Chapter 23

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As they reached Toras in companionable silence, he gave them a scrutinizing look as if trying to penetrate the very core of who they were. It felt as if he was trying to read their souls and see all the things they did not wish to say.

"Everything alright?" He asked.

His tone of voice was strange, hesitant, and it came as a surprise to Leonie since all her life, as long as she had known the Mage, he was always very confident, and there never was any hesitation in his action or his words.

However, she had noticed the same oddness in his behavior the last time she had seen him. It felt to her as if he knew much more about her situation. It was clear that he could tell her what she could expect in the future but was hesitant to share that knowledge with her.

Yet, knowing Toras as well as she did, she was sure he had good reasons for holding back. Nonetheless, that did not prevent her from being annoyed at the change she noted in him.

"Yes, everything is fine." She said.

It was plain from her tone of voice that discussion was useless. Someone as wise as Toras picked up on that easily.

"Very well. I have come here to help, and that is what I shall do. Although I am unsure how helpful shall you find me." He said cryptically.

"What do you mean?" Leonie asked.

"Well, I shall tell you a few things that I am not sure you will be willing to hear. Nevertheless, I have to warn you. I owe that to your father, to your family." Toras said.

"Alright. What is it?" Leonie asked.

"Rim can't stay here. He has to go." Toras said.

"No way! That is out of question! He is staying with me!" Leonie yelled.

Nald went to stand by her side, nodding vigorously in agreement. They were united in their inability to be separated from their common friend.

"Listen to what Toras has to say, my dear," Amitola said soothingly.

"Mom! Are you on his side!?" Leonie said, hurt permeating her voice.

"I am not on his side, but I have lived longer, and I know a few things you don't. Toras has lived much longer than any of us, he has gathered more knowledge than either one of us can imagine, so we at least owe it to him to listen to what he has to say.

What did your father always used to say: "The worst kind of stupidity is ignoring the wise men"?" Amitola asked.

"The worst kind of ignorance is not lending an ear to the ones who know far more than what the ones of weak imagination regarded as knowledge. " Leonie said, quoting her father.

"Exactly. So listen first and then decide." Amitola said.

"Very well. I apologize. Please continue." Leonie told Toras.

"As you have noticed, Rim's development has been much faster than that of any other dragon. In consequence, he will reach adulthood much sooner than either I or you anticipated.

Have in mind that I am talking about physical adulthood, the mental one shall take far longer until he assimilates all the knowledge that the generations of dragons that have come before him had gathered." Toras said.

Leonie dropped her eyes to hide the pain that started spreading through her soul as she realized where the conversation was heading.

She was aware of the fact that Rim would not stay her baby dragon forever, but it was all happening too fast. There were too many changes happening in her life, in such a short time, even adults would have had trouble keeping up.

Everything was moving too fast, and Leonie wished she could slow everything down to allow her mind and heart to acclimate to all the change. It was as if winter had arrived suddenly, without being preceded by the autumn chill, and caught her unawares.

Noticing that she lowered her head to the ground, something changed in Toras, making his voice milder, trying to smooth out her worries.

"Of course, I am not saying that it will happen soon, but we don't know how his further development will continue. It is safer for all of us to be ready for everything. Better to have more firewood than to freeze to death, as they say." Toras said.

"How do you suggest we do that?" Leonie asked.

"Well, dragons have been known to live in many different places, but I think the safest place for Rim is the cave that I know, beyond this land," Toras said.

Leonie was terrified by the idea of Rim going so far away from her. It felt to her like he was the thread that kept her family whole, which stopped them from completely breaking apart. After her father's death, they were barely holding on, and somehow Rim made it better. She did not wish to think about what his absence would mean for them.

On the other hand, she was unsure of what their absence would do to him. It was evident that he had made an emotional connection to them and that it would cause him pain to be so far away from them.

"Don't you know any caves that are close by?" Leonie asked, trembling.

"My dear Leonie, you still don't understand the wonderful world we live in.

He can be far away, and yet one step away." Toras said.

"I don't understand. Can you stop being cryptic and tell me." Leonie said impatiently.

Amitola looked at her with disapproval since never before had she seen her daughter lacking respect for her elder, especially the one as powerful as Toras. Yet, she chose not to say anything since she could understand how much pain could cloud one's judgment.

"Very well. Magic is more than meets the eye. Everyone thinks that I live in your forest. I don't." Toras said.

"That's not possible. I've just been to visit you in the forest. You were there!" Leonie said, confused.

"No, my dear. That's how I wanted you to perceive what you saw. The truth is that my house is far away from this land. It is on the other side of the world. I might have to relocate soon, but that's a story for another time.

Anyway, that is possible because I have used magic to create a portal between your forest and my home. The moment you stepped through those bushes, you have gone through a portal and to a place that is so far away that your people could never reach it." Toras said.

Leonie's brain worked like a busy bee gathering pollen and building complex beehive of information. When all the pieces were finally in place, she raised her head, and all the clouds have cleared in her small world.

"So, we will be able to visit with each other whenever we feel like it, and he will have a safe and comfortable place to stay in?" Leonie asked.

"Yes, that's what I am saying. The portal will keep your connection stable, and it will keep both of you safe.

He can get away from nosy humans or if he feels different if he senses the change coming.

On the other hand, you will always be able to check on him. How does that sound?" Toras asked.

"Sounds perfect," Leonie replied.

Relief was all she could feel. It was the air she breathed and the blood that ran through her veins.

Maybe the outside world would bring them more challenges to face, but for the time being, she felt that all four of them needed to be close together, needed to connect. The portal allowed for that to happen while keeping all of them safe, and she could not have been happier about it.

"I thought you might say that. Ready to get down to work?" Toras asked.

"We are ready," Rim said.

During the whole discussion, he had stayed quiet, not wanting to say the wrong thing, but hearing that all of his dreams were coming true, he was ready to start making a place for himself. A place close to home, since Leonie and her family would always be his real home.

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