ensure your safekeeping. But we have a few preparations to make. Please bear with us while we get things organized.'
'But Cornelius!' Sebastian was indignant. 'She—'
'We'll, er . . . go and see what needs to be done! Why don't you return to your quarters, your highness, and leave this rough work to us?'
Princess Kerin frowned, then shrugged. 'Very well,' she said. 'But don't be long. I get bored very easily.'
She turned and slipped back in through the curtained door?way. Sebastian made to follow her, his mouth open to say something else, but Cornelius clutched the hem of his singlet and dragged him down the stairs.
'Cornelius! What are you—?'
The manling said nothing but continued to pull him across the plain, stepping carefully in and out of the fallen soldiers. When they were a decent distance away, he stopped and looked up at Sebastian.
'You need to cool down a bit,' he observed in hushed tones.
'But didn't you hear her? She said—'
'I know what she said,' hissed Cornelius fiercely. 'And yes, she's decidedly spoiled and quite annoying. But don't forget, she's a princess.'
'A spoiled brat, more like,' growled Sebastian. 'Why, for two pins I'd put her across my knee and—'
'- and she'd have you hung in the market square in Keladon for the amusement of the population. The likes of us don't go criticizing the likes of her and you'd do well to remember that. From here on in, we just say, "Yes, your high?ness, at your service, your highness!" and do as we're told. The last thing we need is for her to take offence at us.'
Sebastian scowled. 'It isn't going to be easy,' he observed.
'No, but it'll worth it. Let's face it, if we can return her safe and sound to her uncle, he's sure to be grateful. That could do us a lot of good, considering we're both seeking employment at his court. And don't forget, he won't be King for much longer. In a short while, when Kerin comes of age, she will ascend to the throne.'
'Kerin? Queen of Keladon? But how—?'
'Because her parents are both dead. Her uncle is merely minding the throne until she is of age. I assumed you knew all this.'
Sebastian shook his head. 'My father never mentioned it. I doubt that he knew any more than the fact that there was a rich king who needed a jester.' He thought for a moment. 'So she's an orphan?'
'Yes; and soon to become the most powerful woman in the land. So let's forget about your personal opinion of her and see if we can round up a couple of equines to harness to that fancy carriage of hers.'
The mention of the word 'harness' reminded Sebastian of something.
'Max . . .' he murmured. 'Have you seen him lately?'
'Not since he went racing past me, dragging your caravan behind him. He was going like the wind!'
Sebastian lifted his head and gazed hopefully left and right across the plain, but at first he could see no trace of his old friend. A wave of apprehension swept over him. Supposing he had been taken by Brigands? He remembered about their liking for buffalope meat. But after a few moments of frantic searching he spotted Max plodding slowly back towards him, pulling the caravan, which appeared to be largely undamaged after its rough handling.
'There he is,' he said, relieved.
'But there's something wrong,' said Cornelius quietly.
Sebastian noticed that Max was moving slowly, lifting his feet with apparent difficulty, his head lowered until his nose skimmed the ground. As he drew closer, Sebastian saw with a jolt of horror that an arrow was sticking out of the buffalope's left flank.
'Max!' he cried. Horrified, he ran across the intervening distance and flung his arms around the buffalope's shaggy neck. 'You've been hurt!'
Max looked at Sebastian with mournful eyes. 'They shot me!' he murmured. 'Those ignorant savages fired an arrow into me. I . . . I'm done for. It's all over for me, young master. I can feel my life blood draining away'
'No,' gasped
'But Cornelius!' Sebastian was indignant. 'She—'
'We'll, er . . . go and see what needs to be done! Why don't you return to your quarters, your highness, and leave this rough work to us?'
Princess Kerin frowned, then shrugged. 'Very well,' she said. 'But don't be long. I get bored very easily.'
She turned and slipped back in through the curtained door?way. Sebastian made to follow her, his mouth open to say something else, but Cornelius clutched the hem of his singlet and dragged him down the stairs.
'Cornelius! What are you—?'
The manling said nothing but continued to pull him across the plain, stepping carefully in and out of the fallen soldiers. When they were a decent distance away, he stopped and looked up at Sebastian.
'You need to cool down a bit,' he observed in hushed tones.
'But didn't you hear her? She said—'
'I know what she said,' hissed Cornelius fiercely. 'And yes, she's decidedly spoiled and quite annoying. But don't forget, she's a princess.'
'A spoiled brat, more like,' growled Sebastian. 'Why, for two pins I'd put her across my knee and—'
'- and she'd have you hung in the market square in Keladon for the amusement of the population. The likes of us don't go criticizing the likes of her and you'd do well to remember that. From here on in, we just say, "Yes, your high?ness, at your service, your highness!" and do as we're told. The last thing we need is for her to take offence at us.'
Sebastian scowled. 'It isn't going to be easy,' he observed.
'No, but it'll worth it. Let's face it, if we can return her safe and sound to her uncle, he's sure to be grateful. That could do us a lot of good, considering we're both seeking employment at his court. And don't forget, he won't be King for much longer. In a short while, when Kerin comes of age, she will ascend to the throne.'
'Kerin? Queen of Keladon? But how—?'
'Because her parents are both dead. Her uncle is merely minding the throne until she is of age. I assumed you knew all this.'
Sebastian shook his head. 'My father never mentioned it. I doubt that he knew any more than the fact that there was a rich king who needed a jester.' He thought for a moment. 'So she's an orphan?'
'Yes; and soon to become the most powerful woman in the land. So let's forget about your personal opinion of her and see if we can round up a couple of equines to harness to that fancy carriage of hers.'
The mention of the word 'harness' reminded Sebastian of something.
'Max . . .' he murmured. 'Have you seen him lately?'
'Not since he went racing past me, dragging your caravan behind him. He was going like the wind!'
Sebastian lifted his head and gazed hopefully left and right across the plain, but at first he could see no trace of his old friend. A wave of apprehension swept over him. Supposing he had been taken by Brigands? He remembered about their liking for buffalope meat. But after a few moments of frantic searching he spotted Max plodding slowly back towards him, pulling the caravan, which appeared to be largely undamaged after its rough handling.
'There he is,' he said, relieved.
'But there's something wrong,' said Cornelius quietly.
Sebastian noticed that Max was moving slowly, lifting his feet with apparent difficulty, his head lowered until his nose skimmed the ground. As he drew closer, Sebastian saw with a jolt of horror that an arrow was sticking out of the buffalope's left flank.
'Max!' he cried. Horrified, he ran across the intervening distance and flung his arms around the buffalope's shaggy neck. 'You've been hurt!'
Max looked at Sebastian with mournful eyes. 'They shot me!' he murmured. 'Those ignorant savages fired an arrow into me. I . . . I'm done for. It's all over for me, young master. I can feel my life blood draining away'
'No,' gasped
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