Prince Nathan awoke the next morning to a warm and wet sensation on his face and opened his eyes to see a large, white-furred bear muzzle sniffing all over him. Wrinkling his nose, he sat up and pushed the polar bear away.
“Grizzle, you big lunk. Get off of me!” The bear sat back and cocked its head at him, then shook it’s head as if trying to shake off water and grumbled at him, expressing hurt feelings.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” The prince apologized. “You just startled me, that’s all.” He reached out and patted the giant animal on its head and gave it a scratch behind the ear for good measure. The great northern bruin nearly purred with pleasure, though it came out as more of a rumble.
Prince Nathan looked around remembering where he was. He had awoken to the brightest morning he could ever remember, even when compared to mornings on Ivory Mountain where the rising sun shone upon the glistening marble walls of his bedchamber. There was something about the blue of the sky above and the birdsong in the fresh morning air this day that made everything seem clearer and lighter to him. Even the grass on which he lay next to the stump, seemed softer and warmer than any bed or pillow he could imagine. The long night was over and nightmares had been replaced with rest and peace. He had heard his father’s voice and that was enough.
Now it was time to prepare! He jumped up, not sure when or how he was going to save his sister, but knowing that he must be ready when the solution came. He had his father’s promise for help. In fact, he now had his father’s blessing and that fact alone birthed a brighter light in his heart than ten sunrises!
“C’mon, big fella. Let’s go find the others and get some breakfast.” He said prodding the bear to follow.
Just then Vonkar strolled through the door and into the chamber. “Ah, you’ve found him, Grizzle. Well done. We’ve been looking all over these castle grounds for ye, laddie. Where’ve ye been hiding?”
“I’m sorry, Vonkar, for everything.” He said to the viking soberly. “I’ve not been very honest with you nor thanked you properly for your help. You deserve better.”
The warrior nodded in agreement. “Aye, you haven’t, and that’s not something to take lightly.” Nathan’s heart sank a little with shame. Then the viking smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. “But, as Vonkar the Vocal is not one to hold grudges, I’m willing to start over and trust you from this day forward if you look me in the eye and give me your word that there won’t be any more deception slipping from your lips. It’s not befitting a Knightly Prince, after all.”
Nathan grinned from ear to ear as he looked up at this new friend. Clapping Vonkar on the opposite shoulder, he did just that.
“I promise, Vonkar. Today is a new beginning. I’m ready to go get my sister!”
“Aye, that’s the spirit, lad! We’ll track her down and rescue her, even if we have to ride Grizzle all the way to the ocean shore and swim across the seven seas to get there! And Vonkar the Vocal will be right by your side.”
They turned and exited the Chamber of Whispers, passing through the surrounding garden and into the main courtyard of the castle as they continued to talk.
“I’m not sure HOW we’re going to do it.” Nathan confessed. “I just know we’ll succeed.”
“Prince Nathan!” Another voice hailed them from across the yard. It was Brumble Wood and with him was the Jolly Men. They crossed to talk with him.
“It is good to see your majesty safe and well this fair morning.” The renegade leader greeted. “You have lead us on a jolly chase.”
Nathan began to respond, but before he could, yet another voice cried out his name and seemed to bounce nearer with each word. It was Flindee. The jester was barreling in their direction through the gathering crowd of people, limbs flailing as he cartwheeled, careened and even cantered along the way.
“Prince Vanderfluff! Oh, thank the “Tall One” you’re ok! We were so worried! Weren’t we, Q?” The colorfully clad dwarf executed a perfect landing in front of the prince, bobbling the puppet’s head in agreement. Then looking him up and down, the jester put his hands on his hips. “Say. What gives? How come you’re out here in your pajamas?”
“It’s a long story, Flindee.” The prince started. “I don’t have time to explain all that. Right now, I just need to get packed and ready to leave.”
This announcement created a stir among the others.
“Leave?” Asked Brumble Wood in astonishment. “Where will you go? The Princess and Maid Madelyn must be nigh half way out to yon island by now, believing first that the fair maidens succeeded in convincing those inventors to ferry them across the ocean!”
“And even if you could get across the sea to where she was, you have no way of making up for the time you have lost.” Tiny Bud joined in. “She has a whole day jump on you, your majesty.”
“And lastly, even if you could get across the ocean AND catch up to the princess, how will you know WHERE she’s at exactly?” Finished Billy Crimson. “This is impossible!”
“Ewe! I know the way!” Piped in, Flindee. But no one paid any attention to him.
“Let me see that map that you took from Flindee.” Nathan said to Billy, holding out his hand.
A bit taken aback at the sudden request, Billy paused for a moment, then reached into a leather pouch and pulled out the folded piece of parchment. Nathan took it and examined it as everyone else leaned in and tried to see it over his shoulder.
“There IS a crude map of the island here, but it’s mostly a verse that explains where to find the secret entrance to the sea serpent’s underground lair, not directions to the island itself.” He said a bit disappointed.
“I know where it is!” Said the jester again, jumping up and down behind them all now.
“You could get out into the center of the Dwarven Sea and be hopelessly lost without directions.” Said Tiny Bud. “And I don’t think any of us has ever been to the island or know the way.”
“I do. I do!” Shouted the jester, somersaulting around the outside of the circle.
“Perhaps the Jolly Men might accompany your majesty to the sea shore where we may forcibly persuade one of yon remaining scoundrels at Pirate’s Cove to guide us upon a lesser ship.” Brumble offered. “Surely, these villians have other vessels with which to traverse the oceans besides just their one large Galleon.”
“Yes, but how fast would such a vessel be?” Friar Tub pointed out. “And how could we trust one of those criminals to lead us in the right direction?”
“You could trust me? I promise!” Flindee was so exasperated now, he was knocking his head against the wooden head of Quattlebom! It was the hollow knocking sound of wood on empty head that finally caught the prince’s attention.
“Flindee, what’s the matter with you?” He finally asked.
“I KNOW HOW TO GET TO THE ISLAND!” Shouted the poor little dwarf as everyone finally fell silent and turned to stare at him.
“And how would YOU know how to get to a remote island in the center of the Dwarven Sea?” Asked Billy Crimson.
Realizing that he finally had everyone’s attention, Flindee stopped jumping around and straightened his hat with a dramatic pause…then his jester’s tunic. He started to adjust his tights as well, when Vonkar growled, interrupting his performance.
“Oh, well… That’s easy.” He went on, still drawing out the suspense as long as he could manage. “I used to go with Gart, the giant, on sea shell gathering expeditions for ol’ Snaggle-gums back in the day. And he likes only the best ones you know, so he would send Gart to the island to collect them for his bed. The problem was, Gart needed some brushin’ up on his technique. He was all bobbin’ up and down in the pool and not goin’ anywhere, so I had to get involved. I’m quite the swimming coach, you know. Before you know it, I had Gart doin’ it all; front stroke, back stroke, side stroke, even the breast stroke. Though he never was very graceful about it. One thing’s for sure, he’ll never go anywhere in water ballet compet…”
Bill Crimson cleared his throat menacingly and Flindee cringed. “Anyway, it was a tough job but somebody had to do it. How else would the boss get any decent sleep. So I went with the big lummox in the beginning.”
“And you’re sure you know the way to Skull Rock Island?” The prince asked again.
“Yeah, yeah. No sweat, I’m tellin’ ya! Get yerself a boat and I’ll get ya there.”
“Well, there we go, then.” Said Nathan with satisfaction. “I see no better plan. We ride for the coast, find a pirate with a ship we can ‘borrow’, and Flindee guides us to the island!”
“Are you sure that’s wise,” asked Billy Crimson, “trusting this bouncy little fruit cake to guide you across the ocean?”
“I don’t see where we have much choice,” said the prince. “We need to leave right away, grab our stuff and eat as we ride! Every minute counts. I only wish we could move faster; fly or something. If only Chrysolis were here.”
This last statement was spoken quietly to himself. He knew it was foolish to keep dwelling on it. She wasn't here and he would just have to make due.
Suddenly a bell rang out from the watch tower and shouts could be heard from the guards on the walls. But before anyone could figure out what the commotion was about, a huge shadow fell over the courtyard and they all looked up to see a dragon descending upon them! The beast was monstrous in size and covered with thick scales, horned and powerful. Guards scrambled everywhere, reaching for weapons and calling the alert, but what the prince noticed above everything else, were the beautiful sapphire wings that guided the lavender colored body in for a graceful landing next to him.
“Chrysolis,” he shouted! Running forward he threw his arms around the dragons neck and refused to let go, so overjoyed was he to see her. “Where have you been?”
The comforting rumble of the dragons voice warmed his body as she answered. “I could not find you and returned to the mountain. Your father sent me back.”
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