Page 43 of Enchanted in Time
Hannah climbed onto his broad back and clung to his shaggy fur.
“Which way are we headed?” he growled.
Did that growl already sound more animal-like? More bearlike? She peered into the dense evergreen forest that Frieda had warned her about so emphatically and where they would now have to go to gather the herbs. She could already feel the goosebumps beginning to cover her bare arms. Was there a wolf lurking behind the fir tree? Was that a dark shadow over there?
Maximilian growled softly. “I’ll get you back to the hut safe and sound—I promise!”
Hannah smiled. The prince was still there.
“Where do these plants that we’re looking for grow?” he growled.
“I don’t know my way around this forest, and, to be honest, I never go into the wild to gather herbs. But I’ve seen these plants before at our nursery.”
“Are you a gardener?” he asked as he trotted off. Out of the corner of his eye, he was careful to glance to all sides to keep the enchanted forest in view.
Hannah laughed halfheartedly. “First and foremost, I’m a mother. But my children need food and clothing as well, so from morning till noon, while they’re still at school and kindergarten, I work at a friend’s flower shop.”
“You have to work to take care of them.”
It was a statement rather than a question. Maximilian was silent and seemed to be pondering it as Hannah looked to both sides and searched for the plants. The bear prince trotted slowly through the woods. Like Hannah, he kept glancing to the side to make sure that Frieda’s path was still in sight.
Hannah’s elderly neighbor had advised them to stay away from the shadows. What had she meant by that? The firs and spruces grew so close together that nearly the entire forest wasin a state of semi-darkness. But time and again, a single ray of sunlight would break through the dense twigs and branches and keep the darkest shadows away. Sometimes, the thought even crossed Hannah’s mind that the brick pathway shone with a certain light—something good and bright. On looking back and seeing it, she would feel reassured, and that chased away the chill she would get when she peered into the forest. It would be best if they stayed here only as long as they needed to.
Where could they find the plants? She knew from her boss Ines that goutweed and elecampane did not need direct sunlight or moist soil. And wintergreen? She couldn’t remember. She could only remember what it looked like, with its bell-shaped, white flowers. She knew she would recognize it. Still, they wouldn’t be able to find it without a bit of luck.
Wait—wasn’t that wintergreen up ahead? In the undergrowth by the spruce? This couldn’t be true! She sent a quick prayer to heaven.
“Let me down!” She was already sliding down off Maximilian’s back and onto the ground. Her landing was softened by all the needles that lay strewn about on the forest floor. She bounded towards the carpet of plants and bent over them. “Look!” she cried, then laughed out loud. “We’ve already got the first plant we need. That’s wintergreen!” She pointed to the deep-green, thick leaves and the obvious red berries.
“That fast?”
“But that’s great!” she exclaimed excitedly. “We’re that much closer to saving you and getting me back to my kids!”
She gathered two handfuls of the white blossoms quickly and carefully, holding them in the hollow of her hand. “What could we keep them in?” With her free hand, she rummaged through one of the bags of supplies that was slung over her shoulder until she found a small cloth pouch with walnuts. “We’ll just throw the nuts into the larger bag.”
No sooner said than done. She cautiously slipped the blossoms into the smaller bag. Then she looked up and beamed at the bear prince. He returned her gaze, and it looked like he was smiling.
“I’ve never seen a bear grin like that!” she said, laughing.
His smile widened, and his bear face looked so funny that she had to laugh even harder and wipe the tears from her eyes. His pointy canine teeth were peeking out, but she wasn’t afraid anymore. His eyes were flashing the same sea-green that had shone from them back when he had been a human.
Hannah’s heart beat a little faster. There was no doubt that he looked like a wild bear, but beneath the brown fur and broad back, the handsome prince she had danced with was still alive. She blinked a couple times to hide her nervousness, when it suddenly dawned on her that she was wearing a stupid grin on her face.
“We need to keep moving,” Maximilian growled, though he seemed to be having a hard time keeping his eyes off her.
Such a strange and tingly sensation to feel those bear eyes on her.
“If we can find the other two ingredients just as quickly, we should be done by this afternoon!” she exclaimed.
The bear lay down on the forest floor so she could climb back on more easily. But Hannah shook her head. “If I don’t walk a bit, my legs will fall asleep.” As long as he was walking beside her, she wasn’t afraid of the forest. The bear prince was big and strong, and he would protect her.
Maximilian growled and got back up on his paws. Slowly, he trotted along beside her. She made her way across the pine needles, always remaining close to him. It did her good to have him so near. True, he was an enormous brown bear, but he kept her safe. She felt such a sense of relief that her steps became lighter and lighter. She didn’t even realize that, every now andagain, she was reaching out and stroking his furry shoulder. The prince registered this in amazement, but he was wise enough not to comment.
“MAMAAAAAA!” The cry broke the soothing silence.
Hannah’s heart was pounding wildly, and she was about to launch into a sprint. “Marco?”
But by then, the bear was holding his enormous paw in front of her. “It has to be a boggart! Remember—where is your son right now?”
