The most imposing bearded Dwarf was obviously their leader, his mates looked younger and not so mighty.
"Thanks Goodness! If only you knew, Jim, how we are glad to see you!.. and your nice yacht!" the leader pronounced in a joyful bass.
"Master Huges?! What happened?!" Jim stopped eating.
"We need your help," Huges smoothed his short beard, "our hired captain got crazy at the sight of precious stones we had mined. He grabbed a fistful, took the ship and disappeared. But you can take us home!"
"M-m-m-m… well… I don't know…" Jim hesitated.
"It's all right, Jim," Lynette assured, "we shall wait for you here."
"The Southern Cape is not far, you'll return to your friends tomorrow. Besides, we shall pay," Huges put two dozens of big sapphires and emeralds onto the bench.
"We shall need some travel expenses," Jim divided the treasure into four equal parts, passed three twinkling piles to Lynette, Iven and Andreas, the last portion became his own.
"Beware of trolls!" Andreas warned the Dwarfs, "they are near the Ariadna City and can quickly come to the Southern Cape!"
"Oh, heh, heh, let them attack us!" Huges tapped at his axe handle, "we shall be glad of some fighting practice!.."
"Why not pay a visit to Dryads?" Iven suggested watching the Dwarfs going away to the yacht. He led Lynette and Andreas along the road and soon pointed at a stony archway having no architectural function, standing alone for no obvious reason: "The portal!"
"Can you activate it?" Lynette asked.
"Yes, I can. Try yourself, it is possible if you have good intentions. Just touch it and think of your wish to pass."
Lynette put her palm onto the marble and immediately stepped back, as an opaque golden radiance flared up in the archway. The Elf smiled and invited them to enter the portal with a gesture.
The golden afterglow changed to soft pastel tints of the evening twilight, delicate pale pink and blue colours embraced the white bloom of the spring orchards, fresh leafage and grass. Unlike the landscape, the arch remained seemingly the same, Iven switched it off with a touch.
"I have never been in this part of the town," Lynette murmured. Accurate green hedges, two-storeyed wooden houses with sun-parlours among apple-trees, a settlement and a garden in one. Whitish slabs of the streets looked rather like footpaths on lawns than pavements. An Elf in a silvery suit was trimming bushes with large long scissors. Lynette asked him: "Excuse me, can you tell us the way to the Cherry Line?"
"Sure!" the Elf smiled and waved his hand pointing, "go to the Fountain Square and then turn to the left!"
Statues of young women in tunics and big bowls of flower-beds encircled the square, a beautiful fountain had a shape of an immense marble flower, water cascades falling down from the petals. Dryads and Elves in white summer attires were leisurely enjoying an evening walk, kind friendly faces and blithe clear laugh.
Elvish lanterns began to sparkle everywhere meeting the early blue night with a warm orange gleam, a soft yellow illumination shone from windows.
"Martina?" Lynette called and gently knocked at the halfway-opened door of one house.
"Oh, come in!" smiling Martina, in the same dress as in the morning, appeared in the doorway and let them enter the veranda lit with candles. Her eyes twinkled as she noticed that Iven looked at her in admiration.
A small low table between two sofas, white flowers in big wicker baskets standing on the floor, climbing ivy growing from flowerpots, the interior had elements of a garden or a wild nature landscape.
"I want to pay for the dress," Lynette took a sapphire out of the pocket and put it onto the table.
"My work is not so expensive!" Martina protested sincerely.
"I'm recompensing your keeping it for me," Lynette sighed, "I don't know when I can take it home…"
"But you can try it on, it's in my workshop upstairs. The white shoes are yours in addition!" the Dryad picked up the sapphire, viewed it without any great interest and put it back nonchalantly, then she pointed at the high-boots of Andreas with a clement care: "Tonight let your feet rest, put on the footwear for guests! Meanwhile, I'll bring tea."
The girls went out. The men took their bags, jackets and weapon off, hung the things onto small polished wooden coat-hooks near the door. The guest footwear turned out to be very flexible and soft brown leather shoes, easily stretching and assuming the necessary size. The Elf remained in his own which were actually of the same kind.
They washed their hands at a miniature decorative waterfall in the veranda corner, clear water lapping in a basin laid out with grey stones.
Martina brought a silver tray with porcelain cups and a tea-pot on it, the Elf assisted her in laying the table.
Then Lynette returned, and Andreas couldn't help looking at her. The new long bluish-white frock fitted her straight figure perfectly, and she had arranged her fair hair nicely, flower-topped hairpins holding golden curls. Tucking up the loose skirt, she gracefully sat down, took a cup from his hands and, being manifestly pleased with his attention, gave him a charming effulgent smile.
Meanwhile beautiful voices sang a simple but merry song somewhere in the town:
"Touch the petals, touch the leaves
With the gentle midnight breeze,
Let the springtime dream away
In the starlight of this May!
When enchanting minutes flow,
Take a rest before you go,
Let your weary heart forget
All your sorrow and regret!
Still together, all as one,
We are feeling fresh and young,
Like the petals and the leaves,
Like this gentle midnight breeze!"
"Let's go to the night party!" the Dryad exclaimed when the delicate euphonical music became heard.
They drank the tea up and hurried outdoors.
People were going along streets and lanes towards the square, gathering there, where several Elves playing violins and singing a melodious fairy ballad near the fountain. Lynette began to dance with Andreas, Iven invited Martina, and they joined other fluidly whirling pairs. Merry laugh and light-hearted joy in the air, sparklets in kind eyes. Happy enchanting minutes.
After the dancing the violins played a tender lullaby, and the four of them walked back to the house of Martina, the men arm-in-arm with their ladies.
"Iven?!" some Elf wondered encountering them in the lane, "haven't you gone to the South?"
"Sammie?" Iven and his friends stopped, "what's wrong?"
"From the coast we saw the yacht sailing to the Southern Cape, and a part of the troll horde followed it," Sammie told them, "our archers reported this news to queen Veronica…"
"Now
