III.   THE ROSE-PRINCESS FULFILLS HER DESTINY.

Gruff Dr. Mux took the white rosebud home with him, little thinking it was the lost Princess, which was perhaps just as well, seeing that he was such an enemy to the royal family. At least every one thought he was, but everybody was wrong to think so, as, in spite of the names he called them, he was really a great upholder of the throne, and in his humble house the exiled King and Queen had been hidden all the time of the revolution. No one thought of looking for them in the house of such a red republican as Dr. Mux, so they were as safe there as though they were guarded by stone walls and faithful soldiers.

When Dr. Mux arrived home, he went straight to bed, but arose very early in the morning, before the sun was up, and called the King and Queen.

“Sire and madam,” he said, bowing before them, “as I came through the streets, I noticed that the people were talking about re-establishing the throne.”

“Oh, then we will go back to our palace,” said the Queen joyfully.

“And make an example of all traitors,” observed the King sternly.

“Nothing of the sort, sire and madam,” said the doctor, bowing again. “From what I heard, I think the people want to put your daughter on the throne.”

“Nonsense!” said the King.

“Pooh!” said the Queen.

“You think so?” observed the doctor severely. “Listen.”

They did listen, and heard a roar in the distance coming nearer and nearer, then a great mass of people came sweeping up the street, crying out, “Long live Queen Rose!” “Let us see our new Queen!” “Where is the Rose-Princess?”

“Ah, where indeed?” cried the Queen, weeping. “I have not seen our beautiful daughter since the mob attacked the palace.”

“She would easily be recognised,” said the doctor.

“I’m not so sure of that,” replied the King, looking at the Queen. “You know our Princess is enchanted by the faeries.”

“Faeries?” echoed the doctor; “I never saw one.”

“But I did,” said the Queen.

“Excuse me, my dear madam—dyspepsia,” returned the doctor gravely, for you see he did not know how the Princess changed to a rosebud every night.

The Queen was very angry, but dared not say anything, lest the doctor should deliver her up to the mob, who were now surging in the wide street, listening to a man who was speaking.

“That is Ardram the student,” said the doctor. “I saw his sick mother last night—she gave me this rosebud.”

“Ah,” sighed the Queen, as she took the rosebud from the doctor, “how like my poor lost daughter!”

“I do not see the resemblance, sire and madam,” said the doctor; “but listen to Ardram;” and he went out of the room, leaving the King and Queen to hearken to the man who had taken their throne from them. He was talking in a loud tone to the mob, and telling them they ought to elect the Rose-Princess for their Queen, as she would know how to govern better than her parents. The sun was just rising, and the golden beams were shining on his face, so that he looked truly noble.

“A seditious traitor!” cried the King.

“Cut his head off!” said the Queen.

But they had not the power to do so, and, amid cries of “Long live Queen Rose!” Ardram leaped from his standing-place, and all the mob swept down the street to look for the lost Princess.

The King and Queen turned from the window in great anger, when they saw to their surprise that the Rose-Princess was standing in the room.

“My child, my child!” said the King, kissing her.

“It was your rosebud, then?” said the Queen, folding the beautiful girl in her arms.

“What rosebud?” asked the Rose-Princess in surprise; “and how did I come here?”

“The doctor brought you,” said the King.

“Did he carry me through the streets?” asked the Princess, very much astonished. “I wonder I was not recognised.”

“No one could recognise you as you were then,” said the Queen, and nodded wisely, but she did not tell the Princess that she had been a rosebud when she was carried by the doctor.

“I’ve had such a lot of adventures,” said the Rose-Princess; “but I don’t know how I came from one place to the other. First, I was in the palace, then in Ardram’s room, then by his sick mother’s bedside, and now here. It must be the faeries.”

“It is the faeries,” observed the Queen, kissing her daughter again. “You’ll know all about it when you marry the exiled Prince, and break the spell.”

“Oh, I can break whatever spell there is when I marry Ardram,” said the Rose-Princess; “he is the exiled Prince.”

“Nonsense!” said the King, frowning.

“Pooh!” said the Queen in an angry tone.

“Oh, but he is,” cried the Rose-Princess gaily. “I saw his crown, for his mother showed it to me.”

“Then, if he is the real Prince,” said the King, “you had better marry him, and break the enchantment.”

“What enchantment?” asked the Rose-Princess.

“You will find it all out,” began the Queen, “when”—

“When you marry Prince Ardram,” finished the King.

All day the three royal people sat in the humble room of the doctor, and talked about their troubles. Rose-Princess told her parents all about the misery of the people, and how they ought to govern, but the King and Queen only laughed, which showed that the severe lesson of exile was lost on them. Gruff Dr. Mux was very much astonished to see the Rose-Princess, and told her how she had been proclaimed Queen by Ardram.

“Then I’ll marry him,” said the Rose-Princess promptly, “for I love him very much. Where is he?”

“Coming up the street,” said the doctor. Then all four went to the window, and saw that the crowd of people were coming back, looking very disappointed because they had not found the Princess.

Ardram mounted on a great stone in front of the church door, for the cathedral of the city was just opposite the doctor’s house. When the Rose-Princess saw him, she ran out of the room, down the stairs, and across to where the student was standing.

“Ardram, Ardram, I am here!” she cried, and climbed up beside him.

The people recognised their beautiful Princess at once, and cried out,—

“Long live Queen Rose!”

“And King Ardram,” said the Princess loudly; “if you make me Queen, you must make him King, and we will both rule wisely.”

“She never thinks of us,” said her father.

“Ungrateful child!” cried the Queen.

But no one heard them, for the mob began to roar, “Long live King Ardram and Queen Rose!” and the red light of the setting sun shone on the handsome couple as they stood on the stone. Ardram was beside himself with joy, not at being made King, but because the beautiful Rose-Princess had her white arms round his neck, and was saying how much she loved him.

Suddenly the red light in the sky vanished and the sun set, leaving Ardram standing alone on the stone with a white rose in his hand.

“Where is the Queen?” roared the mob.

“I don’t know,” cried Ardram, looking at the white rosebud in a bewildered manner; “she is gone.”

“He wants to be King alone,” cried the people, “and has made the Queen disappear by magic.”

“No, no,” said Ardram. “I love her too much for that.”

“Kill him! kill him! he’s a magician!” yelled the people, and they all pressed forward to tear Ardram off the stone, but, seeing his danger, he jumped down and ran into the church, closing the great doors after him. There he was safe, for the mob dared not to break into the church, but all night roared round it like a stormy sea round a little boat.

The King and Queen left the window, and told the gruff doctor all about the enchantment of the Rose-Princess, which he was now inclined to believe, as he had seen her disappear so suddenly before his eyes. He recommended the Queen to call on the Faery Rosina, which she did, and in a moment the faery, a tall, beautiful woman, in a robe of shining green, was standing before them. Then the doctor did believe in faeries, because he now really saw one for the first time, and was much astonished.

“Well, are you sorry you lost your throne?” asked the faery severely.

“Very,” said the King and Queen together.

“If you go back, will you rule wisely?” she said, looking at them.

“We will rule just as we ruled before,” they replied.

“Then you are not fit to go back,” said Rosina sadly. “I see I have not cured you after all.”

“Nonsense!” said the King.

“Pooh!” said the Queen, and they both thought the faery was very rude.

“I’ll settle everything to-morrow morning,” said the faery, quite angry at their folly. “I can do nothing till the Rose-Princess becomes a woman again—she will of course marry the Prince Ardram to break the spell.”

“Is he really the Prince?” asked the King and Queen together.

“Yes, he is,” retorted the faery shortly, and then vanished, leaving them quite disconsolate, as they thought they would never get back their throne.

Meanwhile Ardram walked up and down the dark church all night, listening to the roaring of the crowd outside, and wondering how the Princess kept vanishing and appearing so strangely. He was more in love with her than ever, and at last went fast asleep on the altar steps, dreaming about his lovely bride, who said he would rule as King with her. The rosebud lay on the steps beside him, but Ardram never thought for a moment that his charming Princess was so near him.

Next morning he awoke in the early grey dawn, before the sun was up, and found himself surrounded by the King, the Queen, Dr. Mux, his mother, now looking strong and well, and a beautiful tall woman, in a green robe, with a wand made of white roses.

“I am the Faery Rosina,” she said to him in a low, sweet voice, “and I am come to put things to rights, Prince Ardram.”

“Why do you call me ‘Prince’ Ardram?” asked the student, looking puzzled.

“The Rose-Princess will tell you,” said the faery, smiling.

“But where is she?” asked Ardram, looking around.

“There,” said the faery, pointing with her wand to the white rosebud, which lay on the floor where Ardram had flung it the previous night.

“Impossible!” he said in astonishment.

“Not at all,” cried the King, coming forward; “nothing is impossible to a royal princess. That rosebud is my daughter.”

“Given to the King and Queen by me,” said Rosina sweetly. “They did not know how to rule, and as I knew this revolution would take place, I wanted to provide an heir to the throne.”

“But the white rose cannot reign,” said Ardram, rather bewildered.

“Not now, but wait till the sun rises,” cried the fairy. “Ah, here is the first yellow beam! Now look.”

Every one looked at the white rosebud lying on the floor, and then a yellow beam which struck through a painted window, creeping nearer and nearer till it shone on the white bud. In an instant that vanished, and in its place stood the Rose-Princess, looking tall and beautiful. On seeing Ardram, she bounded towards him and put her arms round his neck.

ON SEEING ARDRAM SHE BOUNDED TOWARD HIM AND PUT HER ARMS ROUND HIS NECK

“Good morning, my Prince,” she said sweetly.

“But I am no prince,” cried Ardram, clasping her to his breast.

“Yes, you are,” said the Rose-Princess merrily; “you are the great-grandson of the King who was deposed.”

“Is this true, mother?” asked Ardram.

“Perfectly true,” she replied, producing the crown. “Here is the royal crown; you are the real King, but I did not dare to tell you till the Faery Rosina gave me permission.”

“And I waited till now because I wanted you to marry the Princess Rose,” said the faery, as Ardram placed the crown on his head. “The Princess is enchanted, and turns into a rose every night, so in order to break the spell she must marry you.”

“When?” asked both lovers together.

“Now,” said the faery, and, touching Ardram’s dress, it changed into beautiful royal robes all of gold, and at the same moment the Rose-Princess appeared dressed in wedding garments, with her crown of silver and diamonds on her head. The organ rolled out a bridal march, and the priests came forth in a long procession. In a few minutes the Princess Rose was married to Ardram, and then her silver crown rolled off.

“You must not wear silver any more,” said the faery, “because the spell is now broken, and you will never change to a rosebud again.”

So saying, she touched the Rose-Princess’s head with her wand, and immediately there appeared a beautiful golden crown, as gorgeous as that worn by Ardram.

“Now you are King and Queen,” said Rosina graciously, “so you will go to the palace and govern wisely.”

“Oh yes, we will,” cried the new King and Queen joyfully and then they kissed one another as they stood in their royal crowns and splendid garments before the great altar.

“But what is to become of us?” said the old King and Queen.

“You are not fit to govern,” said the faery severely, “and only care for pleasure, so you will go away to the other end of the kingdom, to a city of your own, where the people are as fond of pleasure as you are, and there you will be happy.”

“Nonsense!” said the King.

“Pooh!” replied the Queen.

Nevertheless, both of them were secretly very delighted, as they would now be able to enjoy themselves as they pleased. Then the faery ordered the doors of the cathedral to be thrown wide open, the organ played a triumphal march, and the new King and Queen walked slowly down the church, looking the handsomest couple in the world. The gruff doctor and the old mother followed, but the deposed King and Queen had vanished with the Faery Rosina, who transported them to their own city, where they ruled and enjoyed themselves for many years.

Then all the people in the city saw the new King and Queen standing before them with their royal crowns, and the bells rang, the streets were made clear again, and as the young couple moved through the crowd, which strewed flowers before them, the people cried,—

“Long live King Ardram and Queen Rose!”

And the Rose-Princess never changed into a flower again, but became a true, loving wife to the King, who ruled well and wisely, for he had seen the hardships of his subjects when he was a poor student. They reigned long and happily, and had many children, but in all their prosperity the Queen never forgot how she had been an enchanted Rose-Princess.