Heart of the Mountain

That evening everyone sat around the fire.

Byuri told her mother all about the adventures she'd had with her new friends,

and how the eagle had led them to find her. 

And Aeran shared with Byuri's mother all about the quest she and her companions were on looking to recover a long lost jewel ... the Heart of the Mountain ...

and how she needed it to legitimize her position as Queen in her Grandfather's kingdom.

Byuri's mother took something out of a small leather bag. "Is this what you are looking for?"

 Aeran could barely believe it. All the months spent searching for the missing talisman, and here it was. "Yes, it is."
"It was given to our people many years ago," continued Byuri's mother,  "But I have no use for a jewel such as this. My daughter is my jewel ... and I want you to take this, to thank you, for returning her to me."

Aeran didn't know what to say. She could never have known that having put aside her search for the talisman and going instead on another journey to help reunite a lost little girl with her mother, that she would receive the very jewel she had been searching for.
"It's beautiful." she whispered. ​"Thank you."