“Well,” Josh said to Sarah, “it looks like the storybooks were right. They’re going to live happily ever after.”
16
An Adventure Ends
The kingdom of Falmor knew peace and joy that had been only a memory to some of the older men and women. The king moved among his people, smiling and greeting them, and daily he listened to their needs as they came before him. Always at his right hand was his daughter, the Lady Lara. And always close beside her was Sir Roland Winters, who would be the prince and the future king.
The Sleepers enjoyed themselves tremendously as the days passed. They hunted. They fished. They rode with the hounds. None enjoyed all this more than Reb Jackson. He proved himself to be the best horseman in the land. When he braided a rope and performed before the court—bringing down a wild bull by throwing a loop around its front legs—the entire kingdom idolized Sir Reb.
“Have you noticed that little redheaded lady who watches you so closely?” Roland asked Reb one day.
“Oh, I don’t pay any attention to things like that,” Reb muttered.
“Her father is a powerful lord. If you wanted to, I think you could marry her and become a very important man in the kingdom of Falmor.”
“I’m a very important man already,” Reb said. “I’m one of the Seven Sleepers.”
Roland grinned. “I didn’t think you’d be interested. How long will you all be staying, do you think?”
“Don’t know. And I suppose you’re not going back with us.”
“Uh . . . no,” Roland said absently.
Later that day he was walking along the parapet of the castle with Lady Lara. They stopped and looked out over the green fields, which were beautiful indeed. In the distance smoke was rising from farm house chimneys, and white clouds drifted lazily overhead. “You know,” he said, “I must go back and make things right with my parents.”
“I knew you would say that someday.” The princess hesitated, biting her lower lip. “I will miss you.”
“I would ask you to accompany me, but it wouldn’t be proper for a princess to travel alone with a man for such a long way.”
Lady Lara lifted her eyebrows. “And can you think of no way to make it proper?”
For a moment Roland was surprised. He laughed. “I can think of one way. If we were married, then traveling together would be perfectly proper.”
Lara waited, then said impatiently, “Well?”
“Well what?”
“Well, are you not going to propose?”
“I am going to propose. I want to marry you. I’ll be the best husband to you I can be—if you’ll have me.”
Far down the castle parapet, Josh and Sarah stood watching Roland and the princess. “We really shouldn’t be snooping like this!” he protested.
“Don’t be silly!” Sarah said dreamily. “If they don’t want to be seen, they should have hidden themselves.” Josh shrugged. “Well, they evidently don’t care who sees them. I guess that settles that.” “It’s just like a fairy tale, isn’t it, Josh?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t lived many of those.”
“Then your education’s been neglected.”
They watched until Lady Lara and Roland walked on, and then Josh said, “Well, Sarah, we’re about to the end of another adventure.”
“There’s another one coming, though. Goél always sees to that. He keeps life interesting.”
It was later in the afternoon when Goél suddenly appeared to the Seven Sleepers and told them, “The eagles await, my young friends.”
The Sleepers, as always, were happy to see him. They said, “We’ll have to say our good-byes to the king and the court.”
“Any farewells must be brief. There’s an emergency. You must come quickly.”
“Well, I like that!” Jake muttered as they set off to find their friends. “Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Probably have to go kill a few dragons, Reb.”
Josh and Sarah said quick good-byes to the princess and to Roland, who grinned and said, “You’ll come back someday, won’t you?”
“We would be happy to. But you never know when you follow Goél,” Josh said. “We let him give the directions. Good-bye, Lady Lara. Good-bye, Roland.”
Goél led the Seven Sleepers to where Kybus and the great birds were waiting. “Go quickly now, and I will meet you and give you more instructions.”
Josh went over to where Sarah was about to mount her eagle. “Let me help you,” he said. He put his hand down as he had seen squires do. But when she put her foot in it, he heaved so strongly that she flew over the eagle and landed on her back with a grunt.
But instead she laughed. “That’s all right, Josh. I’m not hurt. Let’s try it again—but a little more gently this time.”
He put both hands down and carefully lifted her into the saddle. Then he took her hand and kissed it. “There,” he said. “Is that romantic enough?”
Sarah blushed. “It’ll do for starters,” she said.
And soon the air was filled with the sound of beating wings as the eagles rose toward the sky, carrying the Seven Sleepers into their next adventure.
Get swept away in the many Gilbert Morris
Adventures available from Moody Press:
Seven Sleepers Series
3681-1 Flight of the Eagles
3682-X The Gates of Neptune
3683-3 The Swords of Camelot
3684-6 The Caves That Time Forgot
3685-4 Winged Riders of the Desert
3686-2 Empress of the Underworld
3687-0 Voyage of the Dolphin
3691-9 Attack of the Amazons
3692-7 Escape with the Dream Maker
3693-5 The Final Kingdom
Go with Josh and his friends as they
are sent by Goél, their spiritual leader,
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Bonnets and Bugles Series
0911-3 Drummer Boy at Bull Run
0912-1 Yankee Bells in Dixie
0913-X The Secret of Richmond Manor
0914-8 The Soldier Boy’s Discovery
0915-6 Blockade Runner
0916-4 The Gallant Boys of Gettysburg
0917-2 The Battle of Lookout Mountain
0918-0 Encounter at Cold Harbor
0919-9 Fire Over Atlanta
0920-2 Bring the Boys Home
Follow good friends Leah Carter and
intrigue, compassion, and love in these
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Dixie Morris Animal Adventures
3363-4 Dixie and Jumbo
3364-2 Dixie and Stripes
3365-0 Dixie and Dolly
3366-9 Dixie and Sandy
3367-7 Dixie and Ivan
3368-5 Dixie and Bandit
3369-3 Dixie and Champ
3370-7 Dixie and Perry
3371-5 Dixie and Blizzard
3382-3 Dixie and Flash
Follow the exciting adventures of
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many adventures underneath the Big
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The Daystar Voyages
4102-X Secret of the Planet Makon
4106-8 Wizards of the Galaxy
4107-6 Escape From the Red Comet
4108-4 Dark Spell Over Morlandria
4109-2 Revenge of the Space Pirates
4110-6 Invasion of the Killer Locusts
4111-4 Dangers of the Rainbow Nebula
4112-2 The Frozen Space Pilot
Join the crew of the Daystar as they
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Adventure and danger abound, but they
learn time and again that God is truly
the Master of the Universe. Ages 10-14
“Too Smart” Jones
4025-8 Pool Part Thief
4026-6 Buried Jewels
4027-4 Disappearing Dogs
4028-2 Dangerous Woman
4029-0 Stranger in the Cave
4030-4 Cat’s Secret
Come along for the adventures
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Seven Sleepers - The Lost Chronicles
3667-6 The Spell of the Crystal Chair
3668-4 The Savage Game of Lord Zarak
3669-2 The Strange Creatures of Dr. Korbo
3670-6 City of the Cyborgs
More exciting adventures from the
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Ages 10-14
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