“Is there some way I can save him?”
“It still holds true that Mirabelle must forgive him entirely. And she obviously hasn’t done that yet.”
“I’m worried that she probably won’t change her mind in the next few days,” Marco commented from the side. Emi and Leon nodded earnestly.
Hannah looked off into the distance. “We need to find out exactly what happened back then, and what took place after she fled to the forest. And most importantly, who pronounced the curse. We need to understand her so we can appeal to her heart.”
“So does that mean that you’re staying to save the prince, Mommy?” Emi cried excitedly.
“I have to help him—I can’t abandon him. And, anyway, I won’t be able to get back until he’s freed!”
Frieda beamed. “That’s wonderful, dear Hannah, but you must be on your guard. The forest is full of evil creatures that will?—”
Once again, there were roaring and whistling sounds in the air along with tiny glittering sparks.
“Forest gnomes!” Hannah screamed. “I have to go.”
And off she ran, closely followed by the whooshing and whistling sounds of the belligerent gnomes. She heard Frieda shouting something behind her, but she didn’t understand a word. She leapt over branches and twigs, rushed past prickly shrubs and tall tree trunks, wound her way through the withered branches of several bushes, and sprinted across some blackberry vines. The thorns left her legs even more torn up. The scratches burned, but she hardly felt it. Onward she ran and ran and ran. The forest gnomes must not catch her!
The next moment, something was swirling in front of her. The air was spinning, and the colors were mixing together. Right before her eyes, green and brown, beige and black were blending together in the air as if someone were mixing them in a painter’s pot. Hannah tried to run past it, but the sparkling and flashing was all around her, and in the next instant, the beings appeared. Forest gnomes. At least thirty in number. Their eyes, which were almost black, were shooting daggers, and their tiny hands were holding long spears and pointing them at Hannah.
“Dares to attack us! Wanted to hurt us!” they squealed. “Why does she do that?”
“I was only defending myself! You were the ones who attacked first!” Hannah cried, gasping. Her heart was pounding. The pipsqueaks were giving her angry, vicious looks as theycircled her. They were tiny, but there were lots of them, and they were holding their spears in the air. Jumping over them was out of the question.
“Let me go! I won’t hurt you!”
“Evil human woman! Attacked us!” they squealed. They stomped toward her and raised their long spears to attack.
Hannah had no choice. She would have to try. She started to jump, but the forest gnomes behind her had already bound her ankles with a thick rope, and she tumbled headlong to the ground. The pine needles muffled the sound of her fall, but she was still groaning and coughing from all the dirt it had stirred up.
The adrenaline shot through her veins. She turned over and kicked and lashed out with her fists, but the tiny gnomes were far too fast. With lightning speed, they wound the rope around her, tied it tight, and clambered on top of her.
Now Hannah lay on the ground, all bundled up like a package. In desperation, she struggled and kicked and thrashed about as she tried to knock the gnomes off. “Untie me!” she cried.
Three of the gnomes fell off and landed on their fat behinds. “Ow! Why is she doing that? Why is she hurting us?”
The gnomes grabbed the rope with both hands and marched off in response to a silent command. They dragged Hannah along the ground feet first so that the skirt of her dress was riding up. They pulled her across thorny twigs that scratched her thighs and also across pine needles and dirt that got caught in her hair.
“HELP!” Hannah struggled and kicked, but the rope was tied so tight it was hopeless. “HEEEEEEEELP!” she screamed again and again, each time louder and louder.
“Why is she screaming so much? Must be quiet already!” the little men squeaked. Two of the gnomes brandished their spears and aimed at her head.
Hannah’s eyes nearly popped right out of her head. “No! Let me go!”
A loud, thundering sound shook the earth. Maximilian? Had the bear prince heard her? Was he himself again and on his way to rescue her?
“Maximilian! I’m here!” she shouted with all her strength and every bit of air in her lungs. The thundering sound came closer.
The pipsqueaks’ dark eyes grew wide with fright. “It’s coming. Hurry—away from here. Leave her there. Quick—away!” Their contours blurred, and the air was bathed in a jumble of myriad colors as a loud whooshing sound announced their departure.
Hannah sighed with relief. But why had they suddenly fled from Maximilian? Was it really him? Or had the gnomes fled from something else?
Her heart was pounding wildly. She lifted her head but saw nothing. The thundering sound came closer. She tried to slip off the rope. She needed to free herself at once—in case it was not Maximilian who was coming or in case it was him and the animal in him had gained in strength.
But the thick rope was simply tied too tight. It cut into her wrists and stomach, and even her legs were bound so close that she couldn’t use them at all. With her arms lashed just as tightly to her sides, she could hardly even move.
The thundering noise grew louder. Hannah broke into a sweat. She struggled and squirmed, but she couldn’t free herself. She fought her way back onto her knees. Then she tried to get on her feet but immediately fell back down on her knees. Her heartwas beating faster and faster. She raised her head to see what was approaching.
