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  She traveled another full day, then stopped to eat bread and cheese. Surely it had been Alexandir who left the gifts in the box. They were magical and designed to conquer the protections set around his kingdom. He had said he knew a bit of magic, so they must have come from him. He must have known she would say more than three words to her father. Perhaps he also knew she would then try to go after him.

  She couldn’t imagine how he knew her so well. They had met twice, yet he seemed to know her better than she knew herself. He must have seen inside her soul to who she truly was. She had never considered who he was inside.

  She knew he thought of others before himself. He had con-cerned himself over her when his kingdom was in danger or when he was imprisoned. He had even remembered that she had hurt her ankle and asked after it when he could have screamed for her to release him from the iron cage. He had known she would disappoint him, yet he provided a way for her to reach him instead of giving up in self-pity.

  She knew he would fight for a worthy cause. When he spoke of his father's desire to not take the offense in a war, she could tell now that he felt they should go to the aid of the smaller kingdoms.

  He was a good man—a man of integrity, kindness, and honesty.

  Something sharp poked her cheek and she looked around. Her musings had led her without thought of her surroundings. Now she stood before a great forest of piercing thorns. Thick brambles blocked the way and looked impossible to penetrate.

  A small droplet of blood slid down her cheek and fell onto her dress. She wiped the blood from her, then ran her hand along the ax on her belt. There was nothing else to do but whack her way through. She gripped the ax and held it before her, then struck the first branch. A path a few paces long opened. She whacked again and it opened several more paces.

  On and on she went until her arm ached, then she switched hands and continued to fight her way forward. Sometimes a stray branch poked her arm or tore the skin of her face, but she ignored the sting of pain.

  As she progressed, the sun slipped from the sky. Darkness filled the night, the brambles so thick they even blocked the light of the moon. When she could go no farther, she curled up in the dirt and tried to find sleep. Thoughts of Alexandir sustained her through the lonely night.

  When she awoke, her body ached and her head pounded, but she stood up, raised the ax, and stepped forward. It took the rest of the day and all of her strength to pass through the forest of thorns.

  She passed through the last thicket and fell to her knees. She crawled beneath the branches of a low tree and curled up. I am coming, Alexandir! she thought. Please don't give up on me! Then she slept.

  Chapter 8

  F ive days later, Katheryne stood before a large body of water. She pulled the small boat from her pocket and rubbed her thumb along its smooth wooden edges. Her eyes searched for the edge of the lake, but she couldn’t see it in any direction. She did not sigh in frustration or cry out in defeat—instead she grinned.

  Another thing she had learned about Alexandir was that she could trust him. The mattock and the ax had brought her through the first two challenges, and the bread and cheese had sustained her body, so the tiny boat would take her safely across the great lake.

  She bent before the water and placed the boat on the sparkling blue surface. It grew into a vessel large enough to carry one person. A strong sail flapped in the breeze, though she did not remember the breeze on her cheek before.

  The boat didn’t even rock when she climbed into it and she hadn’t even sat down before it lurched forward and took her out into the great deep. She sailed all that day and through the night. The seaworthy vessel seemed to know the way and the gentle breeze never ceased to blow.

  She awoke in the morning to thick clouds gathering in the north. The sky darkened as though the day hadn’t yet dawned. A flash of lightning blazed across the sky and a great clap of thunder rattled her teeth. Fat raindrops plopped into the water, leaving ripples on the surface. Soon the entire lake was alive with steady, pounding drops. Wind gusted against Katheryne and threw her hair into her face. The boat rocked precariously.

  Katheryne braved the storm to remove the boat’s sail. When she had freed it from the mast, she pulled the coarse fabric over her body and curled up in the bottom of the boat. Waves beat against the vessel and threatened to overturn it. The wind tossed it to and fro. Thunder continued to rumble and crash.

  Tucked within the boat, Katheryne shivered and begged for the storm to cease. When water drenched her from within as much as without, she knew she had to do something or she would sink. She reached inside her pack and found the loaf of bread. With trembling fingers she dug at the top of the bread until she had hollowed out the shape of a bowl. She dipped the bread bowl into the water pooled in her boat and bailed it out. Scoopful after scoopful she continued until the rain lessened and the vessel was no longer in danger of sinking.

  The clouds dispersed and the sun broke through the gloom. Lush palm trees and thick bushes loomed ahead, then the boat came to rest on a golden beach. A magnificent palace glimmered in the distance with a well-worn path meandering toward it.

  She had made it!

  “Alexandir!” she cried, then jumped onto the warm sand and raced along the path toward the towering spires of the palace.

  A wall and a massive iron gate loomed before her. Guards assembled before it and drew their swords to meet her.

  “Halt!” a guard called.

  She stopped. “Please, I must see Prince Alexandir!”

  “How have you penetrated our defenses and what is your business with the prince?” The guard glared at her and stepped nearer.

  “I am Princess Katheryne of Ibedia. I am promised to the prince. He gave me the magical items necessary to arrive here. Please take me to him.”

  The guard lowered his sword. “You are promised to Prince Alexandir?”

  “Yes. I freed him from an iron cage and in return he promised to marry me.”

  “Come with me.” The guard led her past the other guards and through the gate. “The prince is not here.”

  “Not here?” He had to be there! She had gone through so much to reach him! She had expected him to be waiting there with open arms to greet her. She thought of all she had learned of him, and understood why he wasn’t there. “He has gone to war, hasn’t he?”

  “Yes.”

  “To save the smaller kingdoms from Lord Geffrei?”

  “Yes.”

  Pain squeezed her heart. She knew which kingdom Geffrei must have threatened. “Lord Geffrei attacked my father’s kingdom, didn’t he?”

  “Yes, Princess, he did. The prince and the king hurried off to their aid when they heard of the incident.”

  “How long ago?”

  The guard paused to hold the oak front door open for her.

  “Over two weeks.”

  Over two weeks. She couldn’t remember how long she had been gone. Her journey seemed so magical that she couldn’t count how long or short it had been. She closed her eyes.

  “Are you all right, Your Highness?”

  She must have swooned, because she opened her eyes and found herself in the guard’s arms. He lowered her to the cold marble floor and helped her sit.

  “I am well enough. When will Alexandir return?”

  “I do not know.”

  She sighed. She knew not what to do. There was no way to know if Alexandir was well or how her father and her kingdom fared. Ibedia was indeed a small kingdom. They didn’t have a great army with sorcerers to defend them. The poor villagers would be chased from their homes and killed. She had to return to them. Perhaps Alexandir’s magical items would take her back the way she had come.

  “Princess?”

  She blinked and looked at the guard she had forgotten. “Yes?”

  “The prince told us you might arrive. He said if you did, we mustn’t let you leave.”

  Of course he had said that. He seemed to think of everything and guessed her eve
ry step before she took it. “What else did he say?”

  The guard’s hard face shifted to a smile. “He said the servants and maids were to give you food and drink, then tuck you into a comfortable bed.”

  Even in his absence Alexandir had seen to her comfort. “Very well. I would welcome a good meal.”

  The guard led her though the tapestry lined corridors until they reached the dining hall. Servants escorted her to a chair and brought a plate of hot meats and vegetables to her. She ate until she was filled, then allowed herself a few of the delectable desserts that were presented. Then she yawned.

  “I will take you to your room, Princess,” a maid said to her.

  They shuffled off through the palace. The maid drew up a bath filled with rose petals which made Katheryne think of Alexandir while she relaxed, but instead of imagining his handsome face, she thought instead of his kindness, his goodness, his love and concern for her, his generosity, his strength in fighting for a noble cause, and every other wonderful quality he possessed.

  Three days passed with no word of Alexandir or his father.

  Katheryne awoke on her fourth morning at the palace and felt rather ill. Her stomach churned and her head throbbed. She couldn’t ease her concern for Alexandir. She had to see him again! The thought of him being injured or killed was more than she could bear.

  Chapter 9

  A horn blared through the silence, then another horn answered.

  “The army has returned!” someone shouted.

  Katheryne, along with every maid, servant, and guard within the palace ran into the courtyard and gardens to greet the soldiers.

  A silver and red banner flapped in a stiff breeze, then the army crested a hill and entered the palace grounds. Katheryne scanned the group, but couldn’t see Alexandir. A large man in full armor led the army and she guessed him to be the king.

  The queen rushed to him. He threw off his helmet, took her in his arms, and kissed her. Surely the king would have word of his son.

  Katheryne ran to him. “Where is Alexandir?”

  He turned his deep brown eyes to her. “You must be Katheryne of Ibedia. I have heard so much about you. Come. There isn’t time for idle chit-chat. He is wounded.”

  Katheryne’s heart must have stopped beating. She grasped the king’s arm with a desperation she had never felt before. “How bad? Will he be all right?”

  The king searched her face and likely saw into her soul as Alexandir did when he looked at her. “Come, child. I will take you to him.”

  Katheryne was unaware of the soldiers they passed or of the sun that beat down upon her. She could think of nothing but Alexandir.

  The king placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. “Your kingdom has suffered, but it is now free of Lord Geffrei. We have conquered.”

  His words couldn’t penetrated her inner turmoil.

  “Your father is well.”

  A small portion of her agony eased at the report, but she still feared for one man. “Please! Tell me of Alexandir! What happened to him? Will he live?”

  The king approached a wagon and ordered the driver to stop. He took Katheryne’s hand. “He was struck by evil magic and hasn’t woken since. I fear the worst.” He drew back the canvas that covered the wagon.

  Katheryne’s hands flew to her mouth to stifle her gasp. Alexandir lay on blankets spread across the floor of the wagon. His face was pale and tinged with gray. Black circles lined his eyes and his head lolled to the side.

  The queen screamed and scrambled inside. She cradled her son’s head and kissed his pallid face.

  Katheryne couldn’t move. Every muscle in her body seemed to have frozen solid. Alexandir. She tried to call his name, but couldn’t produce a sound. A cold shiver stole down her spine and she gasped.

  The king took her by the elbow and helped her into the wagon. Her feet stumbled and tripped as though they had forgotten their job. She wiped at a coolness on her cheeks and found the back of her hand wet with tears.

  The wagon lurched forward until it came to rest in front of the palace. Servants rushed to it and lifted Alexandir. They carried him inside with the king, queen, and Katheryne following silently.

  They took him to his room and placed him upon his bed.

  “Call for the physicians, sorcerers, healers, and anyone else who might help my son,” the king ordered.

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  Katheryne stood back while people tended to Alexandir, but no one seemed able to help him. All that evening and into the night they did all they could. When morning dawned, a healer faced the king. “There is nothing more we can do, My King.”

  Katheryne approached Alexandir’s bed and took his hand in hers. It felt cold and clammy instead of warm and inviting as she had always known it to be. She brushed her lips across the top of his hand, then placed her other hand on his chest. “Alexandir.”

  He did not stir.

  “It is me, your dearest Katheryne. Pease hear me! I set you free when you were in an iron cage. I came for you. I scaled a glass crag, fought my way through a forest of piercing thorns, and sailed across a great lake to find you, yet now you cannot even hear me. Please wake up!”

  Footsteps approached her and the king’s firm hand fell upon her shoulder. “It is no use, child. I fear he is gone.”

  “No!” Katheryne pulled away from the king’s grasp. “He will be well. You will see!”

  Sadness darkened the king’s face. “I hope you are right.”

  The attending physicians shewed them away to let Alexandir rest.

  Katheryne wasn’t allowed to see him again until the following evening. When permission was granted, she hurried to his room, knelt beside his bed, and ran a hand across his cool forehead. “Alexandir, please wake! It is me, Katheryne. I did what you asked of me. I took your magical items and used them to conquer each challenge in my way. I fought my way to be here by your side. Please! Come back to me.”

  He did not stir and again she was commanded to let him rest.

  Physicians and magicians attended him all the next day, but everyone who left his room passed her in the hallway with downcast eyes and frowning faces. After the king’s visit, he approached where she sat on the floor in the corridor.

  “Dear Katheryne.” He took her hands in his and lifted her to her feet. “You have waited faithfully these past three days. I see the love you have for my son. I would have been honored to have welcomed you into my family.” Fat tears pooled in his eyes, then slid down his cheeks. “I am sorry you came all this way only to lose your love. He is gone.”

  “He cannot be gone.” Katheryne ran into his room and threw herself upon his chest. She clung to him, unaware of the queen on his other side and of the king returning to join them. She held him, her cheek touching his. It felt cold as ice, yet somehow she knew he had not left her yet.

  “Alexandir,” she pled. “You mustn’t leave me. Not now.”

  He remained cold and stiff beneath her.

  “You were right about me.” Her tears moistened their cheeks. “I was a fool! I thought I understood love, yet I knew nothing of it. You saw me, you cared for me, you loved me, and all I could do was gaze upon your handsome face.”

  So distraught was she that she didn’t feel him move or hear the queen gasp. She only knew she had to tell him all she had learned. “While I struggled to reach your kingdom, I realized who you were. I saw how you treasured me and worried over my safety as I now worry for you.” A sob shook her.

  His arms came around her, but she still did not realize he was awake.

  “I saw your kindness,” she continued, “and your desire to help other kingdoms. I saw that you understood so much about me that I didn’t even know about myself. I saw you and I fell in love with you!”

  She struggled to speak through her sobs. “Forgive me, Alexandir. I need you…I love you…I freed you from the iron cage…I—”

  “…scaled a glass crag for me, battled your way through a forest of thorns, and saile
d across a great lake…”

  “Alexandir!” She gaped at his open eyes that were so full of life and the healthy smile that lit his entire face.

  “My dearest Katheryne.”

  “You are well!”

  “Because I heard you.”

  “You heard me?” It did not seem possible after laying nearly dead for three days.

  He held her chin between his fingers. “I heard you because you learned to truly love. You saw me for who I am and found you loved that person. Because of that love, our hearts are bound together as one. Your love saved me.”

  She looked at the handsome face that had once been all she could see, yet now meant so much more. “No, Alexandir. Your love saved me.”

  THE END

  Allison Brown

  Allison lives in the mountains of Central Utah with her husband, five children, small farm, and crazy home addition project. She is the author of the Precious Stones Treasury, a set which currently includes The Jeweled Pendant and The Power of the Ruby Ring part 1. She is the founder of the NSWG, and co-author of the group’s compilation A Medley of Fairy Tales part 1 and part 2. She loves writing clean fiction and making her dreams come true. She would love to hear from her readers at [email protected]. She can also be found on wattpad @authorallisonbrown and twitter @a_allisonbrown.

  Peter And The Lost Boy

  By James Elliott