Hardly had Princess White Flame departed with the Earth Fairy when
Prince Radiance returned to the garden.
Great was his astonishment to find the Princess no longer there.
Believing, however, that she had gone but for a moment he sat down
beneath the flame-red tree to wait for her return.
Many moments passed, and she did not come, and at last the Prince rose
to seek her through the garden, calling softly as he went, “Princess,
dear Princess White Flame, where are you?”
But none answered him through the stillness, and again he cried, “White
Flame, dear White Flame--it is I, Prince Radiance. Answer--ah answer
me!” Yet up and down the blooming spaces of the garden he sought her,
and called to her in vain. Presently he came to a wide avenue, and
entering it found himself erelong before a great and shining palace. It
was the Palace of Burning Coals, and through its open doors and windows
he could see the Fire Fairies going to and fro about their appointed
tasks. Hoping that here he might learn where to find the Princess, he
ascended the steps to the bright door, and told his errand to the fairy
who guarded it.
“In this palace dwells the Princess,” answered the Fire Fairy. “She is
King Red Flame’s daughter.”
“Take me to His Majesty then,” commanded Prince Radiance, “for I would
have speech with him.”
So he was brought before King Red Flame without delay. In the great
hall of the Palace sat the King. It was that time of evening when the
Princess was wont to bear him company, but she had not yet come, and he
was beginning to wonder why she tarried.
When Prince Radiance, guided by the Fire Fairy, was shown into the
royal presence the King gave him hearty welcome. With transports of
joy he learned how the Prince had heard and loved Princess White Flame
in her garden, how he had gone to obtain the mystic Veil from the Wise
One, and had been successful where countless who had come there before
him had failed. Great was the King’s surprise, however, when he learned
that Prince Radiance had returned to the garden, only to find the
Princess gone.
“It is not like my daughter to break a promise,” he said, “especially
one of such great moment. Why she has done so, I cannot even guess, but
I will send for her at once, and she shall speak for herself.”
A messenger was dispatched immediately to summon the Princess. He was
gone for some time, but at length returned to say that nowhere in the
palace had he been able to find her.
Then the King sent for Grey Smoke, for none knew so well as she where
her young mistress was most likely to be found. Yet though Grey Smoke
made a most thorough search in every nook and corner of the palace,
though she went to the top of its highest tower, and looked anxiously
without in every direction, no where could she catch a glimpse of that
pure white flame that was the spirit of the Princess, nor hear the
music of her well-loved voice.
When she returned to her master to say that her quest also had been
fruitless, the King became very much alarmed.
“Let the palace grounds be searched, once more,” he commanded. “Let no
spot be overlooked. Let none rest until my daughter has been found.”
Anxiously the Fire Fairies one and all set forth to seek her. Yet more
anxiously King Red Flame and Prince Radiance awaited their return.
Suddenly a tumult arose outside the palace walls, and immediately
after the Earth Fairy’s head-keeper, his eyes still half-blinded with
soot, stumbled into the King’s presence. Close behind him came a
crowd of excited Fire Fairies. The head-keeper threw himself at King
Red Flame’s feet. “Your Majesty! Oh, Your Majesty!” he moaned. “In
some strange manner the wicked Earth Fairy has escaped, while we, her
keepers, blinded with soot have been imprisoned in her stead. Forgive
us, oh forgive us we beg, that this should ever have come to pass.”
“Escaped! The Earth Fairy escaped!” thundered King Red Flame, aghast at
such evil tidings.
“Escaped. The Earth Fairy escaped!” shrieked all the fairies who were
clustered in the palace hall. “Oh! Oh! That this should be!”
Old Grey Smoke bowed her head between her shoulders. “If this be true,”
mourned she, “then the Princess is indeed lost.”
Filled with consternation the King looked down upon the head-keeper
still crouched at his feet. “Speak,” he commanded, “and tell me how
this has come to pass.”
“Surely Sire, it must have been the work of a spell,” began the
head-keeper, “Nothing else could have brought such calamity upon us.”
Then he went on to tell what had happened. As his tale proceeded the
King listened intently, and all the Fire Fairies drew closer that they
might not miss a word.
“And by what means have you now escaped?” demanded the King, as the
head-keeper paused for breath.
“But a moment since, Your Majesty, one of our number contrived to
wrench away the lock of the cell-door, and immediately I hastened here
to warn you that the Earth Fairy is abroad, and that the Princess may
be in danger.”
“Alas!” groaned King Red Flame, “The Earth Fairy is doubtless already
at work, for the Princess is nowhere to be found.”
Hearing this, the head-keeper began to beat himself upon the breast.
“The Princess lost! The Princess White Flame lost, and we the cause!”
“Ay!” replied his master sternly, “you, the Earth Fairy’s careless
keepers, were the cause. Had you not deserted your post, this great
misfortune could never have fallen upon us.” He turned to a trusted
servant. “Take away this faithless keeper,” he commanded, “and place
him and his companions under strict guard, there to remain until my
daughter, Princess White Flame, is restored to me.”
So the keeper was taken away, still beating his breast, and crying
aloud in vain remorse.
All about the palace hall stood the Fire Fairies weeping and lamenting,
for the Princess was dearly loved.
Then the King turned to the old nurse. “Come, my good Grey Smoke,” said
he, “give me of your wise counsel. How shall I best seek my beloved
daughter?”
But before Grey Smoke could answer, Prince Radiance sprang to the
King’s side, and laid his hand upon the monarch’s arm.
“Your Majesty,” he implored, “remember that I, also, love the
Princess. I claim the right to seek her, for have I not the magic gifts
of the Wise One, and shall not my love guide me to her rescue? Fear
not. By the aid of these I will surely bring her back to the Palace of
Burning Coals, not as you saw her last, indeed--but in her true form,
freed forever from the Earth Fairy’s spell.”
Looking upon the ardent and hopeful face of the young Prince, hearing
his earnest words, the heart of King Red Flame was deeply stirred, and
strangely comforted. He stretched forth his arms, and drew him to his
breast.
“Go, my son,” he said, tenderly. “Go, and all good fortune follow you.
Bring back my beloved daughter to her home once more. So shall you
gladden her father’s heart, and win happiness for yourself and her.”
[Illustration]