Love me forever #boyxboy

Chapter 23 - Reunited

Chapter 23 - Reunited

The preparations for the trip from the mountain lodge to Zoroastria were not a huge effort because it was only two hours' ride and they would only stay one night there.

The horsemen prepared the horses and the cook gave them all food for the journey.  They set off early in the morning, in good spirits.

None of them knew the town of Zoroastria so they had arranged to meet at the hostel in the town, which was in the centre.  The royal family caravan hadn't yet arrived.   So they had time to take a drink and walk around the town.  There were instructions given to the workers in the hostel that they should not discuss the origin of their guests during or after their stay, this was to protect the royal family and especially Fillun.

Fillun's heart skipped a beat as they arrived back at the town square and saw two ornate carriages arriving.  They seemed to have a number of people in each.  When the first one stopped, a footman jumped down and opened the door, and a young footman stepped out, followed slowly by an old lady.

"Grandmother!" shouted Fillun, running forward.  As she stepped off the side-step on the carriage, she looked up and smiled, and tears started to fall. 

They hugged for some time and both were in tears when they finally stepped back to look at each other.

"My, how you've grown!" exclaimed his grandmother, looking him up and down, "How handsome you are!" she cooed.

Fillun blushed, and replied, "You're looking well too, grandmother," and smiled again as he remembered happy times spent with her and how he could see see his father's eyes when he looked at hers.

"Lord Elstar, greetings," said his grandmother formally but reaching out her hands to grab his in a sign of affection.

"Your majesty," answered Bonnar, smiling, remembering she had been queen when he was a child.  He had seen portraits of her in his father's house.

"I'm pleased to meet you again, and hope you are well," she said, sounding grand and official.

"I'm very well, I hope you had a pleasant journey?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you,"

The rest of the royal party introduced themselves and the horsemen returned with the footmen to bring the horses to the stables and bring in the family's things. 

The royal party walked to the hostel and were warmly welcomed by the owner's father who had been a younger man when the family had come to visit before.

"We are much pleased to receive you in our town and in our home," he said, smiling at the queen mother.

The day continued like that, with different people getting to know each other and Fillun feeling much loved and very happy to be surrounded by family for the first time in a number of years.  He and Bonnar had discussed how they would act together, and had agreed they would be discreet when they first met Fillun's family until they had spent some time together.