Adurna

Leaving Paradise

Chapter Nineteen-

Eragon packed the last of the supplies on to our saddles before setting one of them on Saphira. Hoping to be of help, I hurried over to my own saddle and lifted it with much effort. Okay, maybe he had made it seem a little bit easier to lift than it really was. Finally, after a great deal of struggling, I had been able to hoist the heavy saddle onto Derikia's back. Sighing in relief when I saw Eragon come over to assist me, I easily gave him the job of strapping the saddle on to Derikia.

"You have to learn how to do this some time." Eragon muttered as he tightened the last strap. I huffed and folded my arms like the teenager I am.

"I know how to do it." I replied a bit snippily back. He snorted in response.

"Obviously," He patted Derikia's large shoulder before walking towards the lake. I watched him go, still slightly angry for an odd reason. Perhaps it was the sadness of leaving again that had me so upset. Sighing, I unfolded my arms when I saw his figure stop beside the water's edge and stand rigidly away from the three of us. Maybe I wasn't the only one angry and upset at leaving this magical place.

Glancing at the two dragons and getting a nod of approval from each, I made my way slowly over to Eragon. I hugged myself from the slight chill that had come over night. My pace was confident and steady when I exited the woods, but soon turned into a stumbling mess. What was wrong with Eragon? Had I done something wrong? Finally, I reached him. My fingers brushed down his back, lingering for longer than I would have kept them there. He turned around quickly and picked me up before hugging me tightly. I gasped in surprise, but quickly wrapped my arms around him and gave him a reassuring squeeze.

"What's wrong?" I asked after he had set me down. We sat beside one another with our hands intertwined. I pumped my knee against his and smile encouragingly up at him. He let out a long breath before turning his scorching gaze on me.

"I...don't think I'm ready to share you yet." He whispered. My heart sped up at the words he so easily said. I ran my hand through his hair and down his cheek before leaning in and pecked him on the lips briefly.

 "You're going to have to sooner or later." I replied while I leaned into his side when he wrapped his free arm around me waist.

"I was counting on later being much, much later." I laughed into his neck at the ridiculousness in that statement.

"How long will it take to get there?" I wondered aloud. I noticed Eragon tense against me, but I did my best at soothing his silly worries.             

"A few days," He said with a sigh. "Maybe more." Pulling away in surprise, I searched his face to see if he was saying the truth. His pained expression showed me enough.

"We were this close the entire time?" My voice rose in excitement as he nodded in confirmation. In a few days' time I could be meeting the people of the Varden and truly beginning the stage of becoming one of the free people. I was nearly bouncing beside Eragon with a surprising amount of built up energy. Without thinking, I started doing crazy cartwheels in the middle of the field, laughing with delight as I landed on my back in the soft grass. "We were this close the entire time!"

Rolling onto my stomach I watched as Eragon, smiling broadly at my spontaneous display of liveliness, walked over to me. Scooping me up in his arms, he carried me back into the forest to the dragons.

"Maybe it won't be as bad as we think." I whispered quietly into his ear. "We'll still see each other because, technically, you're still training me in magic and history."

"That's true," He muttered back, kissing my cheek softly before setting me on to Derikia's saddle. "Let's get to riding early, we'll get there faster, and avoid any more sudden bursts of cartwheels."