problems that faced him; for magic mirrors were notoriously tricky things. Each mirror was actually only half a mirror and could only be considered whole when the settings of any two halves matched up. That the other half of the mirror could be on the other side of the world made no difference — if the settings were correct in a few seconds you could quite easily step between towns, citiesand countries worldwide. Nevertheless, they had their risks; for if the setting of one half was wrong then you could, as Hamish had said, end up in Outer Mongolia or Darkest Africa, for that matter. And the destructive wave of energy caused by two mirrors locking against one another could cause complete devastation … Archie shivered at the thought.
“Do you think you’ll manage to set them all properly, then?” queried Jaikie, looking at him doubtfully.
“I hope so,” muttered Archie.
The Great Hall was a scene of total confusion when they arrived. MacArthurs milled everywhere and had obviously been busy in their absence, for long tables now stretched the length of the hall; gold dishes were being unpacked and polished ; delicious smells drifted up from the kitchens and Lady Ellan, looking a trifle frayed as she organized the preparations for the great banquet, waved to them in relief as she saw them start to unload the mirrors.
By the end of the day, the hall was ready. The MacArthur, dressed in robes of fur and velvet, looked round and nodded in approval. Hung with banners and blazing with light from hundreds of torches, the hall was magnificent and certainly befitted the status of their royal visitor. He strode towards the gilded chairs that had been set up in honour of their guest. Arthur, whose scales glowed crimson in the torchlight, moved forward and curled proudly at his side with Archie standing beside him.
The MacArthur then lifted his arms and in a commanding voice, chanted the words of a powerful spell.
Silence fell. By this time, the MacArthurs had all heard that Prince Kalman was in Edinburgh and knew that this could be a dangerous few minutes; for by dropping the protective shield, they were allowing him access to the hill.
Time passed — second by nervous second.
“Are all the mirrors set?” questioned the MacArthur as his crystal ball was placed in front of him.
Archie gulped, nodded and crossed his fingers behind his back as the MacArthur passed his hand over the shining crystal . As it glowed to life, he spoke briefly to Lord Rothlan. “The shield’s been lifted, Alasdair. The Sultan can step through now.”
Almost immediately, one of the mirrors rippled and a gasp of wonder echoed round the hall as Sulaiman the Red, Sultan of Turkey, stepped through into the great hall, slowly surveying its grandeur before turning to the MacArthur, who, with Arthur accompanying him, stepped forward, bowing low. Lady Ellan curtsied, overawed by the jewelled magnificence of the Sultan’s golden clothes. Draped in ropes of pearls, sparkling with diamonds and glowing with rubies and emeralds, he was totally breathtaking. Lifting her eyes to his handsome, bearded face, however, she saw beyond the outward show of his regalia and breathed a silent sigh of relief; for the Sultan’s glance, although proud, was both shrewd and intelligent.
By this time, all the mirrors were rippling as, curved scimitars swinging at their sides, the colourful, gaudily-clad figures of the Sultan’s Guard jostled and tumbled their way into the hall after their master.
But where was Lord Rothlan, Ellan wondered, her eyes searching the row of mirrors. She saw Sir James step into the hall with an expression of bewilderment on his face that made her smile. Neil and Clara followed with their father behind them, and then Lord Rothlan appeared holding Mrs MacLean by the hand as she stepped through the frame of the mirror into the hall.
Ellan moved forward swiftly and caught her by the hand. “Mrs MacLean,” she said warmly, “how lovely to see
“Do you think you’ll manage to set them all properly, then?” queried Jaikie, looking at him doubtfully.
“I hope so,” muttered Archie.
The Great Hall was a scene of total confusion when they arrived. MacArthurs milled everywhere and had obviously been busy in their absence, for long tables now stretched the length of the hall; gold dishes were being unpacked and polished ; delicious smells drifted up from the kitchens and Lady Ellan, looking a trifle frayed as she organized the preparations for the great banquet, waved to them in relief as she saw them start to unload the mirrors.
By the end of the day, the hall was ready. The MacArthur, dressed in robes of fur and velvet, looked round and nodded in approval. Hung with banners and blazing with light from hundreds of torches, the hall was magnificent and certainly befitted the status of their royal visitor. He strode towards the gilded chairs that had been set up in honour of their guest. Arthur, whose scales glowed crimson in the torchlight, moved forward and curled proudly at his side with Archie standing beside him.
The MacArthur then lifted his arms and in a commanding voice, chanted the words of a powerful spell.
Silence fell. By this time, the MacArthurs had all heard that Prince Kalman was in Edinburgh and knew that this could be a dangerous few minutes; for by dropping the protective shield, they were allowing him access to the hill.
Time passed — second by nervous second.
“Are all the mirrors set?” questioned the MacArthur as his crystal ball was placed in front of him.
Archie gulped, nodded and crossed his fingers behind his back as the MacArthur passed his hand over the shining crystal . As it glowed to life, he spoke briefly to Lord Rothlan. “The shield’s been lifted, Alasdair. The Sultan can step through now.”
Almost immediately, one of the mirrors rippled and a gasp of wonder echoed round the hall as Sulaiman the Red, Sultan of Turkey, stepped through into the great hall, slowly surveying its grandeur before turning to the MacArthur, who, with Arthur accompanying him, stepped forward, bowing low. Lady Ellan curtsied, overawed by the jewelled magnificence of the Sultan’s golden clothes. Draped in ropes of pearls, sparkling with diamonds and glowing with rubies and emeralds, he was totally breathtaking. Lifting her eyes to his handsome, bearded face, however, she saw beyond the outward show of his regalia and breathed a silent sigh of relief; for the Sultan’s glance, although proud, was both shrewd and intelligent.
By this time, all the mirrors were rippling as, curved scimitars swinging at their sides, the colourful, gaudily-clad figures of the Sultan’s Guard jostled and tumbled their way into the hall after their master.
But where was Lord Rothlan, Ellan wondered, her eyes searching the row of mirrors. She saw Sir James step into the hall with an expression of bewilderment on his face that made her smile. Neil and Clara followed with their father behind them, and then Lord Rothlan appeared holding Mrs MacLean by the hand as she stepped through the frame of the mirror into the hall.
Ellan moved forward swiftly and caught her by the hand. “Mrs MacLean,” she said warmly, “how lovely to see
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