Edward had taken only a few steps when a deer leapt in front of him and snarled, pulling its lips right back and showing its teeth. Edward recoiled and changed direction, aiming to walk in a big semicircle around the animal, but the deer moved to block him.
‘Get away,’ called Edward, but the deer moved past him to Bart, put its head down and tried to push him back the way he had come. Dani pulled Bart out of the way, but the deer trotted in front of Bart and pushed him again.
‘Potjer,’ began Edward. ‘I think some deer meat would be tasty.’
‘Yes, your Highness, it would. Yum. Wish we had some.’
Edward gestured to the deer.
‘What?’ asked Potjer.
Edward sighed in exasperation. ‘Kill it!’
‘Oh. Right.’ Potjer drew his sword.
Edward stepped back. ‘Dani, take Bart out of the way.’
Dani looked uncertainly at the deer and then at Potjer, and then pulled Bart to one side. The deer followed Bart. Potjer approached the animal, sword raised, ready to strike. Bart’s eyes widened and he threw himself across the back of the deer.
‘Out of the way,’ said Potjer. He took one hand off his sword and tried to pull Bart away from the deer, but Bart wound his arms around its neck.
The deer started walking back the way they had come, and Bart walked with it.
‘Stop!’ spluttered Edward. ‘Potjer. Stop them.’
‘Wait,’ said Dani. ‘The deer was with Bart when we found him. Maybe it was protecting him. I think it wants us to go that way.’ She started to follow.
Edward’s heart sank. ‘What would a deer know?’ he pleaded. ‘It’s a deer. It’s just being playful, or irritating, or something.’
‘Bart seems to like it. There might be more to this than we know. Let’s just follow it for a while,’ said Dani.
‘But, Dani,’ implored Edward, falling into step beside her. ‘We need to get back. We need to get Bart to the doctor.’
‘But Bart trusts this deer. Let’s just see where it’s going.’
‘No,’ said Edward firmly. ‘We need to get him back. I’m sorry, Dani, but you have to obey me. I’m the Prince, and –’
Dani turned on him. ‘Out here it doesn’t matter who you are, Edward,’ she said fiercely. ‘Yes, you’ve got Potjer, but I’ve got my sling and I’d back myself against you both. Bart and I are following that deer. If it doesn’t get anywhere soon, then we’ll take him back.’
Edward held her gaze a moment, then let out a long breath and held up his hands in defeat. ‘All right.’
It would, he thought, only be a short delay.
The deer walked through the trees with Bart beside it, his hand on its back. Dani was a step behind him, Edward next and Potjer brought up the rear. Edward wondered how long he should wait before he tried to convince Dani to turn around again.
He sensed a movement to his left and peered through the trees.
‘Did you see something?’ he asked Potjer.
‘Yes, your Highness,’ answered Potjer. ‘Trees. Lots of them.’
Edward peered closer and thought he saw a moving shape. Then his eyes widened in fear. It was a tiger. It was huge, and loping along parallel to them. The sight of it was so terrifying his knees nearly gave way. Pancake jumped forward and Edward lost his grip on the reins. The horse galloped past Dani, following the deer.
Ahead, the deer sped up and Bart lost his grip on its back. Dani looked around and then started to run, grabbing Bart’s hand and pulling him along with her. They dodged through trees after the deer. Edward saw Dani let go of Bart’s hand and reach for her sling. As she did, Bart stopped. Edward dodged past them, running hard.
He looked back to see Dani grab Bart’s hand and sprint to catch him. ‘Take his hand,’ she panted. ‘I need to get my sling.’
Edward grabbed Bart’s hand and pulled him along while Dani, still running, pulled a rock out of her pocket.
Dani saw the trees open out onto an open plain that ran for about a hundred paces and then ended in a huge cliff that rose to the sky. Ahead of her, the deer had emerged from the forest and galloped towards a cave at the base of the cliff. Edward, still pulling Bart, followed about ten steps behind, with Potjer behind him and Dani bringing up the rear.
Dani emerged from the forest, kept running and then glanced back. The tiger was closing on them. She stopped, turned to face the tiger, inserted a stone in her sling, whirled it above her head, aimed and flung it. The stone whistled past the tiger’s shoulder but, even though it missed, the animal slowed.
Dani ran on. The others were close to the caves. She glanced back again. The tiger was closing fast. If she stopped to sling another rock, it would be on her.
Ahead, a woman with long blonde hair and wearing a brown robe emerged from the cave. The deer ran to her and stopped, while the two horses rushed past her. Edward, leading Bart, ran into the cave, and Potjer took up a position at its mouth. The woman raised one hand, palm forward, stared sternly over Dani’s shoulder and called, ‘Stop!’
Dani turned and saw the tiger stop. The woman walked past her to the tiger, knelt and stroked it, smiling. Then she rose and pointed towards the forest. The tiger turned, padded back across the plain and disappeared into the trees. The woman walked back towards the cliff, as did Dani. Edward, still leading Bart, emerged cautiously from the cave.
Outside the caves, the woman patted the deer. ‘Why, Cyndartha, what a pleasant surprise. What’s going on?’ She paused and looked closely at the deer, and then said, ‘Goodness . . . I see . . . really? How unusual . . . empty, you say? And then Tiberius came after you. Well, tigers will be tigers. You’ve been very kind to the boy, Cyndartha. I’ll do what I can from here. Off you go. And do be careful of Tiberius, although he’s probably tired out now. So are you, I expect. And do visit again soon.’
The deer trotted over to Bart and nuzzled against him. Bart stared ahead, but hugged her. Then he let her go and Cyndartha trotted off toward the forest.
Chapter 14
At the Bottom of the Cliff
Dani looked around. Outside the cave about a dozen hens clucked and several crows pottered around. Next to them, a circle of rocks big enough to sit on surrounded a smouldering fire. A goat sat outside the mouth of the cave, and a few steps away Potjer’s horse and Edward’s pony stood. Inside the cave Dani could dimly make out two deer. Next to the cave a thin stream emerged from the base of the cliff, ran across the plain and then disappeared into the forest. Above, the cliff towered.
Dani met Bart, Edward and Potjer near the cave’s entrance. The woman approached them, stared at Bart for a few moments and then looked expectantly at Dani.
‘Thank you for saving us,’ said Dani. ‘I’m Dani and this is my brother Bart.’
‘I am Gildarin,’ said the woman. She turned to Edward and raised her eyebrows.
‘I am Prince Edward, son of his Majesty King Corolius the Fifth and heir to the realm of Tintarfell.’
‘Good for you,’ said the woman. ‘And . . .?’ She indicated Potjer.
Edward’s expression suggested that he had expected a bigger reaction. ‘That’s just Potjer,’ he said.
‘Cyndartha brought you here because she thought that I might be able to help Bart,’ said Gildarin.
Hope flooded through Dani. ‘Can you?’
‘Unfortunately, no.’
‘Oh,’ said Dani.
‘I may, however, be able to discover what’s wrong with him. I am used to diagnosing and curing animals. That is what I do here, and generally the same principles apply to people. May I examine him?’
Dani nodded. Gildarin placed her hands gently on either side of Bart’s head and looked into his eyes. For some time they both stood motionless, and then Gildarin sat Bart down on a stone.
‘There is great power within him,’ said Gildarin. �
��Or, at least, there was. That’s why Cyndartha helped him. She sensed a connection with him even though . . .’ She trailed off.
‘What?’ asked Dani.
‘His mind has been drained.’
‘Drained?’
‘Emptied. I’ve seen similar cases recently with animals.’
‘But how?’ said Dani.
‘Someone must have done it to him. Tell me. His power with animals. He’s had it all his life, I expect?’
‘His what?’
‘He has power over animals. He can communicate with them.’
Dani shook her head. ‘I’ve been with him all his life. He doesn’t have any power over animals. I mean, he’s always liked them, but that’s all.’
Gildarin stared at her, and then at Bart. ‘You didn’t know? Goodness, this is confusing. Tell me what happened. From the beginning.’
‘Wait,’ said Edward, eyeing Gildarin suspiciously. ‘Why should we? Who are you, anyway?’
‘I’m just a woman who lives in a cave. But I want to help the boy.’
‘Why?’ asked Edward.
‘Because he needs help, of course.’
‘What’s in it for you?’ demanded Edward.
‘Edward, stop it,’ said Dani. ‘She saved us from the tiger.’ She turned to Gildarin. ‘Of course I’ll tell you.’
They sat on the rocks and Dani told Gildarin about their life at the castle, Bart’s abduction, and how she had tracked him to the cottage and eventually found him in the forest.
‘Whoever drained his mind would have gained enormous powers from doing so,’ said Gildarin. ‘The good news is that a small part of Bart’s mind remains. If it were all gone nothing could be done, but while some remains, there is hope. There is one person who might be able to help. Melindarah. Have you heard of her?’
They all shook their heads.
‘She is called a witch,’ said Gildarin, ‘but that is often an unkind name people give to those who have powers they do not understand. She is my aunt, and I was her apprentice.’
‘So she’s not dangerous, then?’ asked Edward.
‘Not if she likes you.’
‘But she can help?’ asked Dani.
‘If anyone can help, it is her. She might be able to restore Bart’s mind, and tell you who did this to him. Whether she will, however, is another question. She has, I understand, retired, but she’s your only hope. You must get to her quickly. Each day that passes will make it more difficult to restore him.’
Edward had been looking more and more frustrated. ‘Thank you very much for that,’ he said, ‘but we have a very good doctor at the castle.’
‘Are you sure?’ said Gildarin with a gentle smile.
‘Of course. My father has a serious illness and Doctor Sturpen is treating him wonderfully.’
‘Is your father better?’ enquired Gildarin.
‘Well, not completely yet, but he will be soon, I’m sure. Our doctor will understand what’s happened to poor Bart and be able to help him. He probably just bumped his head. I’ve known that to happen. For a day or two they’re confused, and then they’re fine again.’
‘I believe this is more serious,’ said Gildarin.
Dani made up her mind. ‘I’m taking him to this Melindarah.’
‘Dani, before we make our decision, don’t you think we should discuss –’ Edward began.
‘It’s not our decision, Edward. It’s mine. He’s my brother. You don’t have to come.’
Edward glared at her but didn’t reply.
Dani turned back to Gildarin. ‘Where is Melindarah?’
‘She lives in a castle at the top of this cliff. To get there you need to go around a long way and then double back. Most of the route is through dense forest and swamps and then up steep slopes, so there would be no point taking a horse. It’s a six-day journey.’
‘Then we must leave at once,’ said Dani.
‘You will arrive too late. In six days Bart’s mind will be gone forever.’
Dani felt tears well up. She clenched her fists and blinked them back.
‘The castle doctor’s our best hope, Dani,’ said Edward quietly. ‘We can be back in two days.’
‘Is there any way up the cliff?’ Dani asked.
‘Look at it,’ replied Gildarin.
Dani stared up. The cliff was almost vertical and absolutely smooth. About a quarter of the way up it became craggier and less steep, but the bottom section was clearly impassable.
‘We’ll leave immediately,’ said Dani. She was exhausted, but if she wanted to save Bart, what choice did she have? ‘If we travel day and night, maybe we can get there in four days. Would we have a chance then?’
‘I’m not sure. It would be a difficult journey. At least eat first.’
As well as being exhausted, Dani was starving. She nodded wearily.
As it grew dark they ate a vegetable stew Gildarin had cooked. As Dani fed Bart, Edward tried to work out how he was going to get Bart back to the castle. Could he force the twins to return? But even if he and Potjer could disarm Dani – and, having seen her use her sling, that was a big ‘if’ – what then? Would they tie her up? But they didn’t have any rope, and he had a feeling that if he tried to force Dani to do anything, Gildarin wouldn’t just stand by and let him.
I must find a way, he thought. If I don’t, I’ll never be King.
To his left, Dani hauled herself to her feet and grabbed her bag.
‘We’re going now,’ she said to Gildarin. ‘Thank you for helping us. Do you have any food we could take?’
Gildarin patted the rock beside her. ‘Sit.’
Dani looked reluctant, but lowered herself onto
the rock.
‘I have an idea to get you up the cliff,’ said Gildarin. ‘It’s dangerous and I don’t know if it will work, but it will give you a chance of getting to Melindarah quickly. Do you want to try it?’
‘Yes,’ said Dani immediately.
‘All right. We’ll try in the morning. You’ll need your wits about you, so go and sleep. There are piles of grass in the middle cave you can use as beds.’
Edward watched Dani lead Bart into the cave, lay him on a grass bed, and then stretch out next to him. Shortly after, he and Potjer joined them, and while Potjer was soon snoring, Edward lay awake, feeling uncomfortable and uneasy on the cave floor, wishing he was at home.
He looked over at Bart and, for the hundredth time, wondered why his father was so concerned about him. He had said that if Bart’s true identity was discovered the entire kingdom would be in danger. Why? Who was Bart? How could he pose such a threat?
He turned his mind to the more immediate problem. How could he get Bart back to the castle? Clearly, he couldn’t persuade Dani to return, and he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to force her to go back. He drummed his fingers on the ground until an uncomfortable thought took shape in his mind. He remembered asking his father what he should do if he found Bart but was unable to bring him back.
Then kill him, his father had replied.
If Bart were to die, his mission would be accomplished and he could go home. Edward looked across to Bart, sleeping on the other side of the cave. So helpless. So vulnerable. Then he thought of Dani. So protective of him.
Edward had another idea. What if something happened to Dani? Without Dani, it would be easy to get Bart back to the castle. They would just have to lead him, like they would a dog.
Yet another possibility occurred to Edward. I could just go now with Potjer, leave the twins here and tell the King Bart was dead. No danger, no risk.
But what if Bart later showed up somewhere? Or if Potjer told the King the truth? He would be exposed as a liar, and that would be the end of his ambitions to be King.
He remembered something else his father had said: Edward, when y
ou lie, I can tell. You may be able to fool others, but not me. Edward knew that he was usually a good liar, but he couldn’t fool his father.
No, the only way to fulfil his mission and become King was for either Bart or Dani to die. Not here, though. Gildarin obviously had some sort of power, and had taken a shine to the twins. He would wait until they had left her behind.
Edward shifted uneasily. Could I really kill one of them?
Again, his father’s words came to him: A king cannot be weak. He must be able to do whatever it takes to safeguard his kingdom, even when it is difficult and unpleasant.
Edward wondered if he was capable of murder. He was certain of one thing. This was a test, and to be King, he had to pass it.
Chapter 15
Crows and a Fox
The next morning Dani came outside to find Gildarin staring at a flock of about forty black crows circling overhead. A large blanket was spread on the ground with about ten rocks on it, each the size of Dani’s head. Attached to the blanket were four ropes, one at each corner. Gildarin picked up one of the ropes and tossed it in the air. Instantly several crows grabbed it with their claws. Gildarin threw the other ropes, and crows grabbed them too.
She stepped back and clapped her hands. The crows flapped harder and the blanket rose off the ground. Gildarin rotated her hand and the crows flew in a circle. Then she slowly lowered her arm and they set the blanket down.
‘We’ll need more crows for four of you,’ said Gildarin. ‘Or is it only two? Have you ever travelled by blanket before?’
‘We get on the blanket?’ asked Dani uncertainly, ‘and the crows carry it to the top of the cliff?’
The Twins of Tintarfell Page 9