Legends, a dance with dragons

Chapter 22

"I've decided to travel with you." Avani said smiling, hugging Terrance back before stepping away

"Really!?" Terrance asked practically jumping up and down in excitement

He nodded with a big grin.

"I thought the king wouldn't allow that?" She asked curious

"Well I can head back if you'd rather," he teased

She shook her head.

Avani motioned in front of them,

"Well, since I'm traveling with you now, we might as well keep walking, we should reach the dwarves caves by night fall, which should be with in the hour"

Ava and Terrance nodded and fell into step along side Avani,

"But to answer your question, I told my father I wanted to rule while we were free, completely free, and to truly appreciate and not take freedom for granted in the future, I needed to be a part of the fight to earn it."

"And he just agreed?" Ava asked

"Not at first, but he came around, and once he did, I traveled long hours, double the distance each day to catch up."

"Well I'm glad you did." Terrance said smiling widely at him.

Stop smiling like that! She thought to herself, She looked away to hide her red cheeks, why are you even blushing? Geez. She yelled at herself, embarrassed for not having a reason to be embarrassed.

It was quite a few minutes as they walked. Those minutes felt like hours to Terrance. They were only awkward to her, she didn't know how to act around Avani now, every time she remembered they'd kissed, she got nervous every for no reason.

Break the awkward silence she told herself.

"So that which, huh?" She said before looking away

Really. That's the best you have? That's worse than asking about the weather you dope! She yelled in her head.

"What'd she say anyways?" Avani asked

"I think she threatened me." Ava said

"Why would she do that? How'd you upset her?" He asked

"I, uh, don't judge me fore this but, a human and I, Marcus, fell in love and I guess he broke their engagement, and that messed with her anti aging thing."

"You got a guy to break his engagement?"

"I didn't know he was engaged."

Avani raised his eyebrows and shook his head while laughing softly.

"What's that?" Terrance asked. The sky had darkened and there was a lot of torch light in front of them.

Ava smiled, "the dwarves."

They quickened their pace until they got to the tree line.

"Ok, Terrance, the dwarves don't really like anyone but themselves, so, just let me do the talking, they know who I am." Avani said, stopping his company briefly, before they entered dwarf land.

Beyond the tree line was a clearing, it had 7 fires burning, spread out through out the clearing, each fire had a circle of logs of stones around it, all circles of things were occupied by dwarves sitting on them around the fires. Above the fires they were cooking different things.

They stepped into the clearing.

"Hello." Avani called out, chest out, using his best posture.

Every dwarve there's head turned to him.

"I'm here to request the moon stone." He said

It was quiet a minute before the entire clearing erupted in dwarve laughter.

Terrance looked at Ava confused, who just returned a shrug.

"What elder may I speak to?" Avani asked.

A dwarve with a dreaded gray beard stood up and held up a hand. As soon as he put his hand up the laughing stopped and it was silent.

"I am he who ye can speak to." The old dwarf said in a croaky voice.

"You know who I am. And this is the dragon heir." Avani said motioning to Terrance, "we want your moon stone.

"I'm sorry to disappoint, " his lips twisted in a mischievous smirk, "but us same dwarves don't have have it."

"Where can we find it?" Terrance asked

"Well, as I'm sure the elf prince told you, we don't like you. We didn't want to deal with you. We could care less about you freeing us, so we placed it on the fifteenth branch of an old pine tree. Though I'll tell you where the tree is. But you won't like it. "

"And whys that?" Avani asked frowning.

"Because, we specifically placed it in pine because dragons pong poke around in it, and the other reason you won't like it? Because the natives have chosen that tree as their sacred tree. There's no way you'd climb it without killing or trapping them."

"We came at night, so we wouldn't wake is, and this is the way you talk to us?" Avani asked angrily"

"Yes." The old dwarf said smiling. "The tree is exactly four miles east. Walk that far and it's the only pine you'll see."

"Whatever. Don't expect any help from the elves if you find yourself needing any." Avani said

"Is? Needing help from the elves?" The old dwarf said sarcastically, followed by another eruption of laughter.

Avani rolled his eyes before heading east. Ava and Terrance following.

Once they were out of hearing distance of the dwarfs and could no longer see their torch light he stopped.

"We should attack the natives by day when they're sleeping. We have 3 miles left. Let's make camp here." Avani said

Terrance shrugged, "ok."

They laid out their bedding and all laid down to sleep.

Right before Terrance closed her eyes to sleep she heard a voice call her name.

"Terrance" the beautifully smooth, growling voice soothed out.

She smiled as she snuck away from the elves to meet with him.