25. The Adventurers Separate

The Enchanted Island of Yew

by L. Frank Baum

When Prince Marvel and his friends had ridden away from the
castle the savage followers of the Red One came creeping up to listen
for their master's voice. But silence reigned in every part of the
castle, and after stealing fearfully through the rooms without seeing
any one the fellows became filled with terror and fled from the
place, never to return.

And afterward the neighbors whispered that the castle was
haunted by the spirit of the terrible Red Rogue, and travelers dared
not stop in the neighborhood, but passed by quickly and with averted
faces.

The prince and his party rode gaily along toward the Kingdom of
Heg, for Nerle had invited them all to visit his father's castle.
They were very happy over their escape, and only the little Lady
Seseley became sad at times, when she thought of her father's sad
fate.

The Baron Neggar, who was Nerle's father, was not only a wealthy
nobleman, but exceedingly kind and courteous; so that every member of
Prince Marvel's party was welcomed to the big castle in a very
hospitable manner.

Nerle was eagerly embraced by both his father and mother, who
were overjoyed to see him return safe and sound after his wanderings
and adventures.

"And have you been cured of your longing for something that you
can not have?" asked the baron, anxiously.

"Not quite," said Nerle, laughing; "but I am more reconciled to
my lot. For I find wherever I go people are longing for just the
things they can not get, and probably would not want if they had
them. So, as it seems to be the fate of most mortals to live
unsatisfied, I shall try hereafter to be more contented."

These words delighted the good baron, and he gave a rich and
magnificent feast in honor of his son's return.

The High Ki of Twi, after passing several pleasant days at
Nerle's home, now decided that they had seen enough of the world and
would be glad to return to their own kingdom, where all was peaceful
and uneventful, and rule it to the end of their days. So the baron
furnished them an escort of twenty men-at-arms, and these conducted
the High Ki and the aged Ki safely back to the hole in the hedge.

And after they had entered the Land of Twi, the first act of the
High Ki was to order the hedge repaired and the hole blocked up; and
I have never heard that any one, from that time forth, ever succeeded
in gaining admittance to the hidden kingdom. So its subsequent
history is unknown.

King Terribus also bade the prince an affectionate farewell and
rode back to his own kingdom; and burly Wul-Takim accompanied him as
far as the cave, where the fifty-eight reformed thieves awaited
him.

Nerle's mother gladly adopted the Lady Seseley and her two
companions, and thereafter they made their home at the baron's
castle. And years afterward, when they had grown to be women,
Seseley was married to Nerle and became the lady of the castle
herself.

Prince Marvel enjoyed the feasting and dancing at the castle
very much, but after the party began to break up, and the High Ki and
the Ki had left him, as well as King Terribus and honest Wul-Takim,
the young knight grew thoughtful and sometimes uneasy, and his happy
laugh was less frequently heard. Nerle often regarded his young
master with a feeling of awe, for there occasionally came a look into
Marvel's eyes that reminded him more of the immortals than of any
human being. But the prince treated him with rare kindness and always
pressed Nerle's hand affectionately when he bade him good night, for
he had grown fond of his esquire. Also they had long conversations
together, during which Nerle gleaned a great deal of knowledge and
received some advice that was of much use to him in his later
life.

One day Prince Marvel sought out Lady Seseley and said:

"Will you ride with me to the Forest of Lurla?"

"Willingly," she answered; and calling Berna and Helda to attend
them, they mounted their horses and rode swiftly away, for it was a
long distance to Lurla.

By noon the party entered the forest, and although the path they
traversed was unknown to the girls, who had usually entered the
forest from its other side, near to where the Baron Merd's castle had
stood, the prince seemed to have no difficulty in finding his way.

He guided them carefully along the paths, his handsome
war-charger stepping with much grace and dignity, until at length
they came to a clearing.

Here the prince paused abruptly, and Seseley looked around her
and at once recognized the place.

"Why," she exclaimed, in surprise, "it is the Fairy Bower!"

And then she turned to Prince Marvel and asked in a soft
voice:

"Is the year ended, Prince?"

His smile was a bit sad as he answered, slowly:

"The year will be ended in five minutes!"