going to need your help getting her free,” Woodphere said, as he sloshed his way to the horse.
“Yes sir,” Drinian replied, as he dismounted.
“Constance, you need to get off Dutch,” Woodphere commanded.
“Step into the swamp?” Constance gasped in utter disgust.
“You need to get off her now, before she sinks any further.”
“Now Constance, go sit on Luke so you do not have to stand in this stuff,” Woodphere continued.
Her feet felt like bricks as she trudged through the lukewarm sludge and climbed onto Luke. Her shoes now were plastered in mud, and she felt dirty all over. Constance felt even sorrier for the horses.
Woodphere and Drinian had it even worse. Woodphere was on his knees in the swamp trying to free Dutch's hoof, while Drinian was doing the same on opposite side.
“Drinian gets that log over there and put it in front of Dutch.”
Once this was accomplished, Woodphere was able to pull Dutch's hoof from the mud and onto the log that Drinian had laid down.
“Alright Constance, get off Luke now and lead him. I’ll lead Dutch and Drinian will lead Arctic.”
“Come on boy, you can do it!” Constance encouraged Luke.
Suddenly Constance tripped over something that was in her path, and plunged into to the water.
“Are you alright?” Drinian asked, letting go of Arctic’s reins and splashing over to Constance.
“I'm fine,” Constance replied, pulling herself up with Luke's reins.
By the time Drinian reached her, Constance was standing upright.
“Are you sure you are alright?”
“Yes I'm fine; I tripped over a log.”
“Here, I'll take over Luke and lead the rest of the way so you can go on back to Arctic,” Drinian said, taking Luke's reins.
“No, I can see the opening already,” Constance insisted.
Constance held tight to Luke as they continued through the swamp. “ Anything would be better than this, even Drinian's shortcut would have been better than this. ” An hour later they finally reached the mainland.
“That was exhausting!” Constance muttered, as she tumbled to the ground.
“Indeed, I do not remember anything more exhausting, besides the Battle of Parkton, that is.” Drinian exclaimed, as he too fell to the ground in exhaustion.
“The Battle of Parkton?” Constance asked in curiosity.
“While I was fifteen, there was a battle between the Molters and the Avoneans, with the Molters ending up the victors. I watched from afar on a hill.”
“How was it so exhausting for you, if you only watched?”
“Have you ever watched a battle?” It does something terrible to your nerves. Don’t you agree Woodphere?”
“Indeed, I would not wish to be in another battle, unless Your Majesty’s life is at stake.”
“Thank you Woodphere, I am glad to know you would stand by my side.”
“Once you become king, Your Majesty, you will see many battles. They are not pretty affairs, your father found that out,” Woodphere said softly.
“Are there any rivers or creeks around here?” “I feel positively disgusting,” Constance groaned.
“Let me look at the map. I think I remember a well somewhere around here,” Woodphere replied, as he pulled out his map.
“Ah, here it is, it seems to be a mile away.”
“A mile away! Isn't there anything closer?” Constance asked.
“I am afraid not.”
“I guess you will have to suffer, until we reach the well,” Drinian sighed.
Constance gave another sigh as she continued leading Dutch.
“So Woodphere, tell me about my mother, and how she got here.”
“Why are you asking me now? I thought you were too weary to talk?”
“I want to know, and maybe it will pass some time.”
“Alright... I don't even know where to start. I guess at the beginning, but I'm afraid I would bore you if I told you everything. Back in the day when I was King Simian’s councilman, I met Kathryn in the countryside standing in the road looking very confused. I thought I was looking at an angel, she was so
“Yes sir,” Drinian replied, as he dismounted.
“Constance, you need to get off Dutch,” Woodphere commanded.
“Step into the swamp?” Constance gasped in utter disgust.
“You need to get off her now, before she sinks any further.”
“Now Constance, go sit on Luke so you do not have to stand in this stuff,” Woodphere continued.
Her feet felt like bricks as she trudged through the lukewarm sludge and climbed onto Luke. Her shoes now were plastered in mud, and she felt dirty all over. Constance felt even sorrier for the horses.
Woodphere and Drinian had it even worse. Woodphere was on his knees in the swamp trying to free Dutch's hoof, while Drinian was doing the same on opposite side.
“Drinian gets that log over there and put it in front of Dutch.”
Once this was accomplished, Woodphere was able to pull Dutch's hoof from the mud and onto the log that Drinian had laid down.
“Alright Constance, get off Luke now and lead him. I’ll lead Dutch and Drinian will lead Arctic.”
“Come on boy, you can do it!” Constance encouraged Luke.
Suddenly Constance tripped over something that was in her path, and plunged into to the water.
“Are you alright?” Drinian asked, letting go of Arctic’s reins and splashing over to Constance.
“I'm fine,” Constance replied, pulling herself up with Luke's reins.
By the time Drinian reached her, Constance was standing upright.
“Are you sure you are alright?”
“Yes I'm fine; I tripped over a log.”
“Here, I'll take over Luke and lead the rest of the way so you can go on back to Arctic,” Drinian said, taking Luke's reins.
“No, I can see the opening already,” Constance insisted.
Constance held tight to Luke as they continued through the swamp. “ Anything would be better than this, even Drinian's shortcut would have been better than this. ” An hour later they finally reached the mainland.
“That was exhausting!” Constance muttered, as she tumbled to the ground.
“Indeed, I do not remember anything more exhausting, besides the Battle of Parkton, that is.” Drinian exclaimed, as he too fell to the ground in exhaustion.
“The Battle of Parkton?” Constance asked in curiosity.
“While I was fifteen, there was a battle between the Molters and the Avoneans, with the Molters ending up the victors. I watched from afar on a hill.”
“How was it so exhausting for you, if you only watched?”
“Have you ever watched a battle?” It does something terrible to your nerves. Don’t you agree Woodphere?”
“Indeed, I would not wish to be in another battle, unless Your Majesty’s life is at stake.”
“Thank you Woodphere, I am glad to know you would stand by my side.”
“Once you become king, Your Majesty, you will see many battles. They are not pretty affairs, your father found that out,” Woodphere said softly.
“Are there any rivers or creeks around here?” “I feel positively disgusting,” Constance groaned.
“Let me look at the map. I think I remember a well somewhere around here,” Woodphere replied, as he pulled out his map.
“Ah, here it is, it seems to be a mile away.”
“A mile away! Isn't there anything closer?” Constance asked.
“I am afraid not.”
“I guess you will have to suffer, until we reach the well,” Drinian sighed.
Constance gave another sigh as she continued leading Dutch.
“So Woodphere, tell me about my mother, and how she got here.”
“Why are you asking me now? I thought you were too weary to talk?”
“I want to know, and maybe it will pass some time.”
“Alright... I don't even know where to start. I guess at the beginning, but I'm afraid I would bore you if I told you everything. Back in the day when I was King Simian’s councilman, I met Kathryn in the countryside standing in the road looking very confused. I thought I was looking at an angel, she was so
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