And Flame got him right speedily to the great room that had been for his sleeping aforetime. There, as of old, was a great chest wherein were the garments he had brought with him from his home, the isle of sea-surge and fire-bloom. Therefrom he chose raiment of Sea-Surge and Fire-Bloomrich silk wherein leapt and flickered all colours as of driftwood burning—copper, and blue, and green, and rose, and violet—with a broidered cloak of velvet like clear flame. And he did on a sword the hilt whereof was wrought in divers hues of pure gold.
And when all was done, and in the wont of youth he looked upon his likeness in a mirror of silver that was there, he laughed in his heart for that he was young and comely, and for that he was now returned to the home of his heart.
Then with all speed he betook him thence to the great meadow. The Silken TentAnd when he was come thither, he saw that a little way off at the edge of the forest was a silken tent that was like a purple iris, so beautiful it was, and that thereunder were King Telwyn and Queen Ellaline, looking upon the pleasure of their people.
And Flame saw that whereas the Princess Roseheart had been in the midst of the crowd when first he had seen her, she was now with her father and mother, the King and Queen, under the canopy, that had been set in a mossy glade flecked with sunlight and shadow, and glad with delicate flowers. The maid stood at the Of Queen Ellalineside of the Queen her mother talking shiningly of all that had befallen that morning. And the Queen Ellaline, most fair indeed to look upon, in thin silk of silver-grey, wherethrough showed under-silks of blue and violet, smiled happily at the life and eagerness of the maid her daughter.
And when the people saw that Flame, the son of Lokus, was come once more, from overseas, to claim his troth-plight, the Princess Roseheart, they pressed upon him clamouring, glad with great joy that the youth was grown a man, in full stature of strength and bravery. And Flame returned Of Greetingstheir greetings in all courtesy and kindness, but ever his eyes turned whither his heart drave, toward the tent like an iris, whereunder, like one dreaming, stood the woman of his heart and his dream, now motionless, with her soul in her eyes.
And when King Telwyn made sure that the figure of flickering beauty that burned its way through the crowd of the people was Flame, son of Lokus, and none other, his heart was as a harp, swept with chords of joy and questioning, of fear, and a nameless pain that now mayhap he must give his little maid, that was as the remembered joy of his youth, to the clasp A Silver Trumpet Singingof a man, in whom should be her life thenceforward. But the heart of Queen Ellaline was as a silver trumpet singing, that the maid her daughter was now to live the life of a woman, giving her life to a man, that it should be greatened unto her, and to the world.
X.
The Humility of Pride