Kitabı oku: «Swan Lake. Dragon Empire», sayfa 3

Black Swan

On a hill, under an eternally stormy sky, rose a gloomy old castle, the human world was nothing in front of him, the whole land of people, their prayers, their dreams, their desires faded here, in front of his high bulk, he was the only ruler of the whole world and the most beautiful thing on earth.

How powerful were its walls, every stone here personified evil, every inch of the earth under its vaults was given to darkness and witchcraft, every moment spent here became the death of any person who found himself in this land of dark forces.

The lord of the castle was called the devil, but no one knew that it also slept in the heart of the demon – living human love, which was the secret of his black heart. No one knew that the princess of the cursed castle, the daughter of the evil King Rothbert, had a living and loving heart.

A thunderstorm that night hung over the castle, and it was terrible, the rain poured incessantly, and the thunder echoed, and the sparkling lightning now and then illuminated the gloomy and majestic castle. On this stormy night, a prince from another kingdom hurried to the castle to meet his death, for him everything had already lost its meaning, because he was in love with the princess of shadows, his black, but beautiful swan. He was not frightened by the thunderstorm or thunder over his head, he boldly rode forward to the accursed castle and did not want to turn back.

If his brother Prince Etienne preferred to spend time in taverns, then Christian became the best knight in the kingdom and the most handsome cavalier among all the men of the country. His long black hair, wet from the rain, fell on his face, his clear blue eyes were gazing into the distance, and his handsome face seemed the most beautiful in the world, all the ladies adored him, but, unfortunately, he loved only one – the king’s daughter in bewitched countries. Love and courage were the strongest in the world, and he understood this, now he was driving to her, still not knowing what lay ahead, but he was not tormented by fear of the future, he firmly decided: either to achieve Odile’s love, or to die.

He was ready to accept death, just to look once more into Odile’s dazzling green eyes, because he loved her more than life.

If his mother – the queen knew now where he is, but he didn’t care what his family and his eccentric, but beloved brother think, they have been dear to each other since childhood, but now his heart called him forward to where the gloomy old castle of King Rothbert towered.

Christian grew up early, took up arms early, and fell in love even earlier. He didn’t care who Odile really was, even if the black swan, as everyone alive called her. He was not afraid of the curse, he just rode boldly forward and did not think to turn away from his path, love was most important in this world, full of strife and danger, where everyone was enemies, everyone except him and his beloved princess.

The storm was noisy outside, but inside it was cozy and warm.

The guests of King Rothbert sat at a huge table, filled with various dishes and precious cups. The king sat at the head of the table. Everyone was afraid of him, except Odile, because she was his only and beloved daughter. He never showed his feelings for her, but she knew that he loved her as much as he loved her dead mother. She knew how he suffered because of her death, although he did not say a word, but she could see it in his eyes.

Odile’s hair was adorned with a gold diadem with diamonds. She was the only princess in the country, the heiress of the greatest king in the history of the world, but she was not pleased with either luxury or wealth, because she was a dark beauty.

Like a black swan, she shone with her beauty. Odile was a dark princess, beautiful and mysterious. People said that she had neither a heart nor a soul, that she was the same as her cruel father, albeit beautiful, but also magical, but no one knew that she had a heart, no one knew that Odile was in love.

She sat with her head down sadly, not daring to look into her father’s black eyes, and he did not say a word, what if he guessed, because the king of evil knows all human secrets, and this was the secret of her heart that Odile could not reveal to anyone…

Her father sat silently at the table, but his fiery gaze pierced right through, his eyes burned with fire. Today he was as sullen and gloomy as ever. He had something in his heart, if only he had it, and did not want to give it out to anyone.

«Our night has come,» he said, and everyone in the hall was startled, «today the dark ritual will be completed.»

And although Odile did not understand absolutely nothing, the gazes of all those sitting at the table in an instant were directed at her in a kind of ominous expectation.

«But there is one more thing,» said Rothbert, and it seemed that he became even darker than he was, «this damned prince from the neighboring kingdom.»

«Yes, it’s him,» there were exclamations at the table, and everyone confirmed:

«He must die.»

«He is a hindrance on our way.»

«He spoils all our plans.»

But as soon as Odile looked up, everyone was silent, and a dead silence reigned at the table.

«No,» said Odile, «Father, you don’t know, you’re telling a lie, this prince is not so bad, he is brave, courageous and he is also very handsome,» she added, lowering her eyes, and Rothbert’s fiery gaze pierced her through and through.…

«Do you know him?» sternly, as never before, he asked, so Odile had never seen her father.

«No,» she hastened to object, and although it was a lie, she succeeded, «I just heard about him…»

«And that he is in love,» the king grinned maliciously, everyone knows that he has been not indifferent to you for a long time, isn’t it, Odile?»

«Forgive me, father,» she whispered, but now she was thinking that Christian was rushing here, and what he could find here, besides death and eternal damnation.

«You have not drunk wine, Odile,» said Rothbert in a strange way, «you must drink for tonight, it will make you even more beautiful than you could ever dream.»

His eyes lit up with a furious fire, and Odile involuntarily realized that something special awaited her tonight, perhaps even terrible, the king’s gaze spoke of this, there was some kind of secret hidden in it.

Immediately one of the luxuriously dressed servants approached Odile and poured a precious glass of sparkling wine into her. Odile did not touch it, she was afraid of something, and which she did not know herself, but her fear intensified with each beat of the clock and with each minute spent at the table.

«Odile,» repeated Rothbert, «today is a special night for us and for you, today you will be initiated into the secrets of our witchcraft, and it will be so, beautiful black swan.»

Christian was already at the gate of the castle, but he was not going to wait all night for the guards to let him in or kill him. He grabbed the ledge of the wall and in a minute climbed into the window of one of the halls. He was not afraid of anything except the words of Odile herself, although he knew that she would not reject him, they had already made vows of love.

Odile looked at her hands, they glowed as if they were on fire. Her scarlet dress turned black, like the plumage of a black swan, a green light flashed in her eyes, and only the golden crown on her head remained the only one that did not look like a swan in her. Did the prediction come true, and she became a dark princess.

Odile could not understand what was wrong with her, but immediately the air around her burst into triumphant laugh of Rothbert, and a transparent tear flowed down Odile’s cheek, her love was lost forever, she became a black swan.

Suddenly the silence of the night was broken by a roar, and Rothbert, in anticipation, raised his eyes to the wind-blown window, the whole sky behind him became flaming. Odile stepped back from the window and saw a golden dragon with wild, fierce eyes hovering in the sky like a gloomy bird. He was so terrible, so disgusting, but how could he be here in the land of darkness.

Odile watched him, forgetting that her dress had turned black. He flew into the open window and occupied almost all the empty space in the hall. Its tail curled in rings, and golden scales glittered in the darkness, as if combined with a golden crown on Odile’s head.

Fiery breath was bursting from its mouth, its paws were so strong that it seemed that if they wanted to, they would destroy the entire castle, but this was impossible, the castle of King Rothbert was indestructible.

With the dragon, something began to happen right before Odile’s eyes, its tail and paws began to shrink and grow into a golden body, golden color and scales began to shrink and disappear, and now, it was no longer a monster, but a young man. Odile recognized him, he was a frequent visitor to their castle. Now Odile understood why, at nightfall, he politely said goodbye to her and left any ball in order to quickly hide in the dark.

«Edwin,» she barely managed to say, not believing what she saw. Odile looked frightened now at her father, then at her friend, but now both of them, so dear to her, turned into fiends of darkness.

«It is finished, Odile,» said Rothbert, «stop hiding, the young prince is not worthy of you, look at yourself, you are a black swan.»

«No,» Odile blurted out.

She could no longer bear what was happening to her, Odile ran out of the hall and rushed away.

She paused in the dark hallway of the castle and looked into the huge oval mirror in a gilded frame that hung on the wall. Yes, now, in fact, she could be called a black swan, beautiful, but given over to darkness. Suddenly, behind her in the mirror, she saw the reflection of her father, although it changed so that it was almost impossible to recognize him. All the former beauty disappeared from his face, only his eyes remained the same as they were, but now an evil, furious light sparkled in them, destroying all living things around him.

«Now you know everything, Odile,» he hissed and his eerie, deaf voice was even more terrible than his face, «now you are also one of us, I will make you the queen of evil, you will forget the young prince, our goal is revenge on everyone for the death of my love and your mother, now you are a black swan.»

«But I can’t,» she whispered, «I’m not like that.»

«You are a black swan, and you are the queen of the beauties stolen for me and turned into swans,» said the king of darkness, and Odile saw the golden dragon wriggle in the darkness, and her white hands slowly turn into the plumage of a black bird.

Odile felt how slowly and inexorably she herself was becoming evil, she could never forget the beautiful eyes of Christian, but now she herself was becoming a part and queen of the dark forces. Her hands were covered with feathers, and now, not a girl, but a black swan with a golden crown on a proud head, flew away into the darkness of the night, where a fierce wolf howl was heard, and Rothbert looked after her and grinned viciously.

Meanwhile, Christian made his way into the castle hall. Where to go, where to find Odile? Suddenly, on the floor, he saw something that looked like a black feather, he bent down to get a better look at it, but suddenly a black swan flew right over his head, and then Odile appeared in front of him, as if it had appeared right from the ground.

«Odile,» he exclaimed joyfully, but she was cold and only now, tearing his eyes away from her face, he saw that she was in a dress black as night and a golden crown on her dark-haired head.

«Run,» burst out from her, «rather escape from here.»

«Odile,» he repeated, grabbing her hand, but her fingers were cold as ice, there was no life or warmth in them, like in any ordinary person.

He looked at her, he could not take his eyes off her face, and she, too, seemed ready to look at the prince for ages, but something dark appeared in her gaze.

«Go away,» she said, «you have no idea what could happen to a person here.»

«It doesn’t scare me,» he replied, «today I could barely get out of the palace and came here, we can run away from here together, this is the only way.»

He glanced anxiously, remembering his life away from Odile.

«My uncle became the king of Spain,» he continued, «they wanted to send me there so that I could learn to rule the country and wield weapons, we can escape there together, and no one can find us there.»

«You have no idea what you’re saying,» Odile closed her eyes for a moment, now she was a black swan, and love was irreversible, and she so loved that sweet face of Christian, from whose beauty it was impossible to take her eyes off. She could not betray her love, but the evil genius was already awakening in her.

«I’m a dark princess,» she said. «I’m damned, like my father, find yourself another.»

«No,» he said, going up to her, «you are the most wonderful girl in the whole world, you are the most beautiful, and I don’t care that you live in a cursed castle, that everyone is afraid of the king – your father, I love you, even if you are a black swan.»

Prince Charming didn’t know he was caught in the net of the new princess of darkness, but he didn’t care. He would never have been able to stop loving her, he would never have been able to forget her marvelous features. Even though there was more dark than light in her, it no longer mattered.

«I love you, Odile,» he repeated, and going up to her, he wanted to kiss the black-haired princess, but suddenly a terrible roar was heard over the castle. The silhouette of a huge dragon flashed through the window.

Odile looked at Christian in horror, now she could not do anything, nothing could help her beautiful, but mortal lover.

Lightning flashed over the castle and reflected in the hall itself. Christian stood and did not believe himself, a man stood in front of him in clouds of blue smoke. He saw him somewhere, but he just did not remember where, and it was hardly an ordinary person. The prince was brave and was not afraid of anything, he was not going to hide from those who surrounded his love with their evil spells, he wanted to fight them in a real war and defeat those forces that no one else could defeat but him.

However, Odile died of horror, she did not expect that so quickly her mysterious friend and witch’s father would understand that the prince had come to her to ask for her hand, and they would give him a hearty welcome.

Edwin looked at them, and his eyes were bloodshot. Anger twisted his attractive face. He wanted to destroy their love because of his dark passion for Princess Odile.

«The time has come for you to die, Prince Christian,» he hissed.

«How do you know my name,» broke out from Christian, but his enemy only grinned viciously, it was not for nothing that he kept this secret, but Christian looked at him closely.

«I know you,» he said, «we’ve met somewhere before.»

«Everything in this world is unknown, handsome prince,» Edwin grinned and raised a sharp sword glittering in the darkness in his hand.

Christian looked at him, and suddenly he remembered the dark night and the uprising in the palace, his eyes narrowed for a moment, he could not believe it.

«I know you,» Christian repeated. «You killed my father, didn’t you?»

A wicked grin ran over Edwin’s spiteful lips. Odile involuntarily recoiled and from the side, leaning her hand against the wall, watched their duel. The rivals’ swords crossed. Odile watched them and did not know what to do to save the one she loved.

The duel continued, Edwin’s sword gleaming in the darkness as if forged from magic steel. For a moment their swords lingered against each other, and Edwin’s eyes flashed with fire, and the hiss of a dragon escaped from his lips.

«This is your death,» he said, but it was too early for him to triumph. Odile with a wave of her hand blinded Edwin for a moment, and Christian’s sword sank into the shoulder of the opponent.

Blood gushed from the wound and Edwin grabbed his shoulder with a hand in an urge to stop her.

Odile ran to Christian, they were just children in love with enemies, but they loved each other as much as those who separated them could not even imagine.

«Run,» she whispered, giving him one last hug, «save yourself, for my sake.»

«I’ll stay with you,» he replied boldly.

«You must leave,» Odile replied, «I will never forgive myself if now you die here because of me, you must leave.»

He looked at her for the last time, they were not parted forever, and he knew it.

«I’ll come back for you,» Christian whispered, he knew that Odile was now cursed forever, but he loved her, even if she was a black swan.

He disappeared into the distance, and Odile looked after him with sadness. She didn’t even turn to look at Rothbert who had come up. Her eyes were full of tears. She has no way to a simple human life, but the love in her heart will never disappear. And now she could only look after Christian, leaving for distant Spain, to forget about her.

Death lilies

Today, all the noblest and richest people of the kingdom have gathered in Odette’s palace to celebrate the princess’s coming of age. Odette became different, life made her joyful and beautiful, she was an adornment of her kingdom, but today sadness crept into her heart, she remembered the dazzling eyes of her handsome prince, but fate separated her from him, and even today for some reason she remembered Richard, her faithful friend.

What happened to him? Where has he disappeared so mysteriously? It was impossible to find him anywhere, but he was alive, Odette knew this and hoped that someday she would see him again.

The dance ended, and Odette sat down in a graceful curtsy to the gentleman who danced with her. Finally, she was able to quietly leave the ball and go out into the garden by the palace. Here the lake shone in the light of the moon, and its water shone with all the shades of night beauty. The lake both amused and soothed, it was Odette’s favorite place, and now, not knowing why, she came down here.

Swans swam on the clean and transparent surface of the lake. At the sight of them, the legend of the king of darkness was recalled, the king bewitched the girls he liked and turned them into swans.

«Where are you, Richard,» said Odette and before she had time to say it, the whole lake was lit up with bright light, and on the dark road to the palace flames flashed, creating a whole bridge of light.

A rider on a black horse appeared in the distance. Odette immediately realized who it was. All in black, on a shining stallion and in a black mask, from under which dazzling blue eyes shone, it was he, who was called the dark prince. The one about which legends were made, but how could he find himself here, a ghost on a black horse, a prince from the kingdom of elves.

He drove onto the road of blazing lights, his horse whinnied, and flames burst from his nostrils, his hooves beat impatiently against the ground, he was waiting for something and could not wait. Odette could not believe what she saw, the dark prince jumped off his horse and, approaching her, knelt down in front of her.

«Leave with me, Odette,» whispered the elf, who came to the realm of mortals, he raised his face to her, and Odette recognized Richard’s fiery eyes.

Who was in front of her: her old friend or the prince of the fairies? She did not know what to think, her thoughts were in confusion, and she closed her eyes for a moment, who could believe that the prince of elves was once a mortal man and loved a mortal girl, and now he came for her to take her with him to the kingdom of witchcraft.

He bowed his head in respect, and Odette did not know what to do, she could not believe that Richard was standing in front of her, her old friend and faithful lover. Did he come for her from the kingdom of witchcraft, again came to the world of mortals. She did not know whom she loved more: the mortal prince Etienne or the dark prince.

Yes, it was him, her friend Richard, but how he had changed. He became the king of darkness, not light. He had long suggested that she run with him, but now she had to decide, and Odette did not know what to do, she could not escape from her kingdom, she was his princess and could not leave it. On the other hand, she was drawn to the world of elves and fairies, from which Richard came for her to take her along with him to the wonderful world of endless witchcraft.

Richard was on his knees before her, raising his beautiful eyes to her, he begged her to leave with him, but Odette could not make up her mind.

«Richard,» she whispered.

«Now I am the prince of darkness,» he answered sadly.

She squeezed his hand, but suddenly lightning tore their hands. In a minute, Richard was no longer with her.

Where did he go? He always appeared and disappeared like a ghost, like a vision, now he was the prince of the elves, and this divided them in a way that the enemies could never separate.

And in the thicket, not far from the palace, beautiful eyes followed her and a voice whispered:

«I would give my life for you, but my life belongs to witchcraft.»

Odette turned around, it seemed to her that some quiet voice called her, but there was no one here, and she alone stood by the transparent lake and could not recover from this short meeting.

Richard disappeared as he had many years ago. She didn’t know if he would ever return.

Suddenly Odette saw a dark figure in the light of the lights. Suddenly, the shape of the figure began to change, the dark folds of his clothes turned into locks of red hair, and a red-haired witch stood in front of Odette. Odette froze with horror, but the vision faded, and before her stood only an old woman in tatters. She walked over to Odette and bowed her head politely.

«Hello, Princess Odette,» she said.

«How do you know my name?» Odette was surprised, but the old woman just grinned.

«Who doesn’t know Princess Odette,» she said, «everyone in the country says that she is the most beautiful girl in the whole kingdom.

«Thank you,» she burst out.

«And seeing you,» the old woman continued, «one can understand why you are considered the most beautiful.»

The old woman walked around Odette, peering at her, as if at some antique statue.

«Today is the day of your majority,» she said, «believe me, this is the most wonderful day that can only be in the life of a girl like you. You are very beautiful.»

How did the old woman come here, since the gate to the garden was guarded by guards?

«How did you get here?» Odette asked.

«By chance, and at the same time not,» she replied strangely.

«But the gate is guarded.»

«Nothing can be so well guarded that no one gets inside.»

«There are guards there, how did you get in?»

«Witchcraft can slip anywhere.»

«Witchcraft?»

«Yes.

«I do not believe you.»

«It doesn’t matter,» the old woman said, and took out from the folds of her clothes a wonderful sparkling flower – a white lily.

«What, besides flowers, can decorate the holiday,» she said, «lilies grow here on the rocks, you could collect a bouquet.»

«But it’s dangerous on the rocks,» Odette tried to say.

«This is nothing,» answered the old woman, «go and you will be happy.»

Wanting to get rid of her interlocutor, Odette walked away, and it was not the eyes of the old woman who were following her into the darkness of the night, but the eyes of the red witch.

Odette noticed from a distance one rock, where the most beautiful lilies grew. The princess simply could not resist the sight of them.

The wings of a huge black bird flashed at the top of the cliff. The bird flapped its wings and again became part of the rock, but Odette did not notice it, she was too carried away, picking flowers,

Odette plucked a few more flowers, but she couldn’t reach for the next one. It grew high on the edge of the cliff, and she, without hesitation, climbed there and picked a fragrant flower. It sparkled in her hand, and at that moment the huge wings of a bird – a demon covered her. She tried to escape, but nothing worked; the wings squeezed her tightly. She herself did not understand how, but her hands were covered with feathers and golden dust of the witchcraft ritual, she was another beloved of the devil, whom he turned into a swan. Her hair shattered in the wind and turned into white plumage. The dress was slowly covered with white feathers. In a moment, a white swan was swimming along the calm surface of the lake. It was an unusual bird, with a golden royal crown sparkling on its small head.

Rothbert has finally avenged his damned love, his broken heart.

Now she has become a magic bird, Rothbert took revenge, but this revenge could become a punishment for himself. Once he was already in love with the beautiful Diana, now he could fall in love with her beautiful daughter. No, it was just a fairy tale. His love died with the death of the queen, not his, but someone else’s bride. He loved her, and his love died with her and her beauty. Could he really fall in love with the one he was supposed to take revenge on, the one he turned into a princess – a swan?