Thistle & Friends: Part Eight

Ok, here's the last, and shortest, part! (I'm getting a little better at this, right? :P) 
Just a quick look ahead: the next couple posts will be pictures of the dragon characters from this story, then I'll post more stories including "Alice & Alyssa" parts, intermixed with a short science fiction story called "Into the Future".  Hopefully you're looking forward to the next posts! ;) I know I am! (But that hardly counts... :P)
If you missed a part, go to the links below, if not, read on and enjoy! :D

Part One
Part 2a
Part 2b
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven

Chapter Eight:

Home Again

The island soon came into view that they had searched for. Brittney let out a cry of delight, and Thomas smiled to himself when he heard it. The girl’s delight in being almost home made all the exhaustion and fear well worth it. Patrick was having the time of his life riding on Prickle, and he had been yelling “faster, faster, faster…” constantly, much to Prickle’s enjoyment. Here was someone who wasn’t always telling him to stop.

The dragons landed outside the castle, and with Brittney in the lead it was easy for them to gain access into her father’s castle. The king ran to meet them, and embraced his daughter and son warmly, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks.

Thomas blinked back tears of his own, suddenly homesick. Thistle noticed his friend’s tears and gently rested his chin on Thomas’s shoulder.  Thomas felt the weight of Thistle’s chin and reached a hand back to pat the dragon’s muzzle affectionately, feeling better already.

To say the king was grateful for the return of his children would be a huge understatement. Thomas and the dragons were treated as royalty, given several feasts in their honor, and got to spend endless time with the king, his wife, and the two they had rescued.

One by one, the dragons left to their own homes until only Thistle and Thomas were left. Thomas had been courting Brittney with her father’s permission for a few weeks now, but it was fairly obvious that they were in love.

After an engagement that lasted six months, the two were married under the shadow of the palace.

They spent their honeymoon visiting their different dragon friends, and lastly, Thistle flew them both back to his own beloved valley.

 Thomas and Brittney built their home right next to Thistle’s cave and it wasn’t long before Brittney gave birth to a baby boy. After much consideration, they named him Brandon. A few years later, a baby girl joined that family and they named her Nellie.

When the old king died, Thomas was asked by his young brother in law to help him rule. Of course Thomas agreed readily and they worked well as a team.

He never forgot his dragon friends during the busy years of his kinghood, and he had them all made part of his army, and many times they joined him tracking down enemies and defeating them all.

Their amazing victories made the dragons and Thomas become legendary figures in all the islands, but their fame never went to their heads. Instead, they remained happy and contented with what they had until the end of their days.

 

The End

Well, what do you think? Do you want me to write more Thistle books? I'm working on an idea right now that's basically Thistle telling Thomas his life story. It would include things like how he met Prickle and Bramble as well as other adventures. Do you think that would make a good story?