“She did that?” Obviously Derek was astonished. “That’s the first unselfish thing I’ve known Cosima to do in a long time.”
“I think Abbey’s having second thoughts, too, Derek,” Sarah said. “And maybe she’ll be of some help to your sister.”
The prince looked at Jacob. “You bought their house back?”
“Yes, and now I’ll be able to look after his wife and children. They’re in the house now. I went out and brought them back from the mine workers’ village.” He shook his head. “They were in very poor condition.”
“I know. I visited the mine workers’ village one day,” Derek said.
“The village! You went there?” Josh gasped.
“All my life I’ve heard about it, but it’s off on the edge of nowhere. Still, I wanted to see for myself what was going on, and it is indeed terrible!”
The Sleepers all sat listening while the prince told about the dreadful living conditions, the lack of sanitation, and the lack of heat in the mine workers’ shacks. “It’s poverty at its very worst. The only thing worse is the mines of Borea themselves,” he said. “And there’s no sense in that. There’s plenty to be had, and most of those people are decent enough. Their gambling took them there, and now they just need another chance.”
“Are you thinking of doing something about it?” Josh said boldly.
Derek stared at Josh Adams. “I’d like to,” he said. “And I’m going to try, but I don’t have much hope of success.”
“You never can tell until you try,” Josh said.
“Right now, I want you all to go with me,” Derek said suddenly.
“Where are you going?” Sarah sounded alarmed.
“The council meets in thirty minutes. I’m going to go and ask my father to put Lord Denning back on the council. I’m going to ask him to let me help the people at the village and in the mines. And I’m going to ask him to do something about the gambling fever that is ruining this island.”
Everyone stared at the prince, and Reb said, “Well, ain’t this a pretty come on!” He whistled under his breath. “The king’s got quite a party going—only he just doesn’t know it.”
As usual, the members of the great council had little to say. Lady Maeve so controlled them by her powers that she was sure they would agree to whatever she suggested.
The king and the queen both sat for this meeting, but neither seemed particularly happy.
The meeting was almost over when suddenly the door opened, and a guard announced, “Prince Derek asks admittance to the Great Council, Your Majesty.”
Immediately King Leo straightened up, and his dull eyes brightened. “Well,” he said gruffly, “he’s showing sense at last! He’s come to ask for our pardon. Have him come in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The attendant disappeared, and the king nodded toward the queen. “I told you the boy would come to his senses.”
Lady Maeve, however, was not so sure. She sat at the council table, her eyes narrowed, as the prince walked in. Then she saw several Seven Sleepers with him, and her mouth twisted.
Josh and the other Sleepers formed a solid rank behind the prince.
“Well, you’ve come to beg for forgiveness, I daresay,” the king said. “Down on your knees, boy!”
“I will bow to Your Majesty. But no, I do not come to ask for forgiveness,” Derek said boldly. He did bow, then straightened up and said, “Your Majesty and Father, I’ve come to ask you for several favors.”
“You ask favors!” Lady Maeve cried. “This is astonishing! You should be asking for forgiveness.”
“Forgiveness for what?” the prince demanded. He put his eyes on the woman clothed in black, and their glances locked.
For a moment there was a struggle of wills, and Josh saw that it was Lady Maeve who dropped her eyes first.
“You have ruined this court, you have ruined my father, you have destroyed my family!” the prince said loudly. “You are an evil woman, and I will not rest as long as you are in this kingdom!”
“What are you talking about, boy?” the king exclaimed. “She has saved me from my depression.”
“Better to be depressed than to lead a country down a trail of despair,” the prince said.
The king gasped and sputtered but for a moment could not answer. No doubt he had never seen his son like this.
Josh—indeed, none of the Sleepers—had never seen the prince like this. He spoke loudly and clearly and showed no fear whatsoever. Finally he said, “I ask your forgiveness, Father, for nothing, because I have done nothing wrong. It grieves me to say it, but you have put the kingdom into the hands of a woman who has no love and no pity and no mercy.”
“Your Majesty,” Lady Maeve broke in smoothly. “The prince is not himself. He is obviously suffering under some sort of delusion.”
“He’s not under any delusion, Maeve,” Josh said then and stepped forward. “I have seen your kind before. We serve the lord Goél. Who do you serve?”
Silence fell over the meeting room except for the gasp of the council members.
“Who do you serve?” Josh cried again. “You do not have to answer! You serve the Dark Lord! I have seen his mark on people before!”
“I wear no mark!” Maeve protested, her face pale.
“You do not wear an outward symbol, but I see it in your eyes. And your deeds are evil, even as his are evil. Your Majesty, you once were loyal to Goél. I beg you to rid yourself of this woman.”
Instantly Lady Maeve stood. “The Seven Sleepers are enemies of the state, Your Majesty! They must be treated as such. Guards, get them out of the council room!”
The guards advanced at once, and the Sleepers were forced backward toward the door.
Now the queen stood. “Leo, stop them!”
King Leo stared at his wife and said, “What are you talking about, Tamsin?”
“The young man is right. This woman is evil.”
At once Maeve stepped behind the king and touched his shoulder. “The queen is unwell also, sire,” she said.
Something appeared to come over the king at that moment, and Sarah knew with sickening certainty that there was power in the woman’s touch. She was able to control the king just by putting her hands on him.
“Have them all confined,” Lady Maeve ordered.
The king tried to protest further, but he seemed helpless.
The Sleepers were herded outside.
Lady Maeve said when the Seven Sleepers were gone, “Your Majesty, I must ask you to retire. See that the queen is cared for in her room.”
Queen Tamsin gave her husband a panic-stricken look but she had no time to argue. Two guards came to her at once and gently led her from the room.
As soon as the door was closed, Maeve said, “Your Majesty, it must be clear what we must do.”
“What must we do?” the king asked. His face was confused and troubled. “I can’t think clearly.”
“Then I will think for you until your mind returns,” Lady Maeve said smoothly. “The council and I have agreed that the queen and the prince must take medication.”
“You mean Soma?”
“Yes. It is for their own good. They are troubled in spirit, and a heavy dose of Soma will take away their disturbances.”
The members of the council gave each other wary looks. It was the first they had heard of such a scheme, but Lady Maeve well knew that no one dared challenge her.
The king bowed his head. He did not answer, and Lady Maeve took this for an affirmative. “It will be done then.”
The prince had been taken out by other guards and confined in his rooms. He could not believe what had happened, and he walked back and forth trying to think of a way to get to his father.
Then the door opened, and he looked up to see Linor, one of the king’s attendants and the prince’s own dear friend.
“Linor, what’s happening?”
“It’s very bad, Your Majesty,” Linor said, his face filled with pain. �
��Maeve has forced your father to agree that both you and your mother will be put on the drug Soma at once.”
Derek stood stunned. At first he seemed unable to think clearly. But then an idea came. “Will you do me a very great favor?”
“Anything, my prince!”
“I want you to take a message for me. Carrying it may be dangerous, but I must ask you to do it.”
The prince scribbled out a message as Linor watched.
Linor listened to his instructions and said, “At once, my prince.”
“Use your best speed, Linor,” the prince said desperately. “I do not think that woman will wait long to get her revenge on me.”
12
Jacob Fletcher’s Plan
The knock at the door was quiet but insistent. Josh looked up and said, “Reb, would you see who that is? Maybe it’s Sarah.”
Reb ambled to the door and opened it.
Looking past him, Josh saw a small man dressed in the uniform of the court. “I seek Joshua Adams,” the man said quietly.
“Josh, a fellow wants to see you,” Reb said. “Come on in.”
Stepping inside, the man said at once, “My name is Linor.”
“I’ve seen you before, Linor. You’re an attendant of the king,” Josh said. “Why do you want to see me?”
“I have a message for the Seven Sleepers … but I see only two here …”
“There are indeed five others. Obviously, they are not with us right now. What is your message?”
Taking a deep breath, Linor said, “I have been loyal to King Leo all my life. I have spent years serving him. And what I do now may seem wrong to some, but I feel I must do it.”
“What is it, Linor?” Josh asked.
Reaching into an inner pocket, the man pulled out a folded slip of paper. “This message is from Prince Derek. He asked me to bring it to you.”
“Being the prince’s messenger could be a little dangerous these days. I hear he is not in good favor with the Lady Maeve.”
“That sorceress!” Linor almost snarled with contempt. “She has brought nothing but disaster to our island.”
Josh opened the paper and quickly read the message. Then he read it aloud:
“My father is under the domination of Maeve. She has persuaded him to force my mother and myself to take Soma. I do not know what to do. I am being closely guarded. If you can help me, please do so.”
Then Josh said, “But this is terrible!” He felt appalled at what he’d read. “How did the prince find this out?”
“It was I who told him,” Linor said defiantly.
“Linor,” Josh said, “go back to the prince. Tell him we will help if we possibly can. Tell him not to give up hope.”
“I will take your message—and I trust that the Seven Sleepers will be able to help not only the prince but our poor island.”
As soon as Linor was gone, Josh said, “We’ve got to do something about this, Reb. But what?”
That began a discussion that lasted for more than an hour. It was interrupted when Mark Fletcher came in.
“What’s going on?” he asked. Mark listened as Josh told him the problem and then asked, “So what are you going to do?”
“We don’t have a clue,” Josh said mournfully. “Not yet.”
For a moment Mark stood there, his head down. Then he looked up, and a bright light came to his eyes. “I think I know someone who can help. Come with me.”
“Where to?”
“To my father.”
“How can your father help?” Jake asked as they hurried from the room.
“My grandfather was an herb master. He knew all about potions and drugs—things like that.”
“Could your grandfather help us, do you think?”
“Alas, he is now dead, but he taught my father much. We will tell Father the problem.”
Twenty minutes later, Jacob Fletcher was listening soberly as Josh explained. Jacob then read the letter from the prince. He studied it thoughtfully.
“Do you think you can help us, Mr. Fletcher?”
“There may be a way,” he said slowly. “I cannot promise, but if you like, I will certainly do what I can.”
“It had better be quick,” Reb exclaimed. “If I know that slimy woman, she won’t waste any time.”
“Very well,” Mark’s father said. “I must see what herbs I have. And someone will then have to make his way in to the prince. I could never gain admittance.”
Reb saw both guards examining him as he approached the palace gate. He supposed they had been ordered not to admit any of the Seven Sleepers.
As he had expected, one of them said gruffly, “You’re not welcome here, Reb. Sorry.”
“Why, I’m sorry to hear that, Hector,” Reb said. “And I don’t understand. The princess invited me.”
“She did?”
“Why, sure,” Reb said. Actually, he was not quite comfortable with this statement, though it was indeed true that she had, many times, told him to come whenever he pleased.
“In that case, I will accompany you. You understand, though, that you Sleepers are no longer in favor at court.”
“I know. You’re just doing your job, Hector,” Reb said cheerfully.
“You keep watch,” Hector said to the other guard. “I’ll see what the princess says. Come along, Reb.”
Reb followed the guard, whistling under his breath.
When Hector knocked at the princess’s door, Cosima’s voice called, “Who is it?”
“Hector, the guard, princess.”
“What is it?”
“The Sleeper Reb is here. He says you want to see him.”
“Oh yes! Of course.”
The door opened, and Reb stepped inside. “Thanks, Hector. See you later.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, Reb took a closer look at Cosima. Her eyes were unusually bright, and the first thing she said was something about his accompanying her to a concert.
Shaking his head, Reb said, “I’ve come to ask a favor of you this time, princess.”
“Of me? Why, certainly. What can I do?”
“I need to see your brother.”
Cosima’s face fell. She whispered, “He’s not in good favor with my father. As a matter of fact, he’s being kept under guard—he’s forbidden to leave his quarters.”
“I know that,” Reb said. “That’s why I came to you.”
“Why do you want to see him?” she asked curiously.
“I want to help him, princess,” Reb said simply. “Maybe you haven’t noticed it, but your family is in big trouble.”
Cosima’s face suddenly crumpled. “I do know it,” she wailed and began to weep. “Everything’s gone wrong! It used to be so wonderful. But now Father and Mother aren’t speaking to each other, Derek is held prisoner, and—oh, Reb, I just don’t know what to do!” She threw herself at him.
Reb patted her shoulder awkwardly and let her have her cry. Then he said, “I know. Life gets kind of rough at times. But, princess, right now you have a chance to do something to help your dad, and your mother, and Derek maybe most of all.”
“Are you going to try to get him out of the palace? To help him escape?” Cosima asked. “That would be impossible, Reb.”
“No. Nothing like that. First, I just need to talk to him—alone.”
“All right, then. I can help with that. I can take you to him. Come along.”
Reb walked with the princess down the wide hallway.
When they got to Prince Derek’s quarters, two armed guards were standing at the door.
“I’m sorry, princess. No one can go in,” one of the guards said respectfully. “We’ve been given our orders.”
“It’s all right, Morgan. I can certainly talk to my own brother. You can check with the king if you like.”
“Has Lady Maeve given you permission, then?”
Suddenly Cosima drew herself up. “Is Lady Maeve ruler of this kingdom? Am I not the princess? Must I speak to the king ab
out your insolence?”
“Oh no,” the guard said with a worried air. “No insolence was intended. It’s just—well, princess, truly we don’t know who to obey anymore. Lady Maeve gives one order, and you give another. The entire guard is confused.”
“It will be all right, Morgan,” Cosima said kindly. “Just let Reb and me in. I’ll make sure that you do not suffer for it.”
The guards stepped aside, Cosima opened the door, and at once Derek was standing before them.
“You came, Reb,” the prince said, when they had closed the door.
“Yep, I did.” Reb then turned to Cosima. “You reckon you could get your mama to come, too?”
“My … mama?”
“Your mother, I mean.”
“Of course. I’ll get her at once.”
As soon as the girl was gone, Derek said, “You got my message, then?”
“Sure. Linor brought it, and we have something we think might work.”
“You have a plan?” Derek said, hope leaping to his eyes. “What is it?”
“Wait until your mother gets in here. I’ll tell you both at the same time.”
The queen’s quarters were on the same floor, Reb knew, so he and Derek had only a short wait. Cosima came back with their mother almost at once. The door closed behind them, and Queen Tamsin stood with the princess as Reb delivered his news.
“Now, Miss Cosima, I know you’re not going to like to hear this, but things are pretty bad.”
“I know,” Cosima said mournfully. “I know. But I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what’s happened.”
“Well, in the first place, you’ve got to face up to the fact that it’s that Soma that your father’s been taking,” Reb said. “It’s had a bad effect on him.”
“Truly, my husband is not himself, Reb,” Queen Tamsin said.
“I know that, ma’am. And now we’ve heard that he’s going to make you and the prince both take Soma.”
“That in itself shows he’s not himself,” Derek said.
Cosima began to cry. “I wish that woman had never come.”
“Well, if we do this right, she won’t be here long,” Reb said.
“But if she forces us to take that drug, we’ll become slaves, just like Father!” Derek said.
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