Chapter 4

Still feeling extremely confused Hank stood talking to Halcion and some of the other's that had almost fearfully approached him, he laughed good naturedly joking with the people and putting them at ease, he had seen this reaction to many times to let it phase him. Hank saw a little elven boy peering up at him, kneeling down he smiled at the child who shyly smiled back, he heard boyish giggles from behind a bush and sighed to himself, why was it that the braggart or the bully or the strutting know it all never came forward but always found the shy innocent one's to push out to stand trembling trying to remember what they had been told to say or ask.

Sitting down on a log Hank picked the child up and set him on his knee "what's your name?" Hank asked in a kind voice. Hank had to bend down to hear the little voice whisper "Jackie, I'm supposed to ask if you are really Cairin of the sword and dagger, Bert says it's all just tall tales to make us still believe that there's good things left for all of us, but Bert says we will be dust and no one will ever remember there were once elves or fairies or dragons." Hank heard the groans from the bush and smiled even wider "Bert is wrong there will always be those who believe, we will never be forgotten, would you like to do something no one else but my sister has done before, would you like to touch the dagger of Cairin." Hank made sure this was said loud enough for Bert of the bushes to hear. Hank watched the smile spread across the boys face as he took out the dagger, holding it in his hand he placed the tiny hand under his then as the dagger sang a song of far off places Hank whispered in the boy's ear "believe, believe in magical places, unicorns and the future."

Hank set the boy down and watched him walk with a new pride back to the other boys who stared at him in awe from the bush. Slipping the dagger back in its sheath Hank heard a voice he had missed for so long "You've made us all very proud Hank, welcome back, we've missed you for far too long." Hank turned and looked into the face of the dragon Rav, Rav hugged Hank tightly. Suddenly he wasn't the grown man in his heart but the young boy who had wanted Rav's comfort then he had been hurt, the young boy who had been taught to kick a ball and not be ashamed to fall down, the young boy who had squealed with laughter as he was tossed about a pool. Natalie watched the dragon and the man hugging tightly tears spilling unashamedly down their cheeks.

Almost in tears Natalie turned away giving the two time together, seeing Marti'en she walked over and smiled "Hello Marti'en". Marti'en grinned "I've been waiting for you" Natalie grinned back "I know, you were very persistent in your searching. Marti'en chuckled "I'm pleased that you noticed." Halcion walked over and introduced himself, he was being nosey, he wanted to meet this woman who radiated pure magic the likes of which he could barely comprehend. Natalie smiled at Halcion and returned the introductions, she also smiled at the young woman standing slightly to one side who kept glancing in Hank's direction with a blush on her cheeks.

Before Natalie knew what was happening she was suddenly surrounded by all sorts of creatures discussing magic, responding patiently with a smile on her face, inside Natalie started to frown, she hadn't come here for this, she wasn't prepared for this barrage of questions. Jacquilt looked at Virlane "shall we go and rescue her from the clutches of the wild mages?" "NO not yet" hissed Marluxion "watch the boulder about 40 feet to her left, the more annoyed she gets the wider the cracks get, I want to see if she can crack it in half when she loses her temper."

Kat looked at Jacquilt as she walked up what is Mar hissing about? Jacquilt nodded in Natalie's direction. Brand and Bitsy who had just joined Kat followed her glance "ohhhhh my" whispered Bitsy, she could see the power flowing from Natalie in waves. Everyone in the clearing jumped when the boulder with a loud pop shattered. Mar almost rolled on the ground with laughter seeing the stunned looks on their faces, jumping up he slapped Virlane on the shoulder "can you imagine what strength and power their children are going to have!" Virlane and Kat looked at each other and groaned remembering a baby Rav.

Realizing she was still close to losing her temper, even after directing her annoyance at the boulder Natalie smiled and excused herself saying she needed to go find her husband, turning she found herself facing Virlane, Kat and the whole group. Mar grinned at her "lost your temper did you." Natalie grinned back "no actually I didn't that was just slightly annoyed." Natalie had the satisfaction of seeing the stunned look on Mar's face, then everyone started to laugh.

"Doesn't anyone around here ever eat? I'm starving." asked Hank as he walking up, Rav right behind him. Rav stood with his arms around Natalie as they watched everyone greet Hank, once again Natalie felt the tears and had to blink several times as Hank was hugged and squeezed tight and told how much he had been missed, she saw the look on Hank's face, the relief, the happiness, the love for them. It turned into a giant picnic, Trink arrived and carefully sniffed a few bottles muttering about nasty things like lemonade that turned elves innards inside out.

Everyone watched but tried to act like they weren't as Hank walked over to Hunter inviting her to join the picnic, saying there was plenty of food and Trink would provide the entertainment. Hunter shyly joined the group, smiling at Trink "do you do tricks?" she asked innocently, which sent everyone off into giggles and laughter while Trink puffed up, stroked his beard and grinned, "well now girlie that would depend on what sort of tricks yea be talking about, why once Jacquilt and me we met a contortionist, least ways that's what he called her." Jacquilt jumped up and shoved a biscuit in Trink's mouth grinning, "not those sort of tricks Trink!"

Hank sat down next to Hunter balancing his plate on his knee, "why did you run off like that earlier? was it something I did?" Hunter felt her cheeks heat up, looking down at her own plate she shook her head "no you didn't do anything, I was just feeling very foolish having sent father over with the balm, you usually just have one of your friends help with things like that or your sister." Taking a deep breath Hunter went on, remember what Marti'en had told her "your so handsome and tall, I figured you wouldn't want to have anything to do with a short woman like me and I was sad about that." Hank who hadn't missed her pretty blush or the fact that she had dimples when she smiled, felt his own cheeks heat up "you might of noticed that my sister is an amazon, most of my friends are both tall or tiny, like Bitsy and her twins, size doesn't matter to me besides I think your just the right size and I also think you have the prettiest smile."