So ready was the Wise One to give counsel wherever it was required, that much sooner than could have been expected from one of his age, he stood before the King. Creeping Shadow, lifting her eyes eagerly, beheld a very ancient fairy, clad in deep scarlet. His beard was white as snow. His eyes were piercingly keen. Never had she seen anyone who looked at once so ancient and so wise.
“Your Majesty,” said the Wise One gravely, making him a low obeisance, “How can I serve you?”
“Give me of your good counsel,” King Red Flame besought him. “Far away in the cave of her brother, the Wizard, the Shadow Witch lies imprisoned, not for any fault of hers, but for her kindness to Prince Radiance and my beloved daughter. Her servant Creeping Shadow, whom you see yonder, has come to beg the Prince to haste to her deliverance. What say you? If he goes, will he have power to deliver her? If he goes, will he return in safety?”
Anxiously Princess White Flame fixed her eyes upon the Wise One’s face, and awaited his answer to her father’s question. No less anxiously did Creeping Shadow listen to hear the fate of her dear mistress.
“Nay, Your Majesty,” replied the Wise One, with great earnestness, “deeply as the Prince is indebted to the Shadow Witch, brave though he is and potent as is his Sword of Flames against the Wizard, it is not given to him to deliver her.”
Hearing his words, tears rushed to the eyes of Creeping Shadow. “Alas! alas! My poor mistress!” she sobbed. “If this be true, what is to become of her in the dense darkness where she lies captive with all her magic power gone?”
A low murmur of pity ran from one to the other of the kind-hearted fire fairies, from the King himself, to the humblest fairy gathered there.
Princess White Flame laid a consoling hand upon Creeping Shadow’s shoulder. “Wait but a moment,” she told her. “The Wise One has great knowledge, great wisdom. No magic is hid from him. Somewhere there must be one who can bring succor to your mistress. The Wise One will know of him, and can tell us where he may be found.”
“You speak truly, my Princess,” the Wise One hastened to inform her. “It is written in my Book of Wisdom that when this misfortune falls upon the Shadow Witch, there is but one who can release her from that enchanted chamber where the Wizard now holds her, but one who can bring her unharmed through the perils which will afterward beset her.”
“His name?” cried the King, Prince Radiance and the Princess, in one voice. “His name?” cried Creeping Shadow beseechingly.