"Dear Lady, I'm myself again," he began, bowing deeply. "In case you don't recognize me-"
"Poet," the Lady said, "I would recognize you anywhere, jackass or otherwise. I am happy to see you in your own form. That much is settled, but other questions remain."
"Yes, and one of them has to do with me," put in Bromios, who had been shifting uneasily back and forth. He ventured to approach and then knelt at the Lady's feet. "The pythoness showed me more mercy than I deserve. I don't expect forgiveness, but I'll beg it from you anyway."
"King who used to be," replied the Lady, "as I forgave this poet for being an ass, so I forgive you for being a fool. You played your part, however unwittingly, in fulfilling the prophecy."
"Oh, it worked out," Bromios ruefully answered, "exactly as the pythoness foretold."
"But not as you understood it." The Lady of Wild Things turned to Ops. "Khaire, Argeus Bright-Face. The prophecy spoke of a king in rags. It was you, not Bromios."
"Dear Bright-Face! What have they gone and done to you?" Laurel-Crown broke away from the other Daughters of Morning to fling her arms around him. "Lay a burden like that on you?"
"I really hadn't much to say about it," said Ops, beaming at her. "I wanted an occupation and that's what it turned out to be. I hope you don't object."
"We'll have to make the best of it," said Laurel Crown. "I had other things in mind for us, but we'll manage-"
"Return to your place," the Lady ordered. "I have more urgent matters to settle: my daughter and this Lucian Aiee-Ouch."
"Punish me any way you choose." Joy-in-the-Dance stepped to Lucian's side. "We won't be kept apart."
"Be not too severe, Amaranth Flower-Never-Fading." See-Far-Ahead laid a hand on the Lady's arm. "Think of a young warrior and a certain sanctuary maiden. Against her mother's wishes, did she not ride by night to his camp, where they exchanged marriage vows? Do you remember?"
"I remember well," said the Lady, giving him a smile overflowing with love. "It is not a question of punishment, but of pardon. Not to grant, but to ask it." Her eyes went to Lucian. "And so, Lucian Aiee-Ouch, I ask your pardon."
So taken aback by her words, Lucian was at first convinced he had misunderstood them. Braced for some terrible judgment, he realized his ears had not deceived him only when the Lady had gone on.
"You have been much in my thoughts since last we met. I saw you then only as my enemy, as I believed all Bear tribe men to be. My eyes were blinded by concern for my child. I did not see you as yourself and as you truly were. You spoke a hard truth when you had courage to tell me that, by judging every Bear man alike, I was scarcely different from Bromios. I know what has befallen you, and that your love for my daughter has never faltered.
"She, too, wished friendship between our peoples. That, now, is my wish; and so it shall be. Yes, she disobeyed me. But her disobedience also showed me the strength of love in her own heart. Punishment? No. You both have my blessing."
"Do you mean-are you telling us-?" stammered Lucian, all the more bewildered as Joy-in-the-Dance clasped his hand.
"Don't babble," she whispered to him. "Think it over. Even an Aiee-Ouch can figure out what she means."
"Here's one who won't get off as happily," declared Buckthorn, tightening his grip on Catch-a-Tick's ear. "Disobedience and running away? I have something to say to you, and I'll say it with the flat of my hand."
"I only wanted to see Aiee-Ouch being a hero," protested Catch-a-Tick. "Now I want to see him get married."
Oudeis, cocking an eye at the rain clouds, urged all to take shelter under his awning. Mirina offered to lodge everyone in the tavern, including the leopards. "There's room enough," she said, "if some of you squeeze together."
"It is not necessary," said the Lady of Wild Things, allowing Oudeis to lead her, and the others, out of the downpour. "I shall not long remain here. But until the king of Arkadia has a better roof over his head, he and his companions are welcome to the hospitality of my ship."
"Give me a day and a few willing hands," said Oudeis, "and I'll put together something neat and snug here for everybody. It will do nicely while I deal with the rest of the palace. I'll plan out a whole new one," he went on, his enthusiasm growing. "Aye, and see it's built as it should be. For that, of course, I'll need a bit more time, and all the carpenters, all the lumber I can get-"
"Oudeis," Lucian broke in, "you're talking about building in wood. Can you build in-marble?"
"Stupid question. I can build with anything."
"Laurel-Crown told us the finest marble comes from the cliffs near Metara. If you could find quarrymen, stonemasons, devise machines to hoist the slabs-"
"Why, lad, that's finally a task to match my skill." Oudeis pursed his lips and a gleam came into his eyes. "Yes, by thunder, so I'll do."
"If you want a quarry master," said Bromios, "that's work more to my liking than being king ever was. And if Calchas and Phobos, and Cerdo, too, are ever caught, I'll set them to breaking rocks for the rest of their days."
"Done!" cried Oudeis. "I'll begin with the palace, but I won't stop there. I can rebuild the whole city, a new Metara. What a dream!"
"Yes, and while you're dreaming up your grand schemes," Mirina said under her breath, "you'll leave me the hard work of running the tavern. Well, play with your building blocks. It's better than having you go off sailing whenever the mood strikes."
"And in the middle of the public square," Oudeis pressed on, "I can see it now. A monument to the Lady! Columns, porticos-"
The Lady of Wild Things raised her hand. "No city could have a finer architect than you, Clever Oudeis, but I wish no empty monument."
"Why empty?" Lucian asked. "Long ago, your great sanctuary was filled with books of lore and learning. These were destroyed, but they can be written down again and put in the new building."
"Written?" The Lady frowned. "No, that is not our way."
"It used to be, once," said Lucian. "Why not now? Yes, writings can be stolen, or changed, or used for evil purposes. But isn't the risk worth taking? The more people who share knowledge, the greater safeguard for it. Isn't there more danger in ignorance than knowledge?"
The Lady did not reply. Lucian quickly went on.
"It can be a place for teaching, too. Whoever wanted to could come and learn the arts of healing, the secrets of planting, and all such. Oudeis himself could teach architecture, navigation-"
"I'll be delighted to instruct in poetry," Fronto put in. "After I've learned a little something about it myself."
"So be it," said the Lady, after a long moment. "This house of teaching shall be in my daughter's charge. The cave and pool at Mount Lema cannot be restored. She can best serve here in Metara, along with any Daughters of Morning who wish to remain."
"You'd do well to attend and study a few things yourself, my boy," Fronto said to Lucian. "A little knowledge never harmed a storyteller."
"I'll do that gladly," said Lucian. "Then," he said to the Lady, "all the tales I've heard from Oudeis, Gold Horse, Buckthom-someday I want to write them down so they won't be forgotten. Those and everything that's happened to me, as well. Sometimes," he added, "they all get mixed up together in my head, as if the tales were my life and my life was a tale."
"When you asked what shape your life should take, I could not tell you," the Lady said. "I gather you have learned that for yourself."
"Thanks to Fronto," replied Lucian. "I've already told him what I want to do. He wasn't surprised. He said I was a storyteller without knowing it."
"Indeed so, my dear colleague," said Franta. "And, should you need assistance in the way of improving, refurbishing, adding a few nice touches here and there, I'll be happy to instruct you."
"I'll go to school with Aiee-Ouch," declared Catch-a-Tick.
"Oh, no you won't," said Buckthorn. "You'll come along-" He stopped and scratched his jaw. "And yet, from what I've heard of your doings in the wide world, goat herding may have turned too narrow for you. I'll have a
bushel of explaining to do to your mother-but, yes, you little goat-scut, stay awhile among your friends. You might learn something besides mischief."
"Settled, then. I'll start my work," said Oudeis. "But, Lady, I seek one favor. If you'd perform a marriage ceremony for Mirina and me, as I promised her years ago?"
"So I shall, Clever Oudeis," said the Lady. "But mind you also help her with the pots and pans while you dream of a new Metara."
During this, Laurel-Crown and Ops, heads together, had been whispering to each other. "My dear Laurel Crown has chosen to stay here," said Ops, beaming.
"We'd be honored if you'd do the same service for us. I realize this comes rather suddenly-"
"Not to me it doesn't," said Laurel-Crown. "I had it in mind from the moment I set eyes on you."
"Remarkable!" said Ops. "So did I."
"And us?" Lucian said to Joy-in-the-Dance. "If I understood what your mother told me-"
"Yes, Aiee-Ouch," said Joy-in-the-Dance. "I think you finally figured it out."
"What a tale all this would make!" exclaimed Fronto. "My boy, be sure to write it down. As for me, I feel the urge to compose a wedding anthem. I do believe the old inspiration's bubbling up again."
"Poet, my heart is glad for you," said the Lady of Wild Things, beckoning to him. "I could not give what you sought in the pool at Mount Lema. But," she added, gently kissing Fronto's brow, "I give you my grace and my blessing."
The rain had stopped. A bright band of colors arched across the sky.
So ends our tale, more happily than it began. What remains to tell is that three weddings were celebrated, with singing and dancing throughout Metara. When the Lady of Wild Things departed, all the city came to watch. At the same time, flights of birds soared overhead, cranes and sandpipers danced on the shore, otters frolicked in the shoals while seals clambered to the rocks and clapped their flippers, and dolphins leaped from the waves. As the ship sailed from the harbor, the Daughters of Morning began a song of farewell, and the melody hung shimmering in the air long afterward.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lloyd Alexander has been fascinated by Greek mythology as far back as he can remember. The author's many honors include a Newbery Medal for The High King, a Newbery Honor Award for The Blach Cauldron, and American Book Awards for The Marvelous Misadventures of Sebastian and Westmark, and his series of books about the heroine Vesper Holly are also beloved. His most recent novel is The Iron Ring. Lloyd Alexander lives with his wife, Janine, and their cats in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania.
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