A Cave Tale

Chapter Four

As the clamor of battle tickled at their ears, Constance heard something else, the shouts of anger and fear becoming happy ones. Opening their eyes, in the cave, Constance could see more people walking in! One was a boy, tall and dark with curly hair; the other person was quite short and fair, with freckles and dark hair, and feathery wings on their back, black with brown stripes through them- it was one of Constance's siblings! There was a donkey with them, too, carrying big bags on its back.

"See? I told you there would be a cave here!" The donkey brayed. "But the path leading up to it is new."

"There's someone here," The boy said, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the dimmer light of the cave. Constance squeezed Ägidhardt's hand briefly, then stood to greet them.

"Constance?"

"Yes, it's me." Constance's sibling ran over to them, leaping into their arms to give them a great big hug. "I stayed behind as we passed through. The King's Son needed me to watch over Ägidhardt here." Constance beamed, very happy to meet a member of their family. "It's so good to see you again, Justice," Constance said as they separated. "And good day to you, too," Constance said to the boy.

"Yes it is! My name's Mbiti," The boy replied. "I was working on building a treehouse when I saw everyone walking by." He looked around the cave for a moment, then said, "I knew of the dragon here, but I didn't know where his cave was."

"There wasn't a footpath to the cave until recently," Constance said. "You would have had to be looking very hard to find it." And as Constance said this, the King's Son and his Minister walked into the cave! "Sirs!"

"Constance!" Called the King's Son, striding forwards to embrace Constance. "Oh, how I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," Constance said.

The King's Son smiled with kindness in his eyes as they parted, and looked over towards Ägidhardt. He saw the white blanket, beneath which was a big blue rug with red and purple borders. "Ah, you've kept my rug! And just who is that sleeping on it?" He asked, prompting Constance.

"This is Ägidhardt," Constance said to Justice and Mbiti. "I've been watching over him here since the march to the Wild Lands, guiding him in his herztyd."

"Herztyd?" Asked Mbiti, unsure.

"It's the time that's held inside you," Constance explained to him. "All of your dreams, and all of your memories live there."

"There are as many words for it as there are people here," Justice said with a smile.

"I had always used a different one," Mbiti said, nodding. He looked towards the King's Minister, who had quietly stepped forwards.

"Well done in watching over him," The King's Minister said to Constance. "I trust that Oròsavel assisted you in guarding Ägidhardt?"

"He kept very close watch over the cave and mountain, as a dragon would," Answered Constance. "And speaking of him-" Constance turned towards the depths of the cave for a moment, and called, "Oròsavel! The King's Son and his Minister have arrived!"

Oròsavel roared in reply, a joyful sound that echoed through the cave like a rushing river. There was silence for a second, then they heard his claws scratching and scraping across the stone of the cave before he emerged from the shadows. Curiously, he was holding a saddle in his jaws, which he placed down at the edge of the rug, looking up at the King's Minister. "Nwyllmé, my lord," He said. "I have been waiting for this since the time my kin were scattered across the kingdom."

"As have I," Replied the King's Minister, smiling. Constance blinked, beginning to realize what was about to happen. Their heart began to beat faster and they looked towards the King's Son.