Words of the Night

VI.

Arya takes the last chance before Eragon leaves Alagaësia. Can she change his mind?

Standing on the sail, she felt each of her breaths coming out more restricted than the previous one.

Arya hasn't felt this nervous since, well... She couldn't really remember. Scared and afraid she'd been many times in the last months, but nervous? Never. She's always knew her purpose, her goal, and her determination allowed no nervousness.

"Eragon..."

He looked at her with anguish in his eyes, as if he knew whatever followed, it would be bad.

"Yes, Arya Svit-kona?"

She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again, taking a deep breath instead.

In a swift motion, she placed on hand on the back of his neck, the other one on his cheek and kissed him.

He gasped into her mouth startled, but she expected that, just as she expected for him to kiss back.

Only he didn't. He grabbed her arms and pushed her away with all his might, roughly, but still holding her.

"Don't. Please don't," Eragon said, tears evident in his eyes.

"I will," Arya replied and, again began kissing him like there's no tomorrow, which was true, given the situation.

"No, don't," he pushed her away again. "You'll just make it worse."

"What?" She pulled away from his grasp completely, trying to hide her hurt. "Do you not fancy me anymore?"

"I do! I do, just... It's so hard to leave already. My home, my family, excluding Saphira, my teachers, my father's grave, you... Everything is staying here, in Alagaësia. Us leaving is hard enough without finally getting what I wanted. So don't. Please don't do this. It will hurt all the more if you reciprocate my strong feelings towards you. I love you, Arya, and I believe I always will. But it hurts enough as it is."

Arya sighed, and stood still for a long minute. She looked down, chased away the tears that have gathered in her eyes, and faced Eragon, not hiding any emotions behind her mask of steel this time.

"Eragon, I do love you. Maybe if I decided sooner, there would be something that could be done. I'm sorry I've tortured you with my cold behaviour. Please, let me give you a kiss goodbye, and then I will intrude no more."

Eragon stood tensely, and then nodded and leaned towards Arya. Their lips met, gently this time, and that moment, everything was brighter.

It's up to you how you interpret this to end. I really wanted to upset nobody. I personally agree with the ending in the original books, but fanfiction is about making up your own.