Fantasy fiction; Imaginary wars and battles -- Fiction
Thereafter they took their weapons that lay by on the table, set there
to distress their souls and with little expectation they should so take
them up again; and glad at heart albeit somewhat stiff of limb they
went forth with La Fireez from that banquet hall.
When they were come into the court-yard Juss spake and said, “Herein
might honour hold us back even hadst thou made no bargain with us, La
Fireez. For great shame it were to us and we fell upon the lords of
Witchland when they were drunk and unable to meet us in equal battle.
But let us ere we be gone from Carcë ransack this hold for my kinsman
Goldry Bluszco, since for his sake only and in hope to find him here we
fared on this journey.”
“So you touch no other thing but only Goldry if ye shall find him, I am
content,” said the Prince.
So when they had found keys they ransacked all Carcë, even to the dread
chamber where the King had conjured and the vaults and cellars below
the river. But it availed not.
And as they stood in the court-yard in the torch-light there came forth
on a balcony the Lady Prezmyra in her nightgown, disturbed by this
ransacking. Ethereal as a cloud she seemed, pavilioned in the balmy
night, as a cloud touched by the exhalations of the unrisen moon.
“What transformation is this?” said she. “Demons loose in the court?”
“Content thee, dear heart,” said the Prince. “Thy man is safe, and all
else beside as I think; save that the King hath a broken head, the
which I lament, and will without question soon be healed. They lie all
in the banquet hall to-night, being too sleepy-sodden with the feast to
take their chambers.”
Prezmyra cried, “My fears are fallen upon me. Art thou broken with
Witchland?”
“That may I not forejudge,” he answered. “Tell them to-morrow that
nought I did in hatred, and nought but what I was by circumstance
enforced to. For I am not such a coward nor so great a villain as leave
my friends caged up while strength is left me to work for their setting
free.”
“You must straightway forth from Carcë,” said Prezmyra, “and that o’
the instant. My step-son Hacmon, which was sent to gather strength
to awe thee if need were, rideth by now from the south with a great
company. Thy horses are fresh, and ye may well outdistance the King’s
men if they ride after you. If thou wilt not yet raise up a river of
blood betwixt us, begone.”
“Why fare thee well, then, sister. And doubt it not, these rifts ’tween
me and Witchland shall soon be patched up and forgot.” So spake the
Prince with a merry voice, yet grieved at heart. For well he weened the
King should never pardon him that blow, nor his robbing him of his prey.
But she said, sadly, “Farewell, my brother. And my heart tells me I
shall never see thee more. When thou took’st these from prison, thou
didst dig up two mandrakes shall bring sorrow and death to thee and to
me and to all Witchland.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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