When she opened her eyes she saw bright stars in the sky. She yawned. ‘I dreamt I was in Morec,’ she said, sitting up. T grew up there. In the spring palace overlooking the bay. I used to watch the dolphins there.’
‘Was it a nice dream?’
‘Yes.’ Axiana looked around. The trees were shadow-haunted now, and the temperature was dropping. Here and there, in sheltered hollows, the snow still lay on the ground. ‘Where are we?’
‘I’m not sure,’ replied Ulmenetha. ‘But we will be making camp soon.’
‘Camp? Are we camping?’
‘Yes.’
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‘Is there no house close by?’
‘No,’ said Ulmenetha, softly. ‘No house. But it will be safe.’
‘From bears and lions,’ said Axiana, trying to sound authoritative.
‘Yes, highness.’
Dagorian rode alongside the wagon and climbed to the driver’s seat. ‘Hold tight,’ he said, taking the reins from Conalin. ‘We are leaving the trail.’ The wagon lurched to the right and down a shallow slope. Ulmenetha held on to Axiana. Dagorian drove the wagon down to a shallow stream. Kebra and Bison rode their horses across to where the black man waited. There was a fire burning against the cliff wall. The weary horses splashed into the stream and Dagorian cracked the whip twice as the wagon was slowly hauled across. Once on the other side he turned the team and applied the brake.
Ulmenetha helped the queen to climb down, and led her to the fire. There were flat rocks close by and Axiana sat upon one of them. Kebra lit a second fire and began to prepare a meal. The children gathered firewood. Everyone seemed so busy. Axiana gazed up at the towering cliff wall. There had been cliffs like this in Morec. She had climbed one once, and her mother had scolded her dreadfully. Suddenly she remembered the Royal Guards who had ridden up to the wagon earlier. What had happened to them? Why had they gone away? She was about to ask Ulmenetha, but then she caught the aroma of meat and spices coming from the pot on the camp-fire. It smelt delicious!
Rising she walked to the fire. The bowman, who was kneeling beside the pot, glanced up. ‘It will be ready soon, your highness.’
‘It smells wonderful,’ she said. She wandered to the
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moonlit stream, then along the banks, captivated by the glittering lights on the smooth stones beneath the water. They shone like gems. Alone now she sat down by the waterside, and remembered sitting on the beach in Morec, her feet in the water. Her nurse used to sing a song to her there, a song about dolphins. Axiana tried to remember it. She laughed as the lines came back to her, and began to sing.
‘How I long to be,
such a queen of the sea,
to follow the ocean, always in motion,
and always so wonderfully free.’
The bushes rustled alongside her and a huge form reared up, towering over her. Axiana clapped her hands and laughed happily. The bear was so large, and, unlike the sad carcasses her father had brought back, so full of life. The bear gave a deep, rumbling growl.
‘Do you not like my song, Bruin?’ she said.
She felt a strong hand upon her arm, and looked up to see the black warrior beside her. He was holding a burning torch in his left hand. Gently he drew her to her feet. ‘He is hungry, highness, and in no mood for song.’
Slowly he backed away, drawing the queen with him. The bear spread his paws wide and lumbered through the bushes towards them. ‘He is coming with us,’ said Axiana, brightly. The black man moved carefully in front of her, holding out the burning torch. To her left she saw Kebra the Bowman, a shaft notched to the bow string.
‘Do not shoot,’ said Nogusta.
Bison and Dagorian moved in from the right. Bison was also holding a torch. The bear’s great head moved
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from side to side. ‘Be off with you!’ shouted Bison, darting forward. Surprised by the movement the bear dropped to all fours and ambled away into the darkness.
‘He was so big,’ said Axiana.