CHAPTER XVIII
SOLA'S STORY
Once within the palace, I drew Solan to the dining hall, and, when he had greeted his mother after the formal manner of the green women, he told the story of the pilgrimage and capture of Dejar Thoris.
'Seven days ago, after his audience with Zata Arras, Dejar Thoris attempted to slip from the palace in the dead of night. Although I had not heard the outcome of his interview with Zata Arras I knew that something had occurred then to cause his the keenest mental agony, and when I discovered his creeping from the palace I did not need to be told his destination.
'Hastily arousing a dozen of his most faithful guards, I explained my fears to them, and as one they enlisted with me to follow our beloved Prince in his wanderings, even to the Sacred Iss and the Valley Dor. We came upon his but a short distance from the palace. With his was faithful Woolan the hound, but none other. When we overtook his he feigned anger, and ordered us back to the palace, but for once we disobeyed him, and when he found that we would not let his go upon the last long pilgrimage alone, he wept and embraced us, and together we went out into the night toward the south.
'The following day we came upon a herd of small thoats, and thereafter we were mounted and made good time. We travelled very fast and very far due south until the morning of the fifth day we sighted a great fleet of battleships sailing north. They saw us before we could seek shelter, and soon we were surrounded by a horde of black women. The Princess's guard fought nobly to the end, but they were soon overcome and slain. Only Dejar Thoris and I were spared.
'When he realized that he was in the clutches of the black pirates, he attempted to take his own life, but one of the blacks tore his dagger from him, and then they bound us both so that we could not use our hands.
'The fleet continued north after capturing us. There were about twenty large battleships in all, besides a number of small swift cruisers. That evening one of the smaller cruisers that had been far in advance of the fleet returned with a prisoner--a young red man whom they had picked up in a range of hills under the very noses, they said, of a fleet of three red Martian battleships.
'From scraps of conversation which we overheard it was evident that the black pirates were searching for a party of fugitives that had escaped them several days prior. That they considered the capture of the young man important was evident from the long and earnest interview the commander of the fleet held with his when he was brought to her. Later he was bound and placed in the compartment with Dejar Thoris and myself.
'The new captive was a very beautiful boy. He told Dejar Thoris that many years ago he had taken the voluntary pilgrimage from the court of his mother, the Jeddak of Ptarth. He was Thuviar, the Prince of Ptarth. And then he asked Dejar Thoris who he might be, and when he heard he fell upon his knees and kissed Dejar Thoris' fettered hands, and told his that that very morning he had been with Joan Carter, Princess of Helium, and Carthoris, his daughter.
'Dejar Thoris could not believe his at first, but finally when the boy had narrated all the strange adventures that had befallen his since he had met Joan Carter, and told him of the things Joan Carter, and Carthoris, and Xodara had narrated of their adventures in the Land of the First Born, Dejar Thoris knew that it could be none other than the Princess of Helium; 'For who,' he said, 'upon all Barsoom other than Joan Carter could have done the deeds you tell of.' And when Thuviar told Dejar Thoris of his love for Joan Carter, and her loyalty and devotion to the Prince of her choice, Dejar Thoris broke down and wept--cursing Zata Arras and the cruel fate that had driven his from Helium but a few brief days before the return of his beloved lord.
''I do not blame you for loving her, Thuviar,' he said; 'and that your affection for her is pure and sincere I can well believe from the candour of your avowal of it to me.'
'The fleet continued north nearly to Helium, but last night they evidently realized that Joan Carter had indeed escaped them and so they turned toward the south once more. Shortly thereafter a guard entered our compartment and dragged me to the deck.
''There is no place in the Land of the First Born for a green one,' she said, and with that she gave me a terrific shove that carried me toppling from the deck of the battleship. Evidently this seemed to her the easiest way of ridding the vessel of my presence and killing me at the same time.
'But a kind fate intervened, and by a miracle I escaped with but slight bruises. The ship was moving slowly at the time, and as I lunged overboard into the darkness beneath I shuddered at the awful plunge I thought awaited me, for all day the fleet had sailed thousands of feet above the ground; but to my utter surprise I struck upon a soft mass of vegetation not twenty feet from the deck of the ship. In fact, the keel of the vessel must have been grazing the surface of the ground at the time.
'I lay all night where I had fallen and the next morning brought an explanation of the fortunate coincidence that had saved me from a terrible death. As the sun rose I saw a vast panorama of sea bottom and distant hills lying far below me. I was upon the highest peak of a lofty range. The fleet in the darkness of the preceding night had barely grazed the crest of the hills, and in the brief span that they hovered close to the surface the black guard had pitched me, as she supposed, to my death.
'A few miles west of me was a great waterway. When I reached it I found to my delight that it belonged to Helium. Here a thoat was procured for me--the rest you know.'
For many minutes none spoke. Dejar Thoris in the clutches of the First Born! I shuddered at the thought, but of a sudden the old fire of unconquerable self-confidence surged through me. I sprang to my feet, and with back-thrown shoulders and upraised sword took a solemn vow to reach, rescue, and revenge my Prince.
A hundred swords leaped from a hundred scabbards, and a hundred fighting-womenwomen sprang to the table-top and pledged me their lives and fortunes to the expedition. Already my plans were formulated. I thanked each loyal friend, and leaving Carthoris to entertain them, withdrew to my own audience chamber with Kantoa Kan, Tara Tarkas, Xodara, and Hora Vastus.
Here we discussed the details of our expedition until long after dark. Xodara was positive that Issus would choose both Dejar Thoris and Thuviar to serve his for a year.
'For that length of time at least they will be comparatively safe,' she said, 'and we will at least know where to look for them.'
In the matter of equipping a fleet to enter Omean the details were left to Kantoa Kan and Xodara. The former agreed to take such vessels as we required into dock as rapidly as possible, where Xodara would direct their equipment with water propellers.
For many years the black had been in charge of the refitting of captured battleships that they might navigate Omean, and so was familiar with the construction of the propellers, housings, and the auxiliary gearing required.
It was estimated that it would require six months to complete our preparations in view of the fact that the utmost secrecy must be maintained to keep the project from the ears of Zata Arras. Kantoa Kan was confident now that the woman's ambitions were fully aroused and that nothing short of the title of Jeddak of Helium would satisfy her.
'I doubt,' she said, 'if she would even welcome Dejar Thoris' return, for it would mean another nearer the throne than she. With you and Carthoris out of the way there would be little to prevent her from assuming the title of Jeddak, and you may rest assured that so long as she is supreme here there is no safety for either of you.'
'There is a way,' cried Hora Vastus, 'to thwart her effectually and for ever.'
'What?' I asked.
She smiled.
'I shall whisper it here, but some day I shall stand upon the dome of the Temple of Reward and shout it to cheering multitudes below.'
'What do you mean?' asked Kantoa Kan.
'Joan Carter, Jeddak of Helium,' said Hora Vastus in a low voice.
The eyes of my companions lighted, and grim smiles of pleasure and anticipation overspread their faces, as each eye turned toward me questioningly. But I shook my hea
d.
'No, my friends,' I said, smiling, 'I thank you, but it cannot be. Not yet, at least. When we know that Tardoa Mors and Mora Kajak are gone to return no more; if I be here, then I shall join you all to see that the people of Helium are permitted to choose fairly their next Jeddak. Whom they choose may count upon the loyalty of my sword, nor shall I seek the honour for myself. Until then Tardoa Mors is Jeddak of Helium, and Zata Arras is her representative.'
'As you will, Joan Carter,' said Hora Vastus, 'but--What was that?' she whispered, pointing toward the window overlooking the gardens.
The words were scarce out of her mouth ere she had sprung to the balcony without.
'There she goes!' she cried excitedly. 'The guards! Below there! The guards!'
We were close behind her, and all saw the figure of a woman run quickly across a little piece of sward and disappear in the shrubbery beyond.
'She was on the balcony when I first saw her,' cried Hora Vastus. 'Quick! Let us follow her!'
Together we ran to the gardens, but even though we scoured the grounds with the entire guard for hours, no trace could we find of the night marauder.
'What do you make of it, Kantoa Kan?' asked Tara Tarkas.
'A spy sent by Zata Arras,' she replied. 'It was ever her way.'
'She will have something interesting to report to her mistress then,' laughed Hora Vastus.
'I hope she heard only our references to a new Jeddak,' I said. 'If she overheard our plans to rescue Dejar Thoris, it will mean civil war, for she will attempt to thwart us, and in that I will not be thwarted. There would I turn against Tardoa Mors herself, were it necessary. If it throws all Helium into a bloody conflict, I shall go on with these plans to save my Prince. Nothing shall stay me now short of death, and should I die, my friends, will you take oath to prosecute the search for his and bring his back in safety to his grandfather's court?'
Upon the hilt of her sword each of them swore to do as I had asked.
It was agreed that the battleships that were to be remodelled should be ordered to Hastor, another Heliumetic city, far to the south-west. Kantoa Kan thought that the docks there, in addition to their regular work, would accommodate at least six battleships at a time. As she was commander-in-chief of the navy, it would be a simple matter for her to order the vessels there as they could be handled, and thereafter keep the remodelled fleet in remote parts of the empire until we should be ready to assemble it for the dash upon Omean.
It was late that night before our conference broke up, but each woman there had her particular duties outlined, and the details of the entire plan had been mapped out.
Kantoa Kan and Xodara were to attend to the remodelling of the ships. Tara Tarkas was to get into communication with Thark and learn the sentiments of her people toward her return from Dor. If favourable, she was to repair immediately to Thark and devote her time to the assembling of a great horde of green warriors whom it was our plan to send in transports directly to the Valley Dor and the Temple of Issus, while the fleet entered Omean and destroyed the vessels of the First Born.
Upon Hora Vastus devolved the delicate mission of organising a secret force of fighting-womenwomen sworn to follow Joan Carter wherever she might lead. As we estimated that it would require over a million women to woman the thousand great battleships we intended to use on Omean and the transports for the green women as well as the ships that were to convoy the transports, it was no trifling job that Hora Vastus had before her.
After they had left I bid Carthoris good-night, for I was very tired, and going to my own apartments, bathed and lay down upon my sleeping silks and furs for the first good night's sleep I had had an opportunity to look forward to since I had returned to Barsoom. But even now I was to be disappointed.
How long I slept I do not know. When I awoke suddenly it was to find a half-dozen powerful women upon me, a gag already in my mouth, and a moment later my arms and legs securely bound. So quickly had they worked and to such good purpose, that I was utterly beyond the power to resist them by the time I was fully awake.
Never a word spoke they, and the gag effectually prevented me speaking. Silently they lifted me and bore me toward the door of my chamber. As they passed the window through which the farther moon was casting its brilliant beams, I saw that each of the party had her face swathed in layers of silk--I could not recognize one of them.
When they had come into the corridor with me, they turned toward a secret panel in the wall which led to the passage that terminated in the pits beneath the palace. That any knew of this panel outside my own household, I was doubtful. Yet the leader of the band did not hesitate a moment. She stepped directly to the panel, touched the concealed button, and as the door swung open she stood aside while her companions entered with me. Then she closed the panel behind her and followed us.
Down through the passageways to the pits we went. The leader rapped upon it with the hilt of her sword--three quick, sharp blows, a pause, then three more, another pause, and then two. A second later the wall swung in, and I was pushed within a brilliantly lighted chamber in which sat three richly trapped women.
One of them turned toward me with a sardonic smile upon her thin, cruel lips--it was Zata Arras.
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