14. The Return of the Queen

As everyone waited for the eagle to arrive, Elyon moved among the troops, seeking out the wounded and healing them, as he had healed Simon, with no more than a word or a touch. With him went the dryads, and they gave to Elyon garlands which he placed on the heads or round the necks of those who had fought with distinction in the battle. Then he returned to the children.
‘Simon,’ he said. ‘Give me your sword.’
Simon pulled the sword from its scabbard and handed it Elyon. As he did so, he noticed for the first time the name ‘Logos’ engraved on its blade.
Elyon caught his glance. ‘It is no ordinary sword,’ he said, receiving it into his hand, ‘else it would not have prevailed against that evil foe. It is efficacious not only against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities and rulers of the darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places. Care for it well.’ He lifted it so that it caught the sun and flashed as if it were on fire. ‘Now, kneel.’
Not understanding what was happening, Simon knelt on the short grass and Elyon touched him on both his shoulders with the flat of the blade. ‘Arise, Sir Simon,’ he cried in a loud voice, and everyone around them began to cheer. ‘Because of the bravery and valour you have shown this day, you are now made Knight of Shalanor and henceforth you shall be known as Sir Simon of Baligsmere.’
Blushing, Simon got back to his feet. ‘Crumbs! Er — thank you very much, sir,’ he said, feeling rather embarrassed and not knowing what the proper response might be. He bowed to Elyon, and the faun smiled — inclining his head in acknowledgment and giving Simon back his sword. Then, as Elyon moved away, Katy ran up to her brother to hug him. But she faltered as she came within his reach, overcome with a sudden shyness at the aura of nobility that now seemed to surround him.
‘Oh, well done, Simon’ she said softly, not touching him but marvelling at what he had become.
Then Aquila landed. Calling a greeting to Katy and the others, he went straight to Elyon and spoke quietly with the faun for a while. When he had finished, the faun swung round and gave a great shout.
‘Good news!’ he said. ‘A time to rejoice! Come, we must make haste. In five days, we must gather at Arwendal Keep!’
Aquila turned to the children. ‘Will you ride on me?’ he asked.
‘Oh, great!’ said Simon — a boy once more.
‘Yes, please!’ said Katy.
They clambered on the eagle’s back and, with a beat of his great wings, they were borne into the air. Below them, the triumphant army, led by Elyon (playing his golden pipes) and Olrik, was already on the march. The naiads and dryads danced alongside it and the birds and Brym flew overhead. (The dragon had still not managed to rekindle his fire, but nobody now minded. Indeed, most of the marching throng felt a great deal happier that he could now produce nothing but steam!)
From their vantage point high in the sky, the children could see the road ahead, running several leagues east of the River Fleet and leading, in the far distance, through the forest to the castle on its island in the river’s mouth. Beyond it lay the sea. It sparkled in the sunlight and was dotted with islands — Fairhaven, Thorm, Anathalia and the Ondine Archipelago; and, on the distant horizon, it carried a ship in full sail.
‘She comes!’ called Aquila joyfully. ‘Emeline — our Queen! She is returning from the Isles of Mist. That’s where I have been since I left you.’
Over to the west of Shalanor, a column of smoke was rising into the air.
‘What’s that?’ asked Simon.
‘I don’t know,’ replied Aquila. ‘But we had better find out.’ He turned and directed his flight across the hills and vales and woods and villages until they were almost at the border with Galdan ia. Then they could see clearly the charred and blackened buildings below them. ‘It’s Witton Barracks,’ laughed the eagle. ‘With the army gone, some loyal Shalanorns must have put them to the torch — and good riddance, too!’ He circled, passing over Witton Heights where Katy had first met Elyon, and then made back for the east.
It was late in the afternoon when they once again approached the Southern Road. And they could see below them group after group of animals. All were running and dancing — up paths and lanes and even, in some cases, across country — and all were heading in the same direction. Then they came to the road itself and saw that the army was making good progress but that the crowd which accompanied it had almost doubled in size since they had last seen it. Clearly, the news was spreading that Elyon was on his way to Arwendal Keep, that a lost army from the days of the Dark Prince was with him, and that Morlok and his forces were vanquished. And everyone hearing the good news had decided that there was only one place to be on that sunny afternoon in the merry month of Meadowmow.
‘Please, Aquila,’ said Katy. ‘Would you mind if we joined everyone down there, now? It all looks so exciting and such fun.’
‘Of course not,’ said the eagle. ‘Hold tight!’ He wheeled round and landed just ahead of Elyon and the rest. ‘I’ll see you at Arwendal Keep,’ he cried. And off he soared, away over the tree tops.
At once, a beautiful dryad, shimmering in yellow and green, appeared before them and put garlands of flowers in their hair. (Simon decided from her colours that she was a laburnum-maid.) Then she took their hands and crying, ‘Join the dance!’, led them, with the other dryads, in and out and around the laughing, singing, chattering procession.
Suddenly, Simon let go of Katy and pointed. ‘Hey,’ he said in astonishment. ‘Look who’s over there!’ Katy glanced to where Simon was pointing. There, still in his black suit and purple shirt and white collar, but now wearing a garland of bright flowers and singing merrily with the rest of the company, was none other than Doctor Dunelm.
‘Oh, quick!’ cried Katy. ‘Let’s go and talk to him.’ She let go of the dryad, and pushed her way, with Simon, through the crowd towards the Doctor.
‘Children, children!’ he cried when he saw them. ‘What a delight! My, oh my — such goings-on. Such excitement!’
‘Doctor Dunelm,’ said Katy. ‘What a surprise! We never expected to find you here. Not when you — Well, not when you don’t believe in the real Elyon. He’s here, you know. There — down at the front of the procession.’
‘Dear Katy,’ said Dunelm, suddenly looking very solemn. ‘Haven’t you realised? It was Elyon who sought me out and brought me here today. And, yes, he is a real faun. I don’t now doubt it for a moment. I can see him down there now, talking to Drimwort. Clear as day — horns, hoofs, tail and all! Yes, indeed.’ He smiled at her. ‘No longer am I the rather foolish cat you met at the start of your journey. Dear me, no. I can see now. And I do beg you to forgive me — that, once, I tried to make you join me in my blindness.’
‘Of course, I forgive you,’ said Katy. ‘But — Well — I mean — What I would really like to know is — how did Elyon make you able to see him? You couldn’t see him before — when he was standing at your garden gate.’
‘That is not for you to ask and not for him to tell,’ said Elyon, coming up behind Katy. ‘Sufficient that he sees me now! But, come, I need your help. The day is far spent and many are in need of rest. We must spend the night here. Spread the word.’
Katy and Simon made their way down the long procession, repeating what Elyon had said. And soon the vast throng was seated. The children returned to Elyon who was standing with Drimwort and Xanthus and Chervil. Trumblegast was still with his great-great-great-Uncle Gramplegast and several other giants — including the two who had come over from the enemy’s side.
‘Everyone’s hungry,’ said Drimwort, looking expectantly at Elyon.
‘I know,’ said the faun. ‘You had better give them something to eat.’
‘Me?’ said Drimwort. ‘How can I feed them? All I’ve got are some bits and pieces left over from breakfast.’ He looked in his satchel. ‘Two carrots and a lettuce!’
‘I’ve got a bread roll and a piece of cheese and some cold chicken,’ said Katy.
‘And I’ve got an apple and a piece of fruit cake,’ said Simon.
‘Bring them to me,’ said Elyon. Taking the carrots, the lettuce, the bread roll, the cheese, the chicken, the cake and the apple, he looked into the distant east for a moment. Then he broke and tore the food into pieces and put some into each of their satchels. ‘Now go and give it to the crowd,’ he said. Then he turned his back on them, walked a little way apart, and stretched himself out on the grass under a tree, his hands clasped behind his head.
‘Is he joking or does he really mean it?’ whispered Simon to Drimwort.
‘I don’t think he makes that kind of joke,’ said the rabbit. He looked hopefully in his satchel. But it still contained nothing but a bit of carrot and lettuce, a crust of bread, a scrap of chicken, a morsel of cheese, a few crumbs of cake, and a piece of apple. The apple was already turning brown.
‘Well, we can’t just stand here,’ said Katy. ‘He’s watching us, you know. Let’s just do as he says.’ Feeling rather silly, she walked up to a group of woodland dwarfs who were deep in discussion about the best way to shore-up tunnels in sandy soil. ‘Excuse me,’ she said. ‘But would you like something to eat?’
‘That I would,’ said one of the dwarfs. ‘I’m fair famished! Thank you kindly, missie.’ He reached into the satchel and took out three large sandwiches. Two were filled with cheese and lettuce and the other was filled with chicken. ‘I’ll have one of those apples, too,’ he said. ‘And a slice of fruit cake.’
The other dwarfs helped themselves in similar fashion, and Katy could only watch in astonishment. Simon, who had just fed a group of moles and badgers, caught her eye and grinned. Then they each made for another group of animals.
A long time later, the two children and Drimwort made their weary way back to Elyon and flopped down on the grass beside him.
‘Everyone has been fed,’ said Drimwort.
‘Well done,’ said the faun. ‘Now you can rest — and enjoy what is left.’
‘But there is nothing left,’ said Simon. ‘We had a look after we’d fed the last of the crowd. The satchels are empty.’
‘Look again,’ said Elyon.
Hesitatingly, they reached for their satchels and opened them. And, to their amazement, they found that — far from being empty — each was now, once more, full of good things!
The next day, they travelled to where the southern road crosses the River Spen; and, by the end of the day after that, they reached the point where the road and the River Fleet converge. Two days more, and they were awakened in the morning by the sound of seagulls and the smell of salt in the air.
After breakfast, Elyon came to them. ‘Give me your hands, children,’ he said. ‘Today, you shall meet the Queen!’
‘Has she arrived in Shalanor?’ asked Katy.
‘She is about to,’ said Elyon.
The children offered him their hands and he grasped one of theirs in each of his. Then, like a streak of burnished gold, he leaped into the air, over the heads of those before him, carrying Katy and Simon with him, and bounded down the road to the next bend, the children running beside him.
With a cheer, the crowd behind him broke into a run too and followed hard on his heels, trying to keep up. But he soon outpaced them. Only the children — who felt as if their feet had suddenly been given wings — could match his speed.
Leaving the river, the road twisted and turned up a long rise, but they raced along it. And then, at the top, they paused. Below them stretched the sea, its greenish-blue waves breaking on the white beaches with their rocky outcrops. And, on an island in the river’s mouth, stood Arwendal Keep.
The honey-coloured stone of its gatehouses and walls and its crenellated towers and flying turrets glowed in the sunlight. Orchards and vineyards ran down to its outer walls, and, below those walls, sheep grazed in lush meadows which sloped gently down to the water’s edge. On the island’s eastern side, a bridge with five arches carried the road over the river and up to the castle gate; and on the western side was a quay of many-coloured stones.
With a cry of gladness, Elyon sped down the road to the castle and led the children over the bridge, round the outer wall, and down to the quay of onyx and jasper.
Already, crowds had gathered there, made up of those who lived on the coast of Shalanor and had seen the ship approaching. There was bunting everywhere. Flags flew from every tower and turret of the castle and a long red carpet stretched from the western gate down to the quay itself. And there, next to where the ship would dock, were the heralds — twelve squirrels splendidly arrayed in tunics of red and gold — their long trumpets at the ready.
Elyon came to a halt and the children let go of his hands. At the sight of the faun in their midst, the crowd fell silent with awe. Then with one accord they fell to their knees and cried ‘Elyon! Praise be to Elyon!’
‘Rise, good Shalanorns,’ said Elyon. ‘Rise — and greet your Queen.’ He raised his arm and pointed out to sea.
Around the western side of the Island of Fairhaven there came into view the tall ship. It was blue and gold and crimson, with a high forecastle at its prow and high poop deck at its stern. At the top of its mast was a gilded crown and above it flew the royal ensign — a golden rose on a blue background. Already the sails were being furled. And a great cheer rent the air, for, standing in front of the forecastle (which was like a little pavilion with blue drapes tied back with golden cords), smiling and waving to her people, was the Queen herself.
‘Emeline!’ cried the crowd. ‘Long live Queen Emeline! Emeline! Emeline! The Queen!’
The children had never seen anyone quite so beautiful. She wore a gown of purest white gathered around her waist with a girdle of silver and blue. Her hair was the colour of newly-ripened corn and her eyes were of silvery-grey. On her head she wore a crown of gold, studded with gems, which sparkled and shone in the sunlight. And behind her stood the three Graces — Faith, Hope and Love — her three ladies-in-waiting; each almost as lovely as the Queen herself.
As the ship glided to its moorings, the air was filled with strange, beautiful music. It rose and fell in harmony with the gentle sound of the waves breaking on the shore as the seals and dolphins and other creatures of the sea rejoiced in the Queen’s return to Shalanor. And there was sweet, heart-piercing singing as the nereids and mermaids and mermen added their voices to the sea creatures’ serenade.
‘Shawms and sackbuts! What a sound — and what a sight!’ came a familiar voice from behind the children.
‘Drimwort!’ said Katy, turning round. ‘Here you are at last! And Xanthus and Chervil — and Trumblegast — and Aquila. My — isn’t this all just wonderful!’
‘And all of it thanks to you, Children of Tellus,’ said Xanthus.
‘Not really,’ said Simon. ‘We didn’t do very much. You and the others made it all happen.’
‘And Elyon,’ said Katy. ‘He more than anyone.’
‘Come,’ said the faun, approaching them. ‘Follow me. We must greet the Queen.’