I wasn’t sure what to expect when our car delivered us from the train station to the palace, but even in my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t have guessed what actually awaited us.
Cheering crowds lined the outer walls of the palace. Balloons and streamers of various colors were abundant. A stage had been set up with a band.
Some people had signs. Long Live The Bear Princess, they said, with a picture of my face.
When they separated to make way for our car, they nearly rioted with their joy.
“Praise you!” shouted one woman.
“Our hero!” called a man.
In the backseat of the sedan, I clutched at Nicholas’s hand, unsure what to make of all this. Not all that long ago, these same people had been half-ready to start a rebellion. Now, the only thing they seemed to want to fight for was some of my
