Page 25

“ W ake up, Elle!” Cedar’s voice reached into Elowen’s dreams. “Wake up! It’s time to fly!”

Elowen bolted upright, nearly bumping her head on Cedar’s nose where he bent over her. Dawn illuminated their small campsite. Disoriented, she frowned at her brother. They couldn’t fly during the day. Had he forgotten?

Cedar. They’d rescued Cedar. Elowen reached out and wrapped him in a tight hug, fully awake now. Where were the others?

“Ahem.” Ash’s deep dragon voice rumbled behind her. “We’ll go as soon as you’re ready.”

She swiveled around, and Cedar took the opportunity to wiggle out of her reach. “I’m dreaming,” she mumbled as she stood up. Ash’s bronze hide shone in the sunlight, his wings extended and ready for flight, and he grinned at her.

Vale hugged her from behind and whispered, “When joy holds sway / will all be right.”

His breath tickled her ear, and she giggled, relieved that the last part of the fairy’s rhyme finally made sense.

“Ahem,” Ash said again. “I want one of those, please.”

“One what?” she asked.

“I want a hug, too!” He sat down, folded his wings and held out his front legs expectantly. “I’m finally back to being myself!”

Elowen pulled away from Vale’s embrace and addressed her husband seriously. “You heard the dragon. You’d better give him a hug now, or he might not take us anywhere.”

“That’s not what I—”

Laughing, she ran to him before he could finish his complaint and threw her arms around his neck. They had triggered the end of Ash’s golden goose enchantment, he was back to normal now, and they could all go home.

IN HER ENTIRE TIME away from the farm, Elowen had lost count of how many rooms she’d entered, each one of them different from the last. The current room she stood in shone with golden sunset colors—pink curtains fluttered in the breeze from two long windows, yellow cushioned chairs acted as thrones for the king and queen of Northling, and orange striped carpets warmed the wooden floors.

It was a room large enough to hold Ash in his dragon form and still feel cozy.

Elowen should have been well rested after spending a night in the Cloud Room with Ash and Cedar. She should have been relieved that Ash no longer transformed into a golden goose during the day and had been able to fly them to Tressl sooner than expected. She should have been ready to face the king and queen of Northling.

Despite not being any of those things, she stood between Cedar and Vale, who stood next to Ash, and they all stared into the stern eyes of King Odolph and the dreamy eyes of Queen Jonquil. Briony stood to the side, and her eyes were unreadable.

Vale finished explaining what had happened after they fled his father’s castle. He then explained his desire to follow Elowen and proposed that Briony step into his place as heir to the throne.

Briony gasped audibly and then she looked at her brother with surprise and delight. After a long silence, the king dismissed Ash and Cedar. Vale gripped Elowen’s hand tightly.

Elowen felt as if she’d kidnapped the prince and was about to face the consequences. Yet knowing Ash and Cedar were nearby gave her strength, even if they weren’t in the room.

King Odolph glanced at his wife, whose expression was as sunny as the day, and then did a double-take. He studied her closely, which seemed to please her. He glanced in Briony’s direction as if he barely saw her, and then he fixed his gaze on Vale.

“What you are proposing,” he said, as if weighing every word, “is not what I ever envisioned for you, my son. But my vision has never been a reality you embraced.” He stopped speaking, but not as if expecting a response from anyone.

Briony stirred, but she wisely stayed silent.

Elowen adjusted her grip on Vale’s hand, both their palms sweaty. She could almost hear his heart beating wildly, but ... no, that was hers.

Queen Jonquil took her husband’s hand and looked up at him adoringly. Without looking at her, he patted her hand and sighed. “Your sister, on the other hand, has proven more than able to fill your shoes while you’ve been gone. Whether I liked it or not.”

The air felt thick. Elowen’s head pounded. If the king refused to let Vale go, she might have to genuinely kidnap him.

King Odolph seemed to be lost in thought. What went through a king’s mind when his only son wanted to run off with a farmer’s daughter?

Finally, the king spoke again. This time he addressed Vale directly, loudly and with authority. “Prince Vale, you will henceforth be stripped of your titles and worldly possessions and will leave this kingdom with your chosen wife. Princess Briony will, from this day forward, become the crown princess and my heir.”

He’d done it. The king had agreed to Vale’s proposal. Elowen could go home with all of her people.

“This cannot be undone, my son. Do you understand?”

Vale swallowed, his hand trembling. “I understand, Father.”

The king barked a string of orders at Briony that included something about witnesses and officials and a second wedding. Briony left immediately, gifting Vale with a small smile on the way out.

Queen Jonquil clapped her hands together. “A wedding at last!” She walked over to the window, talking to herself, and watched the deepening sunset.

“You mean ... now ?” Vale asked.

Elowen bit her lip, piecing together the orders the king had given to Briony. The king meant for the wedding to take place immediately and officially inside this room. Instead of feeling nervous, this time she felt excited, although she and Vale were technically already married according to the trolls.

Clearly the king didn’t think much of their first wedding.

“You wish to wait?” his father said. “Perhaps you’ve changed your mind already?”

“No!” Vale said. “It’s just ... no, I haven’t changed my mind. Far from it.”

He ran his hand up and down Elowen’s arm, conveying his own excitement ... and probably nervousness. This wedding would be in front of his family. Once again, things were happening fast, but this time Elowen had no complaints.

She glanced down at herself and giggled silently. Her wedding gown this time was a variation of the fitted traveling clothes Briony had dressed her in before, this time in browns and reds—a vast improvement over the lime green gown.

Vale gave her a lopsided grin but didn’t ask what she found amusing.

Ash and Cedar reentered the room, followed by Briony and a dozen witnesses and officials. Elowen couldn’t tell which was which. King Odolph performed the ceremony, and Queen Jonquil stood by his side, beaming the entire time. Once it was over, he ordered everyone to leave, except Vale, Elowen, and the queen.

Elowen had been standing in one spot in the sunset room for so long, she feared she might have actually grown roots and would be unable to walk away when the time came.

“Pack what you can on your dragon and leave immediately,” the king said. He turned to Vale, “You should say goodbye to your mother now.”

Without prompting, Queen Jonquil hugged Elowen first. “Congratulations, my dear. I wish you every happiness.”

Did the woman realize what was happening? Did she know she wouldn’t see her son again for a long time? Perhaps years?

Vale seemed to be holding up well, considering the circumstances. He and his mother talked beside the window, while the king sat back down in his yellow chair. He said nothing to Elowen, and she expected nothing. It was because of her that he was essentially losing his son. She could sympathize with him, but she refused to be sorry.

Despite her determination, and her happiness, Elowen’s mind was reeling. Vale must have felt even more overwhelmed. He would be walking away from everything he knew to be with her. Was he making the right decision? Should she have tried to stop him?

She turned her attention from Vale and watched the king. Elowen had thought the king’s expression stern, disapproving. Blank, even. Perhaps it was, but there was something else there. Something in his face reminded her of Briony’s ability to smile with her eyes. Elowen’s heart lightened, and the pounding in her head eased ever so slightly. That almost-smile might be as close as she got to approval from the king, and she was glad for it.

King Odolph escorted Elowen from the room. She found that her feet moved quite easily from their spot on the orange rug after all, although they left behind the slightest imprint.

In the hallway, the king put his hand on Elowen’s head for a second and then dropped his arms to his sides. “I never thought my son would find someone to care about as much as I ...”

She followed his gaze back into the room, where the queen glanced over as if sensing his attention and smiled, and Elowen understood. His wife was his strength.

“Well, I do wish you all the best with him. I hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into.” The king turned on his heel and strode past his daughter. “Briony, walk with me.”

Briony waved a goodbye over her shoulder. Ash and Cedar waved back, and Elowen smiled. She hoped they would get to know each other better in the future. That thought sent a zing through her body like lightning. Her sister-in-law would one day be a queen.

Elowen shook her head. Best not to think of things that way.

Vale joined her, unshed tears in his eyes. Footsteps pounded down the hallway, and Briony reappeared. She threw herself into her brother’s arms.

“Good luck,” she said. “You’re all right?”

He leaned into her. “Never been better.”

“brIONY!” the king yelled.

Vale chuckled and wiped away a tear as his sister hurried away. “Won’t miss that part of the job.”

Ash nudged Vale’s shoulder, nearly sending him into the wall. “Ready to go, blacksmith?”

“Ready when you are. How much can you carry?” Vale turned to Elowen and stroked her hair. “Let’s pack and get out of here, my golden one.”

Elowen snorted.

“I thought I was the golden one,” Ash said. He lowered his voice and whispered loudly, “You might want to work on those terms of endearment while you’re honing your farming skills.”

Elowen took her husband’s hand and they shared a grin. They would all be working on a lot of things very soon.

ELOWEN’S EXCITEMENT grew with each beat of Ash’s wings. She had insisted they travel slowly. Although they were all eager to be home, she was unwilling to push Ash too hard when he carried three passengers plus their supplies. Vale had packed a few personal belongings, which Ash had happily strapped to his chest. Otherwise, Elowen had kept the packing light—no fur-lined bedrolls when blankets would do, no extra clothing except for the waterproof cloak and the yellow sash from her engagement ball. And only enough food to last a few days. The only thing she’d given in to was gear to wear while flying: a warm jacket and gloves for each of them.

Ash didn’t need to say a word when they neared the farm. She recognized the familiar landscape from the sky. Only a few things had changed. The fence had been mended, the cherry orchard tidied up, and a large number of crates stacked next to the barn. Father ran out the front door and Alder hobbled along behind him. They both waved as Ash circled overhead.

After Ash landed, he insisted on removing his saddle and packs himself. Cedar ran immediately and threw himself into Father’s arms. Alder hugged the two of them, balancing on one foot and sniffing loudly. Father finally beckoned to Elowen, one arm draped over Cedar’s shoulders as if afraid to let him go far. She grabbed Vale’s hand and ran to her family.

Vale’s eyes misted as everyone pulled him into the circle.

Alder spoke first. “So, this is your Prince Blacksmith. I go out into the world and return with a broken leg, while you return with a husband and a dragon. I can’t wait to hear this story.”

Elowen laughed. He had apparently heard some of it already. “You can’t wait to draw this story.”

Father cleared his throat and wiped his eyes. “Thanks to your new father-in-law’s generous wedding gifts, Alder won’t have to draw on the table anymore.”

“Wedding gifts?” Vale looked confused.

He waved towards the barn. “Housewares, fabrics, and other odds and ends, plus enough supplies to set up a small smithy.”

Vale’s jaw dropped.

Ash laughed and joined them. “Prince Blacksmith, indeed.”

Elowen tapped Vale’s chin, and he closed his mouth. “Your father understands you better than you thought.”

“Indeed, he does seem to, after all.” Vale put an arm around her waist, and they followed her family inside for tea.

SIX MONTHS LATER, ELOWEN surveyed the farm with Ash from above. The house had expanded into the kitchen garden to accommodate Ash, and the kitchen garden had shifted and expanded to accommodate the appetites of a hungry dragon and a hardworking blacksmith.

Cedar waved at her from one of the small fields they had decided to keep planting. With Vale’s fledgling blacksmith services gaining popularity, Father had agreed to downsize so that Alder could leave for Tressl and apprentice with an artist recommended by Briony. Elowen missed him enormously, but he’d left behind plenty of reminders for them. After experimenting with the paints and pastels sent by King Odolph, Alder had left unicorns and dragons, pixies and princesses on every door in the house.

“Vale wanted me to stop by this afternoon,” Ash reminded her as he landed next to the smithy. Ash had discovered that, along with mushrooms, he also had an interest in helping Vale heat metals with his flames. Vale had plans to enlarge the building over time so the dragon could walk around inside without knocking things off the wall with his tail.

Vale walked out wiping his hands on his leather apron. Elowen admired him openly, reminded of the ladies at the smithy in Tressl who’d been gathered around the first time she saw him. Only now, she had him all to herself. He still liked to work sleeveless, and his black hair was in need of a trim. Soot hid the muscles on one arm from shoulder to elbow.

Ash chuckled. “Fall in the coal bin again?”

“Ha! You know that’s not what happened,” Vale said. “That tail of yours is a menace.”

Elowen ignored their banter and spoke to her husband. “Is it ready?”

“Is what ready?” Ash asked.

“Oh, just ... something.” She grinned mischievously and followed Vale into the building. “Wait right there.”

“Wait ... why? What’s going on?”

Elowen shut the door in his face. She’d hinted to Ash that she had a surprise for him, and he was burning to know what it was. Soon after their return from Northling, he had gifted her with a more durable companion’s token. She had tucked the bit of bark he’d first given her safely among the pages of her new sketchbook, and now she wore around her neck a rectangular silver pendant with his name scored on it. She’d wanted to do something similar for him, but it was only recently that she’d thought of the perfect idea.

Ash hadn’t lost her mother’s blue ribbon after all. He’d hidden it with their supplies in the tree stump, and Elowen found it a few days after they returned home. She also had the yellow sash she’d worn to her engagement ball, along with the linen band embroidered with their namesake tree branches. Braiding together all three items into a decorative border, she’d fashioned a leather collar for Ash to wear on special occasions. She tasked Vale with making a hole in the golden coin and attaching it to hang from the front.

“He’s pacing out there,” Vale said.

“I can hear him,” Elowen replied.

He fetched the collar but held it behind his back. “It’s turned out so well, I’m not sure I want to hand it over.”

She wrapped her arms around him. “That’s all right.” She kissed him longer than she should have with Ash waiting outside. “I’ll just take it.”

“Not fair!” Vale tried to snatch it back out of her hands.

She ran out the backdoor and around to where Ash waited impatiently. Vale opened the main door and stood in the entrance with his arms crossed.

Elowen held the collar behind her back. “I’m not good with ceremonies, but this is long overdue.” She presented the collar to Ash. “Your companion’s token.”

He took it from her gently. Staring at it, he sat and wrapped his tail around his feet. “For me? Is that ... my blue ribbon? And the gold coin?”

“And the embroidered band that held it,” she said.

“When did you learn to braid leather? This is remarkable—I love it!”

Elowen bit her lip, a blush heating her cheeks. Impulsively, she ran forward and threw her arms around her dragon’s neck and whispered, “I love you, Ash.”

Vale cleared his throat.

Ash chuckled. “We love you too, Prince Blacksmith.”

“Thank you, mushroom dragon, but that’s not what I—”

Elowen let go of Ash and interrupted her husband’s complaints with another kiss.

Ash buckled on the collar. “If you don’t need my help, I’m going to see Cora. She promised me mushroom stew and fresh muffins if I help Greggin pull a tree stump from the ground.”

Elowen put an arm around Vale’s waist, the happiness at knowing that both she and Ash were no longer alone filling her with contentment.

Ash winked at Elowen and jumped into the air.

She chuckled. “I wonder if he’ll bring us back any muffins.”

Vale took her hand. “He never does.”

“Oh, by the way ...”

“Yes, my darling?” he said, using the endearment that always drew a smile.

“I love you most.”

He kissed her hand, and together they walked home while Ash flew joyful loops across the golden evening sky.