Onto the Wild Moors

In the morning, Kori felt that some of the glamour of the journey had worn off. Insufficient sleep on a hard, damp bed has that effect. She pulled a spider out of her hair and wished she had water for washing. She hoped the men in the other tents hadn't felt the cold too badly. They did not have her unnatural endurance after all… She scrambled out of her tent and waited beside Rudolph's, smiling at him as he emerged. "Morning, Uncle Rudolph. Did you sleep well?"

"It was cold and I'm stiff and aching, dear niece. But the men were instructed to keep the fires burning throughout the night so we can have a hot meal for breakfast."

"First, I've got to have a swim in the river and get the cobwebs out of my brain."

Rudolph instructed the men to get water from the river that bordered the clearing to heat up on the fires and then he escorted Kori further up the bank so she could strip off in the shelter of the trees and don the swimming garments she had brought. The rushing waters of the river foamed joyously past every rock and submerged log and Kori could see silver fish flitting under the surface.

She chattered to Rudolph as she waded into the water. "Remember when we first went paddling, I asked whether I could turn a frog into a prince by catching and kissing him? I actually hoped I might be magic enough. I suppose if a frog mostly turned into a prince, but not completely, then he would stay green, like me?" She giggled at this thought.

She was up to her neck in the center of the river now and squealed with chill, sensation and delight as the water rushed past her. Rudolph remained by the river bank. "I hope your sister can transmute frogs into Princes," he muttered.

Kori dived, delighted with the chance to get clean and her thick hair let go of its store of dirt and twigs. She scooped up a handful of the flat rocks on the river bed and began to skip rocks into the lively water. The current swallowed her first two throws so she adjusted her stance and sent the next one skipping downstream over the surface of the moving river.

"Bravo!" called Rudolph.

Kori grinned at him and dived again. The waters did not cloud her vision. She could see the silver fish darting by in shoals.

When she surfaced she heard Ralph's voice downstream and turned her gaze in the direction of his voice. He was standing on the river bank some distance away with a group of young guardsmen, washing articles of clothing in the river. She focused in on him with her hawk like vision. With his hair swept by the breeze and his cheeks flushed pink by the cold, Kori thought he looked the picture of unapologetic, outdoorsy beauty and gazed at him for a short while.

When she emerged and had dressed herself, she breakfasted with Rudolph and his group of older guardsmen. They had a hot meal of porridge and then cooked rabbit which appeared to improve the spirits of the men considerably.

Before it was time to set off, Kori dropped in on Erika who was in a caravan in the center of the clearing. Desi the maidservant was with her and Erika was sewing

Erika looked up as Kori entered and greeted her. The pale morning sunlight shone through the caravan window, lighting up her beautiful face. "Good morning, Kori dear. Is anything the matter?"

"No, I just wanted to see you." Kori sat herself down on the wooden stool in the middle of the caravan. "And good morning too, Desi."

They chatted a short while before Kori had to get back on her horse.

"You will be in your element when we reach Silberwald," Erika assured her. "Like I said, Lord Vereticus has an amazing herb garden. Now you get a feel of what my role in life is – Royalty must travel around their realm a lot, no matter the circumstances. It is expected."

"Yes, your duty!" Kori was excited as she recalled Erika's inspirational words when she had advised her to accept circumstances she could not change and focus on the good she could do. Erika demonstrated this to Kori by accepting her allotted role as future queen. "Well… the entire realm will get to see what a wise queen you'll make."

00O00

The royal party made good progress that day and by evening they camped by the river Silber that separated Gruenwald from Silberwald. Kori was tired after riding all day and slept soundly. She awoke just before dawn and bathed in the river Silber. On returning to the tents she found Rudolph arguing with Prince Siegfried.

"You cannot tell me what to do, my man," said Siegfried, giving that supercilious sneer that suited him so well. "The future King will do as he pleases, whether that is to fish, or anything else. I need no guardsmen blundering after me and scaring away my catch of the day. You had best stop ordering me around."

"Fine," said Rudolph throwing up his arms in the air. "No guardsmen." He turned to his niece. "Kori, go and assist Siegfried."

Kori was thrilled at the prospect of fishing with Siegfried, or indeed, their doing anything together.

"Yes, Your Highness, do let me help. I want to see how it's done." Kori knew different methods of fishing already, but surely Siegfried could do it best.

Siegfried inclined his head slightly to her. "Well I have no problem with granting a favour to a gracious young lady."

Kori beamed and bowed low. Siegfried had been carrying a basket, presumably for his catch and he now handed it to her and strode to the bank as she kept pace with him easily, still not quite believing her good fortune.

They knelt by the bank. The early morning sunlight glinted off Siegfried's fiery hair and the silver necklace she had loaned him. How pretty it looked around his neck. She gazed at his sculpted face. His complexion was so creamy. That must take a lot of work for a red headed fellow, she thought, avoiding the full brightness of the sun. "Now, Korina," Siegfried said, pointing at the surface of the river. She reluctantly turned her gaze to the river. "We are going to try tickling trout. The trick is to stay low and not make a lot of noise or too much movement. I'll go first, so you can see how to do it."

Kori had caught trout this way on many occasions. Her keen sight and hearing meant that no trout in the water nearby had a chance of escaping her notice. But she remained quiet as Siegfried waited and then caught a trout that swam past. Kori was impressed. The Prince's senses could not compare to her own and yet he had already made a catch. He flipped the gasping trout into the basket.

"Oh bravo, your majesty. Masterfully done."

"Why thank you." The Prince smirked. "We'll have a somewhat better breakfast. Feel free to try your hand at it."

Kori was careful not to catch as many trout as Siegfried and to make sure that she told him that she could not have caught any without his guidance.

Siegfried was pleased as they walked back to camp with a full basket. "Well done you. Effort and a good coach are what it takes. And yet I've never known a girl to be any use at this before. Huh. Nor would any other girl be any use in the Royal Guard. You're exceptional."

Kori's heart swelled at his praise. "You're too kind, your majesty."

Siegfried stopped dead in his tracks and Kori stopped too, surprised. "I tell you, some of the Greater Nobility are a dreary lot. That Frauke of the Mountain Realm for instance… always trying to get me to flirt with her. Tiresome girl! Her only notion of conversation is my telling her how beautiful she is and her replying, 'why thank you, your Highness.'"

Kori was shocked. "She wants you to flirt with her? But you're engaged to Erika!"

Siegfried gave her that supercilious glance. "She doesn't want me to marry her, only flirt with her. It's a game the Greater Nobility play. A little dalliance in a garden or a few whispered words in the hallway… They're all at it and it's all meaningless."

Abruptly he held out an elegant white hand. Kori wondered what he meant, but laid down the basket of fish and put her slender green hand in his. He clasped her hand lightly. "This is how it's done. I come across Frauke in the Golden Breakfast Room where she's finished her tea. I tell her; why Lady Frauke, don't you look radiant this morning? The blue of your gown so exactly matches the blue of your eyes; just like a fresh, Spring sky.'

Kori thought that this sounded quite poetic.

Siegfried continued: "Then she says; 'Oh Siegfried, I wanted to go riding, but I'm too much of a silly girl to find my way back to the castle.'"

Siegfried gazed right at Kori. She gazed breathlessly into his shimmering blue green eyes. He continued the imagined dialogue. "And I say, 'I would be honoured to ride with a lady as beautiful as you.' Then I take her arm and we stroll to the stables. She pretends to be afraid to mount the horse and I help her up and she extends her hand to thank me and I kiss it." And then Siegfried raised her hand to his mouth. Kori actually gasped. Siegfried had kissed her hand! She willed the heat of his mouth to sink through her flesh so that she would forever carry the imprint of that gesture. But he had now relinquished her hand and laughed carelessly and her flesh had already forgotten the precise texture of his lips…

He turned back towards the camp and she hastily gathered up the basket. "And that is what I have to put up with, no exaggeration," he said with a majestic sigh. "And for much of this trip I've had to look at my cousin. Gerd!" He yelled. His voice was clear and powerful. Kori thought that despite his youth it resonated deeply. "Gerd! If you're not up and about already, then there'll be some trout flopping in your bunk!"

But Gerd was up and there was a campfire crackling merrily near the Royal Caravans. "Good to hear your dulcet tones, Siegfried. I can't do without them."

"We've been fishing while you've been snoring," said Siegfried. "Where are the servants? The trout won't cook themselves."

Soon the trout were cooked and Erika joined them as they breakfasted around the fire. The sun was up now and the princes sat in the shade of an oak tree. Dani, the taster sat on Siegfried's other side, but it wasn't necessary for him to taste the Prince's portion, for the fish had been cooked under Siegfried's own watchful eye.

"Now this Vereticus, he's a pompous old ass, but he knows things," said Siegfried.

"Don't call him names, he is an excellent fellow at heart," scolded Gerd.

"Hush. I'm trying to reassure the girls. They'll want to know that I have the little matter of the Wolf Cult in hand. As I was saying, Vereticus has made a study of this kind of thing. Leave it to me, Erika, Korina and don't trouble your pretty heads about it. Vereticus has concocted a weapon to use against werewolves. That is why I do him the honour of an official visit. It is all part of my plan. I doubt we need worry further."

Kori was gazing at him wide eyed, but now she clapped her hands together. "That is a weight off my mind. Thank you, Your Majesty."

Siegfried inclined his head to her. Erika's expression was unreadable, but Kori was a little surprised to see that Gerd looked sardonic. Surely if Siegfried said he had a plan, then he did?

00O00

Kori felt a guilty twinge as she hugged and kissed her sister before she had to join the guard. Siegfried had kissed her hand and she ought to confess. There should be no secrets between them.

"Be watchful and wary this day, my brave Kori," murmured Erika, stroking her hair. Kori could not bring herself to confess just yet.

00O00

The Royal escort crossed the bridge over the river Silber and made their way across the moors that form the outskirts of the Silberwald province. Kori rode beside her uncle and quite suddenly she sensed something wrong. "Uncle dear, I hear something breaking the earth… over there… oh!" Honing in on the source of the sound with her uncanny vision, she could see a mound of earth break and the rotting carcass of what had once been a hunting hound push its way free, rags of flesh hanging off the bones. Evidently this moor would not let sleeping dogs lie! Kori pointed. "There! An undead hound!"

Rudolph barked out an order and a guard took aim and fired at the horror. The arrow found its mark and the hound collapsed. "I hope we have enough silver tipped arrows," muttered Rudolph.

"Oh no! It's only just beginning," said Kori, scouring the surrounding landscapes. "Coming at us from all sides in the distance… wolfmen! No…" she drew a deep breath in horror as she saw that they were something even worse… there were rips in their scabrous hides, through which she could see bare bone, internal organs and exposed ribs. Some moved on all fours and others on their hind legs like men, their eyes burning balefires. "They're undead werewolves! They have our scent."

Rudolph bellowed out orders as the undead horrors approached. They had to stand and fight the decaying werewolves. Their lives all depended on the outcome.