bodies and you will join us for winter. The Varden won't have a need for you at that point and then we can conduct a proper ceremony for them. Arya must be present as well."

Eragon nodded in agreement. The plan seemed to suit everyone's needs reasonably well. Before he took his leave he had two things left to account for. First he said, "So since it'll take us weeks to reach Belatona, I suppose you won't mind if I decide to do little to nothing in terms of aiding the Varden, unless Murtagh should appear."

Nasuada looked at him strangely. "Do you not mean to help the Varden?"

"I do, but I also want to enjoy my life. I may only have a few months to live, you know this." Eragon dipped his head slightly as he realized just how short his life could be cut if a few simple things went wrong.

"Just stay close enough to the Varden to help if Murtagh and Thorn appear, other than that it is your choice. I no longer have authority over you, Saphira, or the elves. Do as you like." Eragon was surprised at Nasuada's words. He hadn't expected her to go along so easily with his request. He intended to spend some time with Saphira and Arya to make up for all the time he had spent in Farthen Dur with the dwarves, and he had some catching up to do with Roran as well.

He gave Nasuada a small smile in thanks for her understanding and then asked Islanzadi, "When do you wish to speak with me in private?"

"Would this evening be a problem?"

"No, I'll contact you assuming nothing comes up. Goodbye Nasuada, Islanzadi." He didn't use any formalities or bow on his way out as he was now the lead rider, subordinate to no one. Eragon retreated from the tent and stretched, happy to be free from the stifling command tent and Nasuada's grasp.

He glanced up in the sky looking for Saphira, but was disappointed when he didn't find her. Eragon sighed and told Blodhgarm to return to his tent before dashing off in the direction of the trees he had mentioned to Islanzadi. He wanted to see Arya, and see how she was doing. She had taken the deaths of Oromis and Glaedr pretty hard the day before.

It took him only a few minutes to run to where he suspected Arya would be. Once he entered the group of trees he slowed his pace and walked silently, not intending to disturb any of the animals or Arya if he was to find her. He searched for a few minutes before he saw a figure sitting on the ground in the distance.

He approached cautiously and was pleased to see Arya. She hadn't noticed him so he kept his distance and attempted to assess her condition so he didn't say anything stupid and get himself in trouble again. His head snapped towards Arya as he heard a very low, almost imperceptible sob.

Without waiting any longer Eragon strode to Arya's side and sat down beside her. Her eyes looked somewhat puffy from crying and she still had several tears rolling down her cheeks. Eragon was taken aback by her state; he had always known her to be a strong elf. The show of emotion that he was receiving was very uncharacteristic. He said nothing, waiting for her to speak.

Eventually his patience was rewarded as she whispered, "I miss them, Eragon. You wouldn't know how close I was to Oromis. He was virtually a father to me. I know you lost your father in this war, but I'm not sure you know what it's like to lose him twice."

In an equally quiet voice he said sadly, "I've lost my father three times, Arya. I know how it feels."

"Three?"

"Garrow, Brom, Oromis."

"I'm sorry." She finally looked at him. Eragon gulped, her words did little to ease the blanket of pain that was wrapped around his world.

After a moment he looked down and was surprised to see that he and Arya had unconsciously clasped hands while they sat. He could see Arya's tears still flowing, narrow rivers of water coursing down her soft face. The sight brought more pain to him than even the deaths of Oromis and Glaedr.

They sat together, hands clasped, for a long, long while. Eragon assumed that Saphira had returned to camp and decided to let them be alone. Partway through the afternoon Eragon felt a slight pressure on his shoulder which caused him to look down. He was amazed to see Arya's head resting comfortably and a peaceful look on her face, which was exactly the opposite of what he had expected to see based on her earlier sadness.

Eragon released Arya's hand and instead wrapped his arm around her. He could feel her tension lessen by his touch, which perplexed him beyond measure. Eventually their silence was broken when Eragon said, "I spoke with your mother today."

He felt Arya tense slightly against his side so he gently squeezed with his arm. To his surprise his action caused her to relax a bit. He asked, "What did she say?"

"Would you prefer if I told you, or showed you?"

Arya's eyes twinkled slightly. "Show me."

Eragon extended his mind towards Arya's and gently brushed against her barriers, which he found to be in ruins. Her distress had obviously caused her to lose her concentration and make it impossible to maintain barriers around her consciousness. Eragon was grateful that he was there, for if she was attacked by a magician in that state she would almost definitely be overwhelmed.

In her mind he could feel satisfaction. He didn't track the emotion and find out where it originated, but his curiosity was answered a moment later when she adjusted herself slightly against his shoulder, sending another wave of contentment through her mind.

Eragon showed her his memory of his meeting with Nasuada. He could feel a mixture of emotions coming from her. Happiness when he was released from the bonds of fealty and declared the Lead Rider, amusement at her mother's reaction to his odd teasing, but more than anything else he felt a longing her in, a longing to share a relationship with her mother.

He murmured a condolence as he felt her emotions and she looked up at him with a slight hint of gratitude. "Would you mind if I was there with you when you contacted her later today?"

'When have I ever minded you spending time with me?" Arya smiled slightly at the implications of what he said, and he could tell that she was proud of him for not trying to woo her like he could have so easily attempted.

The two sat together, gazing at the wildlife until the sun had begun to touch the horizon. Arya finally stood up. "We should return to the tents." Reluctance laced her voice.

"Aye." He stood up next to her and was amazed when she took his right hand and again wrapped it around her, lying her head on his shoulder like he was a pillow. Something in Eragon made him feel slightly guilty from the contact, as he knew that it was born out of a desire for comfort, not a desire for companionship in the way he wanted. He felt as if he was taking advantage of Arya's situation for his own pleasure.

Apparently they had forgotten to separate minds earlier in the afternoon because Arya whispered in his thoughts, You are so sweet…You've grown quite a bit since your blunders in Ellesmera. Don't feel guilty, your presence is soothing.

You honor me.

Neither Eragon nor Arya noticed the surprised looks that the Varden had as they walked through the camp in such an unlikely position. Arya lifted her head from his shoulder when she noticed a woman glaring at her with jealousy. He hastened to do the same with the arm he had wrapped around her but she tightened her arm against her side, pinning his hand in place.

Eragon was bemused by her sudden desire to be so close to him, but he didn't press the matter, especially not in front of all the Varden. They soon arrived at Eragon's tent and even a couple of the elves gave them slightly surprised or amused looks. Eragon ignored them and pushed the midnight blue flap aside, granting him and Arya entrance to his tent.

Once inside he muttered, "Brisingr." A candle burst into flames and he rummaged around through one of his bags, looking for his mirror. With a pleased expression he stepped back and placed his mirror on a table in front of him and Arya. He murmured the scrying spell and Queen Islanzadi soon appeared in the mirror.

The queen looked surprised to see them together; she had after all requested to speak with Eragon alone. As if in explanation Eragon said, "She wanted to talk to you as well."

To Arya Islanzadi said, "I'll contact you as soon as I finish with Eragon then? I have things to say to both of you, so it should work out fine."

Eragon noticed that Arya had a slightly confused look, but she nodded and said, "Very well, mother. I shall speak with you soon."

As Arya began to walk away Eragon grabbed her hand below the table, out of sight of the elf queen. She turned and eyed him oddly, as if wondering if he would make another mistake. In a whisper so that Islanzadi wouldn't hear he said, "If you need anything, or you are feeling sad like you were today, come to me. Don't face your problems alone."

She held his gaze for a long moment, as if determining his true intentions before she nodded ever so slightly and gave him a small smile. She walked out of the tent as she released his hand and let it fall back to his side.

Eragon turned back to the mirror where Islanzadi waited. He was a bit surprised when Islanzadi had her eyebrows raised and was staring at him curiously. He took the liberty of returning the gesture and waiting for her to speak, for she had, after all, asked to speak with him, not the other way around.

After staring at him for a moment later she said, "I wanted to talk to you about Arya."

"What about her?" Eragon hoped that Islanzadi wouldn't get mad at him for something regarding his behavior with Arya. He wasn't even sure just how much Islanzadi knew about his feelings for Arya or their past encounters. Whatever the queen knew, problems were sure to arise when she found out that he was in love with her daughter.

"Is she…happy, Eragon?" the queen asked tentatively.

"Why would you ask me for this?" he asked, trying to determine her reasons for asking before he actually gave a reply. A careless response could have placed him at the mercy of the queen in such a situation.

"Your guards speak very highly of your close friendship, Eragon. And according to them some of the Varden think you are a couple. While I know that this is not true, as I trust my daughter would inform me of such an occurrence, I thought that you would know."

Eragon was a bit troubled when he heard about what the Varden thought of him and Arya. It would no doubt anger her if she heard it. Deciding that the queen's intentions were just he said, "No, she is not. Just before I came here I found her crying out in the forest. It took all afternoon to comfort her and I still don't think it worked. Even excluding that, do you think that someone who walks around like her would be happy? She is closed off from the world due to her losses. I'm trying to help but it isn't easy."

Islanzadi frowned. She asked a blunt question, "Do you love her? Truly love her?"

Eragon was taken aback by the queen's forwardness with him. It was not like her to ask such a question, then again she had been acting rather strangely towards him. He decided to reply truthfully to hopefully avoid problems in the future concerning lies and shady behavior and said in the ancient language, "I do. I love her and I will love her until the end of my life." Eragon was taking a big risk by telling the queen of his feelings. She could react badly and cause him endless problems if she desired. He hoped that by speaking in the ancient language he would assure her that his heart was true and he wasn't just in love with her because of her appearance.

"You do realize what you just did," Islanzadi whispered. He had bound himself to Arya in the ancient language, even if she didn't return his love.

"Yes," he said with a small smile.

"You are a rare man…" Islanzadi said. She paused as she seemed to remember something. Eragon guessed it had to do with Evandar, her dead mate. In a sad voice the queen said, "I take it that Arya does not reciprocate your affection?"

"No, she doesn't," he said, just as sadly.

"There was a time when she would have. There was a time when she could sing, dance, and enjoy herself. I think that Arya would have loved you, Eragon. If you want my advice…" she offered. He gave a slight nod; any help at winning Arya's heart would make him happy. But more than advice he was relieved that the Queen appeared to approve of his suit with Arya, which gave him hope. "Then try to spend time with her. Make her cry for her losses and tell you of them. She will realize what she feels for you soon enough, you just have to show her that she can tell you anything."

"I really would prefer to not have her crying, it saddens me," he said, uncertain if making her cry would be within his power.

"Trust me," the queen said. "She will appreciate it, she hasn't even confided in me since we were reunited. I think you know more about her than I do. You are her only friend in this world, do not betray her."

"I would never," he swore in the ancient language. It surprised him that he was her only friend; he thought she would have a few elves from Ellesmera that she was somewhat close with.

"I'm glad to hear that, Eragon. I'm going to contact her now and ask her the same questions I asked you, but one thing you must do is wait for her to come around, don't go after her." The queen cut off the scrying spell, leaving Eragon curious as to why she was so eager to get him and Arya together.

Who cares? Just be happy about it, a voice said in his mind.

Saphira! Where have you been? He was pleased that she finally spoke to him again, the last time he heard her voice was earlier in the morning, which is a long time for a rider and dragon.

Out flying around, letting you enjoy yourself with Arya. I watched you from above, and I was surprised. Your self control has developed considerably, the dragon said proudly. Eragon smiled and accepted her praise silently.

--

Arya sat in her tent awaiting contact from her mother. She was a bit confused about what exactly her mother wanted to say to her that couldn't be said in front of Eragon, she had never been all that personal before. But more than that, she wondered what she wanted to say to Eragon that couldn't be said in front of her. She knew many of the secrets of the land, including things meant for Riders only, so why shouldn't she be told?

Her patience was rewarded as Islanzadi appeared in the mirror before her. The queen smiled at her and said, "Congratulations, Shadeslayer." Arya looked down in embarrassment, she didn't like titles and now she had a new one. Her mother quickly moved on and asked, "Arya, are you happy?" It was a general question that caught Arya off guard.

"I would say so, mother."

"Eragon seems to think otherwise," the queen said with a slight smile. "And so do I. What is it that you are sad about?"

"What did Eragon tell you?" Arya asked suspiciously, hoping that Eragon didn't betray her trust. If she told him something it didn't mean she wanted it floating around to other people, especially her mother in most cases.

Islanzadi laughed slightly at her daughters' suspicion of betrayal. "Don't worry he didn't tell me much anything, he is a loyal friend. I asked him if you were happy and he said that you were crying earlier today."

"That's correct," she confirmed emotionlessly. She was pleased to learn of Eragon's hesitance to tell her mother personal things, especially without her consent. The knowledge made her know that she would feel more comfortable confiding in him in the future, knowing that he would honor her desire for silence upon the subjects discussed.

"And how did you get over it?" her mother asked insistently.

Arya was confused about what exactly her mother was trying to say but she decided to play along and answer truthfully. "Eragon comforted me."

"Through words or feelings, my daughter?'

"We didn't say much. He sat with me for a long, long time and I began to feel slightly better."

"And what do you feel for Eragon?" Islanzadi persisted.

"I think of him as a friend," Arya said simply. "He has already tried to pursue me in the past, but I rejected him. It was the night of the Agaeti Blodhren, when he was changed. He promised to not pursue me again in such a manner."

"So you're still sad about Faolin?"

"Yes, and now Oromis and Glaedr as well. You know that they were my last friends in this world. Who do I have left?" Arya asked softly, tears beginning to flow down her cheeks.

"You still have me, but I doubt that is much comfort to you right now," Islanzadi said regretfully. Arya nodded in response, not trusting herself to speak. Her mother sighed and added, "Arya, I wasn't there for you like I should have been, but that doesn't change the fact that I love you and I want you to be happy." Arya met her mothers' gaze, surprised by her straightforwardness. "Eragon has always been there for you, maybe you do feel something for him but you don't realize it…"

"No, Eragon is eighty years younger than me, it is not possible."

"Not probable, always possible. I watched you when you were in Ellesmera, when you were around Eragon you started to come out of your shell and enjoy the world again. His guards speak highly of your friendship with him; they say that you are like a different person in his presence." Islanzadi sighed when Arya didn't reply. In a suggestive tone she said, "I'm not telling you to go tell him that you love him, Arya. That would be unfair. I'm just asking you to spend time with him as you are right now, and I'm telling you that you will feel better once you do. You know it in your heart to be true."

"Possibly…" Arya admitted. "I do feel better after talking with him. Maybe tomorrow I'll go and see him again, but I don't believe that I have feelings beyond friendship for him."

"Perhaps that is the case," Islanzadi said, still determined to convince Arya to side with Eragon. "However, if you do start to feel something more, don't let the past hold you back. Faolin would want you to move on with your life and enjoy yourself, even if it wasn't with him."

Another tear came to Arya's eyes as she heard her mother describe Faolin's feelings. What troubled her more was that she was right. Faolin never liked to see Arya saddened, and he had once told her that if he was to die he wanted her to be happy, not sad. Convinced that she shouldn't openly agree to her mother's request quite yet she said, "I will keep that in mind, mother. Is there anything else?"

Islanzadi seemed to consider Arya's words from several angles before nodding and proceeding with their discussion. She asked, "Are you aware of what occurred the meeting with Eragon and Nasuada today?"

"Eragon showed me his memory of the meeting. I know that we are to spend the winter in Gil'ead, and I am aware of the Varden's decision to capture Belatona and use it as a shelter during the winter." Arya noticed that her mothers' expression shifted into that of grim amusement at her words.

"That is all then," Islanzadi confirmed. She hesitated, seemingly unsure of herself, before adding, "You know, Arya. It took me one hundred long years to finally realize what I told you today, about love and life. What I tell you is from experience. I may not have been given a second chance in love, but you have been. I just want you to be happy, that is all."

"I know, mother," Arya whispered, truly touched by her mothers' care towards her. She wouldn't have expected it, even after her previous stay in Ellesmera.

Mother and daughter exchanged farewells and Arya cut off the scrying spell. She lay down on her cot and thought about what her mother had told her, about how she should embrace Eragon's love for her rather than push him away. Her thoughts were occupied by memories of love and happiness as she fell into her waking dreams.