The Princess White Flame hesitated no longer. “Lead on,” she said, “and I will follow.”
Rejoiced that she had been able to persuade the Princess so easily, the Earth Fairy passed at once out of the Garden, and away from the Palace of Burning Coals, and close beside her fluttered the white flame of the Princess.
Silently they traveled, and after a time the country through which they were passing began to look strange to the Princess. Yet, though they went on and on, she still saw no sign of Prince Radiance. At last she began to question the Earth Fairy, who always replied that they had but a short distance farther to go.
The lovely flame-colored and yellow trees of the Land of the Fire Fairies had been left far behind; the little birds that make a music in the Fire Kingdom like none elsewhere, were heard no more: the beautiful palaces, the shining gardens, where happy fairies worked and played, had vanished. On all sides rose dull red caves, huge heaps of ash, or high black walls of soot, ugly and forbidding.
Hideous creatures crept away into darkness as they drew near, or peered out upon them from hiding-places as they passed.
Princess White Flame shuddered, and her light grew pale and dim. “Whither are you leading me?” she cried faintly, “Answer truly, for I will go no further.”
The Earth Fairy laughed mockingly. “Well may you ask,” she replied. “Evil for you was the hour when you left your garden to follow me. Behold in me the Earth Fairy--your parents’ enemy and yours.”
A great trembling seized the unfortunate Princess. In this terrible land, helpless in the power of this wicked fairy, how could she hope ever again to see the Prince who had won her heart? How could she hope ever again to return to her father in the Palace of Burning Coals?
Coldly and cruelly the voice of the Earth Fairy came to her in her despair.
“Many years was I a prisoner by King Red Flame’s command, and dark and dreary was my cell. Now my turn for vengeance has come, and you may be well assured that in the place that I have chosen for you, neither the beauty of your voice, nor your flashing brightness shall avail you aught.”
Before them yawned a black and narrow cave, its walls hung thick with soot. From under her cloak the Earth Fairy drew her Green Wand. She extended it over the Princess, and pointed to the cave. “By the power of my Green Wand I command you to enter,” she cried.