“You’ve become very popular, Reb. Everyone in the country knows who you are. How does it feel to be famous?”
“Doesn’t feel like much of anything except that my ears get tired when everybody yells like that.”
Cosima took his arm. “You are a strange young man! Most boys would love to be famous.”
“It’s all right, I guess. And I got me a green ring out of it.” He held up his hand and admired the ring again. Then he looked down at the princess. She was especially beautiful today, he thought. She was dressed in a sparkling blue-sequined dress, and her hair was done in a braid that formed a wreath around her head. Her eyes were bright and blue.
Cosima said, “Do you want to know a secret?”
“Sure.”
“As you know, the crown always provides the awards. But that valuable ring won’t cost my father anything.”
Reb looked again at the stone. “It looks expensive.”
“It is expensive. But I bet that you would win, and you did. I had to give odds at three to one, but I won.”
“Three to one! What if you had lost?”
“But I didn’t lose,” the princess said. “Come on, Reb. Let’s get ready for the banquet. I can hardly wait to show you off. After all, you are my champion.”
That night’s banquet was held in one of the several banquet rooms. But this time the banquet was rather small, as such things went. No more than thirty people were present, all close friends of the king.
The king himself sat beside Lord Denning, who was Master of the Council. Denning was an older man with silvery hair and penetrating gray eyes. It had not taken the Sleepers long to discover that Lord Denning did most of the actual work of running the kingdom. The king himself was too busy with balls and races and contests.
The food was excellent, as always, but Sarah found herself looking at the king. “He looks tired, Josh,” she whispered. “And really not very happy.”
“He sure does. He looks downright depressed to me.”
“The others in the royal family say he didn’t used to be like this when he was a younger man. That just in the last year or so he’s been falling into these discouraged periods.”
The food began to be passed around again. There were exotic dishes such as grilled hummingbird. Each one of the tiny creatures would make a single bite. Sarah noticed that none of the Sleepers tried eating hummingbird.
“I always liked hummingbirds,” Jake said. “I wouldn’t feel right eating one.”
“Of course, I like cows too,” Reb said, “but you don’t see me turning down a steak.”
“That’s not quite the same thing!” Jake protested.
“Why isn’t it the same thing?”
“Because hummingbirds are beautiful, and cows aren’t.”
Reb put his fork down. “Who says cows aren’t beautiful? I think cows are beautiful.”
Laughter went around the table, and Princess Cosima said, “But you wouldn’t want to eat a horse, would you, Reb?”
More laughter circled the table, and this time Reb grinned sheepishly. “You got me that time, princess. No, I sure wouldn’t.”
When the dinner had been going on for some time, an attendant dressed in purple came in and whispered in the ear of Lord Denning. As soon as he left, Lord Denning said loudly enough so that Sarah could easily hear him, “Your Majesty, the physician from the mainland is here.”
The king drew a hand across his face. His eyes still had a troubled light, and he sighed. “Well, he will do little good, but admit him.”
Queen Tamsin leaned over and put her hand on her husband’s arm. “You must be hopeful, dear,” she said. “This doctor comes very well recommended.”
All eyes turned to the door, and there was a surprised murmur as the doctor entered.
Sarah—and probably everyone else—had been expecting a doctor with white hair and spectacles. Instead, a beautiful young woman entered. She was dressed all in black and had black hair and black eyes. There was a confident air about her as she marched into the banquet hall. She went directly to stand before the royal couple and bowed deeply, rather than curtseying as a woman usually would.
“Your Majesty, I am Lady Maeve. You sent for me.”
The king appeared confused. He ran a hand over his hair doubtfully and said, “I was not aware—” He could not finish and seemed embarrassed.
“You were expecting a man.” Lady Maeve smiled. “I am accustomed to that, Your Majesty. I learned my skills from my physician father. He is too old to make this sort of journey anymore, so he sent me in his place. I hope you are not displeased.”
The king shook his head. “I really have little hope of help from any physicians.”
“That is a condition that I hope to change, Your Majesty,” Lady Maeve said.
“I suppose you will want to examine me.”
“I would like to have a conference with you at your convenience, sire. I would like to know more about your problems.”
“Very well. I suppose now will do as well as any. Excuse me, my friends.”
The king rose, and, of course, everyone rose with him. He and the new doctor left the room, and conversation buzzed around the table as people reseated themselves.
“Wow, I think I’m getting sick,” Dave said. “Never saw a doctor who looked that good.”
“Me too. I don’t feel well at all,” Jake moaned. He held a hand to his forehead. “I think I’m getting a temperature.”
Abbey glared at them. “That’s no way to carry on! This is serious!”
Prince Derek turned to his mother. “I was surprised that the doctor proved to be female. But perhaps, if she knows her business, she will be a help.”
“We’ll hope so, my son.”
The king proceeded down the hallway toward his study, followed by Lady Maeve and a servant. The servant opened the door, they went inside, and he turned to face the new doctor.
“What will you require?”
“Just a little privacy while we discuss your problems, Your Majesty.”
“You may go.” The king dismissed the servant and sat down.
Lady Maeve sat opposite the king. “Your Majesty, it is very important that a patient have confidence in his physician. You do not know me, so I cannot ask for that yet. But I will ask that you keep an open mind.”
The king looked into the clear eyes of the young doctor. They were so black that they seemed to have no pupil. A strange fragrance drifted from her—not perfume exactly but something much like it. He shrugged his shoulders and said bitterly, “It would be better, Lady Maeve, if I had an ailment of the flesh. We have excellent physicians here, but who can minister to a diseased mind?”
“I hope to do exactly that, Your Majesty. Now, this may seem rather foolish to you, but would you mind if I burn a little incense while we talk?”
“Incense!” The king looked at her strangely. “Is that part of your treatment?”
“Partly,” Lady Maeve said with a smile. “In my research, I have come upon a secret ingredient that seems to have a soothing effect. I often use it myself when I’m troubled.”
Immediately the king’s interest was aroused. “Well, indeed, I would be most gratified if it would succeed.”
Lady Maeve reached into the bag that she carried and quickly set up a small incense burner. It was no bigger than a large cup, but when she lit the flame underneath it, the room was soon filled with a strong but not unpleasant odor.
“Pay no attention to the incense, Your Majesty,” Lady Maeve said lightly. “Soon it may relax you a little, and that is all I am interested in at the moment. Now tell me your symptoms.”
The king sat back and began to speak. “I’ve always been healthy in body,” he said, “but of late I have become depressed.”
“How long has this been going on?”
“A year or two. Maybe three. It came on very gradually.”
“And you have no physical ailments?”
The king laughed. “No. I’m v
ery strong for my age. Very healthy indeed.”
As the conversation went on, the king found himself indeed relaxing. The doctor had a smooth, gentle voice, and the smell of the incense did have a soothing effect. In fact, he talked longer than he normally would. Finally he said, “I find that you are easy to talk to, Lady Maeve.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. I hope so. And now I think I may have very good news for you.”
“You mean you can help me?”
“I believe it is possible.” Lady Maeve reached into her bag again and drew forth a crystal vial filled with a ruby-colored liquid. “This has been successful with some of my patients who have had your very symptoms.”
“What is it?” King Leo asked. He felt growing excitement.
“It is the juice of a very rare plant that grows only in one area of Nuworld. So far as I know, it has never been cultivated successfully away from that one place. I call it Soma.”
“It looks harmless enough. What does it do?”
“It has a soothing effect for most people. But those who are depressed find that it works just the opposite for them. It seems to cheer them up, strange as that may seem.”
“Ah, that would be wonderful.” The king sighed.
“Shall we try it, then?” Lady Maeve smiled winningly.
“Yes, indeed.”
“Then we will have a glass of wine.” She arose and took a container from a table. She filled a small goblet and carefully added a single drop of the ruby-colored liquid. She swirled its contents, and said, “Drink this, sire. And I think you will find yourself feeling much better very soon.”
King Leo took the goblet. He held it for a moment and looked into its crimson depths, then lifted it to his lips. He drank it all, wiped his lips with his handkerchief, and nodded. “We will see, Lady Maeve, whether you are a physician or not.”
Lady Maeve took the cup from the king’s hand. A satisfied look flashed for a moment in her eyes. She smiled and said quietly, “Yes, sire, we shall see. And very soon.”
5
A New King
Josh leaned against the wall of Jake Garfield’s room, watching him work on a new type of sword harness. Jake was always trying to improve things. “I haven’t heard much out of you lately, Jake,” Josh said idly. “What have you been up to?”
Looking up from his work, the redhead grinned. “I’ve been trying to convince Prince Derek to let me become chief inventor for Pleasure Island. I think I—” Jake never finished his sentence.
Abruptly the door opened, and, to Josh’s astonishment, King Leo himself walked in.
“Your Majesty!” Josh exclaimed. He came off the wall and straightened up at once.
Jake scrambled to his feet, and both boys bowed.
“Well, well, what is this? Two young men just standing around doing nothing? I came to call you. We’ve got to be on our way!”
Josh blinked, bewildered. “On our way to where, Your Majesty?”
“Why, to the arena, of course. I told you about it at breakfast. Or did I?”
The king’s eyes were bright, and the pupils looked enlarged. His hair was ruffled where he had apparently run his hands through it. Then he asked impatiently, “Where are the rest of your friends? I can’t find them. We’re going to be late!”
Josh had truly forgotten that the king had said something about attending the afternoon games. He had no intention of saying so, however. Instead he said, “Sure. Come on, Jake. His Majesty’s waiting.”
“I’ll get the other guys,” Jake offered. “What about the girls?”
“They’re already on the way with the princess. Now, hurry along.”
Jake quickly rounded up Wash and Dave and reported that Reb had already gone to the games with the princess. Then the four boys hurried along toward the arena, well behind the king and his attendants.
On the way, Prince Derek joined them. He was shrugging himself into a jacket.
“What’s your father in such a rush about today, Derek?” Josh asked in a low voice.
Giving Josh a harried look, Derek shook his head. “He’s been like this for days now. Ever since that doctor came here. Whatever she’s doing has sure changed my father.”
“I’ve noticed he’s awfully busy acting,” Jake said. He was puffing to keep up. “But that’s good news, isn’t it?”
Derek did not answer for a moment. “I suppose so,” he said dubiously. “But it’s such a turnaround.”
“You mean so much better?” Josh questioned.
“No, I mean … true enough, he was depressed before, and we worried about that. But now he gets up and starts in from sunup to late at night. He’s got to be at every play, at every ball, and he bets unbelievable amounts on the races and other events.”
“Well,” Josh said hesitantly, “at least he’s not depressed.”
“He isn’t. But he’s not himself, either. My father was always a steady man. Always steady. Now I never know what he’s going to do next.”
There was no time for more talk, for they arrived at the arena and took their places in the king’s royal box. Reb and the two girls were already there. So were Princess Cosima and her mother.
“Well, well, let’s get started with the games,” the king said. He laughed heartily and slapped Wash on the back so vigorously that the boy nearly collapsed. “You’re going to see something today, my boy. Indeed you are!”
Trying to get his breath, Wash asked, “What is it, Your Majesty?”
“It’s a championship wrestling match. I have a man in my court who has defeated everybody he’s wrestled. His name is Leander. If he wins his match today, he’ll be the undisputed island champion.” He turned then and said feverishly to the queen, “How much do you think we should bet, my dear?”
“Well, I don’t think we should bet much, Leo. We don’t know Leander’s opponent.”
“Not bet much!” King Leo’s eyes gleamed, and he laughed loudly. “We’re going to win a fortune on this. Here, Derek.” He reached down to his belt and brought up a large, heavy leather sack. “Go bet all of this on Leander.”
Derek hefted the sack, and he blinked. “But Father,” he said, “there must be several thousand finnigs here.”
“Right! And there will be that many more. You’ll have to give odds, but put it all down. Two to one if you have to.”
“Oh, this is so exciting, Father!” Cosima cried. She drew out a smaller bag and said, “Bet this for me, too, Derek.”
Derek took both money sacks, but he frowned. “I don’t like to do this,” he said.
“Oh, don’t be such an old fuddy-duddy! You’re too young for that.” The king laughed loudly again. “Go on now, son. Do as I tell you. You’ll see. We’re going to win a bundle.”
With a despairing look at his mother, Derek turned and left the royal box.
Josh could see that the queen was agitated but that Cosima was highly excited.
“I don’t think this is working out too well,” he murmured to Sarah.
She did not have a chance to reply, for at that moment Lady Maeve entered the box.
At once the king said boisterously, “Well, it’s my physician. Come, my dear. Sit here with the queen. You can see the action very well from here.”
“And how are you feeling, Your Majesty?” Lady Maeve asked.
“Never felt better in my life!” the king exclaimed. “Never better! I feel like a young man again.”
“You are young, Your Majesty. Young and strong. You should live to be a blessing to your people for many years,” the doctor said smoothly.
“Lady Maeve,” the queen said nervously, “the treatment that you are giving my husband. Is it safe?”
“Oh, certainly, my lady! I wouldn’t think of giving the king anything unsafe!” The doctor sounded shocked to be asked such a question. “Are you unhappy with the result?”
“Of course she’s not,” King Leo said. He put his arm around the queen and hugged her. “She wanted me to get out of my discouraged stat
e, and I’ve certainly done that.”
“Yes, you have. And as your physician, I’m very pleased.”
“Now then,” the king said. “Let me tell you about this wrestler Leander. He only has to defeat one young man—and an amateur at that. I’ll have the champion wrestler in my stable.”
“What’s the name of Leander’s opponent?” Josh asked.
“Mark … Mark something. I forget what.”
Instantly Josh and Sarah exchanged glances. Josh looked quickly down at the arena. Sure enough, coming out into the competition area even now was Mark Fletcher.
“It’s him,” Josh said. “It’s Mark. He’s wrestling the champion.”
“I thought Mark wasn’t a professional,” Sarah whispered back.
“I did, too.” He raised his voice and asked the king, “You say the young man who is wrestling Leander is not a professional wrestler?”
“No, the more fool he. He refuses to take money. Says he wants to stay an amateur. Well, he’ll have to stay an amateur after this.” Again King Leo laughed heartily. “Leander, I fear, is a rather cruel man. He broke the neck of his last opponent. Purely by accident, of course.”
Sarah drew in a deep breath. “Surely he wouldn’t do that to an amateur.”
The king seemed feverish. “Can’t help it if he does. Can’t help it if he does. I’ve bet money on Leander. I told him to get rid of his opponent as quickly as possible.”
“Josh, maybe we ought to go down and somehow warn Mark,” Sarah whispered.
“It’s too late. Look, they’re squaring off.”
The two wrestlers below, each stripped to a pair of trunks, began circling each other. Leander was much the larger man. He towered over Mark Fletcher.
“He must weigh three hundred pounds!” Reb exclaimed. “Mark doesn’t have any business wrestling him.”
“He is doing this of his own free will,” the king insisted. “Throw him, Leander! Throw him!”
The action began very quickly. It was clear that Leander was accustomed to easy victories. He launched himself at the younger man, no doubt expecting to throw him to the mat, where he could pin him easily.
Temptations of Pleasure Island Page 4