THE DIAMOND AND THE PEARL: WHAT THE MORNING BROUGHT

8.

When April awoke, Carl was not in the cell with them any more.

"Where is Carl?" April asked in alarm.

Mitch and Martha sat up and looked around too. Lolly woke up and immediately went to squawking "Charlie! Charlie! Charlie! Where are you!" over and over again.

"I'll bring you to your precious Charlie," said an ugly looking guard, "since he doesn-It have long to live."

Their hands were tied behind their backs; then, they were led to the edge of a narrow bridge. Twenty feet below the bridge lay the sea. Its current moving too swiftly for any human being to swim.

Carl and Joleren stood ready for combat, Joleren had Neleger around his neck. Carl had only his own skill and wit, but still determination shone in his eyes.

The battle began. Joleren used his own skill and strength, but Carl was fast on his feet and managed to escape most of Joleren's blows. As the battle progressed, though, Joleren noticed that Carl was not giving any blows of his own. Immediately, Joleren decided to take advantage of this, and with all his strength he threw himself at Carl. Carl saw the blow coming and stepped out of the way. Carl was fast, but not quite fast enough. Joleren's sword blade nicked Carl on the side of the face, but Joleren had not killed Carl and that- angered Joleren very much.

The battle started again. This time both Joleren and Carl taking many blows at each other. Then without warning, as Carl sidestepped one of Joleren's blows, Joleren stuck out his foot and tripped Carl, who was sent sprawling on the bridge. Joleren stood over him, his blade held high sparkled in the early morning sun. Then Joleren's sword came down, down toward Carl's head. In desperation Carl brought up Gaelry to block the blow. Joleren's sword came down on Gaelry. There was the sound of metal on metal, and then a piercing crack split the air. Joleren's blade shattered in his hand. Joleren threw away the useless sword and went for Carl's throat with his hands. Carl quickly rolled out of the way, and in doing so he banged very hard against Joleren's leg, sending the man off balance.

Joleren reeled backwards, his hands waving wildly, but there was nothing to hold onto. He went head-over-heels into the sea below, and the swift current bore him quickly away.

All of a sudden, the air seemed to sparkle and shimmer, then a very thick fog appeared obscuring everyone's vision. When the fog cleared, everything was changed. Trees appeared. Some with new little, green leaves and others in full bloom. Birds sang all around, and children laughed and played everywhere. It was so beautiful that April and the others felt like crying, all except Lolly who began squawking for joy.

"Glad! Glad! Glad!" Lolly repeated over and over again.

April, Mitch, and Martha raced over to Carl, standing alone and exhausted.

"What about Neleger?" asked April, hesitantly. "Is ... is it gone?"

Carl looked at her and then looked behind her. His eyes widened in surprise. He made a little bow. At first, April thought Carl was bowing to her, and she was very puzzled. Then she heard a bell-like voice behind her reply: "Only Neleger's case is gone."

Surprised, April, Martha, and Mitch all turned around and tared in wonder. In front of them stood the most beautiful lady that any of them had ever seen. She was young, maybe 25, and slim and graceful. She wore a pale blue and turquoise silic dress, and she had a green coral bracelet on one of her wrists. Her hair was auburn, and she had eyes that matched the color of the sea. Upon her head she wore a crown of sea flowers.

"Who are you?" April asked.

"I am Princess Maria Maekil of Melou," the lady answered.

April was astonished. She felt like she should say or do something but could think of nothing to say or do, so she just stood there and looked at the princess, with an astonished expression on her face.

The princess turned and looked at Carl, who bowed when the princess bowed; then, she looked at the parrot that sat on his shoulder.

"Come, Lolly," she said sweetly.

Lolly came and sat on Maria's shoulder and preened his feathers.

"Lolly used to be my pet before Joleren laid the spell on Melou," Maria explained. "He was not in Melou when it happened, and thus he was not affected and had to go away because if he had stayed and Joleren had caught him he would have been put under the spell, too. I did not know what had happened to him after that."

"He came to my father's castle," Carl said, "and he stayed there until about a month ago when he just disappeared."

Maria held up a little pearl that hung around her neck.

"If you think that Neleger is lost, you are wrong," she said.

"The gold disk, the pearls, and the diamond were all just a case. By themselves, they could do nothing. I slipped this pearl from behind the diamond last night while he slept. I knew that if I didn't he would win the battle. Even now, though, I wish that he had not died. I would rather have seen him locked in a dungeon, and made as miserable as he made Melou all these years."

"But if you were under the spell, too. Then how did you get into his room to get the pearl?" Martha asked.

"I have been a prisoner for many years," Maria answered. the.Princess of Melou, as you know, but I am also a powerful sorceress, more powerful than Joleren. He was able to take most of my magic from me, but not all of it. There was a little bit left. I decided not to use it until the need for it was at its greatest. I used that magic to get into his room last night. And now that he is dead, I have back my magic and am also no longer his prisoner, either.

Maria walked to where Carl was standing. She gently touched his wounded cheek. Immediately, the skin healed, not even a scar remained. Then she slipped the pearl necklace over his head.

"Here, you may have this since I have no need for it, and you have come a long way to gain it," she said.

"Now, Mitch, Martha, and April," the princess continued, "you must say good-bye to Carl. The time has come for you to return home.,,

While Mitch and Martha said good-bye to Carl, April approached Maria. "May I ask you one question?" she said.

"Certainly, what would you like to ask?"

"what year is it here in Aerilyn and Melou?" asked April.

The princess said, "The year is L.4, but I doubt that that will mean very much to you, for T have heard that where you come from they tell time a little differently than we do here."

April smiled back, "Yes, T guess they do, but thank you anyway." Then, she turned to say good-bye to Carl.

"Bye," she said.

"Bye," he replied.

Then Carl slipped the pearl necklace from around his neck and slipped it over April's head.

"I think you wanted this first," Carl said.

April nodded, "Thank you."

Then she turned back to the princess.

"Now, all hold hands," Maria instructed them. Then she took their hands in her own. The next second all three of them --Mitch, Martha and April -- were all standing by the hole again, and their mom was calling them in for lunch. They all looked around, apparently no time had passed in their world while they were at Aerilyn. They all looked at each other and smiled. Then they raced for the house.

The End