As Mira and Cedric journeyed back to Avaloria, they found themselves exchanging stories of their past adventures and experiences. 

The landscape passed beneath them in a blur of colors and shapes as they flew, the wind rushing past their faces.

Suddenly, a familiar form appeared in their peripheral vision, catching them by surprise. 

It was Zephyr, finally catching up to them. 

The duo welcomed him warmly, though still stunned by his sudden appearance.

Mira smiled knowingly at him, suspecting that his arrival had something to do with the indirect confession that was made the previous day.

With Zephyr now by their side, they continued their journey towards Avaloria.

Hours passed, and Zephyr and Mira began to feel the weariness of their recent battle against the Demonic Beasts.

As Mira found a clear spot of land near a forest, they decided as a group to settle down for lunch and possibly a quick nap to recharge.

The trio swiftly orchestrated a symphony of tasks: lunch was artfully prepared, camp was deftly set up, and all of them readied themselves for a well deserved repose beneath the canopy of nature's embrace.

Zephyr offered to keep guard so the two could rest, curling his massive draconian body around them to shield them from the wind. Mira and Cedric thanked him as they curled up for a light rest. 

However, Mira found herself troubled and unable to sleep. Sensing her distress, Zephyr attempted to distract her with conversation. 

He asked her about her childhood, prompting her to share a happy memory to help ease her mind.

Thinking for a moment, Mira began to recount a tale of meeting her mother's family when she was very little, before even her brother was born.

She described the icy tundra village of Balaydra, the Ice Fairy Kingdom, and the loving embraces of her grandparents, the then Ice Fairy King and Queen.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she recalled their warmth, realizing the reality of the fact that they were also most likely not of this world anymore.

Apologizing to Zephyr through her tears, as she finds herself unable to continue, she finds solace in his comforting presence.

Zephyr listened intently, tenderly curling the tip of his tail around her waist in a comforting embrace, to silently convey to her that everything was going to be alright.

As she thanked him for listening to her and attempted to sleep once more, he whispered a thank you in return for sharing her tale.

After a few hours of rest, with guard duty shifting between Mira and Zephyr in that while, the sun began to set.

They all awoke and decided to move on, as they would reach Avaloria by midday if they left then.

Crafting the cloud aircraft once more for Cedric, the trio was on their way once more. Cedric, still slightly exhausted from the journey, curled up and fell asleep once more.

Being able to speak privately once more with Zephyr, Mira seized the opportunity to finally ask Zephyr about why he decided to join them.

With a visible stiffening, Zephyr explained to her the bond that dragons felt towards their fated love. 

He told her he felt hollow at the thought of being away from her, at the thought of her potentially getting hurt all the while he spent his time governing Cirreck.

Mira blushed, realizing the gravity of his words and especially his feelings. 

Mira struggled to comprehend someone having such intense emotions towards her, as she never had the time for romance, being a crown princess and all.

Curious, she asked what happened to dragons who were unable to find their beloved or were turned down for whatever reason.

Zephyr's response was solemn, warning of the dire consequences, including death from a broken heart.

Saddened by the thought, Mira expressed her concern, but Zephyr reassured her that her happiness mattered most to him, regardless of her choice to accept him or not.

Grateful for his selflessness and gentle heart, Mira smiled and called him sweet. He turned his head away, as if to avoid looking at her so she couldn't see his embarrassed expression. 

As they flew, the hours drifted by in a haze of idle chatter, drawing them ever closer with each exchanged word and shared moment. With the sun rising, Mira noticed Avaloria in the distance.

With a gentle touch, Mira roused Cedric from his slumber, softly delivering the news that their destination was within reach.

As they approached Avaloria, Zephyr shifted to his humanoid form, mindful of the potential alarm a dragon's presence might evoke among the populace.

Cedric thanked him, acknowledging his consideration for the welfare of the kingdom's citizens.

Finally, they had returned, with much to tell the royal family of Avaloria.