

### Matilda

### The Story Mat Trilogy

### Book2

Written by Burt Candy

Copyright 2013 Burt Candy

Smashwords Edition

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Table of Contents

STORY 1: MATILDA AND THE CITY OF DIAMONDS

STORY 2: MATILDA AND THE PEARL DRAGON

STORY 3: MATILDA, MAXIMILIAN AND THE ICE QUEEN

About the Author

STORY 1

### MATILDA AND THE CITY OF DIAMONDS

Chapter 1

Disaster in the Attic

At first Matilda thought that the loud beeping sounds were part of a dream. It was the smell of smoke that awoke her. Her eyes popped open and she realised that the sounds were coming from the smoke alarm. She jumped out of bed and ran out of her room. A pall of smoke greeted her in the hallway and she looked up to see a red glow from under the attic door. Her parents were away for a book launch at "Furneaux's Book Emporium"", their store in the city, and wouldn't be home until late. They'd taken her baby brother, Hieronymus, with them so Matilda had decided to go to bed early and had fallen asleep reading a book. Now she had to face this disaster on her own.

She ran down the hall and grabbed the fire extinguisher off the wall. Luckily her parents were safety conscious, living as they did in an old wooden-framed home, and had smoke alarms and extinguishers placed strategically throughout the house. The fire appeared to be in the attic so Matilda now had to make her way through the smoke and up the dangerous spiral stairway to the attic. She pulled up the hem of her nightdress to cover her nose and mouth and proceeded carefully up the steps. The smoke was not as thick as she had thought and she was able to see several steps in front of her.

At last she reached the small attic door and bent down to release the latch. She had to pull her hand away as it was already too hot to touch. Dropping her nightdress and holding her breath, she wrapped the material around her hand and nudged at the latch. It fell free and she pushed the door open. Smoke belched out of the opening and Matilda had to hold the nightdress up to her nose and mouth again with one hand while she poked the extinguisher through the opening with her other hand. Once she had it positioned, she released the lever and sprayed the attic, turning the extinguisher this way and that to cover the room. There was a hissing sound as the flames were snuffed out and more smoke poured from inside.

Eventually Matilda was able to poke her head inside to inspect the damage. When she saw small spots of red she doused them with the extinguisher until she was satisfied that the whole fire had been put out. Gasping for breath and coughing, she went downstairs to open windows so that the smoke could escape. While she was there she quickly washed her hands and face then changed into a sweater and jeans.

It took several more minutes before the air was clear enough for her to return to the attic. She again made her way up the wobbly staircase to the attic door. She could hear sobbing from inside. Pushing the door aside, she crawled into the room.

"Woe is me," sobbed the voice of the Keeper of the Attic from the speaker on the wall. "What have I done? What _have_ I done? Destroyed. Everything. What will Maximilian do to me? Life isn't worth living."

"Hello," ventured Matilda, softly. "Are you all right?"

"All right? _All right_? What a stupid thing to say," shouted the Keeper through his sobbing.

"How could I possibly be all right? Look at the mess! And you ask me if I'm all right!" He was obviously distressed.

Matilda had suffered enough. "I saved the attic. In fact I saved the whole house," she shouted back in frustration. "And you have the hide to insult me. You're a nasty and ungrateful old man."

The sobs continued for a few minutes while Matilda waited for a reply. Finally the Keeper whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm just upset. It's true, the whole house would have gone up in flames if it hadn't been for your bravery. And all of the treasures in the attic would have been destroyed. Oh, I feel such an . . . idiot."

"Right," agreed Matilda. "Now we can start to talk in a civilised way. How did the fire start?"

This set the Keeper off sobbing uncontrollably again. Finally he sniffled through his tears, "I was reading my manual . . . I was checking through the contents of Maximilian's treasury . . . it was so long and boring that I started to feel tired . . . I must have dozed off . . . and as I put my head down I must have knocked the oil lamp off the table . . . and it must have fallen down the cyber-tube leading to the attic . . . and . . . I'm _so_ sorry." He resumed his sobbing.

Matilda waited patiently until his wailing subsided. She could so easily have taken advantage of the Keeper's misery, considering how nasty he had been towards her in the past, but his feeling of shame brought out her sympathy.

"Well, it doesn't help anyone for us to start pointing the finger of blame," she said, gently. "Let's see what damage has been done and figure out how we can repair things." She immediately thought of her parents; what they would think, and discover, when they arrived home. She would have to prepare herself to explain everything about the attic. _Heavens_!

Surprisingly, the damage wasn't as bad as Matilda would have thought, given all of the smoke that had been spewing out of the room. The walls were scorched black and the hat collection that had hung on the walls was now a scattering of ash on the floor, but the valuable chests with their collections of mysterious herbs and cures, jewellery and the Story Mat were only slightly singed, thank goodness. The worst area was around the speaker on the wall. Although the speaker box remained intact, the wall around it, where the oil lamp had ended its journey, was burnt completely away so that you could see the night outside.

"Mm-mm," she muttered. "You'll be pleased to hear that things aren't that bad. Fortunately the chests have survived and it's only the walls that seem to have suffered serious damage."

"Can . . . can it be . . . fixed? Without Maximilian needing to know?" stuttered the Keeper, hopefully.

The answer to his question came in a loud crash of thunder, a flash of light and a cloud of smoke. Maximilian appeared in the room dressed in his purple robe with the purple fez upon his head.

Chapter 2

Maximilian Has A Problem

There was total silence in the room as a grim-faced Maximilian, Noble Protector of the Other Lands and Master of its Treasures, surveyed the damage. The air was filled with the electricity of anger yet, when he spoke, his words were measured.

"How did this disaster occur?" he asked without acknowledging Matilda.

"Oh, Master, it was an accident. I didn't realise I had knocked over the oil lamp. Please don't be angry with me," begged the Keeper.

Maximilian maintained his measured tone. "In my experience, old man, accidents are rarely _accidental_ but are usually the result of carelessness or stupidity. And it seems to me that you have been guilty of both."

"I couldn't help it master. I was so tired . . . ," the Keeper attempted to explain before he was cut off.

" _Tired_?" Maximilian finally lost control and shouted. "You have the simple task of guarding the treasures of the attic. Your time is your own to organise and you have nobody bothering you. How could you possibly get so tired that you let something like this happen? The truth is that you are too old for the responsibilities I have given you."

"Please, Master, please. I would have nothing if I lost this job. I live to serve you," the voice from the speaker continued to beg.

"Hmph-hmph," coughed Matilda from her position near the door. Maximilian looked down at her.

"Ah, my little jewel," he smiled. "Forgive me for not greeting you but this has come as a great shock."

"I understand," replied Matilda. "It was quite a shock to me as well."

"She was so brave," interrupted the Keeper, attempting to change the subject. "She put out the fire all by herself. She saved the chests from complete destruction . . . "

"Quiet!" ordered Maximilian and turned to Matilda again. "Is this true, that you put out the flames on your own?"

"Well . . . yes," replied Matilda meekly. "But it wasn't that difficult."

"Tut-tut," said Maximilian, waving a finger. "Another example of your bravery, my sweet one."

"I don't know how brave I'll be when my parents arrive home to find this," Matilda informed him, sweeping her arm around the attic. "How will I explain the fire, the smoke damage . . . or the treasure chests? I'll have to tell them everything." Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Don't be upset, my little one," said Maximilian, gently. "I'll find a solution to your problem."

"Can't you just use your magic to fix everything?" asked Matilda.

"I'm afraid that my magical gifts do not include repairing fire-damaged buildings, my little pet," explained Maximilian. "No, this will have to be a hands-on task for my sprites, under my supervision of course, as they can be mischievous . . . and that causes a big problem."

"What's that?" enquired Matilda, brushing the tears from her eyes.

"Before I was so suddenly and unexpectedly called away," Maximilian informed her, grimacing at the speaker on the wall, "I was busy organising a rescue party to help out with a rather troublesome situation. It is vital that I have somebody intervene in a disturbance that could lead to war in a land far away. Now I have this mess to sort out before I can put my mind to that complication."

"Can I help?" offered Matilda.

"I don't see how, my brave little friend. Unless . . . " Maximilian appeared to be captured by an idea.

"Unless what?" asked Matilda.

Chapter 3

A Strange Companion

Maximilian smiled.

"Well, it just occurred to me that we need time to clean up the attic before your parents return," he explained, "and, while you are away on a mission, time stands still. So, if you would be willing to act for me in this disturbance I mentioned, it would give me time to repair the damage here. We could kill two birds with one stone, as it were. What do you think?"

"Of course I'll do it," replied Matilda. "I certainly don't want my parents to discover the secrets of the attic, and I'd enjoy another adventure."

"Mm-mm, well don't be too hasty in committing yourself until you hear the detail. This could be your most difficult assignment so far."

"But I'll have the fairy, Peri, and her magic wand to help me as usual and she has been my perfect protector in the past. I'm sure we'll be safe," said Matilda.

"Yes, well," replied Maximilian, turning a shade of red. "That's what I need to tell you. Peri has unfortunately come down with a serious case of fairy flu. Apart from the fact that she is confined to bed, a side-effect of the flu is that she cannot perform magic with her wand. She is a sorry case at the moment and won't be able to accompany you."

"Oh, dear," said Matilda, feeling a wave of sympathy for her friend but also desperation to think she would have to face any danger alone if she chose to go.

"But you still have the medallion that Zeus gave you," Maximilian reminded her. "It has its own magical powers that I'll discuss with you before you go. And you won't be entirely alone. I have a special companion for you who will be invaluable."

"Not Husan, I hope," remarked Matilda, remembering the traitorous elf who had accompanied her and Peri on their adventure with Neptune.

"No, no," insisted Maximilian. "He is still in disgrace and isn't permitted to leave my realm. I have a pleasant surprise for you." With that Maximilian clicked his fingers and a small monkey appeared on his shoulder. "May I introduce Zinzabad."

"A _monkey_!" exclaimed Matilda. "You must be joking."

"Not at all," responded Maximilian. "He will be your silent spy. The people you meet will think that he is a dumb animal but the truth is that he can go to difficult places where he can listen in to private conversations, hear everything and report back to you. Isn't that right, Zinzabad?"

"It certainly is," said the monkey in the most pleasant voice Matilda had ever heard. "Nobody but you, Matilda, will know that I can understand what is being said and that I can speak as well. I will protect you."

"Wow! A talking monkey!" declared Matilda. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Zinzabad. I'm sure we will be an unbeatable team."

"I know we will," the monkey stated, leaping across to land on Matilda's shoulder.

"Well, that's settled," said Maximilian with a smile. "Now I need to explain the problem you will face when you travel to this special, faraway land and the City of Diamonds."

Chapter 4

A Brand New Challenge

"The City of Diamonds is situated on an island in Chuqua Land. The Chuquans are a peaceful people and their leader, Acalan, has contacted me with some sad news. As its name suggests, the City of Diamonds is overflowing with that precious jewel and, in the nature of humans, greed has reared its head once again. A neighbouring jungle tribe, the Manyans, has decided to attack the city for its wealth, and the Manyan leader, Ocelotl, known as "The Jaguar", is a fierce and unforgiving warrior. He will show no mercy to the peaceful Chuquans in his quest to seize the diamonds. I was intending to travel there to try to prevent that uneven battle but, now that the fire has occurred, I will need you to go in my place."

"It sounds exciting," said Matilda. "I can hardly wait."

"Once again, my little one, you should temper your excitement as you have to realise the dangers that will exist. This is definitely the most perilous of all of your adventures. Ocelotl will expect that I shall try to interfere in some way and he will be ready to take any action required to achieve his goal . . . even death to those who attempt to frustrate him. He is a cold-hearted man and should be treated with the utmost caution."

"I understand, Max, and I will be careful," Matilda replied.

"Good," said Maximilian, "I know that you are clever and brave enough to handle most dangerous situations but you will need to be extra vigilant as this story unfolds. And, as well as having Zinzabad to protect you, you have the medallion that Zeus gave to you as your own powerful weapon. However, I have to warn you that you must only use the medallion in the most extreme circumstance where your own life or the life of others is threatened. Like Peri's magic wand, its power is enormous but it is also limited so you will have to be wise in its use."

"I'll remember that, Max," Matilda replied.

"Now, when you arrive on the island in Chuqua Land you will meet the leader, Acalan. He will be expecting you and you will be greeted warmly I am sure. He is desperate to avoid conflict and will see you as my ambassador and the saviour of the Chuquans. As the adventure develops you will have to make decisions, with the help of Zinzabad, about the best way to defuse the strength of Ocelotl. I know you will find a way but, once again, if matters become impossible you must promise me that you will return immediately on the Story Mat and I will deal with the problem in the future. To call the Story Mat back to take you home, now that you don't have the help of Peri, you only have to say my name three times. Do you understand how important this is?"

"Yes, and I promise," stated Matilda as she stroked Zinzabad's head.

"Very well," said Maximilian. He clicked his fingers again and a scroll appeared in his hands. "This is a map of Chuqua Land, the City of Diamonds and the surrounding jungle. It will guide the Story Mat to your destination and will assist you when you arrive. Keep it with you at all times. Remember that you only have to place it over the golden sun on the Story Mat to activate it."

He handed the scroll to Matilda. "And finally," he continued, "here is your transport." Clicking his fingers again, the Story Mat appeared in the air between them, unrolled and floated to the floor. "Now I must return home to make preparations for these repairs. Travel well, my little treasure, and may success be yours as before."

Maximilian faded away and Matilda found herself alone in the attic, except for Zinzabad who still sat on her shoulder. She quickly rolled up the beautiful Story Mat, tucked the map under her shirt and crawled through the attic door. Zinzabad followed behind.

"Ah, here is where adventure begins," he said with a smile.

Chapter 5

A Frightening Welcome To Chuqua Land

As soon as Matilda reached her bedroom she unrolled the Story Mat and placed it on the floor. She took out a shoulder bag, placed the map inside and put the bag across her shoulder. Then she went to her bookshelf and took down the copy of "Arabian Nights" where she had hidden the medallion that Zeus had given her. There it was, resting in the space that she had cut into the pages, the golden medallion inscribed with the sword and shield of Zeus. His words came back to her: "When you need extra courage, simply rub this medallion and it will be given to you. And if you are in extreme danger, say the words 'Bolts of Lightning, Peals of Thunder' and I shall be there to help you as you have helped me." She took out the medallion and placed it around her neck, tucking it under her shirt.

Matilda then took Maximilian's map out of her shoulder bag, placed it on the golden sun and said to Zinzabad,"We should start immediately. If you sit on the Story Mat behind me, close your eyes and fold your arms, we'll be on our way."

"Very well," said Zinzabad, doing as he was told.

As soon as Matilda closed her eyes she felt the Story Mat lift off the floor and, after a few seconds, it shot forward, through the wall of the house, out into space.

Once again she felt the wind blowing fiercely into her face and squeezed her eyes open to watch the brilliant colours flash past in what appeared to be a glass tunnel. She felt Zinzabad grip her firmly around the waist and remembered the first time she had travelled on the Story Mat and felt like she was going to be blown off at any second.

At last she felt the Story Mat slowing down as they came out of the end of the glass tunnel. When they had settled on the ground, Matilda saw that they were surrounded by jungle. She folded Maximilian's map and put it back into her shoulder bag. As they both stepped off the Story Mat it rolled itself up and vanished.

"Well, here we are," she stated. "Now where do we go?"

"Wait one second," said Zinzabad and he hopped over to a nearby tree. Matilda was amazed to see how agile he was and how quickly he climbed to the very top of the jungle.

"I can see the island," he shouted down to Matilda. "It's not very far in that direction," he informed her, pointing with his hand. In no time at all he was back on the ground beside Matilda.

"Well, that was interesting," she commented. "I'm sure those climbing skills will come in quite handy at some stage. I'm impressed."

"Nothing that any other monkey can't do," Zinzabad replied.

"But very special from a _talking_ monkey," said Matilda with a laugh. "Now let's get moving."

Hand in hand they set out in the direction of the City of Diamonds. Little did they know that they were being watched from above. The first indication they had that they were not alone was a rustling of leaves in the trees. Before they knew what was happening a huge python dropped from the branches and coiled itself around Zinzabad. Matilda jumped backwards and looked on in horror as Zinzabad disappeared inside the coils. There was nothing that she could do to save him. The python was much too large and powerful for a small girl. She began to sob. Her friend and protector was about to become a meal for a snake.

Suddenly a figure appeared from the surrounding jungle. It was a man dressed in strange clothes; just a lap-lap and a brightly feathered head-dress covered in jewels. He shouted at the snake in a strange language while brandishing a knife that he had taken from a belt on his waist. The monster suddenly uncoiled itself and Zinzabad rolled out of its grip. The snake hissed horribly at their rescuer but eventually slid away back into the jungle, shadowed by the warrior.

Matilda rushed over and hugged Zinzabad.

"Don't worry," whispered the little monkey. "I'm all right. Although I have to say the situation was a bit slippery there for a while." he laughed nervously. "Who's our new friend?"

"I have no idea," replied Matilda. "Oh, I was so frightened for you . . . and so helpless."

"You'd better thank my rescuer," said Zinzabad. "And remember - I can't talk, I'm just your pet monkey."

Matilda grabbed his hand, lifted him onto her shoulder and then walked over to the warrior. What happened next almost bowled her over.

In English, the warrior said, "Welcome to Chuqua Land, Matilda. I'm sorry that your first experience here was so frightening."

"You know my name?" said Matilda, in shock.

"Of course," replied the warrior. "Maximilian has been in touch with our leader and you have been expected. I was sent out to guide you back to the City of Diamonds."

"And what is your name?" asked Matilda.

"Ati," stated the warrior, bowing. Then, looking at Zinzabad, he said, "But I must say that Maximilian did not mention a monkey when he contacted us."

"Oh, this is my very special pet, Zinzabad. He goes everywhere with me," said Matilda. "I can't tell you how grateful I am to you for saving his life. I couldn't have gone on if I'd lost him."

"Then I am glad that I could help you because we desperately need _your_ help. My leader will explain when we reach the City of Diamonds," said Ati. "Now I will show you the way."

Together they set off again through the jungle.

Chapter 6

The City Of Diamonds

When they came to the edge of the jungle they walked out into bright sunlight and, there below them, they saw the City of Diamonds. It was situated on an enormous island and was surrounded by water. A high stone wall encircled the whole metropolis.

There didn't appear to be any way to reach the city from the shore but, as they approached it, they saw a man, dressed similarly to Ati, walk out from the city gates, leading a donkey. He attached a rope from a large wheel to the donkey and it began to walk in circles, turning the wheel as it went. Matilda watched a wide ramp move out from the island towards the shore. When it reached them they walked across it to the city gates. After they were safely on the other side the donkey reversed its path and the ramp was dragged back onto the island.

"The ramp across the water is for our protection," explained Ati, "although our enemies have other ways of crossing the divide. If you look down into the water you will see that we have one other way of deterring them from attempting to cross over. Be careful you don't fall."

Matilda walked to the edge and looked down. She saw crocodiles, lots of crocodiles, thrashing about in the water. They looked hungry and fierce.

"We feed them but not too much," said Ati. "They have to be hungry enough to scare off any invaders."

"Yuk!" exclaimed Matilda. "They'd sure scare me off."

"Unfortunately our present enemy isn't frightened so easily," said Ati. "Come, our leader will explain everything." They walked through the huge gates and into the city.

Matilda couldn't believe her eyes. Up close the city was truly beautiful - and enormous. Huge stone buildings were scattered across the city and smaller buildings, obviously houses, were clustered between. There were green, forested parks, lakes and fountains. A wide boulevard ran up the centre of the city to an enormous pyramid at what would be the middle of the island.

"The large buildings are storehouses for our diamonds and our food," Ati explained. "The smaller buildings are houses for our citizens. And the pyramid is the leader's palace. All avenues lead to the palace."

"Wow!" said Matilda. "It's amazing."

Then there were the people. Men were dressed the same as Ati, although their head-dresses varied in colour and design. What they had in common were the diamonds used to decorate them, masses of diamonds. The women all wore rainbow-coloured robes and their heads were covered by skull-caps, once again covered in diamonds. They also wore all kinds of diamond jewellery – bracelets, anklets, pendants, necklaces and earrings. And they all looked happy.

The other thing that Matilda noticed was how clean everything was. There wasn't a sign of rubbish, and men and women could be seen using straw brooms to sweep the streets even though there didn't appear to be any need. Transport was by little chariots pulled by llamas and these were followed by workers collecting the droppings.

"No wonder it is called the City of Diamonds," commented Matilda, admiring the head-dresses. "Wherever do they all come from?"

"The diamond mines are at the other end of our island," said Ati. "You shall no doubt visit them during your visit. They are both a blessing and a curse. To us, because we have so many diamonds, they have no value except to trade for some foods that we are unable to grow for ourselves, and for personal decoration. The mines belong to everybody and so the diamonds are shared around equally. However, some of our neighbours place great value on these stones and

see them as wealth. That is the curse."

"And, I suppose, that is the problem you want help with," said Matilda.

"Correct," replied Ati. "Our leader will explain more when we arrive at the palace. And we'd better hurry." Ati signalled to a chariot driver who was passing by. They climbed aboard and set off up the boulevard towards the palace.

Chapter 7

A Big Problem

The chariot stopped at the base of the pyramid where broad steps led up to a pair of magnificent copper doors, crafted with spectacular designs. On either side of the doors guards stood holding flags on poles, each with a shield showing a diamond with a bird above and surrounded by the colours of the rainbow.

"The National Flag of Chuqua," explained Ati as they reached the top of the steps. "The diamond is in our name and the shield and flying bird are symbols for defending our freedom. The rainbow design, which you also saw in our women's robes, expresses our happiness."

"Defending your freedom must be a problem," commented Matilda. "I've seen that the guards have no weapons except for the knife on their waist belt, the same as yours."

"Yes," said Ati. "We are a peaceful people and the knives are only used for cutting up our food . . . except, of course, when we meet a large snake." He smiled. "The women carry a knife in the folds of their robes. We have chosen to have no weapons of war and this is at the root of our present predicament, as you shall see."

The copper doors opened as they approached them. Matilda saw a vast entrance chamber, its walls hung with silken drapes, once again in the colours of the rainbow. A large glass bowl stood on a pedestal in the centre of the room and it was filled to the brim with glittering diamonds. At the end of the chamber was another pair of large copper doors which were opened by two more guards. Beyond was yet another Throne Room. (Matilda was becoming quite used to seeing them by now).

A multi-coloured carpet led up to a golden platform where a man sat on a throne set with diamonds and covered in cushions. He was dressed the same as Ati but also wore a cape of gold. Two women stood either side of the throne. They were obviously identical twins and were dressed simply in rainbow robes. The only difference between them was that one wore a diamond tiara while the other chose to wear the traditional diamond skull cap. They were both stunningly beautiful.

The man stood as Matilda and Ati walked up to the platform.

"Welcome, Matilda," the man said holding out both arms. "My name is Acalan, leader of the proud Chuquans and these are my sisters, Erendira and Tayanna. We have been patiently awaiting your arrival since we were contacted by Maximilian. I trust that my brother, Ati, has made your journey here agreeable."

Matilda glanced towards Ati. "Brother?" she thought, but said, "He certainly has. We would not be standing here now if he hadn't managed to meet us in the jungle."

"Oh?" said Acalan, raising his eyebrows and looking towards Ati. "Perhaps he can tell us the details later. For now we need to inform you of our difficulty so that you can devise the solution that Maximilian assured us you would. Please, come with us to the sitting room where we can be more comfortable." Acalan and his sisters walked to the back of the throne and passed through a set of curtains. Matilda, with Zinzabad on her shoulder, climbed the steps at the front of the platform and followed them into a corridor that led to a salon furnished with low tables and pillows. The tables were laden with fresh fruit, cheeses, loaves of crusty bread, water jugs and cups.

"Please sit," said Acalan as he and his sisters sat down on the fluffy pillows. "You have come a long way and you must be hungry. You can eat as we talk."

"Thank you, but no," replied Matilda. "I'm not hungry at the moment."

"Very well," said Acalan. "To begin with, I will explain our problem. But, before I start, can you please explain why you have a monkey on your shoulder? It is most unusual."

"Oh, you mean Zinzabad?" said Matilda, pretending surprise. "He's my lucky charm and he comes everywhere with me. I couldn't travel without him. I'd have thought that Maximilian would have explained that."

"No, no, he didn't mention a monkey, I'm sure. But if the monkey helps you solve our dilemma then he is more than welcome."

"Now, Acalan," said Matilda, anxious to take the attention away from Zinzabad, "what has been happening? Maximilian has given me some of the details but it won't hurt to go over everything again."

"Our problem is Ocelotl, The Jaguar," Acalan began. "He wishes to become the most powerful person in the land and has decided that he should have our diamond mines to fund his wars on every nation. He is a cruel and merciless man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. And the Chuquans are sworn to keep the peace so we have no defence against him. He must be stopped but we are powerless. We are depending on you, as Maximilian's agent, to find some way to force him to retreat. Our informers have told us that he is already on his way here with a vast army."

At that moment a stranger burst into the room.

"Why wasn't I told of her arrival?" the man shouted, pointing at Matilda. "Why are you keeping secrets from me? I demand to be treated as a noble."

Acalan jumped to his feet. "Itzli, how dare you barge in here making demands! You will be treated as a noble when you behave like one and no sooner. This is none of your business so remove yourself from the room . . . immediately!"

"None of my business? When our whole way of life is threatened?" cried Itzli. "I am your first cousin. How can you treat me this way?" He began to sob.

Erendira, the sister wearing the diamond tiara, stood and moved over to him. She put her arm around his shoulders. "Now, now, Itzli," she crooned. "You shouldn't upset yourself this way. We're not keeping secrets from you. In these early days it is simply the fact that too many heads will make things complicated. You will be told everything when the time is right. Settle down and come with me to the Royal Baths for a soothing massage."

Erendira led Itzli from the room. Tayanna remained seated, seemingly unmoved by Itzli's emotional outburst.

"I apologise for my cousin's terrible behaviour," said Acalan when they had gone. "He is a hothead and imagines that everybody is hiding things from him. Sometimes I think that he would like to be rid of me so that he can become leader. I will speak to him later and I can promise you that he will not behave like that again."

"That's okay," said Matilda. "I have an aunty who is much the same."

"Thank you for being so understanding," stated Acalan. "Now where were we . . . oh, yes, Ocelotl's army. The Jaguar is very superstitious. He won't attack us until the eve of the next full moon. That gives us seven days to come up with a plan. I hope you will be able to manage that, Matilda."

"I'll do my best," replied Matilda and reached for a knife and cheese from the table. "In the meantime I think I will take up your offer for some food." She passed a piece of fruit to Zinzabad.

Chapter 8

News For The Enemy

When Itzli returned to his quarters after his bath and massage, he immediately went to his writing desk, took out a small piece of paper and began to write a note. As soon as he had finished, he rolled up the piece of paper and went to a bookshelf against the wall. He lifted out a book and turned a handle on the wall behind. He then pulled the bookshelf to one side to reveal a hidden doorway leading to a small room. Inside there was a cage containing pigeons. Reaching in, he gently took out one of the pigeons, attached the note to a ring on its leg and, taking the bird out onto his verandah, tossed it into the air. He watched as it circled the pyramid and then flew off into the distance. With an evil smile he went back into his quarters and replaced the bookshelf.

Two hours later the pigeon arrived at its destination. It flew over the jungle until it found the clearing where Ocelotl's army was camped, dropped down to a coop containing other pigeons and walked through a trapdoor. A soldier reached into the coop, captured the new arrival and removed the note from the ring on its leg. He ran to the general's tent, past the guards outside and into the presence of his leader. Ocelotl was sprawled on a pile of pillows drinking tea from a silver mug. The soldier bowed and handed the note to the Jaguar.

Ocelotl unrolled the piece of paper and smiled as he read the message:

"Maximilian's agent has arrived. She is but a wisp of a little girl and should be easily contained. I will arrange for her to meet you so that she can be captured before she has an opportunity to use Maximilian's powers to interfere. Be in the jungle outside the city the day after tomorrow and you shall have her."

Ocelotl leaned over and touched the piece of paper to the flame of an oil lamp. As the note burnt he tossed it into a bowl and laughed out loudly. "A little girl? What was Maximilian thinking? We shall be rid of his meddling once and for all."

Chapter 9

Erendira And Tayanna

The twin sisters shared quarters on the third floor of the palace. After the meeting with Matilda and the outburst from Itzli they climbed the gilded staircase to their own private sitting room.

"Well that was a bit of a disaster," commented Tayanna as she threw herself onto lounge."Itzli certainly knows how to spoil a party. How was he when you got him back to his rooms?"

"He settled down pretty quickly, really," said Erendira. "I think he just had to get something off his chest. He always thinks the world's against him."

"Yes," agreed Tayanna, "but his sense of timing is terrible. Imagine what Matilda thinks of us now . . . and what she will report to Maximilian. I might visit Itzli later on and give him a little friendly advice."

"Please don't upset him again," pleaded Erendira.

"Don't worry," replied Tayanna with a smile, "I'll treat him with tender loving care." She

reached up, removed her skull cap and placed a diamond tiara on her head.

"Look," she said to her sister, "identical twins again."

Erendira laughed. "You're such a tease Tayanna. But remember what Acalan said about not confusing our visitor. You must only wear your skull cap whenever you leave our rooms as I must wear my diamond tiara. Our family may be able to tell us apart but others cannot."

"Of course," said Tayanna, "but a little bit of mischief makes everything more interesting, don't you think? As long as nobody gets hurt."

Chapter 10

An Opportunity To Eavesdrop

Meanwhile, Matilda and Zinzabad had been shown to their own quarters. The room was beautifully outfitted with lounges, pillows, intricate wall-hangings, pottery vases full of flowers and a large mattress, with a rainbow-decorated coverlet, on the floor. Fresh food and drinks were laid out on a low table. Matilda took off the shoulder bag containing Maximilian's map and placed it under a pillow on the bed.

"Well, this looks very comfortable, doesn't it?" Matilda addressed Zinzabad, but the monkey wasn't listening. He was looking at a grille on the wall.

"What are you looking at?" she asked.

"That grille," replied Zinzabad. "I think it is part of a cooling system that channels fresh air into the rooms. Lift me up so I can take a look."

Matilda picked him up and held him so that he could remove the cover. What he discovered was a shaft that seemed to connect to all of the rooms of the palace. A cool blast of fresh air blew into his face.

"This could be very handy," he stated. "I think I'll have a wander later on this evening. I want to eavesdrop and see if I can learn anything helpful."

"Cheeky," said Matilda. "I can see now why Maximilian said you could be useful."

"I hope that won't be the only way I can help you," said Zinzabad. "Now let's have something to eat. That piece of fruit you gave me was hardly enough."

They crouched beside the table and Matilda poured fresh juice into two cups while Zinzabad cut up a loaf of bread.

"What did you think of cousin Itzli?" Matilda asked, picking up a juicy peach.

"As Acalan said, a hothead," replied Zinzabad. "He could be a problem but we should just wait and see. Perhaps he has a reason to be upset."

When they had finished their snack they went out into the passageway and retraced their steps to the sitting room where they found Acalan and Tayanna consulting a map. Erendira was nowhere to be seen. They looked up as Matilda entered holding Zinzabad's hand.

"We hope you've settled in comfortably," said Acalan.

"Oh, yes," replied Matilda. "Our room is wonderful. What are you looking at?"

"This is a map of Chuqua," said Tayanna. "We have just received news that Ocelotl and his army are only about four hours' ride away from us. We were trying to estimate where he is camped."

"Only four hours away?" exclaimed Matilda. "That seems awfully close. Are you sure he won't attack sooner than the eve of the new moon?"

"There is no way that he will challenge the gods of war by attacking earlier," said Acalan. "As I told you, he is very superstitious . . . insanely so. His wild beliefs match his wild nature. Do you have any idea as to what we can do to stop him yet?"

"No definite idea but I can assure you that we have several things up our sleeve. I'll let you know when things are clearer."

"I just hope it isn't too late," said Acalan dismally.

"Trust me," stated Matilda. "For now we had better get back to our room for some rest. We will need to be fresh when the trouble begins. Goodnight Acalan, Tayanna. We'll see you in the morning." With that Matilda and Zinzabad left the room.

"Do you really think a small girl and her monkey can outwit Ocelotl?" asked Tayanna.

"I don't know," replied Acalan, sadly. "All I do know is that Maximilian would not have sent her unless he believed that she could do the job. As she said, we just have to trust her."

They resumed studying their map.

When Matilda and Zinzabad reached their room they managed to remove the grille again and Zinzabad hopped into the shaft.

"I'll just explore for a while and find out exactly where these shafts lead," said the monkey. "I'll be back soon." He disappeared into the shaft.

Chapter 11

Interesting

Zinzabad travelled quickly up, down and along the maze of tunnels. He discovered where the palace kitchen was, mainly because of the delicious smells that came from it. He found the llama stables, once again due to the smells. The guards' quarters were at the extreme end of the lower floor of the palace. When he moved to the second, third and fourth floors he saw the living areas for Acalan and his family. There were over seventy rooms and chambers in the palace and

Zinzabad was exhausted by the time he had visited most of them.

Once he had identified what a room was for by looking through each grille he quickly moved on . . . except on one occasion. It was when he found Itzli's rooms. As he looked through the grille he saw that Itzli had a visitor. One of the twin sisters, it had to be Erendira because she was wearing a diamond tiara, was sitting on a couch while Itzli stood near a glass door leading out onto a verandah. Zinzabad listened in to their conversation.

"You behaved badly," stated Erendira.

"Well, Acalan treats me like a fool," insisted Itzli. "I can't take any more of his insults,"

"You need to control yourself," said Erendira. "Temper tantrums won't get you anywhere. In fact they will only give Acalan an excuse to shut you out further. And you don't want that, do you?"

"No," replied Itzli sulkily.

"Very well. Remember what I have said," stated Erendira. "And while you're at it you might like to make up to our visitor as well. That may be useful."

"Yes," replied Itzli. "I will."

"Now I must get back to Acalan," said Erendira. "He'll be wondering where I am." She rose from the lounge, gave Itzli a peck on the cheek then went out through the main door.

As soon as Erendira had left his quarters, Itzli went to the bookshelf, moved it aside and entered the hidden room again.

"Interesting," thought Zinzabad. Even though he couldn't see inside the room it was obvious that it held something that Itzli didn't want anybody to know about. He hurried back to their room.

When he arrived he told Matilda what he had heard and seen in Itzli's room.

"It sounds like Erendira is the only one that has power over Itzli, doesn't it?" said Matilda. "She was obviously cooling him down."

"Yes," Zinzabad agreed. "But then I feel that there was something strange about the whole thing. It wasn't so much what Erendira said as the way she said it. Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'm too suspicious. Perhaps she was just giving him some good advice. He certainly needs it. But I'd like to know what's in that secret room."

Chapter 12

The Diamond Mine

The next morning Ati arrived at their room.

"How would you like to see our diamond mine?" he asked.

"Would we ever!" exclaimed Matilda.

Ati took them down to the entrance where a llama and chariot awaited them. They climbed aboard and Ati took the reins. As they passed through the city Matilda was stunned by its beauty. The stone buildings were set out so that there was a space between each of them. In these spaces green lawns and flower-filled gardens brightened the landscape. The avenues themselves were very broad so that there was plenty of room for traffic and they were edged by wide footpaths for the pedestrians. People strolled happily in their bright costumes as they went about their daily business. Many of them waved as the chariot passed.

"You might notice the grids under the kerbs," Ati pointed out. "They collect all of the storm water and feed it into our reservoir. We have a wonderful drainage system and are never short of water."

"It's so . . . so organised," said Matilda. "And so attractive."

They travelled out of the urban area and into rural country where llamas, sheep and cattle grazed. There were also grain and vegetable farms as well as orchards. The air smelt sweet. Matilda was amazed at how spacious the island was.

The northern corner of the country was dominated by an extinct volcano and they headed towards it. Crowded around the foot of the volcano were a series of stone buildings and people were moving busily around them.

"Well, here we are," said Ati as he pulled on the reins to bring the chariot to a standstill.

They climbed down and Ati walked over to a man standing beside a barrel heaped with diamonds. After a short conversation Ati signalled to Matilda to join them.

"This is Pacon," he explained. "He is in charge here and will take us down into the mine."

"I am honoured to meet you," said Pacon warmly as he shook Matilda's hand.

"Likewise," Matilda replied.

"Follow me," Pacon instructed as he walked towards an entrance in the side of the volcano. There were railway tracks running out of the entrance and donkeys were pulling carts full of raw diamonds along them to a collection point near one of the stone huts.

"That building is one where the diamonds are sorted for cutting and polishing," Pacon explained. "And now we are entering the main mine shaft. Hundreds of minor shafts lead off this one as we open up more diamond-bearing areas."

"Why is this place so rich in diamonds?" asked Matilda.

"We don't really know," said Pacon. "We believe it has something to do with the volcano being above a deep vein of ancient peat where the diamonds have formed and been thrown up to the surface by volcanic activity. But that's only a guess. All we are really sure of is that we have an endless supply of the jewels. Here, hop aboard this donkey cart."

They all climbed over the side of the cart and held on as the donkey proceeded down into the mine. The shaft was lit by oil lamps and Matilda could see that the mine was constructed with the same care and precision as the rest of the island's facilities. They were taken down one of the newer shafts and arrived at the mining area. Several men were attacking the front wall of the shaft with tools shaped like pickaxes. Another group of men was sorting the pile of stones and soil into diamond- bearing and non-bearing heaps. These were then shovelled into carts ready for the donkeys to pull to the surface.

"Will you ever run out of diamonds?" asked Matilda.

"I don't think so," replied Pacon.

"And now you can see why Ocelotl is so eager to capture all of this," added Ati. "We have such a store of these jewels that they have no real value for us except for their natural beauty. But to the outside world they are wealth beyond belief."

"Yes, I understand," murmured Matilda sadly.

They returned to the surface and Pacon took them to the building where the diamonds were cut and polished. Hundreds of men and women sat at tables, sorting, cutting and polishing diamonds on primitive machines that were foot-operated.

"It looks like hard work," Matilda commented.

"Yes," answered Pacon, "but each person is only required to work for one month a year and then another group moves in. Working for the month entitles each person to a share of the diamonds. There are many other buildings here for cutting and polishing."

"Aren't you afraid that people will steal the diamonds?" enquired Matilda.

Both Pacon and Ati laughed. "Why would people want to steal what they already own and have plenty of?" said Ati. "We have no need for security here. Trust is a big part of our culture here in the City of Diamonds."

Ati and Matilda thanked Pacon for the tour of the mine and climbed aboard their chariot for the return trip. They arrived back at the palace in time for lunch and Matilda and Zinzabad found fresh food and drink already laid out on the table in their room.

"Now this is what I call room service," said Zinzabad, picking up a juicy plum.

Matilda checked that the shoulder bag containing Maximilian's map was still under the pillow and had not been disturbed. She didn't want a repeat of the incident in Laboria where someone had found Maximilian's message and given it to the evil Wizard. Besides, she thought, as she replaced the bag, Pacon had said that trust was part of the Chuquan culture.

Chapter 13

An Invitation

Matilda and Zinzabad spent the rest of the day relaxing in their room and going out to stroll through the magnificent gardens that adjoined the back of the palace. They were set out like an oasis with palm trees, colourful flower beds, exotic shrubs and sandy beaches beside a lagoon. Fountains sprayed from the centre of the lagoon and dolphins splashed around in the deeper water.

"Let's go for a swim with the dolphins," Matilda suggested as she stripped down to her shorts and vest. Her Zeus medallion was placed carefully under her shirt on the ground.

"Do you think it's okay?" asked Zinzabad.

"Of course," said Matilda. "This place is just _made_ for swimming." And she dived into the water. Zinzabad remained on the shore.

As she approached the deeper waters, the dolphins swam up to Matilda and began leaping out of the water and over her. She laughed and dived down to watch them from below. A dolphin came up to her and nuzzled her with its nose. As she broke the surface another dolphin sidled up to her and stayed still while she reached over and grasped its dorsal fin. It took off quickly and gave Matilda a ride around the lagoon before turning on its side and tipping her off.

Matilda swam to the beach and looked up to see Itzli standing beside Zinzabad.

"I'm glad to see you enjoying yourself," he said with a smile.

"I hope it's all right to be swimming here," said Matilda sheepishly.

"Certainly," said Itzli warmly. "That's what the lagoon is for." And then an idea appeared to strike him. "Although, if you really enjoy swimming, you must go to see the Sapphire Waterfall just outside the city gates," he continued. "It isn't far to travel and I promise you that you will be amazed. I can take you there tomorrow morning if you wish."

Matilda considered the offer for a moment. Was this the same Itzli who had been so rude yesterday? He seemed so kind and gentle now.

Sensing that Matilda was debating the offer with herself, Itzli added, "I must apologise deeply for my behaviour on your arrival. I was a little out of sorts and over-reacted. I feel ashamed of my conduct and ask for your forgiveness although I will understand if you cannot find it in your heart to pardon me."

Unexpectedly Matilda found herself feeling sorry for him.

"Think nothing of it," she replied. "I accept your apology and would love to see the Sapphire Waterfall. When will we go?"

"Tomorrow morning after breakfast, if that would suit you," said Itzli. "I'll come to your room to pick you up."

"Very well," said Matilda. "And now that I know swimming here is permitted, I'll join the dolphins again. We'll see you tomorrow morning." She dived back into the lagoon and swam out to the deep water. Itzli waved from the shore, patted Zinzabad on the head and walked off.

When Matilda returned to the beach Zinzabad looked worried. "Do you really think it is wise to go out of the city with that man?" he asked.

"I don't see why not," answered Matilda. "We have plenty of time on our hands while we wait to see what Ocelotl is up to and I'd enjoy seeing some of the local sights."

"But do you remember what I overheard?" said Zinzabad. "He was told to make that apology by Erendira. Do you believe that he was genuine?"

"Yes, I do," stated Matilda. "I think that he wants to make up for his bad behaviour after Erendira spoke to him and that's the end of the matter. We are going to see the Sapphire Waterfall tomorrow." She paused. "But I'll take Maximilian's map with us just in case."

"I think that may be wise," replied Zinzabad with a worried frown.

When Itzli returned to his quarters he quickly wrote another note to Ocelotl and sent a second messenger pigeon on its way

Chapter 14

Hoodwinked

Itzli arrived promptly at their room after breakfast the next morning.

"All ready?" he enquired.

"And excited," said Matilda. She went to the bed and retrieved the shoulder bag containing the map. She placed a towel inside. "I imagine I'll need this," she explained.

"Yes, well let's be on our way," said Itzli and led them out of the palace to a chariot.

"We'll have to walk once we get outside the city gates," Itzli informed them. "A chariot is worthless on the narrow jungle trails. I hope that is satisfactory." He was being ultra-polite and Matilda was impressed.

"A walk will do us the world of good," she told him, "as long as we don't meet any more pythons."

"Oh, yes," said Itzli with a smile. "I heard about your unpleasant experience but rest assured that I can protect you just as well as Ati."

When they arrived at the city gates they hopped down from the chariot. A guard took the reins from Itzli and tied the llama up to a rail. He then walked a donkey over to the wheel and ran the ramp out to the shore. Itzli and Matilda, with Zinzabad on her shoulder, walked across the ramp and entered the jungle.

As Itzli had said, the Sapphire Waterfall wasn't far away. They followed a narrow path through the jungle and soon came out into a clearing. There before them was the most wonderful waterfall Matilda had ever seen. Water cascaded down from a high cliff, its base covered in a mist of fine spray. The pool at the bottom was a deep sapphire blue. The whole area was surrounded by bright green ferns and tall palm trees.

"It's unbelievable!" exclaimed Matilda. "You're sure it's safe to swim in there?"

"Yes," stated Itzli, "and you'll find that the water temperature is just right."

Matilda took off the shoulder bag and began to strip down to her costume. When Itzli's back was turned she again placed her Zeus medallion under her shirt.

"I'll go for a short walk while you have a swim," said Itzli. "While we're here I want to collect some of the special herbs from this part of the jungle." He disappeared back up the path.

"Here goes," shouted Matilda as she jumped into the pool. "Itzli was right," she yelled back to Zinzabad, " the water is beautiful."

With strong strokes she swam out to the waterfall and sat on a rock shelf, letting the water spill over her.

After several minutes she swam back to Zinzabad, pulled herself out of the water, took the towel out of the shoulder bag and began to wipe herself down. When she looked up she received the shock of her life. Standing there at the edge of the path was a tall warrior with a jaguar head as a helmet. Ocelotl had arrived - and he was surrounded by warriors equipped with spears and bows and arrows.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Matilda," said Ocelotl with a wicked grin. "I've been patiently waiting for this moment. By the way, how is my friend Maximilian?"

"He's no friend of yours," replied Matilda defiantly. "And neither am I."

"Bravely spoken," said Ocelotl, " but your bravery is sadly misplaced under the circumstances. Take her," he ordered his warriors.

"At least you can wait till I've dressed," said Matilda, picking up her shirt that lay beside the shoulder bag. The Zeus medallion was on the ground in full view.

"Now that looks interesting," said Ocelotl, stepping forward to pick it up. "What a beautiful necklace. I'm sure my daughter would love it."

"No!" protested Matilda. "It's only a trinket and has no value."

"Nevertheless my daughter will appreciate it," replied Ocelotl, looking at the medallion with admiration. He tucked it into his waist belt then signalled again to his warriors. "And take the monkey too."

Two of the warriors rushed forward and grabbed Matilda while two more headed for Zinzabad. They didn't expect what happened next. Zinzabad quickly picked up the shoulder bag containing the map and ducked past the guards. He leapt up onto Ocelotl's head, jumped onto a branch of the nearest tree and raced towards the jungle canopy. By the time Ocelotl was over the shock Zinzabad was swinging through the treetops with the shoulder bag over his arm.

"Shoot it down!" screamed Ocelotl.

His archers quickly fitted arrows onto their bowstrings and fired up at the monkey. A volley of arrows tore through the trees, narrowly missing Zinzabad who was dodging and weaving his way through the branches. Before the archers could fire another set of arrows the monkey had disappeared.

"Fools!" Ocelotl shouted at the archers. "You shall all pay for this. Now see if you can get this girl back to camp without losing her." His bowmen cowered before him as he turned and stomped off down the jungle track.

Itzli was nowhere to be seen.

Chapter 15

Prisoner

Matilda was escorted to a clearing where horses were waiting. She was lifted onto the back of a horse, behind Ocelotl, and the group began the four-hour journey back to camp. When they arrived, the first thing Ocelotl did as he strode towards his tent was shout fiercely to the guards, "Take all of these miserable archers and give them ten lashes for their incompetence."

Matilda was taken to a large tent and tied to its centre pole. The ropes bit into her wrists and she felt alone and defeated, particularly since she had lost the Zeus medallion. How stupid she had been to allow Ocelotl to see it. Now she and Zinzabad were all but defenceless. She felt that she had failed Maximilian completely. And now, even if she summoned the Story Mat to take her home, she wouldn't be able to use it. She was in deep trouble.

Suddenly the entrance flap was pushed to one side and a young girl walked over to where Matilda was tied.

"Hello," she said in a soft voice. "My name is Tiacotl. I am the eldest daughter of Ocelotl."

The first thing that Matilda noticed was how pretty the girl was, and then she saw the Zeus medallion around her neck.

"Hi," Matilda muttered, with a fixed stare on the medallion.

Tiacotl nervously touched the medallion, then said, "I believe this was yours. I think it is very beautiful and I will take good care of it."

"Hm-m-m," was the only reply Matilda could manage.

"I am sorry to see you tied up like that," said Tiacotl, " but my father has told me that you wish to do us harm."

"That's not completely true . . ." began Matilda as the entrance flap flew to one side and Ocelotl entered the room.

"You shouldn't be here," he said to Tiacotl. Matilda was surprised to hear how gentle his voice was when he spoke to his daughter. It wasn't the same fearsome warrior that she had just heard order a whipping for his archers? "Please leave now," he continued.

"Yes, father," said Tiacotl, meekly bowing her head as she left the tent.

Ocelotl watched her leave then turned to Matilda. "I require some information from you. You can give it now of your own free will or face the consequences. It is your choice."

"I have nothing to say to you," replied Matilda, staring defiantly at Ocelotl.

"Very well," said The Jaguar, "I thought that might be your answer. Now you will be forced to tell us what we need to know." He turned his back and walked out of the tent.

A few moments later two warriors came in and released Matilda from the centre pole but kept her hands tied. They took her out of the tent, through the camp and into a clearing nearby. Ocelotl stood beside a pit that had a triangular frame of poles constructed above it.

Ocelotl signalled to the guards to bring Matilda to the edge of the pit. When she looked down she saw that the bottom of the pit was covered in writhing snakes. There must have been over fifty of them, tumbling over each other and hissing horribly. The guards took a rope from the centre of the triangular frame and tied it Matilda's wrists.

"This is your last chance," bellowed Ocelotl. "You either tell us what we wish to know or we send you down with the snakes. What is your answer now?"

Matilda looked down at the squirming mass below. She was terrified of snakes but she couldn't bring herself to betray Maximilian.

"I don't understand what you want to know," she said, playing for time.

"What Maximilian's plans are to save the City of Diamonds?" shouted Ocelotl.

"I don't know anything," insisted Matilda. "I was only sent here to find out what was going on and to report back to Maximilian."

"You lie!" screamed Ocelotl and then shouted to his guards, "Lower her down."

The guards pushed Matilda over the pit so that she was hanging in the middle of the triangular poles. They eased the rope they were holding and Matilda dropped slowly down into the pit. She felt the strain on her shoulders as she was lowered and gripped the rope with her hands to ease the pain.

When she was several feet from the bottom the rope stopped descending.

"Now, for the last time," Ocelotl called down to her, "will you tell us what you know of Maximilian's plans?"

"I've told you," replied Matilda, beginning to sob, "I don't know anything."

The rope was lowered again until Matilda was swinging just above the snakes. The ugly reptiles reached up towards her, lunging, hissing and showing their awful fangs.

"I don't know anything," Matilda pleaded again. "I'd tell you if I knew. Please . . . lift me out of here."

She continued to swing dangerously near the deadly vipers for several minutes. At last the rope was lifted and she came back to the surface. The guards moved her over to the edge and lifted her onto safe ground. She collapsed and began to sob uncontrollably. Ocelotl stood over her.

"It seems that you speak the truth," he said. "Nobody could withstand the snake pit and not break their silence. Take her back to the tent. We will keep her as a hostage in case Maximilian chooses to interfere in person."

The guards lifted her up and carried her to the camp. She was once again tied to the centre pole in the tent. What nobody was aware of was that Zinzabad had watched the whole thing from the cover of the trees outside the camp. He had followed the warrior party all the way through the treetops and had been shaken by what he had witnessed. He was determined to save Matilda.

Someone else had seen the result of Matilda's torture. Tiacotl was near the tent when the guards carried Matilda back and had been horrified to see the state she was in. She hurried back to her own tent with tears in her eyes.

Chapter 16

Itzli Reports

After he left Matilda and Zinzabad at the Sapphire Waterfall, Itzli had hurried back to the City of Diamonds, passing Ocelotl and his warriors on the way. They had exchanged brief words but Itzli did not want to remain in Ocelotl's company for very long. In truth The Jaguar terrified him.

When he arrived back at the City of Diamonds he went directly to the palace to find Acalan. The leader was in the throne room listening to a report from his Treasurer. Itzli rushed into the room pretending panic.

"What's the meaning of this?" Acalan exploded. "You must stop barging in like this Itzli!"

"It's Matilda," he gasped. "She's gone missing."

"What? Missing?" said Acalan. "Where did she go?"

Itzli told the story of their trip to the Sapphire Waterfall.

"She asked me to take her there," he lied. "She said that she had heard about it from one of the guards. So I took her and that monkey there this morning. I left them at the waterfall and went looking for herbs, and when I returned they were gone. I looked everywhere but they had completely disappeared."

"This is a disaster," said Acalan. "What will Maximilian say when he hears about it? And what will happen with Ocelotl now? Our only hope of avoiding a one-sided war has gone. Oh dear, it couldn't be any worse." He waved the Treasurer away.

Itzli was secretly enjoying Acalan's discomfort but he kept up the charade. "I would have risked my own life to protect her," he moaned, " but I didn't have a chance. Do you think she might have been taken by a wild animal?"

"I have no idea," mumbled Acalan, the worry showing on his face. "Gather the guards and send them out into the jungle to search for her. They are to stay out there until they find some clue to her whereabouts."

"Yes, that's a good idea," agreed Itzli. "I'll do it right away."

He rushed out of the room but when he reached the entry chamber he slowed down, rested against a wall and began to giggle. At last something was going his way. After Ocelotl took over the city he had promised that Itzli would be installed as leader. And then he would give Acalan what he deserved. When he had settled down he ambled towards the guards' quarters.

Meanwhile Acalan hurried to the twins' chamber. Tayanna was sitting by a window reading a book and looked up, surprised, when Acalan came in. She could see from his face that something was seriously wrong.

"What's the matter, brother?" she said. "You look terrible."

Acalan ignored her question. "Where is your sister?"

"Out in the palace gardens," said Tayanna. "Why?"

"I have some terrible news for both of you," Acalan stated. "You can relate it to her when she returns."

Acalan proceeded to tell her what had occurred. Tayanna was shocked.

"But how could this happen?" she said. "They should never have left the city."

"It's that cousin of ours again. The fool was talked into taking them to the waterfall. Oh, I don't suppose we can blame him completely. It was apparently Matilda's idea."

"Hm-m-m," muttered Tayanna. "I suppose so. What are you going to do?"

"Itzli is calling out the guards at this very moment. I've ordered that they remain searching until they find something. In the meantime we just have to wait. Oh dear," he wailed again, "why did this have to happen now?"

Tayanna stood up and walked over to hug him. "Try not to worry too much. I'll let Erendira know about this immediately."

Chapter 17

Zinzabad To The Rescue

Matilda was exhausted. She didn't even have the energy to eat the food that a guard had brought into the tent. It didn't take long before her head dropped and she fell into a deep sleep. She was awoken by somebody tapping her on the shoulder. Through bleary eyes she saw Tiacotl standing over her.

"Wh - what are you doing here?" Matilda mumbled.

"I saw them bring you back after the torture with the snake pit," replied Tiacotl. "I was ashamed of what my father had done to you and I was worried about you. Are you all right?"

"Yes, I think so," said Matilda, "although I would never want to go through that again. But what about you? Didn't your father ban you from seeing me?"

"Yes," answered Tiacotl, "but that was before this terrible thing happened. I have always obeyed my father but, here, I believe he is wrong. He has behaved strangely ever since my mother died when I was a little girl. His anger has no bounds. I cannot support him any more so I wish to return your necklace as a sign of my sorrow for what has happened." She took the Zeus medallion from around her neck.

"Thank you," she said gently. "You have no idea what this means to me. It was given to me by a very special person and I treasure it dearly."

"Then I am pleased," said Tiacotl. "Perhaps, in some small measure, it will make up for what you have been through. Please make sure it is hidden from my father as he would be extremely angry if he knew what I had done."

"Put it in my pocket and I promise I will keep it hidden from him. I can't thank you enough," said Matilda. Tiacotl reached down and placed the medallion in the pocket of Matilda's shorts.

"Now I must go before I am seen," said Tiacotl. She quickly moved to the entrance, lifted the flap and disappeared.

Matilda was ecstatic. Even though she was still imprisoned she now had a weapon with which to fight back. She remembered Maximilian's warning about not using the medallion's power too often but this _was_ a situation of life and death. She was about to call on Zeus for help when she received another surprise. The bottom of the tent towards the back was raised and Zinzabad crept inside.

"Zinzabad!" she cried. "How did you get here?"

"Sh!" whispered the monkey. "I'll explain everything later. Right now we have to get you out of here."

He moved over to Matilda and untied her bonds. He saw the food that the guard had given her and piled the bread, cheese and water flask into Matilda's bag that he had over his shoulder.

Signalling her to follow him, he went over to where he had come in, lifted the bottom of the tent and watched as Matilda slid out to freedom. Zinzabad followed behind.

Once they were outside they hurried to the cover of the surrounding jungle. Zinzabad took off the shoulder bag and handed it to Matilda.

"Here, you had better take this now," he said. "It's a bit awkward for me to carry and the map and food will be important to us if Ocelotl does what I think he will."

"So that's why you grabbed the bag before you escaped at the waterfall," said Matilda. "You are amazing."

"That's yet to be seen," Zinzabad replied modestly.

"And I have my Zeus medallion," she said excitedly as she reached into her shorts' pocket and brought it out to show him.

"Don't you think it might be time to take Maximilian's advice and summon the Story Mat to get us out of here?" suggested Zinzabad.

"I thought of that, and I even thought of using the medallion after I got it back," said Matilda, " but I couldn't possibly leave the Chuquan people to this monster and, on second thoughts, I decided to save the medallion until it's really needed. I keep thinking of Maximilian's warning about using up its power."

"Well, you're going to have to call on Zeus soon the way things are going. Did you notice the size of his army? The poor Chuquans won't stand a chance," said Zinzabad and then proceeded to tell her how he had arrived at Ocelotl's camp.

His story was interrupted by the shout of a warrior from the camp. Obviously someone had gone into the tent and discovered that Matilda was missing. Trouble was on its way.

Chapter 18

Dodging Ocelotl

Matilda and Zinzabad moved farther into the jungle and hid amongst a cluster of large ferns. Zinzabad brushed away their tracks as they went. They could hear Ocelotl screaming out orders to his warriors. He sounded extremely angry. Zinzabad climbed a vine to the top of a tree to observe the activity. He saw warriors gathering in the centre of the camp. Ocelotl stood in front of them, venting his anger and issuing orders.

"This should never have happened and somebody will pay for it," he shouted. "We look like fools. How could a small girl escape while being guarded? She _must_ be recaptured. A bag of diamonds to the warrior who finds her. Now GO! Find her tracks and follow them. Do not fail me."

Ocelotl's final words sent a chill through his warriors. They knew what awaited them if they didn't find the little girl. They trotted over to the trail leading to the City of Diamonds and formed a long line moving forward. Some used their spears to poke at every bush that might provide a hiding place while others looked up into the treetops. The line moved steadily along the track.

Zinzabad dropped down from his perch. "It's just as I thought." he said. "Ocelotl thinks that we will head straight for the City of Diamonds and will follow the trail we know. What he doesn't realise is that we have Maximilian's map. We can use it to find an alternative way back . . . I hope."

The sun was beginning to disappear and the canopy was becoming dark.

"We won't be able to read the map without light so we should get ourselves as far away as we can before it becomes too dark to move safely," Zinzabad suggested. "We'll head in the opposite direction to the warriors and reassess our position tomorrow morning. Okay?"

"You're the boss," replied Matilda, looking very tired.

"Come on then, we better get started." Zinzabad helped her to her feet.

"Before we go I think I'll need to give my courage a bit of a boost," stated Matilda, taking the Zeus medallion out of her pocket and putting it around her neck. "Zeus told me to give it a rub if I needed extra courage, so here goes."

She gently rubbed the medallion and felt a surge throughout her body. She was still very tired

but was more determined than ever to defeat Ocelotl.

They moved through the underbrush as quickly as they could until they were well away from Ocelotl's camp and the jungle began to disappear in the dark. They stopped in a small clearing.

"We'd better have something to eat," stated Zinzabad. "We need to keep up our strength for tomorrow. Then I'll see about finding a place to sleep."

He took the shoulder bag off Matilda and handed her the cheese, bread and water. Matilda was so tired that the last thing she felt she needed was food but Zinzabad insisted. After they had eaten, Zinzabad found a suitable tree, collected some branches and ferns, and made a rough bed off the ground.

"This will be a bit uncomfortable," he explained, "but it will give us some protection from wild animals. You try to get some sleep while I keep guard."

"Thanks," mumbled Matilda. "I can hardly keep my eyes open."

She slept fitfully not only because she was less than comfortable but also because she could hear the night-sounds of the jungle animals as they roamed in search of prey. She could see Zinzabad sitting quietly beside her, keeping watch. Morning seemed a long time coming but soft rays of light finally pierced the canopy. She sat up, stretched and yawned. The short naps that she had managed during the night seemed to have refreshed her and she reached across to take Zinzabad's hand.

"Thank you, my friend," she said softly. "I don't think I could have lasted much longer."

"I understand," replied the monkey. "You have been through a great deal. Now let's have breakfast then find out where we are and plan our path to the City of Diamonds."

They ate some more bread and cheese in silence. As she washed the meal down with water, Matilda thought that she had never tasted better food. She realised how hungry she had been even though weariness had driven any thought of food out of her mind. When they had finished eating, she took the map out of her shoulder bag and handed it to Zinzabad. He spread it out on the makeshift bed.

"I'll just have to go up to the top and find some feature that will tell us where we are. Then we can plan our trip."

He climbed up the trunk of the tree, used a vine to cross to a taller tree and swiftly moved to the top of the canopy. His agility was amazing. After a few minutes he returned to Matilda.

"There is a volcano puffing smoke about ten kilometres to the north," he reported. "Can you see it on our map?"

Matilda had no trouble spotting the volcano. It was marked with a small icon labelled 'Catchua Volcano (Active)'.

"There it is!" she said as she pointed it out to Zinzabad.

"So we're about here," said Zinzabad indicating a spot on the map. "There isn't much more jungle to go through before we get out onto a plain that will make travelling easier. From there, let me see . . . it's about forty kilometres to the city."

"We can do it," said Matilda excitedly and feeling a rush of courage. "Come on, let's get going." The Zeus medallion was weaving its magic.

They climbed down from their resting place and began the long journey to safety.

Chapter 19

A Change of Plan

Ocelotl was furious. His warriors had followed the trail almost back to the Sapphire Waterfall and had found no sign of the escapee. Having been forced to camp during the night without any supplies they had resumed the search the following morning. They were exhausted and fearful when they returned empty-handed.

"Fools!" he shouted as his rag-tag warriors stood in the middle of the camp. "Outwitted by a small girl. I'm ashamed of you. This will mean a change in my plan to conquer the Chuquans. Get out of my sight and prepare yourselves for battle."

The tired troops shuffled off towards their tents, grateful that their leader hadn't singled out anyone to blame. Ocelotl stormed into his tent where his four generals were waiting.

"This is a disaster," he proclaimed loudly. "Why am I surrounded by incompetents? The escape of that girl has complicated everything. The next thing we know, Maximilian will arrive when the girl tells him what has happened and that will be the end of everything I've spent months planning. Well don't just sit there, say something."

"How are you proposing to change your plan?" asked one of the generals timidly.

"I'm not _proposing_ , I'm _telling_ you," yelled Ocelotl. "We attack the city tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" the generals gasped in unison.

"But what about the full moon?" offered one of the braver generals. "Surely we must wait until the favourable time of the gods."

"Everything has changed with the escape of that girl," said Ocelotl. "We can't afford to wait and we don't need the luck of the gods. The Chuquans are weak and we are strong. The warriors have already been instructed to prepare for war. We move to the City of Diamonds in the morning. At the end of this meeting one of you will send a pigeon to Itzli with the news."

He moved to the table showing the battle plan and began discussing it with the generals who sensed bad luck in the air.

The gods of war should never be ignored.

Chapter 20

Return To The City Of Diamonds

When Matilda and Zinzabad emerged from the jungle they saw a vast plain laid out before them. They moved down a slope to the easier ground and, following the map, began the trek towards the City of Diamonds. It was late afternoon when they finally arrived at the gates to the city and had the watchman push the ramp out to them. A runner raced to the palace to announce their return so that Acalan, Ati and the twins were waiting for them on the steps. Itzli was nowhere to be seen.

Ati ran down the steps and lifted Matilda into the air. He was elated.

"We thought we'd lost you forever," he shouted with tears in his eyes. "Where have you been? What happened? How did you get here? Why . . . ?"

"Whoa!" laughed Matilda. "I'll tell you everything in good time. Right now it's just wonderful to be back. Put me down you big ape." She looked down at Zinzabad and said, "No offence my friend," then laughed again.

They trudged up the steps to be greeted by Acalan.

"Welcome home," he said with open arms. "Itzli told us that you had disappeared from the Sapphire Waterfall. You must let us know what happened. But first we must get food and drink for you. You look exhausted. Come." He led them into the palace.

As they walked towards the Throne Room, Tayanna approached Acalan and whispered in his ear. Acalan nodded his head and Tayanna moved away from the group. She walked hurriedly down another hallway.

"Tayanna has developed a nasty headache," Acalan explained, "and will join us later."

The group walked through the throne room to the sitting room where fresh fruit and drinks had been laid out. While they ate, Matilda explained what had happened. She didn't mention the fact that Zinzabad had rescued her. She simply said that she had managed to free herself from her bonds and had found Zinzabad outside the camp. The monkey's true talents had to be kept a secret.

"That sounds terrible," commented Acalan when Matilda had finished. "And it's a different story to the one Itzli told. I'll have him sent for immediately so we can sort this out."

He went to the door, signalled a guard and gave him instructions to immediately bring Itzli to the sitting room, under guard if necessary.

"It's amazing that you survived," said Ati. "But how will we stop Ocelotl? What happened to you shows just how ruthless he is. We'll be slaughtered."

"Not necessarily," said Matilda with a smile on her face. She decided to spring one of the surprises and lifted the Zeus medallion from under her shirt. "I have an unpleasant shock for him."

"What _is_ that?" asked Erendira.

"Our secret weapon," announced Matilda.

"How does it work?" Erendira was suddenly very curious.

"All in good time," said Matilda teasingly. "At present it is enough to know that this medallion can work wonders and we are not powerless."

"Can I have a closer look?" asked Erendira.

"I'm afraid not," replied Matilda, putting the medallion back under her shirt. "It is far too valuable."

At that moment a guard rushed into the room and bowed before Acalan.

"Master, your cousin isn't in his quarters. The guards are still searching the palace but so far he hasn't been found anywhere."

"He must be found," Aclan demanded, his face turning red with rage. "Keep searching until you discover his whereabouts and drag him back here."

The guard hurried out, passing Tayanna on the way.

"You're feeling better already?" asked Acalan.

"Yes," she replied. "I went to the apothecary and they gave me a powder that seems to have worked wonderfully."

"I'm pleased," said Acalan. "While you were away Matilda has told us an extremely interesting story which doesn't put Itzli in a very good light. I've just sent for him."

"Oh," said Tayanna. "I'm sorry to hear that. But I'm happy that Matilda has returned safely."

She sat down beside her sister.

Chapter 21

Tayanna Exposed?

The search for Itzli by the guards proved to be fruitless and it seemed that he had simply disappeared. Matilda excused herself and she and Zinzabad returned to their room.

"How did he know that we had come back safely and his lies would be revealed?" asked Matilda.

"Somebody informed him," replied Zinzabad. "It seems that we have another enemy in the palace. Or perhaps it was one of the guards."

"I don't think it could have been a guard," stated Matilda. "I believe it was someone close to us when we arrived."

"But everybody went with us to Acalan's sitting room," stated Zinzabad.

Then it struck them. "Except for Tayanna!" they exclaimed in unison.

"She complained of a headache and went to the apothecary," said Matilda.

"We can easily check that out," offered Zinzabad. "Let's go there and ask."

So, holding Zinzabad's hand, Matilda went out to the entrance hall and asked a guard for directions to the apothecary. They travelled down a hallway until they reached a door with a pestle and mortar sign above it.

When they entered the room they were surprised to see a well-equipped chemist's laboratory with a vast array of specimen bottles and sample jars on shelves along all sides. In the centre of the room there was a table with weighing scales, beakers and instruments. A young lady in a typical rainbow dress and diamond skull cap was busy grinding some ingredients in a mortar. She stopped work when Matilda and Zinzabad entered.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Yes," said Matilda. "I believe you recently gave Tayanna something to ease her headache and she requires some more. She asked us to take it to her."

"Oh, you must be mistaken," replied the young lady. "I have been here all day and I have not been requested by anybody to prepare a headache powder. I can make some up for her now if you wish."

"No, that won't be necessary," stated Matilda. "As you said, we must have made a mistake. We obviously misunderstood Tayanna. We'll just go back and check with her. Thank you."

When they were outside the room Matilda gave Zinzabad a high five.

"Well now we know who warned Itzli. The question is why?" she said with a worried frown. "I suppose we should tell Acalan about Tayanna immediately."

"I don't think that would be wise," advised Zinzabad. "We have no real proof that she warned Itzli. She will just deny it and that will only start an argument that takes attention away from the important question: Where is Itzli now?"

Chapter 22

Itzli's Hideaway

As soon as Tayanna had told him that Matilda and her monkey had arrived back safely, Itzli knew he was in serious trouble. Once the girl had told Acalan her side of the story it would become obvious that he had lied and, because he had lied, then he must have had something to do with Matilda's kidnapping, which meant that he had been in contact with Ocelotl. Oh, dear. He would have to vanish quickly – but where?

He realised that he couldn't simply walk out of the palace. He would be seen and captured before he got past the city gates. That left only one option; the secret room. He would hide there until night when he could escape under the shadow of darkness and reach the relative safety of Ocelotl's camp. Oh dear, again. How would The Jaguar react when he heard about the return of that pest of a girl? With a worried shake of his head he went over to the bookcase, opened the hidden room and settled down with the pigeons for the short wait until nightfall. As he sat there he heard guards enter his room then hurry out again when they found nothing. He smiled to himself.

Chapter 23

Questions, Questions

Why had Tayanna warned Itzli that they had returned safely?

Was Itzli a traitor?

If so, was Tayanna a partner in Itzli's treason?

Why was Erendira so curious about the Zeus medallion?

Was Erendira also involved in treason?

And where was Itzli now?

These were the questions buzzing around in Matilda's head as she and Zinzabad sat in their room just on nightfall.

"The secret room!" shouted Zinzabad.

"What?" asked Matilda, coming out of her daydream.

"The hidden room in Itzli's quarters," said Zinzabad. "I'll bet that's where he's hiding. No wonder he couldn't be found."

"Of course," agreed Matilda. "It's the perfect place to hide. Let's go and take a look."

They raced out of the room and hurried along the corridors to Itzli's room. The door wasn't locked so they went straight in. There was the hidden room - open. Zinzabad peeked inside.

"Homing Pigeons!" he exclaimed. "So that's how he contacted Ocelotl."

"We've found our traitor," said Matilda. "But where is he now?"

"Long gone, I'd say," commented Zinzabad. "I think he waited until nightfall to escape and there's only one place he'd feel safe."

"With Ocelotl," stated Matilda.

"Yes," said Zinzabad, "and he's out of our reach now. We'd better report this to Acalan."

They found Acalan in the sitting room and Matilda told him what they had found. They didn't mention their suspicions of Tayanna and Erendira. They needed real proof before they could accuse either or both of the twins who were so trusted by Acalan.

"I can't believe it," said Acalan sadly when they had finished. "Itzli a traitor? My own cousin a spy for Ocelotl? Why? I mean, I know he was headstrong but _treason_?"

"We can't catch him now," stated Matilda. "We'll just have to wait and see what Ocelotl's next move is."

Chapter 24

Ocelotl Is Unhappy - Again

After struggling through the jungle in darkness, Itzli finally arrived at Ocelotl's camp near midnight. He had escaped from the city by simply walking to the gate and asking the watchman to run out the ramp. Because of his position in the palace, no questions were asked. However, he hadn't realised how far it was to Ocelotl's camp and the dangers and difficulties of walking through the jungle at night. He had been terrified of the sounds he heard and was utterly exhausted when he reached his destination. He was relieved to see the hundreds of flaming torches that lit the camp at night.

When challenged by a guard he identified himself and was escorted to Ocelotl's tent. The Jaguar was busy preparing for the attack on the City of Diamonds in the morning.

"What are you doing here?" he shouted when Itzli entered the tent. "You're supposed to be back in the city so you can relay messages when we are ready to attack."

"I'm so sorry, master," cowered Itzli, almost kneeling, "but everything seems to have gone wrong and I had to escape or be imprisoned by Acalan."

"How did they discover that you were working for me?" asked Ocelotl.

Itzli told him about the return of Matilda and her monkey and how Tayanna had informed him before he was arrested.

"You fool!" screamed Ocelotl. "Why didn't you bluff it out? It was just your word against the word of that pest of a girl. You knew the attack was beginning today. You would have been freed again by tomorrow evening. Why am I surrounded by idiots? Acalan will realise that we know everything about the city's defences and will be able to prepare. Now it will take longer to achieve victory. Get out of my sight. We leave for the city in two hours. Be ready."

Itzli bowed low and backed out of the tent. He was shaking all over as he left.

Chapter 25

The Game Begins

Hearing a knock on the door, Matilda awoke, stretched, yawned, threw aside the sheet and hopped out of bed. A servant had arrived with their breakfast tray. After thanking the servant, Matilda put the tray on a low table and went over to the lounge where Zinzabad was still sleeping.

"Come on sleepy head," she laughed as she shook his shoulder. "Time to get up. Breakfast awaits you."

Zinzabad rolled over and slipped off the lounge.

"Good morning," he said politely. "And what are we going to do today?"

"Sit and wait," replied Matilda. "We can't do anything until we know what Ocelotl is up to."

They didn't have to wait long. There was a loud banging on the door. Matilda hurried across the room to open it. A guard stood there, looking flustered.

"P-p-lease, Miss," he stammered from exhaustion, " you must hurry to the front steps of the palace. Our master awaits you there. Oh, it is so terrible."

"What is terrible?" asked a stunned Matilda.

"Ocelotl is here," replied the guard. "Go to the steps of the palace and see for yourself."

Matilda closed the door and quickly changed out of her pyjamas. Then she and Zinzabad raced towards the front of the palace.

Acalan and Ati were standing at the top of the steps, gazing across the city wall to the plain outside. Erendira and Tayanna stood beside them. When Matilda looked she saw Ocelotl's vast army moving into position in front of the city. She lifted Zinzabad onto her shoulder for a better view.

"Ocelotl has arrived," observed Acalan gloomily. "He has chosen to defy the gods of war and that is the only thing we have going for us."

"You're forgetting what I told you earlier," said Matilda. "You have more going for you than you think."

At that moment their conversation was interrupted by a loud blast from a bugle.

They looked out to see a rider moving away from the troops towards the city. He was holding a white flag aloft on a spear.

Chapter 26

Ocelotl's Surprise

Acalan immediately called for chariots to carry them all to the city gates. They arrived in time to see Ocelotl's messenger gallop to the edge of the moat.

He read from a scroll.

"Our great leader, Ocelotl The Jaguar, sends his greetings and requests a meeting with Acalan, leader of the Chuquans, outside the city gates, in the hope of avoiding a wasteful war."

Acalan looked at Matilda who nodded.

"Very well," he answered, "we shall await Ocelotl's arrival."

With that the messenger wheeled his horse and returned to his leader. Acalan had the ramp put out over the moat.

Shortly afterwards the messenger returned, still carrying the white flag. Behind him came two riders. As they moved closer, Matilda saw that the riders were Ocelotl and, surprise, surprise - Itzli. The strange thing was that Ocelotl was riding a magnificent black stallion while Itzli rode a little donkey. He looked ridiculous and certainly felt that way from the expression on his face. The trio dismounted and walked across the ramp, the messenger leading the way with his spear and white flag.

"Hail, Acalan," said Ocelotl, raising his hand in greeting.

"Hail," repeated Acalan. "You have arrived early, Jaguar. I find it very strange that you would disregard the gods of war."

"A change in plans was required," replied Ocelotl, looking directly at Matilda and

Zinzabad, "due to some unexpected interference."

"Yes, we have been told about that," said Acalan, "and I see that you have our traitor with you."

"We'll come to that later," stated Ocelotl. "For now we have to put an end to our problem without anybody being hurt. You've seen my army on the plain and we know that you have only meagre defences so might I suggest that we dispense with a battle and that you surrender immediately."

Acalan turned to Matilda and they talked in whispers for several seconds.

"I don't think . . ." began Acalan, but was interrupted.

"I'll even give you back your traitor," laughed Ocelotl, grabbing Itzli by the scruff of the neck and throwing him towards Acalan.

"No!" screamed Itzli as he landed on the ground. "We had a deal. You said I could be the Chuquan leader if I helped you. You _used_ me!"

Ocelotl roared with laughter.

"Fool!" he shouted. "You could never have led the Chuquans. You are too weak and untrustworthy. Why do you think I disrespected you by having you ride a donkey?"

Acalan signalled to his guards and two of them ran forward to grab Itzli. They dragged him, howling, back through the city gates.

"It seems that your deals can be changed when it suits you," observed Acalan, "so I think we'll reject your offer."

"You should not be so hasty," advised Ocelotl. "The bloodshed will be on your head and you will no longer be the leader of the Chuquans by tomorrow. I will install my own chief."

"And who might that be?" enquired Acalan.

"Come," said Ocelotl signalling with his hand, and Erendira ran to his side. "Here is the next great leader of the City of Diamonds and the Chuquan people."

"ERENDIRA!" screamed Acalan. "You too? What have I done to deserve this?"

Erendira ignored Acalan. "That girl," she informed Ocelot, pointing at Matilda. "She has some sort of magic medallion that she says can stop us."

"Medallion?" said a surprised Ocelotl. "But I thought . . . I took it from her and gave it to Tiacotl as a gift. How did she get it back?"

"Perhaps you have your own traitor," suggested Erendira with a wicked look. She had never liked Ocelotl's daughter and saw her as a rival for his affections.

"No mind," stated Ocelotl. He could not believe that Tiacotl would be disloyal. "It is only a trinket and the girl is bluffing. It has no special powers."

Erendira raced forward. "Let's make sure," she shouted, grabbing Matilda around the neck and breaking the necklace that held the medallion. Everybody was too shocked by the suddenness of Erendira's move to react. Matilda fell to the ground as Erendira ran back to Ocelotol, holding the medallion aloft.

Ocelotl mounted his horse and leant down to lift Erendira up behind him. He looked back at Acalan and his party. Matilda still lay on the ground, stunned.

"You have until tomorrow morning," he said to Acalan. "If a white flag is not flying from the walls by sunrise we will attack and you and your people will pay a heavy price for your stupidity." He turned his horse and galloped off.

Ati helped Matilda to her feet. She was still groggy from the attack but managed to say to Acalan, "Without the medallion all is lost. I'm so sorry."

Chapter 27

Tiacotl

When Ocelotl and Erendira returned to camp they hurried to Tiacotl's tent. They found her lying on a couch listening to a musician playing a clay flute.

"Out!" Ocelot ordered the musician who quickly scurried out of the tent. The Jaguar then turned to Tiacotl. "How did this get back into the hands of that girl?" he asked with a scowl, holding up the Zeus medallion.

Tiacotl couldn't lie. "I gave it to her," she answered.

"Why?" Ocelotl was shocked, but worse was to come.

"Because of the cruel way you treated her," replied TiaCotl, with tears in her eyes. "I love you so much but I can't stand the way you have changed since mother died. You would never have behaved this way if she was still alive."

The truth of her words wounded Ocelotl deeply and even Erendira cringed when he screamed, "You have no right to speak to me like that. I have loved you and cared for you and this is the way you repay me? You are an ungrateful child, a traitor to your father . . . and you will be treated as such. Guards!"

Two guards rushed into the tent.

"Tie her up and make sure she doesn't leave this tent until I've decided what to do with her."

Erendira smiled to herself. Ocelotl would now be hers alone. She reached out and took the medallion from his hand as they left the tent.

Chapter 28

A Solution Is Offered

Acalan was shattered as they made their way back to the palace. Matilda had explained the power of the Zeus medallion to him. It was clear that any chance of outwitting Ocelotl and preventing war had disappeared with the medallion and the only course that appeared open to him in order to avoid bloodshed was to surrender.

"I will let the people know of my decision this evening and tomorrow I will fly the white flag," he stated when they were in his sitting room.

Zinzabad was sitting on the arm of the chair beside Matilda and he leaned over to whisper in her ear while nobody was watching.

"Don't do anything just yet," Matilda stated. "We may be able to turn the tables on Ocelotl even now."

"How?" asked Ati. "You said yourself that without your medallion we are helpless against the Manyan army."

"There may just be a way," said Matilda. "Please be patient."

She stood, picked up Zinzabad and left the room. Everybody followed her exit with mouths open in surprise.

Chapter 29

Zinzabad To The Rescue – Again

"Are you sure you can do this?" Matilda asked Zanzibad when they had reached the privacy of their room.

"Of course," said Zinzabad. "A piece of cake."

"And you're certain you want to go alone?" said Matilda with a frown.

"It's the only way," Zinzabad assured her. "I can move much faster and quieter on my own. I'm sorry to say it but you'd only slow me down."

"Very well," Matilda agreed. "You'll travel to Ocelot's camp, get the medallion back and check on Tiacotl to see that she's safe. Is that right?"

Zinzabad nodded.

"Some piece of cake!" Matilda added with a wry smile. "I wish I could help you but I understand what you mean. Just be careful. I'll worry until you get back safely." She leaned forward and gave Zinzabad a peck on the cheek.

When night fell Matilda accompanied Zinzabad to the city gates. She instructed the watchman to run out the ramp and gave the little monkey a hug before he set off into the darkness. Her heart was heavy as she returned to the palace. Could Zinzabad possibly succeed?

Chapter 30

Freeing Tiacotl

Ocelotl's camp finally came into sight. Hundreds of torches blazed amongst the tents and Zinzabad could hear the laughing and shouting of the troops. He kept to the outer edge of the camp and watched from the shadows to find out where Erendira and Tiacotl were. His patience finally paid off as he saw Erendira come out of a tent and head towards the biggest tent in the camp that had to belong to Ocelotl. He also watched a guard taking a food tray to the tent next to Erendira's. He would take the odds that it was Tiacotl's tent. The unfortunate fact was that several guards stood at its entrance.

Zinzabad crept around the edge of the camp until he was behind Erendira's tent. He quietly moved forward, keeping to the shadows, until he could lift the bottom of the tent and squeeze underneath. Once he was inside the tent he began a search of the most likely places that Erendira would keep the Zeus medallion, that is if she had possession of the medallion, or if she hadn't taken it with her when she left the tent, or if it was locked away somewhere else . . . if, if, if.

The tent was furnished beautifully, fit for a queen, There were magnificent carpets to cover the earthen floor, silken divans, plump, multi-coloured pillows and copper torches on poles. The thing that caught Zinzabad's eye, however, was the elegant dresser with its mirror, set against the wall of the tent. On its surface he saw tortoise-shell combs and brushes, make-up and jars of various creams – as well as a golden jewellery box!

He scampered across to the dresser and picked up the jewellery box. When he tried to open it he found that it was locked. He quickly searched through the dresser drawer until he found a hairpin. Twisting it around in the box's keyhole he finally prised it open - and there it was, the Zeus medallion, glowing in the torchlight. He had just taken it out of the box when he looked up into the mirror and saw Erendira entering the tent.

At first she didn't notice the monkey in front of her dresser but, as she threw her scarf onto a divan, she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye.

"What the . . . ," she mumbled then shouted, "Guards!"

Zinzabad responded quickly. Holding the medallion tightly, he raced to the back of the tent just as the guards rushed in, and swiftly disappeared under the flap. Fortunately the guards had been called to the front of the tent so, once he was outside, he headed straight for Tiacotl's tent and crawled inside. What he saw there upset him greatly. Tiacotl was tied by the wrists to the tent's centre pole the same way that Matilda had been bound.

Zinzabad could hear the guards rushing around outside. He didn't think that this was the time to let Tiacotl know that he could speak so he simply held his finger up to his lips to ask her to be quiet. He hid behind a curtain in the nick of time. A guard ran into the tent, looked at Tiacotl and asked her if a monkey had come into her tent. When she shook her head, the guard left and Zinzabad crept out from hiding.

Silently, the monkey untied Tiacotl's wrists, signalled for her to follow him and left the way he had come. They crept back into the shadows at the edge of the camp and watched the commotion and confusion as everybody raced around looking for the intruder. Tiacotl tapped Zinzabad on the shoulder and pointed to farther away from the camp. As she melted into the darkness Zinzabad followed.

They arrived at the corral where the horses were kept. A lonely guard stood by the rope fence at the entrance. While Zinzabad remained under cover Tiacotl approached the guard, hoping against hope that he was unaware that she had been taken prisoner by her father.

"I have a message from the commander for you," she said in a firm voice even though she was quivering inside.When the guard replied she let out a sigh of relief.

"What message, my lady?" he said.

Obviously the guard of the corral was not kept informed of happenings in the camp.

"There is an intruder in the camp. You are to go to the commander's tent for further instructions," Tiacotl told him.

"Yes, ma'am," answered the guard and he ran off towards the camp.

When he had vanished into the night, Zinzabad joined Tiacotl as she undid the rope gate to the corral.

Ocelotl's black stallion was tied up at the front of the corral. Tiacotl didn't bother with a saddle, she simply put on a bridle, lifted Zinzabad onto the front of the horse and then jumped on board herself. Digging her heels into the horse's girth she headed towards the camp.

Tiacotl had been told that the smallest distance between two points is a straight line so that meant the quickest way to reach the City of Diamonds was through Ocelotl's camp. As she approached the outskirts, she spurred the black stallion on and it took off like a shot. The first any of the soldiers knew was the thunder of hooves as the magnificent stallion raced through the camp, knocking anything in its path to the side so that people had to dive for cover as it passed.

Ocelotl came out of his tent when he heard the racket to see his daughter and the monkey flash by on his prized stallion. As two of his guards prepared to fire arrows, the Jaguar screamed at them to hold their fire for fear that his precious mount would be hit. By the time troopers had reached the corral and saddled their horses, Tiacotl and Zinzabad had made their escape on the fastest horse in the army and any pursuit was hopeless.

Chapter 31

Questioning Itzli

There were still many questions that needed to be answered so, when Acalan announced that he was going to interrogate the traitor, Itzli, Matilda asked if she could go along. Besides, she had questions of her own that she wanted answered and it would help pass the time while she waited nervously for Zinzabad to return.

Itzli was in a miserable state when they arrived at his cell in the palace dungeon. He was sitting on a stool, his head bowed and, when he looked up, they saw a tear-stained face.

"I'm so sorry," he whimpered. "When Ocelotl offered me the throne I got carried away. I didn't mean to hurt anybody."

"It's too late for apologies," said Acalan coldly, "but you can make up a little for what you did by answering a few questions . . . _honestly_ if that's possible."

Itzli knew that his life depended on Acalan so he said, "Anything you want to know, cousin."

"How long have you been contacting Ocelotl?" asked Acalan.

"For a few months," muttered Itzli. "Ever since Erendira passed on his promise to make me leader once the Manyans had taken the city. Erendira had a secret meeting with him when we first heard what he wanted to do."

"So you knew that Erendira was a traitor too?"

"Of course. It was her idea to join Ocelotl."

Matilda had some questions of her own.

"So Tayanna wasn't aware of your plan?" she asked.

"No, she knew nothing about it."

"Then why did she warn you when I escaped from Ocelotl?"

"Warn me? She only told me that you had come back and asked me not to make a scene like the first time I saw you. She didn't know that I had betrayed you at the waterfall. She only wanted to protect you from me and my tantrums."

Matilda turned to Acalan. "I feel such a fool. I thought Tayanna was part of the conspiracy and was trying to give Itzli a chance to escape."

"No, no," Itzli interrupted. "Tayanna knew nothing of what we planned to do. I realised I had to escape when she told me that you were back."

"Very well," said Acalan. "You will remain here until this thing is over one way or another. If we are lucky enough to survive, you will be banished from the city for life. I hate to think what will happen to you if Ocelotl takes the city. You'd better pray that we pull through."

They left a miserable Itzli looking forlorn and desperate about his bleak future.

Chapter 32

Zinzabad Returns

Acalan and Matilda were walking past the entrance on their way back to the sitting room when they heard the sound of horse's hooves coming up the steps outside. They both walked out of the palace to find Tiacotl astride Ocelotl's black stallion and Zinzabad in front of her, holding up the Zeus medallion.

Matilda threw her arms into the air, cried, "I knew you could do it!", and rushed over to pull Zinzabad down off the horse and hug him.

"What's this all about?" asked a surprised Acalan. Why was Matilda talking to her monkey? Very strange.

"This is a very clever monkey," said Matilda, carrying Zinzabad on her hip.

"You can say that again," agreed Tiacotl with a smile. "He just rescued me from my father and Erendira."

"And this changes everything," said Matilda, giving the Zeus medallion a kiss.

"You mean we don't have to surrender the city?" asked a stunned Acalan.

"Certainly not," said Matilda, laughing aloud. "This is our secret weapon and there will be no white flag tomorrow morning or any other morning. Send soldiers out tonight with posters to tell your citizens that they have nothing to fear when they see Ocelotl's army outside the city gates in the morning. All will be well and they should carry on with business as normal."

"Can this be true?" Acalan had that worried look on his face again.

"Of course," answered Matilda. "But we'd better look after our guest first."

Tiacotl had dismounted from the stallion and stood holding the reins with a broad smile on her face. She walked over and gave Zinzabad a pat on the head.

"Yes, yes," agreed Acalan. "Come, follow me into the palace and tell me what has happened. I can't believe that everything has changed so quickly." He signalled to a guard to look after the horse. He sent another guard to summon Ati and Tayanna.

When they were all seated in the sitting room Tiacotl told them how Zinzabad had freed her and how they had ridden through the soldier's camp to escape. Matilda then had to explain how she had sent Zinzabad to retrieve the medallion.

"You mean that this monkey can follow instructions?" said Acalan.

"Oh he can do more than that," stated Matilda proudly. "But that has to remain our secret for a little while longer. Now here is what we have to do in the morning. I'm afraid there won't be any sleep for us tonight."

When Matilda had finished laying out her plan, Acalan arranged for soldiers to take posters out to the news boards throughout the city to explain to the citizens what would be happening the next day. The last thing they needed was for the population to panic when they saw Ocelotl's army.

Acalan sent for food and drink to see them through the night.

Chapter 33

Tayanna

Matilda felt terribly embarrassed about Tayanna and finally felt that she had to say something. "Tayanna, I owe you a huge apology," she began.

"Why?" responded Tayanna with a startled look on her face.

"When you went to Itzli's room and told him that we had escaped back to the palace I thought that you were working with him to betray us. I can't tell you how sorry I am."

"How did you know I had spoken to him?" asked Tayanna.

Matilda paused. "This is so humiliating," she said, her face going a bright red. "When you said that you had a headache I checked with the apothecary and they told me that you hadn't been there so, when Itzli disappeared, I thought you had warned him."

Tayanna burst out laughing.

"What a clever detective. But no, I didn't know that Itzli was a traitor at that stage. I just didn't want him pulling one of his tantrums on you again. And that brings me to my own secret."

"What?" asked Matilda with a frown.

"Well, and nobody knows this," said Tayanna, "but Maximilian contacted me just before you arrived and asked me to keep a special eye on you. He and I have been close friends for a very long time. I must say I didn't do a very good job and I don't think Maximilian will be happy but you did things so quickly that I couldn't keep up with you. My conversation with Itzli was my poor attempt to protect you from him and I had to pretend I had a headache so nobody would know that I was interfering. It was important that my friendship with Maximilian should remain a secret."

"Did you suspect your sister?" inquired Matilda.

"No, never," insisted Tayanna. "I mean I knew that she had no time for Maximilian but I didn't think she could stoop so low as to join up with Ocelotl."

"If things go as planned she will soon learn that she has chosen poorly," declared Matilda.

She moved across and gave Tayanna a hug.

Chapter 34

An Exchange Of Threats

As dawn broke over The City of Diamonds the sound of drums could be heard in the distance. Ocelotl's army was marching across the plain and they presented a frightening sight. Matilda watched with the others from the city wall as The Jaguar rode at the front of his army. He didn't look quite as fearsome without his black stallion beneath him.

When the army was within arrow-shot of the city Ocelotl raised his arm to halt them. A horseman bearing a white flag trotted forward and Ocelotl came up behind. Acalan hurried down to the city gates and the others followed.

"No white flag, I see," shouted Ocelotl from the other side of the moat. "Let the bloodshed be on your head, Acalan. And as for you, Tiacotl," he added, pointing to his daughter, "I shall deal with you when this is all over, thankless wench."

Tiacotl cringed at the venom in his words and Matilda put her arm around her.

"You have nothing to fear," she assured her.

And The Jaguar was to be surprised by Acalan's response.

"There will be no bloodshed of my people, Ocelotl. I am giving you one chance to save yourself and to take your soldiers away."

The Jaguar roared with laughter. "Why, you little pipsqueak! How can you talk in such a way when you are faced with this?" And he waved his arm towards his troops. "We will wipe you and your puny friends off your island. Surrender now or die."

"If your archers notch even one arrow I will be forced to make you pay for your arrogance," declared Acalan in a firm voice that showed no fear.

"Very well, you fool. So it shall be," said Ocelotl as he turned his horse.

"No," responded Acalan. "It is you who is the fool."

They watched as Ocelotl galloped back to his army.

Chapter 35

An Unpleasant Time For Ocelotl

Trumpets sounded across the plain and Ocelotl's army moved into formation. Cavalry came to the front with the charioteers. They were followed by lines of archers and then the foot-soldiers on the flanks with spears, grapnels and ladders to cross the moat and scale the city walls. Catapults were wheeled into position behind the troops. The army had been well prepared.

Another trumpet blast signalled the beginning of the attack.

Matilda was standing once again on the city wall with the others. She held the Zeus medallion in her hand. As the final trumpet sounded, she rubbed the medallion and uttered the magic words: "Bolts of Lightning, Peals of Thunder."

Suddenly the sky turned dark as huge black clouds billowed across the heavens. Bolts of lightning flashed down on Ocelotl's army, followed by ear-splitting crashes of thunder. Chariots burst into flames and the Manyan army began to panic. Soldiers ran in all directions in an attempt to get away from the tempest. Horses reared in fright tipping their riders to the ground. And then the rains came, pouring down on the plain like a waterfall and turning the ground to mud. Ocelotl rode through it, wheeling and stamping amongst his troops, ordering them to stand firm, all to no avail. The climax came when the volcano, Catchua, burst into life, spewing red hot

lava down its sides and shooting smoke and sparks into the dark sky with a deafening roar. As the lava spread across the plain, the army, running about helter skelter, was forced towards the jungle. They had to stagger through the thick mud.

Matilda, Zanzibad, Acalan, Ati, Tayanna and Tiacotl were joined by thousands of Chuquan citizens who crowded the city wall and gate to watch as Ocelotl's army was turned into a screaming and disorganised mob.

"Unbelievable," gasped Acalan.

"Is this because Ocelotl ignored the gods of war?" asked Ati.

"No," replied Matilda, kissing the medallion. "This is the work of a friend."

Just as quickly as it had started the storm stopped and the volcano settled down. However the sky above the plain remained dark as a voice boomed down from the heavens.

"LEAVE THIS PLACE AND NEVER RETURN. LET THIS BE A LESSON TO ALL THOSE WHO WOULD CHOOSE TO OPPRESS OTHERS. KNOW THAT, IF YOU SEEK TO DESTROY, YOU WILL YOURSELF BE DESTROYED."

The dark clouds disappeared and sunlight appeared over the plain. The scene was one of devastation as men and horses struggled through the knee-deep mud and chariots and catapults smouldered. Only Ocelotl remained mounted, his horse trying desperately to stay on its feet as he tugged on the reins and pointed it towards the city.

Matilda watched The Jaguar spur his horse through the sludge, defeated but not cowered. He finally made clear ground by the moat and looked up at Acalan and his party. He was covered in mud and ash and his jaguar helmet was scorched.

"You and your lackeys have fought unfairly," he screamed, shaking his fist at them. "Maximilian will pay dearly for today. Don't think that this is finished."

A bolt of lightning flashed down, knocking him onto the ground.

"YOU ARE A SLOW LEARNER, OCELOTL" thundered the voice. "EVERY TIME YOU ALLOW YOUR THIRST FOR POWER TO CONTROL YOUR WORDS OR ACTIONS, KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE STRUCK DOWN."

Ocelotl climbed groggily to his feet, cowered at last. He took the horse's reins in hand and staggered off, head bowed. After every few steps a small bolt of lightning zapped the ground behind him to hurry him on his way. The final humiliation came when the Chuquan crowd began to laugh as they watched him jump with each zap. After a while he disappeared into the jungle to join up with what remained of his army and make the long journey back to Manya. Matilda saw the tears running down Tiacotl's face.

"He chose his own fate, Tiacotl," she told her.

"I know . . . but it still hurts," replied Tiacotl.

"You will always be safe with us," declared Acalan. "We understand your grief but I promise you that your life here will be one of happiness. You are now part of our family."

"And I will have a new sister," added Tayanna.

Tiacotl smiled through her tears.

Chapter 36

Revenge And Celebration

As for Erendira, no sooner had Ocelotl vanished than another rider appeared out of the jungle. Erendira rode her horse down to the city wall and looked up at Acalan as Ocelotl had done. Word had spread through the crowd that she had betrayed them and the people began to hiss and boo. Acalan held up a hand to silence them.

"Brother," Erendira began, "I beg your forgiveness. I have been stupid and will accept any punishment as long as I know you accept that I am sorry for what I have done. I ask for your mercy." Tears streamed down her face.

Acalan did not reply for several seconds, then said, "I do not believe that you are truly sorry and I do believe that the only reason you are here is because you have nowhere else to go. I am a merciful man but what you have done is unforgivable and so you will suffer the same fate as your cousin, Itzli. You are hereby banished from the city and its people for life. You now have no home because you betrayed the home you had. Go into the wilderness and spend your lonely hours considering your treacherous deeds."

The crowd was hushed as they watched Erendira turn her horse and ride back into the jungle. As she disappeared, a chariot came out of the city gates. Itzli stood in the back, held by two guards. The crowd began heckling him as the ramp was run out over the moat. The guards escorted Itzli off the chariot and put him on his donkey. One of the guards slapped the donkey's rear and it trotted across the ramp, carrying Itzli, too, out into the wilderness.

Acalan turned to Matilda.

"How can we ever repay you? You have achieved a miracle. The Chuquan people can now resume their peaceful lives without fear. Thank you." He gave her a hug to the cheers of the citizens.

"Don't forget the real hero," said Matilda, pointing to Zinzabad.

"Of course," agreed Acalan picking up the little monkey and patting him on the head. In truth, Zinzabad was becoming a little fed up with all of this patting.

"Now, let's return to the palace for some celebration," declared Acalan.

"Sounds good to me," said Matilda, taking Zinzabad into her arms. "What do you think, Zinzabad?"

"I could do with something to eat," stated the monkey. "I'm starving."

Everybody stopped in their tracks, mouths dropping open in shock. A talking monkey?

"I'll explain later," said Matilda and she walked down the steps to a waiting chariot.

The ride through the streets to the palace was like a victory parade. People lined the streets in their national dress and cheered loudly while waving Chuquan flags.

"News travels fast," said a smiling Acalan. "This is for you alone. They know what you have done for them. You should be proud."

"We are," said Matilda, hugging Zinzabad.

Chapter 37

Farewell

Matilda and Zinzabad went straight to their room to freshen up when they reached the palace. By the time they arrived in the sitting room it had been set up for a party. Extra tables had been moved in and they were covered with untold plates of exotic foods. A group of musicians sat on cushions in a corner, playing traditional Chuquan music. Dignitaries stood around talking in small groups. They all turned and clapped when Matilda and Zinzabad entered the room.

Tayanna came out of the crowd to greet them. She kissed Matilda on the cheek and gave Zinzabad a pat - again.

"Come over and get something to eat and drink," she said, taking Matilda's hand. "There's so much great food it'll last us for days."

"I know that Zinzabad is keen to have something to eat but I'm afraid we don't have days," stated Matilda. "We should be getting home to Maximilian as soon as we can."

"How soon?" asked Tayanna, as they walked towards the food tables.

"As soon as Zinzabad has had his fill," replied Matilda, watching the monkey eyeing off the delicacies. "I left Maximilian with an important job to do and I can't relax until I've seen that it's done."

"But you can't leave until Acalan has given a short speech," said Tayanna. "Here, try some of these baklavas, they're delicious. And you must taste the spiced honey drink."

She handed Matilda and Zinzabad cups and plates. They tucked into the food until Acalan rang a bell to quieten everybody.

"This celebration is in honour of our special guests and saviours, Matilda and Zinzabad. Maximilian chose them to help us avoid war with the Manyans and he chose wisely. Their bravery has delivered us from the terror of Ocelotl and now all Chuquans can live without fear. I wish to propose a toast . . . to Matilda and Zinzabad who will always be remembered as the protectors of Chuqua."

Glasses were raised as everybody repeated, "To Matilda and Zinzabad."

Matilda was embarrassed by all of the attention but felt that she should say something in reply so she walked over, with Zinzabad, to stand beside Acalan.

"It has been an honour to be able to help the wonderfully unselfish culture that you have here. But I must recognise that most of the dangerous work was done by Zinzabad," she held up the monkey's arm and everybody clapped, "and the defeat of Ocelotl was down to this Zeus medallion," she lifted up the medallion from around her neck, "so I didn't do a great deal except follow Maximilian's orders. But thank you Acalan for your praise and, Tayanna, Tiacotl and Ati, for your friendship. We will miss you. Now we must leave and return to Maximilian."

"Goodbye and good luck," added Zinzabad to the surprise of the guests.

Tiacotl came over to give them both a hug.

"You both are very special to me," she said. "I will never forget you."

Everybody cheered and clapped as they left the room. Once they were in the foyer Matilda whispered, "Maximilian, Maximilian, Maximilian", and the Story Mat appeared above them before gliding gently to the floor. When they were seated on the mat Matilda said, "Home, please", and the Story Mat took off.

Chapter 38

Back To The Attic

The Story Mat landed exactly at the point from which it had departed in Matilda's bedroom. When they had stepped off the mat Matilda rolled it up and, holding it under her arm, took Zinzabad by the hand to climb up the rickety stairs to the attic.

She was pleased to notice that the smell of smoke that had spread through the house from the attic fire had disappeared and, when she crawled through the small attic door, she was happy to see that Maximilian had been true to his word. Nobody would believe that there had been a fire inside. The hole in the wall beside the speaker had been repaired and the singe marks on the valuable chests had been painted over. Even the hats on the hooks had been replaced. It looked just the same as it had when she had first visited . . . except for the cobwebs.

"Welcome back Matilda," came the cheery voice from the speaker on the wall. "And to you Zinzabad. I am filled with joy to see you both."

"What a change," thought Matilda but said, "Thank you my wise old friend. It is good to be back safely. Is Maximilian around?"

Before The Keeper of the Attic could respond there was a flash of light followed by a cloud of smoke and Maximilian appeared.

"Hello, my little jewel," he said with a broad and gentle smile. "And what do you think of my handiwork while you were away?"

"Wonderful," exclaimed Matilda.

"Yes," stated Maximilian proudly, "my sprites did an excellent job and have been rewarded accordingly. Now I must congratulate _you_ on an excellent job. I have been following your adventure and Tayanna has just told me the satisfactory end to your story. Well done!"

"Tayanna told me she kept in contact with you but we only left her a short time ago. How does she get in touch so quickly?" asked Matilda.

"We have our ways in the mystic world," replied Maximilian with a wink, then addressed Zinzabad. "My clever friend, you have outdone yourself. My thanks have no bounds for what you have done to protect my brave little pearl. You shall also be rewarded."

"Thank you, Maximilian," said the monkey, "but I have no need of reward. My new friendship with Matilda is reward enough."

"Well spoken," said Maximilian. "Nevertheless I will see that you are honoured for your courage. Taking on and defeating a monster like Ocelotl was no mean feat. And, as for you, Matilda, I hope that this latest adventure has satisfied your enthusiasm for the unexpected in a story."

"You can say that again, Max," said Matilda, "and I'll need a long rest after this one."

"Not too long I hope," stated Maximilian. "I will miss you greatly if you choose not to return."

"Oh, I'll be back," Matilda assured him as she handed him the Story Mat. Then she turned to Zinzabad. "I can't believe we are saying goodbye, my dear friend. You saved my life and I will never forget you." She leaned down and gave the monkey a kiss on his furry cheek."'Til we meet again."

Zinzabad reached up and gave her a hug. "'Til we meet again," he repeated, then walked over and jumped onto Maximilian's shoulder.

"Goodbye for the present," said Maximilian and, with a wave of his hand, they faded away.

"Well I'm glad all that mush is over," came the voice of The Keeper. "It's enough to make anybody sick."

"Back to normal," said Matilda with a sigh as she crawled out of the attic and locked the door behind her.

Chapter 39

Where There's Smoke . . .

Matilda had just reached her bedroom when she heard her father's voice calling out from below.

"Matilda, we're home!"

"Coming," Matilda replied as she took the Zeus medallion from around her neck and replaced it in its hiding place in the book, "Arabian Nights". She quickly checked that her clothes and hair were in order then ran down the stairs to the kitchen where her mother and father were waiting as they prepared a cup of coffee. Her baby brother, Heironymus, was sitting in his rocker, gurgling away as he played with the seahorse mobile dangling over his head.

"Miss us?" asked her mother, pouring coffee into two mugs.

"Of course," replied Matilda. "But I had a good sleep and an amazing dream."

"You must tell us all about it . . . later," said her father as he picked up his mug and took a long sip. "We're all pretty tired after the book launch."

"How did it go?" inquired Matilda, happy with the change of topic.

"Really well," said her mother, "despite the fact that the author prattled on for over an hour about how talented he was. _Boring_!"

"But there was a good crowd there and we sold heaps of books," added her father. He suddenly stopped and began sniffing the air. "Is that smoke I can smell?"

"Uh, oh," thought Matilda as her father looked at her suspiciously. "Here it comes. What am I going to say?"

"You've been cooking toast again, haven't you?" said her father. "How often do we have to tell you, no cooking while we're away? You never know what will happen. You could burn the house down and then where would we be, huh?"

"Now, now, Frank," said her mother, "you know I want her to learn to cook for herself. Don't be so hard on her. You'll be careful in future, won't you dear?"

"Yes, Mum," said Matilda, glad that she hadn't had to tell a lie. "I'll always avoid doing dangerous things."

STORY 2

### MATILDA AND THE PEARL DRAGON

Chapter 1

A Gift From Maximilian

Matilda had slept well. She snuggled down under her patchwork quilt and enjoyed the warmth of her bed. She didn't look forward to having to get up as it was the middle of winter and the old house had gaps everywhere for the cold winds to enter and chase the inhabitants around its four storeys -not counting the attic of course. Weak winter sunlight filtered through her bedroom window and, as Matilda rolled over to check the time on her bedside table clock, she noticed something strange.

There, beside the clock and resting on the book she had been reading, was a glass ball about the size of a softball. It glowed with an emerald green light as it rested on its golden base. It certainly hadn't been there when Matilda had switched off her reading light last night.

Matilda slipped out of bed, shivered as the cold air hit her, hurriedly put on her dressing gown and slippers, and went over to the glass ball for a closer inspection. When she peered into it she was stunned to see a miniature Maximilian smiling up at her.

"Good morning, my little treasure," he said.

"What in heaven's name are you doing in there?" Matilda asked in a shocked voice.

"Yes, cute isn't it?" replied Maximilian with a laugh. "I thought that this would be a better way to stay in touch. Better than having to climb that wobbly old staircase to the attic, don't you think? I put this by your bed while you were asleep."

"But why?" Matilda enquired.

"Well . . . there have been a few changes," Maximilian went on to explain. "After the fire in the attic, the Keeper of the Treasures decided to retire. None of my doing I have to say although I was quite upset with him for causing the fire. He simply decided that he was getting too old and tired for the responsibility. Really I think he was frightened that he would make another mistake and end up destroying the treasures. As a result I have been forced to clean out the attic and relocate everything back to my palace. It is slightly inconvenient because my storerooms there are crowded anyway, but I had no other choice. And since we have already achieved our aim, that is of finding _you_ , I decided that the attic has outlasted its usefulness. So here we are. I had to find another way to keep in contact with you and I came up with this idea. What do you think?"

Matilda was a little confused, although the thought that she wouldn't have to go to the attic again and put up with the whining of the Keeper had its attraction.

"Er . . . I don't really know. It's a beautiful crystal ball but where will I hide it and what will my parents think if they see it? They're sure to ask questions. What will I say? 'Oh, it's a present from my friend Maximilian who lives in the Other World and lets me use his Story Mat to visit strange places and take part in adventures.' I don't think they'd react very well to that."

"All taken care of," Maximilian declared. "Watch this."

He clicked his fingers and disappeared. He was replaced by a diorama of a snow scene. There was a pretty little cottage surrounded by fir trees and banks of snow, with snowflakes falling down upon it.

"It's a snow dome!" exclaimed Matilda with a delighted smile.

Maximilian reappeared. "You can keep it beside your bed and, whenever your parents look at the crystal ball, that is what they will see - a snow dome. You can say that it was given to you by a friend and that will be the truth. They needn't be told who that friend is."

"Very clever," commented Matilda, "but how will it work for us?"

"Ah," Maximilian smiled. "Now that's where the really clever part comes in."

Chapter 2

The Crystal Ball

Matilda watched Maximilian disappear again and then jumped backwards when a cloud of smoke exploded beside her.

"Sorry about that," said Maximilian as he appeared beside the bed, "but I need to be on the outside looking in if I am to show you how the crystal ball operates."

"That was a bit scary," confessed Matilda. "You need to warn me, Max."

"Yes, yes," agreed Maximilian. "I'm truly sorry my princess, but look into the ball now."

Matilda stepped over to the bedside table and peered into the crystal ball. What she saw was surprising and perplexing. The ball was filled with a pulsating green mist and small bolts of lightning flashing through it.

"What am I supposed to see?" She turned to Maximilian with a frown. "It just looks like a storm in a snow dome."

"Yes," said Maximilian. "Now, my little pearl, gently wrap your palms around the ball and watch what happens."

Matilda followed his instructions and saw that the mist suddenly cleared and she was looking at herself in a forest talking to the wolf from her first adventure with Red Riding Hood. She could even hear the conversation.

"Wow!" she exclaimed.

"But there's more," said Maximilian. "Squeeze the ball and see what happens."

Matilda did as she was instructed and saw the pictures in the ball fast-forward until she eased her grip and saw Zeus handing her the magic medallion from her adventure with Neptune. As she pulled her hands away the scene reverted to the mist and lightning bolts.

"You can control the speed of the replay by how hard you squeeze the ball." Maximilian explained. "It's a record of all of your adventures. But . . . it can also lead you to your next adventure if you wish. Now gently stroke the ball with both hands."

When Matilda did this the scene in the ball changed to show a beautiful palace around a huge courtyard. People in strange clothes were sweeping the cobblestones and tending the gardens. It was very Chinese in appearance. The scene was replaced by a dragon that was obviously sobbing, as large tears ran down its cheeks and dropped to the ground. The amazing thing was that the tears were pearls and they quickly formed a heap around the dragon's clawed feet.

"Just a brief preview of what awaits you should you choose to take part in this new story," explained Maximilian. "If you are challenged by what you see and wish to know more, all you have to do is tap the top of the ball three times. Go ahead."

Matilda used her forefinger to tap the ball three times. There was another explosion of smoke beside her and Maximilian disappeared only to reappear inside the crystal ball.

"This going backwards and forwards could get monotonous," he laughed, "but I need to explain everything to you. When you tap the ball I will appear and explain anything you wish, just as we did in the attic."

"I understand," replied Matilda. "Squeeze, stroke, tap. That sounds simple enough. But I just thought, where is the Story Mat now that you've emptied the attic, and how will you give it to me from inside there?" She pointed at the crystal ball.

"The Story Mat will stay with you, my little gem," answered Maximilian. "Although your parents have no idea what it can do, they have already seen it so there will be no surprise for them. You have certainly earned it with your bravery and I know I can trust you with it. So here it is."

He waved his hand and clicked his fingers. The Story Mat seemed to fly out of the crystal ball and materialise in the bedroom. As it glided slowly to the floor beside her, Matilda recalled how her parents had hidden in her room and watched her lying on the Story Mat. Luckily they hadn't seen the mat fly away through the wall and Matilda had been quick-thinking enough to tell them that she had discovered the mat in a cupboard and used it to read on. Her explanation had been accepted , mainly because she had mentioned reading, which was an obsession with her parents.

"The Story Mat is now yours, my little rose. However, you can only use it after consulting me.

Is that clear?" said Maximilian.

"I understand, Max," Matilda replied.

"I say that, not because I don't believe that you can make your own decisions, but to ensure that you have all of the information you will need before embarking on a new adventure. Now, speaking of new adventures, what do you think about what you have seen in the crystal ball?"

"Very interesting," stated Matilda. "The dragon was really fascinating. Were they real pearls it was crying?"

"They certainly were," said Maximilian. "And the dragon has much to cry about. But you will discover that for yourself if you choose to use the Story Mat to visit Shi Guang, the City of Light, in Sheng Long, the mystic Province of Dragons."

"I'd love to go," cried Matilda enthusiastically. "Dragons? Wow!"

Chapter 3

Help From An Old Friend

"I thought you might be interested," said Maximilian with a smile. "I'm afraid that this story will probably be the saddest one you have encountered, but we shall see. I do know that your help in solving a very painful problem will be greatly appreciated . . . if you can achieve that."

"You seem to have some doubts," commented Matilda. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no," replied Maximilian, "it's just that the problem will be very difficult. You will be up against some very pig-headed opponents and I worry about you." He had tears in his eyes. "Sometimes I think that sending you out into the perils of the Other World is not my wisest decision."

Matilda felt cared but needed to reassure her mentor. "I love it . . . and you know that. Anyway it's hardly your decision. I can say yes or no."

"Harumph," Maximilian cleared his throat and wiped his eyes. "Now I have a pleasant surprise for you. You'll recall that my magical fairy, Peri, couldn't accompany you on your last adventure because she came down with a dose of fairy flu which robbed her of her magic powers? Well, the good news is that she is no longer sick and has stated that she would like to go on your next adventure. And here she is."

Maximilian clicked his fingers and Peri appeared on his shoulder.

"Hi, Matilda," whispered the little fairy. She waved her magic wand and flew straight out of the crystal ball to plant a kiss on Matilda's cheek.

"Oh, Peri, you can't imagine how happy I am to see you," replied Matilda as the fairy hovered in front of her. "I've missed you _so_ much."

"Likewise," replied the fairy of few words.

"I was really worried when Max told me about your illness," said Matilda.

"Thank you," said Peri. "All is well now and I've heard that the monkey, Zanzibad, did a good job looking after you in the City of Diamonds."

"Yes," agreed Matilda, "but I still missed you, my treasured friend."

Smiling broadly at the warmth of their greeting, Maximilian continued, "Well, now that that's settled we'd better look at Sheng Long. Wait a moment, this will be easier with me on the outside."

There was another explosion of smoke and Maximilian appeared beside Matilda again.

"Ah, that's better," said Maximilian. "Time for a map, I think."

He clicked his fingers again and a scroll appeared in his hand. He unrolled it and, clicking his fingers again, the map was pinned to the floor. Matilda and Maximilian knelt down to view the map while Peri fluttered above.

What they saw was a large area of land divided into two parts by a stone wall that stretched right across the map. The northern half of the country was labelled Sheng Long, the Province of the Dragon, while the southern half was named Sheng Hu, the Province of the Tiger. Small villages were shown with dots while the capital cities, Shi Guang, the City of Light, and Shi Hua, the City of Blossoms, were recorded with stars. Beautifully detailed drawings of a dragon and a tiger dominated the scroll.

"The people of Sheng Hu, in the south, honour the tiger because it symbolises the protection

of the province from invasion," explained Maximilian. "In Sheng Long, to the north, dragons are revered as controllers of the weather and the Emperor, Choy Ziang, possesses the most treasured of dragons, the Pearl Dragon, which you saw earlier. However, in the culture of these lands it is believed that the tiger and the dragon are eternal rivals. And so it is with these two provinces. Although there has been no warfare, they sit beside each other, separated by a huge wall, staring at each other scornfully . . . until now."

"Why now?" asked Matilda.

"The people of the Tiger Province are suffering from a serious drought," answered Maximilian. "Their crops have failed and they are starving. They are desperate to seek the help of a dragon to change the weather patterns but the Emperor of the Dragon Province refuses to lend them the Pearl Dragon. The Emperor of the Tiger Province, Li Peng, is naturally upset and has been a little bit naughty as you will find out when you arrive there. At the moment _everybody_ is sad. Your task will be to make both sides see common sense after decades of ill-will. It will be your greatest challenge as you will find that both Emperors are very stubborn."

"Oh," said Matilda. "That does sound difficult. Will they know that I'm coming and why?"

"They will be expecting you but they won't know why," replied Maximilian. "They think that you are coming as my representative to study the importance of tigers and dragons in their lives.

You will be playing the part of a visiting professor."

"A very _young_ professor," commented Matilda.

"Yes," agreed Maximilian, "but they are used to bright young people and they've been told that you are doing research for me. That will be enough cover for your real mission . . . except that you'll need a pen and notebook, of course." He clicked his fingers again and a thick, leather-covered notebook and pen appeared beside the map.

"Very nice," said Matilda. "It sounds like this adventure is more about diplomacy than danger, for a change."

"I hope that is the case," said Maximilian, "although you never know with these two old cranks. I feel certain that Peri will be enough protection for you. And you also have your Zeus medallion if you need it. But you must remember that it is only to be used in the most desperate situation where your life and the lives of others are in mortal danger. Even so, once again, if things get out of control, you are to return on the Story Mat immediately. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Max," said Matilda with a wink. "Haven't I always?"

"M-m-m," muttered Maximilian. "You have been fortunate, and brave, in the past, but please don't stretch your luck."

"We'll be fine," said Matilda, glancing at the little fairy, "won't we, Peri?"

"Of course," agreed Peri with a smile.

"Very well," said Maximilian. "Time will stand still again while you are away so your parents will not be aware of your absence. All you have to do now is place this map on the Story Mat and your adventure can begin." He clicked his fingers and the map rolled up. "Goodbye and good luck, my little treasures. Travel safely."

Maximilian slowly faded away..

"Well," said Matilda to her fairy friend, "I'll just put the notebook and pen in my backpack, fetch the Zeus medallion, and we'll be on our way."

Matilda picked up the map, stowed the notebook and pen in her backpack and put it over her shoulders. Unfortunately, in her rush to start on her adventure, she forgot to retrieve the Zeus medallion from its hiding place on her bookshelf. That oversight was to cause a serious problem.

Peri flew onto her shoulder.

"Call me whenever you need me," she whispered and, as she waved her wand, she disappeared. Sitting down on the Story Mat, Matilda placed the rolled-up map on the golden sun, then closed her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.

With a WHOOSH! The Story mat took off through the wall of the house and out into the many new nations of the Other World.

Chapter 4

Shi Guang – The City Of Light

The Story Mat whizzed down a large glass tube, lights in all of the colours of the rainbow flashing on its surface, with silver and gold sparkles filling the air. When she managed to open her eyes, Matilda was once again stunned by the speed of the Story Mat as it raced towards its destination in the Other World.

Suddenly the trip was over and the Story Mat gently lowered her to the ground. She stepped off the mat to see that she was on the outskirts of a city. A large sign over the entrance read "Shi Guang" - the City of Light. The Story Mat rolled itself up and disappeared.

As Matilda stood there, a rickshaw wheeled by a tall slim man wearing a blue silk uniform and a conical hat came out of the entrance and stopped in front of her. The man bowed his head and put his hands together in front of him in greeting. Despite his pleasant manner he seemed to be sad.

"Welcome to Shi Guang, the City of Light," said the man. "We have been waiting for you. My name is Lam Quong and I have been sent to transport you to our honourable Emperor's Dragon Palace. Please be seated in my humble rickshaw."

"Thank you, Quong," replied Matilda, making sure to use the man's individual name which, in the oriental custom, was always given last, the family name coming first. She climbed carefully into the rickshaw and, standing between the carriage's shafts, the man set off at a fast pace through the entrance and into the city.

The streets were cobblestones which made for a bumpy ride but Matilda was too engrossed in the scenery to worry. The houses were rather small, one-storey buildings, mostly made of wood with thatched roofs, although there were stone-walled houses intermingled with them. The majority looked as if they could be blown away in a good storm but were neatly maintained and showed personal pride. People in attractive dress sat outside in the morning sun, most men and women in colourful jackets and loose black trousers with conical hats on their heads. Matilda noticed that they all seemed to be unhappy, staring out into the distance from the fronts of their houses and not responding when she waved to them.

Chapter 5

The Dragon Palace

After almost half an hour of bouncing through the streets and lanes, the rickshaw finally emerged into an enormous square or plaza. At the top of this area, which was covered in flowery gardens, sculptured shrubs, gentle waterfalls and gravelled paths, stood the palace that Matilda had seen in the crystal ball. It was huge, with the traditional sloping roofs of the orient and covered in dragon symbols. Lam Quong pulled the rickshaw to a halt at the bottom of steps leading up to the doors of the palace where uniformed guards holding spears stood at attention.

"Why is everybody so sad?" Matilda asked as she once again noticed how sad the soldiers were.

Taking her by the elbow and guiding her up the steps, Quong replied, "All will become clear when you are in the palace. The guards will not stop you as they were also told of your expected arrival. They will sound the gong to have the doors opened for you." With those words he returned to his rickshaw and ran back towards the city.

Matilda continued up the steps. As she reached the top, one of the guards put down his spear and walked over to a huge gong situated beside the palace doors. He lifted a large leather hammer and struck the gong which gave out a loud and long bong sound. The doors to the palace opened and an old man, with a wispy white beard and dressed in a deep blue silk gown, walked out.

"Welcome to the Dragon Palace, Matilda. My name is Wu Enlai. I am the Grand Vizier of the Province of the Dragon, First Assistant to the Emperor. We have been expecting you but I am afraid this is not a good time for your studies. However, I'm sure we can make do somehow."

Matilda was taken aback. "I'm so sorry that I have arrived at an unsatisfactory time," she apologised, "but Maximilian didn't tell me that I would be intruding."

"Of course not," Wu Enlai hurried to explain. "There would be no way for Maximilian to have known. The misadventure only occurred last night."

"Misadventure?" Matilda queried.

"All will be explained to you soon," answered the old man signalling with his hand. "Come, there are refreshments awaiting you in the Greeting Chamber." He turned and shuffled inside.

Matilda followed and entered a large entrance room with tapestries of dragons covering the walls. The furniture was made up of low tables and luxurious lounges covered in dark blue silk. Pretty silk cushions in a riot of colours were sprinkled around. Blazing torches in brackets on the walls provided light to the dark room. There were jugs of peach juice and crystal glasses on a table.

"Please be seated," instructed Wu Enlai, "and have a cooling drink. Somebody will be with you shortly to assist you in settling in." With that the old man continued to the end of the room and disappeared through another door.

Chapter 6

Choy Jia

"Peri," Matilda whispered, and the little fairy appeared on her shoulder. "What do you think?"

"Strange," answered Peri. "Everybody seems to be so sad. I wonder why."

"Yes," agreed Matilda as she poured herself a glass of peach juice. But, before she could taste it, the door at the end of the room opened and a beautiful young girl appeared, dressed in an embroidered blue cheongsam and carrying a finely decorated fan. Her dress was so narrow at the base that she could only walk with small steps. Peri quickly waved her wand and vanished.

"Hello, Matilda," the girl said in a soft voice as she approached. She bowed her head. "We are so pleased to see you. My name is Choy Jia, Number One Grand Daughter of our Honourable Emperor, Choy Ziang. I have been given the honour of assisting you in your study of our culture."

"Hi, Jia," Matilda responded warmly. "I'm so glad to finally be here and I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can about you and your people."

"Please, finish your drink," said Jia, "and then I'll show you to your quarters where we can talk in private."

"Thank you," said Matilda. "I already have many questions to be answered." She picked up her glass and drank down the delicious liquid.

"I am not surprised," said Jia as she watched and waited. "I have been told you were informed that our province has recently suffered an unpleasant occurrence and I will tell you about it when we have you settled in your room."

Matilda finished her drink, placed the glass back on the table and stood.

"Please lead the way," she said and slowly followed Jia to the end of the room. After they had passed through the door they entered a wide hallway which had a wooden floor with silk carpet runners. All along the hallway there were niches in the walls displaying valuable-looking vases, urns and sculptures. Once again the space was lit by flaming torches.

Chapter 7

The Emperors Who Aren't

At last they reached the room that was to be Matilda's base during her stay. It was simple but quite splendid, with a low, lacquered table, colourful silk cushions to sit on, a wash stand and a mattress on the floor covered by a pretty, down-filled, silk quilt. Food and drink were set out on the table.

Matilda shrugged off her backpack and took out the notebook and pen that Maximilian had given her. "I hope you don't mind if I take some notes while we talk," she said.

"Of course not," Jia replied, "seeing that you are here just for that purpose."

Matilda felt a pang of guilt for deceiving this lovely young girl.

"Now," she said. "Where would you like to start?"

"The Honourable Emperor extends his apologies for not greeting you himself . . . ," Jia paused.

"No . . . that is not correct. I love the Emperor, my grandfather, dearly but, in truth, he is a cranky old man who does not wish to meet you. He thinks that Maximilian is interfering in our business and it has become even worse since our loss last night."

"Oh!" Matilda was startled by Jia's honesty. "And what happened last night?"

"I am sorry for my harsh words but I like you and cannot tell you lies," said Jia, with tears in her eyes. "Perhaps it is best to start at the beginning so that you understand everything."

"That would be wonderful, thank you Jia," said Matilda, feeling even more guilty.

"Our Emperor, my grandfather, is not really an Emperor. He rules over a province. The Dragon Province is not an empire. The Emperor of the Tiger Province is also not an Emperor. But they both pretend to be. Before the old Emperor died he did not say who would take his place. He had no sons but there were two nephews, my grandfather, Choy Ziang, and his cousin Li Peng. When they couldn't agree on who should be Emperor, they built a wall to divide the old empire into halves and gave themselves the title of Emperor. Now they stare over the wall at each other, waiting for the other one to pass on so the survivor can rightly claim the whole empire. And they are both as bad as each other; cranky and stubborn old men."

"M-m-m," muttered Matilda, thinking that this was exactly the situation that Maximilian had described. "And what happened last night to make matters worse?"

"Firstly you must understand the titles of the provinces," explained Jia. "The dragon is honoured because it controls the weather. There are dragons in the mountains to the north-east of Choy Ziang's province and, as well, he is fortunate to have the Pearl Dragon in his possession. The Tiger is revered as the protector from invasion in Li Peng's province and there are many tigers in the jungle to the south of their capital, Shi Hua, the City of Blossoms. So it was that each province was given its name."

"I see," said Matilda, taking notes as Jia spoke. "Each province is named after its individual mascot."

"Yes," agreed Jia. "But . . . the Tiger Province has been very unfortunate over the past three years. The farmers have suffered drought and all of their crops have failed so that the people are starving. Li Peng was forced to swallow his pride and ask Choy Ziang to send the Pearl Dragon to them so that it could change the pattern of the weather and bring the rains again. My grandfather refused."

"Is he really willing to let people starve to satisfy his ego?" asked Matilda.

"I'm afraid so, such is the ill-will they feel for each other," said Jia. "However, the situation changed last night."

Matilda was intrigued. "Go on," she said excitedly.

"I've told you that Choy Ziang is lucky to have the Pearl Dragon," said Jia, and continued as she saw Matilda nod her head. "Well, in fact, he is twice lucky, for he also possesses the Golden Phoenix, the wonderful bird that rises from the ashes each one thousand years. Within our beliefs, the phoenix and the dragon, together, bring balance and harmony to our lives. The Phoenix is the Yin and the Dragon is the Yang - perfect balance. Our province has been very, very fortunate and has suffered no hardship since the dragon and phoenix have been here in the palace . . . until last night. When Li Peng's messenger was turned away by my grandfather there was naturally a great deal of anger in the Tiger Province, so much so that Li Peng devised a plan to hurt the people of the Dragon Province in return. He knew that he couldn't get to the Pearl Dragon because it was heavily guarded but the soldiers he sent last night under the cover of darkness did manage to reach the Golden Phoenix and they stole it. Our Yin was taken from us last night and we no longer have balance in our lives. That is why everybody is so sad and that is why my grandfather is so angry."

"How do you know that it was Li Peng's soldiers who stole the phoenix?" asked Matilda.

"As the thieves made their escape they were seen by the guards and one of them was captured. He told us of Li Cheng's plan," explained Jia.

"Could this mean war?" said Matilda.

"Oh, no," Jia said quickly. "The Emperors may be old and cranky but they both fear warfare. I think Choy Ziang will be forced to come to some arrangement with Li Peng for the return of the phoenix. He won't be happy doing it but it seems that it is the only way to bring harmony back to the Dragon Province. At the moment our province is filled with sadness. Now I think you should see why that is so."

Chapter 8

The Pearl Dragon

Jia took Matilda by the hand and led her out into the hallway again. They walked for quite a while along the corridors of the palace until they arrived at its centre. Matilda was amazed to see a glassed in area where the domed roof was also made of glass so that you could see the sky above. Inside the area, trees and shrubs had been planted around a stream that ran over rocks and was fed by a waterfall which flowed through the glass wall.

Against the far wall there was a cave and, sitting in front of it, was the Pearl Dragon. It was surprisingly small, about the size of a Shetland pony and was deep blue in colour. Its scales glistened with a greenish sheen and the claws on its hands and feet were a deep scarlet as were the ridges down its spine. In all it was a magnificent sight, except that the dragon was crying just as Matilda had seen in the crystal ball. The ground around the dragon was covered in small pearls.

"Why is it crying?" enquired Matilda.

"The Pearl Dragon is crying because she has lost her soul mate, the Golden Phoenix," stated Jia.

"How does she know that the phoenix had gone?" continued Matilda.

"Look," said Jia, pointing to the far wall of the dragon's area which was also glass. What Matilda had assumed was one large area was, in fact, two. She saw that the stream passed through another glass wall that separated the two areas. This second area was set out similarly to the dragon's space except that it contained a large nest made of twigs. The top of a large egg could be seen in the nest."

"That is the home of the Golden Phoenix and can always be seen by the Pearl Dragon," stated Jia. "However, you reach it from the other side of the palace which wasn't guarded last night so that Li Peng's soldiers were able to enter unseen. We did not expect such a brazen attack. Fortunately, the thieves did not take the phoenix's egg as well."

"The phoenix has laid an egg?" Matilda was astounded.

"Yes, and it is extremely valuable," said Jia. "Some time in the future the nest will burst into flames and the Golden Phoenix will be reborn. However, at the moment you can see that the Pearl Dragon is distressed by the loss of her partner."

Matilda was full of questions. "Why do her tears turn into pearls?"

"The Pearl Dragon's tears always turn into pearls. These are pearls of sadness and have no value. They only bring grief to our people so that is why you have seen the unhappiness that surrounds us.

These pearls must be removed and buried deep in the earth to prevent the sadness becoming permanent. However, when the Pearl Dragon experiences joy, she cries two large tears that turn into pearls of wisdom and that is what we had been waiting for before this tragedy."

"Amazing," whispered Matilda.

"We _must_ have the Golden Phoenix returned," Jia stated forcefully. She then added, "You can now return to your quarters and note your observations. We shall meet again for dinner and perhaps you will meet our Emperor there."

Jia turned and sadly walked away from the Pearl Dragon. Matilda followed her back to her room where they parted company.

Chapter 9

Time For A Talk

When she was alone again Matilda whispered, "Peri", and the little fairy appeared on her shoulder before flying over to stand on the table.

"That was interesting," said Peri with her hands on her hips. "You received a lot of information for your research." She smiled.

"M-m-m," said Matilda thoughtfully. "It certainly _will_ be interesting if the Emperor comes to dinner with us. I have to say that Jia didn't give us much hope of getting through to him."

"No," agreed Peri. "I think that this calls for some cunning thinking."

"What do you mean?" asked Matilda.

"Well . . . ," began Peri, "what would make the Emperor listen to you? What does he need help with?"

"Getting the Golden Phoenix back of course," replied Matilda. "Could you use your magic wand to do that?"

"Unfortunately, no," answered Peri. "To use my magic I have to be near the problem. We would need to go to the Tiger Province and find out where they have hidden the phoenix. And, on second thoughts, just taking it wouldn't really solve anything, would it? We would only end up with a very, very cranky Li Peng and there would still be the problem of the drought. We need to please both of them and give them a reason to get together. Let me think about it."

"You are wonderful," enthused Matilda.

Peri blushed. "I haven't solved anything for you yet. But I must say this is a pleasant change. I can't see myself having to protect you this time. It will simply take some brain power."

At the mention of protection, Matilda touched her chest. The Zeus medallion . . . it wasn't there . . . she'd forgotten to fetch it out of the book it was hidden in at home.

"Oh, no!" she exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" asked Peri.

"My Zeus medallion. I forgot to bring it with me," replied Matilda.

"I wouldn't worry," stated Peri. "As I said, I don't think we'll be in mortal danger this time."

The little fairy didn't know how wrong she was.

Chapter 10

An Unpleasant Dinner

Matilda and Peri spent the rest of the day in their room, Matilda writing in her journal and Peri having fairy snacks of fruit and peach juice between peeking over Matilda's shoulder. Later, as they looked out of their window and noticed the sun disappearing, there was a knock on the door. Peri quickly disappeared. A servant informed Matilda that dinner was ready and asked her to follow her to the Emperor's dining room. They arrived at the dining room to find only Jia there, sitting on cushions beside a low table.

"Are we eating alone?" asked Matilda.

"I don't know," said Jia, "I don't normally dine here. I usually eat with all of my brothers and sisters but I received a message from my mother, the Emperor's Number One Daughter, to come here and to bring you as well. Perhaps the Emperor has decided to meet you at last."

Just as she finished those words they heard a commotion outside. Voices were raised in argument and it continued until an old man in a royal blue silk gown and a silk skullcap appeared through the door with a beautifully dressed older woman coming up behind.

"I don't feel like eating," shouted the old man, "and you can't force me. I'm the Emperor. And I don't want to meet any pipsqueak sent by Maximilian to interfere. As if I didn't have enough to worry about."

"Now, now, father" said the woman, raising her eyebrows in embarrassment to Jia and Matilda. "You have to eat something or you'll end up disappearing."

"That's my mother, Choy Ziang's Number One Daughter," Jia whispered to Matilda.

"Sometimes I think disappearing wouldn't be such a bad thing," moaned the Emperor, "except that it would make that miserable wretch Li Peng happy. The hide of the man! He's ruined everything. And all for his own selfishness."

Jia's mother helped him seat himself on a low chair at the head of the table. Up until now he hadn't bothered to recognise either Jia or Matilda.

"What a rude old man," thought Matilda. "And talk about the kettle calling the pot black. He and Li Peng are both as selfish as each other."

At last Jia's mother looked over at them. "Hello, sweetheart," she said to Jia in a gentle voice, "and welcome to the Dragon Province, Matilda. My name is Choy Bo but I would like you to call me Bo. I apologise for my father's rudeness but these are difficult times."

"I understand," said Matilda diplomatically.

"Don't apologise on my behalf," the Emperor shouted at his daughter, completely ignoring Matilda. "I have nothing to apologise for. It's Maximilian that should be doing the apologising. He's allowed Li Peng to get away with robbery and done nothing about it except to send someone to pester me."

Naturally, Matilda felt uncomfortable and unwelcome.

"What a horrible person," she thought and lowered her eyes. Jia reached over and squeezed her hand.

"I hope my daughter is looking after you well," said Bo, to change the subject.

"Oh, yes," replied Matilda. "She has been very kind and what she has shown me so far is extremely interesting."

"Good," stated Bo. "Now let's eat."

She signalled to the servants standing against the wall and they shuffled into what must have been the kitchen, appearing moments later with silver pots and porcelain bowls. They placed the bowls before everybody and spooned a delicious soup into them. This was followed by dishes of rice, pork, quail and pheasant, and finished off with fried ice cream and lychees. During the meal not a word was spoken, which made things very uncomfortable. The Emperor ate very little, only stubbornly picking at his food, to prove his point.

When the meal was over Bo helped the Emperor to his feet, blew kisses to Jia and Matilda, and left the dining room.

"I'm so sorry," said Jia, with tears in her eyes.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," replied Matilda. "I must say I was prepared for rudeness given the situation here at the moment but that was way over the top."

"Yes," agreed Jia, "but I will make it up to you, I promise."

"Well, there is something I've noticed that you can explain to me," said Matilda.

"Anything," answered Jia.

"There seem to be so many beautiful things made of silk – furnishing, clothing, cushions," said Matilda. "Where do they all come from?"

Jia smiled. "Tomorrow I will show you. We will take a trip to see something amazing."

"That sounds wonderful," said Matilda, leaning over to give Jia a hug.

When they returned to their room, Peri reappeared.

"You were very polite not to say something rude to the Emperor," she commented. "I was tempted to use my wand and turn him into a toad."

Matilda laughed. "Unfortunately that wouldn't help at the moment but keep it in mind for later."

"Now you can see why these two cranks can't get on," said Peri. "If they ever met it would be like two tornadoes colliding."

"Yes," agreed Matilda, "and that makes our task very, very difficult. Keep thinking my little friend but, for now, I think we should get some rest before Jia's trip tomorrow."

Chapter 11

The Silk Factory

The next morning breakfast was served in their room. After they had finished eating, Peri flew onto Matilda's shoulder and disappeared as they proceeded down the corridor. When she reached the front of the palace Matilda saw Jia was waiting beside a small carriage.

"Your transport," said Jia, sweeping her arm towards the horse and carriage. "Climb aboard and we'll be on our way."

"Wow!" exclaimed Matilda with a smile as she stepped up into the carriage. "This is different."

"All part of the service," laughed Jia. She hopped in beside Matilda, took up the reins and they set off out of the palace grounds.

The journey took them through the suburbs of the city where Matilda was surprised to see that there was very little activity. As she had observed yesterday on her way to the palace, people were sitting in front of their houses, but the streets themselves were empty. It was as if a black cloud of despair hung over the city.

They travelled for over an hour before they cleared the city and reached the countryside. The tightly clustered houses gave way to green hills, rice and vegetable fields, and little mud-brick farm houses. The air smelt fresh and the sky was a clear blue. Jia steered the carriage up into the hills and they finally arrived at a ridge overlooking a valley. This valley was filled with thousands of mulberry trees. They stretched across the valley and down as far as the eye could see. Workers moved amongst the trees with large sacks into which they placed the mulberry leaves that they had picked.

"Food for the most treasured object in our province – the silkworm," announced Jia. "Now we will see where these remarkable worms produce their heavenly product."

She slapped the reins lightly on the horse's rump and they started down towards the valley below.

They reached an enormous cleared area to the side of the mulberry trees. Hundreds of long, low sheds stretched down in lines and men and women were taking the bags of mulberry leaves inside.

Jia led Matilda across to one of the sheds and, when they entered, they saw metal drums at each end with fires in them to keep the air warm and humid. Along the sides of the shed were benches that held wooden trays where the workers were placing the leaves. When Matilda went over to one of the trays she saw that it was full of silkworms crawling over the mulberry leaves and nibbling away at them.

Farther down the shed she came across boxes full of yellow cocoons where the silkworms had gone into the stage where they changed into moths. These cocoons were being collected by other workers and placed in baskets for transport to the silk room. Jia took Matilda's hand and led her towards other buildings set into the side of the hill.

"Here's where the real work takes place," she informed her.

They entered the first building to see large vats with charcoal embers glowing beneath them. Hundreds of cocoons were floating in the hot water, and workers were scooping them out with nets. The heated cocoons were then placed in bags and taken down the aisle into the next building where workers sat on stools beside benches, using their fingers to unravel the fine silk thread, turning it onto bobbins.

"Some of the moths are allowed to hatch and lay eggs for future silkworms. Each moth can lay thousands of eggs. When the thread from the heated eggs has been unwound it is taken on the bobbins to another building for dyeing," explained Jia, "and then on to the workers who use looms to make the silk material. Follow me and I'll show you."

They walked along a lane between the buildings until they arrived at another set of sheds where the workers were delivering the bobbins of dyed silk in a vast array of colours. Inside, there were rows of looms with experts turning the silk into swatches of gleaming material.

"That's amazing," commented Matilda.

"The best is yet to come," said Jia and she took Matilda to another large building where seamstresses were decorating the silk cloth and turning the material into clothing. Carpenters and upholsterers were using the material to cover pieces of furniture. Matilda had her breath taken away. The finished products were exquisite. They were finally displayed in a showroom, where they were inspected for quality. After inspection, the items were loaded onto various horse-drawn wagons for delivery to shops in the city and to warehouses, ready for trading with other countries.

"Wonderful," enthused Matilda. However, she had noticed that these workers and artists also looked sad and, during the tour, she had not seen any of them talking to each other. She mentioned the fact to Jia.

"Yes, the loss of balance in our lives has affected everybody," stated Jia. "But life must go on and these people realise the importance of their work to our province and the Emperor so they work on despite their misery. We all depend on the trading of silk for our survival. If we ever stopped producing these beautiful materials we would have another reason for sorrow. Now, let us find something to eat. I'm starving after all that walking."

"Good idea," agreed Matilda.

Chapter 12

A Confession

Jia and Matilda returned to their carriage and travelled up the hill again. They reached a small village where a cluster of mud-brick buildings was strung along a dirt road. Jia stopped the carriage in front of one of the houses that had a sign outside. It read "Zhu Long Canting" which Jia translated as "The Pearl Dragon Restaurant".

"It doesn't look like a restaurant," commented Matilda. "It's more like a family home."

"Exactly," said Jia, "and that's what it serves – home-cooked family food. This restaurant is famous throughout the province. Come, we'll go inside."

Both Jia and Matilda climbed down from the carriage and walked up to the open front door where they were warmly greeted by a small, chubby old woman in traditional dress. She hugged Jia.

"Matilda, this is Chang Bik," said Jia as the old woman shook Matilda's hand, "the best cook in the Dragon Province."

The old woman giggled in embarrassment and gently pushed Jia on the arm, before leading them into the restaurant. The inside of the building belied the simple exterior. Low dining tables surrounded by bright silk cushions were sprinkled around the room and the walls were decorated with elegant scrolls picturing the Pearl Dragon in various poses. It was quite delightful.

Chang Bik took them to the table farthest from the kitchen, which was the most honourable place to be seated, and where they were apart from the other diners. Because of Jia's attachment to the Emperor she attracted everybody's attention so, at Jia's request, the old woman also arranged for a bamboo screen to be placed around them for privacy. The sweet aromas of cooking filled the air.

"M-m-m," said Matilda. "That smells wonderful."

"It will taste even better," said Jia, then became serious. "Now that we are alone there is something I must ask. Is your research the only reason you are here in the Dragon Province?"

"What makes you ask that?" enquired Matilda as she felt a nervous flutter in her stomach.

"I was impressed with your self-control despite the Emperor's rudeness last night. I would have expected some reaction from you and it would have been correct. But instead you showed a great deal of . . . diplomacy. I thought that was strange, that your purpose here was not just research and you had to make sure you didn't offend the Emperor."

Matilda was caught off guard and had to think quickly. "Not at all. I certainly didn't want to upset the Emperor and what you saw was simply good manners in a strange new land."

"Very well," said Jia. "Now let's enjoy the meal."

The waitress arrived first with bowls of bird's nest soup, a new and curious experience for Matilda. This was followed by pork in plum sauce accompanied by a stir fry of fresh vegetables and finished off with small cups of green tea. Unfortunately, Matilda was wracked with the guilt of lying to her beautiful and gentle companion and could not enjoy the food as much as she should have. At the end of the meal she excused herself to visit the bathroom.

When she had closed the door of the simple room with its hole-in-the-floor toilet and wash stand, she whispered, "Peri", and the fairy appeared.

"I can't do this," Matilda said with tears in her eyes.

"Can't do what?" asked Peri.

"Keep lying to Jia," said Matilda.

"I understand," replied Peri, "and I think that the time has come to tell her the truth. Jia could be an extremely valuable ally."

"I'm so glad you said that," said Matilda with a smile of relief. "And you don't mind me telling her about you?"

"Of course not," said Peri. "She deserves the whole truth."

"Thank you," said Matilda, hugging the little fairy to her cheek. When Peri had disappeared, she returned to their table.

As she sat down, Matilda looked directly into Jia's eyes. "I have a confession to make."

Jia looked surprised. "What's that?"

"You were right. Research is not the real reason I am here." She went on to explain the mission Maximilian had given her to solve the problem of the hostility between Choy Ziang and Li Peng.

"How intriguing," commented Jia thoughtfully. "Thank you for your honesty. I am delighted that you feel you can trust me and I'll do everything I can to help you, although it will be a huge challenge."

Matilda was elated and added, "There is something else I need to tell you. I am not alone."

"Oh?" exclaimed Jia in surprise.

"I have a secret companion, a magic fairy who has come with me as my protector," said Matilda, then whispered, "Peri", and the fairy appeared again.

Jia burst out laughing. "You are full of surprises."

Matilda introduced them. "Jia, this is Peri, my dear friend and defender."

"Hi," said Peri, waving a hand.

"Hello," said Jia with a smile. "It is a real pleasure to meet you and I can't wait to work with you both in bringing peace to the two provinces."

"Likewise," added Peri. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go back to where I came from." She waved her wand and vanished.

"Well, that was refreshing," commented Jia taking Matilda's hand. "Once again, thank you."

"I'm so happy that everything is out in the open," enthused Matilda. "I know I'll need all of the help I can get."

"You have it," declared Jia.

After Jia had paid for the meal they returned to the carriage and rode back towards the city and the Emperor's palace.

Chapter 13

A Friend Drops In

From the village they travelled along a road that ran close to a mountain range.

"Those mountains form the northern border of our province," Jia pointed out as their horse trotted along. "Fortunately they form a barrier between us and the people of the northern plains, the Vandals, who defeated the Mongol nation and moved into our region from the west over a century ago."

"Vandals?" queried Matilda. "In our culture vandals are people who go about damaging public property."

"These Vandals do much the same except it isn't just public property they damage; it's anybody else's property. They're a ferocious group and not ones to have as a neighbour."

They passed by a river cascading down from the mountains, and crossed a wooden bridge. "We call this river Jin He, the River of Gold. It supplies our province with all of the water we need. It is our life-blood," said Jia.

Suddenly there was a whoosh! over their heads and, when Matilda looked up, she saw a scarlet coloured dragon, about the size of the carriage, looking down at her. Their horse reared into the air in fear.

"Whoa!" shouted Jia, pulling on the reins as the dragon landed gracefully on the road in front of them. The horse stopped, shook its head and neighed.

"Don't do that, Hong Long!" Jia said angrily, staring at the dragon.

The dragon lowered its head as if ashamed of what it had done then turned its eyes towards Matilda, smiled and winked.

Jia saw what the dragon had done. "And don't think it's funny," she added but couldn't help laughing. "You cheeky thing."

The dragon looked at her and breathed a puff of flames into the air.

"Matilda, this is Hong Long, the Red Dragon,'" said Jia. "She is one of our guardian dragons that live in those mountains. We call them the Dragon Defenders.They make sure that our border is protected and we are free from enemies such as the Vandals . . . but not the enemies that come from _within_ the provinces. I speak of Lin Peng."

Jia reached into her pocket and brought out a handful of cocoon shells which the dragon greedily lapped up when they were held in front of her.

"After they have been stripped of their silk the husks of the silkworm cocoons are a special treat for the dragons. We always bring the finished husks up to the mountains for them. The dragons absolutely love them."

"How many Dragon Defenders are there?" asked Matilda.

"Four,"stated Jia. "All different colours – the Red, Green, Blue and Yellow Dragons. We believe that the province would not exist without them. They are our friends as well as our protectors."

"Scary friends," commented Matilda.

"Only to our enemies," said Jia as she climbed down from the carriage and walked over to stroke the Red Dragon's head. The dragon purred like a large cat. "They are the brothers and sisters of the Pearl Dragon."

When the Red Dragon heard that name, tears formed in her eyes and trickled down her face.

"She knows what has happened," explained Jia, stroking the dragon again. "She shares our sorrow. All will be well again soon," she whispered in the dragon's ear and, pointing to Matilda, said, "Our friend here will help make that happen."

The Red Dragon looked at Matilda and puffed out another stream of flames.

"That's her way of showing that she accepts you," said Jia, then addressed the dragon. "Go back to your sisters and brothers and tell them we promise that the Pearl Dragon and the Golden Phoenix will be joined together again soon."

The Red Dragon bowed its head towards them and, with a huge flap of its wings, launched itself into the air and flew off toward the mountains. Jia hopped back into the carriage, lifted the reins and they continued on their journey to the palace.

"I hope we can live up to that promise," said Matilda.

"I'm certain we can . . . together," stated Jia.

Chapter 14

The Vandals

Trouble was brewing on the plains to the north of the Dragon Province. The Vandals were just as unhappy as their southern neighbours but for a different reason. Each year they depended on their cotton crop to sustain them. It was the job of the womenfolk to plant, tend, and harvest the cotton and to create cloth while the men were away raiding and looting other nations, as well as looking after the herds of goats and horses in the surrounding hills.

The cotton cloth that the women produced was sold in neighbouring countries and it was this money that supported and fed everybody in the Vandal camps. However, their trading had come to an end. People had stopped buying their cotton product in favour of the much more attractive silk coming out of the Dragon Province. Production there had increased and the Emperor had allowed unused silk to be traded with many more countries including those that bought cotton cloth from the Vandals. The Vandal chief, Dragar the Dreadful, was not pleased.

Dragar had called a meeting of his council in his yurt, the portable tent-like home favoured by these people. The councillors, the brightest and bravest of the Vandals, listened carefully as Lazar, the Treasurer, explained how times were desperate, with cotton trading the worst it had ever been and starvation staring the entire community in the face unless something was done urgently.

There were murmurs of concern as the Treasurer spoke and, when he had finished, Dragar addressed the gathering.

"We cannot stand by and allow these thieves to steal the bread from our babies' mouths," he thundered. The councillors shouted their approval. "We have avoided attacking them in the past because of the Dragon Defenders in the mountains but we can no longer escape conflict. It is fight them, conquer them and destroy their industry or suffer a terrible fate ourselves. What say you?"

The councillors answered as one. "Fight, fight, fight!" they chanted, raising their fists into the air. The love of war was in their veins.

Chapter 15

The Wall

When she and Matilda reached the palace, Jia explained that she had family business to attend to and Matilda would have the rest of the afternoon to herself. Before they parted company, Matilda asked if it would be possible to visit the wall that separated the Dragon and Tiger Provinces. Jia told her to wait at the front of the palace while she arranged transport.

While she waited on the steps, Matilda whispered, "Peri", and her fairy protector appeared.

"Dragon Defenders?" commented Peri with a smile. "Who needs me when you have those heavyweights around?"

"I couldn't do without you," said Matilda. "What do you think about this trip to the wall?"

"A good idea," declared Peri. "At least it will give us some idea of the lie of the land."

"That's what I thought," agreed Matilda, "but you'd better disappear now. Our transport has arrived."

As a rickshaw pulled up to the palace steps, Peri disappeared with a wave of her wand and Matilda climbed aboard. She was impressed with the speed of the runner as they raced through the city streets of Shi Guang. When they arrived at the entrance to the city the rickshaw continued south through small villages until, at last, the wall that divided the two provinces appeared in the distance.

Matilda was surprised at how tall the wall was. Steps led to its top at regular intervals and there was a guardhouse above each set of steps. The rickshaw stopped at the bottom of the wall and Matilda stepped out and climbed to the top. She was greeted by a strange sight.

There were guardhouses on both sides of the wall which was several metres wide. On the Dragon side the guards were dressed in royal blue uniforms with hardened leather helmets, breastplates, arm protectors and leggings while, on the Tiger side the guards were dressed exactly the same except that their uniforms were orange. Each of the guards carried a curved sword and a lance as they silently stared across the divide at each other. Neither side reacted to the little girl standing between them.

Matilda strolled along the wall looking at the two sorrowful provinces stretched out on each side. The Tiger Province was brown and desolate while the Dragon Province was lush and green, but both had their own difficulties because of two obstinate leaders.

Matilda decided that she had to meet with Li Peng. She didn't believe that she could convince him to return the Golden Phoenix but at least she would see what she was up against. Returning to the rickshaw she climbed aboard and asked the runner to return her to Shi Guang.

Chapter 16

The Vandal's Plan

Dragar the Dreadful had been successful in his raids on other countries because of careful planning and he now set his mind to plotting his attack on the Dragon Province. His biggest problem, and the one that had prevented him conquering Choy Ziang in the past, was avoiding the Dragon Defenders in their mountain lair. He had lost many of his warriors to those ferocious sentinels in previous mountain skirmishes and did not underestimate the challenge. However, he wasn't without cunning.

One of his spies in the mountains had told him of how the dragons enjoyed the special treat of cocoon husks. The spy had also informed him that workers from the silk factory regularly took a load of the husks up into the mountains for the dragons. Dragar summoned his Shaman, the Vandal witch doctor.

"I require a drug," he told the Shaman, "an opiate so powerful that it will send dragons to sleep for a long time. Can you prepare such a drug?"

"Of course," replied the Shaman.

"Then you have twenty four hours in which to make it ready," Dragar ordered. "Any later and you shall pay dearly."

The Shaman hurried out of the yurt. It didn't pay to disappoint the Vandal leader.

Next, Dragar called for his spy, Antal the Cave Dweller, who lived in the mountains.

"I have an important mission for you," he stated, looking fiercely at Antal who was quivering in his boots. "If you succeed you will be remembered as a hero who helped save the Vandal nation. If you fail, you will not live to regret it." He outlined his plan and then called a meeting of his generals from camps across the Vandal lands.

Chapter 17

An Unexpected Invitation

Matilda dined that night alone with Jia. The Emperor had obviously made his feelings known and had no further interest in his visitor.

"What did you think of the wall?" Jia asked as the servants laid out their meals.

"Sad," declared Matilda. "To see what the drought is doing to the Tiger Province while your lands are so green seems very selfish. I can't believe that Choy Ziang is doing this to his neighbour."

"Yes," agreed Jia, "but both Emperors must share the blame. They are as bad as each other. If one of them could soften his heart perhaps the problem might be solved. However, I am afraid that is impossible."

"We can't give up" said Matilda. "There must be a way to force them together."

They discussed the visit to the silkworm factories for the remainder of their meal and Jia finally bade Matilda goodnight, promising to meet the following morning in the hope of finding a way to convince the two Emperors of the need to cooperate with each other.

Matilda awoke the next day after a good night's sleep and, when she and Peri had shared breakfast, which was served in their room, she went to the Greeting Chamber to meet Jia. As she walked into the room she received a surprise. There in front of her, speaking to Jia, was a soldier in the uniform of the Tiger Province.

"Huh," exclaimed Jia as she saw Matilda, "here is the very person." Walking across to Matilda, she continued, "It seems that one of the Tiger sentries on the wall yesterday reported your visit to Li Peng and the Emperor wishes to see you. This soldier has been sent to escort you to the Tiger Palace."

"I was considering a visit to the Tiger Emperor anyway. What do you think?" asked Matilda.

"I believe you should take the opportunity to hear Li Peng's side of the story," said Jia and, with a wink, added in a whisper, "Maybe you could convince him to return the lost property."

"Very well," said Matilda, "tell this soldier that I will go with him on the condition that no harm comes to me. I don't wish to become more lost property."

Jia walked across the room and spoke quickly to the soldier. "No, he insists that the offer is made in friendship and your safety is assured," reported Jia softly so that the soldier could not hear, "and I believe he speaks the truth. Perhaps Li Peng only wishes to check on what lies you've been told by Choy Ziang."

Chapter 18

Li Peng And The Tiger Palace

Another journey across the city in a rickshaw, this time accompanied by the Tiger soldier trotting alongside. When they reached the wall, the soldier ushered Matilda up the steps and over to the other side where a horse and carriage were waiting. Another soldier took up the reins and, when Matilda was seated, they set off for the Tiger Palace.

It was a much more comfortable ride than in the rickshaw but Matilda's attention was taken up, not with the comfort, but with the desolation of the countryside. She was beginning to appreciate why Li Peng was driven to the extreme measure of stealing the Golden Phoenix. It would have been heartbreaking for any leader to see his people suffering as much as this.

After an hour of travelling through brown fields, dust storms and bleak villages, the carriage arrived at the entrance to Shi Hua, the City of Blossoms. The oddity was that Matilda could not see a blossom in sight, just withered trees lining the streets where downcast citizens watched from their houses as the carriage sped by. It was a tragedy that both provinces were under a cloud of gloom simply because their leaders let false pride guide their behaviour.

When the carriage pulled up in front of the palace Matilda saw an old man waiting at the top of the steps. He was dressed in an orange silk robe with black trimmings and a magnificent tiger rested at his feet. The driver leapt down, ran up the steps and bowed on one knee in front of the old man. After a brief conversation the soldier returned to the carriage and escorted Matilda up the steps.

"Welcome," said the old man in a voice that lacked sincerity. "I am Li Peng, Emperor of the Tiger Province." Pointing to the tiger he added, "This is Da Hu, the Great Tiger." The beast opened its jaws and roared as if it understood what had been said. A golden chain circled its neck."I believe that you have been sent by Maximilian to study the culture of the two provinces. I trust that Choy Ziang has been helpful so far . . . and honest."

"Actually he hasn't told me anything," stated Matilda. "His Number One Grand Daughter, Jia, has been showing me around."

"Harumph," muttered Li Peng. "As lazy as ever. Well, I invited you here so that you would hear both sides of the story. What do you wish to know?"

Matilda decided to be straightforward. "I was wondering if I could see the Golden Phoenix?"

"What Golden Phoenix?" said Li Peng in a shocked voice.

"The one that was stolen from the Dragon Palace two nights ago," replied Matilda.

"Who told you that I have it?"

"Apparently one of your soldiers was captured and confessed," said Matilda.

"So, Choy Ziang is blaming everything on me again, is he? That soldier you speak of was lying.

I had nothing to do with the disappearance of the Golden Phoenix."

"Who's lying now?" thought Matilda but, not wishing to anger Li Peng any further, said, "Obviously there has been some mistake but the Golden Phoenix has gone missing and it has caused great pain to the people of the Dragon Province."

"Pain!" shouted Li Peng. "Look around you and you will see what real pain is. My people are starving because that selfish tyrant refuses to help us. His Pearl Dragon has the ability to return the rains to us but Choy Ziang would rather see us suffer. Now I hope that _he_ is suffering."

"I feel sorry that you are in such a miserable situation," she offered, "but, unless you decide to help each other, the pain will continue for both of you."

"Tell that to Choy Ziang," roared Li Peng. "He started this and I will finish it." He signalled to the soldier waiting below. "I've said enough. Return to the Dragon Palace with that message." And he strode back into his palace with the tiger loping along behind.

Matilda walked slowly down the steps and climbed into the carriage for the return trip. It was clear to her that she was dealing with two obstinate and foolish old men, and there seemed to be little chance of bringing them together.

Chapter 19

The Vandals Prepare For War

Riders had been sent out to all of the Vandal camps with the message that every warrior was to gather the following morning in preparation for war with the Dragon Province. At the break of dawn the next day Dragar's camp was surrounded by the tents of a thousand warriors ready for battle. He ordered his generals to his yurt so that the attack could be coordinated.

The five generals arrived, dressed in their goatskin jackets, trousers and boots, and their pointed leather helmets with cheek covers. They carried curved swords in leather sheaths at their waists.

Dragar wasted no time in outlining his plan.

"The Dragon Defenders will be taken care of," he began, holding up a goatskin canteen. "Our Shaman has prepared this opiate ahead of time and it will be used to drug the dragons so that our warriors can travel safely through the mountain pass. The Shaman tells me that the dragons will sleep for several days and by that time we will have the Dragon Province under our control."

"Why don't we slay the dragons while they sleep?" asked one of the generals.

"I have considered that," answered Dragar, "but, according to legend, their lives are protected by the gods of war. The Shaman tells me that to kill them would bring even more trouble to our nation.

No, they will remain alive and we will negotiate with them after we have taken over the Dragon Province."

Dragar went on to explain how Antal the Cave Dweller would administer the drug with the silkworm husks. He then set out the timetable for the troops to move over the mountains. At last he dismissed the generals and sent for the Cave Dweller.

When Antal arrived, Dragar handed him the goatskin canteen containing the opiate.

"Guard this with your life," he told the trembling spy, "for that is what it will be worth if you fail. Our warriors will be moving out at sunset to travel through the mountain pass in cover of darkness. Make sure that the dragons have been dealt with by then."

"Yes, Sire," replied Antal, bowing his head. His hands were shaking so much he could hardly hold the canteen, "it will be done."

He scampered out of the yurt as quickly as he could, his fear driving him back to the mountains.

By the time Antal arrived back at his cave that afternoon the sun was slowly dipping behind the mountains. Time was getting away and he had to hurry. He knew that a new supply of cocoon husks had been delivered to the site where the dragons feasted on them at dusk so he headed over the ridges to reach the site before the sun disappeared, clutching the goatskin canteen to his chest.

Chapter 20

The Dragons' Long Sleep

Antal clambered over the last few rocks and reached the shaded glade where the pile of cocoon husks had been deposited. It was nearly time for the dragons to arrive for their evening snack. Unscrewing the top of the canteen he carefully poured the contents over the husks. There was no scent that would expose the drug and the liquid quickly soaked into the pile. He had just finished when he heard the distant flapping of wings so he ran back into the rocks where he could observe proceedings without being seen. His life would depend on the outcome.

He watched as the four dragons landed on the flat rock in the centre of the glade. They were beautiful animals, rich in colour, red, green, blue and yellow. When they had taken up positions around the husks, they proceeded to eat hungrily. It was obvious how much they enjoyed the special treat as the pile quickly disappeared. The drug was immediate in its effect. The dragons began to wobble on their legs, and a look of distress came over them as they fell onto their sides. Within seconds they were all fast asleep.

Antal crept out of his hiding place and walked over to them. He was afraid that the drug might have killed them but, as he came near, he could hear their steady breathing. Heaving a sigh of relief, he made his way back to his cave. As he passed over the mountain in the twilight, Antal looked down to see the Vandal warriors riding through the pass below. A thousand horses, each carrying an armed rider, clip-clopped along the path that would lead to the Dragon Province. The riders were followed by the foot soldiers. He felt proud that he had helped them travel safely, sad that he had to mistreat the dragons in doing so but, most of all, thankful that his own life had been saved.

Chapter 21

Matilda Reports

Meanwhile Matilda had returned to the Dragon Palace more than a little disheartened by her meeting with Li Peng. When she reached the privacy of her room she whispered, "Peri". Some sound guidance on how to proceed was badly needed and the Persian fairy was always wise with her advice.

As she appeared, Peri raised her eyebrows. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "Both of them are as tough as old boots, aren't they?"

"Yes," replied Matilda sadly, "and I have no idea what to do next."

"I think that the first thing you have to do is tell Jia about your meeting with Li Peng," suggested Peri. "Maybe she can think of some way to convince him to own up to taking the Golden Phoenix and to return it."

"I doubt it," said Matilda, "but I agree that she has to be told."

"I only wish I could be of more help," declared Peri as she sensed Matilda's frustration. "I'm good at protecting you from danger but I don't think giving advice is my strength."

"Of course you always give me good advice," whispered Matilda, giving Peri a cuddle, "but just having you near gives me all the strength I need. Come on, let's go and find Jia."

Peri flew onto her shoulder and disappeared.

In the corridor Matilda met a soldier who told her that Jia was in the garden at the rear of the palace. She found her way through the maze of hallways to a set of glass doors leading out into the palace gardens. Jia was sitting by a pool, surrounded by shrubs and flower beds, throwing

breadcrumbs to the golden carp that were swimming lazily beneath the lily pads. She looked up as Matilda came through the doors.

"Hello," she said with a smile. "How did your visit with Li Cheng go?"

"Not very well, I'm afraid," answered Matilda, sitting down beside her. "I think he's worse than Choy Ziang. He even denied taking the Golden Phoenix."

"Hm-m-m," muttered Jia thoughtfully. "That's no real surprise. The emperors believe that you should never confess to anything."

"Which means we won't get anywhere with them," said Matilda with a sad frown.

"No," said Jia, with a glint in her eye. "As you said, we can't give up. I think we should have another talk with Choy Ziang and my mother. But this time we won't let him bully us."

Chapter 22

Another Dinner With The Emperor

Jia contacted her mother who agreed to bring the Emperor with her to join them for dinner that evening. From the dining room they could hear Choy Ziang complaining all the way down the hallway.

"I want you to know I'm not happy about this," he roared. "Not happy at all. I don't wish to talk to anybody concerned with Maximilian. I'm fed up with him, right to the gills. He knows that I should be emperor for both provinces but, no, he's hasn't got the gumption to stand up to that selfish nobody, Li Peng. Weak, that's what he is, _weak_."

The ranting continued as he and Choy Bo came through the door. Jia and Matilda stood to greet them. They politely bowed to the Emperor who ignored them while Jia's mother helped him into his seat.

"Hello, mother," said Jia as she and Matilda also seated themselves at the table.

"Hello, sweetheart," Choy Bo replied. "And Matilda. Let's eat while we talk."

She signalled to the servants who moved around putting plates before them. The meals were served at the same time. Matilda watched as the Emperor sniffed sneeringly at the food. Things didn't look good.

"Now," began Choy Bo while she lifted food onto the Emperor's plate with chopsticks, "what did you want to see us about?"

Jia decided that she would get straight to the point and addressed the Emperor.

"Honourable grandfather, Matilda and I are deeply worried about the suffering of the people in the Tiger Province. The drought . . ."

She wasn't allowed to finish. The Emperor jumped to his feet and shouted, "Don't you dare sympathise with them. They've brought it on themselves. If they had the courage to rid themselves of their miserable leader and accept me as their Emperor all of their problems would be solved.

To talk of helping Li Peng is treason. Yes, that's what it is, treason!"

Matilda had heard enough. She also stood up and confronted the Emperor.

"That's not true," she said forcefully. "We have every right to feel sorry for the people. They didn't choose their leader just as the people of the Dragon Province didn't choose you. And look what they've ended up with.; two cranky old men who can't see past their own selfishness. None of them deserves that."

The Emperor went red in the face and looked as if he was going to choke.

"Uh,oh," thought Matilda, "I've gone too far."

"The hide of you," screeched Choy Ziang when he had regained his breath. "I knew that two-faced fraud Maximilian was up to something when he sent you. You're nothing but a spy! Pack your bags and get out of here . . . immediately!"

Choy Bo jumped to her feet, spilling food and plates to the floor.

"Calm down, father," she said as she put her arms around the Emperor. "Please! You'll end up having one of your dizzy spells."

Jia remained sitting, silently applauding the bravery of her new friend.

They were interrupted by a soldier running into the dining room. He knelt on one knee before the Emperor and said, "Master, you must come out to the front of the palace. Something terrible is happening."

Taken aback by the urgency of the soldier's words, the party quickly followed the soldier out to the front steps where they saw a red glow in the night sky, right where the silk factory was situated.

Chapter 23

The First Wave

The workers at the silk factory had no warning. Suddenly a hundred riders appeared out of the mountains and rode at full speed into the lanes and roads that separated the factory's sheds. Some carried flaming torches which they used to set the buildings alight while others smashed everything that was out in the open.

The noise was frightening and the workers in their quarters, about to have their evening meal, were startled and confused. They rushed to the doors of their houses and, seeing the destruction and the menacing warriors, gathered up their children and fled as fast as they could into the surrounding hills. The Vandals did not pursue them. Their only interest was in destroying the silk production.

Within an hour every shed was burning fiercely with flames shooting high into the air. The Vandals also set fire to the empty workers quarters so that the area was like a huge bonfire. The night sky was bright red with the inferno.

Chapter 24

Time To Start Worrying

While they were standing on the palace steps viewing the fire in the distant hills, the Emperor's party saw a horse and rider racing towards them. Soldiers immediately surrounded the Emperor for protection but they soon realised that the rider was one of the workers from the silk factory. He jumped off the horse as soon as it reached the steps and sprinted up to Choy Ziang.

Kneeling before his master he spluttered breathlessly, "Sire, the Vandals . . . they've set fire to the silk factory . . . I fled and found this horse . . . to warn you."

"What about the other workers?" asked Choy Bo.

"I think they all escaped . . . into the hills." gasped the man.

"You've been very brave," continued Choy Bo, then spoke to a soldier. "Take this man into the palace and let him rest."

The Emperor was looking puzzled. "How did the Vandals get past the Dragon Defenders?" he wondered aloud. "This is impossible."

"It may seem impossible but it's happened," commented Jia, "and we'd better prepare for the worst. If they continue on they will soon reach the city and we know what will happen then."

"What about our soldiers?" enquired Matilda. "Won't they be able to hold them off?"

"We are not prepared for war," Jia informed her. "We only have a small army and the Vandals have a well-earned reputation for winning any battle they enter."

"We will have to flee," added Choy Bo, "as much as that hurts."

The Emperor seemed to realise that everybody else was making the decisions so he interrupted.

"Our only chance against these monsters is to enlist the aid of Li Peng and his soldiers."

Matilda and Jia were shocked to hear these words. Neither believed that the Tiger Emperor would come to the help of his enemy but for the Dragon Emperor to even suggest this plan of action was unbelievable.

"Do you really think that Li Peng will agree after all you've done to him?" asked Jia.

"Perhaps . . . if we consent to lend him the Pearl Dragon," declared Choy Ziang with a sly smile.

"You'd do that?" said Matilda in amazement.

"Hard situations require hard decisions," replied the Emperor with a cunning understanding of the options that surprised everybody. "But let's not be too hasty. The Vandals may only wish to destroy the silk factory and will disappear over the mountains again tomorrow. We must wait and see."

He turned and walked back into the Dragon Palace.

It was a long night. In preparation for the worst, the Emperor ordered everybody to make ready for the evacuation of the palace the next morning. His wives, children and grandchildren gathered in the Greeting Room with any of their prized possessions they could manage to carry. They had a restless and sleepless night as they feared what might happen. Soldiers brought carriages and horses to the front of the palace to transport the family and staff to the wall if needed.

At dawn their worst nightmare was realised as a soldier reported that the Vandals were camped outside the city. The Emperor, Bo, Jia and Matilda went to the front of the palace and, from the steps, they could see the thousand Vandal warriors in the small valley below, arranging their horses in battle formation. It was an awesome sight.

"We must all retreat to the wall immediately," stated the Emperor. "It will be easier to defend ourselves there and we'll be closer to the Tiger Province if Li Peng agrees to help. I fear for our people. The Vandals show no mercy."

Matilda put her hand up to her chest again. If only she had remembered to bring the Zeus medallion with her.

She whispered to Peri, "I think you will have to use more than your brain power now, my friend."

Without appearing, Peri replied, "Ready, willing and able."

The Emperor ordered his soldiers to bring the family and staff out to the carriages and to escort everybody to the wall. He then sent a messenger to Li Peng requesting assistance, with the assurance that the Tiger Province would have the services of the Pearl Dragon in return.

Chapter 25

Dragar The Dreadful

The success of the previous night's raid on the silk factory had been reported to Dragar the Dreadful immediately after it had occurred. While the hundred warriors had been out on their mission, the remainder of the Vandal force had been steadily progressing towards Shi Guang and the Dragon Palace. They had set up camp in the valley below the city during the night and Dragar had called a meeting of his generals in his tent.

By the light of flaming torches on poles stuck into the dirt floor, he pointed to a map of the Dragon Province.

"It is time to finally seize the Dragon Emperor's territory and make certain that it never recovers to threaten our survival again," he began. "Tomorrow morning we will attack the city and reach the palace. Our only aim is to capture the Emperor, strip him of his power and take over the province for our own. For that reason your warriors are to be instructed that they are only to strike fear into the hearts of the citizens. We will need them as our slaves in the future. It is the Emperor we want – at any cost. Assemble your warriors at dawn and I shall personally lead the attack. Are you all clear?"

The generals nodded their heads and hastened out of the tent to speak to their troops.

Chapter 26

The Retreat

"Bring the Pearl Dragon to me," Choy Ziang ordered Jia. "She is the only thing that stands between us and total disaster and must be protected at all times. You and your friend there," he pointed with a crooked finger at Matilda, "will be responsible for ensuring her safety until she can be handed over to Li Peng. Now hurry and fetch the dragon so that we can leave."

Jia led Matilda through the maze of corridors until they reached the glassed in area at the centre of the palace. The Pearl Dragon was still sitting in front of its cave and pearl tears continued to collect around her. Jia went to the back of the area where a cage on wheels sat next to a small door which led into the interior of the dragon's domain. She opened the door and, pulling the cage behind her, approached the dragon.

"Sh," she whispered. "Everything will be all right. We have to go on a trip now and we might meet up with the Golden Phoenix if we're lucky. Wouldn't that be good?"

Hearing her soothing words, the Pearl Dragon moved towards Jia, its large green eyes dry for the first time in days, and full of affection. The mention of the Golden Phoenix had worked wonders. Jia opened the front of the cage and, as Matilda watched, the Pearl Dragon walked forward and stepped inside. After Jia had secured the door, they each took a side of the handle and pulled the cage to the Greeting Room where the Emperor was waiting impatiently.

"Hurry, hurry," he shouted, waving an arm at them. "Take the cage out to the soldiers so that they can load it onto a wagon."

Jia and Matilda did as they were told and watched as a group of soldiers lifted the Pearl Dragon onto the tray of a wagon. As soon as that was done they also climbed aboard and a soldier took the reins. The Emperor's ornate carriage pulled up beside them and Choy Ziang stepped up into it. Even in defeat he insisted on travelling in style.

A small group of soldiers was left behind in the vain hope of defending the palace and the last occupants of the Dragon Palace were driven out of the grounds just one hour before the Vandal invasion began.

Chapter 27

The Vandals Attack Shi Guang

The citizens of Shi Guang had nowhere to go. They hurried to board up their houses as the Vandal warriors rode helter skelter through the streets and lanes of the city, shouting at the tops of their voices and waving their curved swords in the air. People hugged each other as they sat, trembling, in their homes, expecting the worst.

Dragar the Dreadful led a small contingent of warriors straight to the palace where the troop of Dragon soldiers that had been left behind was easily overwhelmed. He was disappointed to find that the Emperor was nowhere to be found.

"To the wall," he shouted. "The miserable worm is attempting to escape to the south. A reward awaits the first warrior to run him down."

With that he ran to the front of the palace, jumped onto his horse and set off in pursuit.

As Dragar rode headlong through the streets he gathered his warriors around him and they headed for the wall. The people of the city watched as they dashed past, mystified as to why the Vandals hadn't broken into their houses.

Chapter 28

Defending The Wall

When Jia and Matilda arrived at the wall, closely followed by the Emperor's carriage, the soldiers quickly unloaded the cage containing the Pearl Dragon and lifted it to the top of the steps.

The Emperor's family and the palace staff were already gathered together on the walkway between the Dragon and Tiger guards. Jia, Matilda and Choy Ziang joined them and Jia's mother greeted them with fear etched into her face.

"This is terrible," she moaned. "We are doomed unless Li Peng decides to support us, but even then . . ." Her voice trailed off with the awful prospect.

A body of Dragon soldiers formed a defence at the bottom of the steps and others scattered to secure the other series of steps along the wall. With their numbers spread out so thinly, their ability to repel the Vandals appeared futile. Despite this, their bravery was beyond doubt.

The dust kicked up by the approaching enemy could be seen in the distance and the soldiers steeled themselves for the attack. Within minutes the battle was joined and the noise of metal striking metal filled the air. Vandal archers rode backwards and forwards beyond the fray, firing arrows at the defenders on the top of the wall. The Emperor and his party ducked down behind the parapet as the arrows whistled overhead. Jia and Matilda remained with the Pearl Dragon, covered by leather shields.

Seeing the fight being gradually lost and no sign of Li Peng's help arriving, Matilda turned to Jia and said, "I believe it's time for us to call up our own help."

As they crouched beside the cage, Matilda whispered, "Peri", and Jia saw the fairy appear.

"It doesn't look good," commented Peri, stating the obvious.

"No," agreed Matilda. "I think we'll need the services of your wand pretty soon."

"Can Peri turn the Vandals back?" asked Jia.

"I don't think so," said Matilda, "but she will be able to buy us some time."

They watched as several Vandals broke through the defensive lines and raced up the steps, hoping to be the first to capture the Emperor and win the reward. The Tiger guards could not stand by and watch the slaughter. They joined the Dragon guards as the last line of defence for the Emperor. Matilda and Peri moved forward to help them while Jia remained with the Pearl Dragon.

As the Vandal warriors moved towards the Emperor, the guards were shocked to see the small fairy on Matilda's shoulder wave her wand at the attackers, freezing them in their tracks. In a matter of moments they were all lying, frozen, on the ground.

Choy Zang could not believe what he saw and could only mutter to his Number One Daughter, "Maximilian! Full of surprises again."

More Vandals reached the top of the wall and Peri was kept busy waving her wand at them.

"I hope my wand doesn't run out of power," she said into Matilda's ear.

"Just keep doing what you're doing," replied Matilda. "It's the only hope we have left."

She wondered whether Li Peng had decided to simply leave them to their fate.

Chapter 29

Li Peng's Decision

"Look," shouted one of the Tiger guards, pointing to the other side of the wall.

Matilda turned towards the Tiger Province and was filled with joy and amazement, for there, racing towards them across the desolate land, were at least a hundred tigers, led by Da Hu, the Great Tiger, the golden chain around his neck glinting in the sun.

More Vandal warriors had broken through and reached the top of the wall. It was only a matter of time before they would reach Choy Ziang. Peri kept waving her wand to hold them back until Da Hu leapt up the steps and, with the other tigers, ran into the invading army, creating fear and panic.

The tigers poured over the wall and jumped onto the mounted Vandals below. On seeing the tigers the horses panicked, rearing into the air and dumping their riders before racing away. The dismounted riders could not defend themselves against the power of the tigers and joined the retreat.

Dragar the Dreadful watched from his horse as the assault on the wall was crushed beneath the strength of these mighty animals. It was all over in a matter of minutes. Never before had he seen his warriors so humbled. Finally he wheeled his horse and raced back towards the safety of the mountains.

A cheer broke out from everybody on the wall. Choy Ziang stood up to watch Dragar speed away, followed by his warriors on horse and on foot. Victory was his, thanks to Li Peng. The tigers stood beside Da Hu, watching the enemy's retreat, then turned and loped over the wall to return home. The people applauded them as they passed.

Several soldiers struggled with a Vandal warrior as they dragged him towards Choy Ziang.

"Sire, we captured this general before he could escape on foot," reported one of the soldiers. "He has agreed to tell you why this attack took place, in exchange for his freedom."

"Well done," said Choy Ziang and, addressing the prisoner, continued,"Why did Dragar choose this time to attack the Dragon Province after so many years of peace?"

The general went on to explain how the Vandal nation was suffering because their cotton trade was being destroyed in its competition with Dragon Province silk. He said that is why they burnt the silk factory to the ground. Dragar wanted to take over the province to stop silk production forever.

"But how silly is that?" queried the Emperor. "If he wished to conquer us, surely he would benefit by keeping the silk factory operating." He shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know," he sighed, "these Vandals are big on bravery but short on brains."

Turning to the captured general he said, "What I really want to know is how your warriors managed to pass the Dragon Defenders in the mountains?"

The general explained how the dragons had been drugged so that they would sleep for days.

"How terrible," exclaimed Jia and, turning to her grandfather, asked, "Father, isn't there anything we can do to help them? The Vandals could slay them as they return north."

The general interrupted and told them why they had not slain the dragons on their way through the mountains but left them peacefully asleep, uninjured, in their mountain glade. He assured them that Dragar would not risk ignoring the Shaman's counsel and upsetting the gods of war even more.

"But we still have to do something," Jia pleaded with her father.

Chapter 30

Peri's Mission

Peri whispered in Matilda's ear.

"A great idea," Matilda agreed, and spoke to the Emperor, "Sire, Peri, who protected you so bravely, has suggested that she could travel to this mountain glade and use her magic to revive the sleeping dragons."

"But how will she get there?" asked Choy Ziang, still amazed that this little fairy had appeared out of nowhere to help save the day. "It is a long journey and she will meet with the Vandal warriors as they flee."

"I could fly there myself," interrupted Peri, "but I don't think I have the strength for such a lengthy flight," she winked at Jia," or . . . I could ride on the back of the Pearl Dragon,"

"Impossible," declared the Emperor. "What if something should happen to the Pearl Dragon? All would be lost."

"Grandfather, they can fly high above the Vandals," said Jia. "We have to do something for the Dragon Defenders after all they've done for us. And I know the Pearl Dragon would want to help his brothers and sisters."

The Emperor thought for several seconds. At last he looked at Jia.

"There is much truth in what you say, my daughter. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Dragon Defenders. If I allow this brave fairy to go with the Pearl Dragon, she must assure me that she will avoid any danger."

"Of course," replied Peri.

"Very well," agreed the Emperor. "Be on your way and remain safe."

Jia walked over to the cage, unlocked the door and beckoned the Pearl Dragon out. She put her arm around the dragon's neck and spoke gently into its ear.

"You have an important task. Your brothers and sisters are in danger and you need to travel to their mountain glade with Peri, the magic fairy."

The Pearl Dragon nodded its head.

"You must fly around the Vandals so that you are both safe," continued Jia.

Once again the dragon nodded, and then waddled across to Matilda. Peri flew down and landed on her back, grasping a spine at the top of her head. With two beats of her wings the Pearl Dragon lifted into the air and flew towards the mountains.

Chapter 31

The Mountain Glade

Peri held on tightly as the Pearl Dragon winged her way through the sky. They were high in the air and could see the defeated Vandal warriors strung out along the roads leading back to their camp in the valley, some riding and others walking. They looked a sorry lot. As they passed over the camp Peri saw other Vandals gathering their possessions and dismantling their tents. Some had already set off for the mountain pass with many of the horses carrying two warriors. The Pearl Dragon was too high in the air to attract their attention.

At last they reached the mountains and the dragon headed for the glade where her brothers and sisters always went for their special treat. When Peri looked down she could see the bodies of the Dragon Defenders lying peacefully within the glade. The Pearl Dragon glided down and landed near them.

Peri said, "This will only take a few seconds," and, flying across to the sleeping dragons, waved her wand over each one. First, the Red Dragon, Hong Long, raised her head and looked groggily at Peri. In turn, her sister the Blue Dragon, Lan Long, awoke followed by her two brothers, the Green Dragon, Lu Long, and finally the Yellow Dragon, Huang Long. The Pearl Dragon flapped her wings and hopped across to them. There was a great deal of squealing and puffing of flames as the excited group recognised each other. The Pearl Dragon was obviously explaining to the others what had happened.

Peri noticed that everything went quiet and the dragons seemed to be whispering to each other. They kept glancing at Peri as if to check whether she was eavesdropping. Not that it mattered; there was no way the fairy could understand the snorts, whistles, squeals and puffs of smoke that seemed to make up the dragon language. After a couple of minutes the Pearl Dragon approached Peri and tilted her head to indicate that she should get aboard. After Peri was settled, the Pearl Dragon lifted off into the air and, with a final puff of smoke and flames, began the journey back to the wall.

Chapter 32

Sweet Revenge

As soon as the Pearl Dragon was out of sight, the Dragon Defenders took to the sky themselves. The quiet discussion with their little sister had been about the need to pay the Vandals back for what they had done – particularly Dragar the Dreadful. He may think he was heading back to the safety of the mountains, but little did he know what awaited him.

The dragons flew high so that their presence wasn't obvious to the warriors below. They circled like vultures until they spotted a large party of Vandals about to cross the bridge over Jin He, the River of Gold. As the eldest, Hong Long led the attack, diving swiftly down onto the heads of the Vandals who didn't know what was happening until their horses reared into the air and dumped them onto the road. As the horses bolted, the Vandals stood up only, one by one, to be grasped in the talons of a dragon and unceremoniously dumped into the river. By the time the Dragon Defenders had finished, the River of Gold was filled with Vandal warriors flailing the water as they tried to stay afloat in their heavy uniforms.

The dragons attacked any and every Vandal warrior they saw but, as yet, they hadn't met up with Dragar. That was soon to change.

They had just finished dealing with another group of Vandal warriors when Lan Long, the Blue Dragon, noticed that a horseman had just rounded the corner down the track, seen what was happening, and quickly turned his horse back the way he had come.

She fluttered her wings to lift her higher for a better view and saw over the hill where the rider was racing back towards the city. His general's hat gave him away; it was Dragar. Lan Long blew a tongue of flame and squealed to signal the others and the chase began. Dragar had no chance. In a matter of seconds the dragons had run the villain down. Lan Long was the first to reach him. She grabbed him in her clawed feet and lifted him into the air.

Chapter 33

The Pearls Of Wisdom

Meanwhile Peri and the Pearl Dragon had returned to the wall. They landed beside the Emperor and Peri smiled as she flew down from the dragon's back.

"We did it," she exclaimed.

Matilda ran over to grab her in her arms and give her a hug.

"You're marvellous," she said to the fairy. "So the Dragon Defenders are safe?"

"Yes," said Peri.

A cheer broke out from the people around her. Jia went over to the Pearl Dragon and gave her a hug as well.

Their celebration was interrupted by a commotion farther up the wall. They all looked towards it and saw Li Peng appear at the top of the steps from the Tiger Province side. The two Emperors stood metres apart and stared at each other. Choy Ziang broke the stand-off by walking across to the Tiger Emperor and extending his hand in friendship.

"I cannot thank you enough," he said as Li Peng finally shook his hand. "You have saved the lives of thousands of my people."

"I have to confess that I sent Da Hu and the tigers not so much to rescue you but because I feared that the Vandals would attack the Tiger Province next," replied Li Peng with a smirk.

"Is this the same person who lied about stealing the Golden Phoenix?" thought Matilda.

The Tiger Emperor's words were a surprise to her. Nevertheless, she still sensed some tension between the two men.

Then Li Peng sprang the real surprise.

"However, since then I have given our relationship much thought," he continued, "particularly after your offer to lend me the Pearl Dragon to resolve our problem of the drought. And so I have another offering for you."

He walked over to the steps and signalled to a soldier waiting below. The soldier appeared with a cage containing the Golden Phoenix. Taking the cage from the soldier, Li Peng handed it to Choy Ziang.

"I am sorry for the grief I have caused your people but your actions gave me no other choice," he explained.

"And I regret my pig-headedness in return," confessed the Dragon Emperor. "The Pearl Dragon will go to your palace with the Golden Phoenix until the state of your land is restored to its former glory. May the Yin and Yang of both our provinces be restored as well."

Nobody had noticed what was happening to the Pearl Dragon until Jia turned towards her. On seeing her friend, the Golden Phoenix, huge tears of joy had formed in the dragon's eyes. As Jia watched, the tears trickled down the dragon's face and dropped to the ground where they formed two lustrous pearls about the size of marbles.

"The Pearls of Wisdom!" Jia shouted as she scooped them up. The crowd watched in amazement as Jia took the pearls and handed them to the two Emperors.

A sense of peace came over the crowd as Li Peng and Choy Ziang each held his Pearl of Wisdom in an open hand. As they did, their faces changed. The hard lines of past anger vanished and a glow appeared around them.

Chapter 34

Dragar's Punishment

The flapping of their wings alerted everybody on the wall. The Dragon Defenders appeared in the sky above, Lan Long holding a terrified Dragar in her talons. The four dragons landed in front of the crowd and Lan Long dropped the prisoner in front of the Emperors. He was a miserable sight, fear etched into his face, a faint echo of the mighty warrior he had been. The two Emperors looked down on him, not with hatred but with pity. When Choy Ziang spoke, the change was remarkable; no more ranting and raving, no more temper tantrums, just a clear and strong speech. The Pearls of Wisdom were weaving their magic.

"You have been the father of fear for our people and the creator of evil," he declared. "For this there should be no forgiveness. However, I have been informed of the terrible hardship that your nation has been facing and for that I can have some understanding of your actions. But your love of war instead of seeking a peaceful solution stands against you. You will remain our prisoner and your freedom will only be secured when your Vandal warriors repair the damage they have caused.

We will send a message with these terms to your Shaman immediately. It will be interesting to see if your people value you enough to give you your freedom."

Li Peng leaned towards Choy Ziang and whispered in his ear. After several minutes the Dragon Emperor nodded and spoke again to the prisoner.

"If your people see fit to deliver your freedom, both the Dragon and Tiger Provinces give their

solemn promise to help the Vandal nation establish its own silk production and trade so that they can share in our prosperity."

Dragar the Dreadful, who had feared for his life, was stunned by what he heard, as was anybody else who had experienced Choy Ziang's temper.

He looked up at the two Emperors and said, "Thank you both. Your mercy is more than I deserve and, in return, I swear that, if I am freed by my people, I will work with you for the benefit of all our citizens. You need never fear the Vandals again."

"Before this moment I didn't believe that you knew the meaning of mercy," stated Li Peng, "so it pleases us that you recognise it in what you are being offered. We will take you at your word and trust that your people will work for your freedom."

Signalling to his soldiers, Choy Ziang said, "Take him away."

Jia walked over to the four Dragon Defenders.

"We are all so sorry that you had to suffer because of this unfortunate incident," she said, "but once again you have shown your bravery and friendship. We could not survive without you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

The dragons puffed out flames in reply and Hong Long waddled across to rub her cheek against Jia as her sign of affection. Having done that, she and her sister and brothers flapped their wings and returned to the mountains.

The final act was carried out by Choy Ziang. He ordered his soldiers to carry the cages containing the Pearl Dragon and the Golden Phoenix down the steps to Li Peng's carriage.

"Let this be a sign of our future friendship," he said to the Tiger Emperor, "and may the harmony and balance of the Yin and Yang transform the sadness that hangs over our people."

Li Peng moved forward and shook Choy Ziang's hand.

"May we join you in celebration of this day?" he asked.

"Of course," replied Choy Ziang. "Tomorrow will be declared a festival holiday for everybody to rejoice this remarkable victory and you shall be our guest of honour."

Matilda could not help smiling as she watched this extraordinary exchange. Out of disaster had come the getting of wisdom and peace for the two provinces.

Chapter 35

A Different Dinner

As the Emperor's party returned to the palace with Dragar the Dreadful under guard, the people of the Dragon Province lined the streets and clapped and shouted happily as the carriages passed. They could hardly believe that the Vandals had been repulsed and their day of terror was over.

Matilda and Jia rode in their own carriage and Peri, out in the open at last, flew above the horse all the way to the palace. Once everybody had returned, the Emperor sent out soldiers with notices to inform the population of the next day's festivities. He also sent a messenger to the Vandals to tell them of what was required for the release of Dragar.

Dinner in the palace that night was a complete change from the previous experience. Choy Ziang was no longer the crabby crank but the direct opposite. He laughed and joked and showed real affection for Matilda and Jia, and especially for Peri. He even asked the little fairy to sit on his shoulder during the meal and fed her morsels with chopsticks. And he carried his Pearl of Wisdom with him.

When the meal was finished he rose from his seat, with the help of Choy Bo, and addressed his guests.

"Matilda," he began, using her name for the first time, "I cannot apologise enough for my disgraceful behaviour in the past. However, I hope you will recognise my sincerity when I say I could not have been more wrong about your words and actions. I admire you. I must also ask you to apologise to Maximilian as well on your return home. As for Peri," and he turned to look at the cheeky fairy on his shoulder, "I wish that I had known about you and your talents a lot earlier. You saved my life. Thank you my little one. Now to my Number One Grand Daughter, Jia. My love for you has no bounds. You stood up to my foolishness and showed your bravery and wisdom. I hope to reward your strengths tomorrow. In the meantime I think we all deserve a good night's rest in preparation for tomorrow's celebrations."

Choy Bo had tears in her eyes and she blew kisses to Jia and Matilda as she followed the Emperor out of the room. Peri had flown back to Matilda.

"What an amazing day," declared Matilda.

"Yes," agreed Jia, "and all due to you and your little friend here."

"We couldn't have done anything without your help," stated Matilda.

"The change in those two old cranks is unbelievable," said Jia.

"Who would have thought?" commented Peri, and they all burst out laughing.

Chapter 36

A Final Solution

Matilda and Peri slept soundly that night. They awoke to the sound of fireworks outside. After a quick breakfast they went out to the front of the palace and joined the Emperor and his family as they watched the people celebrating with crackers, sky rockets and a variety of other exploding, fizzling and sparkling objects. Hundreds of children were flying colourful kites in the clear blue sky and men and women were parading life-size dragon puppets in front of the palace to the tune of brass instruments and drums. Braziers had been lit and the smell of barbecued meat filled the air. Drink and food stalls had been set up around the perimeter of the square. Everybody was having a wonderful time and this celebration was being repeated right throughout the cities and surrounding villages of both provinces.

Suddenly cheering broke out and Matilda saw a carriage appear with Li Peng standing in it to wave to the people. The old enemy was now a welcome friend and the smile on Li Peng's face said it all. Tiger soldiers ran beside the carriage in their bright orange uniforms. When his carriage reached the palace steps, Li Peng stepped down and proceeded up to Choy Ziang who greeted him warmly. The two emperors waved to the crowd and then, while the others continued to watch the festivities, they went back into the palace. They both carried their treasured Pearl of Wisdom with them.

The merry-making lasted well into the night. Matilda, Peri and Jia went down into the streets to join in. Peri, in particular, created a great deal of interest. People commented on how small and perfect she was and the little fairy lapped up the attention. After all, she didn't get out in public that often.

Finally they headed back to the palace for a special party that had been planned for that evening by the Emperor. They supposed that it was a gathering to recognise the guest of honour, Li Peng.

They were in for a surprise.

Everybody assembled in the Greeting Room where the servants had laid out food and drink. A group of musicians played happy tunes while the guests mingled and talked. All at once a gong sounded and the room went quiet as Choy Ziang and Li Peng entered. Everybody gasped as they saw what they were both wearing. Instead of the traditional colours, blue for the Dragon Province and orange for the Tiger Province, the two men wore silk robes that showed both colours in an appealing mixture. They smiled at the guests and Li Peng held up his hand to hush the whispering that had broken out.

"My friends, Choy Ziang and I have been discussing the future of our provinces. As you can see from our robes, we have agreed to bring the two provinces together again, as it should be." There was instant applause. "However, both Choy Ziang and I are getting old . . . not _too_ old please," everybody laughed, "but old enough to need a rest. So, we wish to take this opportunity to announce that we will both be giving up our roles as emperors and handing the future of the two provinces to Choy Ziang's Number One Grand Daughter, Jia, who will become the first Empress of the Pearl Dynasty."

Everybody turned towards Jia who was standing beside Matilda at the back of the room. As the importance of what Li Peng had said sank in she struggled for breath. Matilda was overjoyed and embraced Jia. Choy Ziang and Li Peng signalled for her to join them.

When Jia was beside them the ex-Dragon Emperor spoke.

"The people of the Dragon and Tiger Provinces will be building a new palace and city across the wall that has divided us. It will be called the City of Peace and will be the home of the new Pearl Empress."

Everybody cheered.

Choy Ziang and Li Peng next called on Matilda to come forward.

Li Peng declared, "In memory of the extraordinary victory over the Vandals, this day will be celebrated as a public holiday each year and will be officially called 'Matilda Day'."

Once again the audience burst out with applause as Matilda and Jia hugged each other and were joined by Choy Bo who was bursting with pride.

"To guide our new Empress," continued Li Peng, "we wish to present her with the Pearls of Wisdom." Both ex-emperors stepped forward and handed the precious pearls to Jia, who held them aloft, one in each hand and shouted, "To peace and prosperity for all of our people."

The assembly went mad with delight and, on a signal from Choy Ziang, the musicians began playing a merry tune. People started dancing around the room as the real party began.

Peri leaned over to whisper in Matilda's ear, "Shouldn't that be 'Matilda and Peri Day'?"

Matilda saw the little fairy smiling cheekily. "We'll call it that between ourselves," she said.

Chapter 37

Goodbye

The next day Empress Jia was able to perform her first official duty. A messenger arrived from the Vandals to say that the terms for Dragar's release would be met. He reported that a large working party would travel to the site of the silk factory as soon as they could be assured that they wouldn't be attacked by the Dragon Defenders again. Jia couldn't help smiling.

When the messenger had departed, soldiers fetched Dragar from the cells below the palace. Jia informed him of the decision by his warriors to support him and stated that he was free to go.

However, before the Vandal leader left, Jia warned him, "Never forget that my father gave you back your life. Now is your chance to repay him, not simply by rebuilding the silk factory, or working with your people to establish your own silk trade, but by showing that your previous behaviour has changed and you can lead an honourable life where your word is your bond."

"You have my promise that this is the beginning of a friendship that will benefit both our nations," replied Dragar.

"You will be given a horse and escorted through the mountain pass by Pearl soldiers," said Jia. "May your journey be a safe one."

"Thank you Empress, your generosity will be repaid," said Dragar. He bowed low and backed out of the room.

Watching from the sidelines, Matilda whispered to Peri, "Those Pearls of Wisdom really work."

Jia looked over at her friends and signalled for them to join her.

"I cannot believe that this is all happening; the defeat of the Vandals, the two Emperors joining forces after decades of hatred and anger, the return of the Yin and Yang to our lives, and finally this," she threw out both her arms, "me, Empress of a new Dynasty. And I have you two to thank for it all."

"My dear Jia," began Matilda, "while we would like to accept the praise for everything that has happened, I'm afraid the one who should be thanked has just left the palace."

"Dragar?" asked a surprised Jia.

"I'm afraid so," said Matilda with a smile. "If he hadn't attacked the Dragon Province none of this would have happened and we'd still have two cranky old men making everybody miserable. I have to be honest and say we had no idea how to solve the problem until Dragar's actions forced the two Emperors together."

"Yes, you're right of course," agreed Jia with a laugh, "but we really couldn't openly thank somebody who caused so much trouble. We'll just have to do it silently."

Matilda looked fondly at her new friend. "Now that everything here is in order it's time for us to leave. We have to report back to Maximilian and trust that the Vandals live up to their promise."

"But you must say goodbye to my mother and father before you leave," insisted Jia.

She sent a message to Choy Ziang and Choy Bo to join them in the Greeting Room. They arrived shortly afterwards and the farewells were warm and sincere.

"Please pass on my apologies to Maximilian for my unnecessary remarks about him earlier," requested Choy Ziang. "Without your intervention on his behalf the provinces would have been in serious trouble. We owe you and him a great deal." He moved forward and, surprisingly for the former old tyrant, embraced Matilda. "Not to forget our magic fairy," he added as he patted Peri on the head. She grimaced and raised an eyebrow.

"Have a safe journey home," said Choy Bo, also embracing Matilda, "and know that you are always welcome here . . . and will be remembered each year on "Matilda Day'."

"Well . . ." said Matilda, a little embarrassed by all the attention, "we'll go and pack up our things. Goodbye, _Empress_ Jia." She smiled and gave Jia a hug.

Jia whispered in her ear, "I'll never forget you."

"Goodbye everybody," Matilda said again, "and please don't forget to say goodbye to Li Peng for us." She and Peri went back to their room.

"If anybody pats me on the head again I'll scream," complained Peri and the comment brought back memories of Zinzabad, the monkey, for Matilda. It seemed to be the penalty for being small.

She laughed as she picked up her backpack and removed Maximilian's map.

"When you're over your little temper tantrum would you call up the Story Mat, _please_?"

"Humph," muttered Peri and waved her wand.

The Story Mat appeared and floated to the floor. Peri flew over to Matilda's shoulder, waved the wand again and disappeared. Matilda placed the map on the golden sun then sat down. When she crossed her arms and closed her eyes, the Story Mat took off and carried them back home.

Chapter 38

Another Report For Maximilian And An Unpleasant Surprise

Matilda opened her eyes as the Story Mat slowed down and drifted gently to the floor of her bedroom. She climbed to her feet and whispered, "Peri", to have the fairy appear again. They both looked at the crystal ball on her bedside table. It was glowing with its emerald green light but, as Matilda gently tapped it, Maximilian appeared inside.

"Welcome home," he began. "What a wonderful story you've been involved in this time. And, once again, you've both managed to solve a sticky problem and come back safely. Bravo!"

Matilda took her notebook out of her backpack.

"I'm afraid I didn't manage to write down much about the culture of the provinces but I have a lot of information in my head."

"I can imagine," said Maximilian with a chuckle. "But that is by the way. What you both did for the Dragon and Tiger Provinces was remarkable."

"I have to admit, though, that the cards fell our way," admitted Matilda. "Without Dragar the Dreadful we couldn't have hoped to get those two old bullies together."

Then Maximilian made an amazing admission. "Yes, it took a bit of manipulating on my part to get the Vandals involved."

"You arranged that?" exclaimed Matilda.

"Er . . . yes," admitted Maximilian, going a shade of red. "I have my own spy in his camp."

"Who?" asked Matilda.

"Dragar's Treasurer," said Maximilian. "He painted a slightly worse picture of the situation with the Vandals than was really the case. Of course things in the cotton trade weren't good but . . ."

"You cunning old thing," said Matilda feeling quite annoyed.

"It still needed both of you to make the plan work," continued Maximilian hurriedly. "Without you Dragar would have succeeded in conquering the Dragon Province and that would have ruined everything. You were both very brave."

"And in danger," added Matilda.

"Not much, with Peri and her magic wand, and your Zeus medallion," countered Maximilian.

"But I didn't have the Zeus medallion," Matilda stated angrily. "I forgot to fetch it before we left."

"Oh," mumbled Maximilian, startled by the news. "How unfortunate."

"So we _were_ in real danger," insisted Matilda.

"Yes, I suppose there was a certain amount of danger without the medallion," admitted Maximilian. "I told you I felt guilty about putting you in these dangerous situations yet you always manage to come through."

Matilda felt deceived. "Can I ever trust what you say again?" she asked.

"Of course you can," replied Maximilian. "I'm sorry if you feel let down but the circumstances needed something to break the stalemate with the two Emperors."

"That's true, but you should have told us," insisted Matilda.

"I thought of that," said Maximilian. "However, if I'd told you it wouldn't have worked. You'd have known that the Vandals were going to attack and tried to prevent it. See, I thought you had the Zeus medallion. The Emperors needed to be forced to help each other and that's what happened. Please don't be angry with me."

"I'm angry, too," added Peri.

"It all turned out well," said Maximilian in an attempt to change the tone of the discussion, "and I'll make it up to both of you."

"How?" exclaimed Matilda and Peri in unison.

"Wait and see," replied Maximilian. "Now, let's finish on a happy note. The final result is that the two provinces are united, Empress Jia will begin a new era with the Pearl Dynasty, the Yin and Yang balance has been restored to the people of her empire and the Vandals have been rescued from the brink of disaster. Not a bad story for everybody and all because of your cleverness and bravery."

"And your interference," added Matilda.

Maximilian appeared shamefaced. "I think the time has come to finish this discussion. But before we do I must say this; I knew you would succeed my little gem and I am pained to see you upset with me. Please think about what I have said and find it in your heart to forgive me." He spoke to the fairy, "Peri, it's time to leave", and, with a wave to Matilda, she flew into the crystal ball. "I'll speak to you again soon, my princess," he said to Matilda, and they disappeared.

"Maybe," stated Matilda, still feeling annoyed.

At that moment there was a knock on her bedroom door.

Chapter 39

A Few Questions To Answer

Matilda quickly kicked her backpack and Maximilian's map under the bed then shouted, "Come in."

Her father entered the room. "Hello, sweetheart," he said. "I thought I'd come up and get you out of bed for breakfast but I see you're already up."

Once again Matilda suddenly remembered that time had stood still while she was away on her adventure and it was still morning at home.

"I was a bit bored in bed so I thought I'd get up and do a bit of reading before breakfast," said Matilda. Mentioning reading to her book-mad parents was always a sure bet to satisfy their curiosity.

Her father noticed the Story Mat on the floor. "I see you've got your reading mat out again," he observed.

"Yes," said Matilda. "It's pretty isn't it?"

"It certainly is," agreed her father. "This house has some wonderful treasures sprinkled around it.

It was very kind of Professor Stark to leave them behind for us to enjoy." He caught sight of the crystal ball on the bedside table. As Maximilian had stated, it appeared as a snow dome.

"What's this?" he enquired. "That's new isn't it?"

"Yes," stated Matilda, thinking, "Here we go. Another stretch of the truth required."

"Where did it come from?" asked her father.

"A friend gave it to me as a gift," said Matilda.

"Who?" her father wanted to know.

"Max," replied Matilda hoping the inquiry wouldn't go any further.

"That's very thoughtful of him," said her father then added protectively. "Not a boyfriend, I hope?"

"Daaad!" groaned Matilda. "He's just a kind person who likes me."

"Okay, okay" he said, holding up his hands as if to ward her off. "Let's join mum and Heironymus for breakfast."

"Whew," thought Matilda as she followed her father downstairs. Everything seemed to be getting more complicated.

Chapter 40

Maximilian's Gift

When Matilda awoke the next morning she looked over at the crystal ball again and spied something beside it. It looked like a dark blue velvet jewellery bag. She sat up in bed and reached over to her bedside table. It _was_ a jewellery bag tied at the top with a golden chain. Loosening the chain, she reached inside to find a large pearl. It was one of the Pearls of Wisdom!

There was also a note inside. It read:

"My own little pearl, this is to remind you of how much I treasure you. Please forgive an old man for interfering but consider the facts wisely before you condemn me. Forever your friend, Maximilian."

Tears welled up in Matilda's eyes. She still felt annoyed with him but knew that the Pearl of Wisdom would help her forgive Maximilian. She walked over to her bookshelf and hid the jewellery bag, with its pearl, in the hollowed-out book, "The Arabian Nights", together with the Zeus medallion. Her treasures were slowly accumulating.

STORY 3

### MATILDA, MAXIMILIAN AND THE ICE QUEEN

Chapter 1

The Snow Trolls

Bladefoot, a Snow Troll, bowed his head into the wind as he fought against the blizzard that had enveloped Frizland for almost a week. He was returning home after taking his turn tending the village's sheep and living with them in their barn for a month. Even though he was swathed in fur clothing, wore sheepskin boots and had his large head covered with a cosy hood, the minus 20 degrees Celsius temperature, together with the wind-chill, pierced every piece of protection and froze him to the bone. Still he trudged on, lifting his racquet-like snow shoes step by step, driven on by the thought of sitting in front of a roaring fire with a mug of ale in one hand and a slab of mutton in the other when he reached his village.

He was typical of all Snow Trolls, about the size of a ten year old child, even though he was in fact 238 years old, almost half of his expected life span. Despite his small size, his stocky build made him very strong and a powerful fighter. His ugly, flattened face, with its pig-like eyes, protruding brow and numerous warts, lumps and moles, was enough to frighten off any potential enemy. His fingers ended in claws that could tear an animal apart in seconds. Snow Trolls were respected for their fighting prowess and were known for their bravery in defending their homeland.

Bladefoot pushed through a final snowdrift and arrived on the crest of a mountain. He looked down on the valley below where his village nestled at its centre beside a frozen river – and then his brow creased in confusion. Despite the howling blizzard, the chimneys showed no smoke. Where there should have been chimney stacks puffing out clouds of smoke like locomotives there was not a wisp. His heart fluttered and he quickened his pace down the path to the bottom of the mountain. What could be wrong?

When he arrived at the village he rushed to the first house and wiped the frost from a window so that he could peer inside. He couldn't see anything unusual except that there were obviously no trolls on the ground floor. He hurried along the main street to his own house where his wife, parents and brother and sister should be waiting for him with a hot meal. When he pushed open the front door he was shocked to see them sitting around the kitchen table; shocked because they were frozen figures caught in the act of having an evening meal. He walked over to them and waved a hand in front of his wife's eyes. There was no response; she was like a statue. Bladefoot was bewildered and tears ran down his cheeks.

Leaving his own house he proceeded to the other houses, knocked on each door and, when there was no response, entered. He found the same situation in every one of the twenty houses that made up the village. The only differences were where the inhabitants of the house had been when they were frozen solid. Some were, like his own family, trapped having an evening meal; others were preparing meals, moving up stairways to their bedrooms or sitting in lounge chairs reading; babies and young children were in their cots or playing games. But everybody was equally frozen in their last act.

Questions buzzed through Bladefoot's mind. Who had committed this terrible deed? Why had they done it? How had they done it? He searched his memory for anything that the Snow Trolls might have done in the past to cause such a shocking response but came up with nothing. These villagers had been peaceful for over a century and had always been loyal to their Ice Queen. He could think of no reason for them to be attacked in this fashion. It seemed senseless.

When he had returned to his own house he sat down in an armchair, away from his frozen family, to settle his nerves, think things through and try to come up with some plan of action. It had obviously been some sort of spell that had been placed upon the village. Who was capable of casting a spell as large as this? There were a few Shamans or witchdoctors who might have the power to do it- Malak, Rashi, or Alwan, among them - but Bladefoot couldn't believe that any of them had a reason to wish harm on his village.

He was totally confused. Now he considered who he could turn to for help. The obvious person was their leader, the Ice Queen, Atalai. She was the one person he could be certain had nothing to do with this disaster. She recognised how loyal the villagers had been in the past, even sending her a gift of a beautifully crafted fur coat last winter. As well, in the history of Frizland the Snow Trolls had been the fiercest of soldiers and had so seriously defeated the enemies who had invaded their country that there had been no further conflict for over a hundred years. Frizland was at peace – which made this attack even more unbelievable.

Having made up his mind to seek the assistance of the Ice Queen, Bladefoot prepared for the long journey by foot to the queen's palace. The blizzard was still raging, rattling the windows of his house, so he decided to stay in the house overnight, have a hot meal and, hopefully, a good night's sleep before braving the storm once again. He was in for a spooky night considering the company he was keeping.

Chapter 2

Atalai, The Ice Queen

Bladefoot had a restless night and climbed out of bed in the morning feeling just as tired as when he had climbed in. Thoughts of the tragedy that had befallen his village kept racing through his mind. What would he do if the spell couldn't be lifted? All of the villagers were related to him in

some way and he had lost them all in one fell swoop. Where would he go? Who would he have to share his life with? It was too terrible to contemplate.

The blizzard appeared to have eased overnight but Bladefoot still made sure he was well protected from the cold as he donned an extra layer of furs under his coat and another pair of woollen socks before pulling on his boots. He was facing a five-hour walk to reach the Ice Queen's palace. Having had a full breakfast of mutton and potatoes together with a tankard of schnapps to warm his soul, he was well prepared for the journey. He took one more look at his family to steel himself for the long trek before opening the door and walking out into the blizzard.

This time, instead of snow shoes, he wore skis and used poles to push himself forward. It would speed up his progress as he would be able to ski down slopes. Once again he pushed on doggedly, placing one ski after the other. Despite his weariness, the thought that he must get help as soon as possible kept him going.

Two hours into his journey he was crossing a flat area when he was confronted by a huge polar bear. It suddenly sprang up from a snow drift where it had been waiting in ambush. Its pure white fur had blended with the snow and prevented Bladefoot from seeing it. Snow Trolls were terrified of polar bears. Many a troll had been attacked and eaten by them. What made the situation worse was the fact that polar bears were considered by trolls to be sacred, containing the spirits of their ancestors, and therefore could not be killed. Although Bladefoot could possibly win a battle with the bear, his only real hope of survival was escape.

The bear stood up on its hind legs, held out its front paws and growled. There was no doubt about its intention. Saliva dripped from its open mouth and its vicious teeth were bared. In an instant it lunged forward and sprinted across the snow towards Bladefoot. Fortunately a deep snowdrift slowed its attack and the troll had a chance to move away towards a slope at the end of the flat area. As the bear plunged one leg after the other through the snowdrift, Bladefoot pushed on his ski poles as fast as he could. The bear was gaining on him as he reached the slope and it made one final leap as Bladefoot tipped his skis over the edge and sped downhill. He felt a giant paw whistle past his head and then he was away to safety. The animal watched the troll disappear down the slope and realised that pursuit was hopeless. It lumbered away through the snow to find other prey.

With the adrenalin from his close encounter racing through his body, Bladefoot made good time

completing the remainder of his journey. At last the Ice Queen's palace came into view, sitting on the top of a mountain. The Snow Troll gave a sigh of relief and, even though every muscle in his body was aching, pushed himself over the last kilometre and up the mountain path to the gates of the palace.

Once again he marvelled at the size of the queen's residence and the fact that it was made completely out of ice. A troll guard, holding a long spear, approached him as he unstrapped his skis.

"Bladefoot," he said with a smile. "What are you doing here?"

The Snow Troll replied, "Something terrible has happened in my village. I need to speak to the Ice Queen."

The guard frowned. "It must be serious for you to venture out in this weather. Come inside. I'll let our queen know that you're here."

Bladefoot followed the guard through the gates and into the Ice Palace's courtyard. He waited at the bottom of the steps leading up to the doors of the palace while the guard disappeared inside. At last the guard reappeared and signalled for Bladefoot to follow him. The Snow Troll climbed the steps and placed his skis and poles outside before entering the palace.

He walked into a chamber with walls of ice that stretched up to a domed roof. These walls were amazing; frozen into them were the treasures of the Ice Queen's realm, a complete history of Frizland in manuscripts, artefacts, statues of heroes and heroines, plans of battles won and lost and, finally a statue of the Ice Queen herself. She was an imposing figure, tall and beautiful, dressed in her royal robes and wearing the bejewelled crown of ice-like silver. In one hand was a copy of the Silver Sceptre, the symbol of her power.

As Bladefoot stood in awe of his surroundings, staring up at the frozen display, he heard a soft cough and looked across to see the Ice Queen herself standing in the doorway of a room leading out of the entrance chamber.

"Welcome, Bladefoot," she said in greeting. "I understand that you have a problem you wish to discuss. Come, join me in my resting room and let me know how I can help one of my very bravest and most loyal servants." She waved him through the door.

Chapter 3

The Ice Queen's Shaman

Bladefoot and Atalai entered another room made of ice. The Snow Troll felt like he was inside a glacier. However, the temperature in the room was quite pleasant and, as he took off his heavy outer coat, he wondered how the ice that made up the palace was prevented from melting. Atalai was dressed simply in a flowing silver dress and open sandals. She wore the silver tiara on her head and she had on an array of silver pendants, rings and bracelets. As soon as they were seated Bladefoot explained what he had found on his return to his village. Tears welled up as he described the scene in his own house.

"Well," said Atalai with a deep sigh when the Snow Troll had finished, "that is terrible news. Obviously someone with powerful magical powers has wanted to hurt the Snow Trolls badly. But who could that be? Can you recall anything that the villagers may have done to bring on this tragedy?"

"No," replied Bladefoot. "I have searched my mind over and over but I can't think of anything we might have done to offend _anybody_. We are peaceful trolls. Certainly in the past we, along with other trolls, have fought fiercely to defend our homeland but there hasn't been a battle for over a century. Surely past grievances would be forgotten by now."

"M-m-m," murmured Atalai thoughtfully. "That is probably true but you never know. Perhaps our best plan is to find out who has the ability to perform such powerful magic." She reached over to a side table and rang a small bell. "It's time to talk to an expert."

A guard trotted into the room and, lowering his head, bowed on one knee.

"Please ask Rashi to join us," Atalai instructed the guard, who immediately hurried off to find the Queen's Troll Shaman.

Several minutes later Rashi entered the room. He was slightly larger than an ordinary troll and wore a white cape over black clothes with a white beret on his head. He bowed to the Ice Queen and asked how he could help her.

Atalai repeated what Bladefoot had told her and finished by asking her Troll Shaman, "What do you think has happened in the village and who do you think has the ability to cast such a powerful spell?"

Rashi appeared thoughtful for several moments and then replied, "As to who could cast such a spell, I have no idea. It is certainly out of the range of all of the Troll Shamans I know, but then . . .

it's possible that one of them has discovered this new method. The one thing I am sure of is that this is no ordinary spell and that it would only have been cast to cause the most grief and satisfy the greatest need of revenge for some perceived injury in the past. If we can discover what it was that these villagers did to cause the action we will have the one responsible. However . . . that brings up another problem. Nobody here has power equal to or better than what this person has shown us to be capable of. How will we control this person and prevent further spells? We will need to find somebody whose powers of magic are stronger than any other and there is only one person who can do that."

"Maximilian?" questioned Atalai.

"Yes," replied Rashi. "He is the only one with the magical power to protect us. But first he will have to help us discover who is behind this attack."

Bladefoot was confused. Everybody knew that Maximilian and the Ice Queen had fallen out with each other. They had an unpleasant history.

"What needs to be done must be done . . . unfortunately," sighed Atalai. "Arrange for Maximilian to be contacted as soon as you can, Rashi."

Chapter 4

Atalai and Maximilian

It had all begun with the War of Tears, more than a hundred and fifty years previously. Before then Atalai and Maximilian had been close friends; it had been the Ice Queen's father who had called on Maximilian to help avoid a vicious and wasteful war. But a disaster had destroyed everything they planned and had led to the bad blood between them.

Atalai was a young woman at the time and her father, King Eldrick, ruled Frizland. A border dispute had broken out with their neighbour, the Darkspear tribe. It centred around a series of geysers that were situated right on the border between the two nations. These geysers were highly prized for the hot water they provided for cooking, washing and bathing, as well as the heating they could supply when their waters were piped to villages. They had been controlled by Frizland in the past but now the poorer nation of Darkspear had captured the geysers for themselves and defied Atalai's father to do anything about it.

Eldrick was not a war-like person and wished to negotiate with the Darkspears so that both countries could share the geysers. For that purpose he contacted Maximilian to help him talk sense

into Dakar the Darkspear leader. When Maximilian arrived in Frizland, Eldrick arranged for them to travel to the border for a meeting with Dakar. However, as their snow-chariot approached the meeting place it had to pass along a road lined with people who had come to witness this great event. Suddenly one of the spectators jumped out of the crowd and onto the snow-chariot. He had a knife which he used to slay Eldrick before escaping back into the crowd. It all happened so quickly that nobody had a chance to react. Maximilian watched in horror.

When the news of Eldrick's death reached the Ice Palace, Atalai was overcome with grief. Her love for her father had no bounds and there was nothing that Maximilian could say or do to ease her gloom even though Atalai admired him greatly. Within days news came back from spies in Darkspear that Dakar had been behind Eldrick's assassination. He had arranged it to ruin the peace talks and give himself an advantage when he attacked a leaderless Frizland. He had seriously underestimated the King's daughter.

Atalai was furious. A hand of friendship had been extended by her father only to be cut off. She could not believe the sheer wickedness of Dakar's plan and she would have revenge! Once again Maximilian attempted to talk to her about the stupidity of war but his counsel was rejected. Atalai was a human tornado that could not be controlled as she headed towards her target, willingly destroying everything in her path.

Her Snow Trolls were called into service and gathered in their thousands near the Ice Palace. Atalai addressed them from the palace walls.

"My loyal servants, Frizland has suffered its greatest loss and humiliation at the hands of Darkspear and its leader, Dakar. Friendship was offered and dismissed in the most heartless manner. Now they will feel our fury as we avenge Eldrick. This war will be known throughout the ages as the War of Tears. Today we fight for our king. Today we fight for Frizland. Victory will be ours."

A roar came from the crowd as the thousands of Snow Trolls lifted their spears and shields. Maximilian watched from a tower and despaired. He could understand Atalai's grief but he could not condone open warfare and decided to try once more to convince her that a peaceful solution could be found.

They met as Atalai was on her way to plan the battle with her generals.

"Could I have a word with you please, Atalai?" Maximilian requested.

" I'm sorry, Maximilian," replied Atalai, aware of what was coming, "but I have to speak with my generals and I don't have the time to haggle with you."

"But . . .," began Maximilian.

"There are no 'buts'," shouted the Ice Queen, turning red in the face. "You haven't lost anything and I have lost my father, the person I loved and respected most, to a scheming scoundrel. Don't waste your breath trying to save him. If you continue to defend him you are a traitor and I will treat you as one."

Maximilian was shocked at the fierceness of her attack. "Atalai," he pleaded, "I am not defending Dakar but think of the innocent people who will suffer because of the act of one man. Surely there are other ways to settle your differences."

Atalai reacted even more violently. "Differences? You are a weakling," she screamed. "I want no more to do with you. I once thought that you were my friend. Now I see that I was wrong. You can join Dakar if you wish, but nothing will stop me destroying him – not you, not anybody."

"I would never do anything to hurt you," declared Maximilian recognising that Atalai was out of her mind with grief and had lost all sense of reason. "I just . . ."

"Enough," Atalai yelled. "Go home where you belong. I don't want to see you ever again." With that she stormed off to meet her generals.

Maximilian was forced to leave the people of Frizland and Darkspear to their fates. He returned home that same morning.

Chapter 5

The War Of Tears

Dakar knew nothing of Atalai's preparations. He assumed that Frizland would be in a state of confusion after the assassination of Eldrik and planned an early assault on the Ice Palace. Once that had been captured he would be in control of the whole country. He had assembled his troops, made up of his own warriors and cavalry plus a battalion of Giant Cave Trolls, on the border.

Two days after the assassination Dakar led his army across the border. Initially there was a vast plain to traverse before climbing into the mountains that contained the Ice Palace. They had just reached the edge of the mountains when they received an unpleasant surprise. Suddenly the ridges above them were filled with Atalai's archers; a thousand bowmen looked down on them while the infantry, cavalry and Snow Trolls remained hidden in ravines leading out onto the plain.

Dakar's troops were thrown into confusion as clouds of arrows rained down on them. Their horses bolted in all directions and the warriors and Trolls dropped to the ground, covering themselves with their shields. Dakar tried to rally his men but they were in complete disarray. As soon as Atalai's archers had created panic, her infantry, cavalry and Snow Trolls stormed out of the ravines. The battle was short and brutal. Even though the Giant Cave Trolls were superior in size, they did not have the heart of the Snow Trolls and were quickly driven into retreat by the ferocity of their smaller enemies. The same occurred with the infantry and cavalry. The element of surprise used by Atalai made their task an easy one and within the hour victory was theirs. Dakar and his troops had turned tail and raced back over the border.

The War of Tears would not end there with one battle. Atalai intended inflicting the greatest pain she could on the population of Darkspear and their leader for her loss of Eldrik. She sent bands of Snow Trolls across the border to raid villages and to seek out Dakar who had gone into hiding. She was determined that her enemies would never again consider attacking Frizland. The leader of one of these raiding parties was Bladefoot's grandfather, Frostwolf. Although the villagers tried to resist or simply fled, their homes were burnt to the ground after they had been looted. The invasions continued for six months but no trace of Dakar could be found.

Chapter 6

Dakar's Diary

Dakar knew what his fate would be if he was caught so he had escaped to the far south of Drakespear where loyal friends hid him in a cave and supplied him with food and drink. They also brought news of what was happening across the land and Dakar kept a record of these events in a secret diary.

The pages were filled with details of the atrocities that the Darkspear villagers had been subjected to by Atalai's raiding parties but one particular report brought tears to his eyes.

" _I have been told that Atalai's Snow Trolls have used all kinds of brutality to break the hearts of my people and to have them disclose my hiding place. My friends have just informed me that a raiding party, led by the Snow Troll called Frostwolf, raided the village of my own family. My mother, wife and children were taken to the centre of the village during a snowstorm and forced to watch as my old father was stripped of his protective clothing and tied to a pole. He was left there to freeze until my family told Frostwolf where I was hiding. Of course they had no knowledge of where I was and could not give him the information he demanded. Despite their pleas and tears they were compelled to stand there and watch my father die. I realise that my actions in having Eldrik assassinated and attacking Frizland have led to this terrible act and, if I could turn back time, I would not have been so rash. However, I believe that my people had nothing to do with my foolish decision and should not be made to suffer such savagery. No matter what happens to me in the months ahead I swear that my father's death will be avenged, however long it takes."_

The diary was hidden at the back of the cave.

After six months of recording the suffering of his people, and particularly the distress of his own family, Dakar determined that enough was enough. He was old and tired and decided to sacrifice what was left of his life for the good of his people. And so he walked away from his cave to surrender to the first raiding party he came across.

There was jubilation as crowds gathered around to watch Dakar being pulled behind a war horse to face the Ice Queen. When Atalai saw the old man, dishevelled and broken, she decided that a quick death was too good for him and decided that he would rot away in the palace dungeons. He was dragged down to a cell and locked away for the rest of his life. He passed away, miserably, fifty five years later.

Maximilian watched all of this unfold from afar and was saddened by what he saw.

Chapter 7

Back To The Future

Matilda was awoken by a low buzzing sound. When she finally turned her head on the pillow and squeezed open one eye, she saw a green, pulsating light filling the room. It seemed to be coming from the crystal ball that Maximilian had given her. She climbed out of bed, quickly changed into her day clothes, and walked over to look into the ball. There was a miniature Maximilian looking up at her.

"I didn't want to appear suddenly in your room," said the small Max. "I thought I might scare you so I decided to wake you gently. I hope that's all right." He looked a little sheepish.

Matilda realised that Maximilian knew how angry she felt when he had disappointed her the last time and he was now being diplomatic. True, she was still a little upset with him for deceiving her but, as is often said, 'Time heals all wounds', and her anger had diminished enough for her to forgive him. Still, what he didn't know . . .

"Very thoughtful of you," replied Matilda coldly, then added, "and a welcome change."

"Oh," was all Maximilian could say as he blushed. Things did not look good.

Matilda couldn't keep it up. She smiled and said, "Kidding!"

Maximilian slumped and sighed loudly. "Whew! You had me worried for a moment. I've felt so terrible about what happened with the Vandals . . ."

Matilda held up a hand to halt him in mid-sentence. "Stop! That's all in the past now. I know it will never happen again and I trust you absolutely. So let's get on with the future."

Maximilian smiled. He treasured his friendship with Matilda and could not bear to think that he might lose her.

"Of course," he agreed. "Well, that's why I'm here. I have been contacted by a very surprising source seeking my help and I thought you might like to join me."

"Go with _you_?" Matilda was amazed. Maximilian had never gone on an adventure with her. He had always sent along Peri, the Persian Fairy, or Zanzibad, the intelligent monkey or, heaven forbid, Husan the mischievous elf; but _never_ himself.

"Yes," answered Maximilian, looking a little miffed. "Is there anything wrong with that?"

"No, no," said Matilda quickly. "It's just such a surprise. I would love to go with you – wherever it is."

"I have to tell you that this adventure will be very different . . . and could be unpleasant," Maximilian informed her.

"How different will it be?" asked Matilda, fascinated by the idea.

"Well, for a start you will have to join me in my homeland. We leave from here," stated Maximilian.

"Your homeland? What do you mean? Where _is_ your homeland?" enquired Matilda somewhat nervously.

"In Rashiva, the most beautiful of the desert countries in The Other World," answered Maximilian proudly. "You will love it."

"How do I get to Rashiva from here?" Matilda asked.

"Come closer," ordered Maximilian, "and you will see."

Matilda moved closer to the crystal ball. Suddenly she felt herself being pulled towards it and, the next moment, she found herself standing next to Maximilian. She could see her room outside the crystal ball. It looked huge.

"There you are," said Maximilian. "Easily done. Welcome my little jewel."

"Thanks," replied Matilda, "but will we always be this small?"

"Small?" Maximilian was baffled.

"Yes," stated Matilda, waving her hand at the gigantic room outside.

Maximilian laughed. "No, no, no. Look around you. Everything you see here is the correct size

. . . and so are you. I have only bent reality to suit the occasion. It's very simple really – I needed to fit inside the crystal ball to contact you so I shrank my _image_ , just as I shrank your image. It has nothing to do with your real size, or mine. It's a convenience. The room outside appears to be large because I haven't changed _its_ image. I don't think your parents would appreciate it if I did that. Now, is that clear?"

"I think I'm getting a headache," replied Matilda.

Maximilian laughed again. "You don't have to understand it; just enjoy it. Now for the unpleasant part. You need to know that I have an unfortunate history with our destination, which is why I was amazed when I received the request to go there. You should be prepared for a cool reception when we travel to Frizland and meet the Ice Queen, if you'll forgive the pun."

"Why will the reception be cool?" Matilda asked.

"Let's say simply that the Ice Queen, Atalai, and I had a difference of opinion. She was involved in a war that I didn't think was necessary and she accused me of interfering where I wasn't wanted; so we parted company in less than friendly circumstances. Now it seems that she requires my help.

It must be something serious for her to sink her pride enough to want to see me again."

"Do you have any idea what it is?"

"Not really," admitted Maximilian. "I was contacted by her Shaman, Rashi. He only told me that

there had been an incident involving strong magic and Atalai needed my assistance. That's as much as I know . . . but I still have fond feelings for her so I couldn't refuse."

Matilda wanted more information. "Why do you need me?"

"I just thought you may have been interested and I wanted some company," stated Maximilian. "Besides that I would appreciate your opinion when we find out what it's all about; and to be honest, I wanted to see you again, since we also parted on such bad terms."

Matilda was touched by Maximilian's honesty and his obvious affection for her. She reached over and squeezed his hand.

"Harumph," He cleared his throat and blushed. "Well . . . now we'd better think about getting prepared. Atalai's country, Frizland, is extremely cold which is very different from here."

Maximilian gestured with his hand to their surroundings. Matilda looked around again and saw that they were standing in an area of sand dunes and, behind them, was an oasis with palm trees dotted throughout and a clear blue lake in its centre. It was quite a large oasis and on its edge there was a mansion made out of mud bricks in the Arabic style.

"My home," Maximilian informed her. "We'll get what we need from there."

He led Matilda through the oasis to the mansion. She had to squint because the sun, in a clear blue sky, reflected off the sand and into her eyes. She also felt the heat of the day and had an urge to jump into the cooling waters of the lake. However, all in all, it was a beautiful setting for a home.

Chapter 8

Preparations

Matilda followed Maximilian up the wide steps to the entrance of the building and inside through a set of large copper doors. They entered a huge chamber that had a floor of cream-coloured marble and ochre walls which were draped in tapestries with elaborate designs that appeared to be based on the cosmos. The roof, at least two storeys up, was also painted beautifully as a replica of the heavens. Windows had thick opaque glass that let in the light but kept out the heat. In fact the room was pleasantly cool.

Maximilian moved to the left and opened another door. Matilda was in for a pleasant surprise as there, standing in the middle of the room, was her friend Peri, the little Persian fairy, who jumped into the air and flew across to give Matilda a kiss on the cheek.

Tears of happiness came to Matilda's eyes. "It's so wonderful to see you again," she sniffled. "I've missed you so much."

"Me too," replied the fairy of few words, with a smile. She brushed away Matilda's tears.

Maximilian happily watched the exchange. "You've both certainly been through some exciting adventures together," he commented. "Unfortunately, you won't be able to share the next one."

Matilda looked at him in dismay. "Why not?"

"As I told you, Frizland is extremely cold," he reminded her. "Peri would not survive in that climate. Persian fairies can be very fragile in extreme temperatures. I am not willing to take the risk. Besides, you'll have me to protect you." He laughed.

Matilda looked at Peri who was sitting on her shoulder as she had done so many times before.

The little fairy shrugged. "Win some, lose some."

"I'm sure that you'll have other times together," stated Maximilian. "Now, let's get down to business."

"'Bye, Matilda," said Peri as she flew out of the room. "See you again soon."

Matilda waved to her then turned to see Maximilian searching through a huge metal chest.

"Aha!" he exclaimed as he pulled a fur-lined coat out of the chest. "For once my mischievous elves have done as they were asked. This coat looks like it will fit you, my dear." He handed the coat to Matilda. "Let's see what they found for me." Another, larger, fur coat appeared out of the chest. By the time Maximilian had finished, both he and Matilda had complete sets of winter gear.

"M-m-m, that's problem number one out of the way," he declared, "now for number two."

"And what may that be?" asked Matilda. "Perhaps fetching my Zeus medallion in case we run into trouble?"

"No, no, no," insisted Maximilian, waving his hands about. "We don't want to impose on the generosity of Zeus too often." He appeared to be annoyed at the suggestion. "I would have told you to fetch it before you joined me if I thought it was necessary. Being with me will be enough protection this time."

"Sorry," offered Matilda softly, sensing that in some way she had bruised Maximilian's ego. "Well, what _is_ the second problem?"

"How do we travel to Frizland?" stated Maximilian, having regained his composure. "Normally I would simply 'magic' myself there but I can't take passengers that way – and I believe that we should arrive together. So . . . it appears that we will have to use the trusty Story Mat again."

" _Both_ of us?" Matilda was gobsmacked. She had an instant mental picture of Maximilian sitting on the Story Mat as it groaned its way through the air.

"Yes," murmured Maximilian, turning a shade of red. "The Story Mat is quite big enough for two. You've had two bodies on it before – you and Zinzabad."

"Yes," thought Matilda, "but the monkey was no match for you in size and weight." She hid her smile as she didn't want to offend Maximilian again.

"Besides," Maximilian continued, " it is capable of carrying a reasonable weight . . . and, together, we will be reasonable."

Matilda couldn't wait to see how this would be achieved – particularly with both of them dressed in bulky winter gear.

As if he had read her mind, Maximilian said, "We'd better get into these winter clothes and be on our way. You can use the room through that door to change." He indicated a door off to the side. "I'll change here and fetch a map of Frizland to guide the Story Mat on its way. Okay?"

"Fine," replied Matilda, still anticipating seeing Maximilian on the Story Mat. She went into the other room and changed. By the time she returned, Maximilian was also in winter gear and was holding a scroll with a map on it.

"Those furs suit you," he commented. "And, by the way, they are all man-made. My finest fur tailors have used artificial furs."

"Well, that's good news," said Matilda. "I was wondering about them."

Maximilian held up the map. "The time has come."

"Yes," thought Matilda. "I can't wait to see this."

As Maximilian clicked his fingers, the Story mat appeared and floated to the floor. He placed the map on the sun in the centre of the mat.

"How do you want to do this?" he asked Matilda. "Facing to the front or back?"

"Front, please," she answered, "otherwise I might get travel sick."

"Very well," said Maximilian. "Take your place and I'll sit facing you. "

When Matilda was in position, Maximilian eased himself down onto the Story Mat. He took up most of the space and, when he folded his legs, they were over the map of Frizland. Matilda couldn't help herself and burst out laughing. He looked so uncomfortable. Talk about a pimple on a pumpkin; this was a pumpkin on a pimple!

"Harumph!" Maximilian coughed in embarrassment. "That'll be quite enough of that young lady. It's uncomfortable enough without you adding to it."

"Sorry," muttered Matilda, hiding her smile with a smirk.

"Now that we're all settled, we can take off," declared Maximilian. "Fold arms, close eyes, and away we go."

The Story Mat flew away with its weighty cargo.

Chapter 9

That Cool Welcome

The Story Mat came to rest below the steps leading up to the Ice Palace. Maximilian and Matilda hopped off into the snow and looked up to see Atalai standing alone at the top of the steps. She showed no sign of recognising them and simply maintained a steely gaze down upon them.

"You can see what I meant," whispered Maximilian as the Story Mat disappeared. "A welcome to match the climate. I'm already having doubts about staying here very long."

Matilda could only agree as she looked up at the beautiful yet frightening figure above. As they walked up the steps she wondered why Atalai had even called upon Maximilian's help if she thought so lowly of him.

"Thank you for coming," the Ice Queen said. "As you are probably aware, I would not normally have requested your help if our problem were less serious. However, circumstances are such that we cannot solve our mystery alone."

"I will do all I can to assist you," said Maximilian humbly, "and do it with pleasure. But first I think we should put our differences behind us if we are to succeed."

"We can discuss that later," Atalai declared. "For the moment you need to understand what has happened and truly judge whether you have the ability to help. Follow me."

Matilda was shocked at the Ice Queen's rudeness to Maximilian and glanced at him to see if he was upset. He put a finger to his lips and winked at her as they followed Atalai into the palace. They entered a small meeting room set out with lounges and small tables. Matilda was amazed to see Troll guards everywhere as they moved through the palace. They looked fearsome and it was as if they were on guard against some threat.

When they were seated, Atalai signalled to a guard and ordered him to fetch Bladefoot who had been given a room in the guards' quarters. There was stony silence as they waited for the Snow Troll to arrive. When Bladefoot came through the door Matilda was shocked by his appearance. He looked fearsome and the atmosphere in the room was dreadful.

The Ice Queen introduced the troll to her visitors and asked him to retell his story. Bladefoot stood before them and explained how he had been away from his village and had returned to find everybody frozen. He said that he could recall no reason for somebody to attack the villagers as they were peaceful. Tears came to his eyes as he also mentioned the fact that everybody in the village was related. He had lost everybody in his family.

"Hm-m-m," muttered Maximilian. "My sympathies go out to you for your suffering, Bladefoot, but all is not lost. Firstly you must take me to your village. I believe I _will_ be able to reverse the spell that has been used to freeze everybody. And then we have to find out who the villain is that cast the spell and why."

"That's wonderful!" exclaimed Bladefoot, visibly brightening. He suddenly didn't look nearly as threatening. "You really mean that you can bring everybody in my village back to life?"

"I believe so," Maximilian assured the Snow Troll.

"Then let's go," shouted Bladefoot excitedly before he remembered where he was. "Er . . . I'm sorry my Queen . . . with your permission of course." Atalai simply nodded.

"We'll start immediately," stated Maximilian before turning to the Ice Queen, "and discuss that other matter on our return."

Atalai surprised them. "I'll accompany you," she said as she rose from her chair and signalled to a guard. "Prepare the sleigh," she ordered and proceeded to the front of the palace.

Chapter 10

Ravjik

The Royal Sleigh, pulled by six stocky mountain ponies, made good time across the snow-laden countryside. During the journey Atalai did not utter a word but simply maintained her steely gaze ahead. It made the trip very uncomfortable for everybody else. Maximilian didn't try to make conversation and Matilda wondered what could possibly have happened between the pair to cause such nastiness on the part of the Ice Queen. Bladefoot, feeling the tension, kept his excitement to himself. It was a relief when the sleigh finally deposited its passengers in the central square of Ravjik, Bladefoot's village.

"We'll have to do this house by house," declared Maximilian. "I don't have the power to do the whole village at once."

"That's fine. We can start at one end and work our way down that side and then come up the other side," stated Bladefoot, even though this would mean that his own house would be one of the last to be done.

"I hope you know what you're doing," commented Atalai. "If any further harm comes to these people I will not be impressed."

Maximilian had had enough. "I remind you that it was _you_ who called on my help," he remarked forcefully. "I will do my best to fulfil that trust but I won't tolerate spiteful comments."

His strong words seem to have the desired effect on Atalai as she swirled her cape and climbed back into the sleigh without another word.

"Now," said Maximilian quietly, "let's start, Bladefoot."

The Snow Troll led him and Matilda to the first house at the end of the central road and opened the front door. Maximilian stepped inside to see two young children playing with a ball on the floor while their parents looked on from their lounge chairs. All were frozen into position.

"Amazing," said Maximilian, appreciating the strength of the spell. "I've only ever seen a spell like this from my own Persian fairy, Peri. I wonder how whoever is responsible learnt how to do it."

Matilda remembered Peri freezing anybody that threatened her in their previous adventures but the little fairy always returned them to normal once they had learned their lesson. This looked like it was meant to be permanent. She watched as Maximilian pushed back the sleeves of his coat and stretched his arms out in front of him.

"This should be a simple thing to reverse given that I developed the spell for Peri," he declared as he waved his arms at the frozen figures and whispered his magic spell. Finally, he thrust his arms out at the frozen figures and shouted in a strange and ancient language, "Dara jani benelat voskan."

("Break the magic that holds.")

And nothing happened!

Maximilian was stunned. The reverse spell had never failed before.

He tried again, "Dara jani benelat voskan", with the same result. Nothing.

"This is a very powerful spell that I am using," he explained to Bladefoot and Matilda. "It seems that whoever cast the spell to freeze these people has put a lock on it that prevents it being reversed. They meant business and wanted to cause long-term harm to these people. I can't do anything until I discover what the spell actually is. It's much stronger than anything I've used or seen."

Tears were already running down Bladefoot's cheeks. His hopes had been dashed. He would never see his family and friends again. Matilda put an arm around his shoulders and gave him a hug, but she didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry," muttered Maximilian, feeling defeated and useless. "I really thought that I could do it. I seem to have met my match." He walked out of the house with his head down. Matilda and Bladefoot followed behind.

From her position in the sleigh Atalai watched Maximilian come out of the house and, from his posture, realised that something was wrong. Although she felt a pang of sorrow for him she could not bring herself to put it into words. Such had been her love for her father that she could not yet forgive Maximilian for opposing her revenge on his killer.

Maximilian, Matilda and Bladefoot climbed into the sleigh without a word.

"You failed, didn't you?" accused Atalai and Maximilian simply nodded, head bowed. Matilda felt embarrassed for him.

It was another silent journey back to the Ice Palace.

Chapter 11

An Intruder

Night had fallen by the time they arrived back at the Ice Palace. After telling them that dinner would be ready in an hour, Atalai had a troll guard show Maximilian and Matilda to their rooms while Bladefoot returned sadly to the guards' quarters.

Matilda lay on her bed thinking about what had happened so far and decided that she should speak to Maximilian. She walked to his room and knocked on the door. When she heard him tell her to enter she walked inside to see Maximilian standing by his bed and looking very sad.

"Hi," she said meekly. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, my little blossom," Maximilian replied with a smile. "I'm just thinking about how I can solve this problem with Atalai. We can't keep going this way. It makes things impossible . . . apart from the fact that it seems that the spell on those poor people seems unbreakable."

"Dinner will be soon. Maybe that will give you the chance to convince Atalai that things have changed," suggested Matilda.

"Ye . . .," but that was as far as Maximilian got. He was interrupted by loud shouts and screams from the passageway outside his room. He ran to the door, closely followed by Matilda. What they saw outside stunned him. Two troll guards lay unconscious on the floor and Maximilian just caught sight of a dark figure disappearing around a corner farther up the passageway. He set off in pursuit with Matilda behind. Whoever it was, his destination was in the direction of the Queen's quarters.

As the pair rounded the corner at the end of the passageway they saw the figure, dressed completely in black and wearing a mask, opening the doors of rooms along the corridor.

"Stop!" shouted Maximilian, and the figure turned towards him. He saw the intruder reach inside his cloak and watched as a magic wand was produced. As the wand was pointed at him, Maximilian

clapped his hands together and, just in time, produced a magic shield in front of himself. The intruder was obviously confused and shook the wand as if it was malfunctioning.

Suddenly everybody's attention was drawn to a doorway farther down the corridor as Atalai appeared from the dining room to see what the commotion was all about. The intruder pointed his wand at her and Maximilian had to once again act quickly. He threw out his hands towards Atalai and chanted a quick spell which produced another spell shield around the Ice Queen. The intruder's wand was once again useless.

As Maximilian and Matilda approached him, the intruder, realising that his mission was hopeless, reached under his cloak again and took out a small ball. He threw it heavily onto the floor and it immediately exploded. The corridor was filled with a dense cloud of smoke. Maximilian had to cover his mouth and nose with his hand as he grabbed Matilda's hand and ran forward, searching for Atalai. He found her near the doorway to the dining room and held her tight until the smoke gradually cleared. He had feared that the smoke bomb may have been used to cover Atalai's kidnapping. It soon became clear that it had only been used to cover the intruder's escape.

As more troll guards appeared, the Ice Queen turned to Maximilian and said, "You saved my life. How can I thank you enough? I can't believe that you did that after the way I've treated you."

"I could not have stood by and watched you in danger," replied Maximilian. "I treasure you too much to allow that to happen." Atalai leant across and kissed her saviour on the cheek. Matilda smiled.

A guard approached them. "My Queen. we found a knotted rope attached to a grappling hook on the rear wall of the palace," he reported, " but the villain had disappeared by the time we got there."

"Thank you," said Atalai, waving him away. "Well, at least we know how he got in here."

"Yes," agreed Maximilian, "but how did he know where to find you?"

"What do you mean?" asked Atalai.

"The intruder came straight to this area of the palace," explained Maximilian. "How did he know that you would be here? You could have been anywhere in the palace. And he was obviously after you."

"Yes, I hadn't thought of that," said Atalai. "It's all a little frightening. Do you think it has anything to do with what happened in Ravjik?"

"Who knows?" pondered Maximilian. "But in my experience coincidences like this rarely occur."

"Well, we can discuss it over dinner," said Atalai, putting her arms around Maximilian and Matilda. "I hope this experience hasn't dulled your appetite."

"No,"stated Matilda. "I'm starving." They all laughed, more from relief at their narrow escape than from humour, as they headed for the dining room.

Chapter 12

A Clue?

Dinner that night had gone really well. It seemed that the problem between Atalai and Maximilian had been solved but they still had the mystery of the locked spell to figure out, as well as why Atalai had been a target and how the intruder had known where to search for her. They agreed that the puzzles were growing by the hour.

The next morning Matilda decided to go to the entrance chamber to inspect the displays that she had noticed when she arrived. She didn't tell Maximilian who had gone off for a morning walk to clear his head and think about a plan of action. As she walked through the palace she was amazed at the increased number of troll guards she saw. It was clear that nobody else would get into the palace without permission.

Once she reached the chamber she became enchanted by the detail of the long and exciting history of Frizland. The displays, which were set behind glass walls, were arranged in chronological order from the first king, Frederik, who had settled his people in this new land, right up to the assassination of Atalai's father, her ascendancy to the throne and the War of Tears. It was this last event that captured Matilda's attention most. She carefully studied the drawings of the battles, the maps and the many scrolls detailing the progress of the war. It was one particular scroll that excited her. It was about the surrender of Dakar, the leader of the Drakespear people.

When he had surrendered after hiding out for six months in a cave he had been questioned by Atalai. The details of this had been taken down by a scribe. Dakar had condemned the way the Ice Queen's raiding parties had treated his people while they were searching for him and had given this as his reason for finally surrendering. The fear that the people who had helped him would suffer further had driven him out of hiding. Although it was recorded that the Ice Queen insisted he was lying and was a coward, Matilda could not help feeling sympathy for him. He had rotted away in prison to protect his countrymen from what he believed was ill-treatment.

Had he arranged for some kind of revenge after his capture? It seemed to Matilda that waiting over a hundred years for that to happen was unlikely . . . unless somebody had waited until they had a weapon that could achieve their goal. And. besides, a hundred years in Frizland was not regarded as a long time with people, including trolls, living up to five centuries. But why target the Snow Trolls of Ravjik? She had to discuss this with Maximilian so she went searching for him and found him returning from his walk.

They walked back to the entrance chamber together and Maximilian read the scroll that Matilda pointed out.

"Very interesting," said Maximilian. "I think that this needs to be followed up - and the first thing to do is to talk to Atalai to see how accurate this story is. She might also be able to give us more details about our friend, Dakar."

They proceeded to the meeting room and sent a guard to ask the Ice Queen to join them.

Chapter 13

Reviewing The Facts

"Matilda has discovered something that might give us a clue as to why there have been these sudden attacks on you and your people," explained Maximilian when Atalai was seated. "What we need now is more information about what happened at the end of the War of Tears."

The Ice Queen's face reddened. "Let's not start _that_ argument all over again," she declared. "I thought we had put it behind us last night."

"Yes, yes," Maximilian assured her, realising that he had entered dangerous territory. "What happened in the past stays in the past as far as I am concerned. However, to solve our problem we need to pursue every possibility. Don't you agree?"

Atalai seemed to relax. "I suppose so," she admitted.

"Right," said a relieved Maximilian. "Now Matilda will explain what she has noticed."

Having the spotlight put on her when Atalai was obviously so sensitive about the subject made Matilda very nervous. Her hands were sweaty as she began.

"I went down to the entrance chamber this morning to look at the displays and to discover something about Frizland's history," she began, looking directly at Atalai. "When I came to the War of Tears I read the scrolls and was particularly taken with the ones about Dakar's capture. If anybody had a reason for revenge it was him."

"I remember that day very well," said Atalai, staring into space. "I despised that man for what he did to my father. I wanted him to at least say he was sorry but all he did was complain about the way my army had treated his people."

"But the record shows that he thought he had cause to be angry. He said that it was the reason he surrendered," explained Matilda.

"He exaggerated," replied Atalai. "I think that he had simply had enough of hiding out in that cave. And besides, what happened to his people is what happens in wars. Sometimes the innocent people get hurt."

Matilda could not believe how cold Atalai's words sounded. The hurt from losing her father had placed a cruel streak in her heart.

"The scribe who recorded the conversation couldn't put down the feelings in that room," commented Matilda. "Did you feel that Dakar was angry enough to want revenge?"

"M-m-m," said the Ice Queen thoughtfully. "If I had to guess I would say yes . . . but he really had no reason for revenge. It was all in his mind. Besides, he was in no position to do anything was he? He was in chains in a dungeon."

"That's true," interrupted Maximilian. "But what if he had arranged everything before he surrendered?"

Once again Atalai looked thoughtful. "But why wait over a hundred years to do anything? You would think that whoever he had arranged to carry out revenge attacks would have done it straight after Dakar surrendered, wouldn't you?"

"Not necessarily," said Maximilian. "What if they knew that you were too powerful at the time, which you were, and were afraid that their people would only suffer more?"

"Suffer more?" shouted Atalai. "Are you taking his word against mine? I repeat I did _not_ order my troops to mistreat the Drakespear people."

"I'm sorry," said Maximilian hurriedly. "You misunderstand me. I'm only saying that this might have been their thinking and the reason they didn't act at the time. Can you see that?"

Atalai settled down. "Possibly," she conceded.

Matilda interrupted. "What I thought was that they may have been waiting until they had some way of taking revenge that would really hurt you – like the spell on the Ravjik village. Perhaps they had no way of hurting you at the time."

"There is no doubt that the spell is only recent," commented Maximilian. "I've never seen anything as strong as it before."

"Where did they get it from, then?" asked Atalai.

"I don't know," replied Maximilian, "but I believe I do know how to find out. I'll explain later. Just now we need to discover who is behind the attacks and why."

"What sticks in my mind is that cave Dakar hid in . . . and the people who helped him," said Matilda. "If we can get those people to talk we might have some understanding of what went on and what he was thinking before he surrendered."

"I agree," said Maximilian. "We need to travel to Drakespear."

"Is that possible?" Matilda asked Atalai.

"Of course," she replied. "I'll arrange it immediately."

"Harumph," coughed Maximilian. "How can I put this? Er . . . I think it would be best if you didn't accompany us, Atalai. The people are more likely to open up to us without you there."

"I didn't intend joining you anyway," stated the Ice Queen frumpishly.

"Whew," thought Matilda. "That was close."

Chapter 14

Drakespear And The Village Of Tetra

As it turned out, a blizzard struck Frizland that day and Maximilian and Matilda had to wait until the next morning before they set off for Drakespear. Atalai had once again arranged for her sleigh to transport them on the four hour trip. They were well rugged up and warm as the stout mountain ponies pulled the sleigh through the snow fields. The sun had come out after the storm and the countryside looked magnificent.

At last they crossed the border and the village of Tetra came into view. This little village, nestled in a valley at the base of the Drakespear Mountain Range, was the one that gave aid to Dakar as he hid in the mountains above. They were the last people to see the Drakespear leader before his surrender. Perhaps they had the answers to the attacks on Frizland and who was behind them.

The sleigh came to a halt in the central square and they were approached by an old man dressed in the traditional Drakespear costume which consisted of a fur waistcoat over a colourful shirt, long leather trousers and fur boots, a three-quarter fur coat and, on top, a woollen cap in the country's national colours of purple and green. It was strangely spectacular. Matilda also noticed how tall and spindly the people were as others drifted out of their houses to inspect their visitors. They were completely different to the Frizlanders who were generally stockier and not as tall.

"Greetings," said the old man. "My name is Vandar and I am the mayor of Tetra. How can we help you?"

"Hello, Vandar," replied Maximilian. "My name is Maximilian and my friend here is Matilda. We have travelled from Frizland in search of answers to some problems we are having. We think that you and your villagers may have some information that will assist us."

As soon as Maximilian mentioned the word "Frizland" Matilda could sense a change in Vandar's

behaviour. He appeared to tense up and frowned as he said, "We are not in the habit of helping Frizlanders."

"Oh, no," said Maximilian quickly. "Matilda and I are not Frizlanders. We are visitors there and are studying the history and culture with particular interest in magic spells." Thinking quickly he added. "We intend visiting Drakespear to further our studies once we have finished our work in Frizland."

'Very well," agreed Vandar, relaxing. "Come with me to the community lodge. We can share some hot chocolate to warm your heart as we talk." He smiled.

Maximilian and Matilda climbed down from the sleigh and trudged through the snow as they followed Vandar to a large log cabin at the end of the main street. Villagers stared at them as they passed and small children waved shyly.

They entered the building and were seated on wooden benches. Vandar signalled to a man who was standing over a large kettle suspended over a fire-pit. He came over and served each of them a mug of hot chocolate from the kettle. Matilda sipped hers and found it to be delicious.

"Well," said Vandar, "how can I help you?"

"When we were studying the history of Frizland," began Maximilian, "we came across some material about the War of Tears."

"Yes," said Vandar, warily, "and what did you find?"

"It wasn't so much what we found as what we didn't find," said Maximilian. "We discovered records of your leader Dakar's surrender and the fact that your village helped him while he was hiding out in a cave in the mountains. What we're interested in doing is filling in the gaps in the records about why Dakar suddenly gave himself up." He was purposely withholding the fact that he knew why Dakar had surrendered to test Vandar's truthfulness.

"It's quite simple, really," stated Vandar. "Dakar had heard about the cruelty of the Ice Queen's trolls and was afraid that his people would continue to suffer as long as he stayed hidden."

"How did he hear about that cruelty?" asked Maximilian.

"We told him," confessed Vandar. "News of what was happening spread quickly around the land and we were in constant contact with him."

"I see," said Maximilian. "It was very brave of him to give himself up for the sake of his people."

"Yes," agreed Vandar. "What I find strange is that you are not the first people to come to our village to ask about Dakar."

"Oh," gasped Maximilian. "And who was that?"

"It was a long time ago; just after Dakar passed away. The visitor wasn't one of our people," said Vandar. "He was from Frizland. He didn't give his name and I didn't dare ask as the Frizlanders were still in control of our country. He asked questions much the same as yours. He seemed sincere and even told me how much he admired Dakar which was strange coming from a Frizlander at that time. He wanted to know where the cave was that Dakar used."

"Did you tell him?" asked Maximilian.

"I saw no reason not to," stated Vandar. "He said he was writing up the history of the War of Tears and I took him at his word."

"Could you describe him?" asked Maximilian.

"From memory, and mine is fading, I remember that he was a troll, short and stocky. He wore ordinary clothes and yes . . . he had a scar down the side of his nose. That's all I can remember," said Vandar. "I hope that helps."

"I'm sure it will," replied Maximilian take us to the cave?" requested Maximilian. "Can you take _us_ to Dakar's cave?

"Of course," said Vandar."We have nothing to hide."

"Thank you," Maximilian stated sincerely.

Matilda, Maximilian and Vandar returned to the sleigh and headed towards the Drakespear

Mountain Range.

Chapter 15

Dakar's Cave

They travelled up and down the hills towards the mountains. At last, when they reached the rocky slope, they had to leave the sleigh and walk the rest of the way. It was a slippery path as the track was covered in snow and they had to clamber over rocks to reach the cave. What they saw when they arrived was astounding. The cave had been set up as a shrine to Dakar with jewelled statues, paintings, golden torches hanging from the walls and animal furs covering the floor. Candles surrounded a portrait of Dakar that rested on a ledge.

"Wow!" exclaimed Matilda.

"Yes," agreed Vandar. "He is a hero to our people even though he brought disaster to our land."

"Was it like this when your other visitor came here?" asked Maximilian.

"No," stated Vandar. "This was only set up more than twenty years after his death and when it was safe to speak his name. As a matter of fact it was strange that, after the visitor had been here, we found the cave in complete disarray. It was as if some monster had been here and everything had been disturbed. All of the belongings that Dakar left behind were scattered and even the rocks he had used as a table and chair had been thrown aside."

"Do you think your visitor was looking for something in particular?" enquired Maximilian.

"It would seem so," agreed Vandar. "It took us many hours to clean up the cave."

"Was anything missing?" asked Matilda.

"We wouldn't know," explained Vandar. "Although we visited the cave often when Draga was hiding here we only saw how he was living and, when he was gone, we respected his memory by not touching anything. We had no way of knowing if he had anything valuable that was worth stealing."

"Did you see your visitor again after he had been to the cave?" asked Maximilian.

"No," said Vandar. "It was as if he simply disappeared. Nobody saw him leave."

"Very interesting," stated Maximilian, stroking his chin.

After inspecting Dakar's shrine the party returned to the village. Maximilian thanked Vandar for his help and then he and Matilda climbed aboard their sleigh for the trip back to the Ice Palace.

Chapter 16

The Visitor?

Atalai greeted them as they entered the Ice Palace on their return.

"How did your visit go?" she asked, then added churlishly, "Any amazing discoveries?"

"As a matter of fact we learnt quite a bit," replied Maximilian. "And some of it may help us solve our problem." He went on to recount their visit to the village of Tetra and to Dakar's cave.

When he had finished, Atalai exploded. "A shrine to that monster? The hide of them. He killed my father. That shrine will be destroyed."

"Now, now," counselled Maximilian, "that is all in the past. You have to learn to forgive. After all it wasn't the people of Drakespear who were responsible for the death of your father; and you had your revenge when Dakar was captured and died in your prison. There has been too much pain; let the past stay where it is and let the people of Drakespear have their small comfort."

Remarkably, Atalai listened to Maximilian's words in silence. Without bothering to reply she swished her cape and left the room.

As the Ice Queen slammed the door behind her, Matilda let out a sigh. "Atalai will never forgive the Drakespearians for the death of her father – and to think it was all over some hot water."

"Given time she may consider my words and see the error of her ways," stated Maximilian.

"I hope so," said Matilda, "although I doubt it. She should remember that you recently saved her life and she wouldn't be here shouting for more revenge if it hadn't been for you."

"M-m-m, yes my little petal," agreed Maximilian. "Perhaps she will recall that after she cools down. Now I need to go for a walk to think about what we have learnt so far."

"I need to study the scrolls a bit more to see if there is another clue as to why this is all happening," added Matilda. "I'll meet you for dinner."

And so they parted ways in the entrance chamber, Maximilian heading outside while Matilda went over to the scrolls that recorded events from the War of Tears. Just as she began reading about Dakar's capture a figure appeared in the chamber, hurrying towards the front door. It was a troll and he wore black clothes, a white cape and a white beret on his head. As he passed Matilda she caught a glimpse of his face and saw something that shocked her; the troll had a scar down the side of his nose, just as Vandar had described. Had she discovered the identity of the visitor to Dakar's cave?

As the stranger disappeared outside, Matilda approached one of the troll guards.

"Can you tell me who that was that just went outside?" she enquired.

"That was Rashi, the Queen's Shaman, Miss," replied the guard

"Thank you," said Matilda and rushed to the front of the palace in an attempt to find Maximilian

and tell him of her discovery.

When she reached the front steps she saw Rashi, the Troll Shaman, climbing into a sleigh and shaking the reins to drive the mountain ponies forward. She watched him as the sleigh headed towards the distant forest, following a trail of footsteps in the snow. Were they Maximilian's footsteps? And why did Rashi seem to be following them?

Matilda was about to set off on foot through the snow in pursuit of the Troll Shaman when she heard a commotion behind her. She turned around to see a troll guard talking excitedly to the other guards and heard him say something about Bladefoot. Instead of following Rashi she hurried back inside the castle to find out what all the excitement was all about.

Chapter 17

Gone Missing

Matilda immediately saw that something was seriously wrong. The guards were obviously disturbed as they stood in a group chattering noisily amongst themselves.

"What's wrong?" she asked one of the guards.

"Bladefoot," came the reply. "He's gone missing. Disappeared."

"When did this happen?" enquired Matilda.

"It must have been some time last night," stated the guard. "He didn't come to breakfast so I went looking for him and I couldn't find him anywhere."

"The same time as the intruder broke into the palace," thought Matilda. "Keep looking," she told the guards. "You never know, he may just have gone out for a long walk." But she didn't believe that herself. She had to speak to Maximilian. When would he be back? She decided that it was no

use waiting; she would have to go out and find him.

Hurrying back out to the front of the castle, she raced down the steps and followed the footsteps in the snow and the sleigh marks left by Rashi. At last she reached the edge of the forest just in time to see Maximilian hurrying back towards the palace. She was so relieved to see him that she rushed forward and gave him a big hug, her arms just reaching his waist.

"Whoa, whoa," exclaimed Maximilian. "What's the matter my little one?"

"Bladefoot," explained Matilda. "He's gone missing."

"Yes," said Maximilian sadly, "I know. That's why I'm hurrying back to the palace. I found him while I was out walking . . . and I'm afraid that it's not good news."

Matilda could see the shock on Maximilian's face. "What's wrong?" she asked, dreading what she was about to hear.

"He's been another victim of the freezing spell," replied Maximilian. "I found him in the forest. How he got there I have no idea, but there he is . . . frozen. We have to get back to the palace and arrange for him to be retrieved."

As they turned and began the return journey, Madeline told Maximilian about Rashi, Atalai's Shaman.

"As he passed me I caught a glimpse of his face and he has a scar down the side of his nose, just as Vandar described. I was about to follow him but the news of Bladefoot's disappearance distracted me. I saw him heading in the same direction as you walked. Surely you saw him."

"No, I didn't," stated Maximilian, "although I did see some sleigh marks in the snow as I came back."

"I thought he must have been following you," said Matilda.

"He was probably heading somewhere else," guessed Maximilian. "But we will certainly be talking to him when he returns. Brilliant observation, my little one."

They trudged through the snow, back to the Ice Palace.

Chapter 18

Rashi

As soon as they arrived back at the palace Matilda and Maximilian went in search of Atalai. They found her in a sitting room talking with her Grand Vizier as they studied reams of official documents. Sensing their eagerness, Atalai dismissed the Grand Vizier and signalled for them to sit on a lounge nearby.

"The boring side of my job," she said, indicating the pile of documents. "Now, what have you discovered that brings you here in such an impatient way?"

Maximilian proceeded to inform her of Bladefoot's fate and she immediately rang a small bell. When a troll guard appeared she arranged for a party of guards to bring the frozen Snow Troll back to the palace. Maximilian told the guard where Bladefoot was to be found. As the guard ran out to arrange for the retrieval, Maximilian turned to Matilda.

"Tell the Queen what you discovered about the strange visitor to Dakar's cave," he said.

Matilda then informed Atalai of Vandar's description of the visitor and how she had managed to identify Rashi from the scar down the side of his nose. Atalai was shocked.

"I can't believe it," she gasped. "He has been a loyal and trusted servant for over a hundred years. He was Shaman to my father before his death. How could he possibly side with our enemies? It is impossible."

"Nevertheless," stated Maximilian, "he fits the bill. I don't think there are many people around here with a scar down the side of their nose, do you?"

"No," murmured Atalai. "It just seems unbelievable. There must be another explanation."

"Well, the only way we'll discover that is by talking to Rashi," said Maximilian.

Atalai reached for the bell again. When a guard appeared she ordered him to escort Rashi to her immediately on his return. The threesome then sat quietly staring out into space with nothing to say to each other until Maximilian broke the silence.

"During my walk I was thinking about this freezing spell. I can't see how anybody else could get hold of that particular spell. I mean, it's _my_ spell; I found it in an age-old book in the library section of my family treasures and infused it into Peri's wand." He turned to Matilda. "You know about the treasures; some were kept in your attic." Matilda nodded. "But, you see, I am the only one with permission to go into the library. And besides, I can't remember any reference to a lock for the spell. It's very confusing . . . but the fact remains that somebody out there gained access to the spell and found out how to lock it."

Matilda had a thought and turned to Maximilian. "Do you think you had better have a talk with The Keeper. After all, he has been in charge of the treasures and the library?" she asked.

"Of course," exclaimed Maximilian. "How clever of you my little petal. If anybody should know who has been to the library without permission, it is The Keeper."

Any further conversation on the topic was interrupted by the arrival of Rashi in the hands of two guards. They bustled him in to the room.

"Get your hands off me," Rashi protested. "Don't you know who I am? I can't be treated this way." And he looked at Atalai with pleading eyes. "What have I done, my Mistress, to deserve this?"

"That's what we need to find out, my friend," said Atalai. "We have certain information that requires an explanation."

"What?" asked Rashi, looking quite terrified. Matilda once again noticed the scar along his nose.

"I believe that you visited Dakar's cave shortly after his death, is that right?" said Atalai.

Rashi nodded, his head bowed.

"Why?" asked Atalai.

Rashi looked up. "When Dakar was dying, you allowed two of his relatives to visit him in his cell. I was there and overheard what was said. Dakar told his relatives that there was a diary hidden in the cave and it contained details of the War of Tears that were important. He asked them to find the diary and keep it safe as part of Drakespearian history but also because it was a record of what the Frizland troops had done to his people. I planned to get to the diary first and keep it a secret. I didn't want our enemy to have information that they may use to embarrass us."

Atalai looked thoughtful. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Before I went to the cave you were out of the palace visiting villages; and, when I found nothing, what was the point of telling you that?"

"You found nothing?" interrupted Maximilian.

"That's right," agreed Rashi. "When I arrived at the cave I found it in a mess. Somebody else had obviously beaten me there. I searched through the shambles even though I knew I wouldn't find anything; and that's what happened – nothing"

Atalai looked at him severely. "You have been very foolish. You should have waited until my return and informed me before you rushed off chasing your own glory."

"I thought that time was important, that I had to get to the cave first, and that proved to be true," replied Rashi. "Looking back I can see that you are right and I am sorry; but I hoped to bring the diary back for you."

"M-m-m," muttered Atalai. "That will do for the moment. You are free to go." She dismissed Rashi with a fling of her hand and the Shaman left the room quickly, bowing as he departed.

Atalai turned to Maximilian and Matilda. "What do you think?"

"I think he's telling the truth about the diary," volunteered Matilda.

"I agree," said Maximilian. "When he described the cave it was exactly as we found it – a shambles. His story was feasible . . . I only worry about why he didn't tell you at the time. He says that there was no point but I think he should at least have informed you of the existence of the diary."

"On the other hand, he was the one who suggested contacting you for help," Atalai informed him. "Why would he do that? You'd think that you are the last person he would want around if he was up to no good."

"Yes, that does support an innocent verdict," agreed Maximilian, then paused thoughtfully. "I don't know what it is but I still have my doubts."

"And where did he go this morning, following your tracks in his sleigh?" asked Matilda in support of Maximilian.

"I think you're both being terribly unfair," stated Atalai. "I believe what Rashi has told us and that is the finish of it." With a swirl of her cape she left the room.

"None are so blind as those who do not wish to see," quoted Maximilian.

"Yes," said Matilda. "I think Atalai had made up her mind about Rashi even before he came here. What do we do now?"

"One step at a time my little rose," replied Maximilian. "I believe we still have a lot to find out about this whole business."

Chapter 19

Another Disaster

As Maximilian and Matilda walked out of the sitting room they were met by a troll guard who looked very excited.

"Bladefoot is back," he informed them and signalled for them to follow him as he proceeded out to the front of the palace.

There they were met by the strangest sight. Troll guards were lifting the frozen Bladefoot out of a sleigh and onto the ground at the bottom of the steps. He had obviously been struck by the spell as he was trying to escape for he had been caught in a running pose and, as they stood there, they heard some of the comments from the troll guards.

"Maybe our Queen could put him in the entrance chamber with a sign saying, 'A Troll Athlete

At Full Speed'," said one troll.

"Or he could put on a pedestal in the garden pond and used as a fountain," laughed another. This brought a chortle from the other guards.

"He could be used as a scarecrow in the palace gardens," suggested another guard.

"Enough!" shouted Maximilian. "Let us show some respect for our friend." The guards shuffled their feet and bowed their heads in shame. "Take Bladefoot into the entrance chamber and inform the Queen."

"Won't you try to reverse the spell?" asked Matilda.

"It would be a waste of time," said Maximilian. "This is obviously the same spell that was used in Ravjik. Come, let's see what the Queen's reaction is to Bladefoot."

They were in for a surprise. When Atalai arrived in the chamber and saw Bladefoot's condition, tears appeared in her eyes.

"Take him to the first sitting room," she ordered the guards who immediately lifted Bladefoot and carried him away.

"We have to find out who is doing this," said Atalai forcefully, looking at Maximilian. "It can't be allowed to continue." And she followed after the troll guards.

But things were about to get worse. Maximilian and Matilda heard shouting outside. When they hurried to the front steps they saw a tall Drakespearian man jumping down from a sleigh. He rushed towards them, gasping for breath.

"Tetra," he shouted. "They are lost forever."

"Slow down," said Maximilian, "and tell us what has happened."

"A spell has been cast on the village of Tetra," he explained. "Everybody is frozen . . . men, women, children and animals."

"When?" asked Maximilian.

"Some time this morning," the messenger said. "I'd been out hunting and when I returned I found them. Everybody frozen – just like Ravjik. I came here for help"

By this time several troll guards had gathered around.

"Take this man inside and give him something to eat and drink," said Maximilian and, when the guards had gone, he turned to Matilda. "Payback," he said. "A warning to everybody to keep quiet about Dakar. Somehow whoever is responsible for this learnt of our visit to Tetra."

"But how?" said Matilda. "Unless someone in the village talked."

"I don't think so," stated Maximilian. "It seems that everybody in the village was frozen and, if someone had helped, I wouldn't think that they'd have been made to suffer. No, the information came from somebody else."

"Who knew about our visit?" queried Matilda.

"That needs some serious thinking," said Maximilian. "I believe we need to talk to Atalai again."

Chapter 20

Another Disappearance

Maximilian and Matilda found Atalai in the sitting room with the frozen figure of Bladefoot in front of her. She looked terribly sad and Maximilian felt guilty for interrupting her thoughts. He coughed gently to attract her attention.

"Excuse me, Atalai," he began when she looked up at him, "I'm sorry to disturb you but I have something very important to ask you."

He went on to inform her of the latest news about the village of Tetra and saw the shock in her face.

"That's dreadful," she said. "I was upset with them about the shrine to Dakar but they don't deserve this. It's absolutely horrific."

"Somebody told our enemy of our visit to Tetra," stated Maximilian. "Now, as far as Matilda and I know, the only person we told that we were going to Tetra was you."

Anger replaced shock on Atalai's face. "Surely you don't think I would do such a thing," she bellowed.

"No, no, no," Maximilian hurried to assure her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "of course not.

However, did you tell anybody else?"

Atalai looked thoughtful. "Yes," she replied, "I saw Rashi just after you left and told him that we might have some answers to our problem when you returned. After all, he was involved in getting you here. But now I recall that I didn't say where you had gone until he asked for the information."

"And you gave it to him?" asked Maximilian.

"Yes," said Atalai, looking a little bewildered.

"We need to have another talk to your Shaman, I think," suggested Maximilian.

Atalai reached for the bell to summon a guard. When the guard arrived she ordered him to fetch Rashi immediately. But she was in for an unpleasant surprise.

"I can't do that, Mistress," said the guard.

"What? You dare to disobey my orders?" shouted Atalai.

"Never, my Queen," answered the guard nervously. "It is just that the Shaman Rashi has left the palace."

"Left?" repeated an astonished Atalai.

"Yes, Mistress" continued the guard. "After you had me fetch him last time he came out of this room and ordered me to bring his sleigh around to the back of the palace immediately. I watched him heading towards the Drakespearian forest over an hour ago."

"Well, well," commented Maximilian. "It seems our bird has flown."

Atalai looked shocked but insisted, "We don't know that yet. He may have a quite reasonable explanation for this as well."

"But you must admit that it _is_ strange behaviour," stated Maximilian.

"Oh, I'm fed up with this whole affair," shouted Atalai in a fit of temper. "Things have gotten worse since you arrived. I don't know whom I can depend on or whom I can trust any more." And she stormed out of the room.

"Ooh, that was nasty," said Matilda.

"She is just confused," explained Maximilian. "Everything around her is collapsing and she doesn't know who to blame; certainly she isn't able to blame herself."

"Why do you think Rashi left in such a hurry?" asked Matilda.

"I believe that he sensed that we were getting too close to the truth and decided that it was time to disappear," said Maximilian. "I don't expect him to return."

"Then shouldn't we follow him and find out what he is up to?" Matilda enquired.

"I have something else to do first," said Maximilian and went on to tell Matilda what he proposed.

Chapter 21

The League Of Shamans

Rashi considered himself lucky. He had been able to talk his way around the Ice Queen's questions but he had sensed that Maximilian was not convinced and it was only a matter of time before they would search out the truth. It was time to cut and run, to vanish and to join his co-conspirators.

He scolded himself for having suggested that the Ice Queen should contact Maximilian for help. He had witnessed the fallout between the Queen and Maximilian over the war and had admired the way that Maximilian had stood up to her. He believed it only right that The Noble Protector of the Mystic Lands should be here when justice was finally done. What a fool he had been!

These thoughts raced through his mind as he drove the mountain ponies through the snow towards the Drakespearian mountains where his colleagues had their hideout. The League of Shamans had been formed by a twist of fate. It had all begun with Dakar's death . . .

When news came from the dungeons that Dakar was seriously ill and would not last through the week, Atalai had decided to show some mercy and allow two of his relatives to visit him before he died. Rashi had escorted the two visitors down to the dungeons and had eavesdropped on the conversation that took place. He had heard Dakar tell them of a diary he had kept and begged them to retrieve it from his cave as it contained details of all of the cases of cruelty that Atalai had allowed on the Drakespearian people after the War of Tears. He also pleaded with them to carry out his pledge for revenge. Shortly after the visit he had died.

In fact, Rashi had beaten the two relatives to the cave and had found Dakar's diary. When he read it he was outraged by the descriptions of cruelty carried out by Frizland troops on the innocent villagers of Drakespear. Atalai must have known what was happening. He had agreed with Maximilian's opinion that the Ice Queen was going too far in her determination to avenge the death of her father. He was also aware of a streak of ruthlessness that had crept into her character since the assassination. Her deep grief had changed her from a gentle princess to a bitter queen.

Rashi had kept the diary secret. Although he despised Atalai for overlooking the brutal behaviour of her troll soldiers, he was a proud Frizlander and recognised that the release of the information in the diary would blacken the reputation of his homeland. He agreed with Dakar's desire for revenge but had no idea how it could be achieved while protecting the good name of Frizland. That was until he met the Shaman, Ekon.

It was nearly a century after Dakar's death. Shamans from all over the Mystic World met every fifty years in order to share their experiences and knowledge. As Shamans they had limited magical powers and used their talents to cure disease and injury in their various nations. At this particular gathering in Drakespear a great and respected Shaman from the distant nation of Bretnia arrived for the first time. His name was Ekon.

During the convention Malak, the Shaman from Drakespear, had raised the matter of the War of Tears, informing the meeting of how he had been overwhelmed by the extent of tragic cases that had come to him to be cured of injuries and to seek ongoing treatment for their heartbreak. Rashi had approached Malak and felt the need to tell him about the diary. The great Shaman, Ekon, and Alwan, a Shaman from Grania, had been talking with Malak at the time and had also listened to Rashi's story. After they had all read Dakar's diary they formed the League of Shamans, four Shamans, with Ekon as their leader, dedicated to fulfil Dakar's wish for revenge on Atalai, the Ice Queen. Their challenge was to find a way to achieve their goal.

Rashi remained in his position as Atalai's Shaman so that he could watch her and report back to his colleagues. He had to hide his true feelings but realised that it would be important for him to stay close to the Ice Queen. This had proved true when the League decided to attack Atalai in her palace. It had been Rashi who had arranged for Ekon to enter the palace to cast the spell that would freeze her permanently. Unfortunately Maximilian had interfered and saved the queen, another reason to regret the suggestion to bring him to Frizland. Ekon had been lucky to escape.

The breakthrough in acquiring a way of exacting real revenge had come, as was expected, from Ekon. He had contacts throughout the Mystic World and had been told of one of Maximilian's own spells. He had travelled to the Ancient Library while Maximilian was absent and tricked the old librarian to give him access to the Book of Spells. There he had discovered the Freezing Spell but, even better, it had included an additional spell that would prevent the original spell being reversed.

That Freezing Spell had been used on the village of Rajik because it was the home of Frostwolf, the troll soldier responsible for the cruel treatment of Dakar's father. The villagers were all relatives of Frostwolf and the League believed that true revenge would only be achieved by making all of them suffer. They had been lucky to catch up with the last of them when Bladefoot made the mistake of walking into the forest on his own. By chance, Ekon was meeting Rashi there at the time and had frozen him.

The final act had been on the villagers of Tetra. The League could not afford to have anybody assist Maximilian in his quest to find the answers to why the revenge attacks were being carried out or how the spells were being cast. The freezing of Tetra had been done as a warning to all villagers that they were not to give any information to the League's enemies. Vandar's actions in helping Maximilian and Matilda had already led to Rashi being exposed and had forced him to flee.

Rashi whipped the mountain ponies again to speed them towards his destination.

Chapter 22

Maximilian's Mission

Maximilian had decided to follow up on Matilda's suggestion to return home and question The Keeper about the Spell Book in the Ancient Library. If any strangers had been into the library or asking questions about it, The Keeper should know. Maximilian realised that he would have to be tactful in approaching The Keeper as they had not parted on good terms. The fire in the attic where the treasures there had been endangered had led to The Keeper being retired from his post as watchman over the attic. Maximilian had not been sympathetic towards him and The Keeper had finally agreed to leave. He now lived a lonely life in a mud-brick house near Maximilian's palace and had been given the role of looking after the Ancient Library. It was a big step down from his previous role. Besides that, he was really a cranky old man.

This is what Maximilian had told Matilda. He added that he would not be using the Story Mat for his transport this time but would be using his own magic. The trip here on the mat had only been to accompany Matilda. He assured her that he would be back in no time, hopefully with some answers, and told her not to stray from the Ice Palace until he returned.

And so, that afternoon, Matilda watched as Maximilian waved his arms and disappeared in a cloud of smoke and a flash of light. In a split second he reappeared beside his oasis and proceeded to The Keeper's house. Unfortunately the old man was not there so Maximilian walked across to the palace and headed for the library where he found The Keeper asleep at his desk.

"Harumph," he coughed, and The Keeper jumped up in surprise.

"Master," he gasped, wiping his sleepy eyes. "I thought you were away on a mission."

"So that meant that you could sleep on the job?" asked Maximilian, forgetting his promise to be gentle with the old man.

"No, no," insisted The Keeper, fearing that he would lose this job as well, "I don't do this often. I just had a sleepless night last night. My stomach was playing up and my arthritis . . ."

"Enough," said Maximilian. "I am not interested in your sleeping patterns. I need some more important information from you."

"Yes, Master, anything," replied The Keeper.

"It seems that somebody has been stealing from the Spell Book," stated Maximilian. "When you haven't been sleeping, I was hoping that you would know who has been here without permission, or who has been asking questions about the library."

He saw The Keeper's face pale

"Um, no," mumbled The Keeper.

"No what?" insisted Maximilian. "No, you weren't sleeping, or no you haven't seen anybody around the library?"

The Keeper's face now turned to red. "No, I don't think anybody has been here."

It was obvious to Maximilian that he was lying and having trouble doing it.

"If you lie to me there will terrible consequences for you," Maximilian threatened. "If you have done something wrong, or made a mistake . . . again . . . you'd better own up now – or else."

"Well . . . now that you come to mention it," said The Keeper, realising the danger of his situation and looking thoughtfully into mid-air so as to avoid Maximilian's fierce stare, "I do recall somebody hanging around the library a few months ago . . . while you were away on business."

"Hm-m-m," muttered Maximilian, recognising the beginning of a lie.

"But I don't think he meant any harm," The Keeper added quickly. "He just hung around the front of the library. I told him that the library was out of bounds to anybody but you and he seemed to accept that." He paused.

"Keep going," instructed Maximilian. "I want to know everything . . . EVERYTHING!"

The Keeper shrank back against the wall. "I don't know what else to tell you," he pleaded in a whining voice. He could feel the trap closing.

"What other information did you give this 'visitor'?"

"What do you mean?" asked The Keeper, stalling for time so that he could think clearly.

"Don't play games with me, old man," replied Maximilian leaning menacingly over the top of a quivering Keeper.

"I might have gone to sleep," he admitted, "and the visitor might have come into the library."

"And he just might have found the Spell Book," said Maximilian mimicking The Keeper. "And then he might have copied one of my spells – and even found a _better_ spell. What do you think of that, old man?"

The Keeper began sobbing. Maximilian knew that he had allowed this stranger to enter the library and given him access to the Spell Book.

"Why did you do it?" he asked.

"Do what?" replied The Keeper, trying to hold out to the last breath.

"Let this 'visitor' look hrough the Spell Book," said Maximilian. "Your lies are only getting you into deeper trouble."

The Keeper realised that the game was up and began weeping uncontrollably.

"I . . . was angry with you," he snivelled between tears. "You treated me . . . horribly . . .and you . . . took my job . . . away . . . and all because of . . . that little brat of a girl. She caused all the trouble . . ., and you only . . . treated her better every time."

Maximilian stared down at the pitiful sight. "You have no idea how much heartache you have caused. Your selfishness and nastiness may have cost the lives of many people. Now tell me _everything_. We may be able to save the situation yet, but only if you tell me exactly what occurred. This is your chance to make up for your stupidity and jealousy." He put his hand in his pocket and gave The Keeper a handkerchief,

After he had blown his nose loudly into the handkerchief, The Keeper began.

"I haven't been happy for a long time and it was all because of the way you've treated me. When I was contacted by the Shaman, Ekon, and he came here, he listened to my troubles. He told me that he'd heard that you had demoted me and he wanted to help me. He said he didn't like you either. He was very kind to me."

"And that's why you let him into the library?" Maximilian asked.

"Um, I suppose so," replied The Keeper, lowering his head. "But I didn't know that he would steal anything."

"What rot!" exclaimed Maximilian. "There you go, lying again. You'd better be very careful what you say, old man, if you want to keep your skin. Now, what did you let the visitor do?"

The Keeper knew that Maximilian meant every word. "I showed him where the Spell Book was," he confessed meekly. "And then I left him to it."

"You old fool," declared Maximilian. "What you have done is unforgivable. Did this Ekon tell you what he had found?"

"Not really," stated The Keeper. "He just seemed very happy and thanked me. He did say that he had discovered something valuable and that you would be sorry for the way you have dealt with me.

He'd written something down on a scroll. I didn't ask him what it was."

"I know what it was but where he found it is a mystery," declared Maximilian. "This is disastrous." He looked angrily at the old man. "Come with me," he ordered him.

They passed through an archway that divided the entry from the main library. The Reading Room stretched for hundreds of metres and the high walls were covered in bookshelves holding hundreds of thousands of volumes. In the centre of the room, surrounded by study desks, stood the Spell Book on a pedestal. It was a massive book, leather bound and musty. Its pages showed the signs of being thumbed through over the centuries, ragged edges and dog-eared. It was over five thousand years old and contained the knowledge and wisdom of countless magicians. It was a priceless possession.

Maximilian immediately went to the Spell Book as The Keeper trailed behind. He opened the book to the freezing spell and read through it. As he had expected and as his memory of the spell had supported, there was no mention of a locking spell. Where could it be, and how had this Shaman, Ekon, discovered it? The only alternative for Maximilian was to plough through the whole Spell Book in the hope of finding something. He could skip those parts that had no relevance – but it would take days.

After almost two days of fruitless searching, poring over the Spell Book and hundreds of other books off the shelves, he gave up. He was worried about Matilda and needed to get back to Frizland as soon as possible in case there was any trouble. However, he knew that finding the locking spell was his only chance of defeating this enemy. The Keeper was once again snoring away at one of the reading desks.

"Wake up, old man," Maximilian shouted into The Keeper's ear and the old man jumped up into the air. "Unfortunately I haven't found what I'm looking for and I must get back to Frizland. I just don't have any more time to search for the answer. Now that will be your task. You might be able to atone a little for your stupidity if you can find what I'm looking for and contact me as soon as you have it."

"Oh, yes, Master," said The Keeper, eagerly. "Anything you wish. I know I can help you."

Maximilian went on to explain that his freezing spell had been stolen and was being used in revenge attacks. He added that the spell had been locked so that it couldn't be reversed. He needed The Keeper to find the locking spell. It must be hidden somewhere either in the Spell Book or in one of the ancient books on the shelves.

"I'll find it for you, I promise," said The Keeper, seeing a way of avoiding Maximilian's wrath.

"You'd better," declared Maximilian, looking down on the old man grimly. "Your future here will depend on it. You can use the elf, Husan, to pass on the information by telepathy – but don't tell him what it is about. He's almost as untrustworthy as you."

"Yes, Master, I understand," responded The Keeper.

"Now, get started," ordered Maximilian, pointing to the Spell Book. "And don't go back to sleep until you've found what I want. Understand?"

"Yes, Master, yes," said The Keeper, thinking how lucky he was to be still standing there, "I'll work day and night for you."

As The Keeper walked over to the Spell Book, Maximilian waved his arms and disappeared in a cloud of smoke and a flash of light. He felt that he had been away from Frizland for too long and, unbeknownst to him, in that time things had changed.

Chapter 23

The League's Cave

Making his escape from the Ice Palace, Rashi had headed into the Drakespearian mountains where the League of Shamans had their hideaway in one of the many caves that had been chiselled out of the mountains by previous generations. The mountain horses were sure-footed as they pulled the sleigh up a rocky and snowy slope until they reached the entrance to the cave which was hidden behind a grove of fir trees. Ekon, Malak and Alwan were waiting for him as Rashi alighted from the sleigh.

"Why have you come here now?" asked a surprised Ekon.

"I barely escaped in time," Rashi explained. "I think Maximilian is onto me and I don't think it would have been long before I would have ended up in the dungeon."

"I knew it was a mistake to involve Maximilian," stormed Ekon, "but you had to have your way, didn't you? Now we have nobody in the palace to watch the Ice Queen's movements."

Rashi had no answer to his leader's criticism. "You're right," he agreed, " I shouldn't have suggested inviting Maximilian but it seemed a good idea at the time . . . to add to the Ice Queen's humiliation. However, as far as having somebody on our side in the palace is concerned, I still have a guard who shares our view of events."

"Who is that?" asked Ekon.

"The Leader of the Guards called Fizzcrank," said Rashi.

"Are you sure we can we trust him?" said Malak.

"Of course," answered Rashi. "He despises the Ice Queen and shares our desire to seek revenge for what he witnessed during The War of Tears. And, as a Leader, he has access to all areas of the palace."

"That will be very useful," agreed Ekon. "Come, let's get out of the cold. We have a great deal to discuss."

The foursome proceeded into the cave. It had been dug far into the mountain and the passages running off from the entrance area contained a multitude of rooms. At the front, a thick wooden wall with a door kept the weather out. It was very comfortable, with a huge fire in the entrance area, the smoke funnelled outside by a secret chimney that hid the fumes from anybody outside. Twenty troll servants looked after the four Shamans.

Ekon led them to one of the rooms, which was set out with wooden chairs and low tables.

"We have to figure out a way to get rid of Maximilian," said Malak, when they were all seated.

"And that little imp he has with him," added Rashi.

"M-m-m, yes, I'd forgotten about her," commented Ekon thoughtfully. "She may be the answer to our problem." The others looked at him in expectation.

"How?" asked Alwan.

"Do you think you can get a message to this spy of yours, er . . . Fizzywhats?" Ekon asked Rashi.

"Fizzcrank," Rashi corrected him. "Of course. We could send one of the servant trolls. Another troll wouldn't be noticed."

"Good," said Ekon. "We have to know when Maximilian and the little girl are separated. I think the way to neutralise Maximilian is through the girl. If we have her, we have him. Fetch a trustworthy troll, Alwan."

When Alwan returned with a troll servant called Firetree, Ekon explained what had to be done. Firetree was to travel to the palace and ask for Fizzcrank. He was to tell him that the League of Shamans needed to know when the little girl was separated from Maximilian. The plan was to use her to halt Maximilian's interference. Fizzcrank was to contact them as soon as he had any news.

They soon learnt that there was no need to wait for a message from Fizzcrank. When Firetree returned from his mission he told Ekon that Maximilian had already left and the little girl, Matilda, was alone. He was quickly sent back to the Ice Palace with another instruction for Fizzcrank.

Chapter 24

Matilda's Mistake

While Maximilian was away, Matilda decided to continue her study of the history of Frizland in the entrance chamber. It was a fascinating way to pass the time until Maximilian's return. The day after he had left, she was reading the details of a conflict called The Battle of the Gensik Fjord, involving Frizland's naval fleet when a troll guard approached her.

"Excuse me, Miss," he said. "I have a message for you from the Noble Protector."

"Maximilian?" said Matilda, wondering why he would send a message to her through a guard. "Are you sure?"

"I was told that it came to our Queen and she asked that it be passed on to you," the guard explained.

When Atalai was mentioned, Matilda didn't bother to pursue the matter any further.

"What is the message?" she asked.

"You are requested to join him at the place where Bladefoot was frozen," the guard informed her. "He says that the answers are to be found there and no time is to be wasted."

Matilda was puzzled. "But I thought he had gone back home to search through his library."

"I don't know," said the guard. "That is simply the message our queen asked me to pass on."

"He must have returned with some information," thought Matilda, "and gone straight to the forest."

Fizzcrank interrupted her thoughts. "I can take you there, if you wish."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Of course," replied the guard. "I'll fetch a sleigh immediately."

"By the way," said Matilda, "what is your name?"

"Fizzcrank," said the guard with a smile. "I am Leader of the Guards."

Any doubts that Matilda had quickly disappeared. She was in safe hands.

Chapter 25

A Shock For Maximilian

Maximilian arrived back at the steps of the Ice Palace in a cloud of smoke and a flash of light. He walked quickly into the entrance chamber and went in search of Matilda. When she was nowhere to be found, he looked for Atalai and met her in her private rooms where she was reading.

"Do you know where Matilda is?" he asked as he stormed into the room.

Atalai put down her book, looked up at Maximilian and said, "Well, hello to you too."

Maximilian was in no mood for her sarcasm. "Look," he said, "I don't have time for your games. I have looked everywhere for Matilda and she isn't in the palace. I told her that she wasn't to leave here under any circumstances and now she's gone. Do you have any idea where she might be?"

Atalai could see how upset Maximilian was and apologised. "I'm sorry," she said, "but I haven't seen her for a couple of days. She was studying the displays in the entrance chamber the last time I saw her and I assumed she was keeping herself busy until you returned. I'll ask the guards there if they know anything."

They both hurried out to the entrance chamber and Atalai spoke to the guards. One of them mentioned seeing her talking to Fizzcrank but they didn't know where she had gone after that. Atalai told them to find Fizzcrank and the Leader of the Guards arrived shortly afterwards.

"You spoke to the young girl, Matilda, a couple of days ago, is that right?" asked Atalai.

"Yes, Mistress," Fizzcrank answered.

"What about?" continued Maximilian.

"She wanted some information about the history of Frizland," replied Fizzcrank. "I happened to be passing and she called me over."

"What was the information about?" quizzed Atalai.

"Let's see," said Fizzcrank thoughtfully, "if I remember correctly it had something to do with the War of Tears. Yes, that was it."

"And what did you tell her?" asked Atalai.

"Nothing," said Fizzcrank.

"Nothing?" said Maximilian. "What do you mean?"

"I couldn't help her with what she was asking," stated Fizzcrank. "She wanted to know if I had ever met Dakar while he was in the dungeon and I told her no."

"What did she do after that?" asked Atalai.

"I don't know," said Fizzcrank and, thinking quickly in case the other guards had seen them leaving together, added, "She followed me outside and that was the last I saw of her."

"You didn't see where she went?" insisted Maximilian.

"Not really," said Fizzcrank. "When we left the palace she went one way and I went the other. She headed off in the direction of the forest and I remember thinking that she was simply going for a walk in the fresh air."

"Thank you, Fizzcrank," said Atalai. "You are dismissed."

The Leader of the Guards walked slowly away thinking that everything had gone smoothly and he could safely maintain his double role in the palace. Little did he know.

"Is he reliable?" asked Maximilian as he watched Fizzcrank disappear down a passageway.

"Who, Fizzcrank?" replied a shocked Atalai. "He's Leader of the Guards. Of course he's reliable. If he can't be trusted nobody can."

But Maximilian wasn't convinced. Atalai had been wrong before when she defended her staff.

Chapter 26

Check

Two days earlier Fizzcrank had driven Matilda deep into the forest. He had made sure that she was wrapped in a warm blanket to keep out the cold and could not have been more helpful. The trip began pleasantly as the sleigh followed a path between the trees which were covered in snow. As it progressed, however, Matilda began to wonder where they were heading so she asked Fizzcrank.

"You do know where they found Bladefoot, don't you?"

"Yes," came the reply. "I led the party that retrieved him. It's not far to go."

Matilda sat back and relaxed. Soon she would be with Maximilian again and, hopefully, be told what the mystery was all about. Unfortunately she was in for an unpleasant surprise.

Fizzcrank drove the sleigh into a broad clearing in the trees and pulled the ponies to a halt. Matilda could see four figures standing at the edge of the clearing. They were dressed in black robes and hoods covered their heads.

"Who are those people?" Matilda asked Fizzcrank.

"Oh, them?" he replied with a warm smile. "They're just friends of Maximilian that he brought back with him. He should be here soon. Hop down and I'll introduce them to you."

Matilda climbed down from the sleigh and followed Fizzcrank across the clearing. As they approached the three figures, they threw back their hoods and Matilda knew she was in trouble for one of the figures was Rashi.

"Oh, no!" she exclaimed and, looking at Fizzcrank, added, "What have you done?" He didn't reply.

"Hello, Matilda," said the tallest figure. "We've been looking forward to this meeting. My name is Ekon and these are my companions, Malak, Alwan, and of course you know Rashi."

Matilda suddenly turned and ran back towards the sleigh but Fizzcrank caught her and threw her to the ground. "Don't even try," he said fiercely. "You are ours now and Maximilian can't do anything to help you." Matilda began to sob. She felt stupid to have been tricked so easily.

Ekon walked over and looked down at her. "Maximilian will have to stop getting in our way if he ever wants to see you again," he said. "It will be interesting to see how he reacts once he learns that we have you. Tie her up and take her away."

Fizzcrank lifted Matilda to her feet and tied her hands behind her back before pushing her over to the sleigh. When she was settled, he climbed into the driver's seat and whipped the mountain ponies forward. They headed towards the cave with the four Shamans following.

Chapter 27

Fizzcrank Exposed

Maximilian had a sixth sense that something was amiss with Fizzcrank's story and he intended doing something about it. He needed to have the Leader of the Guards watched and his movements reported on, so he went down to where the palace sleighs and mountain horse were stabled. He spoke to the troll in charge and instructed him that all requests for the use of a sleigh were to be reported to him immediately. He didn't have to wait long.

Fizzcrank was eager to let the League of Shamans know that Maximilian had returned to the palace and had discovered that Matilda was missing. He also wanted to tell them that he had managed to fool both Atalai and Maximilian, and that his position in the palace was secure.

As Leader of the Guards, Fizzcrank had the freedom of the palace and could do pretty much as he pleased. Later in the day, after he had spoken to Atalai and Maximilian, he decided to travel to the Shaman's cave to inform them of what had happened. He hurried down to the stables and had the caretaker prepare a sleigh.

True to his word, the caretaker hurried into the palace, after Fizzcrank had left, and reported to Maximilian. Without bothering to tell Atalai what was happening, Maximilian hurried back to the stables with the caretaker and took a sleigh in pursuit of Fizzcrank. It was an easy task to follow the tracks in the fresh snow.

Chapter 28

Meanwhile, Back At The Ancient Library

The Keeper may have been a cranky old man but he was also very intelligent. Before he delved into the Book of Spells he took time to consider the steps that Ekon might have taken in his search for the freezing spell. It was obvious to The Keeper that the Shaman had not known of the locking spell and had come upon it by accident. The secret would be to try to copy Ekon's moves and hope to have the same 'accident'.

Once he had decided on this plan of action he opened the Spell Book to the section that outlined the freezing spell and gave directions for infusing it into a wand. It was a lengthy description that went on for several pages. After he had scrupulously read the instructions several times he found nothing that even hinted at a locking spell. He lifted his glasses from his nose, rubbed his eyes and rested his elbows on the lectern that held the Spell Book. What could Elkon have found that he had missed?

He looked at the last page of the instructions again and suddenly spotted something that seemed to have no place in the scheme of things. In the corner of the page was a small asterisk, so small that he had to fetch a magnifying glass to look at it. When he viewed the enlargement he noticed a series of numbers beside it, so small that they were almost invisible to the naked eye – 27459. He quickly copied them down on a sheet of paper. What could they mean?

The first thing he tried was to turn to page 27459 in the Spell Book but found that this page only contained a spell for turning lead to silver. He let out a deep sigh. At that moment he happened to look up at the shelves that lined the walls of the Ancient Library and contained the hundreds of thousands of volumes. The shelves were numbered according to the subject of the books they contained to make it easier to locate the volume you desired. However, he knew that there were nowhere near 27,000 categories. It seemed that he had struck another stumbling block.

He looked at the numbers again and a light bulb lit up in his brain. He picked up a pencil and put a decimal point after the number 4 – 274.59. He knew immediately that he had found the secret. Hurrying over to the shelves as fast as his creaky old legs could carry him, he followed the shelves around the walls until he came to the section marked 274 in gold letters, "History of Magic". This section contained hundreds of books that had probably never been referred to in thousands of years. He let out another tired sigh when he discovered that no volume had a decimal number printed on its spine. Time to think logically again.

He was certain that he was on the right track. Now he only had to figure out what the number 59 meant. The first option that came to mind was to start at the beginning of the section and count each book until he reached volume 59. When he did this he found a thick, leather-bound book titled, "Advanced Spells From The Tenth Millenium Before The Establishment Of Perisus". He knew that Perisus was the famous capital city that had lasted for thousands of years before crumbling into decay when terrible sandstorms began raging across the desert. He also knew that, during the height of its fame, the city was the centre of magic and attracted Shamans and others from around the cosmos. This had to be it. He felt certain that he had found the book with the locking spell by using the simplest method of all. It seemed that his future with Maximilian would be safe.

With his heart beating rapidly he carried the book to a reading desk and opened it to the contents page. He scanned the chapters and there it was - "How To Lock Spells".

"Eureka!" shouted The Keeper and he began to read the instructions. The incantation to infuse a wand with the locking spell was clearly set out and also included the method for cancelling the spell. The Keeper fetched a pencil and began to copy down the incantation. He was so excited that he broke the lead in three pencils before he was finished.

He finally sat back and considered his achievement. The small asterisk had obviously been put in the Spell Book as a secret clue to link the freezing spell with more advanced magic. Just as _he_ had noticed it and drawn conclusions, so had the Shaman, Ekon. Then it had simply been a matter of experimentation, trying various solutions until they struck gold. How wonderful. How clever.

Now he had to get the information to his Master, Maximilian. Where could that mischievous elf, Husan, be? He hurried out of the Ancient Library, spell in hand, to track down the little imp.

Husan was out of favour and restricted to the palace since he had been rescued from the giant squid by Maximilian during Matilda's Neptune adventure. His job was to clean the Ancient Library and dust the books and shelves. However, The Keeper found him out in the courtyard enjoying a game of Seega, an ancient Arabic game like checkers, with another elf.

"What are you doing out here?" demanded The Keeper. "You should be inside dusting the books."

"Oh," replied Husan, stifling a yawn, "I got bored with that and then I thought to myself, 'You've earned a break'. So here I am."

"You've earned nothing, that's what you've done," shouted The Keeper. "And you've learnt nothing as well. After what you did with Neptune you're lucky to even be here."

But chastising the little imp was a waste of breath. He only saw what he wanted to see and that was mostly what would benefit him. He quickly changed the subject.

"Anyway, why are you chasing me?" he asked.

"I have an important message that I must get to Maximilian," said The Keeper, "and, as he's in Frizland at the moment, the only way to reach him is by using your telepathy."

"Aha," laughed Husan cheekily, "so now you need me. Well isn't that interesting since I'm involved in this game of Seega at the moment and it looks like I'm winning so I'm afraid you're going to have to wait." He crossed his arms in defiance.

"Why, you little whippet-snippet," blustered The Keeper, utterly shocked by the impudence of the elf. "You cheeky little pest. Wait 'til I tell Maximilian."

The mention of his Master brought Husan back to earth. He was in enough trouble with Maximilian already without adding to his record.

"Hmm-ph, very well," he snorted, "if Maximilian needs my help, how could I refuse? What do you need me to do?"

"That's better," said The Keeper. "I want you to send our Master a message by telepathy. I'll write it down for you and you have to make sure you send it exactly as it's written. Do you understand?"

"Of course," said the elf cockily. "You know you can trust me."

The Keeper took out a pencil, opened his copy of the two spells, and wrote the message to Maximilian. He handed it to Husan who studied it for several minutes, closed his eyes and sent the instructions to his Master.

Chapter 29

The Shamans' Cave

Maximilian wasn't far behind Fizzcrank as he sped across the snow and into the forest. He just knew that the troll was somehow involved in the disappearance of Matilda and he intended finding out what had happened to her. As he entered the forest he saw Fizzcrank's sleigh in the distance. He was heading towards the mountains. Maximilian slowed down and dropped back so as not to be seen.

Fizzcrank finally arrived at the grove of fir trees that concealed the entrance to the Shamans' cave. He climbed the final slope on foot and disappeared from view just as Maximilian pulled up below the mountain. He decided to pull back into the cover of the forest and see what happened as he had no idea what was behind the fir trees. When he had positioned the sleigh so that he could see the grove of trees, he settled down to watch.

It was only a matter of minutes before figures appeared from behind the fir trees. Four of the figures were dressed in robes but had their hoods down so that Maximilian could identify Rashi. He didn't recognise the others, the tallest of whom was poking his finger at Fizzcrank's chest but the troll didn't seem offended. The confrontation came to an end as Fizzcrank jogged down the slope, hopped into his sleigh and headed back towards the forest.

Maximilian quickly took up the reins and turned his sleigh around. He moved off the track that Fizzcrank would use and waited. When the troll's sleigh reached his hiding place, Maximilian spurred his horses forward so that they blocked the path. Fizzcrank's progress was brought to a sudden halt. Maximilian could see the fear in the troll's eyes as he recognised who had stopped him. He jumped down and tried to sprint into the trees but Maximilian simply lifted a wand from his robes and froze the troll in his tracks. He climbed down from his sleigh and walked over to the frozen figure. Within two minutes the spell wore off and Fizzcrank slumped to the ground, shaking his head.

"Not as permanent as your spell," said Maximilian, looking down at the sad figure lying in the snow, "but nonetheless useful for rogues like you."

"It's not my spell," protested Fizzcrank. "The Shaman's used it. I had nothing to do with the spells."

"Perhaps not," said Maximilian, " but you have been helping them in their cause."

"Only because they threatened me," the troll lied. "They said they would freeze me for good if I didn't do what they asked. I had no choice."

"Rubbish!" shouted Maximilian. "The only fear I've seen from you was when you saw me. Even when the Shaman was poking you in the chest you didn't seem afraid. Who is he and why was he angry with you?"

"His name is Ekon and he said I shouldn't have come to the cave," said Fizzcrank.

"What cave?" interrupted Maximilian.

"The Shamans' cave is behind the trees. It's their base," Fizzcrank informed him. "It's where they have the little girl."

"Matilda?"

"Yes," said the troll. "They forced me to bring her here so that they could stop you from interfering."

"How can I get to her?" asked Maximilian.

"Impossible," stated the troll. "There are servants everywhere and you would be seen straight away. And Ekon has strong magic, even stronger than yours."

"I doubt that," said Maximilian grimly, "but I'll have to confine you while we find out." He took the rope belt out of his robe and tied Fizzcrank securely to a nearby tree. He also tied the troll's sleigh to a branch with the horse's reins. Having done that he climbed back into his own sleigh and headed for the Shamans' cave.

Chapter 30

Checkmate

Maximilian had been seen.

One of the troll servants was out for a stroll in the forest and watched from behind a tree as Maximilian stopped Fizzcrank's sleigh. He hurried back to the Shamans' cave to report what he had observed. He stumbled breathlessly into the room where Ekon was sitting with Rashi and told them that Maximilian was in the forest below. Ekon simply smiled.

"Come to rescue his little friend, has he? Well he's in for the surprise of his life. It couldn't have been more perfect." He pulled his wand from the pocket of his robe and waved it in the air. "We needn't worry about his interference any more; we have the power to destroy him. And we'll do it in front of the girl. Bring her to the front of the cave." A servant troll hurried off to follow Ekon's order.

Matilda was being kept in a cell in the furthermost part of the cave. Apart from the fact that the cell was quite small, she was comfortable. There was a bed, a wash-basin and a toilet and the steel door ensured her privacy. A collection of books on the bedside table gave her something to pass the time and she was fed regularly with tasty meals. The thing that worried her was the effect her disappearance would have on Maximilian when he discovered that she was missing. He would be devastated, and all because of her disobeying his wishes.

Matilda was surprised when the door to her cell suddenly opened and a troll servant motioned her outside. She stepped into the corridor and followed the troll to the front of the cave where the Shamans were waiting. Two trolls stood either side of her when the party moved out of the cave, through the grove of fir trees and out into the open as a sleigh appeared from the forest below.

Maximilian had paused on his journey back to the Shamans' cave to consider his options. He knew that Ekon had the power to freeze him permanently and that he had to avoid being exposed. On the other hand, he had to get past the Shamans to rescue Matilda. He finally decided to take his chances, confront the Shamans and, using his spell shield, hope for the best. Perhaps if he were to use his own short-term freezing spell to stun them for a brief time he would be able to rescue Matilda. He saw that as his only chance.

As his sleigh cleared the forest Maximilian looked up to see the Shamans and Matilda standing in front of the grove of fir trees at the top of the slope. They walked down towards him as he halted his sleigh below. He climbed out of the sleigh, took his wand from beneath his robe then waved his hands down his sides to invoke the spell shield. His back was protected by a large boulder and there were hillocks of snow on either side. His disadvantage now was that, with the spell shield in front of him, he couldn't use his wand. He watched as Ekon came forward from the group.

"You can put that little stick away, Maximilian," said Ekon, pointing to Maximilian's wand with his own. "It won't help you when I freeze you for good." He was unaware of the spell shield as he pointed his own wand at Maximilian and muttered the incantation for the permanent freezing spell. A look of shock came across his face when the spell didn't work.

"What the . . . ?" he exclaimed and repeated the incantation. Nothing.

Maximilian smiled. "Having a problem, my friend?" He wanted to upset Ekon and distract him until he could remove the spell shield and use his own wand.

Ekon went red in the face. "What have you done?" he screamed. "You can't escape the spell!" This time he shouted the incantation, thrusting his wand forward in anger. Still nothing.

The other Shamans were watching Ekon's failure in amazement and Matilda's heart was thumping as she saw her hero doing the impossible. However, just when it seemed that neither Ekon nor Maximilian could achieve what they wanted, the stalemate was broken from an unlikely source.

Ekon's screams had awoken a polar bear, dozing behind one of the snow banks that were beside Maximilian. The large animal suddenly appeared at the top of the snow bank, saw Ekon screaming and charged towards him. It hit the Shaman before he could react, knocking him to the ground. His wand flew into the air and landed in the snow. The other Shamans had quickly retreated along with Matilda when they saw the bear attack.

Maximilian had his chance; he reversed the spell shield and pointed his wand, not at Ekon, but at the bear which stood with gaping jaws over the Shaman. The animal was instantly frozen but Ekon could not escape from beneath it. Maximilian calmly walked over to the Shaman's wand and retrieved it from the snow.

"How quickly things change," said Maximilian, looking down on Ekon.

"Get this monster off me," shouted Ekon.

"All in good time," replied Maximilian, delighting in the Shaman's discomfort. At that moment the polar bear came out of the spell and dropped dizzily to the ground beside Ekon.

"Thank goodness for that," stated Ekon as he attempted to stand up.

"Uh, uh," said Maximilian, shaking his head. "Now it's your turn." He pointed his own wand at Ekon and the Shaman was frozen to the spot. The bear slowly climbed to its feet and wandered off groggily over the snow bank.

Maximilian then turned his attention to the other Shamans who had been watching with horror as events unfolded. They couldn't believe that their leader could be so easily defeated. As for Matilda, she began clapping excitedly when she saw Ekon frozen. Before the three Shamans could get their thoughts in order, Maximilian froze each of them as well. The troll servants had run off as soon as they saw their master frozen, leaving Matilda free. She rushed down the slope and hugged Maximilian.

"My little pearl, I am so happy to see you," said Maximilian with a tear in his eye. "I was so worried when I couldn't find you."

"It was my own fault," confessed Matilda. "I ignored your advice and ended up being tricked."

"Well, everything has turned out satisfactorily, thank goodness," said Maximilian. "Now, what shall we do with this band of rogue Shamans?" He pointed to the frozen figures. "We have to take them back to the Ice Palace which may present some difficulties. I'll need to tie them up for the trip so I wonder if you wouldn't mind running up to the cave and fetching rope from the trolls? I'm sure they won't cause you any trouble after they hear what has happened."

"No problem," said Matilda and ran off up the slope while Maximilian kept an eye on the Shamans who were in various stages of recovering from the spell.

When Matilda returned with lengths of rope they tied up the dazed Shamans and ushered them aboard the sleigh.

"Just one more call," said Maximilian, "to pick up another wayfarer, and then we'll be on our way home."

They found Fizzcrank still tied to the tree. Maximilian put the troll back in his own sleigh and asked Matilda to take the reins and follow him back to the Ice Palace. So, the parade began, two sleighs with their unhappy cargoes but happy drivers, ploughing through the snow on their way home. The Shamans, Rashi, Malak and Alwan, looked downcast and didn't say a word during the trip, while Ekon simply scowled at Maximilian's back. Matilda, in her sleigh, ignored the protests of innocence coming from Fizzcrank until, at last, the Ice Palace came into view.

Chapter 31

A Change Of Heart

As soon as the sleighs pulled up in front of the palace a group of armed troll guards surrounded them. They were confused when they saw their leader tied up in one of the sleighs and a senior troll stepped forward to question Maximilian.

"Sire," he began nervously, "why do you have our Leader of the Guards tied up like a criminal?"

"Don't waste your pity on a traitor," replied Maximilian. "He has been involved in a plot to destroy your queen along with the other villains you see here. They are to be taken immediately to the dungeon to await interrogation."

The guards' confusion increased when Fizzcrank made a last effort to protest his innocence in front of his colleagues.

"It wasn't me!" he whined then pointed at the trussed-up Shamans. "It was them. They forced me to help them. I'm innocent. It isn't my fault. Get me out of these ropes."

Surprisingly, it was Ekon who spoke up and dashed any chance of Fizzcrank's release.

"He lies," said the Shaman. "He was our spy in the palace and he agreed with everything we did. He hates your queen as much as we do."

The troll guards rushed forward and pulled, first Fizzcrank then the four Sharmans, off the sleighs and pushed them up the steps to the palace. From there they were taken down to the dungeon where they were locked together in a large cell.

In the meantime Maximilian told Matilda about his visit to the Ancient Library and how he had left The Keeper to try to find the locking spell.

"Do you think he can do it?" asked Matilda.

"I really don't know," said Maximilian, "but I hope so. He does have an advantage in knowing the library backwards and he needs to get back into my good books after he let Ekon into the library. Cross your fingers." He laughed. "Now let's find Atalai."

They found her in conference with her Grand Vizier and, again, dismissed him as soon as she saw them walk through the door.

"Well, I see that you have found Matilda," she began as she rose from her couch, "but where did you find her?"

"A long story,"explained Maximilian, "but briefly, you have been surrounded by people who wished you harm and now they have been exposed. They await you for questioning in the dungeons."

Atalai paled. "And who might these people be?"

"A group called the League of Shamans that includes Rashi,"Maximilian replied and Atalai gasped in shock. "And their spy in the castle was none other than your Leader of the Guards, Fizzcrank."

"Surely this can't be true," responded Atalai.

"I'm afraid so," said Maximilian staring fixedly at the Ice Queen. "They await you below."

"Then let us proceed," stated Atalai coldly and, after collecting two guards as escorts, she, Matilda and Maximilian descended to the dungeons.

The prisoners were an unhappy group, shackled and sitting apart from each other, heads down as they contemplated their fate. They all looked up as the jailer rattled his key in the lock. Fear turned their stomachs as they saw a steely-faced Ice Queen look down upon them; all except for Ekon who stared back defiantly and then spat at her feet.

"How dare you!" screamed Atalai. "Who is this man?"

"His name is Ekon," Maximilian informed her, "and he is the leader of the League of Shamans."

"You shall pay dearly for this," Atalai addressed Ekon. "You have terrorised our people unfairly and that debt must be seen by them to have been repaid. Your punishment will be public and extreme."

Hearing these cruel words, Maximilian felt, once again, embarrassed for Atalai. Would she never learn that using extreme methods only diminished her own reputation? However, Ekon was not cowered by her words.

"Terrorise?" he shouted back at her, his face twisted in anger. "You are the expert in terror. You allowed your army to strike fear into the hearts of innocent people; people who had nothing to do with starting the War of Tears but who were made to pay dearly for your grief at the loss of your father. Well, they lost everything, their families, homes and lives . . . because of _you_." He spat the last word out.

Atalai was shocked by the attack; not only the words but the way they were spoken. She looked to Maximilian for sympathy but none was given. Swishing her skirts, she walked out of the cell and climbed the steps back to the main palace. Maximilian and Matilda followed behind. They followed her to her sitting room. As she sat down, the Ice Queen was quietly sobbing. Ekon's words had struck home.

"How can I be so hated?" she asked through her tears. "What have I done to offend people so deeply? Is what that Shaman said the truth? Have I brought terror to the lives of innocent people?

I certainly didn't intend doing that."

"Of course you didn't," said Maximilian to soothe her distress. "However, in your grief for your father's death you let things get out of hand. What began as a just war against Dakar in defence of your own people grew into a war of terror for every Drakespearian. I would like your permission to speak to the prisoners. Perhaps that will give us some answers as to what has been happening."

"Yes," agreed Atalai. "I need to understand my mistakes. I feel so foolish." She looked up at Maximilian. "And you did try to warn me."

"We learn from our mistakes," stated Maximilian as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head before heading down to the cells below.

Chapter 32

Better Late Than Ever

As they were about to descend the stone steps to the dungeon, Maximilian had a strange sensation. His head began to buzz and then he heard a voice. It was Husan, the mischievous elf.

" _Hello, Master," said the cheeky imp. "I believe I have some good news for you from that old_

grump, The Keeper."

Maximilian grimaced. "Just get on with it Husan," he thought.

" _Okey-dokey," responded Husan. "Hope you have something handy to write this down."_

" _I think I can remember anything you have to tell me," stated Maximilian crossly._

" _Right," said the elf, "Here goes. The Keeper says that the locking spell was hidden in an ancient book in the "History of Magic" section. It can be infused into a wand to cast the spell_ . . ."

" _I know that," interrupted Maximilian impatiently. "Just tell me how to remove the spell."_

" _It's an incantation," Husan informed him. "The Keeper found it in that book. Ready for it?"_

" _Go ahead," replied Maximilian._

" _You just have to wave the infused wand at the subject that has been frozen and say, 'Tribium_

falsa bequore'. That's it. Simple."

" _Yes, quite," agreed Maximilian. "Fortunately I already have a wand infused with the locking spell from the thief who stole it. Now kindly pass on my thanks to The Keeper and tell him that he is back in favour. I'm sure that will make him very happy."_

" _What about me?" asked the elf in a hurtful tone._

" _You'll have to do a lot more to make up for all the trouble you've caused in the past," declared Maximilian, and then softened, "but thank you for using your talent to contact me. Now go and pass on my message to The Keeper."_

" _Oh," said Husan sadly."Very well. Consider it done."_

Matilda had watched the concentration on Maximilian's face as he paused on the top step. When she saw his face relax she tugged on his robe.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

"Excellent," replied Maximilian. "That was Husan sending a message about the locking spell. The Keeper found it in a book in the Ancient Library, thank goodness. Now we have the power to release all of those innocent people from the freezing spell."

"But that's wonderful!" exclaimed Matilda. "Husan _can_ be useful. And well done to The Keeper."

"Yes," agreed Maximilian but then added, ungraciously, "but it would have been more convenient if he'd found the spell before I had to face the Shamans at their cave."

"Better late than never," said Matilda with a smile.

"Harumph," snorted Maximilian. "That's true, my little one. Now let's go down and find out what these rogues below can tell us."

Matilda followed him down to the dungeon.

Chapter 33

An Explanation

The jailer opened the cell door and Matilda and Maximilian entered. They were met by glares from the Shamans and Fizzcrank. Maximilian simply stared back at them.

"It's all over," he said.

"What do you mean, _over_ ," asked Ekon.

"Just that," stated Maximilian. "Atalai has realised the error of her ways or, rather, is on the way to recognising that she was wrong in allowing the events that set you on your path to occur. So you have achieved your aim . . . even if I believe that you were just as misguided in using the methods you did. Once again innocent people were made to suffer." He fixed his gaze on Ekon.

"We had no alternative," the Shaman responded.

"I don't agree," declared Maximilian. "However, the conflict is over now and we need to make peace."

"Will she punish us?" asked Fizzcrank in a snivelling voice.

"I don't know," confessed Maximilian, "but I think that, if you are willing to explain why you did what you did and throw yourself on her mercy, there is every chance that you will be given your freedom . . . with some strong conditions."

Ekon looked around at his accomplices for their agreement. "What do you need to know?"

"I already know how you acquired the locking spell," stated Maximilian, frowning at Ekon, "but why did you choose the village of Ravjik?"

"I can explain that," said Rashi. "When I read Dakar's diary it mentioned that Frostwolf was responsible for the cruelty to his father in his village. Ravjik is Frostwolf's own village so we believed that they should suffer as Dakar's people had suffered."

"And Bladefoot?" asked Maximilian.

"He had escaped the punishment because he was away at the time," explained Rashi. "We caught up with him in the forest."

"And the village of Tetra?" continued Maximilian.

"When we heard that their leader had cooperated with you," said Ekon, "we felt that everybody needed to be warned that, if they helped our enemy, they would be punished."

"Who arranged the attack on Atalai in the castle?" Maximilian wanted answers to everything that had occurred.

"That was me," said Rashi. "I told Ekon where the queen would be and arranged for the guards to be absent. It was only you turning up that saved her."

"And that's what really confuses me more than anything else. Why did you suggest to Atalai that she should invite me to help," said Maximilian.

"Yes, that was a big mistake," admitted Rashi. "I knew you had fallen out with Atalai over the War of Tears, and that you shared our view she had overreacted to her father's death so I thought you should be able to observe her downfall. Obviously I was wrong."

"Very wrong," said Ekon looking angrily at Rashi.

"Hm-m-m," muttered Maximilian. "Luckily I now have the power to reverse your misdeeds and the fact that you have been so honest with your answers is in your favour. We shall see what occurs after I have spoken again with Atalai."

He signalled to the jailer who opened the cell door and let them out, leaving the prisoners to consider their possible good fortune.

Chapter 34

A Change Of Heart

Atalai did not immediately react when Maximilian told her of his conversation with the prisoners. She was still clearly upset with the realisation that she had been so hated and her eyes were red from crying. Finally she broke the silence.

"I see that I have been so wrong," she admitted. "I didn't listen when you tried to warn me and my stubborn streak wouldn't let me admit that you may be right. I was just so tormented by the death of the father I loved so dearly that I only wanted revenge. But I didn't realise that some of my soldiers would take advantage of my anger to treat innocent people so cruelly. It is unforgivable."

"Can you now understand why the Shamans felt that you should suffer too . . . even though they were also wrong in what they did?" asked Maximilian.

There was a slight delay before Atalai answered.

"Yes, I can understand," she stated, "but I find it hard to forgive. I am still hurting."

"You have every reason to feel hurt," agreed Maximilian, "as have all of the people who have suffered because of the War of Tears and its consequences right up to today. I think it is time to show mercy and heal the wounds. You would be respected greatly if you granted pardons to the Shamans . . . with strict conditions of course."

"I will consider your wise counsel," said the Ice Queen, "but I need time to think. I will let you know my decision this afternoon."

It didn't take very long. Atalai sent a guard to fetch Maximilian and Matilda and asked them to accompany her to the dungeon. When the jailer opened the prisoners' cell the Shaman's looked up in surprise to see the Ice Queen herself standing there. They were stunned into silence as Atalai addressed them.

"What you have done to innocent people in the name of revenge is shameful. You have caused suffering where no suffering was deserved. The target of your anger should have been me alone for I was the one who began the War of Tears. However, I can hardly stand here and preach to you as I, too, have been guilty of the same charges. In my grief and ignorance I allowed events to occur that caused great suffering and bred hatred. For that I am sorry. As for you," and here she paused, "although your reasons for seeking revenge may have based on sound information, your actions were unreasonable, and they deserve punishment."

"But you said you are guilty too," interrupted Fizzcrank. "Where is your punishment?"

"My punishment is in my heart," Atalai replied. "I cannot forgive myself for my behaviour and will carry the guilt for many years. However, through my good friend here," and she pointed to Maximilian, "I have been taught a valuable lesson that will help me become a better ruler and a friendlier neighbour. Now, I have decided that your punishment will be individual. Rashi, you will remain as Shaman in the Ice Palace."

Rashi was shocked. "How can that be?" he asked. "How can you trust me after what I've done?"

"Exactly," replied Atalai. "I trust that, after you see how things change in Frizland, you will give me your complete loyalty. I will be watching closely."

"Thank you my Queen," said a humbled Rashi.

Atalaiu now addressed the others. "Fizzcrank, you will remain as a troll guard but not as their leader. That is your punishment and you, too, will be watched closely. As for the rest of you, you are free to return to you own lands as long as you give me your pledge that you will no longer take part in any vengeful activity."

Ekon spoke up for the Shamans. "Your show of mercy is amazing and deserves our solemn pledge that we will . . . behave ourselves in the future." He smiled as Malak and Alwan nodded their heads in agreement.

"Well said," Atalai stated as she, too, smiled. "Now you are free to go."

As soon as the jailer had opened the door the prisoners walked out. Ekon stopped in front of Atalai, bowed and said, "Thank you. You have behaved as a great queen and you deserve this."

He handed her Dakar's diary.

When everyone had gone, Maximilian smiled warmly at Atalai and said, "You are wonderful,"

As he embraced her.

"Thank you, my dear friend," she replied. "I shall never doubt your advice again."

"Now," stated Maximilian lifting Ekon's wand out of his robe, "let's go and free the frozen villagers . . . and Bladefoot."

Chapter 35

The Unfreezing

Maximilian stood in front of the statue that was Bladefoot, pointed Ekon's wand and uttered the words, "Tribium falsa bequore".

The result was amazing. The frozen figure began to melt, rivulets of water dropping to the floor,

and gradually Bladefoot's limbs loosened until, finally, he fell down and opened his eyes. He shook his head and slowly climbed to his feet.

"What happened?" he asked.

"It's a long story," answered Maximilian, "but we have other work to do so we'll save the tale until that's finished. Come with us, we are going to visit your village."

"Why?" enqired Bladefoot.

"To right a wrong," said Atalai.

As they walked out to a waiting sleigh, she took Maximilian's hand and said, "You are wonderful, too."

The group finally reached the village of Rajvik. Maximilian went from house to house delivering the magic words. Figures melted and came back to life. Soon the whole village was gathered in the central square. Bladefoot stood in front of the crowd with Maximilian, Atalai and Matilda.

"This is a great day for Rajvik," he declared. "Thanks to our saviours, Maximilian, Matilda and our queen, we can now carry on our lives as normal and put this terrible chapter behind us. Three cheers for Maximilian." The villagers cheered. "And three cheers for our queen." Once again the people cheered.

"I don't deserve your thanks,"Atalai stated in a trembling voice, with tears in her eyes. "I was the cause of your trouble without knowing it. The real hero is Maximilian and, of course, his helper, Matilda." She waved her hand in their direction. "Their deeds will be recorded in a special place in the history of Frizland so that they will always be remembered." The crowd surrounded the proud pair and applauded again.

Bladefoot remained behind with his family as the others set off to rescue the villagers of Tetra. It was turning out to be a long and tiring day as their sleigh pulled into the village square. Maximilian performed his magic again, going from house to house until everything was returned to normal as Matilda and Atalai looked on.

Once again there were celebrations when the villagers realised what had happened. Vandar was especially thankful to Maximilian and gave a speech in his honour. People placed flagons of wine, bread and cheese on wooden tables that had been hastily put around the square and the party began. Musicians played folk music on fiddles and flutes. As the sun set and darkness crept over the village, fires were lit in pits for light and warmth.

Finally Maximilian signalled to Atalai and Matilda that it was time to leave. They said their goodbyes before climbing into their sleigh and heading home.

Chapter 36

A Fond Farewell

On the trip back to the Ice Palace Maximilian had noticed that Matilda was unusually quiet and looked a little sad. He assumed that it was because the adventure was over but, to be sure, he took her aside when they arrived back at the palace and Atalai had retired to her quarters.

"You seem to be sad," he told Matilda. "Is something wrong?"

Not wanting to be a bother, Matilda replied, "No, not really."

"That doesn't sound very convincing," stated Maximilian. "You know you can be honest with me, don't you?"

"Yes," mumbled Matilda, looking even sadder, her head bowed.

"Well, come on. What is it? Have I done something to offend you?"

"Oh, no, never," said Matilda, looking up at Maximilian. "It's just . . ."

"What?" Maximilian was obviously growing impatient.

"I don't feel that I've done very much to help you this time. I've just been a spectator. You've solved every problem on your own. I felt useless. I don't even know why I'm here. The only thing I've done is disobey you and put you in danger." The words came out in a rush.

"Whoa, steady down," said Maximilian, holding up his hands. "First things first. You need to know that I couldn't have done this without you. I invited you on this adventure because I wanted good company – and you've given me that. I love having you around, my little pearl. But also, you have a short memory. Who was it that first discovered the clue that began the investigation of Dakar's cave and the village of Tetra? And who was it that exposed Rashi as the stranger who visited the cave? You!"

"Well . . . yes," agreed Matilda. "I suppose so."

"Of course it's so," declared Maximilian. "We wouldn't have discovered what we did without you. Certainly I have done a great deal but most of that has been because magic has been involved.

You mustn't underestimate how valuable your contribution has been just because you haven't done as much as your other adventures. Now let me see that happy face again." He gave her a hug and Matilda smiled. "That's better. I treasure your company."

"What do we do now?" asked Matilda.

"Well, seems to be settled. Atalai has seen the error of her ways, peace has been restored and we are no longer needed so it is time to leave. We'll say our farewells and be on our way."

They found Atalai in the entrance chamber.

"I'm organising some additions to the history display," she informed them. "But I need to have an artist do portraits of you before you leave."

"What for?" asked Maximilian.

"Why, to make some models of you to go with the display, of course," said Atalai. "That way you will always be remembered for what you have done to bring peace to our lands." She took Dakar's diary out of her robe. "And this will be included in the display to remind us of our mistakes."

"That's wonderful," said Matilda.

Atalai smiled and looked at Maximilian. "I must also tell you that the energy from the geysers that started this unfortunate chapter in our history will now be equally shared between Frizland and Drakespear."

Maximilian embraced her. "A wise and generous decision, worthy of a great leader. Your father would have been proud."

Tears welled up in Atalai's eyes. "Thank you again . . . for everything."

The palace artist quickly sketched portraits of Maximilian and Matilda, to be finished later.

When that was done Matilda walked over and hugged the Ice Queen. "Goodbye," she said, "I am so happy for you and I'll miss you."

"And I will miss you both too," declared Atalai and kissed her on both cheeks.

"Time to go," said Maximilian, clicking his fingers. The Story Mat appeared in the air and floated to the ground.

"I must say I prefer other modes of transport," said The Noble Protector with a grimace as he seated himself on the mat. Matilda laughed and joined him. The Story Mat lifted into the air and zoomed away into space towards Maximilian's desert palace.

Chapter 37

Behaviour Praised and Scorned

The Story Mat landed gently on a sand dune beside the oasis. Maximilian and Matilda stepped off the mat to feel the full blast of the heat in contrast to the weather they had experienced in Frizland.

"Whew," said Matilda. "It sure is hot."

"Yes," agreed Maximilian, even though he was used to the hot climate. "Let's get out of these winter clothes and visit the Ancient Library. It will be a lot cooler in there."

Matilda followed him to a grand building behind the oasis. It was made of mud bricks and was enormous. The entrance was amazing, a portico supported by marble columns that soared up into the air. It made Matilda feel very small indeed. The walls beside the entrance were covered in gilded images that appeared to represent the countries of The Other Worlds – dragons, serpents, tigers, sun-like icons, volcanoes, sea animals and polar bears amongst others. They were arranged in a pleasing pattern around the huge door which had the title, "The Ancient Library" in gold lettering above it. Matilda followed Maximilian inside to the cool of the interior.

Once again The Keeper was found to be asleep at his desk. Maximilian coughed loudly and the startled Keeper jumped up from his chair. When he saw his Master standing there he became flustered with guilt.

"Master," he began, "how wonderful to see you again . . . er . . . I was just closing my eyes for a moment . . . er, you see I worked until late last night and I didn't get to bed until well after midnight and . . ."

"Enough," Maximilian interrupted, "We are not here to check up on your sleeping habits, old man; I know full well what they are. Matilda and I are here to thank you for finding the locking spell. You saved many lives with your discovery."

"Oh," said a shocked Keeper. "Oh, I see. Then you're not cranky with me for . . .er . . . sleeping on the job?"

"Not this time," answered Maximilian. "You have redeemed yourself with some magnificent detective work and I am personally grateful."

"Well, thank you Master," said a puffed up Keeper. "And it's wonderful to see you too, young lady."

Being kind to Matilda was not one of The Keeper's strengths so she was a little shocked to be welcomed by him so warmly and suspected that he would have some secret motive for doing it. Sure enough, his next words proved it.

He addressed Maximilian, wringing his bony hands as he did so. "Do you think, Master that I could be reinstated as Keeper of the Treasures? Just on trial, of course. As payment for the work I did in saving those lives?"

"Don't push your luck, old man," replied Maximilian. "Your discovery of the locking spell was just enough to get you back in my good books but I haven't forgotten the attic fire you caused. You won't be returning there and you should be thankful that you haven't been put in charge of the camels."

"Oh," said The Keeper again, regretting his impudence. "I apologise, Master. I am quite happy here in the Ancient Library." The thought of having to spend the rest of his life tending to the camel herd was frightening. They smelt, had shocking tempers and they spat!

"I'm glad to hear it," said Maximilian. "Now, where is that imp, Husan? I need to speak to him as well."

"I know exactly where he will be, Master," said The Keeper. "I'll go and fetch him immediately. I won't be long. Make yourselves comfortable while I'm away . . ."

"Just go!" ordered Maximilian angrily.

The Keeper hurried away and, true to his word, he found Husan straight away. The cheeky elf was lying in a hammock, strung between two palm trees, playing his flute.

"Hurry up," instructed The Keeper, "the Master has returned and wishes to speak to you."

"The old crank is back,eh?" said Husan. "Is he in a good mood after we helped him?"

"I don't know," lied The Keeper, "but he needs to see you."

"Right, let's go," said Husan, swinging himself out of the hammock. "It pays to keep the old man happy."

The pair hurried into the library to find Maximilian and Matilda waiting patiently.

"Hello, governor," the elf greeted his master with a cheeky smile.

Maximilian glowered at him.

"Firstly I want to thank you again for using your talent with telepathy to inform me of the secret to the locking spell," he began.

"No problem, a pleasure," responded Husan.

"However, from the conversation I've just had with The Keeper, it seems that you didn't follow all of my instructions," added Maximilian.

"How so?" asked Husan with a puzzled look on his face.

"I distinctly asked you to thank The Keeper as well for his diligent work on my behalf," continued Maximilian, "and yet it seems that he had no idea of my feelings when I spoke to him a few minutes ago."

"Must have forgotten," said the elf.

"In my experience _you_ only forget what you want to forget." Maximilian was angry. "You don't like giving praise to others and you are, and always have been, a selfish and sneaky individual. I've tolerated it in the past but you have now driven me to breaking point. You deserve to have your sins catch up with you."

Husan went pale with shock. "Hold on, Sire," he protested, "it was only a little oversight and I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" shouted Maximilian. "You don't know the meaning of the word. It's time for your comeuppance. From today your only job will be to look after the camel herd, day and night. And you'd better treat them like family or there will be worse in store for you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master," muttered Husan meekly.

"Now get yourself down to the camel corral, _immediately_ ," shouted Maximilian, pointing to the door. The mischievous elf scurried out of the library.

Maximilian addressed The Keeper. "Once again, well done in finding the locking spell and thank you. You may get back to sleep."

The Keeper's face reddened. "Yes Master."

Maximilian signalled to Matilda and they walked out into the sunshine.

"I'm sorry you had to see that but it was necessary," he said. "Husan has been getting away with too much and he still hasn't been punished enough for what he did to you in Neptune's kingdom."

"Neptune's _realm_ ," Matilda reminded him. "Neptune isn't a king."

"Yes, of course," mumbled Maximilian.

"As for Husan," said Matilda, and smiled, "it's true that he is naughty but he can be charming."

"Harumph," snorted Maximilian. "If you say so. Now, we'd better get you home."

Chapter 38

It's Wonderful To Be Loved

Maximilian and Matilda walked through the oasis. When they had passed the fresh-water lake and reached the other side, Matilda saw something amazing. There appeared to be a wall of green glass and through it she could see her room. It was just as it had been when Maximilian had 'shrunk' her so that she could pass into the crystal ball.

"This time we reverse the spell," said Maximilian. "In a moment you will pass back through the glass wall and things will be back to normal."

"Will I see you again?" asked Matilda.

"Of course," Maximilian assured her. "Just keep an eye on the crystal ball."

He waved his hand and Matilda felt herself lifted into the air and pushed through the glass wall.

She was back in her bedroom and, when she looked into the crystal ball, she saw Maximilian waving at her.

"I have to go now," he said. "Natural time has returned and your family is waiting for you downstairs. Goodbye for the moment, my little friend."

He disappeared and was replaced in the crystal ball by a snow scene. Matilda hurried downstairs.

When she reached the first floor she could hear her family in the kitchen. As she entered she saw that her father was busy cooking pancakes and her mother, as usual, had her nose in a book. Her little brother Hieronymus lurched over to her on his little, pudgy legs and gave her a hug around her legs. She picked him up and walked over to the kitchen table. Her mother looked up at her.

"Ah," she said, "the princess has finally awoken. Good morning sweetheart." And then she returned to her book.

Her father turned from the stove. "Hello darling," he said. "Right on time for the world's best pancakes topped with the sweetest maple syrup and the most delicious blueberries . . . just for you, to show how much you're loved."

Matilda was taken aback by all this affection but it felt _so_ good.

"There is nothing better than a family that loves you," she thought and then made an unexpected error when she said aloud, "It's wonderful to be back."

Both her parents looked at her in surprise. Even Hieronymus stopped gurgling.

"What do you mean 'back'," asked her mother with a frown.

"Uh, oh," thought Matilda but quickly said, "I had this dream last night that I had gone away to another land, a cold land, where I met trolls and Shamans and a beautiful queen. It was so real that, when I woke up, it seemed to have really happened. I guess that's what I meant when I said I'd come back."

"That imagination of yours," said her father with a laugh. "I think it must come from all the books you read."

"Perhaps you'll be an author when you're older," suggested her mother before continuing with her reading.

Hieronymus leaned over and planted a wet kiss on Matilda's cheek.

"Yes, it is wonderful to be loved," thought Matilda, "but you also have to be careful what you say."

She put her baby brother in the high chair and then sat down next to her mother while her father served up the warm pancakes. She felt that breakfast with your family was a wonderful way to start each day.

Matilda was in for another surprise a week later. When she awoke she saw that a photograph had been placed on her bedside table. She picked it up and saw that it was a picture of the historical display in the entrance chamber of the Ice Palace. There, behind the glass were life-like statues of both her and Maximilian. Beside them was a beautifully scripted sign that said, "The End Of The War Of Tears" with a scroll that obviously recorded everything that had happened while they were in Frizland.

With a feeling of pride, Matilda took down her copy of "Arabian Nights" from her bookshelf and stored the photograph in the hollowed-out space with her other treasures, the Zeus medallion and the Pearl of Wisdom.

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About the Author

Burt Candy lives with his wife on board a houseboat at Lemon Tree Passage on the east coast of Australia. He has been writing children's books for over 20 years. The "Matilda and the Story Mat" trilogies are the first to be published as E-books.

Burt can be contacted at lemontreepublishing@gmail.com

