The Shadow Witch Part 4

So Prince Ember, with grateful words bade the Wise One good-bye and departed with his gifts, and as he left the hut, Creeping Shadow arose from her seat beneath the flame-bush and came to walk beside him and guide him to the Borderland.

Quite alone, in the Borderland, stands the house of the good grey Elf.

Its door was fast shut and its windows closed when Prince Ember and Creeping Shadow approached it. The thick thatch of ash which covered its roof and came low down upon its walls so concealed it from view, that had he been without his companion to guide him, the Prince might have sought for it long in vain.

When they had reached it, Creeping Shadow stood still. "This is the house of the Elf," she said. Then, turning, she pointed to a high black cliff that rose in the distance. "And yonder is the Cave of Darkness, where the Wizard dwells, and my poor mistress lies imprisoned. As soon as you have left the Elf, lose no time in reaching her, I beg of you, for the Wizard is very cruel, and I know not what he may do to her if help is long delayed. When you have climbed the steep path which leads up the cliff-side, you will behold the entrance to the cavern yawning before you. As for myself, I shall return now to the Land of Shadows, to await in hope the homecoming of my mistress."

She turned again and struck upon the Elf's door thrice. It was the signal of the servants of the Shadow Witch. In silence the door swung open, and the Prince set his foot upon the threshold.

"Farewell, n.o.ble and generous Prince," murmured Creeping Shadow. "Good speed, and a safe return."

"Farewell," said Prince Ember. "Rest confident that I shall bring home the Shadow Witch in triumph." He pa.s.sed within, and as silently as it had opened, the door closed upon him.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER V

Alone, in the deep darkness of her prison, sat the Shadow Witch growing paler and sadder every day. She was beginning to fear that after all Creeping Shadow could do nothing to help her, for how could she ever penetrate to this dungeon, with its thick walls that hemmed her in. She doubted not that the Wizard kept the entrance to the Cave closely guarded; indeed he had told her that it was so.

Daily her food was brought to her by the Chief Imp, who grew more and more impertinent to her. Daily her brother came to taunt her with her weakness-with his own power over her. Proudly as she bore herself, she could not but dread his coming, could not but wonder what he might still have in store for her of punishment and suffering.

Never before had she so hated the evil magic of the Wizard and his friends; and even her own magic, which she had always used more in mischief than with evil in her heart, had grown detestable to her.

The longing to escape became so great that she could hardly endure it, but with each visit from her brother, her hope of freedom became less and less, so scornfully did he laugh at her when she demanded to know when she should be set at liberty.

One day, as she sat thinking bitterly of the hardness of her lot, she heard once again the sound of approaching footsteps, and, immediately after, the wall parted, and her brother entered. The lanterns of the Imps who came with him, cast but a dim light in the thick darkness, yet faint as it was, the Shadow Witch felt herself revive a little. She gathered up all her strength and rose to face the Wizard defiantly. In silence the Imps flocked in and ranged themselves along the soot-hung walls. The Wizard advanced toward his sister with his cruel smile.

"Well, my clever sister," he asked her jeeringly, "how fares it with you now, in this pleasant resting-place?"

The dark eyes of the Shadow Witch rested coldly upon his face, but she vouchsafed him no reply.

"Here, it is true, you have no special opportunity to do further mischief," continued the Wizard, "and that is a hards.h.i.+p for you, to be sure. But you have plenty of time for repentance, which you need far more. As for your Land of Shadows, word has come to me that your servant, Black Shadow, holds sway in your absence. Nay, more, that she rejoices in her power, and is none too eager for your return."

Still the Shadow Witch made no reply. She did not doubt what he said, for she knew well the boldness and insolence of Black Shadow, but she would not gratify him by showing that she cared in the least.

"And Creeping Shadow," he went on, "that other servant in whom, above all the rest, you have had confidence, she, also, has joined herself to Black Shadow, and obeys her in all things."

"In that I know you speak falsely," retorted the Shadow Witch. "There is none more faithful to me than Creeping Shadow. Nothing could turn her away from her loyalty to me. I have many other servants, also who love me, and serve me well."

"She did not show herself loyal when she sought me in my Cave not long since," observed the Wizard, stroking his dingy beard with a slow hand.

"At first she did indeed pretend to desire your freedom; at first she wept and pleaded with me for your release, as though she were in earnest, but when she found that I gave no heed to her, she cast off all disguise, and showed plainly that she rejoiced in your imprisonment. She even went so far as to try to bargain with me to hold you here. She needed not to bargain, my good sister, for nothing could change my purpose toward yourself. I have determined that in this prison you shall find all of home or kingdom that will be yours for many a day."

"Naught that you can say would serve to convince me that Creeping Shadow is a traitor," she answered. "Why should I trust your word in place of what I know of her? The day of my deliverance may be far off, the way of its accomplishment may be hard, but I shall be freed at last. For this my faithful servants work, as you shall find."

Still the Wizard sought to stir her, to break down her courage. "How unfortunate it is that you have no prince to aid in this good work," he taunted. "Such a prince as Radiance, perhaps-he, whom you ran such risks to aid. But he has returned to the Land of Fire with his pale princess and will hardly trouble himself now to release you from the punishment that you are enduring because of him."

Proudly the Shadow Witch raised her head, and for the first time since her imprisonment there were tears in her beautiful eyes. "Whether or no he remembers me in the midst of his joy," she answered, "Whether or no he will succor me in my need, I shall never be sorry that I helped him to deliver his Princess. He it was who first brought brightness into my dreary land. He it was, who, for the first time in my life, made me to know what it is to be n.o.ble. Happy am I, then, even here and now, that it was given me to serve him. Proud am I with a far different pride than any that I have known before."

The Wizard heard her in amaze. Had his sister taken leave of her senses? What had come over the mischief-loving Shadow Witch that she should speak in this fas.h.i.+on? "You behave strangely, sister," he replied sharply. "Can it be that it was something more than the mere pleasure of outwitting and injuring me that led you to aid this impudent stranger, enemy to your people and to all who dwell in this land?"

"Ay," returned the Shadow Witch boldly. "It was indeed something more. I could not see one so brave and good become the victim of your evil magic; nor allow his happiness to be destroyed by those wicked ones who plotted for his destruction. He has awakened me to what we are, and I tell you now that if once I escape from the power of your dark spell, I shall bid you and your friends farewell forever. If in my own Land of Shadows I can cause to spring up a better magic than it has known heretofore, it will be well. But if that hope proves vain, I shall forsake my home, and go to that land of brightness and good magic from whence this prince came, and there learn n.o.bler ways and find a truer home."

At these words of his sister, the Wizard burst forth in such furious rage that his Imps, hearing, shrank back close to the wall of the cavern, trembling with fright. "Miserable creature," he shouted. "Is it not enough that you have brought suffering upon me, that you should go to the Land of Fire, carrying with you the secrets of all who dwell in this land? Traitor! Until now I had meant to punish you but for a time; but now I know that to release you is to prepare misfortune and betrayal for every one of us. It shall never, never be. You have warned me in time. You have sealed your own doom. Never, while I have power to keep you within these walls, shall you escape to carry out your purpose."

"You may well say while you have power to keep me," retorted the Shadow Witch. "Do what you may, I shall yet be freed. Then I shall go where I will."

Still more enraged by her unshaken defiance, the Wizard sprang upon her and grasped her wrists. He towered above her dark and forbidding. He gave a sharp command to the Imps, and in an instant they had departed with the lanterns. In the thick darkness that followed, the Shadow Witch heard him say nothing more, but she felt that same strange magic stream from his hands that she had felt on the day that she had first entered her prison, and she became as weak and helpless as she did before.

When he had gone and the wall had closed behind him, she fell to weeping wildly; not for Prince Radiance, whom she should see no more, but for that n.o.ble brightness that he had once brought to her eyes, and with the dread in her heart that it would never be hers.

Yet, even as she wept, ever nearer and nearer to the Cave of Darkness came Prince Ember, hasting from the Land of Fire upon the glorious adventure of her deliverance.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER VI

In one thing the Wizard had spoken truly: Black Shadow was a faithless servant. As yet she had not dared to attempt to rule over her fellow-servants, but she longed for such power and was always hoping that some day she might obtain it. In her heart she rebelled against her mistress; she would rebel outwardly when it was safe to do so. After a long time had pa.s.sed and still the Shadow Witch had not returned, she began to believe that some evil had overtaken her, and if she could have been certain of it, it would have pleased her well.

Her companions, becoming alarmed at the prolonged absence of their mistress, had sought for her diligently in every part of her dominions, but at last they had been compelled to give up the search. They knew that Creeping Shadow also had departed, though upon what errand they could not guess. Now they waited in mournful silence, beneath the overhanging trees of the garden, hoping that they soon might have tidings of them both.

Leaving them there Black Shadow walked apart, and as she walked she pondered ceaselessly as to how soon she might venture to s.n.a.t.c.h at some part at least of the power she so greatly desired.

Creeping Shadow, on her homeward way, drawing nigh to the garden, saw her dark figure stealing solitary among the dim alleys, her head bent upon her breast, as if in painful thought, but she could not see her face. "She grieves for the absence of our dear mistress," said the faithful servant to herself. "How rejoiced she will be to hear of her approaching deliverance." She called to her consolingly: "Black Shadow!

Oh, Black Shadow! I bring good news!"

Hearing the voice, Black Shadow raised her head. Her face, which till then had been free from grief or anxiety, changed suddenly to that of one who had sorrowed deeply, and who for the first time hopes. "Good news?" cried she. "Ah, if it comes from our mistress, tell it quickly!

We have mourned her absence so bitterly and so long!"

With such eagerness did she speak, so sincere was the sound of her voice, that Creeping Shadow did not suspect her of deceit, but made haste to tell her of her visit to the Wizard's Cave, and of all that had happened since that time.

Black Shadow drank in every word and pretended to be overjoyed. "What is this gift which the Prince is to receive from the Elf of the Borderland?" she asked curiously when Creeping Shadow ceased to speak.

"That was not told me," replied Creeping Shadow. "My duty was but to lead him to the Elf's door and there leave him."

Her companion bit her lip with vexation, because she was unable to discover the business that had taken Prince Ember to the Elf. The knowledge would have meant much to her, if she could have gained possession of it. She said nothing more about the matter, however, but asked many questions concerning the Prince, and Creeping Shadow, suspecting no evil, told her all that she could, without reserve.

When Black Shadow saw that she had learned all that her companion had to tell, she laid her hand upon her arm. "Come," said she. "We must tell the others. They, no less than ourselves, have grieved over the absence of our dearly loved mistress."

Creeping Shadow was but too eager to do so, and they set out at once.

They had gone but a little way when they came upon all the rest of the Shadows, still sitting beneath the trees, talking sadly among themselves with hushed voices.

When their fellow-servants saw the two approaching they sprang quickly to their feet and hurried toward them, hoping that at last tidings of the Shadow Witch had come.