The Painted Room Page 21

Chapter 18

  The Mending of the Sword

  The next morning, they strolled down through the mist to the shore where Venus and her entourage of beautiful people awaited them. Sheila was back in her own clothes again. Carlisle looked like he had slept in his.

  "I had the strangest dream last night," said Sheila. "I dreamed I was a mermaid. It was wonderful. I swam everywhere under the waves, and it felt just exactly like I was there. It was awesome."

  "And I dreamed I was fencing," exclaimed May, happy to be leaving this place. "And you're right. It was the most amazing dream. I could actually feel the sword in my hands. I can't wait to get my hands on one now." She made a few imaginary swishes in the air.

  "I rescued this handsome blond sailor from drowning," added Sheila.

  "And I was fighting this tall guy. He had a fencing mask on, so I couldn't see his face and I don't know what he looked like, but I pierced him in the heart! Ha!"

  "You didn't kill him, did you?" asked Sheila, sounding concerned.

  "Relax, I just made him bleed a little—not much." At the look on Sheila's face, she said, "I'm kidding. I didn't hurt him, honest. We had fencing gear on."

  "Well, that's a relief!" said Sheila.

  "What about you?" she asked Carlisle. "You're awful quiet. Did you have any dreams?"

  "That's between me and my pillow, don't you think?"

  "Oh come on. Really, what did you dream about?"

  Since he wouldn't answer her, she decided to pester him until he gave in.

  "Well, if you simply must know," he said finally, "I was on a picnic with my wife at a lake that we used to go to sometimes."

  Centaurs blew trumpets to announce their arrival. Venus sat serenely on a throne which had been placed on the grass. Taking his hands out of his pockets, Carlisle approached the goddess and bowed.

  "Have you rested well?" asked Venus, stepping down from her throne.

  "Yes, Your Highness," responded Carlisle.

  "I hope you all had pleasant dreams last night. I sent them to you as my parting gift."

  "Thank you, Your Highness," said Sheila.

  Carlisle turned pink.

  The goddess leaned toward him and said, "Not to worry, dear sir. I only send your heart's desire. I never peek." She straightened up and addressed them all: "The cockle boat will take you to the far shore. When you arrive, take the provisions with you, for the vessel will leave immediately on its own and return here. Are you ready to go?"

  Carlisle said, "Your Highness, you have been very generous but there is the small matter of my sword and—"

  "Yes, how foolish of me!" exclaimed the goddess with her hands in the air. "I almost forgot. Of course, you'll want your sword back."

  "Get out of my way," said a low, gravelly voice. "Make way, for Venus's sake."

  The crowd of people jostled and bumped. They parted and from their midst came a dark-eyed dwarf with a neatly trimmed black beard. He wore a deerskin tunic dyed emerald green. When he saw Venus, he knelt down on one knee and presented a sword and scabbard in his outstretched hands to her.

  Venus said to Carlisle, "I hope you don't mind. I took the liberty of having Samson work on your sword. He is the best smith of all the dwarves in the land." She looked over the weapon and complemented the dwarf, "It's simply breathtaking, Samson."

  "Dwarves?" remarked May. "I don't remember seeing any here before."

  "It's because I have such trouble getting them to stop working. They simply refuse to rest and are constantly toiling underground—dig, dig, dig! Excellent metal workers, mind you. None finer." Her eyes twinkled amethyst with admiration.

  Samson got up from his knees and stepped in front of Carlisle, still holding the sword and scabbard out in front of him. "Here you go," he said loudly.

  The scabbard was dazzling to the eye, encrusted with jeweled cabochons of precious gems in a rainbow of shades. The hilt of the sword was inlaid with mother of pearl.

  "That can't be mine," said Carlisle, recoiling from it.

  "What is a sword without a scabbard, sir? I had one made for you," said Venus.

  "You don't like it?" yelled the dwarf, insulted.

  Carlisle said, "I meant it is simply too fine. I feel that I can hardly accept it."

  The dwarf smiled. "I had to fix a nasty break in it, too," he said.

  "A break? I never noticed a break," said Carlisle.

  "It was one of those ones you can't see unless you're really looking—and believe you me, I always look. There's almost always one or two hairline cracks if the blade's seen any use at all, or if it wasn't forged well to begin with. Trust me, next big sword fight and yours would've busted into a million pieces. But don't you worry, I fixed it up right. It's a fine bit of workmanship, if I do say so myself." Samson lifted the sword up higher. "Are you going to take it, or what?"

  "Yes, Sir Carlisle, please accept it. After all, what's a knight without his sword?" said Venus.

  "Your Highness," said Carlisle, "May embellishes. The truth of it is I am not actually a knight."

  Venus beckoned him to come closer with a wave of a jeweled finger. She whispered, "Between you and me, Mr. Carlisle, I knew you weren't a knight already."

  "You did, Your Highness?"

  "Yes, Mr. Carlisle. You see, a knight knows to kneel in the presence of a queen."

  He rolled his eyes in embarrassment and dropped on one knee.

  May watched as the goddess took the scabbard from the hands of the swarthy dwarf, drew out the sword and knighted the man kneeling in front of her. As she returned the sword to the scabbard, she said, "You may stand now, Sir Francis Carlisle."

  When he stood up, she handed him his weapon. "This is yours, Sir Carlisle. Put it on," she commanded. "Sheila told me all about your bravery aboard the pirate ship. You are truly a most worthy knight," said Venus.

  With shaking hands, Carlisle fastened the scabbard round his waist, almost dropping it on the ground in the process.

  Venus continued, "Last night you were trying to tell me you lost something of value to you. I neglected to mention that I had the servants put some of your things aside for safe keeping." She motioned to a maiden dressed in white satin who handed her a green silk tie and a gold wedding band.

  Venus gave the tie to Carlisle and held up the ring. "It is often an unfortunate fact that only in the losing of something do we sometimes know its true value. You will be far less likely to misplace this in the future if it is on your hand rather than in your pocket. Please give my regards to your wife."

  He looked indignant. "I am a widower, Your Highness, and it was for fear of losing it that I took it off in the first place." He forced his tie into his pocket then took his wedding band from her and pushed it roughly over the knuckle of his finger. He turned his hand over several times and stared at it.

  Venus smiled at him. "I think you will find that it fits properly now. I am sorry about your wife, but you might as well keep the ring on, since you wear it on your face already. I have a good feeling it will only bring you luck."

  "I fear you have misjudged me, Your Highness."

  "I didn't misjudge you for an instant, dear sir. It was you that misjudged yourself. I was just giving you the opportunity to prove yourself wrong. Sometimes we discover more about ourselves by discovering first what we are not."

  They started walking down to the boat. "I have asked Lady Sheila to accompany you to the far shore. Her memory will return shortly. The current will bring you to the new land. You should reach it by nightfall. I wish you all the best of luck."

  Before getting into the boat, Carlisle went down on one knee in front of the goddess.

  She put her hand on his cheek and smiled. "You have a very unique face, sir."

  "So I've been told."

  "I only meant that it is one of those rare ones that gets handsomer the more familiar it becomes; I meet far fewer than I would like."

  To May's relief, the interior of the shell shaped boat was cushioned, and to Carl
isle's relief, there were no oars anywhere to be found. Over the top was a canopy of white silk to shield them from the sun. As soon as they had all settled in, two Zephyrs blew the boat away from the beach.

  As the crowd on shore dispersed, Venus cupped her hands around her mouth and called out, "Sorry about the hangover!"

  When May looked at him, Carlisle said, "I don't know what she's talking about. I feel fine."

  From the air, the Zephyrs waved to them and left. The vessel glided along quietly in the water as the current began to carry them to the far shore.