I do not own the Inheritance Cycle. This is my version of how the series ended plus a little before an a long story line after. I used some exact quotes but I changed some of them, so sue me. I don't bother with grammar marks. I know Ra'zac don't actually suck out their victims souls but I needed something that did.

Change of Plans

Eragon smiled at the fairth in his hands. It was definitely a more accurate image of Arya than his last. His last, looking back at it, hadn't been the best idea ever. It had been long past screwed up by his emotions. This one was free of most of the signs of how he felt. There were still a few but you would have to actually look for them to see them. He glanced up at Arya and then back down at the fairth. If she saw it, she would probably kill him for doing the same thing she had gotten mad at him for the last time. He sighed so silently that even he couldn't hear himself.

He threw it at a pile of stones off to one side but Arya said one word, "Kausta."

The moment the fairth began to curve back toward her, Eragon felt his gut screaming at him to run. Saphira and Firnen both stopped what they had been doing ready to jump in to protect Eragon if needed. Firnen wouldn't let anyone hurt his rider but didn't exactly want to see Eragon die either given that Saphira would go with him.

Arya stared at the fairth and her thoughts drifted back to the last fairth Eragon had made of her.

Flashback

Oromis handed the fairth to Arya. She stared at it for a moment then raised it over her head and slammed it to the ground smashing it. The moment she did, they all heared Saphira's enraged roar erupt from the top of the mountain. Oromis turned toward Eragon.

"Control your dragon boy," Oromis said.

"I am," Eragon said.

With that he walked to the edge of the cliff and leapt off. He landed easily in Saphira's saddle and she flew away. Arya was about to try to follow on foot but Oromis stopped her.

"Give him some time," Oromis said. "He'll be cooled off by tomorrow."

Sure enough, he had been back training the next day.

End flashback

"Again?" Arya asked not looking away from the fairth.

"I can explain," Eragon said apprehension and a touch of fear on his voice.

"Don't bother," Arya said.

In truth, she was slightly flattered that even after all this time and all of the things she had said an done, he still loved her. She was also impressed at how accurate the fairth was, especially after the last one he had made.

"I'm not angry," Arya said. "Truthfully, this is probably a better fairth than I could make of you. I'm impressed."

"Oh," Eragon said slightly confused and fairly embarrassed. "So, you're not going to kill me?"

"Not today," Arya said. "Maybe later. For now, if you are willing, I would like to tell you my true name."

Eragon stared at her, completely sure he had heard her wrong. He managed to nod but couldn't find any words. Arya nodded and gave him a moment to get over his surprise then stepped forward and whispered it so quietly that he barely heard it. He blinked. Almost all of it surprised him.

After a moment he managed to say, "You have a good name. You should be proud of who you are. I swear to protect your name."

Arya nodded then smiled and Eragon could have sworn he saw shyness.

"If...you still wish it, I would be honored to hear your name," Arya said.

Eragon smiled and nodded then stepped forward and, just as quietly, whispered his true name to her. She seemed slightly surprised by a few parts and stared at the sky as his name sank in. Eragon felt certain that his flaws would make her hate him, and if they didn't the depth of his feelings for her certainly would. After an agonizing amount of time, she finally looked him in the eye.

"You have a good name as well," Arya said. "Thank you for sharing it with me."

He blinked in surprise. It definitely wasn't the reaction he had been expecting. In fact, it was probably as close to opposite as it could be. Finally he managed to ask the one question that had been nagging at the back of his mind for a while.

"What is to become of us?" Eragon asked.

Arya looked away but, after a moment, said, "I don't know. Once, as you know, I would have said 'nothing' but...You are still young, and humans often change their minds. It may be ten years...it may be-"

"My feelings won't change," Eragon said in the ancient language.

Arya searched his face but eventually her expression softened.

"If they don't, then perhaps...in time," Arya said.

"But," Eragon said feeling like his chest was beginning to implode. "We don't have time."

"What?" Arya asked.

Eragon explained everything that he and Saphira had been discussing recently then finished by saying, "Saphira and I decided that the only safe place to raise the dragons...is outside of Alagaesia."

"But..." Arya struggled for words but they failed her.

Tears began to stream down her cheeks. Eragon gently wiped them away and lifted her face so that he could look her in the eyes.

"If I asked it, would you give up your crown to come with us?" Eragon asked.

Arya stared at him for a moment and for a moment saw a sliver of hope but it faded as quickly as it came. Then fresh tears slid down her cheeks. She tore her eyes away and hugged the fairth to her chest.

"I can't," Arya said.

Eragon's heart fell even though he had expected the answer. He nodded then gently pulled her into a hug as she began to sob. Firnen and Saphira, who had mentally been listening to the end of the conversation, both sat down and stared at their riders.

"I'm sorry," Arya said between sobs.

"It's okay," Eragon said. "I understand. Your duty comes first. Believe me, if that wasn't true, I wouldn't be going."

Arya continued to sob but after a while, she managed to stop and just lay in his arms. He lightly ran his hand through her hair and she seemed to calm down a little more.

"There has to be another way," Arya said.

"There is," Murtagh said landing beside them and dropping off of Thorn. "I'll go."

"Are you sure?" Eragon asked.

"Yes," Murtagh said. "I wanted to be able to make amends for what I've done. This is how."

"But, Nasuada-" Eragon began.

"It never would have worked anyway," Murtagh said.

"Are you sure?" Arya asked.

"Yes," Murtagh said. "I'm certain."

"Okay," Eragon said. "Thank you."

Murtagh nodded then turned and mounted Thorn again. Before he left, Eragon gave him all of the Eldunari. Murtagh said his goodbyes then he and Thorn left. Eragon sat down and smiled to himself as much as to Arya.

"Looks like we have time after all," Eragon said.

Arya smiled as well then sat beside him and kissed him. He kissed her back and after a moment he pulled away and glanced to his left in time to see Firnen flying toward him with murder clearly written on his face. Saphira slammed him into the ground and pinned him.

"What's wrong with Firnen?" Eragon asked.

"I have no idea," Arya said.

"Calm down!" Saphira shouted mentally and they could all hear her.

"But-" Firnen began.

Saphira put her jaws around his neck and squeezed slightly and Firnen went silent. Saphira released his throat and Firnen instantly shot a jet of flame at Eragon.

On pure muscle reflex, he held his hand up and shouted, "Eitha!"

Had he had time to thing, he would have specified just the fire. Instead, a semi visible pulse launched everything inside of a five hundred meter line extending from his hand. The fire shot back at Firnen, giving him a slight burn then the pulse launched him and Saphira backward but high enough that they were able to stop their descent, then it tore up enormous chunks of stone and hurled them. The spell had finished inside of a second and Eragon suddenly felt tired and had a splitting head ache but it could have been worse, all things considered.

"How did you..." Aria began but shook her head and glared at Firnen.

"Don't look at me like that," Firnen said. "He was going to kill you."

"Was not!" Eragon said.

Arya sighed and rested her head in her hand then glared up at Firnen again.

"Why did you think he was trying to kill me?" Arya asked.

"He was going to suck your soul out of your mouth like a Ra'zac," Firnen said.

"Okay," Eragon said. "First, Ra'zac eat their victims bodies while they're alive. Second, you have no idea what a kiss is do you?"

"A what?" Firnen asked thoroughly confused.

"I thought not," Eragon said.

"Actually," Arya said. "Ra'zac eat their victims until they are on the edge of death. Then they suck the souls out of their victims' mouths."

"Oh," Eragon said then restrained a gag. "Guess I'm really glad I saved Roran and Katrina."

"I bet they would be too," Arya said. "I'll explain what you were actually doing. You should go tell Nasuada about Murtagh."

"Right," Eragon said.

He stood and Saphira flew over. She landed heavily and Eragon climbed on.

"I'll be waiting here when you're done," Arya said.

Eragon nodded then glared at Firnen for a moment before Saphira took off and flew him back to Nasuada's residence.

THE END

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