Merle was in the midst of the battle, staying close to her mother. She cut down three of Ulla’s warriors, and then two attacked her at the same time. She saw that she could not survive and prepared to die.
Then suddenly a form flashed by her, and one of her attackers fell. Gaelan had come to her aid. He was battling like a wild man with his sword.
Merle leaped to his side, and together the two drove Ulla’s men back.
Still Ulla had the superiority.
“I don’t think we can hold them,” Josh said.
Reb yelled, “Look! There comes help! We got ’em trapped!” as fresh troops of warrior maids rushed down from the sides of the hills. They struck Ulla’s men on the right and left flank so that they had only one direction to go, and that was backward. Some of the enemy fought their way out, but most of them finally threw down their swords and pleaded for mercy.
“It’s a victory,” Princess Merle called and held her sword high. “Throw your weapons down and surrender.”
Ulla himself had been badly wounded and could not command his warriors. They were now surrounded on all four sides, and the victory belonged to the women—and the men—of Fedor.
Princess Merle had taken a wound on her right arm. She was bleeding and beginning to feel faint, but she went to her mother. “Are you all right?” she asked.
“Yes, but you’re wounded.”
“I’ll take care of that, Your Majesty.” It was Gaelan who stripped off his shirt, made a bandage, and stanched the bleeding. “Are you all right?” he asked the princess anxiously.
Merle looked up into his hazel eyes, weakness took her, and she felt herself swaying. “I might need a little help,” she said faintly. She felt him pick her up like a child, and she laid her head on his chest. “Take me home, please, Gaelan,” she whispered.
“Yes, I will take you home—and I still think you’re the prettiest girl I ever saw.”
It was a weary group that made its way back to the village.
“We will return and tend to our wounded. Keep the prisoners close,” the queen said, “but harm none of them.”
That night there was a victory celebration that the village never forgot. There were heroes aplenty, including Rolf and Gaelan and Princess Merle, not to mention all of the Seven Sleepers.
Later Chava said to his wife gently, “I think things are going to change a great deal in Fedor.”
Queen Faya lay back and half closed her eyes. She smiled and said, “Yes, and I think it’s time they did change.”
16
Long Live the King!
The village set about healing and caring for its wounded. The battle had taken a high toll among the warrior maids. And everyone recognized that the men had turned the tide. They had been untrained, but their courage and steadfastness had spoken for itself.
Marden felt defeated because her plan had failed and the queen lived, but she felt sure that would soon change. “She can’t live long,” she whispered confidently to Ettore, “and we can always be sure that something happens to that daughter of hers. It’s not too late yet.”
The queen herself said little publicly, but she talked for long hours with her husband. And then the word came forth that the queen had commanded a royal assembly.
Every person who could walk came, and those who could not walk begged to be carried. The meeting ground was filled with anxious heroes. The Sleepers stood over to one side, curious as to what the queen would say.
Queen Faya hobbled out on her crutch, aided by her husband and her son, and took her throne. Then the two men stepped back slightly, and Princess Merle took her place beside her brother.
“My people, you have fought valiantly, and your queen thanks you.” She went over the rolls of the dead, and honor was done them. Then she lifted her head and said, “I am no longer able to rule over you…”
Marden and Ettore looked at each other with anticipation. “Soon we won’t have her to contend with,” Ettore whispered with satisfaction.
The queen spoke of the burden of leading the people. Then she said, “If it had not been for the men, we would all be the slaves of Ulla. Is this not so?”
A mutter went through the ranks of the women, but the men said, “You are our queen.”
“I will still be your queen,” she said, “but things will be different from now on in the land of Fedor.” She looked over the ranks of women warriors, and her voice carried clearly on the morning air. “As long as any of us can remember, a queen has ruled over our people. Some of you may think what I am going to do is wrong, but I think it is wisdom. When I was a young woman, I wanted glory as much as any of you warrior maids. It was what I was taught, even as you were taught. But now that I grow older I begin to see that there is something wrong with a system that makes warriors out of women. From this day forth you will have a king.”
A cry went up from the warrior maids, but Faya held up her hands. “Peace—hear me out!”
She turned to her husband and said tenderly, “For many years, the decisions have mostly been made by Chava, as my adviser. It was his wisdom that has kept us from being devoured by our neighbors. He never spoke loudly, but he has never given me bad advice. Now he will be the king, and I name our son, Rolf, as heir to the throne!”
Pandemonium broke out.
Marden cried, “No! We will fight before we will have a king.”
Then Marden felt the point of a sword against her back, and she stiffened.
Chava had done his work well. He had warned all the men, and Marden and her daughter were immediately surrounded by men whose bright swords glittered in the morning sunlight. The queen was speaking again, and Marden was forced to listen.
“And now your royal king will speak.” She turned to her husband.
Chava stepped forward. He wore a simple white robe, and he spoke quietly. “Men and women, we need each other. We cannot do without one another. We have heard much of how men and women worked together and loved one another in the land of the Seven Sleepers. They will be our teachers. They will teach us of Goél, who knows the ways of love. We will no more be frightened of Maug, for he will be banished from our land.”
He spoke on with great eloquence. After he finished and stepped back, Dave yelled, “Long live the king! Long live King Chava of Fedor!”
The air rang with the sound of cheering, and even some of the women joined in.
After Chava was crowned and officially given his new office, the crowd broke up.
Princess Merle turned to her brother and looked at him with new eyes. “I never thought of you as being a king, but you will be one day, my brother.”
“We will see if I am worthy,” Rolf said. His eyes were following a young man who was walking toward them. “I think someone wants to speak to you.”
Startled, Merle saw that Gaelan was coming straight for her. Rolf faded away, and she stood stock-still, wondering what Gaelan would say.
He had one hand behind his back. Suddenly he brought it out and presented her with a beautiful bouquet of red and white flowers. “For you,” he said. He looked a little embarrassed. “Sarah said this is what young men do who admire young women. Will you accept them?”
Princess Merle took the bouquet. She buried her face in it to hide her confusion, then she looked up and whispered, “They’re very beautiful, Gaelan. Thank you.”
“Will you walk with me down by the river? There are things I would say to you where it’s quiet and peaceful.”
“I will go with you.”
Queen Faya was watching. She reached out and took her husband’s hand, saying, “I think we will be seeing a great deal of that young man.”
“There are worse young men in the world to have for a son-in-law,” he replied quietly.
The Sleepers stayed in Fedor for several weeks, training the villagers as best they could. They explained the nature of Goél and how a battle would soon come when all the good and true people of Nuworld would have to stand against the powers of darkness. Tea
ching the people was easy, for the Fedorians were tired of Maug and the sacrifices he demanded. And Mita left the village with several of her cronies, so that her shrill voice was heard no more.
But the day finally came to say good-bye. Their knapsacks were full, their weapons were bright, and the entire village lined up to wish the Seven Sleepers farewell.
The Sleepers all knelt before the king and queen, who blessed them, and when they rose, they shook hands with as many people as they could. Princess Merle was there to hug the two girls, and the tall form of Gaelan was by her side. He shook hands with the young men and said, “We will meet again.”
Then it was all over, and they left.
For several hours the Sleepers traveled hard, hoping to make good time before sunset. All of them felt drained, and they made camp early. As they sat around the fire eating, they talked about the return journey to Daybright’s ship.
Afterward, Dave said, “Abbey, would you like to go look at the river for a minute?”
Abbey looked at him with surprise, but she nodded. “Why, yes, I think I would.”
They walked along the riverbank for a long time. Sometimes they were silent, sometimes they talked about what had happened in Fedor. They finally sat down on an old log.
The rising moon was bright and illuminated the river. The water glittered as it flowed past, the little ripples seeming to wave at them. They talked awhile about home, and then they fell silent again.
After a while she said, “Dave—”
“Yes, what is it, Abbey?”
“I guess I’ve had to learn another lesson. It seems like I’m so dumb! I’ll never get everything learned.”
“You’re not dumb.” He took her hand and held it with both of his big ones. It felt small and soft and defenseless. He saw that she was troubled, and he moved closer and put an arm around her. “What’s the matter? Tell me about it. We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“Oh, Dave, I was so wrong to talk about women needing to boss men. I see how awful that was.”
“You made a mistake, but so did I. Men aren’t to boss women around either. I can see that.”
“Then how do we get along?”
“Why, we work together,” Dave said.
Then he started to tell Abbey how he had learned to treasure things he saw in her that he had never noticed before.
Listening, she turned her face toward him.
He was surprised at how large her eyes seemed, and he knew that she had been using her cosmetics, for she smelled faintly of perfume. “When you grow up,” he said, “I’ll have a few more things to say to you.”
“I was sixteen yesterday,” she said. “Is that grownup enough? I’m sixteen, and you’re seventeen.”
“I think,” Dave said huskily, “that’s just about right.” He bent his head and kissed her.
Josh and Sarah had been sitting in the shadows on the riverbank when Dave and Abbey approached. They turned their heads away as the two kissed, and when Dave and Abbey got up and left, Sarah said, “We’re nothing but accidental Peeping Toms.”
“I know. It’s bad, isn’t it?” Josh said. “I probably won’t ever do this again—not until the next time.”
Then Sarah said, “Didn’t I tell you about those two? I knew they fought so much they’d eventually fall in love.”
Josh put his arm around her. “I don’t understand much about romance. How does a fellow go about it?”
“What do you mean, how does a fellow go about it?”
“I mean, do you take lessons? You’ve read lots of romances. I’ve never read any of those things.” His arm tightened, and he said, “What does a fellow do?”
“I think you’re doing plenty right now,” Sarah said sharply.
“Did I ever tell you how pretty you are, Sarah?”
“Don’t try to get around me, Josh Adams.”
Josh said, “I wrote a poem for you.”
“You did? Oh, Josh, let me hear it!”
It was a very bad poem, but when he was through she sighed and put her head against his shoulder.
“Oh, Josh, that’s the most beautiful poem I ever heard in my life.”
“I’ve got lots more poems in me.” He pulled her closer. “Here’s another one…”
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. The books in The Seven Sleepers Series includes:
Flight of the Eagles #1
0-8024-3681-1
978-08024-3681-8
The Gates of Neptune #2
0-8024-3682-X
978-08024-3682-5
The Sword of Camelot #3
0-8024-3683-8
978-08024-3683-2
The Caves That Time Forgot #4
0-8024-3684-6
978-08024-3684-9
Winged Raiders of the Desert #5
0-8024-3685-4
978-08024-3685-6
Empress of the Underworld #6
0-8024-3686-2
978-08024-3686-3
Voyage of the Dolphin #7
0-8024-3687-0
978-08024-3687-0
Attack of the Amazons #8
0-8024-3691-9
978-08024-3691-7
Escape with the Dream Maker #9
0-8024-3692-7
978-08024-3692-4
The Final Kingdom #10
0-8024-3693-5
978-08024-3693-1
The Lost Chronicles of several adventures of the Seven Sleepers have been discovered! The books in The Lost Chronicles Series includes:
The Spell of the Crystal Chair #1
0-8024-3667-6
978-08024-3667-2
The Savage Game of Lord Zarak #2
0-8024-3668-4
978-08024-3668-9
The Strange Creatures of Dr. Korbo #3
0-8024-3669-2
978-08024-3669-6
The City of the Cyborgs #4
0-8024-3670-6
978-08024-3670-2
The Temptations of Pleasure Island #5
0-8024-3671-4
978-08024-3671-9
The Victims of Nimbo #6-
0-8024-3672-2
978-08024-3672-6
The Terrible Beast of Zor #7
0-8024-3673-0
978-08024-3673-3
1-800-678-8812 www.MoodyPublishers.org
Attack of the Amazons Page 13