Chapter 14: The Reunion
If building the Gummies' mole machine had been difficult for the troggles, driving it proved nearly impossible. Several times did the machine lose a gear or one of its wheels, and the longer they traveled, the more impatient Lady Bane became. It did not help her mood, either, that she had had to follow the machine in her carriage with Igthorn, and that Toadie was made to pull it as he observed the troggles and called out unhelpful instructions for most of the journey.
"Careful, you idiots!" Lady Bane hollered after Toadie had directed the troggles to drive over a boulder, resulting in one of the mole's massive paws nearly breaking off. "If you damage that machine further, we'll never make it to Gummi Glen, if that happens, I will make sure you never see daylight again!"
Toadie grunted silently. "Why poor Toadie need evil witch lady to run him down when his Dukey already so good at it?" He muttered under his breath. If only he had not driven away Lady Bane's horses five days earlier when Igthorn had caused him to wreck her carriage, the task ahead of him could be over with by now. Resigned to the fact that the only useful thing he could do at the moment was watch the road, he scanned the scenery with his eyes, and soon spotted something that forced him to pull on the reins, causing the angry troggles who were substituting for horses in pulling the carriage to growl in irritation.
"Don't stop now, Toadwart!" Igthorn yelled, sticking his head out of the carriage window to glare at the small ogre. He sat with his back to the direction of the motion so that he had to stand to shake his fist at him. "We need to get the machine to Gummi Glen!"
"But Dukey," Toadie turned to face his boss, "Toadie see Dunwyn's kuh-nig-hits cross this path!"
"Dunwyn's what?" Lady Bane asked, confused.
"Knights," Igthorn explained.
"Knights?" Lady Bane asked, her confusion turning to alarm and rage. "Drat! I hadn't considered the knights! They cannot see us haul the machine to the Glen!"
"I suppose I could go scare them off," Igthorn suggested.
"No!" Lady Bane snarled. "They can't know we're working together, that will ruin everything! They can't see you near my troggles!" She stuck her own head out of the window now. "You!" She hollered at Toadie. "Go and see which way they're going."
Toadie sulked, but had finally learned not to refuse an order from Lady Bane. He jumped off the carriage's driver's seat, and silently headed in the direction he had seen the knights go. He observed them for a while, noticing a young boy say something to Sir Tuxford, who seemed to nod and call for the knights to head in the opposite direction of Gummi Glen.
Toadie sighed with relief. At least he had avoided giving Lady Bane and Igthorn bad news. He headed back to the carriage.
"Your Dukeiness," Toadie beamed as he reached his target. "Eagle-eyed Toadie just see kuh-nig-hits head far away from Gummi Glen."
"You're sure of this?" Lady Bane asked.
"You had better be right about this, Toadwart," Igthorn snarled at his lackey.
"Clever Toadie see Dunwyn page-boy tell kuh-nig-hits to go other way," Toadie replied enthusiastically.
"Page-boy?" Igthorn thought. "Of course," he smiled at Lady Bane. "That page is a friend of the bears. He must have told the knights to head away from Gummi Glen to protect the bears' secret."
Lady Bane did not smile, but seemed to relax somewhat. "Good," she said. "We must take advantage of their departure and move on fast."
Toadie leapt back onto the driver's seat, and drove the carriage more enthusiastically still.
"Toadie deserve promotion for this!" He muttered to himself, neglecting as he did so to watch the road ahead, where most of the troggles were still struggling to drive the mole machine. "Once Dukums and Lady steal Gummi secrets, Toadie will no longer be doormat at Lady's castle, Toadie be Dukey's top footstool aga-AAAAHHH!"
Toadie did not see the crash coming. In his enthusiasm, he had failed to realize how unstable the ground was becoming the closer the travelers came to Gummi Glen, and the troggles ahead of him had driven the mole machine into a large hole in the ground, with the carriage toppling after them.
"OOF!" Lady Bane groaned as she fell off her seat from the impact, collapsing onto Duke Igthorn, who looked annoyingly delighted for a moment.
"Let go of me, you fool!" Lady Bane yelled, pushing Igthorn's arms off of her as the carriage's fall stopped.
"But, my dear," Igthorn implored her, "I was merely looking out…"
"How far have we fallen in?" Lady Bane asked, standing up and pushing open the door of her carriage to inspect the damage.
It seemed the carriage had landed on its wheels on the ruins of what was one a wooden floor, which was rather deep under the ground. The carriage was slightly scratched, but under the dirt and grass that were now covering its top, it was otherwise undamaged. Lady Bane tested the stability of the floor with her feet, and seemed to decide it was safe enough to walk on. She moved ahead to inspect the damage to the mole machine, Igthorn now joining her.
"Are you all right, my dear?" He asked.
"Of course," Lady Bane answered indifferently. "Now help me inspect the machine."
They walked passed Toadie, who had just gotten to his feet, whimpering from the pain in his arm, which he seemed to have bruised in the fall.
"Toadwart, if I still had my castle, you'd be fired from the catapult before this day was over!"
Toadie moaned silently, terrified of what will happen when Igthorn and Lady Bane inspected the mole machine.
"Hmmm," Lady Bane muttered. "I think it will still be able to dig. But we'd better start at this spot. I don't want to risk my troggles driving it further."
Overcome with relief, Toadie managed to let out a small sigh before he fainted.
Cavin approached Calla's room silently. He was weary and sore from the long morning's patrol, but he took extra care to stop by each one of the Gummies' escape tunnel, searching for signs they had been found or sealed. It was a relief to find them undisturbed, but it caused the boy another pang to walk by the passages without seeing a bear near it.
Sighing sadly, Cavin reached Calla's room, and knocked his secret knock on her door.
Calla opened the door instantly, urging Cavin into her room and shut the door behind him. "Well?" She asked anxiously.
"No change," Cavin replied in a dull voice. "The Gummies' tunnels are still safe, and the knights still don't have a lead about the robberies. I had a close call today. The knights came pretty close to Gummi Glen. I had to tell Sir Tuxford I'd noticed a landslide there once, and it wasn't safe to ride there. "
"Did it work?" Calla asked apprehensively.
"Yes," Cavin said. "But we're still stuck in square one."
Calla groaned in frustration and sat down on her bed. "So you'll just be patrolling the kingdom again tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after," Cavin moaned as he sat down beside Calla. "At least, until something changes."
"You mean, unless someone actually sees the robbers," Calla said bitterly. "Or until they start attacking the castle?"
"I hope it won't come to that," Cavin answered. "I wonder why they haven't attacked the castle, though?"
Calla groaned again. "Who knows how these petty criminals think?"
"Yeah," Cavin answered wearily. "I guess I'll go get some rest before I head back to Gramps."
"All right," Calla said gently. "But if something happens…"
"I'll let you know," Cavin agreed.
Calla forced a small smile and reached out to squeeze Cavin's hand in gratitude. "I wish Father were as willing to keep me informed."
"I know, but he'd rather keep you safe," Cavin replied. "And so would I, if I didn't know you'd try to get in on the action anyway."
Calla grabbed her pillow from her bed and playfully struck Cavin with it.
Cavin gave a small laugh before rising to leave the room.
After nearly six hours of riding the quickcar, Zummi felt more amazed than ever at how Sunni and Cubbi could maintain their ability to chatter endlessly.
"So then, I threw the sugar cubes at that witch, and she changed into a hag before Calla's eyes!" Sunni told Mysti enthusiastically. "That's when I knew Calla was free from her spell…"
"How long have we been driving?" Cubbi asked Zummi, feeling rather bored.
"About ten more minutes since the last time you asked me," Zummi answered, feeling almost bored himself now.
Mysti laughed slightly. "Eager to see your friends, aren't you?" She asked.
"We have so much to tell them!" Sunni beamed. "And they'll be so excited to meet you, Your Honor!"
Zummi had to smile to himself. Tiresome as it was to listen to Sunni and Cubbi's chatter for so long, he felt secretly glad for their enthusiasm. It gave him something else to focus on and distract him from his nerves. It was a relief, as well, that Councilor Mysti did not seem irritated by the cubs' behavior, though Zummi was sure she was not used to children's noises. He was not sure she had listened to every story the cubs told her about their adventures with Cavin and Calla, yet she seemed sympathetic to their longing to see their best friends.
Finally, the moment came when Zummi pulled the brakes to the quickcar. The moment he did, Cubbi squealed in delight, jumping out of the car. "Dunwyn, here we come!" he yelled as he ran towards the secret tunnel ahead of them.
"Cubbi, slow down!" Zummi called after him. "We can't let the guards see us!"
Cubbi stopped dead at the trapdoor. "Sorry," he said. "I just can't wait!"
"Where does this trap door lead to?" Mysti asked as she climbed out of the quickcar.
"One of the hallway passages," Zummi answered. "This is the closest one to Cavin's room. It's risky, but Calla's room might be guarded."
"I see," Mysti replied. "But is there somewhere to hide if a guard passes by us?"
"There are lots of suits of armor to hide behind," Sunni explained as she hurried over to Cubbi's side.
Zummi glanced at Mysti, wondering if she were as nervous about the meeting as he was. If she was, she did not let on.
"So…" Zummi asked her nervously. "Are you ready?"
"Yes," Mysti answered. She headed towards the door herself, with Zummi following closely.
Sunni and Cubbi beamed at each other, and Cubbi slowly pushed the door.
After carefully scanning the scene with their eyes, the companions registered the cost was clear. They pressed on until they reached the staircase that led to Cavin's bedroom. Sunni and Cubbi already started climbing, their excitement growing. Zummi made to follow them, when Mysti called him back.
"Zummi, wait a moment."
Zummi turned to face her, surprised to see her staring at the wall, looking uneasy. Next she fumbled with her pouch and pulled out a pair of round glasses.
"What's wrong?" Zummi asked her.
Mysti put the glasses on and Zummi realized she was trying to read something on the wall. He now saw that there was a parchment with a proclamation of some sort.
"Have you seen this?" Mysti asked seriously, finally facing Zummi.
Zummi approached the parchment and adjusted his own glasses to read it.
BY ORDER OF THE KING
Anyone with information on bandits in the kingdom is required to report to Dunwyn's knights immediately. NONE BUT THE KNIGHTS OF DUNWYN ARE TO CONFRONT THEM!
Anyone with information on Duke Igthorn's whereabouts is required to come forward as well. A five-hundred sovereign reward is offered to anyone leading to his capture.
Due to recent events and until further notice, every one wishing to enter the castle grounds must be thoroughly searched at the gate. NO EXCEPTIONS!
"King Gregor must have made given these orders after Igthorn's last attack," Zummi said.
"Why are bandits mentioned here?" Mysti asked.
"I don't know," Zummi replied, confused. "We should ask Cavin."
By this time, Sunni and Cubbi reached the top of the stairs, and Zummi and Mysti hastened to catch up with them as Cubbi knocked on the door.
The door slowly opened, and Cavin stood behind it, looking more exhausted than the Gummies had ever seen him. When he saw who was at the door, however, his face lit, and he beamed as Cubbi jumped into his arms and hugged him.
"Cubbi! Sunni!" Cavin all but screamed with joy. "I can't believe it's you!"
"We missed you so much!" Sunni cried out as she, too, hugged Cavin.
By this time Zummi had reached Cavin's room, Mysti lingering behind to give him and the cubs a moment to greet their friend.
"Zummi!" Cavin cried as the cubs let go of him. He leaned over and hugged the older bear. "It's great to see you again!"
"I missed you, too," Zummi said softly, his hug somewhat hesitant. Happy as he was to see Cavin again, he could not help but feel a little awkward about their last meeting.
Cavin seemed to sense some Zummi's discomfort. "How…how are you holding up?" he asked nervously.
Zummi lowered his eyes slightly, but was determined to stay calm. "Well…all right, you know…considering."
"Yeah, I know," Cavin replied gently. He glanced at Sunni and Cubbi and saw that they, too, seemed a little awkward. To keep this from marring the reunion, Cavin decided to change the subject quickly. "Are the others coming too?" he asked hopefully.
"No, they couldn't come," Sunni replied. "There's still a lot that needs to be done around the house. Besides, we needed to stay a small group this time."
"Right," Zummi said, bracing himself. "There's someone who wants to meet you."
Cavin felt another rush of excitement. Surely he was about to meet one of the Great Gummies!
Zummi approached the door and opened it further, and Councilor Mysti ascended the remaining steps to greet Cavin face to face.
"Cavin, this is Councilor Mysti," Zummi explained. "She's the Great Gummies' Chief Councilor."
Cavin blushed slightly and bowed to Mysti. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Honor."
Mysti smiled warmly and reached out her hand to shake Cavin's. "The pleasure is all mine. From what I've been told about you I almost feel as if I knew you."
Cavin gave a small nervous laugh. "I have to admit, I have been looking forward to meet the Great Gummies since I heard you were coming back. Even before, actually. But I never expected the chief councilor to come and meet me first."
Mysti nodded in understanding. "Many New Gumbrians probably did not expect this move either. But under the circumstances, I thought this was best. If Gummies are ever going to reach peace with the humans, I don't believe in wasting time."
Sunni and Cubbi beamed at each other at these words, and Zummi gave Mysti a small smile.
"Well, I can't argue with that," Cavin told Mysti. "I always hoped peace between humans and Gummies will be possible in my time."
Mysti's smile faltered slightly, but her expression remained kind. "I suppose it must be hard for you to keep our existence a secret."
"Uh…sometimes," Cavin answered awkwardly. "But being able to talk to Calla and my Grandfather about you does help. Especially now, you know…" he glanced nervously at the other Gummies, "with the move. And now we've started to have problems in Dunwyn. "
"Problems?" Mysti asked, now looking concerned. "Does this have something to do with the proclamation we saw in the hallway? Have there been thefts in the kingdom?"
"Thefts?" Sunni and Cubbi asked almost simultaneously, looking at Zummi.
Zummi nodded at them. "We saw a notice just before coming up. It mentioned something about bandits."
"Yes," Cavin said. "They stole all sorts of every-day objects from the locals. None of us know who's behind it, but after the attack everyone only has one suspect. We've been patrolling the kingdom, but we can't find Igthorn anywhere."
"I wouldn't expect him to move out in the open right away," Zummi reasoned. "Not after we destroyed Drekmore Castle and his Ogres lost the juice."
"I know, but the knights don't know that," Cavin replied. "All they know is King Gregor got away from Igthorn when the Ogres' defenses were low. They don't even know Drekmore was destroyed, there's no way I could tell them without explaining how I know. I tried persuading Sir Tuxford to patrol Drekmore so he can find out for himself, but he thinks it's too dangerous to lead the knights there, and some of the knights think Igthorn could be trying to lure us into a trap if we investigate in Drekmore, and leave Dunwyn unprotected."
"And this would be the first time Dunwyn is really left unprotected," Cubbi muttered.
"But you have no proof Igthorn is behind these robberies," Sunni intervened. "Why would he want to steal every-day objects from the locals?"
"I don't know," Cavin replied. "But we don't have another lead."
"Would the King confide in you if he has any suspicions?" Mysti asked.
Cavin thought this over. "He might, but I don't think he has any suspicions other than Igthorn."
Mysti turned to Zummi. "Do you have any thoughts as to who else could be behind this?" she asked.
"No, not now," Zummi answered. "I need to think this over."
"Does the knights' idea make sense to you?" Mysti asked. "Could Igthorn be trying to bait them into looking for him, leaving the castle unprotected?"
Zummi considered this. "It's possible, but I doubt it. King Gregor would never leave the castle completely unprotected, and Igthorn knows that. He could be hoping the King will want to lead the patrols, so he can ambush him on the way, I suppose…"
"Cavin," Sunni piped up, "when you patrolled the kingdom, did the knights ever pass by Gummi Glen?"
"We came close earlier today," Cavin told her, "but I got them to leave. They think the grounds there are unstable, we already fooled them once into thinking there was a landslide after the flood, remember?"
Sunni and Cubbi laughed slightly, and Zummi sighed with relief. At least one problem had been avoided.
Mysti also seemed to approve of Cavin's actions, though she did not entirely understand the joke Cavin seemed to share with her companions. "And the passages in the castle?" she asked. "Are they safe from the humans too?"
"Yes," Cavin told her. "Whenever I have time I patrol the corridors to make sure the knights don't find anything suspicious. Calla helps when she can, but it's hard for her to get around on her own. The guards won't let her."
"The Princess?" Mysti asked. "I've only just realized…you call her Calla?"
Cavin's cheeks flushed. "Oh, wow. I guess I didn't realize…we've been…friends for a long time I didn't even realize I stopped calling her 'Princess Calla'."
Mysti smiled at his reaction. "Well, I suppose it's time I met her, too," she said. "Would you lead the way?"
Cavin's smile was even brighter. "Sure. I did promise Calla I'll let her know if something has changed." He approached the door and opened it. "I finally have some good news for her."
Sunni nearly squealed with delight. "I can't wait to see Calla again!" She and Cubbi hurried toward Cavin's side, Zummi and Mysti following.
Calla paced around her room, feeling bored and irritated. Grateful as she was to Cavin for keeping her informed about the on-goings in Dunwyn, staying indoors under her father's protection was making her more frustrated by the day. She opened her window, staring longingly at the ledge bellow the sill. She was momentarily tempted to climb outside and stay on the ledge, like she used to do when she was younger, but she did not dare try it now. Instead, she headed for her bookshelf and chose a book, and sat by her dressing table, leafing through it. But she could not concentrate on the words. She returned the book to the shelf and chose another, and stared at the cover for a moment. It was one of her Gummi books from her childhood, when she was just learning to read. She took the book to her bed and lay down, admiring how well the artist had drawn the pictures. They really looked as though they could have been the Glen Gummies' ancestors. Calla then lay the book down, now picking up a doll off her bed. It was the doll of Sunni that Grammi and once made to fool Princess Marie shortly after they met. Calla stared at the doll longingly, now feeling close to tears.
Her thoughts were soon interrupted when she heard Cavin's secret knock on her door again.
"Cavin?" Calla asked in surprise, instantly pulling herself together as she got up and headed for her door. What could have made Cavin come back this soon? "Is something wrong?" She asked as she opened the door.
Cavin stood on the other end, and much to Calla's surprise, he was smiling more brightly than she had seen him do in days. "Hi…nothing's wrong, Calla…I just…well, I have a surprise for you."
"A sur-" Calla had no time to finish, because at that moment Cavin had stepped aside, and the Princess was rendered speechless.
"Calla!" Sunni cried happily as she entered Calla's room and rushed to her side to hug her.
When Calla could finally speak, her voice was tight with emotion. "Sunni…" she barely managed to recover from her shock when Cubbi entered the room next to hug her. "I can't believe this!" Calla managed to say. Her eyes really were tearful now, but these were tears of joy.
"I've been waiting to visit you since the day we left!" Sunni told her.
"I missed you all so much!" Calla told them. "How did you get passed the guards?"
"They were patrolling the end of the hallway when Cavin led us here," Cubbi explained.
By now Zummi and Mysti had entered the room, and again, Mysti lagged behind to let Zummi greet Calla ahead of her.
"Calla…" Zummi began softly, smiling warmly at her.
"Zummi!" Calla dried her eyes and headed towards him to hug him too. "This is such a surprise!" She pulled back slightly. "How are you feeling?" she asked gently.
"Better," Zummi told her honestly. It was easier to relax after Mysti's encounter with Cavin and seeing both children again in the same room.
Calla touched his shoulder softly, and turned back to Cavin to give him a bright smile.
Cavin turned a little red as he cleared his throat. "Uh…Calla, there's someone else you should meet."
Mysti smiled from the door way and approached Calla slowly. She curtsied politely. "Good afternoon, Princess," she said softly.
"Calla, this is Chief Councilor Mysti," Zummi told the Princess.
"Oh!" Calla smiled and curtsied too. "Good afternoon, Your Honor."
Mysti now held out her paw to shake Calla's hand. "Your friends spoke very highly of you. I've been looking forward to meeting you for a while now."
Calla shook her paw somewhat nervously. "I've been hoping I'd meet one of the Great Gummies too," she said. "Please, won't you sit down?" she gestured at her bed.
"Thank you," Mysti headed for Calla's bed and sat down, signaling her Gummi companions to follow her, which they promptly did. Mysti sat nearest to the wall, and Zummi sat beside her, with the cubs sitting on his other side.
"I'm sorry I don't have more chairs in here," Calla said. She moved her chair away from her dressing table to face the bears, and offered the seat to Cavin, who shook his head and sat on the floor at the foot of the bed near Cubbi. Calla laughed slightly and sat on the chair herself.
Mysti stared at her surroundings. Calla's room was much larger than Cavin's, and quite a bit more attractive to the eye. Sunni had mentioned that Calla had her room redecorated every few months, and it was clear whoever worked on it knew how to make it fit for a princess. There were fancy lavender curtains on the windows, and a matching rug on the floor. The dressing table was lined with colorful miniature perfume bottles and jars for cosmetics, and there were pictures of flowers and animals on the walls. Beside the bed was a tall bookshelf, lined not only with books, but with maps and scrolls as well. Mysti admired them for a moment before she absent-mindedly moved her paw, and it touched something soft behind her. She turned to see what it was, and discovered a doll. She now noticed there were many such stuffed animals on Calla's bed, but this doll was different. It bore a striking resemblance to Sunni.
"Where did you get this doll?" Mysti asked curiously.
"Oh, Grammi made it," Sunni explained, leaning across Zummi to beam at Mysti. "It was to stop a fight with another princess."
Mysti looked confused. "Stop a fight with a doll?" She asked.
Calla laughed. "It's a long story," she said. "Basically, this other princess, Marie's her name, came to visit with her father, but we…well, didn't get along too well at first. Sunni pretended to be a doll so she could hide in my room to watch her, but Marie wanted her for herself, and one thing led to another, and Grammi made the doll to save Sunni from her. It worked well enough, she had to give it back to me in the end."
"So this Princess Marie never found out about…us?" Mysti asked.
"Well, actually she did," Calla said, now feeling nervous again, unsure how the Gummies' Chief Councilor would react. "But it was after we managed to become friends, with Sunni's help."
Sunni beamed at Mysti, expecting praise, but her face fell when she noticed the Chief Councilor giving her a serious look.
"Do risk showing yourself to humans often?" Mysti asked, looking from Sunni to Zummi. "You mentioned making some more human allies and enemies."
Zummi looked a bit apprehensive again, but Sunni quickly stepped in. "I didn't plan on showing myself to her, Your Honor," she began, trying not to panic. "It's just that, at the time, Calla and Marie were in trouble, and I could only help them if I let Marie see me too. We don't usually take chances like that."
"Yeah, we don't let other humans see us unless we can't help it," Cubbi backed her up.
Zummi quickly found his voice. "Your Honor, I know I didn't give you all the details about how many humans know about us, but I'm sure this girl is not a threat."
Mysti nodded at the others in reassurance. "I didn't think so. I admit, I didn't expect you to be able to hide from all humans forever. But if this princess knows about us," she turned to face Calla. "Does her father know too? Or her mother?"
"Marie has no mother," Calla replied seriously. "She died giving birth to her, just like mine did. And no, her father doesn't know about the Gummi bears."
"I see," Mysti said softly. "Well, I suppose that's good for now, but the truth is, sooner or later we will need more human allies."
Sunni smiled in relief. "Then you think I did the right thing, showing myself to Marie?"
"It sounds like it, if it was for a rescue," Mysti replied.
Zummi smiled now too.
Mysti now looked from Calla to Cavin, and back again. "Listen, I think it's time to discuss what we came here for."
Cavin and Calla glanced at each other, and Cavin stood up and approached Calla's side so he could face Mysti properly.
Zummi and Mysti exchanged looks, and Zummi nodded in understanding.
Mysti faced the humans again. "During our years of living in Isolation, our kingdoms across the ocean have become overpopulated. I do not believe Gummies can stay away from the humans anymore. Not everyone in New Gumbria agrees, so the other Councilors and I returned to Ursalia, along with other Gummi bears who want to work for starting a new life for us. When Zummi told us about you, I thought we should meet." She now focused her gaze on Cavin. "Cavin, we are very grateful to you, for returning a medallion to the Gummi bears, and for protecting our secret from the other humans of this kingdom," she now turned to Calla, "but it was you, Princess Calla, that I was most eager to meet."
"Me?" Calla blushed slightly. "How…how can I help?"
Mysti considered her words for a moment. "I asked to come here to see your Kingdom, so I can find out if it is time for the bears to return," she said. "I don't expect conditions to be perfect, and I don't know how many bears will want to return even if we do reach peace, but in the event we do decide it's time, we will need to repopulate our old warrens."
Calla sat up straight. "Do you mean, you will want to rebuild Gummi Glen?"
"I can't say for sure," Mysti replied. "I don't know how extensive the damage is," she shot a sympathetic look towards Zummi. "But I'm not only talking about Gummi Glen. We Gummies had more warrens near humans, and if the bears return, Ursalia alone cannot provide houses for them. But to repopulate our old warrens, we will need support from humans who have influence in these matters."
Calla seemed to understand where the conversation was heading now. "You mean…my father?"
Mysti nodded. "Eventually, I think we will have to reveal ourselves to him."
Calla and Cavin exchanged excited looks, both clearly delighted by the idea. "I think that's wonderful!" Calla exclaimed. "If my father knew all the Gummies had done to protect the Kingdom, he'd be more than happy to help you rebuild your homes."
"We would no longer need to sneak out to meet you, either," Cavin added, unable to resist the excitement. "We could all visit each other any time we wanted..."
Sunni and Cubbi looked delighted as well, and Zummi seemed overwhelmed. But Mysti held up her paw. "Let's not be premature," she said seriously. "Revealing ourselves to the King is a major step, we have to think it through, and I will need support from other Councilors on this matter. But if we take this step, I will need to be able to tell the other Councilors about the King. What kind of a man he is, how he rules the Kingdom…"
"Oh, you have nothing to worry about in that front," Calla smiled. "My father has always ruled with compassion and justice."
"It's true," Cavin added. "He takes his responsibilities for the people seriously."
"So I've heard," Mysti nodded. "But, over the years, Gummies have been escaping humans and fleeing to New Gumbria, and their stories of human rulers have been far from reassuring."
Calla's smile faltered. "Well, there are human rulers in other lands who might still be dangerous to you," she agreed. "But I assure you, my father is not like that."
"I'm not only talking about what humans have done to Gummi bears," Mysti shook her head. "There have been disturbing stories about what humans do to each other. Several generations of bears have told us about humans who go on quests to what they call "The Holy Land," to force their religion on the people."
"You mean, the Crusades," Calla realized. "Well, my father has outlawed them in Dunwyn. It has given him trouble with other Kingdoms, but he always stated Crusades were immoral and cruel."
"Well, that's good to know," Mysti answered softly. "But there also have been stories about humans enslaving other humans to their lands, and kings who have taken land for their own, with no thought of the owners' needs and without compensations. Some Gummies have told us stories about humans who attack minority groups in their lands."
Calla frowned. "I know, we occasionally run into such bigots in Dunwyn as well," she said seriously. "But my father is doing what he can to stop this evil."
Mysti looked from Cavin to Calla, apparently trying to make up her mind about something. "How much has your father told you about the robberies in the Kingdom?"
"Oh, you know about the robberies?" Calla asked, looking at Zummi.
"We saw the notice in the hallway," Zummi replied.
"I told them what I knew," Cavin told Calla.
"Well, my father hasn't said much to me," Calla replied. "Except that it's dangerous to leave the castle now, and he's suspecting Igthorn…you know about him, don't you?"
"Yes," Mysti replied quickly.
"Well, he's suspecting Igthorn is behind it, but he has no idea what he's planning. He just keeps forbidding me from leaving the castle," Calla's voice betrayed her frustration. "Cavin has been a big help, telling me what he sees and hears on his patrols."
"I have to, or you'd sneak out to try and find out yourself," Cavin whispered under his breath.
"Well, if my father is going to tellme anything, it's up to me to ask the questions," Calla moaned.
Mysti frowned. "Doesn't your father believe that, as future ruler, you should be more involved?"
Calla sighed. "I try to tell him that, but he believes once it's time, it will be my husband who will take on the heavier responsibilities that come with ruling a kingdom."
Mysti looked displeased. "As future Queen, wouldn't you have the power to change that?" she asked.
"I don't know if I'll succeed," Calla confessed. "But I will do what I can. I have no intention of becoming Queen just to look pretty on a man's arm, while he makes all the important decisions."
Mysti gave Calla a fleeting smile, but instantly turned serious again. "My companions have told me that you used to help them hide in the castle to listen in on your father's addresses to the people."
"Yes," Calla replied. "Cavin and I both helped."
"When is the next time you expect your father to speak?" Mysti asked. "I think it's important we hear what he has to say about the robberies."
Calla hesitated. "Well, there is no regular time," she said. "It depends on whether there is a change in the situation."
Mysti sighed, looking a little disappointed. "Is there any way we can hear what he has to say soon?"
"Yes," Calla smiled. "I was planning on speaking to him soon, anyway. He's usually in his throne room in the afternoons, in case someone has news to report. You can hide on the balcony."
Mysti smiled again. "Good," she said, turning to Zummi. "How do you usually get there unseen?"
"The tunnels," Zummi replied. "There are several escape tunnels here that let out in different areas in the castle."
Mysti nodded. "Very well. I think we should go now, before nightfall there can still be news."
Zummi agreed, motioning to Sunni and Cubbi to follow Mysti and himself.
Cavin, too, got to his feet. "Well, if you don't need me for anything else," he began, "I should head back to my Grandfather. He's been expecting me for almost an hour."
Mysti paused. "Your Grandfather, who found the medallion?" She asked, looking from Cavin to Zummi.
"Yes," Cavin replied, looking hopeful. "Would you like to meet him?"
"Yes," Mysti answered. "But I wouldn't want to keep you…" she turned to Zummi. "Zummi, do you know the way to Cavin's Grandfather without his help?"
Zummi nodded. "Sure, I've been there many times."
Mysti smiled at Cavin. "Then we can meet you there later, if it's all right with you."
Cavin nodded, waving them all goodbye as he departed.
Calla headed for the wall behind her dressing table and pulled at a large, loose brick. "You can reach the balcony from here," she said. As she pulled, the brick opened, revealing a passageway behind it, large enough for a Gummi bear or a small human child to pass through.
Mysti raised her eyebrows, turning back to Zummi. "You have a tunnel that connects to the Princess's bedroom?"
Zummi gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah, I think it's been there since the ancient Gummies were friends with humans. We've unsealed it when Calla became our friend."
Calla laughed too. "I don't mind, it does make living in the castle more interesting."
Sunni turned to face the Princess. "Calla, can we come back and see you after we've visited Sir Gawain?"
"Of course!" Calla beamed. "You can spend the night in the castle, if you want."
Sunni and Cubbi looked thrilled, but Zummi's face fell. "I don't know, Calla… aren't the guards tightening security right now?" he asked.
Sunni and Cubbi looked slighty crestfallen.
"They still don't know about my hide-away under the main entrance's staircase," Calla suggested, noticing Councilor Mysti looked surprised. "I found one of the sealed secret passages once, and stored some of my personal belongings there. I sneak there sometimes when I want some time for myself."
"Ah," Mysti sighed, unsure what to make of this bit of information. "Well, I guess we'll see what happens after we've visited Cavin's Grandfather."
Zummi looked apologetically at Calla. "Well, we won't be able to return to Ursalia tonight. We'll see you tomorrow anyway."
Calla nodded. "All right," she said. "I'll be waiting for you." She turned to smile at Councilor Mysti. "It was a pleasure to meet you."
Mysti smiled. "And you," she replied, and headed for the tunnel, the other Gummies following.
Once inside the tunnel, Zummi quickly grabbed a torch from the wall and lit it. Mysti let him lead the way silently, taking the time to admire the tunnel that was still standing after over five hundred years. With some difficulty, even Sunni and Cubbi restrained themselves from speaking during the walk, knowing that being overheard could cause the guards to seal the passage, destroying one of the few means by which the Gummies could visit their human friends again.
At long last, they have reached their destination. Sunni and Cubbi pinned their ears to the wall, listening for footsteps. They turned to face Zummi and Mysti, signaling that the coast was clear. Zummi blew out his torch, and helped the cubs push the wall. Mysti, realizing what was behind the wall, moved forward to help.
The tunnel let out at the end of a corridor, just next to a doorway that led to a lit hall. Zummi showed Mysti a purple curtain over the doorway, signaling her they could hide behind it. Mysti nodded and followed.
The throne room was almost deserted. Only King Gregor was there, sitting on his throne and rubbing his forehead. He looked almost as tired as Cavin had.
"Is that him?" Mysti asked Zummi in a whisper.
"Yes," Zummi whispered back.
"He's not looking so good, is he?" Cubbi asked.
"What did you expect?" Sunni groaned. "I'll bet everyone in the Kingdom is worried right now."
"Shhh!" Zummi hushed her. "He might hear you!"
Luckily, at that moment, Calla arrived in the throne room. After years of keeping the Gummies' existence a secret, Zummi was pleased to see she had the sense not to look up at the balcony while no one was around to distract Gregor.
"Father?" Calla asked hesitantly as she approached the throne.
Gregor raised his head to face his daughter. "Calla? Is something troubling you?"
"Apart from the obvious?" Calla asked, a bit bitterly. "I was wondering if you have had any news about the robbers."
Gregor shook his head. "Nothing has changed yet, I'm afraid. Sir Tuxford is leading the knights on another patrol, but I am not optimistic they will find anything."
"Do you think setting a prize on Igthorn's head will help?" Calla asked.
"I doubt it," Gregor replied in slight frustration. "I am hoping a few brave souls will take action, but most of the people of Dunwyn are too afraid of him and his Ogre army to go after him."
"But what if Igthorn is not behind the robberies?" Calla asked. "How will we find the real culprit?"
"I wish I could answer, Daughter," Gregor replied sympathetically. "But whether Igthorn is behind the robberies or not, we still need to find him. After his last attack, it is time we brought him to justice."
Zummi glanced at Mysti, and noticed she looked rather suspicious of what she was hearing.
"But what will you do next?" Calla asked her father. "What if we can't find Igthorn? For all we know, he's left the land after his defeat. And there are others besides him who might be responsible for the robberies."
"Calla, we've considered every option we could think of," Gregor said. "We've checked the dungeons to make sure the trolls haven't escaped, and we've searched every corner of Dunwyn we could reach. If no one has found anything, we must consider that the culprit is not hiding in Dunwyn."
"Then you think Igthorn is still in Drekmore?" Calla asked skeptically.
"It's possible," Gregor replied. "Sooner or later, I may need to lead the knights there to find out."
Calla was taken aback by these news. "But…that's too dangerous for you. If Igthorn is behind the robberies, he could be trying to lure…"
"Yes, I know," Gregor told her firmly. "But what choice do we have? I must protect the people of Dunwyn, and we must find out where Igthorn is, and what he might be up to."
Calla lowered her eyes. "Father, if you go…will you let me…?"
"Absolutely not!" Gregor replied, more sternly still. "You know I will not take chances with your safety, Calla."
Calla nodded, unsurprised but clearly displeased by her father's reaction. "I worry about your safety too, you know," she said softly.
Gregor sighed, softened by her words. "I know," he said, holding out his arms and pulling Calla close to hug her. "But you must understand, Igthorn is after my throne. Confronting him with you at my side will only be handing him a weapon to use against me."
"I know," Calla said. "You told me. I just wish I could help somehow."
Gregor let go of Calla so he could face her again. "I understand. But for now, the best help you can give me is to stay out of trouble."
On the balcony, Mysti signaled Zummi and the cubs to move back into the hallway behind them.
Once they were well out of earshot, Mysti spoke up. "I don't think we're going to get more information here today," she said.
Zummi nodded in agreement. "I know, he hasn't told Calla more than we already knew."
"There is something I don't understand," Mysti pressed on. "King Gregor said he needs to bring Igthorn to justice, but you've told me Igthorn has attacked Dunwyn many times before."
Zummi nodded. "You're wondering why he was never arrested before?"
"Well, it seems the obvious thing to do, isn't it?" Mysti asked.
Zummi nodded. "Normally, yes," he said. "But before Igthorn moved to Drekmore, the ogres were running wild all over Dunwyn. They terrorized people and sometimes hurt them for sport. A little after we met Cavin, he told us Gregor wants Igthorn to stay in Drekmore as the ogres' general, because while he's a threat to Dunwyn, his training the ogres as his army has been keeping them away from the people."
Mysti considered this explanation. "Well, that makes sense…but it looks like he's changing his approach now."
Zummi nodded. "I guess it's the shock of Igthorn's last attack. Before, Gregor seemed satisfied when Igthorn's weapons alone were destroyed. But facing super-strong ogres was another matter."
"I see," Mysti said. "After you stopped Igthorn, what happened to his ogres? I don't think you've told me."
Zummi shook his head. "I'm not sure myself. They could still be running around Drekmore, I guess. If they were back to running around Dunwyn, the knights probably would've seen them."
"Unless they are hiding from them," Mysti suggested.
"I doubt it," Zummi replied. "Ogres are kind of…" he cast around for the right word to use.
"Incredibly dumb?" Cubbi offered.
"Yes, exactly," Zummi gave Cubbi a grateful smile. "I don't think they'd have the sense to be subtle and lay low without Igthorn's help, and Grammi told me the ogres ran away from Castle Drekmore when it was destroyed."
Mysti nodded. "Well, we haven't learned much about the robberies, but I think King Gregor is handling the situation better than I thought he would. I did not expect him to be willing to go into Drekmore and face Igthorn himself."
"Well, it's like Cavin and Calla said," Sunni piped up. "Gregor is commited to the people of Dunwyn. He wouldn't allow them to get hurt to keep himself safe."
"Yes, I could sense that side of him," Mysti agreed.
Zummi stared at her, looking hopeful for the first time that day. "Then…do you think the other councilors will agree that he can be made an ally?"
"It's possible," Mysti said. "I can't say for sure yet, but what I've seen of you allies was encouraging so far."
Sunni and Cubbi looked as though they were restraining themselves from squealing with joy with great difficulty.
Mysti smiled at their reaction. "Come," she said. "We'd better leave before we're found here. I'm sure Sir Gawain is eager to see you too."