Quest for the Sun Gem (8 page)

They all waved in farewell and urged on their mounts – three dark shadows slipping off into the trees, the other lone pale shadow setting off towards the cave.

Ethan, Lily and Saxon rode in silence for a while. The darkness was eerie. Branches made strange shapes that leapt out at them through the night. Sounds of the forest were amplified and distorted in the pitch black. A bat swooped over their heads, making the horses skitter.

‘Stop,’ cried Lily sharply. ‘Did you hear that?’ They halted their horses and listened carefully. Aisha barked, cracking the darkness.

‘What?’ asked Saxon nervously. ‘I hear nothing – except Aisha.’

‘Shhh, girl,’ ordered Lily. ‘I thought I heard a twig crack, and a sort of little … snuffling noise.’

They sat silent again. There was nothing but the sounds of the forest – small creatures padding on tiny feet, leaves swishing in the breeze.

‘I hear nothing either,’ shrugged Ethan. ‘Come on, let’s go. I think you’re just a bit jumpy, Lily.’

They rode on for another few minutes. Then they all heard the unmistakable sound of a branch cracking behind them. Aisha growled low and menacingly, her hackles raised.

‘Ssshhh. Someone
is
following us,’ whispered Lily.

‘Let’s hide off the path and watch,’ suggested Saxon. They quietly dismounted their horses and crept off the narrow track.

A moment later a ghost appeared around the bend. A shimmering white rider on a shimmering white horse, floating through the darkness of the forest. The hidden children clutched each other, too frightened to breathe.

Aisha bounded out to meet the wraith, tail wagging and tongue lolling. The ghost stopped.

‘Hello, girl,’ murmured a familiar voice. It was the Princess Roana on Moonbeam.

‘What are
you
doing here?’ cried Ethan furiously. ‘Why aren’t you at the cave?’

‘We are coming too,’ replied Princess Roana vehemently.

‘No, you are not. Go back to the cave at once!’

‘I will not,’ the princess said imperiously. ‘My family is on that ship as well.’

Ethan and the princess argued furiously for several minutes.

‘That’s enough. Stop it, you two,’ cried Lily in frustration. ‘This is getting us nowhere. We need to keep moving and we need to keep
quiet
.’

‘We can’t have her with us,’ Ethan spat furiously, glaring at the princess with intense dislike. ‘She will just slow us down, and drive us crazy with all her airs and graces. She will want us waiting on her hand and foot. Besides, we won’t get halfway to the coast with her in that getup.’

Princess Roana’s cheeks burned. She considered what these children must think about her. She supposed she had been rather self-obsessed, but then her father had been murdered, her mother and brother taken prisoner and her country invaded. She had good reason to be so self-focused.

Everyone stared at the princess. Her once golden ringlets were matted with dried blood, dirt and leaves. Her pale face was scratched and bruised. The fine white gown was torn and muddy, but there was no disguising the rich origin of the fabric and embroidery.

‘I will not slow you down,’ Princess Roana
retorted. ‘I can ride as well as anyone in Tiregian. And I will not expect you to look after me. I can look after myself!’

There was a long pause. The others glanced at each other doubtfully.

‘We would need to dress her in some of our spare clothes,’ announced Lily. ‘Probably yours are best, Ethan. Mine would be a bit small for her. Anyway, no-one will notice her dressed as a boy. We can cut her hair short.’

Princess Roana bit her lip but sat up straight in the sidesaddle, her muddy skirts flowing over Moonbeam’s flanks.

Saxon grinned. ‘I don’t fancy trying to drag her all the way back to the cave, and we can’t leave her here in the middle of the forest.’

Ethan scowled furiously.

‘Oh, all right then,’ he agreed finally. ‘But just one of your fancy airs and we’re leaving you behind. Understand? And no more “Princess” or “your highness” any more. From now on you are plain Roana – a grubby village lad like us.’

‘Perhaps Rowan would be more appropriate than Roana,’ Lily giggled.

Saxon helped Roana down from Moonbeam.

Ethan unpacked a white shirt, brown breeches
and green cloak from his pack. Lily helped the princess limp behind a bush to change, then, grasping Roana’s tangled gold ringlets with one hand, Lily hacked them off with her dagger.

Roana winced, her eyes shining bright with tears, but she said nothing. A few minutes later the proud princess was gone, and in her place stood a young boy with wild, tousled hair sticking up on end, and a mischievous grin. He twirled around on tiptoe, showing off his oversized cloak and swaggering in baggy breeches.

The only problem was the boots. There were no spares, and Roana’s were long and white with high heels.

Ethan and Saxon could not help but laugh. ‘You look terrible,’ crowed Saxon. ‘A wilder lad I never saw. Especially with those boots.’

The mangled hair was tossed under a bush, to be joyfully discovered later by various birds to line their nests. The silken gown, layered petticoats, white gloves, pale stockings and silver crown were stowed in the saddle bags in case they proved useful later. And the convoy of adventurers set off again, riding into the night.

A few hours later, the four rode in total weariness, swaying in their saddles. The thick blackness of night had given away to the grey gloom before dawn. Aisha trotted at their heels, no longer sniffing at rabbit holes or animal tracks, but keeping up a steady pace.

‘We should rest for a while before it gets too light,’ called Saxon. ‘It will do us no good to be completely exhausted. We will need all our wits and our strength.’

The others nodded wearily. ‘I think I can hear a stream nearby,’ replied Ethan. ‘It would be good to rest near water so we can drink and bathe.’

The stream was a few minutes ahead. They forged the horses up the stream away from the path until they found a small clearing.

Saxon, Lily and Ethan slid off their horses and led them to the stream to drink. Then they undid the girth buckles, lifted the saddles off and dumped them on the ground. Ethan was just about to pull up some long grass to rub the sweat from his horse’s bay flanks when he realised that Roana was still sitting up on Moonbeam’s back in her sidesaddle.

‘Well,
your highness
, are you waiting for the royal grooms to come along and hand you down? Or are you waiting for your maid servants to lay down a rug for your delicate royal feet?’ Ethan asked sarcastically.

Roana flushed. ‘No, I am not,’ she flashed. ‘It is just … it is just that my ankle is still rather sore and it is quite a long drop down, and …’

Ethan scowled. Saxon dropped his saddle blanket and went over to help lift Roana to the ground. Roana muttered a low thanks and hobbled over to the stream to water her horse.

A moment later she had her head under the saddle flap, struggling with the buckles. Roana’s slim white fingers were slick with sweat and grime. The buckles refused to budge.

Lily finished rubbing down Nutmeg and tethered her securely, then came over to Roana. Her strong arms easily hefted the girth buckles undone. She showed Roana how to secure the stirrup leathers and girth, lift the saddle off and undo the bridle.

‘Here, rub her down with some grass to help dry off the sweat,’ Lily instructed. ‘You mustn’t mind Ethan. He’s not usually so touchy. I think it’s just the worry of Mama and Dadda and home and everything.’

‘I know how he feels,’ agreed Roana, hiding her face in Moonbeam’s sweaty flank.

When the horses were all tended, the children drank greedily themselves then curled up in their cloaks and quickly fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.

A few hours later Lily woke. The grey gloom was gone, replaced by a beautiful morning. The sun shone hot from a deep blue sky. Small jewel-coloured birds dipped and flitted through the air, singing and chattering. Their wings flashed ruby, emerald, and sapphire in the sunlight.

The clearing was bathed in a rich golden light. Lily sat up, rubbing her eyes. The others still slept deeply in a tight huddle, curled up in their cloaks with Aisha at their feet.

Lily stretched and yawned, delighting in the warm sun on her face, the birds, the horses snuffling and munching and the sound of the brook tumbling and gurgling over the flat white pebbles. Aisha opened one eye and cocked a black-tipped ear at Lily. Then she padded over to lick Lily on the face.

Lily hugged her and buried her face in her tawny red flank. ‘Oh, Aisha,’ She sighed. ‘What are we doing here?’ Lily wandered down to the stream to drink some water and splash her face. The water felt so refreshing on her hot face that she took off her boots, stockings and long blue dress, and hitched up her petticoat for a paddle.

A big splash of cold water drenched her back. Lily squealed and swung around in alarm to see Ethan chuckling as he splashed her again right in the face. Lily screamed and splashed him back. The shrill squealing woke the others, and Saxon waded in to join in the water fight, splashing furiously.

Roana hesitated on the bank.

‘Come on, last one in is a hairy toad!’ shouted Saxon.

A huge splash from Lily quickly had Roana joining in the fray. Aisha barked and splashed in delight, shaking her coat so that shining droplets of water flew through the air. Everyone laughed and squealed. After the terror and strain of the last few
days, it felt wonderful to be wet and cool and having fun in the sunshine.

Saxon collapsed on the bank laughing ‘Enough, enough, I give in!’ The cold water had washed away the grime and exhaustion of the night, and everyone was in high spirits, their hope restored. They all climbed out, giggling and laughing.

‘Some food and then we hit the road again, folks,’ grinned Ethan, rummaging in his pack. ‘A veritable feast – we have cheese and apples and bread.’

‘And hot tea brewed with wild mint,’ added Lily, stirring her green concoction as she hung it over the crackling fire Saxon had made.

When the food and tea were ready, they laid it out on a blanket and then dug in.

‘By the mighty Sun Lord, I think the princess lost all her manners when you lopped off her hair, Lily,’ teased Saxon laughingly. ‘She certainly doesn’t eat like a princess!’

Roana stopped cramming a piece of cheese into her mouth. She squirmed a little. ‘I am rather hungry,’ she said apologetically. ‘I never felt this ravenous in all my life.’

‘It’s the fresh air and exercise,’ Lily laughed. ‘Swimming before breakfast is a very special way to start the day.’

‘Thank goodness for that, you do all smell a lot better!’ smiled Roana shyly.

After breakfast, Lily taught Roana how to saddle and bridle Moonbeam.

‘You need to walk her around a bit so that you can tighten the girth properly,’ Lily instructed. ‘You heard what happened to the guards last night! Here, it might be easier to climb up in the saddle if you stand on that log. You do look a bit odd riding in a sidesaddle with breeches on, you know!’

‘Thank you for your help,’ Roana murmured. ‘I have never had to prepare the horses myself before. I did not realise quite how many buckles and straps there are! However, I am sure I will learn quickly.’

Everyone was stiff and sore and wet when they climbed back into the saddles, but the sun quickly dried their clothes and warmed their cramped muscles.

The trees thinned and the track meandered out into open meadowland. A huge stone archway, with a fiery sun carved in the middle of the arch, marked the boundary of the Royal Forest. They rode through it and continued on their way.

The land rolled away to the horizon with fresh green fields, dotted with snowy sheep and black cows. Other fields of dark black earth were
ploughed, ready for sowing. Stone walls and flowering hedges lined the roadway. In the distance they could see a small village of stone cottages and scented gardens.

‘Let us gallop the horses!’ cried Roana.

She leaned forward and urged Moonbeam into a fast gallop. Her heart sang with happiness as her horse flew over the ground, kicking up clods of mud with her hooves. Roana could hear the sound of the other horses thundering behind her. The countryside whirred by in a blur of greens and browns.

This is wonderful
, she thought.
This is what it feels like to be free!

Eventually the horses slowed down as the road wound up a hill. They trotted up the last rise, puffing and panting at the exertion. At the crest, they stopped and looked out over the land rolling out below – green fields, patches of woodland and, in the very distance, a deep smudge of blue – the sea!

Their eyes scanned the horizon anxiously.

‘Look, Ethan,’ cried Lily. ‘Smoke!’

Over to the right a thick column of ominous black smoke rose straight in the air. Their hearts sank. At the base of the smoke column was a small village – in flames.

‘The Sedahs!’ shouted Saxon.

Grimly they urged their horses on. All joy was sapped from the beautiful day. They rode on and on across the countryside, oblivious to the landscape. The fields stretched to the edge of the very clifftops. As they rode closer the enormous blueness of the sea rose to meet them, stretching to the horizon as far as their eyes could see.

Ethan and Lily had never before seen the ocean. They couldn’t believe the immensity of it – the rolling, swaying, ceaseless power of the sea. The blue-green, white-capped waves changing colours. The pounding, thunderous, never-ending rumble of water crashing into cliffs and rocks and sand. It was one of the most beautiful sights they had ever seen.

They sat awestruck on their horses as they absorbed this new experience. Their lungs filled with the salty, briny tang of fresh sea air. It filled them with new resolution.

‘It’s so beautiful,’ Lily gasped. ‘It goes on forever!’

Saxon broke the spell. ‘It may look beautiful, but the sea is dangerous,’ he warned. ‘It can change in an instant – from calm and sunny to wild and furious. It can smash a boat or a body to smithereens. And there are all sorts of strange creatures that live there – the magical Merrow folk,
who sing enchanting songs of love and death, and huge deadly sea monsters, like Octomons and sea serpents that can snap a ship in two!’

‘Do you really believe all that?’ demanded Roana scornfully. ‘Magic Merrows and sea monsters. It all sounds like superstitious nonsense to me!’

Saxon flushed. He ignored Roana’s interjection and pointed over to the left.

‘Over there is Goldcoin Cove – it’s called that because a smuggler’s ship was wrecked there years ago by a sea monster, and the locals said that the sand was awash with golden coins and jewels,’ Saxon whispered quietly.

‘I imagine that could be where the invaders have anchored their ships,’ he continued. ‘It is the best harbour around here. There’s a track that winds down to the cove. We should tether the horses in the copse of trees over there and creep down to see what we can see.’

Moonbeam, Nutmeg, Caramel and Toffee were safely tied up and left to lip the long grass in contentment.

The four children crept to the cliff edge and peered over. The cove below was as busy as an ant’s nest with soldiers scurrying to and fro loading barrels and crates onto boats, lashing cargo and
herding animals down onto the sand.

Moored out in the cove were six ships. Closest to shore was a crimson ship, the colour of blood.

‘Our ship – the
Queen Ashana
,’ whispered Roana through gritted teeth, clenching her hands so tightly her nails cut deep sickle moons in her palm.

The crimson ship was trapped by five huge black tri-masted ships, their massive yellow sails furled and decks alive with crew and soldiers. The stern of each ship was ornately carved and painted gold, gleaming brightly in the sun, with three rows of square-paned windows across the back.

Long, thin vermilion flags fluttered from the masts, making the scene look almost festive and gay. Yet peeking from the side of each ship were the evil black muzzles of cannons pointing ominously to the shore, five on the top level and nine on the second level of each side.

Even more chilling, from the stern of each ship flew the red, black and grey banner of Emperor Raef – two cutlasses crossed with a red eye glowing above. The tip of each cutlass dripped with tear-drops of bright red blood. Lily shivered at the sight of them.

‘Somehow we need to get on board those ships,’ murmured Ethan. ‘Somewhere Mama and Dadda
must be being held prisoner with Queen Ashana and Prince Caspar. But how are we going to get on board without being discovered and thrown to those sea monsters?’

‘We need to get down onto the beach without being seen, then hide ourselves in the cargo so we can be rowed over to the ships,’ Saxon suggested. ‘We can hide until darkness, then search the ship.’

‘What then?’ asked Roana sarcastically. ‘I guess we singlehandedly defeat the crew of bloodthirsty invaders, take over the ship and sail away to safety, armed only with a peasant dagger? You are all completely mad.’

‘Well, I suppose you have a better idea, your highness,’ muttered Ethan irritably.

A distant sound caught their attention – the rumble and thud of many feet tramping. Far behind them from the road came a billow of dust and the dark shadow of a vast crowd of people, animals and wagons coming in this direction.

‘Quick. Hide,’ breathed Ethan. ‘This could be our chance. If we can just create a diversion, we could stop the cavalcade and creep into the cargo.’

‘We cannot. We will be discovered for certain,’ asserted Roana. ‘This is madness.’

‘I know,’ Ethan retorted. ‘Of course it is
dangerous. But we have not come all this way to just watch quietly while the ships sail away with our parents. We have to
do
something.’

‘I have it,’ snapped Saxon. ‘Roana’s right. It is too dangerous to try to creep onto the boat with the cargo. What we need to do is wait until darkness falls, then borrow a boat and row ourselves out to the ship in the depth of night. Then we could probably climb up the anchor lines and search the ship while everyone sleeps.’

‘It might work, but where could we borrow a boat?’ Ethan interrupted.

‘I’m pretty sure the smugglers or one of the local villagers must keep a rowboat around here somewhere. It’s just a matter of finding one and launching it.’

‘Smugglers?’ asked Lily. ‘Why would smugglers keep a boat around here?’

Saxon shrugged with a sheepish look on his face. ‘I don’t know. We’re by the sea. Somebody must have a boat. Anyway, who it belongs to doesn’t matter. We just need to find a boat somewhere!’

The others grudgingly agreed this was the best plan so far. So the children split up into two groups – Ethan and Roana would search east and Saxon and Lily would go west.