very dizzy, and the pangs of hunger, combined with the shock made him feel very sick.
Nokie and Cuddles could see how unsteady he was, and without thinking, continued to remove the rocks and soil that were still covering most of his body.
Roggie could feel them at work, not to mention the pain in his head, and from the rest of his body. He knew that he would probably be covered in bruises, but he was able to wriggle his fingers and toes, so he assumed that he had been lucky enough not to have broken any bones.
The Sisters continued to work, with their powerful shovel-like hands, digging him out from where he was trapped. Roggie could now move his upper body, and he could feel his painful legs being uncovered.
Nooks and Cuddles were soon able to remove the rest of the soil, rocks and branches from around him, and when they had finished, they stood back. They looked at the figure holding the spear firmly in his hand, and he had a bag slung over his back, with the hood still covering his face, which had protected him from the worst of the debris.
The figure then reached up and with his free hand pulled the hood back to reveal a familiar looking face. The Bears both gasped, falling to their knees as there in front of them stood The Great King!
Nine
The forest was silent, as even the birds and small animals could almost sense what the two sisters were thinking. It had been such a long time since the ancient kingdom of Elphamia had graced these lands, and it was now nothing more than a distant memory, handed down from generation to generation. It was not just the kingdom, for their ruler had also been absent for what seemed like an eternity!
Everyone knew of his exploits, and his kindness, wisdom and compassion were things which only added to his mystique. Since that time, the kingdom had split into several regions, and each region had its own leader. Some were kings in their own right, whilst others had developed a more democratic system. In Roggie’s village, there was no leadership at all, apart from the wisdom passed down by the village elder.
The various lands had coexisted peacefully together, as no one ever wanted to face the calamity of another battle, as the last one still haunted everyone within the former kingdom.
Now, it looked as though the Great King had returned to them, and when news of his arrival reached the people, things would never be the same again. However, little did they realise that what appeared to be the Great King, was in fact a simple Elphin Rabbit from a small village high up in a distant valley.
Roggie was very confused!
He felt sore and badly shaken, but not as shaken as he was to see two large powerful Bears staring up at him.
From what he understood of the tales, Bears were territorial, and did not like anyone entering their land. It had been bad enough tumbling down the mountainside, and being buried up to the tip of his spear. Now, he had two large Bears to deal with!
The Sisters were still on their knees, prostrate before him, and he did not have a clue as to why they were doing that. It just seemed a really odd thing to do, particularly as they were large Bears, and he was considerably smaller than either of them. Surely, they could not possibly be frightened of him?
It was all very bewildering, and Roggie did not know what to do about it, as Bears were supposed to be bad tempered too. If anyone should be down on their knees, then by any reasonable logic, surely it should be him!
Roggie could not fathom what was going on, and was at a loss to explain their strange behaviour. Looking down upon them, he wondered what they saw in him. Why would they be so subservient to a simple Elphin Rabbit?
It was then that it suddenly struck him. High upon the mountainside, there was a stone carving, which looked exactly like his own reflection in the sceptre. Roggie’s mouth fell open, as he suddenly realised that they must have mistaken him for the Great King!
He now felt even more stunned, so stunned in fact, that he did not know what to do or say.
Roggie was in a bit of a dilemma!
If he admitted that his likeness was just a coincidence, then they might not help him. However, if he pretended to be the Great King, and they found out that he was not, then they would become very angry, and, the last thing he wanted to do was to upset them, and to face the wrath of two large, and very angry Bears!
He knew that Bears were noted for their bad temper, and by the look of them, particularly the larger one, he could easily be torn limb from limb!
Whilst the Bears were on their knees, he was relatively safe, and after what seemed like an eternity, but was actually only a few minutes, he cleared his throat.
“Arise oh loyal Bears!”
It was all that he could think of saying, but thankfully, it was enough to convince them that he was indeed the Great King.
“Oh Great King!”
Nooks spoke.
“We are your humble servants, Concordia and Nokie.”
Cuddles finished the sentence, as they waited for a reply.
They were both truly shocked, and could do nothing but stand and stare - of all the generations of Bears to have walked this land, it now looked as though they had been chosen to receive the Great King from the mountain!
He smiled nervously at them, and they smiled back. This was the first time that he had ever seen a Bear, although from the descriptions given by the village elder, he had not exaggerated just how large and powerful they really were.
“Thank you!”
The one thing about Roggie was the fact that he was always very polite. He had been taught that manners and etiquette were there to guide you on your life’s path. Roggie’s path had led him down a mountainside, virtually into the arms of two of the most fearsome creatures that he had ever seen!
“You are most welcome, oh Great King!”
They spoke together, bowing their heads.
Roggie stumbled, as he tried to move, and was very grateful when two sets of large powerful hands gently grabbed hold of him, lifting him clear of the remaining debris.
Roggie thanked them again, as they placed him on a clear piece of ground, looking in wonder at him. There was another awkward pause, before they grabbed a couple of leafy branches and started dusting him down in an effort to remove the covering of dirt and dust that he had gathered in the fall.
“We would be honoured if you would join us at our camp, where we can offer you some refreshment.”
This was a most welcome suggestion, as poor Roggie had never felt so hungry or thirsty in the whole of his life.
It only took them a few minutes to reach the camp, and he was mightily relieved to sit down and gratefully accepted a bowl of soup, and some bread.
Roggie remembered to thank them, and they bowed again, before he tucked into his meal.
All the while he was eating, the sisters were staring at his spear, which he had placed down on the floor besides him. He could see their fascination, and gestured to them that they were welcome to hold it. This they found very exciting, and Roggie had no idea how significant that was.
After the meal, he thanked them yet again, and they asked him why he had returned to them. Roggie knew that he would have to be careful of what he said, and decided not to mention about running away from the Men. That would not have done anything to enhance his reputation, as that was not the sort of thing that the Great King would have done!
He just explained that he was searching for the Wise Old Griffin, whom he needed to consult on certain matters. The sisters nodded approvingly, as it was acceptable for a King to consult the wisest being in all of the land, before he re-took control of his kingdom. Roggie also mentioned that he wished to remain anonymous, as he did not want to draw attention to himself until he had sought the advice of the Griffin. This was rather ironic, as arriving in a cloud of debris which had shattered the tranquillity of the forest was probably the best way of drawing attention to himself!
Again, the Sisters nodded with approval as they could see the sense in what he was saying. He had been gone a very long time, and needed to ascertain just what had happene
d in his absence, and work out a way to proceed. The Griffin was noted for his wisdom, and many of the leaders of the various creatures who inhabited these lands, had sought his advice over the years. He was a very private person, and did not like to be disturbed, and any meeting had to be arranged in advance with his attendant. So, they would have to seek him first, to arrange a meeting.
It did not take the sisters long to tidy everything away, and pack what they had onto a small wooden hand cart. Well to them it was small, but to Roggie who was considerably smaller than the Sisters, it seemed quite large. He still ached all over and was mightily relieved when they suggested that he rode on the cart. Very gratefully he allowed them to help him up, and he sat on a sack of grain which was surprisingly comfortable. Dangling his feet over the front, the Sisters each took a handle and gently lifted it up, before pulling the cart forward. It took them little effort, and Roggie was glad that he did not have to walk as he still felt very sore, and more than a little shaky.
His journey so far had been quite a struggle, and one which he would never have made if it had not been for the Men who had suddenly appeared in his village. It had been a dreadful day, and as he sat there being pulled along, he began to think of the other villagers who would probably now be on their way to the gold mines. He began to feel very guilty at running away, although he knew that he had little choice. He shivered when he thought of the arrow that had stuck into