No pearl, gem or jewel in the treasure chamber compared in size or beauty to the shining ball of mist that was the Serpent’s Eye. The 2 foot diameter orb was set within an ornate bronze stand molded in the shape of a great serpent that held the ball in its coils. And to ensure that it could not be removed from its mounting, the head of the bronze snake had been crafted so as to rest on top of the ball staring at those who approached it with impassive eyes. The entire object stood nearly as tall as a dwarf and at least as wide as one.
Nataleigh suddenly found herself wondering how she was going to lift such a large and heavy treasure, let alone carry it through a maze of caverns to the sub. She wondered if Heindel had invented any contraptions for moving heavy items. Of course, first she had to figure out a way to get this family of sea serpents to part with it. But that didn’t concern her too much. She was feeling more and more confident in her ability to influence the little ones, especially Coralee.
The young sea dragon moved into the room ahead of the princess looking for some jewels she liked, talking to herself excitedly. Finally her eyes fell upon a string of pearls and she gasped excitedly.
“Oh! How about these? I bet these would compliment my dorsal fin perfectly!”
But before the princess could answer, a sudden roar echoed through the caves snapping Coralee out of her daydream and raising the hair on the back of Nataleigh’s neck!
“Oh no,” Coralee shrieked, dropping the pearls, “It’s Anna Monee’s papa! He’s angry about something. We’ve got to get out of here before he catches us! Come on! Hurry!”
She dove for the entrance, hooking Nataleigh’s arm with her tail and dragging her out. Back in the passages, Coralee looked quickly down both tunnels to make sure the coast was clear. Papa’s roar echoed up the passage from the left, and it didn’t sound too far away!
“Stay close!” She beckoned to Nataleigh. “And be quiet!”
Seeing the passage was unoccupied, the young dragon released the princess and hurried back towards the serpent nursery. It never occurred to her that her new friend would dare to risk staying behind, but that was exactly what Nataleigh did.
As Coralee dashed up the cave passage, Nataleigh dropped back into the Treasure cave, spun around and ran for the platform at the end of the room!
The Serpent’s Eye sat there, beckoning her! There was no way she was going to run away from it now, when she had come so far to get it. This could be her only chance to get her hands on it, and the princess did not plan to let it pass.
But she had to move quickly! At any second, Coralee could look back and realize there was no one following her. If that happened too soon, she could return to catch her guest in the act! Or much worse, the daddy sea serpent could arrive and catch her first! That was the thought that drove Nataleigh’s heart into her throat as she ran.
Leaping up on the platform, she stopped, breathing heavily more from fear and excitement than from being tired. She was standing next to the gleaming ball which was nearly as big as a dwarf sitting in its bronze fixture and suddenly she remembered that she had no way to carry it!
Panicked and out of time to think rationally, the princess simply grabbed the bronze stand with both hands and heaved up on it. To her surprise, it lifted from the floor, light as feather. This was so unexpected that she nearly tumbled backwards off of the platform.
Then something else strange happened and Nataleigh’s breath caught in her throat. The entire object, Serpent’s Eye and Bronze stand together, began to shrink. Within seconds the two foot wide crystal ball had reduced itself to a two inch crystal ball that rested in a small bronze fixture small enough to rest on top of a wizard’s staff. It looked more like a glass marble than a powerful magic ball!
Shocked, the princess stared at it for several moments forgetting her need for haste until the roar of an angry sea serpent echoed through the cave again. The sound startled her and she snapped out of her daze.
Snapping back around, she saw, to her relief, that she was still alone in the cave. But now she realized that the only way in or out of the treasure cave was back the way she came in and she could be trapped at any second!
Without another moment to lose, Princess Nataleigh leaped from the platform and made for the entrance as quick as her legs would carry her, holding her treasure in front of her and smiling like a maniac.
Her quest was complete! She had found and recovered the Serpent’s Eye before anyone else! And she had done it alone! In the end, not even Frangen had helped her! Nataleigh was the hero she had always wanted to be! For the first time since this adventure had begun she was sure it had all been worth the trouble after all!
Wait until Nathan hears about what I’ve done... she mused. Won’t he be impressed? Even Father will have to admit he was wrong about girls being involved in dangerous quests. I can handle myself as well as any boy.
Pleased with herself and full of the excitement of the moment, Nataleigh hurdled out of the treasure cave and down the passage to the left. She had forgotten the echoing roar that came from that direction. She had forgotten what that roar represented. Indeed, for a brief moment of madness, she had forgotten to be afraid at all…
… And so she found herself rounding a corner and running right out into the middle of a clash between a giant, angry sea serpent and an axe-wielding dwarf Viking!
Nataleigh suddenly found herself wondering how she was going to lift such a large and heavy treasure, let alone carry it through a maze of caverns to the sub. She wondered if Heindel had invented any contraptions for moving heavy items. Of course, first she had to figure out a way to get this family of sea serpents to part with it. But that didn’t concern her too much. She was feeling more and more confident in her ability to influence the little ones, especially Coralee.
The young sea dragon moved into the room ahead of the princess looking for some jewels she liked, talking to herself excitedly. Finally her eyes fell upon a string of pearls and she gasped excitedly.
“Oh! How about these? I bet these would compliment my dorsal fin perfectly!”
But before the princess could answer, a sudden roar echoed through the caves snapping Coralee out of her daydream and raising the hair on the back of Nataleigh’s neck!
“Oh no,” Coralee shrieked, dropping the pearls, “It’s Anna Monee’s papa! He’s angry about something. We’ve got to get out of here before he catches us! Come on! Hurry!”
She dove for the entrance, hooking Nataleigh’s arm with her tail and dragging her out. Back in the passages, Coralee looked quickly down both tunnels to make sure the coast was clear. Papa’s roar echoed up the passage from the left, and it didn’t sound too far away!
“Stay close!” She beckoned to Nataleigh. “And be quiet!”
Seeing the passage was unoccupied, the young dragon released the princess and hurried back towards the serpent nursery. It never occurred to her that her new friend would dare to risk staying behind, but that was exactly what Nataleigh did.
As Coralee dashed up the cave passage, Nataleigh dropped back into the Treasure cave, spun around and ran for the platform at the end of the room!
The Serpent’s Eye sat there, beckoning her! There was no way she was going to run away from it now, when she had come so far to get it. This could be her only chance to get her hands on it, and the princess did not plan to let it pass.
But she had to move quickly! At any second, Coralee could look back and realize there was no one following her. If that happened too soon, she could return to catch her guest in the act! Or much worse, the daddy sea serpent could arrive and catch her first! That was the thought that drove Nataleigh’s heart into her throat as she ran.
Leaping up on the platform, she stopped, breathing heavily more from fear and excitement than from being tired. She was standing next to the gleaming ball which was nearly as big as a dwarf sitting in its bronze fixture and suddenly she remembered that she had no way to carry it!
Panicked and out of time to think rationally, the princess simply grabbed the bronze stand with both hands and heaved up on it. To her surprise, it lifted from the floor, light as feather. This was so unexpected that she nearly tumbled backwards off of the platform.
Then something else strange happened and Nataleigh’s breath caught in her throat. The entire object, Serpent’s Eye and Bronze stand together, began to shrink. Within seconds the two foot wide crystal ball had reduced itself to a two inch crystal ball that rested in a small bronze fixture small enough to rest on top of a wizard’s staff. It looked more like a glass marble than a powerful magic ball!
Shocked, the princess stared at it for several moments forgetting her need for haste until the roar of an angry sea serpent echoed through the cave again. The sound startled her and she snapped out of her daze.
Snapping back around, she saw, to her relief, that she was still alone in the cave. But now she realized that the only way in or out of the treasure cave was back the way she came in and she could be trapped at any second!
Without another moment to lose, Princess Nataleigh leaped from the platform and made for the entrance as quick as her legs would carry her, holding her treasure in front of her and smiling like a maniac.
Her quest was complete! She had found and recovered the Serpent’s Eye before anyone else! And she had done it alone! In the end, not even Frangen had helped her! Nataleigh was the hero she had always wanted to be! For the first time since this adventure had begun she was sure it had all been worth the trouble after all!
Wait until Nathan hears about what I’ve done... she mused. Won’t he be impressed? Even Father will have to admit he was wrong about girls being involved in dangerous quests. I can handle myself as well as any boy.
Pleased with herself and full of the excitement of the moment, Nataleigh hurdled out of the treasure cave and down the passage to the left. She had forgotten the echoing roar that came from that direction. She had forgotten what that roar represented. Indeed, for a brief moment of madness, she had forgotten to be afraid at all…
… And so she found herself rounding a corner and running right out into the middle of a clash between a giant, angry sea serpent and an axe-wielding dwarf Viking!
No comments:
Post a Comment