Chapter 20

As Avril, Roy and Briar are making their final descent out of the Brittle Mountains the going is becoming a lot easier. Still, walking is not going to win the day, so they make a beeline for the region they know the Mountain Tribe of Elves are known to frequent.

It has taken two days to get as far as they have, and they still haven't found them yet. Unfortunately Elves are migratory and rarely stay in one place too long, but for the mountain tribe they usually go higher into the mountains the warmer it gets. With any luck they will pass each other, and the mountain tribe will either have the Gem or know which of the other two tribes has it and where they might be found.

It is true they are out of the sheer mountain peaks and valleys, but they are still at an elevation of four thousand feet. Even though Avril has only ever had beautiful milky white skin, the cold makes her look almost transparent, but now with more oxygen, less werewolves chasing them, and warming days, she is starting to get her rosy cheeks back.

However Roy is a few days past in need of a shave, and one evening as they sit around their campfire, which is to a roaring stage so if the mountain elves are about they will see it, Avril comes walking over to Roy with dagger drawn.

Avril stands over Roy's legs as Roy is looking up at her. Avril sits down onto his thighs with her legs spread wide, not in any way embarrassed. Without saying a word Avril brings up the very sharp knife and moves to shave Roy. Roy does not move because his trust in Avril is complete.

"Just leave the mustache and goatee beard."

"As you wish, sir knight." With soap and water Avril shaves Roy back to the stature of a knight who is saving the world.

"How does it look?"

"Much better." Avril says, rubbing his face.

Just then they hear crunching coming from the tree line, so as Avril is lifting herself off of Roy she is drawing her sword. As Avril is standing there facing the woods, Roy rises behind her like an archangel of grace. Roy does not draw his sword, but he has his hand on it at the ready.

From out of the shadows comes one elf, and then two and then four, until there are ten of them standing there with bows in hand, but not drawn and threatening.

"Greetings."

"Greetings," replies the graceful looking elf with long straight brown hair, a majestic air of power and grace about him and powerful looking brown eyes.

"I am Roy Bane and this is Princess Avril. We are taking the Scepter of Power to the City of Divinity for The Time. All the nations have sent their Gem to the city already, but not the elves. We have come to claim it so the Princess can fulfill her destiny."

"It is an honor indeed, milady. We did not realize time has come so far. Has it been another century already?"

"Aye."

"I am afraid that the Prairie Elves have the Gem at this time."

"You wouldn't happen to have several horses to spare, would you? We would be most grateful."

"I'm sorry, Princess, but horses don't do too well this high in the mountains, but our kin the Forest Elves do. We will escort you to a centralized gathering place for the Mountains Elves and the Forest Elves, and then from there the Forest Elves can escort you to our kin the Prairie Elves. From there they will gladly do their part and give you the Gem so that you may fulfill your destiny and save the world."

Avril bows to the grace of the elves and says, "Thank you so very much."

"We see that your dragon is injured."

"Aye, the Bolo Shades had stolen the Scepter of Power so that all physical beings on this planet would perish and they would have the world to themselves, but we thwarted them, and in the battle they injured Briar here and two other dragons that are spread out looking for you folks."

"We saw the mountain explode in light. Princess, we heard you are a powerful sorceress, but we had no idea. We hold magickind in the greatest of honors."

"Thank you again, but it was not I. Sir knight Roy Bane is also of magic." Avril says proudly.

"You look familiar to us. Have we met before?"

"I have traveled through your land before, yes."

"Hmm. I ... Oh, it is an honor indeed to have such highly esteemed guests amongst us. Sir knight Roy Bane, is it?"

"Aye."

"You, the Princess and the majestic Briar may rest in peace for the night, and then at first light we will begin our journey."

"Thank you very much, great and kind elves. Azure sends our appreciation and gratitude." With that the honored elf bows to Avril, and then they disappear back into the woods and the darkness with barely a sound.

With that, Roy and Avril sit back down. Avril sits on Roy's right side and Roy puts his arm around Avril's hip and rests his hand on her thigh. They watch the flickering fire for another twenty minutes, but once again sweet sleep blankets them like a loving mother to her children on a cold winter night.

Roy and Avril scoot down together, and Roy lies on his back while Avril lies on her left side using Roy's arm and chest as a pillow and wrapping her right arm across Roy. Roy wraps his mighty right arm around Avril's shoulders and holds her tight.

As Roy falls to sleep his head relaxes onto Avril's. Not more than a minute later a new world opens up to him. He is once again back in his homeland of the Clans of the Northern Warlords. He feels at long last that he is content, as that he has everything he feels he could ever have wanted from this world.

Roy walks out of his stone cottage and looks out across the high elevation grasslands. The sky is blue with white puffy clouds slowly making their way. The grasses are at long last finally turning from brown to green as the seasons turn.

Though he cannot see it from where he is standing, all he has to do is close his eyes and he can see the garden out back full of food, and at last their hard labors are about to grace them with one of the wonders of the world.

Roy is leaning against the doorframe watching the sun slowly make its descent when a pair of delicate arms wrap around him from behind. He smiles and love flows through him, and as Avril comes walking from around behind him he puts his arm around her shoulders. Every touch, every smile, reminds him of their adventures together. Maybe the years are flying by, but they have taken nothing away from the beauty that is Avril.

Avril smiles up at him with her divine lips, and her soft and warm blue eyes glitter with hope and strength from out of her long straight soft brunette hair.

Roy turns and watches Avril walk back to the kitchen, and he feels so graced that after so many years his wife still takes the time to look pretty and to keep him feeling like a man. Maybe she carries a few more pounds, which is expected, but she is still the skinny, petite, pretty and wonderful princess he met all those years ago.

Avril once again feels his loving eyes on her, and from beneath her favorite pristine white cotton dress she gives her husband that little shimmer and shake that she knows drives him wild. Roy smiles.

"Dinner is almost ready. Call the kids."

"Aye, wife, as you command. Little Roy and Marion, time to get cleaned up for dinner."

"Coming, papa." And then two glorious children come running from around the cabin and fly inside.

Just before Roy turns to go inside, he stops and watches the sunset a little longer. With a smile a canyon wide, he goes in and shuts the door behind him. When the latch on the door clicks he wakes up with Avril still in his arms and cuddling into him.

Roy's heart is heavy and for a moment he gets angry at the dream, and then accepts it for what it was and looks over at Avril and she is smiling and murmuring in her sleep.

In Avril's dream they are at long last in the City of Divinity and have just saved the world. The people are cheering and bowing to the greatness of the Protector of the Scepter and the savior of their world. Avril is dressed so prettily in a white full-length ceremonial gown that glitters with the strength of the stars from above.