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A thousand years had passed since Earagon and Sapphira left to usher in the new age of riders. It had been a thousand years since he said goodbye to everyone and every place he loved. It had been a thousand years of training gangly, fearful, awkward, dragons and riders how to be Dragons and Riders. Their faces started to blur together into one generic pair of dragon and rider. Except for the ones that had really tested Aeragon as a teacher, or the ones that he had really enjoyed.
The hardest student had been an elf girl who's 10 day old dragon tried to shed his skin against a sword carelessly propped up against the wall. The sword fell and killed the cat-sized dragon. The only sound that rivaled the girl's wails was the tounge lashing Aeregon had given the owner of the sword. The owner was a magician who was banned from the mountain and had to return to his race in shame.
The girl cried for 3 weeks straight. Aeragon had to apply sympathy by reminding himself what would become of the one who dare kill Sapphira by careless accident--if such a feat were possible!
As for Sapphira, she disappeared to the surrounding area for ten days. Her grief was white hot anger. Everyone was glad that she had chosen to extricate herself from the situation rather than eat someone.
It had been a thousand years and despite it all the riders were flourishing. He hadn't been able to visit Nasuada, and she had never called on him. After he left, after they stopped calling him with the mirrors, he assumed everyone was dead! He had let the go and buried them in his mind a long time ago. It didn't hurt anymore but he never forgot. Not in all 1000 years that had passed. Everyone he loved was probably dead.
Everyone but Arya.
After a 1000 years he figured it was high time to visit the queen of the elves. "Are you excited to see your ex boyfriend, Sapphira?" He teased.
"I told you. Dragons don't mate for life."
She was as big as a mountain now and Aergon appeared to be in his 60's. He looked like Braum more than ever now. But also not...
Upon reuniting, not just with Arya, but with the whole of the elves; there was much jubilation and feasting, and songs sung about the shadeslayer and bright scales. Somethings stayed the same some things never changed. He reached out and grabbed the queen's hand under the table. She held his like a vice. Her mind touched his. It's so good to have you back. Don't make me say goodbye again so soon.
I won't. He responded, simply.
It was 3am when they finally got to be alone. Sapphira ran off with Firnen. The time between them closed behind them like water. All hurts were forgot. They were both old. They needed and wanted each other's company. They needed to share their memories through their thoughts away from their riders.
"Arya." Aeragon said to her breathlessly when they were alone.
When he looked into her eyes he could see she had been doing that dreamy elf thing Aeragon hated. Thought drained from her eyes like wine from a wine skin dropped on the floor. "You have changed so much, Earagon. I have not. Tell me, would you still love me if I were no longer young and beautiful?"
Before his eyes her youth and beauty melted away with magic to reveal the face of a little old woman. Arya. Her older self. Her but aged like the oldest human face you've ever seen.
"Yes. Always."
He face melted again until she looked about 60 like Aeragon.
"Always."
She stared at him. So he leaned in close and whispered her true name in her ear.
"A lot can change in a 1000 years. What if that is no longer me?"
"I felt you shiver. I know you, Arya. I knew you then, I know you a thousand years later. I know you no matter how many times you use magic to change your face. And you know what? I love you."
He saw tears well in her eyes. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen her cry. Had he ever? "Oh Earagon!" She fell upon him and kissed him. Kissed him with all matter of passion she had been holding back since the day they had exchanged names. And he kissed her back with burning tounge and smoldering lips. For he had hungered for her since they day they met.
"I love you." He whispered.
"And I, you."