Empress of the Underworld (5 page)

Lothar nodded. “I have a guest, as you see.”

The guard bowed low and stepped to one side. “Admit Prince Lothar and his guest.”

The guards that had drawn up in a rank moved back. All held spears with tips that glittered coldly and wore swords at their sides. The shields they carried on their left arms bore a curious device that Abbey had never seen. “What is that emblem on that shield?”

“Oh, that is the emblem of our empress. Rather beautiful, don't you think?”

Abbey said, “It's a little frightening. I never did like snakes much.”

“Most girls don't.” Lothar laughed. “But it's the emblem of our kingdom.”

They rode past the first guard point and afterward passed others.

“I would get lost in here. It twists and turns so much.”

“Part of that's on purpose,” Lothar said. “This is our first line of defense. No army could come in here with huge forces—they'd have to come in small groups to fit in the tunnels. And we have made certain that they would not get far. Let me show you something else.”

He rode forward for a few feet, pulled his horse over to one side, and then said, “Now, do not come any closer.” He waited until Abbey reined in her horse, then reached out and touched a spot on the wall.

Instantly, the road fell away in front of him.

Abbey gasped as she saw a dark, cavernous hole where there had been what seemed to be solid rock.

“I would not advise you to fall into that hole,” Lothar said. “There are things at the bottom that would make quick work of you.” He laughed and touched the wall again.

The road, which was apparently on hinges, swung slowly back into place.

“Now, we can ride over it,” he said.

Abbey was nervous as she urged her horse over the trap, for she heard the snapping of sharp teeth and huge jaws down below.

“That's just one thing we discourage our enemies with. But come along.”

After what seemed a long journey, they turned a corner in the tunnel, and Abbey gasped.

Prince Lothar turned to look at her with a smile. “Beautiful, isn't it? People never forget their first sight of the palace.”

“It's—it's more beautiful than anything I've ever seen!”

The palace that she looked on was made, it seemed, of crystal. It rose up out of a huge underground cavern with lights flashing and glimmering from the points of the crystals. Overhead, stalactites hung down, also reflecting light. The floor itself seemed to be glowing. The palace, like something out of the Middle Ages, was composed of turrets that rose majestically almost to the top of the huge cavern. They were, she saw, large crystal walls that enclosed the lower parts of the palace.

“Come,” Lothar said. “You'll have time to admire it later. The inside, I think, is more beautiful.”

He led her through walls that seemed made of a mixture of rock and crystal. Here the guards were dressed more ornately. Plumes floated from their steel helmets. “These are the empress's guards,” Lothar said. “They are the personal bodyguards of the Royal Family.”

Abbey followed him till they came to a smaller building, where servants came at once to take their horses. She patted her mare on the nose and said, “You're a fine horse, Star. I hope I see you again.”

“Well, you will, of course. She will be your personal horse as long as you're our guest.” Lothar took Abbey's arm and led her along a glowing wall until they came to a
magnificent double door. The guards saluted, and he nodded as he muttered a password to them.

When inside, Abbey was once again shocked. Here was much glimmering light from the glowing stones. Lanterns burned, throwing their light down over the magnificent entryway. She saw statues that must have taken years to carve, and everywhere glittering stones were set. Some of them formed beautiful pictures.

“Follow me. I will take you to your attendant.”

“My attendant?”

“Yes, your personal maid while you are with us.”

Lothar led her down a series of halls and finally entered a smaller room, where they found an older woman. “Luna, this is your mistress, Mistress Abigail. This is Luna, Abbey. She'll be your servant.”

“How are you, Luna?”

Luna was a small woman with white hair. She was very pale and rather frail. She came at once and curtsied deeply.

“I am your servant, Miss Abigail.”

“I'll leave her to your charge,” Lothar said. “See that she's well dressed for her audience with the empress.”

“I'm going before the empress?” Abbey asked anxiously.

“Oh, yes. You'll have dinner with us tonight. I'll see you then. Perhaps you might take a little rest.” He halted, turned, and took her hands. He lifted one of them and kissed it, saying, “I'm glad you've come to be part of our kingdom, Abbey” Then he left the room with a quick step.

“If you'll come with me, I'll show you to your quarters,” Luna said. She led the bewildered girl farther down the corridor and turned into a doorway that was made from a light wood Abbey had never seen.

Inside, she looked around with delight. A huge bed with pink silk coverings was in the middle of the room. It
was obviously an overstuffed bed, and she longed to throw herself onto it and sink into it. Then she was busy looking at the pictures that lined the walls, all done by an expert hand. And at the furniture, which was more elaborately carved than any she had ever seen before.

Luna said, “Perhaps you'd be interested in a bath, my lady?”

“A bath? Oh, that sounds wonderful.”

“If you'll come this way, I'll assist you.”

Abbey stepped through a door, and her eyes grew large. “I've never seen a bathroom like this.” She was looking at a tub that was at least eight feet in diameter. Steam rose from it, and it was made of glowing, pure white marble. “How do you heat the water?” she asked.

“It comes from a natural hot spring. It is very relaxing. You'll find soaps and lotions. I'll wash your hair as soon as you bathe.”

For the next hour, Abigail soaped, lathered, rinsed, and floated on top of the deliciously fragrant water, for Luna had added a scent to it. She found something like bubble bath and poured it in liberally, so that soon bubbles covered the top of water and overflowed onto the floor. Then she lay back and Luna washed her hair carefully.

Finally, wearing a beautiful nightdress, she sat in a silken stuffed chair as Luna dried her hair with soft cloth and brushed it till it gleamed.

“That feels so good!” Abbey whispered, her eyes half closed.

“If you would like to lie down and rest, I think you'd be much more refreshed.”

“I think I will.” The bath had made her sleepy. When Luna turned the covers back, she sank down into what seemed to be an enormous feather bed. “Oh,” she whispered, “this is wonderful!” She went to sleep instantly.
She had several quick flashing dreams, but when she woke forgot them at once.

“It is time for you to dress for the audience with the empress, my lady,” Luna said.

Abbey sprang out of bed and stared at the soft undergarments that Luna had laid out. They felt smooth next to her skin, and she thought,
A lot better than the feed sacks I've been wearing lately.
Then she turned and saw The Dress. “Oh, my,” she said in a whisper. “I never saw such a dress!”

It was a dress not often seen. It seemed to be white, but even as Luna turned it, green, blue, and red sparkles flashed from it. She looked closer and saw that tiny jewels woven into the material created the sparkles.

She slipped into the dress, and Luna fastened up the back. When Abbey turned to look in the mirror, her lips opened with delight.

“You're beautiful, my lady,” Luna said. “Very beautiful. Let me get your jewelry.” She led Abbey over to a chest on the top of a fine side table and opened it.

The glitter of precious stones, gold, and silver made Abigail blink. For a long time, she tried on necklaces and rings. Finally she settled for a tiara of what seemed to be huge rubies to decorate her head, and a bracelet of diamonds with a large green stone that glittered under the light.

“I think you're ready now,” Luna said.

At that moment, a knock came at the door.

When Luna opened it, the prince stood there. He was clothed in white with scarlet trim on his uniform. Gold buttons adorned it, and he looked more like a prince than anyone she'd ever seen.

He smiled. “You look beautiful!” He came in and took her hand. “Let me take you to the Empress of the Underworld.”

5

Empress
of the Underworld

A
s Abbey entered the magnificent banquet room, its glittering beauty made her catch her breath. The ceiling was very high, giving the impression of enormous size. The walls were elaborately carved, showing scenes of, she supposed, the history of the Underworld. There were battles and scenes of empresses and kings in state, all carefully carved into the solid greenish rock.

Suspended from the ceiling were immense chandeliers. Tiny candles burned in them like miniature diamonds. Their light flickered over the room below, and as Lothar led her forward, she saw that the tables were filled with richly dressed men in uniform and women wearing beautifully colored dresses. She felt every eye on her.

“I'm a little nervous, Prince Lothar.”

“Don't be,” he said cheerfully. “Just hold my arm. Come now, and we'll introduce you to the empress.”

“What do I call her?”

“Her name is Fareena. You can call her simply Empress.”

On a raised platform was a table covered with a white cloth. On it golden dishes and silver utensils gleamed, and in the exact center of the platform sat a woman such as Abbey had never seen.

“This is Empress Fareena, ruler and master of the Underworld,” Lothar said. “And this, My Empress, is Abbey. She has graciously consented to be our guest.”

Empress Fareena was a beautiful woman with pale skin, jet black hair, and the most penetrating green eyes that could be imagined. She wore a scarlet gown and a huge diamond solitaire on her right hand that winked and flashed with each movement. Her dress was low cut, and a glowing green stone hung from around her neck. It was intricately engraved with the sign of a serpent, Abbey saw, on its surface. Remembering herself, she curtsied low and said, “I'm honored to be here, Empress Fareena.”

“Come closer and let me look at you, my child.” The empress watched the girl approach and smiled. “You have chosen a beautiful representative, Prince Lothar.”

“Yes, I do have good taste, don't I?”

The empress smiled again, then said, “Be seated. We are ready to begin the banquet.”

Lothar escorted Abbey to one end of the table, seated her, then walked around and sat across from her.

As soon as they were seated, the empress said, “We did not have time to have a full company, but such as we have, you are welcome to, my dear Abbey.”

“Oh, I can't imagine anything more welcoming than this.”

“You like our kingdom, do you?”

“I've never seen anything like it,” Abbey said, her eyes glowing. “I was all wrong—I thought that any kingdom underground would be dirty and ugly, but this is beautiful.”

“I'm glad you find it so,” the empress said with satisfaction. “The prince has told you something of our history?”

“Yes, a little, but there's much I don't know.”

“Then we will inform you, but first we will eat.”

Immediately a procession of servants, all of them pale and undersized—and looking very thin and hungry—began to file by, carrying silver and golden vessels. The sadness of their faces was in violent contrast with the setting.

These must be the Underlings, the slaves
, Abbey thought.

None of them smiled, and they kept their heads lowered.

When a younger servant dropped a fork, the empress hissed at him. “You fool! Be careful!”

The Underling began to tremble and mutter his apologies.

“You'll find yourself back in the mines if you don't watch what you're doing,” Empress Fareena snapped. Then she turned back and smiled. “They're hard to train, the Underlings, for service like this. They're good for nothing but digging. But let me ask you about yourself, my dear Abbey. Tell me how you came to this place. We have heard of the Sleepers but of course have never heard the truth. I think the truth is important, don't you?”

“Oh, yes, Your Majesty. Very important.”

“Good! We are agreed then. Tell me the story of the Sleepers.”

Abbey spoke freely of how the Sleepers had come to Nuworld. She became so engrossed in her tale that she forgot to eat, but there was always an Underling there to give her hot food. She told of their adventures and how Goél delivered them from death not once but many times.

“Ah, yes, Goél. A mighty, mighty power is his,” the empress said thoughtfully. “And what do you make of him? Do you know him well?”

Abbey hesitated. “Well, I know him, of course. He's not like anyone else.”

“Does he wear armor? Is he large and powerful?” Prince Lothar demanded, leaning forward.

“Oh, no. Not at all. He wears a simple gray cloak. He's not as tall as you are, Prince.”

“Then how does he command such loyalty?” the
empress asked. “All over Nuworld he has followers. I cannot understand it. I've never met him. Can you explain it?”

“I think it must be that he has such love for his people.”

The empress exchanged a quick glance with Prince Lothar. “That is it? He
loves
people? You mean the lords and ladies of nobility?”

“I don't think there are any ‘nobles' in his kingdom, and he doesn't show any difference. Why, he shows just as much love to the lowest as he does to the most powerful warrior.”

Lothar shifted uncomfortably. He wore a frown on his handsome face. “I cannot see how that would work,” he said finally. “You must have discipline, and the only way to have that is to instill fear.”