"Because she's gone where all those rings are made."
"And when shall I see her?" asked the princess.
"Not for some time yet," answered the king, and the tears came in his
eyes.
Irene did not remember her mother, and did not know why her father
looked so, and why the tears came in his eyes; but she put her arms
round his neck and kissed him, and asked no more questions.
The king was much disturbed on hearing the report of the
gentlemen-at-arms concerning the creatures they had seen; and I
presume
would have taken Irene with him that very day, but for what the
presence
of the ring on her finger assured him of. About an hour before he left,
Irene saw him go up the old stair; and he did not come down again till
they were just ready to start; and she thought with herself that he had
been up to see the old lady. When he went away, he left the other six
gentlemen behind him, that there might be six of them always on
guard.
Madhuri Noah
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