Through the fire (9)

Through the fire (9)

So Jack threw open one of the windows.

A great gust of wind into the room and blew the cold wet rain into his face.

" Now, little Jack, look on the window sill. "

Just outside, seated on the sill in a little pool of water, was a tiny man dressed in dull green.
He had long wavy hair that looked heavy and wet, and his clothes were shiny with water.

" Tell him, " whispered the Princess, " that he must bring Prince Fluvius here; " and Jack repeated her message to the water fairy.

The water fairy at once disappeared.

Suddenly the room began to grow dark.

" He is coming, " said the Princess.

" Then there floated up outside the window a white cloud which rested on the sill. The cloud opened, and from it stepped the figure of a young man, gorgeously dressed in silver and green.

His eyes were a deep blue, just the colour of the sea.

At sight of Princess Pyra, he would have dashed right up to the bars, had she not begged him, for both their sakes, not to come inside the window.

" At least we should perish together, " sighed the Prince.  

" No, " said the Princess. "
" Since I last saw you I have learned that there is only one person in  the world who can help us ,  and that is the old man at the North Pole. " 

(9/15)