Rune of Oldfyre

Chapter Nineteen: Azure Tower

There was a frantic knocking at the rear door to the shop at, exactly 7:34. When I opened the door May stumbled in. She had added an olive green coat and maroon scarf.

“Outside, theres a-” she attempted.

“It’s okay, I’ll deal with it.” I assured her.

I leaned my head outside, sitting there was Molly. His dopey tongue hung out of the side of his mouth. When he saw me he wagged his tail happily. I gave him a stern look and leaned back inside to comfort May.

“Is it gone?” She asked.

“It’s okay, it’s just Molly.” I told her.

“Molly?”

“My dog, well my dire hell-hound.” I said to her.

“A dire-hell-hound…”

“Yes, let me explain…”

I then proceeded to tell her the entire story about Molly’s bequeathal to me. I told her about Wilhelm, Fraywood, and the battle up north.

“You were Wilhelm’s student?” She asked, genuinely excited about it. Her smile was exhilarating.

“More of an employee really.” I corrected.

“Wow.” She said in amazement. “So he left you his dog?”

“Yeah, pretty much. You want to meet him?”

‘Him?”

“It’s male.”

“Oh, then why Molly?” She asked.

“Wilhelm was a bit more senile than the legends and tales make him out to be.”

“They usually are.” She laughed.

“So, do you know where we should go?” I said, trying to be less awkward.

“Did we not choose a place?” She asked.

“Ah, no.” I said.

We hit our faces with our palms together as if on cue. Then we laughed in unison.

I showed her to Molly and Molly to her.

“See, nicest thing you’ll ever see.” I said.

“He sure is, aren’t you boy.” She said, rubbing his massive head.

We decided to walk along the wharf, the dim evening sun lighting our path.

"You, seemed a bit... awkward this morning." I said.

Dammit, you Ardhead, why would you mention that?

"Was it obvious? I'm so sorry." She said.

"No, don't be. I thought it was cute." I said.

"I've been so nervous about asking you." She admitted to me.

"How long?" I asked.

"What?" She asked me.

"How long were you thinking about asking me?" I clarified.

"Uh, two months." She said.

"I see." I said. "You know, I wanted to ask you out too."

"Really? How long?"

"Let's see. You first came to the shop... six months ago. So, about... six months." I said.

"Six months." She added.

"Yeah. Is that sad?"

"No, it isn't. I think it's cute." She smiled.

"Thanks." I whispered.

We stopped at a small pier. She sat down on the edge and I followed suit. The cold water of the bay sent a chill up my body when I submerged my feet. The evening had given way to night. We were now in near complete darkness. Far in the distance was an azure tower, faintly glowing. We sat and talked on that pier until our feet had been nearly shriveled off from the water.

Back in the alley behind the shop we said goodbyes.

“So could we do this again?" I asked.

"That depends.” She said.

“On what?” I asked, I felt a force from behind me push me into her. when she grabbed me we were locked in each other’s embrace. I looked behind me, Molly had used his large head to nudge me into her.

“That.” She said, smiling. She kissed my cheek and walked away into the night.