Chapter Sixteen: Family Reunion

This time, though I still couldn't hear, I could feel things and see things other than swirling colors and lights. Shean and I had dropped our bags immediately to the side so we wouldn't land on them and were clinging to each other with the dogs huddled up in the circle our arms made as well as they could.

We hit the ground, the dogs ending up at our feet and us half on our sides, half on our backs, still clutching each other's arms, our faces centimeters apart. I heard Shean's breath being released simultaneously with mine and realized we'd both been holding it. We both rolled onto our backs and stared up at the sky until dog faces (and tongues) invaded our view of the boring clouds.

I slowly pushed myself up to a sitting position, groaning. Shean did the same.

"Ow!" He moaned. "Is this what you went through before?"

I nodded. "Except that I didn't have any bags to drop, dogs to lick me to death, or friends to cling to."

He laughed. "Yeah, that might make a difference. So, where are we?"

I stood up and looked around. "I'd say that we're in the field where I found the first door. There's a road in that direction," I pointed, "and if we follow it to the left, we'll come to my home. Eventually."

"How long'll it take?" Shean asked apprehensively.

"Probably two or three days by foot, unless we can hitch a ride with a farmer or someone who's bringing things to the capital city for market day. If I'm right about what day it is, that will be in a day or two." Shean sighed.

"Okay, then let's go."

I started to pick up my bags, and then stopped. "You know, even with the dogs carrying their things in their packs," – we had gotten the bags that you put on dogs when you go hiking or whatever – "We still have to carry our backpacks and bags, so we might go slower." Shean groaned.

"I forgot about that. Well, let's get going, then." And with that, he slung his backpack on and grabbed his bag and I did the same and we set off, the dogs trotting alongside on their leashes.

That night, we came to an inn where we decided to spend the night. We went inside and walked to the counter where the innkeeper was standing, looking at his books.

"Excuse me," I said, "we're looking to get a room for the night."

The innkeeper looked up and smiled broadly. "Ah, good. We have several rooms open. Would you like a first or second floor room?"

I looked at Shean. He shrugged. "Um, second floor, I guess."

The innkeeper smiled again. "Ah, good choice. I even have one with a balcony."

I nodded. "We'll take that one."

"Val, I don't have any money!" Shean hissed in my ear. I put a hand on his arm.

"Don't worry, I still have my money purse," I hissed back. I reached down and drew it out, counting out two silver coins. "Is this right?" I asked, handing the innkeeper the money. He nodded.

"Dall!" He yelled, and a boy of about ten came running over.

"Yes sir?" He asked.

"Take these people to their room." He handed the boy a slip of paper and the boy nodded, motioning us to follow him.

We trailed after him up the stairs to the second floor and to a nice little room with a balcony, as the innkeeper had promised.

"Here's your room, ma'am, sir," the boy, Dall said, still waiting by the door while we gratefully set our bags down. I wondered why he was still standing there, and then it clicked... his tip! I handed him a small copper and he trotted away happily.

Shean flopped onto one of the beds. "Ah, this is nice. I was almost afraid we'd have to spend the night on the ground!" He added, laughing.

I collapsed onto my own bed. "Well, luckily, you won't have to endure that. Hey, look outside."

The doors to the balcony were open and the drapes pulled back, and we could see the sun starting to set in a brilliant blaze of changing colors.

I got up to close the door while Shean walked outside onto the balcony and leaned on the rail. I joined him.

"Isn't it beautiful?" I asked. He nodded.

"I never really usually watch sunsets," he commented.

"I used to watch them almost every evening with my mother. When I was a baby, she'd take me out to watch them, and it kind of became a family thing. I wonder what they'll think of me now…" I looked down at myself and smiled sadly. "I sure don't look much like I used to," I added with a little laugh, looking at my t-shirt and zip-off jeans.

Shean looked at me. "Well, you sure don't look the same as when Kaet and I found you, but I think they'll love you just the same," he said quietly, smiling gently.

I shrugged. "I dunno. Do you think I should get a dress like the one I was in when you guys found me?"

"No, I like you better like th – I mean, dresses just aren't you," he amended quickly. I gave him an odd glance, but didn't say anything.

We sat in companionable silence for some time just watching the sun set.

Then Shean started to lean over to railing to try to see farther or something stupid like that. I grabbed him and pulled him back as he started to lean too far out over the railing.

"Shean, don't!" I cried as I pulled him back so he wouldn't fall over. I found myself standing in front of Shean (whose feet were, thankfully, now safely back on the ground) with him staring back at me in surprise.

"Um, Val…?" He finally said. I glanced down.

"Oh!" I quickly dropped my hand back to my side. "Um…" I muttered awkwardly.

"Come on, let's just watch the last bit of the sunset," Shean said softly, gently taking my arm and turning us back to the railing to face the setting sun.

Except that he didn't let go of my arm. I decided not to say anything and let his hand rest easily on my arm as we stood in silence again.

Suddenly the dogs, having more than thoroughly investigated the room, decided that it was time to join us and hopped up on their hind legs to stick their front paws up on the rail for pets and kisses. We both laughed and gave them all their scratches and pets, then took them to bed.

Shean and I crawled into our beds and the dogs settled onto the floor between the beds.

"G' night," I called to Shean as I blew out the light on my bed stand.

"'Night," he murmured back, blowing out his own light.

The next morning we got to borrow a pair of horses and a couple of small sulkies for the dogs and bags from the innkeeper with the promise to return them when we got to our destination.

We made pretty decent time to the capital and when we got to the palace, I dismounted, walked to the big gate that was set in the wall surrounding the palace and knocked. The gatekeeper opened his peephole and peered out at me.

"An' oo might you be?" He asked suspiciously. I decided to risk it all.

"Princess Avalla Shirra Fealla Charlla, daughter of Queen Ella and King Charmont. I've returned."

I heard Shean's thought. Well, that was stupid. I'm sure he's going to believe that!

I shot him a glance, then turned back to the gatekeeper who stared at me incredulously for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"Ha ha ha!" He chortled, "that's a good one! That's one I certainly haven't heard before! You really expec' me to believe that bluffer, young lady? Everyone knows that Princess Avalla dissapeared three years ago and there 'asn't been hide nor 'air of her since. I very highly doubt you're her."

I glared at him, hoping this would work. "Then call for the queen and king and ask them to identify me," I commanded. He just raised an eyebrow.

"By oo's order?"

"Mine," I said firmly in what I termed my 'Princess voice'. He sighed and stepped away from the gate.

"Derry! There's a little lady here who thinks she's the princess!" He called, laughing. I heard footsteps on stone and another man appeared, this one with the badge insignia on his shoulder of the head guard. He peered out at me.

"Mm, you look familiar somehow. What can I do for you?"

"I would like to have the king and queen come and identify me," I replied, hoping Derry would oblige me. I knew I didn't quite look the same, but he had been head guard when I still lived in the palace, so I hoped he'd trust his rememberance of me and get Mom and Dad to come down.

Derry sighed. "All right, but I don't think it'll do any good," he said and walked off. Still, there is something familiar about her… I heard him think.

Derry soon returned with Mom and Dad and the gatekeeper let the three guards that had come with them out through his little door in the gates, followed by my parents. My mother took one look at me and engulfed me in a big hug, crying, "Avalla! Oh, my precious daughter! I thought we'd never see you again! Oh!"

She continued sobbing as my father got in on the moment, too. I hugged them back hard and kept my own tears back with an effort. Shean sat politely on his horse, waiting to be introduced once we were done. The dogs were still waiting in the sulkies since we'd given them the 'stay' command.

They finally let me go and I ran over and grabbed Shean's hand, gently half-pulling him off his horse and led him over to my parents.

"Mother, Father," I said, remembering not to call them Mom and Dad until I'd explained what it meant, "this is my best friend, Shean. Shean, this is my mother, Queen Ella, and this is my father, King Charmont."

"Call me Char," my dad said, holding out his hand and smiling at Shean. "Any friend of my daughter's is a friend of mine." Shean smiled and shook his hand.

"Pleased to meet you," he said in turn and then shook my mom's hand. "And you too," he added.

My mother smiled at me. "Mm, he's even got manners!"

Shean and I remembered the dogs and went over and released them from their 'stay' and they bounded out, happily jumping up on my parents to give kisses. They didn't even bother with the guards. My mom laughed, trying to keep Cyd from licking her nose.

"Avalla, who are these little beauties?"

I grinned. "Oh, these are our dogs. The brindle one is my border collie, Keegan, the white and black one is my other border collie, Cyd, and the golden one is Shean's golden retriever, Éire. Sit," I added in an aside to the dogs, who immediately obeyed.

My father raised an eyebrow. "You have them very well trained." I nodded and there was an awkward silence for a few moments. I felt as if I'd just met my own parents for the first time, and I wasn't sure what to say. My mother stepped in.

"Well, let's go inside," she said as a few flakes fell on our heads. We all nodded and one of the doors of the gate had already been opened when it was apparent that I really was who I said and we all went through, taking the horses with us and the dogs trotting at our side.

A/N: Okay, I now have a pretty decent loose plot, but I still would like input on what you think the characters will do in the next chapter, etc. and how you think the story is developing. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!

A/N2: I edited this chapter a bit, but I forgot to put it on my disk, which I just found (yay!), so I'll transfer it off my laptop tomorrow and update it then.