Chapter 14

It takes them another full day before they reach the border of the kingdom of the Highlander Clans. As expected, Roy's friends are awaiting them.

On their journey there Roy points out to Avril, "Darling, do you know you have a permanent streak of pink in your hair?"

"What!" says Avril, trying to pull her hair around to see it.

"Other side. This side."

Avril grabs her hair, and luckily enough it is far enough down so she can pull her hair around and see it. "What the?" Avril looks flustered.

Roy wants to press her more, but she has been a princess for a long time and knows her way around a court and its intrigues, so she changes the subject by way of saying, "Won't your king get mad at you for threatening the Realm of the Magical Ones?"

"To the Abyss with him!"

"ROY!"

"Don't worry about it, Avril. The king and I are much the same, and have strong tribal alliances."

"Greetings, Roy, and a most pretty lady."

"Down boy."

"Brother, show some decorum, she is a princess after all, and I do not think our king and queen would appreciate any disrespect shown to their counterparts."

Avril looks at Roy by way of making her point that his king might be upset with him.

Ignoring her 'I told you so' look, Roy says, "Jeff and Angus Gordon, this is Princess Avril Serene of the kingdom of Azure."

"Greetings, Princess, we are most honored to make your acquaintance." Jeff and Angus say it in perfect stereo, as they have been doing all their lives, since they are twins.

"Please, get down off your horses and join us for dinner. We can start out in the morning." They already have a camp set up along one of the many streams that feeds this area and its many lakes.

Once they get situated and once again have their saddles side by side with their combined blankets to cushion the ground, Roy pulls out the amulet and hands it to Avril.

It is beautiful, with blue sapphires inserted into a stone of obsidian long since rubbed smooth. There is a giant round blue sapphire in the middle of the stone. Then there are eight triangular shaped blue sapphires with the points facing away from the main stone at equal intervals. There are also two more small round blue sapphires stuck right near to but on opposite sides of the main sapphire.

The triangle shaped blue sapphires light up, telling you in what direction the Scepter of Power is. The two smaller round stones light up depending on whether the scepter is above or below you. The main sapphire lights up when you are very near the Scepter of Power. Understanding the world when the Scepter of Power was created, they also created the Amulet of Direction just for the very occurrence that is happening now.

"It's pretty."

Roy smiles at Avril's beautiful heart. "Yes, it is."

"So you're Jeff, right?"

"Yeah and..."

"Whoa! Sweetheart, you have to pay very close attention with these two, because if you get them mixed they will make you pay by messing with your mind by saying they are the other one."

"So you're not Jeff?"

"Actually, I am, milady. It is only sir knight spacer here that continuously gets us mixed up."

"You do look exactly alike."

"Yeah, they do. That is why long ago I gave up and just started calling both of them butthead. That way I can't be wrong."

Avril laughs her musical laughter as she says, "Roy!"

"Actually, sweetheart, we have been friends since we were kids, and I'm probably the only person who can tell them apart without talking to them first. Jeff of the Gordon clan here is a great horse racer, and he has won me much money. Thank you very much." he says to Jeff.

"No problem, great knight of Montgomery. By the way, how is that most delightful Princess Elizabeth doing?"

"We were there not too long ago, and she wanted to know what is taking you so long to come and propose to her."

"What?" Roy and Angus laugh.

"She didn't say ... Oh, I get it." Avril says, finally catching up on the good-natured ribbing.

As Roy, Angus and Jeff continue their banter, Avril is watching them. She figures Angus and Jeff to be around thirty years old, near the same as Roy, and they too are very fit. Knights by trade, but as Roy has long brown hair with hazel eyes, Angus and Jeff have shortly trimmed brown hair with dark blue eyes. At the most, Avril figures they can't stand over five foot seven.

As the sun starts to fade Briar comes spiraling down and lands nearby. When he does, he stirs up the campfire and embers shoot out towards Roy and Avril. Avril is covering her face so she does not see the rather large ember that just landed on the inside of the back side of her skirt between her legs.

Without question Roy reaches in and grabs the ember. Avril looks down and sees Roy's hand disappearing up her skirt, but she doesn't think twice about it, because she trusts this man completely. Roy quickly pulls the ember out and throws it back in the fire.

"It didn't burn your inner thigh, did it?"

"Nope! Once again, thanks to you I am safe and sound."

Angus and Jeff are watching all of this, but they do not think it is funny or dirty in anyway. Roy is their friend and they know much of his destiny, and have heavy hearts for their friend because his fate is not assured.

"Sorry about that."

"How goes it, Briar?" asks Angus in the accent of his tribe, the Scots.

"Very well, Angus, and you? And you too, of course, Jeff, how has life been treating you?"

"Very well, thank you. Other than the world possibly coming to an end, I am doing quite well." Everybody sees the anguish on Avril's face. "Oh, Princess, I do not in anyway think this is your fault. If someone is willing to risk all to cause mischief, there is very little that can be done. Only we will get the final laugh, because when they pass there will be no paradise for them. It will be the fires of the underworld for them." Avril looks over at Roy knowingly.

"Thank you."

"Aye, Princess, this is not of your doing, and we will help you as we can."

"Thank you, Angus."

Roy scoots closer to Avril and puts his right arm across her thighs with his hand resting on her right knee. Avril grabs tight onto Roy's arm and leans her head against his shoulder.

"Briar, did you see anything about?"

"No, sir knight. Did you expect that I would?"

"Of late I have been kind of getting the feeling that whoever took the scepter is not trying to get it somewhere, only they are trying to hide it until it is too late. If they were trying to steal it for wealth or power they would have left the Brittle Mountains by now, since there are only several tribes up there and we know they only want to be left alone in peace. Because of that, they would be helping us not hindering us. But I do expect that the true enemy will soon start to show their true face, and begin slowing us up if they can."

Avril nestles harder into Roy. As Roy and his friends are talking, the sound of Roy's voice is calming and soothing to Avril, and she is soon fast asleep curled up right next to him. With a big yawn from Roy that signals the end of the evening, the three knights turn in so they can get an early start.

As Roy lies down next to Avril she is facing him, and the glow from the fading fire is giving her an angelic glow. Roy notices a flock of errant hair in her mouth, so he reaches over and pushes it back out of her face. Roy rests his hand there above her head for a moment, so badly wanting to stroke her hair and comfort them both, but he knows it is not his right. He brings down his hand but watches her sleep for a few moments longer.

"Good night, sweet princess."

Once again Roy is awakened to the sounds of breakfast being made, but this time it is the Gordon knights doing it. As Roy blinks his eyes into focus, he notices Avril still lying across from him, but she is awake and she was watching him sleep.

"Good morning." she says, with a divine smile.

"Good morning, Princess." Roy sits up and stretches himself the rest of the way awake. Moments later Avril follows suit. "Good morning, boys. What's on the agenda for today?"

"Well, mother and father wanted us to bring you two by to say hello."

"Their mother and father?" Avril inquires.

"The queen and king of the Highlander Clans." Roy clarifies.

As Roy and Avril are still sitting there Avril starts brushing her hair, and then when she is done she starts brushing Roy's for him.

"Ah, it appears the great lion has found a lioness to brush his great mane," teases Jeff.

"Well, someone has to brush that mess," adds Angus.

Avril giggles and then says, "There. All done."

After they eat breakfast, Roy turns to Avril and says, "Av, if you would like to take a quick bath before we head out, us boys can give you a moment to yourself."

Avril thinks about it for a second and then says, "How far is it to the King and Queen's home?"

"Nearly two week's travel, Princess." answers Angus.

Then Roy adds, "But there are many lakes and streams on the way."

"Okay, I can wait, unless you are trying to tell me I smell." Roy doesn't say anything, he just tilts his head to the side and down, and looks at her through squinted eyes. Avril giggles.

Then in all seriousness Roy tells Avril, "Sweetheart, there are times I get caught up in my duty, but if a time comes that a most disagreeable smell starts emanating from me, just let me know."

"Yes, sir knight, I will just push you into the lake."

"Humph!" laughs Roy.

"I like her." says Angus, and Jeff agrees.

The journey through the lake country is indeed a beautiful adventure, and it does Roy's heart good to see Avril shine with her natural beauty and grace. Roy was concerned that the harsh words from the Grand Master would affect her, but he should have known that her strength could stand up to those fools any day.