A Kind of Magic

Sixty-Three

Gilderoy wasn't sure about the idea until the last moment. 

However, seeing that they didn't get as deep into Dwarfland as Peregrine had hoped by dusk the following evening, soaked through by the rain Fiona seemed to be too tired to hold off, feeling just as exhausted as she, he whispered a word to Aryana, making her smile happily, and urged his Buttercup to reach Shadow who led the group the moment they crossed the border into the province inhabited by dwarves, his homeland.

"There's no point in going any farther tonight, we're all drenched and tired," he said, looking at the dragon shifter and Fiona, who, as always, rode inseparably at his side, through the falling rain.

"But there's no town, not even a village within miles and I promised you all we would sleep in an inn, we can't possibly spend the night outside in this rain," Peregrine muttered dejectedly.

Fiona looked at Gilderoy guiltily, apparently feeling responsible for the unlucky weather they had trudged through the whole afternoon. 

"We won't. There's a farm I know of nearby; they'll let us stay in the stables at the worst, should they not have room for all of us. Follow me, and I'll explain," he said, turning Buttercup to the left, making her leave the main road and follow a winding, muddy ribbon of a country lane meandering across a field.

Aryana joined them and let her horse fall into step with Fiona's while Peregrine rode with Gilderoy at the head of the sad looking caravan.

"No one apart from Alaric and Leodhais know that I still have family here. I haven't seen them since they sent me to the king's court... there had never been time or reason to visit..." Gilderoy shrugged, sending rivulets of water trickling off his shoulders and into Buttercup's mane, making her shake her head and whinny in protest. 

Seeing the large pony's behaviour, Peregrine took off his hat swiftly and shook the accumulated water from its wide brim before the same would happen to him-- Shadow wasn't as calm as Buttercup and the last thing they needed now was a delay caused by his dealing with his indignant horse. 

Shadow liked the rain as much as a regular cat, or a pure elf, he mused, unable to resist the urge to turn around, yet again, and smirk in the direction of Leodhais who trudged through the rainfall with a permanent scowl distorting his features, framed by his blond strands glued to the sides of his face, unfocused eyes fixed on the distant horizon despite the dark. He raised his eyebrows challengingly at Annwyn, who frowned at him when she noticed his scrutiny, Alexandra riding with her perfectly invisible behind his sister's tall body except for the arms clinging firmly to her waist.

"So, I have this aunt here..." Gilderoy continued when Peregrine looked back at him. "My father's step sister. She took me and my mother in when he died, and we lived together for a while. But then my mother died too and Aunt Rosie married. She left Mountwell, Dwarfland's capital, and we moved here to her husband's farm. It didn't take long before she gave birth to her own five children. And despite her and her husband always treating me well, and never making me feel like I didn't belong, they were happy to send me to court when Alaric, who had apparently been my father's friend, came to seek me in person years after my father had died, claiming he had been looking for me since he had found out about his demise, and promising to provide for me for the sake of their past friendship." 

He sighed, then added, not wanting to speak about himself anymore even as Peregrine opened his mouth to ask questions. "That's that. I thought I could as well pay them a long due visit when Aryana said she would like to meet my family. And here we are," he announced, jumping off his horse, his feet landing in an invisible muddy puddle with a resounding splash.

He walked to a low wooden gate spanning the space between two stretches of a long stone wall reaching his shoulders and unlatched it, then opened it wide. His action solicited a distant barking of one, then several other dogs, making Gollum growl in return, but when none, thanks to the downpour, no doubt, appeared from the wet darkness impregnated with the smell of soaked soil, freshly cut grass and manure, Gilderoy motioned for everyone to ride through the gate before he closed it securely again. He mounted Buttercup once more, taking the place at the head of the group as they rode towards a group of squat stone buildings sprawling in the distance at the end of the lane, their forms only a shade darker than the sky until at first one, then several more windows blinked to life as the inhabitants were stirred from their early sleep by the constant barking of the dogs, announcing but not even trying to prevent the unexpected visitors' approach.