15
BRANSTOOKAH BESIEGED
Meira tossed and turned that night, worrying about Branstookah. She rose very early the next morning, and ran to find her grandfather.
Through the window, she saw Johann and Frederik at the head of a company of soldiers, starting for the Mount of the Dragons.
“Can’t we possibly stop them?” she wailed.
“I could send soldiers to stop them,” said the King, “but I can’t have my people fighting each other. It might start a civil war. They feel very strongly about dragons. A strong enchantment about the mountain would do it, but I’m simply not enough of a magician. A dragon’s a magic sort of creature. Doesn’t Branstookah know any spells?”
“I’m afraid he isn’t very well educated,” Meira said. “He’s just a plain sort of dragon.”
She left the King and ran up to the roof, and looked and looked for the little pink bird. If it only happened that Branstookah sent her a message that day, she could write and warn him. But the bird was nowhere to be seen.
She had been watching for him for about an hour, when, looking down, she saw Julian riding into the courtyard. Julian! He had come! But suppose he wanted to kill the dragon too?
She rushed down the stairs and ran out and met him before he had time to dismount.
“Good morning,” he said cheerfully. “I told you I’d come to see you.”
“Oh, Julian, Julian, you must stop them!” Meira cried. “They’ve been gone over an hour! You must do something!”
“What are you talking about?” Julian asked.
“Don’t you know about the dragon?”
“Haven’t heard a word.”
Meira rapidly told him her story. “Where have you been?” she said.
“There’s no time to tell you now,” he said. “I’ll go and see what I can do.”
He didn’t think she was bewitched. He simply said he would help her, as soon as she asked him to.
“I knew you would,” she said thankfully. “We must start this minute.”
“We?” said Julian. “You’re positively not going. Besides, I haven’t time to wait for you. Goodbye, darling.”
Without giving her time to protest, he wheeled his horse and galloped away toward the Mount of the Dragons.
“I am too going,” Meira said, and ran to get her pony.
Meira galloped along, her long braids of hair flying behind her. Then, realizing how far she had to go, she slowed to an easy canter. She didn’t want to catch up with Julian, even if she could, as she was afraid he would try to send her home.
All the way to the mountain she was in a fever of anxiety, wondering what was happening to Branstookah and Julian, and hoping no one would hurt anyone else.
Through the blue flowers, she went, through the cloud and the purple flowers, and at last out into the sunshine among the pink fields. The road wasn’t so steep here, and she urged her pony along.
As she approached Branstookah’s house, Meira heard a noise of fighting and swords clashing against each other.
Someone yelled, “Look out, Branstookah! He nearly got you that time!” And Meira rode around a little hill onto the scene of the battle.
There was Branstookah, with Julian fighting beside him, and Johann and Frederik and some soldiers attacking them. As she watched, Branstookah rose in the air, swooped down upon his assailants, and picked up a soldier in his claws. He flew out of sight over the side of the mountain, leaving Julian, his back to the door of Branstookah’s house, holding off with his sword as many of the soldiers as could get near enough to fight him.
In a few minutes Branstookah was back again, and as he flew down upon them, the soldiers scattered for a moment, only to come back and renew the attack. Johann and Frederik’s company was handicapped by the fact that their horses simply would not go near the dragon, and one by one they dismounted and fought on foot. As soon as a horse was loosed, he tore down the mountain as fast as he could go.
She saw that the soldiers were not getting hurt at all, except a few who had minor wounds from Julian’s sword. But Julian was bleeding in a dozen places, and every time Branstookah picked up a soldier, the man hacked at the dragon’s legs and body with his sword, cutting him even through his heavy scales.
The dragon was becoming weaker and weaker. His great wings flapped more and more slowly as he sailed heavily through the air.
There were still Johann and Frederik, and two soldiers, all slashing at Julian, as Branstookah rose, clutching another soldier and dropped over the side of the mountain.
Johann and Frederik were better swordsmen than the soldiers, and kept their swords flashing in the air when the dragon circled above them, so that he could not pick them up without impaling himself on the bright steel blades.
Julian was breathing heavily, and his sword moved more and more slowly, and he staggered. Then, all at once, Johann lunged at him, and Julian dodged into the dragon’s house, Johann after him. They disappeared through the door, fighting.
Meira leaped off the pony and ran toward them.
“Stop! Stop!” she cried.
Frederik and the two remaining soldiers, who were about to follow them into the house, stopped and turned startled faces toward her. It was Branstookah’s chance. He fell like a rock from the sky, and gathered Frederik and one soldier, each in a claw, and flew away with them, dipping weakly, then righting himself again, as he sailed on with his heavy burdens.
The other soldier, seeing himself left alone to fight the dragon when he came back, turned and ran away as hard as he could.
Meira ran into Branstookah’s house.
“Stop it this minute!” she cried, running up to the fighters. Julian was facing her, but Johann had his back to her, and he was so surprised at the sound of her voice that he started to turn his head before he thought.
At this moment Julian thrust quickly, knocking Johann’s sword out of his hand and sending it spinning across the room.
Meira ran over and picked up Johann’s sword, just as Branstookah dragged himself through the door. When Julian saw the dragon, he slid to the floor, and Meira picked up his sword too. She threw them into a corner, and Branstookah sat in front of them.
Johann raged up and down the room. “If it hadn’t been for you…” he began.
“If it hadn’t been for me, you might have killed him!” Meira exclaimed angrily. “Oh, Julian darling, are you very badly hurt?”
“Nectar!” whispered Branstookah feebly.
Meira ran into the next room to get some of the delicious nectar that Branstookah always gave her when she came to see him.
There, standing in an ice-cold stream that ran through one corner of the room, she found a large urn filled with nectar.
Hastily she dipped a pitcher into it, and, snatching two goblets from a table, ran back into the other room.
Branstookah reached out a claw for a goblet, and managed to get it to his lips, but Julian was quite unconscious.
“Julian! Julian!” Meira sobbed, lifting his head, and trying to pour some of the drink into his mouth. She made him drink a few drops, then a little more, and in a few minutes he opened his eyes.
“Drink it,” she urged him, and held the goblet to his lips. When he had drunk it, he could raise himself on one elbow.
She gave each of them another drink, and got water and cloths to tend their wounds.
Johann was muttering angrily to himself.
Meira stamped her foot. “Go home,” she said. “You’ve caused enough trouble for one day.”
“You’ll pay for this,” Johann said to Branstookah. “You can’t kill the subjects of Kengaria and not be punished.”
Branstookah chuckled. “I didn’t kill them,” he said. “I set them down at the foot of my mountain. It will take them a long time to walk either back up here or home where they belong. It’s pretty hard,” he continued, “fighting someone you don’t want to hurt, when he’s trying to kill you.”
“Johann, don’t yo
u know,” said Julian, “that Branstookah could have knocked out half of your little company with one blow? Go home and tell them the truth, that the dragon isn’t nearly so dangerous as a few men with the wrong idea in their heads.”
Johann looked as though he thought it wasn’t right for a dragon not to eat people, because that was the way dragons were supposed to be.
“You’d better let me take you home, Princess,” he said.
Meira looked at him scornfully. “I wouldn’t go anywhere with you,” she said. “Bewitched, indeed!”
Johann looked at her a moment, then stalked out. Meira slammed the door hard behind him.
“There’s some ointment on the lower shelf in the next room,” Branstookah said. “I think it will help.”
Meira went and got it. It was very much like the fairy ointment kept in the castle in the enchanted valley. She spread it on all their wounds, and soon Branstookah and Julian declared they felt much better, though somewhat weak.
There was a knock on the door, and Meira opened it, and there stood Mika.
“The battle seems to be over,” he said. “King Ferdinand sent me a magic message, and I came as soon as I could.”
“Welcome, Prince Mika,” said Branstookah, knowing that that must be who he was.
Mika came in and they all sat down and drank nectar and ate some little cakes, and told him about the fight.
“I don’t think there’ll be any more trouble,” Mika said. “This is a beautiful mountain you have here.”
“Beautiful,” said Julian. “Meira and I may build our house here when we’re married, if Branstookah doesn’t mind.”
“Married!” said Meira.
“We might discuss the wedding,” said Julian.
“As Meira’s aged father,” said Mika, “I don’t think I’m being consulted in the proper respectful manner.”
“I’m not being consulted at all!” said Meira.
“If you refuse to look like an aged father,” Julian said, “you can’t expect people to remember to treat you as one.”
“Have some cakes,” said Branstookah.
“Branstookah says that hill over there,” Julian went on, pointing through a small window, “can be made very roomy and comfortable.”
“Hmmmmm,” said Meira.
“I’m thinking of taking up magic and gardening,” said Julian.
“Really?” said Meira.
“When your people come to visit us,” he went on to Mika, “they ought to like this mountain, don’t you think?”
“Very much,” said Mika. “But I think I ought to know something about the bridegroom. Queen Katrina will think it odd if I can’t tell her your name.”
“It’s Julian,” said Meira.
“Prince Julian of Lucrania, the next kingdom west of here. My brother is king, and as he has six children there isn’t much chance of my ever having to rule the country, so I ride around and see the world. It isn’t much fun just sitting around being brother to a king, you know.”
“Then you were in Lucrania?” Meira asked.
“Yes. I had to go home on business, and that’s why I couldn’t come to see you sooner,” said Julian. “We’ll have an outdoor wedding,” he went on. “A wedding under the trees, on a carpet of pink blossoms.” He looked sidewise at Meira.
She was silent a moment. “Maybe I will marry you after all,” she said.
“Would you like to see my vegetable garden?” Branstookah said to Mika. “Gardening is a hobby of mine.” They slipped out.
Lucy rubbed her eyes. She felt as though she had been dreaming. The little dog stretched and yawned.
Michael put his arm about her shoulders. Together they watched the moving shadows, which grew plain and strong again as soon as he stopped speaking.
“I’d love to see that mountain,” she whispered.
“You’ll dream about it,” Michael said. “That’s almost as good.”
“Meira’s shadow is not here?” she asked.
“No. You see, she lived as a mortal. She loved the mortals best. The people to whom the shadows belong are all in Fairyland. Meira stayed in Kengaria, and lived in a beautiful house like the dragon’s, only smaller, on the Mount of the Dragons. Later they built the royal palace there.”
“Why?”
“You see, old King Ferdinand had no heir, no one to rule the country after him. His only child, Gloria, had married into the fairy line, so her husband, Mika, couldn’t rule over a mortal kingdom. Then his grandson, Robin, loved the fairies best, and he couldn’t succeed to the throne either.
“Of course King Ferdinand was delighted when Meira married a mortal, and he made Julian and Meira his heirs. Years later, when the old king died, they became King and Queen, and their sons and daughters ruled after them. It was a long, long time ago.
“Meira and Julian couldn’t bear to leave the mountain, so they had the royal palace built there, and told their subjects they would just have to stop being afraid to go to the Mount of the Dragons.
“Branstookah was very happy and not lonely any more, and Julian could keep an eye on his kingdom by riding all over it on Branstookah’s back, and see that everything was all right.”
As he stopped speaking, Lucy noticed that the light was dim, not only because it was becoming dense and misty purple, but because there wasn’t as much light from the window as there had been. It was getting late.
“Oh, dear,” she said, “I’ve just got to get home before dark. Grandma will be worried if I don’t.”
“You shall,” said Michael.
“But what about the dark tunnel?”
“I’ll see that the goblins there don’t hurt you.”
“Then do you think—could you tell me one more story before I go?”
Michael got up and looked out of the window again. “A short one,” he said. “I think there’s time. I’d like to keep you until the last few minutes. It keeps me from being so impatient.”
“Impatient?” Lucy asked.
“Be silent,” Michael said.
Lucy was silent. She was beginning to like the queer, whispering stillness and the slight feeling of giddiness that came to her from the swirling purple air. The stillness and the shadows and the strange, dreamy feeling; the cobwebs stirred by not a breath of air, and the streams of dim light from the window.
16
THE SHADOW ROOM
After Meira was married (Michael said) Gloria and Mika came back to the enchanted valley and lived in the castle with Robin and Bluebell for many years, and were very happy.
Then the King of Blue Elfland decided to retire. As the Princess Bluebell was his only child, she and Robin went to Blue Elfland to rule over the kingdom. Of course they took their six children with them, and Mika and Gloria were left alone in the castle.
One day they were walking in the garden. “I’m eighty years old today,” Gloria said. “I ought to be an old woman. Are the mirrors enchanted, or is it really true?”
“It’s really true, darling,” Mika said, kissing her.
“Mika!” Gloria said. “I—I feel so queer. There’s something the matter with me. Mika…”
Mika looked at her in alarm. She did look queer—pale. She was looking at him with an anxious expression on her face, growing paler and paler, not just her face, but all of her.
A great sadness descended on him, and tears came into his eyes. He took a hurried step toward her, to hold her in his arms. He reached out—and there was nothing there! There was just a stirring of the air, and a faint, frightened cry of “Mika!” Gloria was gone.
Mika was so distracted he hardly knew what he was doing. He walked up and down, up and down. Gloria was gone! He called her name, but she didn’t answer.
He had known it would happen. He knew that now she was waiting for him in Fairyland, according to the spell that had been made so long ago.
The long years stretched before him, centuries until he could see her again. For centuries he would have to remain in his mortal for
m, waiting, waiting, and never seeing her.
For a week he hardly ate or slept, and then Flumpdoria appeared at the castle, as he paced about in the garden.
“Mika,” she said. “Behave yourself. You knew this would happen. You’ll have to be patient, dear. When Gloria knows you’re unhappy, it makes her more unhappy than she is already.”
“Can’t she ever come and see me?” Mika asked.
“You know she can’t. She must abide by the enchantment. But I can come, or anyone except Gloria. We’ll bring you news of her.”
“I’ll try to get used to it,” Mika said.
“Gloria sends her dearest love,” said Flumpdoria, “and says to remember she’s always there, waiting. I must get back. There are so many things I must show Gloria.”
“Goodbye, Flumpy. Thanks for coming. Come to see me whenever you can.”
“I certainly will,” said Flumpdoria.
Some days later, having nothing to do, Mika thought he would explore the castle and go in rooms he hadn’t visited for years.
He started at the top, but he never got past one room, for the very highest room in the castle is the tower room, and that’s the first one he went in.
He went in and sat down, thinking of how happy he and Gloria had been.
Then he noticed that the air was turning purple. Not much light came from the window, and everything was dim. There was a faint whispering and sighing, and shadows moved about. He didn’t move or make a sound, but just sat there, watching.
He felt that there was something familiar about the shadows. He looked and looked and saw—Gloria!
She was walking about and seemed to be weeping. He never took his eyes from her. After a while she dried her eyes and sat down. She seemed to be thinking and didn’t move.
One by one Mika recognized the other shadows. Robin, Bluebell, and their six children—every one of his family who had lived in the castle and were there no more.
They passed and repassed each other, so that at times it was hard to recognize them.
“I believe those are shadows of what they’re doing now,” Mika thought. “They’ve left their shadows behind. Now I can see what Gloria is doing on any sunny day in Fairyland. It’s almost as good as being with her.”
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