Chapter XXIII: Prisoner of Love

Margaret stirred in her sleep, and with a tremulous sigh wakened. Her fingers touched cool, white linen, creased still where the folds had been, faintly scented from sprays of lavender. She saw one ray of sunlight level through soft gloom, and golden motes danced therein like fairies. Above swung rose-silk curtains swaying ever so gently to a ship's motion, and wonder dawned in her eyes.

Her armour was gone, her dripping sword, the air of flame, the sea of blood, the roar of battle--all gone like a bad dream. She reached out her right hand, and thrust it softly, quivering at the touch, against a man's rough hair.

The man was kneeling by the bed, his face buried in the white coverlet, his dark hair streaked with silver, and his great, strong arms stretched out as though to guard her even in her dreams. Of dull stained gold, was his rough shirt of mail, torn, ragged, bloody; then he lifted his head and she saw the grave majesty of his face. Again her hand went out groping until her uncertain fingers touched him--and he was real!

"The everlasting life," she whispered.

And he answered: "It is everlasting Love." And then the passion leapt into his eyes. "Love me," he cried. "Love me! Love me, Margaret!"

She thrust the palm of her hand against his mouth.

"Afterwards--but this is the Earth, and so I've got to die. Oh save me, Brand," she cried. "I can't die, now! I can't die! How can I die now! And yet--must I not lead my people on the Other Side, ride with my Guard yonder?" Her head fell wearily, and her eyes closed. "It is all well--you were true to me."

He clutched her hand and kissed it passionately. "Margaret! Margaret! You shall not die!"

"The Palace rocks," she muttered, "like a ship. It was only a little wound, but my neck throbs, and with the daybreak--will it hurt much, Brand, will it be worse than a wound, this death?"

"Margaret, you live, England is saved! Don't you hear, Margaret, can't you understand, I have destroyed the Russian Fleet, I have swept away the armies, delivered London, crushed the League! Oh, love me a little, Margaret, just a little. I have waited so long, and fought so hard for love."

"Give me some wine--I can't understand all at once. Give me a little wine."

He brought a glass of wine, and she, sitting up in bed, made him share with her. The level sun rays shining on her face welcomed a delicate flush of her returning strength, and made her hair an aureole of glory. Then, looking full into the light--

"I never thought," said Margaret, reverently, "that I should see the sunset."

"It is the sunrise," he answered.

"The sunrise?"

"Yes."

"Where are we? Not in my Palace?"

"The Palace was burned yesterday. This is your Majesty's flagship, the _Coronation_," Brand crossed to the open port, and, looking out, "There, is the Strait of Dover," he said, "and the sun has just risen, turning the North Sea into a field of silver. Above there are little clouds like petals of roses, and all round us the seagulls. Cannot you hear them, Margaret?"

"Where is the Siberian Fleet?"

"I have destroyed the Siberian Fleet. The Russian Emperor lay dead at your Majesty's feet, and the officers of his General Staff are prisoners in this ship. The Russian Army has surrendered."

"And the French Army, and the German?"

"Surrendered as prisoners of war. I have blown up all their magazines, their ammunition trains to the last cartridge. Their commanders-in-chief are prisoners on board the _Virgin_."

"And my people are saved!"

Brand came to the bedside, and there kneeling down, kissed our Lady's hand.

"Oh, love me," he whispered, "just a little!"

"And you are alive!" The blood raced in her veins, her heart was crying out for him. "I saw you in a little ship all alone, dying, I thought; and underneath there were rivers and lakes, and forests streaming by."

"You saw me, then?"

"In a dream, yes."

"Only love dreams like that. You love me, Margaret."

"I love my country, you were the one hope left, and I saw you dying. Tell me how you come to be alive."

"Rivers, and lakes, and forest," answered Brand. "You did not see the mountains, then? Great, big mountains came up against the west, higher and higher, alp piled on alp, precipice on precipice, mile on mile of ice barring the ship's way. They were the Alps of St. Elias. Oh, Margaret--say you love me before I go on."

"What did you do when the ship came to the mountains?"

"She was running right at them, a hundred miles an hour, I couldn't stir hand or foot, and I was being whirled helpless against an enormous cliff."

Margaret gripped his hand. "Yes! Go on!"

"Then you do love me? Only love grips like that."

"Don't I love all my brothers of the Guard? You wear the dress of my brothers. Please, go on."

"At the last instant something gave me strength--the thought that the Queen must be saved. I clutched at the levers, I got control of the ship, swung upwards grazing a hanging cornice of green ice, then turning in long circles slowly down, drove my ship into a pineclad slope, and, I think, fainted. When I came to again I was lying beside a camp fire under the shadow of the woods, and far aloft, right up in the full glory of the day, one great white mountain shone against the sky. Some dozen or so of men were sitting round the fire, and I heard them in fierce argument. Several maintained that by my dress I must be an officer of her Majesty's Bodyguard, others by portraits they had seen in the newspapers, by my ship the _Experiment_, and by documents found with me, swore that I was Brand. Then one--a man dressed in deerskin, who seemed to have authority--said that he knew well I was one of the Queen's Blackguards. He knew all about it--had not the last mail brought a letter from his brother newly appointed to that very regiment?

"There was something familiar in the man's face, and presently when he came over to render me some small service, I said I knew his brother, Trooper Browne."

"How strange!"

"Such small coincidences have changed the history of the world. Mr. Browne told me that I had been lying in the camp for more than a week, delirious and raving of the Queen. He and his partners were mining rubies--they shall not lack rubies while I live. They were like women in their gentleness, and in their care I gained strength day by day until at last I was able to sit with them by the camp fire, to tell them of the Queen's desperate peril. I need not tell you they were loyal men--they were Canadians and burning to serve with me. Then the day came when I had strength to climb the hill path to where I had left my ship. The miners brought up provisions from the camp, and, crowded on board the _Experiment_, we sailed, fourteen men--not many for the conquest of the world."

"But with your terrible etheric power!"

Brand laughed. "The _Experiment_ was not so very terrible. For armament we had three shotguns, eight axes, a sword, and our pistols--that is until we raided a town and got some rifles. Our next necessity was a modern etheric ship able to ram, to defend herself, and to destroy explosives. We found the _Revenge_ at Denver, in charge of state officials who had the audacity to deny my ownership. After a fight, we got possession, only to find ourselves in a steel prison with neither food nor water. The crew of the _Revenge_ had been dispersed, her engines were disabled, we were attacked by federal troops, and on the fourth day when we were half dead with thirst and hunger, a battery of artillery opened fire. There were only eight of us left when we got the _Revenge_ afloat. She was riddled with shell fire, her splintered sides gaping open, her cabins all in flames, and the shells were screaming past. She rolled till we thought she would turn over, the engines were rocking loose in their bed, she fluttered once as though she were foundering, and my men came about me waiting for the end. I told them of the old _Revenge_, and how Sir Richard Greville fought a great Spanish Fleet, his courage against their galleons--and how he died breathing the name of his Queen. Could we not fight the new _Revenge_ for Margaret? They sang the National Anthem while I was testing for strains, and they stopped the singing to cheer when I said the _Revenge_ would live.

"Denver will never forget the _Revenge_. I held the city to ransom. The officials must find me my own seamen and engineers, provisions, water, yes, and salute your Union Jack, or I swore I'd not leave one man alive in their streets. They did not know I was helpless."

Margaret's eyes were growing moist as she listened, and when she turned away her head lest he should see her--

"Don't turn away," he cried, "I can hardly hear myself speak for this roaring sound in my ears. I've gone stark, staring mad with love, and I can't bear it if you turn away."

"You must not talk like that," said Margaret, and her white hand stole out within his reach. "Go on, sir," she added stiffly, and he went on.

"We found this ship, the _Coronation_, at Chicago, and the wreck of the _Revenge_ fought a squadron of electric battleships before we captured our prize. With the _Coronation_ I reduced Chicago to terms, then, manned and equipped, set out to find me a fleet. Ship after ship I found in the American cities, captured, manned, provisioned, and drilled them for war. I wonder I ever lived through that delay, knowing that the League had invaded England, that London was besieged, that any moment news might come--that I was too late." He pressed the back of her hand against his lips. "I had command of the air, and nineteen etheric ships of the line when at last I left America. At Lyonesse I embarked ten thousand men, advanced on London, and saw the Royal Standard still floating above the towers of the Palace. I destroyed the Siberian Fleet; didn't you hear the explosion of their battleships, my royal salute to the Flag? And then with a landing party I entered the Palace at last, groping through the smoke and the darkness, trying to find the throne-room, wild with fright lest I should be too late. Oh, say that you love me, Margaret!"

"I am your prisoner," she answered, softly.

"Prisoner of war."

"Prisoner of love," he cried.

"Prisoner of love," she looked into his eyes. "I was such a prisoner long, long ago. What else, do you think, kept me alive, save that I hoped you would come back again. Indeed, I do love you. Go, dear, or I shall cry."

So Brand was sent away knowing that he had conquered all the world, and that the world is the shadow of God, being made of love.

* * * * *

A chair of state was set in the saloon of the _Coronation_, a guard of honour drew up to receive her Majesty, then entered the masters and engineers of Brand's etheric fleet, the seven Canadian frontiersmen, and the seventeen men who remained of the Queen's Blackguards. Two of these, Trooper Hylton and Trooper Browne, being badly wounded, were borne in on stretchers. Then her Majesty entered, wearing the uniform of the Guard for the last time, and the American led her to her seat.

Brand presented his officers and the Canadians, and then our Lady spoke to us.

"Officers of the Fleet, and you, gentlemen, from the Province of Yukon, and you, my dear brothers of the Guard--we have been down into the valley of the Shadow of Death, and we have come back to the living World, humbled by the pitiful compassion which has spared us. Our Empire was threatened with dishonour, with enslavement and vassalage to Russia--and millions of our people have given their lives to save us from that shame. Millions have died to save our English freedom, and I speak for all our dead when I say that never while the earth endures shall our Liberty be threatened again. We are given the mastery of the air, and we will use that mastery to make sure that no earthly power shall ever rise up again against our freedom, or against our British peace. For you, whose valour has saved our fallen Empire, I bear such love and gratitude--oh, how can I find words of thankfulness! I am beggared of love, bankrupt in gratitude, because I never can pay my debts to you. My life shall be the proof that Margaret does not forget, but for the present I beg you hear me by deputy."

So the Queen ceased, and when much noise and waving of swords had ended, the Master, standing at her right hand began to read these words:--

"Master Mariners of the Etheric Fleet, her Imperial Majesty has
been pleased to grant to your ships, the white Ensign, and every
honour becoming vessels of war. Your Commodore takes flag rank
as Admiral of the Fleet. Commanding officers take rank as
Captains, First Engineers as Fleet Engineers; and to your
officers and seamen, is given their equivalent naval rank with
pay and pension dating from the time of first entry on board an
etheric ship, and arrears in full of all the pay which would have
been earned in the Imperial Navy.

"Admiral Watson is created a peer of the United Kingdom, and the
Captains and Fleet Engineers will receive the honour of
knighthood.

"To the gentlemen of the Yukon contingent: Her Majesty bestows
upon Frederick Browne, a peerage, and creates the rest of you
knights. Funds will be granted for the proper maintenance of
these dignities.

"To the lords and gentlemen of the Guard: Those of you who
engaged as servant orderlies, will receive the honour of
knighthood and funds for the maintenance of your dignities.
Those who engaged as troopers of the Guard, her Majesty desires
to speak to you, stand forward!"

Out of two hundred gentlemen of the Guard, many were on detached service, but there stood forward: Sergeant Branscombe, Corporal du Plessis, Corporal de la Rey, Troopers Lord Ludford, Sir Marshall Poynte, George St. Leven, Patrick Burke, and Alexander Barrie; Trooper Browne and Trooper Hylton were wounded.

"My brothers," said our Lady, "beyond all accidents of rank and sorrow we have been so drawn one to another in perfect trust and faith, that I am sister to you rather than Queen. I thought once, that being made Queen I must give up everything that was dear to me, no longer be able to trust a friend, but always live separate, lonely and miserable. But when in my bitter need you were still loyal, and when my weakness leaned upon your strength, I learned that where love is there can be no solitude. So even in our last extremity, when we fought side by side, while we prayed for death, it was your love which kept my faith alive and gave me some poor courage. I was almost worthy at last to be your comrade--and we are comrades still."

Our Lady never knew how the words burnt. Ours was no brotherhood or comradeship, we were not creatures of wood or stone, passionless, but made of flesh and blood which did her worship, for we were men, and she a woman beyond any accident of rank or sorrow. So our great Sovereign Lady spoke to us, and we, with cast down eyes and shame in our hearts, made ready to do her obedience.

"I have no rewards to offer you, my brothers, you never worked for reward, and you would ask of me nothing but the glory of serving the Empire. You shall serve as my hands serve me, you shall be my hands bearing my whole authority each in your province, you shall be treated as I am treated, with every observance due to kings, you are created Viceroys, you are given power to use my signature, to execute my justice. You are each granted one or more of these etheric ships under your sole command. Each in your province, you will take such Lyonesse ships as you can find, man and equip them for purposes of state.

"Sergeant Branscombe, I make you Viceroy of Russia, to conquer the Russian Empire, capture the head of the Government and bring him prisoner to me, disarm all troops, destroy all vessels of war, blow up all arsenals and report to me.

"Corporal du Plessis, you have heard what I said to the Viceroy of Russia, I create you Viceroy of Germany. Capture the Emperor, disarm his Empire, and report to me.

"Corporal de la Rey, I create you Viceroy of France. Capture the President, disarm the Republic, and report to me.

"Trooper, Lord Ludford, I create you my Viceroy in the New World. Go to the President of the United States and, with all delicacy and courtesy, offer him our sympathy and help. With his consent, destroy the enemies of the Republic, and deliver their leaders to him as prisoners of war. Send help to the Viceroy of Canada.

"Trooper, Sir Marshall Poynte, I create you Viceroy of the Mediterranean States. Destroy all hostile armaments and restore the British peace.

"Trooper St. Leven, I create you Viceroy of Delhi. You will find India in flames from end to end, and our Government in desperate need. Crush down all insurrection, punish the rebels and mutineers, and where mercy would seem like weakness, make our justice terrible enough to ensure against any fear for our people. You will find Prince Ali of Haidar reigning at Delhi. Hang him and make proclamation that he is punished as a Russian spy. The Russian invasion you will turn back. You will in all else obey the orders of the Viceroy of India.

"Trooper Burke, I create you Viceroy of the China Seas. Destroy all hostile armaments, and restore peace throughout your jurisdiction.

"Trooper Barrie, I create you Viceroy of Africa. Subdue all forces hostile to our Empire, annexing their territories, and restoring our peace.

"Trooper Browne and Trooper Hylton, you are both created to the rank of Viceroy, and will be commissioned as soon as your wounds are healed.

"Viceroys of the Guard, I believe in my heart that this was long ago foretold, this war of all the nations--is it not the Armageddon? And afterwards it is written, that the devil shall be chained up for a thousand years. 'There shall be no more war.' What if it be true? Peace for a thousand years, the Millennium--the reign of Christ! Did you ever notice that our flag--see, hanging here above our heads--the Union Jack--does it not bear three crosses? On Calvary there stood three crosses. You will carry this flag, my brothers, and it shall fly over all lands and seas throughout the world--the holy symbol of the last Crusade, and the founding of the New Jerusalem. It was to be no city built by human hands, but fallen from Heaven--the Planet. The length and the breadth, and the height of it are equal, for it is the round world. There shall be no night there, for the sun shines from everlasting to everlasting. This Earth is a city eternal in the heavens where the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. My knights, I send you out upon this quest to bring peace to the whole earth. Avenge justice, but be merciful, and in wielding your power be very humble. For every act of yours, my people will hold me responsible, for every mistake I shall be judged. Do not let me be brought to judgment for any ruthless abuse of power, or any act of unchristian vengeance. I have placed my honour in your keeping.

"And when you have restored peace, your power ends, you come back to be citizens of the Empire, obedient as I am to the laws and customs of my people. I am only Queen by their election, not by any authority of my own. In this time of weakness and peril it was my duty to rule, to see that policy was marred by no divided counsels, to stand at the brunt of danger. So soon as there is peace and safety, I shall deliver back my sovereignty into the hands of those who gave it to me, to the great, free Electorate, my masters, my judges, my kings whom I serve. If they are pleased with me I am still Queen, but not of my own right, only in their love. The only throne of Britain is in the hearts of the British, the only sceptre is the defence of Liberty.

"These are the terms of your service--and so, my dear brothers, I commend you to God's keeping."

When she had said that, our Lady rose from the throne and her face became radiant with a new loveliness and glory such as we had never dreamed of. She had forgotten us, her servants, and men-at-arms, and with a great royal gesture, reached out her right hand to Brand, Master of Lyonesse. She never said a word, but stood looking down upon him, as kneeling, he took her hand in his, and pressed his lips to her fingers with a reverent kiss.