Chapter 22

"We are the Cherokee."

"Well hello, Cherokee. I am knight Roy Bane of Montgomery and..."

"Not the bane of all existence, I hope."

"Yeah, let's hope. Anyway, this is Princess Avril Serene of Azure and we are..."

"We know who you are. The spirits of our ancestors have told us of your coming, and it is our honor to escort you both on this leg of your journey."

"Thank you." says Avril. Then once they start riding along, Avril says to Roy, "Aren't they marvelous. With their long hair and beaded decorations around their necks and wrists. Some even have what looks like to be a beaded breastplate. With feathers of predators of grandeur stating a warrior's position.

"Their bows and spears that also have feathers flying from them look so fragile, and yet they are known to be so lethal. Marvelous.

"They wear what looks to be nothing more than a skirt, and yet they look so regal and ride their brown and white horses with such grace. They don't even have saddles, they just use a blanket. I wonder if I could ride like that with only a blanket and no leggings on while wearing one of my skirts." Roy looks over at Avril quickly. Then Avril eyes go big. "Oh, yeah, perhaps not."

"Sweetheart, they have been riding like that since they were young and have built themselves up to it, but if it will make your heart even more beautiful, after all this over when it is just the two of us you may do as you please, if you so desire."

"Roy?"

"Hmm."

"Why do I always feel so free around you? I talk about things in ways I never would around anyone else, and I show much, much more of myself than I ever would to anybody else, and yet all I feel is acceptance and pride."

"That is because, darling girl, to me the most beautiful creation in all the universe is a girl who is happy, free, safe and who is living up to her ability as she chooses."

"Oh, that is so beautiful." Avril says, beaming.

"But as far as your original statement, aye, Avril, they are indeed marvelous. They are so powerful and yet so connected to the world. It is much how the world should be."

The leader of this band of riders, which number about twenty, turns to Avril and says, "My name is Michael Songbird, and it will take us a little over a day of riding to reach the border of the kingdom of Lavigne. From there their army will escort you to the City of Divinity and your destiny, which should take another day, maybe a day and a half, to reach."

"Which means that will give us a half day to a day to prepare for The Ceremony. Will that be enough time, Avril?"

"Yes, more than enough if all I have ever studied of it is true."

"Michael, do you know about the battles going on in the kingdom of Fleece?"

"I'm sorry, I do not and..."

Just then another Cherokee rider comes up to Michael and says something in their native tongue, and then points skyward and behind them.

Everybody turns and looks, then Michael translates, "My brother said a dragon has been spotted coming this way."

"A dragon! Oh, I hope it is Briar!" says Avril, excited.

"You know this dragon?"

"I know many dragons, but if this is the one we hope it is, he is my brother." Roy stands higher in his saddle and puts his hand up to his forehead. "The coloring is right. What do you think, Av?"

Avril also puts her hand above her eyes to block out the sun, and then she says, "Yep, I think it's him." Moments later a huge golden dragon is spiraling above them, slowly making his way down. Briar then gingerly lands, but with a little harder thud than normal and making a big dust storm.

"Hello, Briar. It is good to see you flying again."

"Yeah, Briar! I'm so happy to see you again."

"Thank you, Princess, it is good to see you also." Avril is beaming with joy. "The elves helped me heal faster."

"Are you strong enough to fly me and Avril to the City of Divinity, or maybe just Avril?"

"No way! We have come this far together. We will make it the rest of the way side by side."

"Well, how about it, Briar, do you think you can carry us both?"

"I will try."

"No, I do not want to hurt Briar. Plus we still have plenty of time."

"But, Princess."

"No!"

"Stubborn." Avril sticks her tongue out at him. "Briar, do you know what is going on?"

"Yes. For now the Fleecian Army has stopped the advance of the Wanderers, but the Wanderers know that the majority of the Lavigne Army is waiting to escort you to the City of Divinity so they have invaded the kingdom of Lavigne.

"All the nations of Friends are sending forces. Azure is of course sending five thousand riders, but they will not reach the battle in time. However, as you suggested, and the twins have prepared for, the Montgomery Army of forty thousand strong riders and infantry have crossed into the kingdom of the Highlander Clans several days ago. They have joined up with the ten thousand man force from the Highlander Clans and are preparing to hit both the rear of the Wanderer Army that is fighting against the Fleecian Army and to invade the Realm of the Wanderers themselves, forcing them to recall their forces."

"As suggested?" inquires Avril.

"We figured they might try something, so the king had much of the Montgomery Forces mobilized to come to our aid if the need arose."

"And you didn't think to let me know?"

"Didn't I? Anyway, you had enough to worry about without worrying about something that might never come to fruition."

"What about the last day and a half?"

"Nothing ever works out the way it is planned for. Not battle, not life, so until just now I didn't really know either. And plus didn't I tell you the king was mobilizing our forces in case they were needed." Avril looks at him through squinted eyes, thinking about it.

Michael Songbird saves the day when he rides forward and tells Avril, "It is true, Princess, a sunrise is not the beginning and a sunset is not the end."

Probably more than anything else, that stops Avril from continuing to tear into Roy as she stops to try and figure out what Michael had just said.

"Briar, this is Michael Songbird and his warriors of the Cherokee Nation."

"It is an honor, brother."

"As it is for us, great leviathan."

"As I was flying here I saw many groups of riders."

"Yes, other Cherokee tribes and members of the other four nations are riding between us on our border, so that the Princess may ride knowing she is safe."

"We should get moving." orders Avril, still a bit annoyed.

As they are riding along, Roy is preparing his counter attack. "Avril? Avril? AVRIL!"

"WHAT?"

"Knock, knock. Knock, knock!"

Avril sighs deeply, "Who's there."

"Nobody, I just wanted to see if you were still talking to me."

Avril looks over at him with a half smile and half fire-filled eyes, and then just falls out laughing. She is laughing so long and hard, until finally the laughing becomes somber and then she starts to gently cry.