Sacred Mountain

Chapter 22: Poppy's Plan Stage Three

When Poppy woke the next morning, she pulled the bed curtains aside and surveyed the White Bear Room. It's a good job I told Ivy not to come this morning, she thought.

There was a trail of muddy footprints leading suspiciously from the window to her bed and the black fur slung over her dressing table chair was streaked with green lichen. At some point in the night, the bottle of rose oil must have leaked in her pocket because now the whole room smelt overpoweringly of roses.

Suppressing her maid's instinct to tidy up, she threw on another of Annifer's green dresses and hurried down to the kitchens to prepare the king's remedy. She hummed cheerfully while she worked, the kitchen maids casting her hostile yet curious glances as they bustled around her. When it was ready, she carried the tray with kettle, mug and strainer up the stone steps to fetch Larnick. He came willingly, almost eagerly this time. Ivy met them underneath the royal portraits and together the unlikely trio entered the king's chambers.

'Good morning, Princess. Ah! Roses!' He sniffed the air, his eyes crinkling in a nostalgic smile. 'That was my wife's favourite perfume. Larnick used to give her a bottle for her birthday every year. Larnick, do you remember . . .' While they reminisced fondly, Poppy slipped her hand behind the king's bedstead and discreetly hung the bear handled key back on its hook. Then she curtsied, took her leave and went back to her room to tidy up the mess.

She watched father, son and Ivy walk round the garden from her window while she attempted to scrub the oil stain out of Annifer's dress. They were talking animatedly, gesturing with their hands. The king's voice was stronger than she'd heard it before and as she looked, she realized that neither Larnick nor Ivy were supporting him anymore. He's walking on his own, she thought, her heart jumping with a tiny warm thrill.

Poppy was trying to brush the lichen marks off Queen Katerina's fur with Annifer's hairbrush when she heard the three of them climbing the steps to the Royal Apartments. Larnick said something that made Ivy giggle and King Fenwick laugh wheezily. At that moment a fourth set of footsteps joined theirs and they fell silent. There was the sound of a throat being cleared and the voice of younger of the two guards from last night announced, 'Your Majesty, I have some news.' Poppy stepped out of her room to join them. 'The bear's escaped,' he continued, looking at his feet, pointing the top of his curly blond head at them.

'What?' Larnick's thick brow furrowed incredulously. 'He can't have! I locked that collar around his neck and chained him to the stake myself.'

'He broke it, Your Highness. Smashed the padlock on the gate apart as well. Never seen anything like it myself.' The blond curls shook.

'Oh gracious! Heavens above! Well, how about that, eh? How about that! Oh my goodness! Dearie me!' said Poppy, conscious that nervousness was having its usual effect on her tongue. 'Well I never! Can you imagine? Who'd have thought it? The bear's escaped, you say? Now, there's a turn up for the books! Oh my, oh my!' She bit her lip in an effort to stop the jabbering.

'What are we going to do, Father?' Panic was rising in Larnick's voice. 'There's no time to catch another bear. I stalked that one for weeks before I caught it. The whole city will be turning up in just over an hour and we've got nothing for them to see. There'll be a riot!'

'I have an idea,' Poppy straightened up, bringing her inner military commander to the fore once again. 'Go and lie down, Your Majesty. We'll sort this out. Ivy and Larnick, you come with me.' The king obeyed unquestioningly and Poppy marched off down the stairs, the bemused maid and prince trailing in her wake.

'Where will we find the Revelers, Ivy?' Poppy called over her shoulder as she sped down the stairs.

'In the courtyard, packing up their equipment. They're leaving today.'

'Perfect!' purred Poppy.

Minutes later, the three of them were standing on the castle steps outside the Entrance Hall, catching their breath. Last night's performers broke off from the business of loading pairs of stilts, patchwork bags stuffed with costumes and pantomime horses heads onto the back of a wagon, and stared at them questioningly.

'His Majesty's Royal Revelers!' Poppy began. 'Your Prince would like to ask you something.' She flourished her hand in Larnick's direction.

'Uh!' Larnick stood dumbstruck, his mouth hanging open.

'Prince Larnick needs your help,' Poppy continued for him. 'Very soon the whole city will arrive at these gates to watch the bear-baiting.' She pointed through the gap in the courtyard wall which opened up into the arena, to the gates on the opposite side. 'But . . .' She paused dramatically. 'We have no bear.' She stretched her eyes and spread her arms wide. 'So we have no show!' There were sharp intakes of breath from the performers. Poppy folded her hands in prayer position. 'Prince Larnick would like to humbly ask you to step in and save the day. He is asking if you would be willing to put on your production of The Golden Knight and the Giants instead.'

The actor who played the Golden Knight sniffed. 'My lady!' He lifted his chiselled chin and looked down his roman nose at her. 'The Royal Revelers only perform for the king and his court. We do not perform for . . . commoners.' He folded his arms across his massive chest and eyed Poppy defiantly.

'Hold on a minute, Jeffrey,' Jess laid a gently restraining hand on his arm and addressed Poppy, her green eyes shining. 'You mean, you want us to stage our play here? In front of the whole city?'

'Yes,' Poppy nodded.

'Hundreds of people?'

'Thousands,' Larnick corrected, finally finding his voice

Jess squeezed Jeffrey's arm. 'Just think of it, Jeffrey. Thousands of people watching our play. It'll be the biggest audience we've ever had!'

An excited murmur rippled through the crowd of performers.

'Yes, well, I suppose . . .' Jeffrey raised a sculpted eyebrow and shrugged nonchalantly. '. . . if our country really needs us, Your Highness, we could consider making the sacrifice, just this once.'

All at once the courtyard was a whirlwind of activity. Stilts, costumes and pantomime horses heads were hastily unloaded off the wagon, excited performers ran into the arena to survey their new stage. Animated voices rang out.

'Me me me me me . . . Oh, the acoustics are simply marvelous!'

'Look, Jeffrey! I could come on from the audience when I do my solo piece.'

'This sand'll certainly give us a softer landing when we fall off our stilts.'

'Remember, darlings! We play to the Royal Box but this is a production in the round so your public is behind you as well. You'll have to keep mooooving . . .'

'And we're outside so remember to enunciate and project. En. . . un. . . ci. . . ate and pro. . .jeeeect!'

'This stake will make a splendid maypole! Marigold, fetch the ribbons!'

Poppy cast a glance at Larnick who was surveying the activity. His normally sullen, scowling face was split from ear to ear by the widest grin she had ever seen. She covered her mouth to stifle the giggle that erupted inside her.

He was almost unrecognizable.

Thanks for reading this chapter 😊

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We're in Crosstain for one more chapter and then off to Sacred Mountain to see how Annifer, Daisy and Jemima are getting on against Morwain and the gorgon ⭐️

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