7. The Gray Men
The adventurers gave no heed to the path they followed after leavingthe cave of the reformed thieves, but their horses accidentally tookthe direction of the foot-hills that led into the wild interior Kingdomof Spor. Therefore the travelers, when they had finished theirconversation and begun to look about them, found themselves in arugged, mountainous country that was wholly unlike the green plains ofHeg they had left behind.
Now, as I have before said, the most curious and fearful of the islandpeople dwelt in this Kingdom of Spor. They held no friendlycommunication with their neighbors, and only left their own mountainsto plunder and rob; and so sullen and fierce were they on theseoccasions that every one took good care to keep out of their way untilthey had gone back home again.
There was much gossip about the unknown king of Spor, who had never yetbeen seen by any one except his subjects; and some thought he must beone of the huge giants of Spor; and others claimed he was a dwarf, likehis tiny but ferocious dart-slingers; and still others imagined him oneof the barbarian tribe, or a fellow to the terrible Gray Men. But, ofcourse, no one knew positively, and all these guesses were very wide ofthe mark. The only certainty about this king was that his giants,dwarfs, barbarians and Gray Men meekly acknowledged his rule and obeyedhis slightest wish; for though they might be terrible to others, theirking was still more terrible to them.
Into this Kingdom of Spor Prince Marvel and Nerle had now penetratedand, neither knowing nor caring where they were, continued along thefaintly defined paths the horses had found. Presently, however, theywere startled by a peal of shrill, elfish laughter, and raising theireyes they beheld a horrid-looking old man seated upon a high rock nearby.
"Why do you laugh?" asked Prince Marvel, stopping his horse.
"Have you been invited? Tell me--have you been invited?" demanded theold man, chuckling to himself as if much amused.
"Invited where?" inquired the prince.
"To Spor, stupid! To the Kingdom of Spor! To the land of KingTerribus!" shrieked the old man, going into violent peals of laughter.
"We go and come as we please," answered Prince Marvel, calmly.
"Go--yes! Go if you will. But you'll never come back--never! never!never!" The little old man seemed to consider this such a good jokethat he bent nearly double with laughing, and so lost his balance andtoppled off the rock, disappearing from their view; but they could hearhim laugh long after they had passed on and left him far behind them.
"A strange creature!" exclaimed the prince thoughtfully.
"But perhaps he speaks truth," answered Nerle, "if, in fact, we havebeen rash enough to enter the Kingdom of Spor. Even my father, thebravest baron in Heg, has never dared venture within the borders ofSpor. For all men fear its mysterious king."
"In that case," replied Prince Marvel, "it is time some oneinvestigated this strange kingdom. People have left King Terribus andhis wild subjects too much to themselves; instead of stirring them upand making them behave themselves."
Nerle smiled at this speech.
"They are the fiercest people on the Enchanted Island," said he, "andthere are thousands upon thousands who obey this unknown king. But ifyou think we dare defy them I am willing to go on. Perhaps ourboldness will lead them into torturing me, or starving me to death; andat the very least I ought to find much trouble and privation in theKingdom of Spor."
"Time will determine that," said the prince, cheerfully.
They had now ridden into a narrow defile of the mountains, the pathwaybeing lined with great fragments of rock. Happening to look over hisshoulder Prince Marvel saw that as they passed these rocks a manstepped from behind each fragment and followed after them, theirnumbers thus constantly increasing until hundreds were silentlytreading in the wake of the travelers.
These men were very peculiar in appearance, their skins being as grayas the rocks themselves, while their only clothing consisted of graycloth tunics belted around the waists with bands of gray fox-hide.They bore no weapons except that each was armed with a fork, havingthree sharp tines six inches in length, which the Gray Men carriedstuck through their fox-hide belts.
Nerle also looked back and saw the silent throng following them, andthe sight sent such a cold shiver creeping up his spine that he smiledwith pleasure. There was no way to avoid the Gray Men, for the pathwas so narrow that the horsemen could not turn aside; but Prince Marvelwas not disturbed, and seemed not to mind being followed, so long as noone hindered his advance.
He rode steadily on, Nerle following, and after climbing upward for along way the path began to descend, presently leading them into avalley of wide extent, in the center of which stood an immense castlewith tall domes that glittered as if covered with pure gold. A broadroadway paved with white marble reached from the mountain pass to theentrance of this castle, and on each side of this roadway stood linesof monstrous giants, armed with huge axes thrust into their belts andthick oak clubs, studded with silver spikes, which were carried overtheir left shoulders.
The assembled giants were as silent as the Gray Men, and stoodmotionless while Prince Marvel and Nerle rode slowly up the marbleroadway. But all their brows were scowling terribly and their eyeswere red and glaring--as if they were balls of fire.
"I begin to feel very pleasant," said Nerle, "for surely we shall notget away from these folks without a vast deal of trouble. They do notseem to oppose our advance, but it is plain they will not allow us anychance of retreat."
"We do not wish to retreat," declared the prince.
Nerle cast another glance behind, and saw that the Gray Men had haltedat the edge of the valley, while the giants were closing up as soon asthe horses passed them and now marched in close file in their rear.
"It strikes me," he muttered, softly, "that this is like to prove ourlast adventure." But although Prince Marvel might have heard the wordshe made no reply, being evidently engaged in deep thought.
As they drew nearer the castle it towered above them like a veritablemountain, so big and high was it; and the walls cast deep shadows fararound, as if twilight had fallen. They heard the loud blare of atrumpet sounding far up on the battlements; the portals of the castlesuddenly opened wide, and they entered a vast courtyard paved withplates of gold. Tiny dwarfs, so crooked that they resembled crabs,rushed forward and seized the bridles of the horses, while thestrangers slowly dismounted and looked around them.
While the steeds were being led to the stables an old man, clothed in aflowing robe as white in color as his beard, bowed before Prince Marveland said in a soft voice:
"Follow me!"
The prince stretched his arms, yawned as if tired with his ride, andthen glared upon the old man with an expression of haughty surprise.
"I follow no one!" said he, proudly. "I am Prince Marvel, sirrah, andif the owner of this castle wishes to see me I shall receive him here,as befits my rank and station."
The man looked surprised, but only bowed lower than before.
"It is the king's command," he answered.
"The king?"
"Yes; you are in the castle of King Terribus, the lord and ruler ofSpor."
"That is different," remarked the prince, lightly. "Still, I willfollow no man. Point out the way and I will go to meet his Majesty."
The old man extended a lean and trembling finger toward an archway.Prince Marvel strode forward, followed by Nerle, and passing under thearch he threw open a door at the far end and boldly entered thethrone-room of King Terribus.
The Enchanted Island of Yew Page 6
