Chapter 23

It only takes about another hour to reach the border of the Kingdom of Lavigne and the grand army of fifteen thousand strong that is awaiting them.

Roy rides over to Michael Songbird and they grab each other by the forearms. "It has been a great honor. We will remember the great Cherokee for the rest of our lives."

"Yeah." Avril adds, shaking hands with Michael, and then she waves to the rest. "Thank you."

"Perhaps, when all of this is over, you two will come and visit and stay amongst us for a time as honored guests."

"You never know." Roy says. Avril squirms around so she can look at Roy with raised eyebrows. "Well, you never know." And then Roy kisses Avril's hair.

The fact that Avril is sitting in front of Roy gets some odd stares from the official escorts of the world's savior, but they do not say anything.

However Roy notices the looks and whispers into Avril's ear, "Ah, sweetheart, maybe you should get back on your own horse."

"Oh, not yet."

"As you wish, Princess."

"It's Avril, remember?" They both smile fondly.

The General of the Army rides up, surrounded on three sides by priests and priestesses, and says, "Welcome, Princess Avril of Azure. The preparations have already begun. We will reach the city several hours before daylight in a day and a half, and then you can rest for a few hours before preparing for The Ceremony of that night. Princess, we have a wagon with many servants for you if you so desire."

Avril looks back at Roy and Roy looks around her so they can make eye contact. "It's up to you, sweetheart. You probably really should get some sleep."

"Have you not learned yet, sir knight, that the easiest place for me to fall asleep is right next to you."

"Right back at you, precious girl, but I think it will raise too many hypocritical eyes if I were to get into the back of the wagon with you."

"Yeah, I guess you are right. Just let me stay here another hour and then I will get into the wagon."

The general, overhearing, says, "As you wish, Mistress."

A troop of two thousand soldiers takes the lead. Then come Avril, Roy and Briar. Then come the General and the priests and priestesses. On each flank is a force of five thousand each. Behind the priests and priestesses come several wagons followed by another three thousand walking infantry soldiers.

"General, do you know how the battles are going?"

"The forces of Montgomery and the Highland Clans have broken the lines of our enemy. The Highlander Clans have gone to help the Fleecian Army, and then they will unite their forces and take up positions between the Kingdom of Lavigne and the Realm of the Wanderers.

"The heavy cavalry of Montgomery have made to hit the forces of the Wanderers deep inside Lavigne, while their infantry is spearheading deep into the Realm of the Wanderers. There is also a force of a thousand knights attacking from the Realm of the Magical Ones, and with them are many witches and wizards. It will not be long now before the Wanderers see the error of their ways and return home."

"Do you know if the King of Montgomery is leading them?"

"As far as I know, Princess, he is leading the heavy cavalry that is already in our land. Once his forces chase the Wanderers back across the border, I assume he will make his way to the City of Divinity for The Time and The Ceremony."

As the night progresses, Avril falls back asleep in front of Roy as they ride towards destiny. Roy smiles to himself, because the sounds of a marching army are many, and yet she is as content as a little girl in her daddy's arms.

Roy continues to watch the night sky as periodic meteors streak across it. It is about sun up of the next day that Roy's back is starting to hurt, and he has a great need to stretch his legs. "General, if you will please."

"Whoa!" the general says, holding up his hand.

Avril jolts awake. "What is happening?"

"Nothing, sweetheart. I just need to stretch my legs and back, so I guess it is time for you to get into the wagon and rest. You have little over a day before we reach the City of Divinity, and you really should get lots of sleep."

"Oh, are you okay? I'm sorry, I didn't even think this might be hurting you."

"No, milady, there is no other way I would have it, but I do need to stretch myself and other stuff."

"Oh, okay." The wagon comes up next to them and Roy gets down first, and then Roy lifts Avril down. "I'm glad, actually, because these extra heavy leggings are making my butt sweat."

"Sorry, sweetheart, I can't take them off for you this time."

Avril smacks him on the arm, "Shh, someone might hear you."

"Yes, Princess." She wants to make a scrunched up face and cross her arms, but she starts laughing instead. "Sleep tight, Avril, and may you dream of wondrous things." Avril gets a little embarrassed look on her face, but she quickly crawls up into the back of the wagon. As the wagon starts rolling on, Avril waves to Roy before a servant closes the flap.

"Briar, stay close to the princess, please."

"Of course! What of you?"

"I'm going to hang back for a few and stretch my muscles out and relieve myself of some worldly burdens."

"Ah. Don't take too long. The Princess will not be pleased if you are not near. The time is coming, Roy."

"Aye." Roy watches the wagon and army slowly disappear into the rising day.

Roy stretches mightily and yawns a dragon's yawn, but does not mount his horse after he is done. He takes the horse by the reins and starts walking after the army and Avril.

It will be good to stretch his muscles and take this time, however briefly, because he knows Avril is safe and is exactly where she is supposed to be. He smiles to himself with the feeling of satisfaction of a job well done.

His smile fades because he knows too that things are about to change. Once again duty will dictate his life. The life of a knight is rarely his own, and now that he has encountered the most special girl he could ever believed existed in this world, what can compare to that? He sighs and continues walking with his horse.

It isn't past mid-morning, and he hasn't got twenty paces after his next stop, when ten Bolo Shades rise up out of the ground to surround him.

Roy lets the horse's reins drop and sighs, and then says, "What do you idiots want?"

From within a deep hollow place an inhuman voice answers him, "For all your efforts, knight, you have failed."

"What the abyss are you talking about now?"

"Has not the beginning of the end started? We saw and embraced the destruction of the first of many, we are sure, of comets to hit the world. Soon it will be unlivable for your kind."

"You morons, that was just a rogue comet."