Beorn said, “Why, it is you, Kilnor!”
That warrior said, “My lord Beorn, I don’t understand. I think I’ve been bewitched.”
And thus it turned out that the slaves of the pale wizard came out of the spell he had put them under. Many of them were of the Yanti tribe, and Beorn welcomed them gladly. Others were of Fairmina’s tribe. One was a childhood friend, who had been lost and she had thought dead.
“Have you been here all this time, Feanor?”
“I do not remember, Princess. I know it was like a bad dream. The wizard—” He stared at Zarkof’s body. “He kept us here by the power of the crystal chair. We were all enslaved.”
“You’re a slave no longer,” she said. “The power of the pale wizard is broken.”
“Then what shall we do now?” Feanor asked. He looked at Beorn—a man who had been his enemy. “We are all here, both Lowami and Yanti. Are we still at war?”
In the silence that fell over the chamber, Beorn took the hand of Princess Fairmina. “There will be no more war. Gather all together, and we will go first to my father and then to the father of the princess. We shall tell them that the power of the evil Dark Lord is broken.”
A yell of victory went up, and soon all of the former servants and slaves of the pale wizard were gathered in the upper great hall.
“There are so many of them,” Beorn said.
“Yes. Enough to follow our lead. May I speak to them?” Fairmina asked.
“Of course.”
The speech that the princess made was one the Sleepers would never forget, nor would the warriors who listened. Nor would the man who later became her husband. She spoke of peace between the two tribes and of how war had destroyed them for long enough. Finally she said, “There will be no more war.”
“But what will Chief Balog say?” one of the Yantis asked.
Beorn spoke up then. “When my father sees what has happened, I think he will listen to reason.”
“Then, come. It is time to heal the land.”
What took place next would fill a large book. The army of former slaves marched first to the Yanti village. There Chief Balog stood speechless as his tall son, standing with the daughter of Chief Denhelm, told what had happened. He looked around at the many men he had thought were dead and could not find words to speak.
And then his father, Magon, said, “Son, it is time for you to be wise.”
Balog nodded. “Yes. Yes, I see that I was wrong to ever trust the wizard. We will not follow the Dark Lord any longer. We will stand for Goél.”
The same scene was replayed when the warriors led by Chief Balog and his son appeared before the village of the Lowami.
Denhelm and his wife stood at the head of what men they had in their small force of defenders.
But Balog cried out, “We come in peace!”
Denhelm lowered his sword, and joy came to his eyes. Then he saw his daughter hand in hand with Beorn, the son of Balog, and he went to the Yanti chief. “My brother,” he said, “this is good.”
Balog looked at the two young people, then said, “I am ashamed of what has happened.”
“We will put the past behind us,” Denhelm said. “It looks as though our two tribes will be united even closer.”
Balog smiled. “That means we will be related, does it not?”
“Yes. We will be brothers indeed.”
A great cheer went up at this.
Abbey said, “Look! Beorn’s kissing the princess!”
“Well, what did you expect him to do?” Jake asked.
Indeed, Beorn did kiss the princess, and there was great rejoicing in the land and among the Sleepers that day—the day when the Yanti and the Lowami became one tribe.
17
The Adventure’s End
The Sleepers claimed that the wedding of Princess Fairmina to Beorn, son of Balog, was one of the happiest occasions they could remember.
It certainly was a time of rejoicing for the Yanti and the Lowami. Both tribes had suffered greatly from the war, and when the wedding guests saw their respective chief’s, Denhelm and Balog, embrace and pledge their loyalty to one another, a great shout of triumph sounded.
The Sleepers stayed long enough to properly celebrate the wedding, which, according to both tribes, took a week. And then Josh announced, “I had a dream about Goél last night. He told me that it was time to leave.”
“Well, it’s been great,” Jake said, “but I’d sure like to get warm.”
Reb nodded. “Me too. I’d like to go somewhere in the South Seas. Put on swim trunks and just lie in the sun and be waited on by both of you girls. That’s the life for me.”
“That’ll be the day,” Abbey sniffed, “when I wait on you, Reb Jackson!”
And so, as the warm weather came on, the Seven Sleepers said their last good-byes to all the friends that they had made in Whiteland.
A happy, radiant Fairmina embraced them all. “Dear friends,” she said, “promise us that you will come back.”
“It would be our joy, Princess.” Josh surprised himself by taking her hand, then bowing and kissing it.
Beorn gave them all rich gifts and shook the hand of each one. He kissed the hands of Abbey and Sarah, and finally the good-byes were over.
The Sleepers made the return journey quickly, for the snow was now gone and they could travel on horses, the gift of the two chief’s.
The first night, as they made camp, Abbey seemed to have something on her mind. She was sitting with Dave after their supper. Suddenly she said, “Dave, do you think Fairmina is as pretty as I am?”
Dave was accustomed to Abbey’s vanity. “Fairmina’s as pretty as you, but not as pretty as I am.”
“Oh, you’re crazy!”
“I guess so. No, she’s beautiful, and you’ll be just as beautiful when you get grown up.”
Sitting off to one side, Josh and Sarah giggled, for they had heard this conversation.
“That Abbey, she’s a caution,” Josh said.
“Well, I think she will be as pretty as Fairmina when she grows up.”
“So will you, Sarah.”
“What a nice thing to say.”
“Oh, I’m getting a little more romantic. I remember what you said.”
“I saw you kissing Fairmina’s hand. I never saw you do anything like that before.”
Josh blushed. “I don’t know what made me do that.”
“I do,” Sarah said. “Josh, you’ve just got a natural sweetness in you that I’ve never seen in any other boy.”
Without a word, he reached over and took Sarah’s hand. He kissed it and then saw that she was blushing. “That tears it. I’m getting as bad as Abbey. Just romantic as all get out.”
“You have your moments, Josh Adams. You have your moments!”
For a long time, the two sat side by side, just looking into the fire. Josh found himself wondering, What will be the next adventure for the Seven Sleepers?
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Get swept away in the many Gilbert Morris Adventures from Moody Press:
“Too Smart” Jones Series
Join Juliet “Too Smart” Jones and her homeschooled friends as they attempt to solve exciting mysteries. Active Series for ages 7-12.
Dixie Morris Animal Adventures
Follow the exciting adventures of this animal lover as she learns more of God and His character through her many adventures underneath the Big Top. Ten Book Series for ages 7-12.
The Seven Sleepers
Go with Josh and his friends as they are sent by Goél, their spiritual leader, on dangerous and challenging voyages to conquer the forces of darkness in the new world. Ages 10-14
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Spell of the Crystal Chair Page 14