The King Returns

Chapter 7 - The search for a clue

They spent the whole day scanning through books about all kinds of things. There were books about rare pink plants that could grow on top of fluffy clouds and basically heal any disease. There were books about strange spotted animals and how to cook them up into poisonous potions. There were books about what tools are best to use when hunting flesh-eating mushrooms. There was even some books about dragons but none were suitable story-books for young children. 

  "You know, maybe the book isn't here," Almar suggested and looked up from the thicc book he was reading. 

  "Where else would it be? It has to be here," Eir responded, looking up at Almar with tired eyes. 

  "Human I'm sleepy!" Eira complained and crawled up on Almar's lap. 

  "Looks like somebody already beat you to it!" Almar said and smiled, looking at Sylvina who was sound asleep in Eir's lap. 

  "She's cute isn't she?" Eir smiled and petted Sylvina's head. 

The little dragon yawned in her sleep and rolled up into a tiny green ball. Almars smile grew wider. 

  "I wish I could sleep as soundly as these too," Almar remarked. 

  "Yes, me too," Eir agreed and let out a big yawn. 

  "We're all tired but we gotta keep going if we wanna find your grandma," Almar said and looked down into his book again. Eir did the same and the room became quiet once again.

The hours went by slowly and by the time it was pitch-black outside the single window, everyone were laid together in a circle, sleeping like little babies. 

  "They sure worked hard didn't they?" Favian said with a smile as he put a warm blanket around the four sleeping friends and slowly shut the door behind him as he went out the room.

***

Eir felt something warm press up against her cheek. She opened her eyes and saw that it was Almar's shoulder. The were laying together under a blanket with Sylvina and Eira at their sides. Eir's face became red. Almar's face was too close to hers and it made her nervous. Before he woke up, she carefully got up and dove back into the books. A few hours past and finally, Almar woke up. Eir looked up from her book and looked at Almar who stretched out his long arms and scratched his unruly black hair. He looked kind of out of it but who didn't in the morning? Eir blushed and turned away from him. 

  "G-good morning!" she said quickly. 

  "Yaaaawn! Ah, good morning Eir! When did I fall asleep?" Almar asked her. 

  "Don't know. Maybe around the time I fell asleep?" Eir replied with a nonchalant tone, concentrating on the contents of the book she was holding. 

  "Yaaaawn!" Sylvina woke up and yawned silently as she stretched out her wings. She then jumped up into Eir's lap and cuddled in her arms as she read her book. 

  "You two sure have gotten close lately," Almar remarked as he got up from the floor and grabbed the book he was on. 

  "Mmm," Eir said, not really listening to his small-talk. 

  "Hmph! I can't see what Sylvina sees in that she-elf! What's so good about her?" Eira said and climbed up on Almar's shoulder.

  "Well, she's good at cooking. She makes the most delicious grilled fish!" Sylvina explained with a smile. 

  "It's not that good! Human could do it better!" Eira responded. 

  "But that's not all. She's also smart and knows a lot about plants," Sylvina continued to explain to her fellow dragon sister.