He didn’t get a wink of sleep, and would have preferred to have left immediately and alone. But he didn’t know how the spell that had brought Hannah there would work, and his godmother had insisted that Hannah remain by his side and break the curse together with him so he could be saved and she could return to her children. And he had no desire to block her way back.
And now they were heading through the castle garden to the west gate, the way to the forest and the brick path. Maximilian had the bags slung over one of his giant paws, and they were dangling like handbags from his furry arm. On top of that, he was walking on his hind legs. He looked so much like a stork that Hannah had trouble suppressing a grin. When they came to the fountain, Hannah insisted on saying good morning to her children.
“They’re still sleeping!” the bear said, growling and pointing to the summer sun, which had just appeared above the timberline.
“Maybe they’re not. And then they’ll be wondering why I’m not yet home.” She leaned over the side of the fountain and peered into the water. “Frieda, are you there? Are the children already awake?”
“Shhhh!” A sound bubbled up from the water. “Your little angels are still asleep.”
“Did Leon have nightmares? A lot of times, he’ll wake up in the middle of the night crying, and?—”
“No, my dear, he slept through the night like a log. But if you keep yelling, you’ll wake him right up.”
This was clearly not what Hannah wanted to do. “All right, I’ll call the next time we come to a stream.”
“Call?” the bear asked, befuddled.
“That’s the word we use.”
“All right, good luck.” Frieda yawned and did not utter another sound.
Hannah and the bear prince marched onward to the western gate. Behind them, the sun was climbing higher and higher, and with it, the dawn of a new day appeared. They arrived at the high castle wall, where an ornate key was hanging on a hook beside an old wooden door. The bear tried to grab the key, but his paws were too big.
“I’ll do it!” Hannah stood on her tiptoes to reach the key. Her heart was pounding as she slipped it into the lock. “Now what were you saying about the enchanted, dangerous forest?”
“There’s no need to fear. I’ll protect you.”
She looked up in surprise and found herself gazing into the prince’s sea-green eyes. There it was—the shoulder, the rock, the support she’d had to do without for five long years. The bear’s face had gradually grown so familiar that she thought she would be able to tell him apart from other bears. But his face was hard to read. Who could decipher the expression of a brown bear?
What dangers did the enchanted forest have in store for them? she wondered. What creatures would be lying in wait for them?
The bear gently placed his paw on her shoulder. “Ready for the big adventure?”
Hannah nodded. With firm resolve, she turned the key, opened the door, and stepped through the gate, her head held high. They walked side-by-side along the narrow trail that led down the hill where the castle stood and looked out over the dense wood. The forest floor was strewn with purple flowers and rising from the ground were mighty tree trunks with roots so large they were nearly as tall as Hannah herself. The dense, leafy tops of the trees were so immense that they loomed above like a rooftop. The golden light that filtered through the leavesgave the scene such an idyllic air that Hannah couldn’t help but wonder what there was to fear.
She approached the forest and took a deep breath. The beguiling scent of the blossoms rose up to her nostrils and conjured a smile to her lips. It made her feel lighter and got her to forget all her cares. She wanted only one thing: to lie down and relax on the purple carpet of flowers. Treading lightly, she bounded over to the sea of blossoms, with each step more and more carefree as she giggled like a little girl. At last, she reached the glorious flowers. She caressed the delicate petals and, bending down even lower, she inhaled their bewitching scent deep into her lungs—when something grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back.
“Hey, what are you doing?” she cried. “I was about to lie down there! It was just so comfortable and harmonious, I?—”
“Those flowers are dangerous!” the bear bellowed. He speedily carried her off, away from the flowery carpet. “You almost fell for their trap!”
“Fell for their trap?” Hannah began to giggle, but the farther they got from the appealing flowers, the more ridiculous she felt. “Put me down!”
The bear set her down on the grassy slope. Her head began to ache. She shook herself, and she felt as if she were freeing herself from a stupor.
“That is drunkweed.”
“Drunkweed?” She was about to giggle, but she’d lost the urge somehow. “What is that exactly?”
“The vivid colors of the blossoms secrete an enchanting scent that will cast a spell over any creature that’s not on its guard. Once you’ve lain down on them and their scent has permeated all your pores, you’ll no longer be able to break free of the stupor.”
Hannah could feel the goosebumps creeping up her back at the mere thought. “And then what?”
“It’s a vine that wraps itself around your body until there’s nothing more to see. After that, the plant will use you as?—”
Hannah gulped. “I can imagine.”
“You have to be on your guard in this forest. Stay close to me. Do not walk ahead or veer off to the side. The first thing we need to do is to get on the brick pathway. As long as we’re on the path, we can walk through the woods without worrying.”
