Kitabı oku: «Amaranta. Rival of Fairies’ Queen», sayfa 3

Golden game

The king of the elves appeared suddenly. Angus did not expect him to visit right now. And how can he call the guest of the one who originated right from the emptiness on the other side of the table from you.

Just ranked somewhere bells, sounded right above the ear of wonderful voices, and here the elf is already here. Dagda clearly made a moment when Angus remained alone and without servants, and without vassals. Obviously, before appearing to all the inhabitants of the county, he wanted to agree on something with the count personally. But as it turned out, he wanted only to play, and the invisible servants were taken in care that all items disappeared from the table. Instead of them, the gold figures were lined up on the countertop: or chess, or checkers. They moved themselves. They did not need to even touch them. Angus has never become a participant in the game in which it is not necessary to play. Everything is done by yourself.

«I just check the honesty of your intentions,» Dagda admitted, «and see that they are honest.»

«And how can this be seen?» perplexed Angus. Unless the elf knows how to read thoughts in the face.

«They catch all your intentions,» Dagda waved his hand to spinning figures, which resemble golden tornados. His nails were also gold covered with some embossed patterns. You do not need to wear with such nails and rob. Such nails are already as a jewel.

Angus felt not in his place. Although he was sitting in his own chair in his castle, and Dagda was here just a guest. But in the presence of an elf, the owner of the castle felt himself uncomfortable.

«So, do you know all my thoughts?»

The elf looked at him through the table with clean azure eyes, for which, as if darkness was hiding.

«They know!» He nodded again on the figures, reminding the ghosts from the golden sand.

«You have a lot of thoughts, but among them there is not a single insidious idea,» the king of Elves decreased to clarification. «From the people you’re the first one, whom I can call sincere. So let’s be friends.»

A good offer! Is it an honest one. Angus remembered the disturbing stories of the peasants and even several knights who returned from the forest in a terrible state and swore that the evil spirits almost pinched them to death.

«In our areas, they say that Elves can not honest,» Angus admitted. He did not want Dagda to consider him petty or unfriendly.

«In my country the elves talk about people the same,» said the guest indifferently. «But I see that it is not always worth believing what they say. People are different as we, elves.»

«Among you there are not only an elves,» Angus did not even know how to call those terrible creatures that sometimes began to appear here together with quite harmless fairies.

«Now I offer friendship from the face of the whole of my magic people, no matter how much varieties do not belong to them, as you have suggested a friendly union to me on behalf of the whole county, although not all the knights are also generous as you.»

«You already know about their contradictions?»

«I know about everything,» Dagda unexpectedly caught one of the golden figures with his hand. Under his fingers, it took the outlines of the flower closed by the petals in the ring.

«You think now about your bride, which sailed here through the sea. Give it to her!»

Angus took the ring uncertainly. For such elegant work, no earthly jeweler is capable.

«She exactly likes it!»

«I know how to please how to earth girls and fairies,» Dagda had a self-confident appearance.

«How can I thank you?»

«Only being honest in communication. I can’t endure hypocrisy.»

And it says master of all elves. Is it worth trusting him or is it a tricky trap? He came here and now lubricate people to himself in the magical seven hills, and then rip them on the feast. Doesn’t the legends go about him that he did this with his enemies from the magic clan?

«The danger was waiting on the sea,» Dagda said. «Your bride had not to saile by the sea. Water like beautiful girls, but the risk is already behind. Amaranta is save and sound on the shore.

«You even know her name!»

«You know it, and I know everything you know.»

«And I don’t know anything about you. Do you have a Queen?» Angus asked with trepidation and felt relief when Dagda denied it. Seeing the real elf, unwittingly feel jealousy. He wanted Dagda to belong only to him. Even thoughts about Amaranta disappeared somewhere. Angus fed to the guest charm.

«At least you have a bride?»

They want to impose me one, but before it happens, there will be the next war. Already between us, elves. It will not affect you.»

It is easy to say!

«This bride is so ugly that you do not want her. She is a monster from the forest.|

«She’s something like a black storm, which if you let her in our possessions, enlisters with her black everything and enslave us all.»

«Then do not marry her!»

«It is easier to say than to do.»

The creature, who came with Dagda diligently made the view that he did not overhear the conversation. The game on the table was done by itself. In the hall hung such a pleasant atmosphere, as if everything was warmed from the sun, descended into the castle straight from heaven. It is a solid pleasure to have an elf as a guest.

The king of elves, it should be noted, was incredibly beautiful. Near him, Angus was almost ugly. Is all elves so beautiful that even the most impoverished earth guy compared to them can be considered crippled? They are also strong not like people, but as titans. Dagda easily crushed the stairs to the railway, forgotten by some of the guards, while not borrowing about her spikes and not even noticing what he did.

He would be the whole castle to crush with one fist. It’s well to have such an ally. With him no war is terrible. You just need to try so that he does not become an enemy again.

Near Dagda, a green creature was expected, resembling a living tree. It held a bundle of pure gold keys. What are the gold resources of elves, if they don’t even have copper keys, but gold? How would you take all this at least partially?

Angus himself could not understand where such a bad thought was from. He was never greedy. And to steal something from the elves is almost a suicide. They are hundreds of times stronger than people and immediately account for the thief. So what does he think about their wealth?!

«Take something from them! At least try!» As if someone is a terrible, monstrous and planted in a distant underground cell, woke up and fiercely whispered in his ears. This someone, dark and terrible, oddly enough led to a beautiful and shining Dagda. It did not lead, of course, in the literal sense, but his presence was pending, like a black cloud. This someone is angry with the fire of the rod of his cell. He demanded to make some kind of evil. Angus shook his head to get rid of the title. It seemed that the thunderstorm cloud was hung over the hall, and the rain was not water from her, but a black fitness and blood.

Vision instantly passed. Did Dagda see it? The elf looked entirely focused on the game. His golden eyebrows frowned, eyes under the sparkling eyelashes stressed the figures. His eyes change the color, Angus noted it with surprise. They are green as grass, then blue, like the sky. Slightly curly hair reached shoulders. In color, they were also like pure gold. And on the face of the king of elves is nice to look. It immediately causes sympathy. It even entails him. Probably, for the girl it is impossible to be near him and immediately do not fall in love with madness. It is probably why he decided to meet alone with the count so that no one else saw him. Otherwise, broken hearts will bear numbers.

«What are you waiting for? He is near, and you don’t even try to cripple him or kill,» the wary voice came out again. It was worth covering eyelids, and Angus almost saw a monster in a cage that appeared to him from the dungeon. «Call at least pops from rural churches, if you are weak yourself. They know how to harm elves.»

This gloomy creation in a cell has dozens of clawed hands and hundreds of heads. All this is a crazy dream! He got drunk too much. Angus shook his head, trying to come to himself.

Dagda frowned, watching the game.

«Do you feel it too? Someone third is between us?» honestly asked him Angus, but did not receive the answer.

Dagda only flashed with golden eyelashes and smiled as if he was able to look into his soul and read all human fears and doubts there.

Their eyes met: Blue of the Elf and brown of the count. From the look of Dagda came an unexpected calm, as if a multi-headed and multi-rigid monster in a cage did not exist even in a dream.

«I am more pleasant to have you in friends than in the enemies,» Dagda noticed and ordered his companion to transfer the count one of the gold keys. «Just turn it in your hands and call me instantly when you wish.» No matter how far I am, but I will immediately be on the call.

The key lay on the pad from the green leaves and really reminded the magical.

«So you can lure you into the trap.»

«But for the sake of friendship, I go to risk.»

How this elf is unusual. And how nice to make friends with him! And what would be a fight with him?

«The war is not far off,» the same evil voice made from the cage, but Angus had never listened to it.

«By the way, I bring the wonderful wine as a gift and pretty girlfriends to entertain you while you are waiting for the bride.»

From the last Angus wanted to refuse, but the beauties in the eastern robes and with the wings already arose near, offered him sweets and mouthpiece. From vapor and aromatic smoking made dizzy the head. One of the peri reminded him Amaranta, and the entrance door was tightly closed. No one will see, unless in the keyhole, that the groom spends time with wizards. Dagda himself, kindly offered them, has already disappeared somewhere. Apparently, he himself did not like to entertain. Or, that black, like a cloud, bride poisoned his interest in women and fun. Angus even felt abandoned from the fact that the king of the elves went somewhere. Although it is difficult to feel himself abandoned in the company of the magic beauties.

Elves at the wedding

The day of wedding came. Amaranta was in a white silk dress, decorated with the flowers and with a bouquet of roses in her hands. A heavenly vision! And the temple is just heavenly, although created by the hands of the fairies. In the arches behind her back reflected the sky and clouds. The temple tiers were arranged so cunning, as if the structure was in heaven. Such close clouds seem only here. Amaranta looked like a flying angel. The bridal veil from lace framed her blond curls. The face is struck by incomparable beauty. Well, not a fairy! Even Dagda will envy such beauty.

«You can’t imagine how right are you!»

The count shuddered. Where did the voice come from? It seemed from the emptiness itself. Or from the clouds? This is again the jokes of the elves or this time is it a warning from angels. If the first one, then nothing, even with the elves and the peace is concluded, but they love to fool all the same, but the second alarmed. The count sighed with relief, noticing that it says an unusual bird flying for Amaranta. It was white with a bright amber spot in the forehead, resembling a gem and a fluffy cockle on the head. He was already warned that this bird knows how to speak to the people. There is nothing surprising in this. He himself used to collect in the poultry house the speaking parrots delivered from foreign countries. But in the fluffy bird of Amaranta he preferred to see the special blessing of heaven.

It was attributed to the ability to predict the future, but in this count preferred not to really believe. What this bird was called, he did not even know, although he collected the most rare feathered species in his poultry house. But the birds possessing the gift of foresight, he has not yet seen. And did not even hear about the probability of existence. Unless she flew out of the Magic World of fairies. But then he knew about it. All creatures who came to the county after the conclusion of his union with Dagda, were in line, because now they were obliged to come, fly or cord only after official warning. So installed Dagda himself. He, too, as it turned out, did not want to quarrel anymore.

«He is very merciful, our ruler,» a tiny drunk elf tumbled in a barrel. Now he drank without fear, and therefore did not hurry to fly away when he got drunk, and his tongue was unleashed. «Good, bold, brave, humane, no one punishes in vain. There were still no such as he. Therefore, for him a couple of centuries ago, everyone voted unanimously.»

«Were there many others?» asked Angus.

«Yes, many…» The elf did not remember himself from intoxication. «Wait, after all, he rules not a couple of centuries, but already four or five,» he began to count on his fingers and suddenly it turned out that he had a lot of fingers than a pair of dozens on every tiny handle.?

The count was curious about the world of elves.

«But someday you will start this world to destroy,» the bird whispered, sowing him on the shoulder at the altar, as if acknowledged for the owner, the future husband of the hostess.

And the count again did not believe it. It’s just a bird chatter. It is not wiser than the words of the scientist parrot.

There were many supernatural guests. Residents of the county have already managed to get used to them, but here are people invited from the city, they are frightened. Fortunately, there was still no fight and quarrels. Angus was thinking about how to avoid mutual offense, since the townspeople are frightened by his magic guests. It was not necessary, of course, to invite anyone from Rodolit – the city closest to the county, but then the bishop would be nowhere to call. According to the traditions of the country, the Count had to marry not a simple priest and not even a cardinal, but only a bishop sent by the king himself. Now the rumors will reach the king that in the county, evil spirits live side by side with mortals. Probably, everyone will give a hint that it’s time to finish hostility. The magic creatures are stronger than people. You can not fight with them, you can only make a compromise. And Count Angus went to it. But is it worth expecting such humanity from the others? The bishop was displeasured, settled on the elves and fairies, although they were all beautiful as on the selection. And for some reason, they came to the wedding in white. Probably, they are considered to be a festive color. In snow-white clothes with a sparkling edging, they looked very solemnly. That’s just their wings occupied a lot of space and sometimes they whipped the people not on purpose. There were heard outraged exclamations, but no one was able to call the elves to the duel. Immediately it was clear to them to lose.

Amaranta did not show the slightest fear, having learned that the elves were now settled in the county, as if she was familiar with such creatures before. At the sight of ugly trolls and Finodirriers in the crowd, she also did not express squeamishness. But her companions, including the old nurse were very frightened.

Angus also noted that even though elves and fairies decorate the wedding, but the freak-dwarfs and goblins even in exquisite costumes, cause a strong disgust. The guests who have stuck next to them, almost fell into fainting. Yes, it will not be easy, to make people discard all the prejudices and make friends with the magic folk. At first there will be many difficulties, but in the end, the Union with Dagda will lead to peace and prosperity.

But where is he himself? Why is he late for the celebration, which he himself helped to organize, sending the builders of the cathedral. By the way, they are now hiding under high domes, rustling with black leathery wings. If something needs to be urgently built, they are here. And also, as it turned out, they could plow overnight and falling down all the fields of county, and the overall already gather harvest. Excellent workers! It is true, bringing them, Dagda put forward the requirement that people from the county stop cutting out the forest and plant the land under arable land. This, you see, harms his subjects, and they become talking on the fact that people build mills and equip the gardens on their territory. How then to engage in agriculture? The exit found the same servants of Dagda. It turned out, they are able to feed the whole army, ensuring edible reserves only during the day. The fruits of them from their spell ripened even on dried trees. Angus saw the Fairy himself, which turned a dry bush into a fragrant peach tree.

If so, then you can make concessions. But how not to cut the forests, if in winter there will be nothing to trample fireplaces? And what are the housing, if you do not have enough stone and sandstone? Dagda promised that he would send some fires so that they all warmed. And the buildings will make, of course, Finodirries. Where they will get the material, this is their business. That white stone from which they rebuilt the cathedral was great, but it was not to get in human quarries. It is taken from somewhere from another world.

The bishop looked at the white walls as if they were about to bring down, and the elves would then wear a ditch over the mass death of people and laugh. But nothing happened.

And Amaranta before the wedding admitted that she was glad that she got a young and beautiful groom instead of the famous old man, who was at the beginning her groom. It was not quite a love confession, but Angus still felt happy. For the sake of this girl, he risked and entered into an alliance with the magic kingdom. And now she becomes his wife.

Everything would be fine, but only there is no main guest at the wedding. Where is Dagda? Angus helplessly looked around the crowd of guests, looking for him. How could the king of elves might not honor with his presence a wedding of a new friend? Did he start to doubt the intelligence of their agreement? But then why are his subjects here?

The bishop is about to faint. He is bad in this cathedral. It is time to make a rite of wedding, and the honorary guest is not here.

And then a silver breeze blew. The air at the top above the crowds heads climbed. The guest in the crown suddenly found himself in the center of the crowd. Behind him, the creatures were flying, reminding two miniature golden dragons. The fairies began excitedly whispered. The very same king of elves had a bored look until his gaze fell on Amaranta.

«Is he the king of Ilira, your native country? «Amaranta squeezed his groom’s hand so that he almost scratched his fingers.» What is it with her? Dagda deliberately enchanted the bride to behave strange? But why should it? Maybe he was insulted by the fact that the rite is conducted by a bishop, which, by the way, tormented from here to escape.

«No, he is the king of the elves,» Angus whispered on the ear of the bride.

«The king of the elves!» Amaranta cast a veil before it was laid. But the observance of traditions had no longer worried anybody. The bishop suddenly had blood from the nose, and he hurried to say goodby. Little servants ran out after him. The main thing is that he does not complain about the progress of the fairies to the real king of Ilira. Finodirries already giggled in high domes. Their laughter reminded the hellish music at the wedding.

«Why didn’t you tell me that the king of the elves would come to the wedding?» Amaranta had such a look as if she would now faint. It doesn’t look like it. She is not an ordinary kitty lady. Once Angus chose her for the mind and courage. Now he even doubted that the same girl was standing next to him before the altar. Perhaps instead of her came some fairy that attached his bride. Now the illusion is dispelled, and Dagda himself will laugh.

Instead, he suddenly rose to the fragrant lilies of the altar. The crowd in the temple kept silence.

«In my country, there is a tradition that weddings can carry out only the ruler,» Dagda explained.

«But in our country there are no such traditions,» said Theobald. He is standing near the altar.

«Now our worlds have connected: your – human, and our – magic,» Dagda took the hand of Amaranta, and for a moment it could see that he was ready to proclaim her as his own wife. Angus was ready to swear that some spark flashed between his bride and the king of the elves. It was even greater magic than supernatural creatures at the wedding. The feeling that Dagda and Amaranta are created for each other, hit Angus in the head, like a strong magic wine, able to generate different vision. By the way, did Dagda brought and now the keg of such wine? And maybe his servants are already bringing tens and even hundreds of such kegs to exchange them on his bride. The elves have the simple laws. What wants their lord, is the law for them. Now Dagda will offer him a wonderful redemption for Amaranta and leads her to the magical kingdom. Angus was in terrible fear. But the fear tormented him for a short time. Already in the next moment Dagda put the graceful palm ofAmaranta in the hand of the count.

«From now on, you are husband and wife,» he proclaimed. And we are all, the people, and the elves will honor and guard your union. As long as it lasts, will last our peace.»

More like a toast than on a wedding speech. And even more to some sort.

«I agree. While our marriage lasts, the truce between people and elves will not be broken,» Angus nodded.

The temple was filled with the triumphant cries of people and elves.

The elves are happy by the union. The count wonder why? Because they are not afraid of people, and people are afraid of them? The human guests in the temple felt themselves clearly uncomfortable. Trying to make friends of people and elves is the same thing that make friends of a mouse and a cat. Someday all this will be out of control, unless Dagda takes place for everyone to watch out.

The king of the elves did not take off his golden eyes from Amararanta. Although she has already become a wife of his new friend and ally. And he looks at her as if she was his personal trophy. Or so it only seems? And why Dagda’s eyes suddenly took a golden color? Angus remembered them as you like, but not golden. For their last short conversation, they changed the whole range of colors from brown to emerald and heavenly blue. Now they resembled two warm sunny lakes.

Dagda himself put the ring on Amaranta’s hand, because Angus was confused at the crucial moment.

«You are very lucky,» the king of elves said as a congratulation.

Curious what he did mean? Did he be lucky with the bride or with an ally?

The king of the elves himself was in the snow-white coat, as if the groom. A short golden raincoat was exquisitely combined with a gilded trimming of his outfit. And the face of Dagda was so beautiful that it was impossible to tear out from him. In this moment Angus for some reason wanted to curse his beauty.

«Remember my word, there will be some troubles from him,» the old nurse of Amaranta whispered to someone’s ear behind the back of Angus. «He came not at a good time, and from him is in the air another world. It was impossible to let it. But someone let him in. Someone invited him to our world. An unfortunate fool!»

Angus was amazing how much he is able to hear what they whisper at his back. Probably his hearing so overly aggravated from the fact that he drank the enchanted vine of the elves.

The wedding is complete, it’s time to celebrate. But Dagda has already carried out somewhere Amaranta. Probably, he decided to leave the first dance for himself. Finodirries decided to arrange a feast right in the cathedral. They did not cost them for one moment, to drag huge tables here with all kinds of food. There were white wine, and red, and even magical. Different dishes were not to count. Near ordinary fruits, magical fruits were concerned.

«These are for joy. Bite off from them and you will laugh continuously,» a dwarf advised to Angus. «You are too angry.»

Some lady who has already been biting from these fruits, shook and laughed like a crazy. From the Magic Wine the mood also improved. But it did not save the overall setting. The people were frightened by supernatural creatures and, if possible, avoid them, and they, in turn, teased the frightened people and made fun of them. The Finodirries danced a round dance under the ceiling. The fairies drove mad the guys with their singing. The elves tried to start a drunken fight with the goblins.

«This is a hell of a celebration, not a wedding,» said Theobald angry.

«We just do not know how to have fun as they are.»

«Run them all from here!»

«I can not! I concluded an agreement.»

Angus did not know where to go to avoid an angry friend and the terrible guests. The wedding grew into the Sabbath, where the elves terrorized the people. And Amaranta generally disappeared somewhere.