Якобсон Натали. Amaranta - Rival of Fairies" Queen

Natalie Yacobson

Amaranta - Rival of Fairies' Queen

Union with a magic state

The contract with unearthly fiery seal lay on his desk. Unprecedented honor! The seal of the King of the Elves Dagda himself, but Count Angus paused a little.

"To conclude an alliance with them, it means to destroy all of us," whispered his knight Theobald. "We, people, and the magic people, were always enemies. Nothing can be changed by one contract. After all, the magic creatures are cunning. They just deceive us, sleep our vigilance.

"But the seal from fire is sacred for them," the count first did not listen to the advice of Theobald. "See, it still burns and burns your fingers, even stands on paper." But at the same time the paper itself does not burn! Isn't a miracle! Even they will not be able to break it, since they put on the contract, it means that it will not be broken. The seal of Dagda himself!"

He touched reverently it with his fingers . The magic fire of the seal flamed, but no longer burned. From it only slightly pricked the fingers, and beautiful colored sparks were blocked on the skin.

"I'm going to marry tomorrow. I need peace, you need a guarantee that we will no longer be attacked. At least, from the side of the magic people - that enemy, which is not overcome by the earth's weapon. With conventional enemies, we can cope, but not with magical. It is better to make peace."

"A truce," corrected the adviser , always worn black in the sign of Mourning for the deceased family and the abducted bride, which was probably already dead or was enchanted. The Count could understand it. The grief of Theobald was great. Moreover, he did not want something like that repeated and with Amaranta. She was already driving here to become his wife. Her retinue is insignificant. But even if it was big, the elves can easily attack from the forest, from the steppes, from the water, from the mountains, even from the hills, not to mention the air and heaven - they live everywhere. Do not agree with them it means to become a victim. He himself is a knight and will perish with dignity if he has to fight. The main thing is that he did not enjoy it. After all, death from witchcraft is tormented and terrible. Angus's ownership suffered from attacks of the magic people since time immemorial. Supernatural enemies fell suddenly, no one in advance warning about his invasion, which greatly distinguished them from the human troops, which first declare war, and then they lead the troops. It is a pity that the fairies and elves lived solely by their rules. If they have at least some rules. Their people were multiple, diverse and unusually strong. Now the hordes of magic creatures were surrendered to the count's fields, pulling and burning sowing, the fairies blown out the villages of Sleepy Dusty, from which the peasants even after the awakening performed an unusual rash, and the minds were damaged.

People who were enchanted by fairies, then all their lives went like sleepy flies and painfully reacted to the light of the moon. And from the elves' archers there was no salvation. They always took what they wanted, leaving behind the meadows and lakes covered with poisonous spells, and even the ashes. The rights of strong magic creatures worked whatever. And the councils on them were not. From their attacks suffered still grandfather and great-grandfather of Angus. And his father they generally reduced the world. No one was able to save the late count from some joker-elves, who came on the moon night and started the game with him not to life, but for death because of some flirty moon fairies. Naturally, the person in the magic game lost and exhausted from the incurable disease in a matter of days. After all, the bet in the game was no more than life. Anyone who played in the bones with elves, then confused thoughts, and blood oozed from under the nails. Magic creatures came, playing and joking, and people then died. Supernatural diseases caught by their charms mowed the subjects of the count, as if the harvest. Angus himself would endure this years. But Amaranta he wanted to ensure security. If it would not be his beautiful blond bride, he would not think about the security of all the surrounding villages and villages, not to mention the safety of the whole world. The old witch doctor, which in the district was also considered as a prophet, somehow predicted that hardly magical folk, playing, wrap all the county, then the king of the elves and the fairies' Queen would unite and go war against the whole world.

Angus himself was not familiar with the king Dagda, nor with his girlfriend the fairies' Queen, about which, by the way, was going to have rather sinister rumors. But the stray elf, accidentally met at the crossroads, explained to him that any white bird released right at the sunset, it was tented to Dagda himself.

"In the sunset, the gates to our world will open," he explained to the count. This elf itself has the sunset in color, because his skin was orange, like fire. He could lie, because elves by nature are false. Nevertheless, the count listened to him and sent a message in such an unusual way. The postal dove released into the sunset obviously reached the target. After all, the answer came. Angus was pleased that the king of Elves reacted so quickly and even offered his friendship. He did not see any tricks in this.

"I respect your advice, but now it's wiser to do so," he looked at the crippled hand, which Theobald hid under the glove - evidence of the attack of elves. He snatched his hand, though mutilated, and the family could not save. And now he was depressed. Nothing consoled him, as if the elves infected his heart to a poisonous black longing. The hand reloaded and started to exhibit magic, tormented Theobald even more. He went to the holy fathers, they tried to help him but without success

"If it becomes very bad, I don't come to the castle," he promised all the time.

It was better to prevent danger at the root. The responsibility of the count was to follow the affairs, both outside and inside the county. He also lost his parents from the attack of the magic creatures, but did not get out. He cared for his lands and subjects. Old disputes of his ancestors with the people of Fairy do not have more meaning. And Dagda considers it now also. After all, he put his stamp. Now only the signature and sealing of the count are needed. The wandering magicians, whom he met on the roads of counties and which then disappeared somewhere, turned out to be much smarter than all of his advisers. They advised to bore the message to Dagda with their own blood, because by one droplet of your blood, the elves can easily understand that you are not hypocritical. Be that as it may, the answer immediately came, delivered to the castle window with a tiny dragon ruby-colored and with silver eyes. It is probably he got to put a fiery stamp under the signature of the most great ruler of the elves' Dagda.

To conclude a truce with the elves is much more smarter than to fight with them. After all, the forces are unequal. The consent of Dagda must be taken as mercy.

The count itself would not go to that. But for the sake of their people ... For the sake of defenseless old men and children of counties, for the sake of Amaranta ... And he put a seal with an admixture of his own blood. The whole contract immediately broke out with a flame, in which, however, did not burn, but divided into two copies. One for Dagda, the Lord of the Magic People, the second for the count, the patron of local people. So mankind and magic came to the Union. The Count hoped that the Union would be fertile and fruitful. After all, the elves are great assistants in the war and in work, if they want, not to mention the magic. And soon the messenger of Dagda himself will come to visit. It's time to drink for peace. A tiny elf has already been sitting on a barrel with wine and noisily noted that, devastating one fell behind another, each more than it is size. These creatures were able to drink, and it is no longer impossible to drive them. But the price is worth it. After all, it's already going here Amaranta with her retinue. The world is mainly for her. To prevent her beauty to bloom in complete safety in the county.

White bird with an amber in the forehead

Amaranta came out of the carriage. The wheel of the carriage flew from the axis just in the middle of the bridge, perched through the abyss. By legend, moon's elves were built it.

"If you stay here at night, we will see how they dance," the accompanying girls whispered. "They say they will lead mortals with them if they are invited to dance. Someone is thrown into the abyss, tangling a minute with him in heaven under the stars, and someone will give immortality."

More like a fairy tale, Amaranta decided to herself. But the bridge really made the impression of a magical structure. Its foundations protruded directly from the rocks at the bottom and folded into bizarre stone arabesques. The railing was not. For that only the bridge was held and why did it not still have fallen? The abyss under it seemed bottomless and ice. It was worth looking down and the imagination was involuntarily played. It seemed that there were tormented and hundreds of early beings were screaming. It was cold around. And the bridge itself seemed made not from the stone, but from ice.

Usually Amaranta had a common sense, but now she was drawn on fantasy. The sky looked as if the dragon was just flying, leaving a scarlet strip of fire in heaven. And according to the intricate bends of the decorations of the bridge, some white creature crawled, only remotely resembling the child. His thin white hands with gills beckoned Amaranta down. Does it want that she jumped into the abyss? And is it before the wedding itself? It seems that it is completely unkind. It is good that her companions did not notice him. The girls were too passionate about the chatters, and the men are busy with the repair of the carriage. And the coachman, and grooms, and even the footman were pronounced in the unbearable work for them. The junk wheel did not want to get back on the axis, as if it was enchanted.

"Do you want me to tell fortunes to you?" the creature already stood on the bridge. It resembled a large white spider with a face and body of an angular teenager. And the membranes and the selected eyelashes reminded of the winter. "I know how to predict the future! But you can not have it. You can right now go to this abyss. After all, your life is a threat for the well-being of our king."

"Your king?!" Amaranta almost laughed. They also have a king! Curiously, he also lives in the abyss under the bridge. There is cold and uncomfortable. Where is there to take a whole kingdom?

The winter is approaching!" the creature was still illuminated and clung to ice claws in the hand of Amaranta. Although the girl prudently managed to hide both hands behind his back, but now the lines on her palm carefully studied whitish eyes without pupils. Eyebrows and eyelashes of a strange creature were also white as snow. He also spoke about the winter! Well, isn't it the witchcraft?

Amaranta looked again in the abyss. The ice stretched out of it, the hell is intricate patterns, but did not reach the bridge. The ice vibrated, and she could not consider; is it in fact an ice or are the ice creatures climbing up.

The creature barely delivered his head to her shoulders, somehow climbed into the bridge, and others could not. Is he important among them? Dear rings on her fingers did not interest him at all. But the lines of her fate, which it, apparently, was read, forced him to be nervous.

"Not winter is approaching! You are approaching!" Amaranta nodded to the abyss. "You are alive, although you are made from ice."

"We are not made. We were born in such state," it did not even show greed, noting a massive chain of gold with the emblems of Aluar, which the king himself gave her when woven her. As a creature in such a wretched torn cape, barely covering his icy shoulders, can not be a begging or thief?

"And you crawl up, in our world," she concluded. "You are the Ice elves, about which they say so much here. I imagined the elves of a little more beautiful creatures."

Amaranta stopped, he was converted to thinking that it could regard such a phrase as a personal insult, but an angular ice creature did not even react to her chatter. It seems that he found a noble girl as an empty-headed coquette, whose speeches can not listen at all. All the same, nothing smart will not say.

It was rather strange that her jewel was not attracted him. Maybe he will ask for payment after the prediction.

"By the way, I do not believe in the divination by hand. Under the court in Aluar, I have already met the chiromants, and they could not even guess for whom I would marry. They predicted, what for the king, and I go out for the count.

The old king is such a prediction was very flattering, probably, therefore, the sly lets were given. Amaranta then it was very painful. She did not want to marry the king. He was old and ugly. And his kingdom was on the grain of war.

By the way, it was during the prediction of Amaranta for the first time and saw something unusual. A beautiful bird from the palace garden, flew out the window, sat on the back of her armchairs and combined:

"Do not worry so! The king in the world is not one. Suddenly you will meet one more?

Isn't that the war who goes on us, thought Amaranth, but with a bird did not enter the debate, otherwise the courtesy would be laughed. After all, birds do not know how to speak human voices. All this is known. But the Amarante was heard in the bird shuttle, it was human speech. Probably, it was probably not worth drinking such a strong wine, which is served in the Aluar's court. And it was not worth believing the chirromants. In order to heal in front of some influential and rich client, they are willing to utter any lie.

But the creature is from ice in itself was something magical, and many of the same creatures crawling up to the bridge seemed to be a mythical picture. From them the dark abyss was painted with white radiance.

Suddenly, the truth lives the magic. A strange ice creature in front of her knows how to foresee the future. From his touch, the fingers of Amaranta frozen and did not listen to the hostess, and it suddenly shuffled over her palm.

"Do not be afraid, Mrs. If your future spouse is making an alliance that hopes, we will not bring the eternal winter to your prosperous edge. We have to go somewhere else."

"Who put you in the abyss? Or did you born there?" Amaranta was very much intrigued by the Ice Army than her own fate, in which so far everything was clear. "Can you get out or have any spell that releases you out? I heard some of the conversations in the villages, by which we drove."

"Worry about us is very noble. Especially considering the fact that you will die, barely my brothers will get away," he suddenly squeezed her palm so hard that Amaranta almost shouted.

"My palm hurts!"

"Get used to pain! You have a lot of difficult solutions ahead. If you do not go to the end of this bridge, we will never get out of the abyss. Fate gave you a chance to make a choice, stopping your carriage."

The horses for her back piercingly rusted, probably feeling the presence of the magic creature. The grooms tried to calm them. Her maids complained of cold and demanded that the crew repaired as soon as possible. The girls could not understand how so far they had to fan from the heat, while they drove around the fields and meadows, and stopping on the bridge, they seemed to be in the ice strip of frost. It does not happen that the Earth shared on the summer and winter stripes. But here it is.

"Where did we come? "Adeline complained noisily, the most chatting maid of Amaranta. Only no one came to look back and see with whom speaks their mistress.

"If you continue your journey and pass the bridge, you will free all of us. And on your conscience there will be all that we do."

She was slightly frightened. And the cold, passed from his icy fingers to her, became almost unbearable. She is frowned to death, if he does not let her go.

"You will go or crawl," she looked down again. "Not on the earth of my husband, but somewhere else. Perhaps in deserted lands."

He laughed.

"Your future spouse is likely to make a union on which the inviolability of your land depends. But you will most likely dissolve this union."

"I will not do this. The peace is for me the most important. I do not like controversy and war."

"And do you know, because of what people are fighting? Most often due to the fact that it is impossible to get a peaceful way and without which they cannot live on."

"I do not understand! Personally, I wanted everything, I wanted to achieve a peaceful way, - she was only slightly not fair. The tactics of quarrels, tears and family scandals were almost military. Only war was carried out on the home front, when Amaranta knocked her right to marry not the old king, but the only young and beautiful fan that she had. Let him be a stranger nobleman who came to Aluar just once from far away, with not quite clear goals, but his beauty, youth, knowledge and wealth he had in stock all at once. If the applicant had only one of these qualities on her hand, then native could hardly let her choose him. Amaranta lived at the court and perfectly knew that youth and wealth is too rare combination even among the noblemen. Mostly young people are waiting for inheritance, and the elderly and wealthy in the meantime are woven to their chosen. Such is life in Aluar, the island kingdom, located among the rocks and seas. And on earthly continent otherwise, after all, Angus has all older relatives have long died. He remained alone and himself was the owner of the county. Amaranta The edge of the ear heard something that in the edges of which Angus arrived, people do not live long. Probably the case is in climate. Or in permanent wars. Having arrived here, she did not even think about the fact that she herself may not live for a long time. The ice creatures, for example, climbing from the abyss, did not foretell anything good. If they go on the surface, then everything will freeze around.

"If Angus signed the agreement, then the wars will be no longer. It is so?" Although from where the ice creature could know it. It is not a local spy? And the predictors are not given to know. They only see the perspective and build assumptions, if they do not pretend at all.

"Do not destroy what he did, otherwise we will come to you. And try not to look at our king."

Amaranta even grinned. Here you can not threaten. Ugly Ice king is definitely not attractive. Yes, even if he was their king and was beautiful, then living in a constant cold next to him would not wish any lady. But the creature next to her still worried.

"You better choose a mortal husband."

"But I already chose him, no one displaced me a magic one."

He did not let the hand of Amaranta from his icy fingers. And she frozen more and more.

"Lines on your palm have not been noticed too clearly. But now it is clear that the spouses you will have two at once."

"Two? It is unlikely that Angus will die so soon."

And what does two husbands mean? She is a noble girl. Such hints are humiliating. Maybe Ice Beings may have ten spouses at once, but the noble Lords may have only one wife. He was strongly mistaken, equal to his race with people. When you compose for someone predictions, you need to be careful that your lies do not fit. And he clearly composed. Amaranta already wanted to give him an advice not to predict anything in those aspects in which he was not understandable at all through his ice origin. But he continued selflessly, as if he really saw something in her future.

" You will have repeatedly choose between magic and earthly life. And God forbid you to choose magic. You will burn it hard."

"Oh really. And the personal dragon to damage it right now in the carriage and fly to the castle, I will not get."

"The Ice predictor did not understand a joke.

"The dragons will not be foreseen," he responded quite seriously. "But there will be one lady, the hostess of dragons, which you better beware."

"Why?" Amaranta is interested. She never seen a lady with dragons in life. Yes, and the dragons themselves, to be honest, too, never met and strongly doubted that they exist at all.

"She will be," the ice creature is slow. "As it is called, you, earthly women ... A, remembered. Opponent!"

"My rival! The Lady with dragons! Well, thanks, you pleased me."

She would have crouched in front of him in a joking curtsy, if she did not feel the cold that fades the whole body. Soon she herself turn into an ice, if he won't let her hand.

"And the case, here are dragons?"

"How without them."

"And you are not afraid that their fire will melt your ice?"

"Not all dragons breathe fire," he mysteriously responded.

Amaranta decided not to judge him. She did not know anything about the dragons at all, however, as about ice creatures. The first meeting with such left an unpleasant precipitate from the lies about the future and frostbite on the whole skin.

"And you can't read on my palm, will they fix the carriage soon?" was her next joke. Suddenly he will not be offended again.

The ice interlocutor answered nothing. Apparently, such a easily subject to check in the near future the topic is not discussed as the subject of divination. It is easy to lie only about what happens very soon, and therefore, it is impossible to catch a deceiver immediately. While you check that he lied, the years will be held.

"By the way, let's meet in a year and check if your prediction came true," which devil pulled her to offer him a bet. " "If a rival with the dragons and the second spouse appear in my life, I will give you everything you want. And if not, you will do everything I want, even frozen the entire district, if I don't like it here."

"I agree with you!" His whiten eyes lit up with a loose light. He even released the hand of Amaranta and rather loose palm. "I love deals with mortals and promise you that wherever you are, in a year I will come to you."

Amaranta was very doubted that he could find her in some cozy castle tower, but still politely nodded.

"I will warn servants to exactly in a year they let you to me, as an extremely honorable visitor," she promised, although, of course, such a stupid promise was not going to do. But it is necessary to console him at least before the eternal separation.

"It's not worth it," he almost joyfully responded. "Bypass the posts of guards is my favorite business. And I will give you a deposit."

"What is the deposit?" Amaranta was alerted.

"Magic, so that you will believe in the predictions."

He waved slightly with the ice fingers, and the carriage suddenly repaired itself. The grooms only shouted "Oh". They have already lowered their hands and began to argue who will go to the castle to have a help, and then suddenly the broken axis itself corrected and got into place.

"Like this?" Amaranta turned to the creature, but it was already crawled back from the bridge, deftly like a spider.

"Yes, remember your arrival in these edges marks the beginning of the war. And the war will not end until you make a choice between the magic and the earth," the ice creature laughed, leaving the web of frost patterns. "Choose between the earth and the unearthly ruler it is difficult, Amaranta! But you better not to pester our king. Otherwise, my ice claws grab hold of your adorable throat. And it will be a year later on the night of our new meeting."

He giggled for a long time. During their conversation, white creatures from the abyss seem to get almost close to the bridge.

Amaranta scolded to herself the winter and all ice creatures. Well, a joker! Why did you just need to come into conversation with this insane being? But she always pulled on the adventure.

The ice creature carried a complete nonsense. Like any predictor! It is necessary at least something to poison the brains for a good fee. By the way, he just did not take the fees.

But the merchant, too, waged on the bridge, offered some junk for money exclusively. Her companions, as discharged, became interested in his commodity and began to choose something. Amaranta was more interested in the axis, which was fixed by itself. She sat down and looked at the wheel. The axis on it turned out to be made of ice. And she did not melting. Where is the broken axis? And why did she suddenly replace the ice plant? Indeed, magic.

"The beautiful lady does not need a friend?"

Who said that? Amaranth looked around. Who can, seeing her escort, so brazenly impose.

"A girlfriend, which can predict the future, this is what you need," the voice seemed to have come from heaven, for which the filament clouds crossed with a red sunset strip.

"No, thanks, predictions for me were enough," she stopped, noticing that the merchant turned out to be a real wizard. He showed the tricks, and the girls applauded. The clothes on it was like on the eastern worship: a turban with a feather, a silk bathrobe, beaded jewelry and suspension. And she accepted him for an ordinary merchant! An instant and he won a white garden lily from emptiness to give it to Amaranta. The audience was applauded, and the lily revealed in her hands, and from the core of the flower was swept away to the upstream insect, suspiciously resembling a tiny fairy.

"Wonders! "Amaranth saw already at the court in Aluar the various magicians, but they were not capable of that.

"Who you are?"

He hid face behind a translucent cloth that did not close only his eyes. Of course, he did not answer her. But the luxurious white bird, sitting on his shoulder, shook:

"I want to her! I want to predict her fate!"

Well and miracles! It seems that this bird is a hostess of the merchant, and not he is her master.

"What is her name? And how much does it cost? "Amaranta stretched out her hand to a white fluffy bird. It was very royal she looked. And a major amber, as it turned out, grew right in her forehead, first seemed to be intricate decoration. Instead of sticking, the bird happily flew into the hand of Amaranta.

What is it lovely! She has a luxurious tail than Peacock. Feathers fluffy and gentle to the touch. Is there still paradise birds, white, like clouds? Or this is so unique.

"She is a great predictor of fate," said the merchant.

"Yes, of course, I believe you," Amaranta already pretended to the brain, as far as the poultry price will increase from this unrealistic praise. If the money taken on the road is not enough, you can pay for it with jewels. She has already prepared to part with the ring or with the earrings.

"This is a gift!" answered the owner of the bird.

Amaranta did not even bother him to believe. How can he give to someone such a miracle, and even gratis.

The mrchant meanwhile kissed her hand as a nobleman.

"You are beautiful as a fairy, lost far from her native magical kingdom," he whispered so that the surrounding did not hear. "I'm so, believe me, I know how they look like. And the bird knows, so it will obey you. There are almost impossible to tame such birds, except for fairies. She still had no owners, so consider she as your girlfriend."

"What is it called?"

"This bird is a fortuneteller. The magic bird. It is so called no reason, but because it gives predictions."

And the bird really spoke almost the human language alternate with nightingale trills. Pure Magic! Amaranta smiled, and the merchant disappeared.

Or was it pulled under the bridge of ice creatures? Well, even though the bird remained.

"Let's go, a white girlfriend with an amber in your forehead," Amaranta wanted to bring her on her hand, but the bird was fought and flew over her.

She may spit on the prediction! Amaranta was going to leave the Ice Bridge and move to warm herself in a meadow from piercing cold. Let ice creatures scream in the abyss under the bridge. One of them warned her not to ride. Well, let! She made her choice. It's time to go to the wedding! Amaranta turned around to look back to the bridge, whether all the same ice creature, threatening for goodbye. But there was only some beautiful blonde cavalier in clothes similar to the Eastern Bathrobe of the merchant and shook off the snowflakes from his hat suspiciously similar to the Turban.

The merchant was old, the cavalier on the bridge is young and handsome. A stranger smiled at Amaranta and waved for goodbye, as if she knew her well. Is it not strange that he suddenly found himself on the bridge in a deaf terrain without a crew and without a horse?

Amaranta dismissed from him some thunder from heaven. There is a thunderstorm or a dragon flies? Slightly leaning out of the window, the girl noticed the flying creature, something like a white dragon with a tiny silhouette of a rider. Did it stretched over the sky a sharp strip of fire or sunset? Probably, it was not a dragon, but simply the cloud-adopted cloud shape. Amaranta was distracted by observations, because the bird spoke to her again. And her tongue was human. It is good that companions are in a carriage sleep. You can talk with the great predictor of fate in bird plumage.

"Well, are we friends with you? "Amaranta tried to warm up the fingers, touching her fluffy bird.

"We are not be friends if you are so naive as today," a luxurious bird said brazenly. "But since you yourself are very stupid, I'm going to become your adviser in everything."

"Well, thanks," Amaranta was offended. There would not be such a beautiful bird, she would immediately drive her for rudeness. Coach rolled forward, and the new girlfriend began to absorb residues of fruits from the basket without demand. She so highly appreciated her advice, which did not even notice sarcasm in the voice of a new mistress. Although no, as the merchant said there. The hostess of this bird cannot be, you can only become her friend.

Wedding Casus

"You want to invite the king of elves to your wedding," Theobald did not understand. "This is no joke! What will people say? What will the priests think? To marry you will arrive a bishop of the Roshen itself. Everyone will see the king of elves with a retinue of magical creatures on your wedding.

"And good! Now we are allies! Let everyone know about it! No war! We need to rejoice, Theobald. Who did not take another disgusting taste of helplessness in the fight against supernatural creatures? But how good they are when you are asking them to help you.

Angus himself watched the ugly Horde of Finodirries, who deftly dragged huge blocks for the construction of a grand cathedral. Such blocks could not raise the whole group of skillful builders. And these terrible freaks, wool and claws, everything was very cleverly went out. Cancelled masters!

"Do you remember that in no case they can not be thanked for work?" asked the Count.

"Even if, despite all my bias against them, their work will make an unprecedented impression on me?" Theobald crushed incredulously. "I do not like the active Finodirries, I really did not like them. Such boys can conquer the whole world, and they suddenly are here and build something. This is not good! In all this lies some trick."

"They can not be thanked if they were pleased you with their work!" said Count Angus. "You don't remember, I told you about them."

"Yes, something about the fact that their ancestor married a simple girl, and from this union were born such freaks endowed with a random power and immortality. And then an unusual couple ignored some solemn reception in the country of fairies, and for it all the descendants punished with a curse - they are doomed to be slaves of someone else's will of all eternity. To work and build for anyone who will like or lubricate them with cunning, but any words of gratitude will burn them like a whip. They will conquer from pain at the sight of a gift or having heard the word "Thank you" and disappear. So can thank them right now. Hey you!"

"Do not even think about it!" objected the count. A flock of Finodirries has already wrapped the shaggy heads in anticipation of the next commands.

"Go on!"Angus told them, and Theobald was dressed down. "You don't remember that Dagda himself sent them here. Insult him and the Union will end. Again, you will have to lead a senseless war in which we will lose in any case. Reconcile yourself to the fact that the magic people are stronger than us. It is better to be friends with them, not to be enimies.

"The fairies and elves will never be friends of people," Theobald again felt the pain from his long-standing injury obtained in a duel with evil spirits. "Believe me, I know."

"No matter how hard it is, we must try," Angus was adamant. He did not tear off the eye from the construction, which grown out of nothing on the empty plain in one day. Finodirries were famous that they were able to dry the swamp and build a luxurious palace complex on it in just one night. It will be necessary to ask them to build a chic palace for Amaranta, barely finish with the construction of a grandiose wedding cathedral.

Dagda decided to make a great gift and told the magic builders to create a cathedral for the wedding, which will be remembered by a lot of generations, because it was at this wedding that the Union was announced, which was concluded by mortals and fairies. And it became that this wedding will become significant.

"What will the priests say, when will learn that the most luxurious cathedral is rebuilt with evil spirits?" said Theobald. Having received a dangerous wound from the fairies, he was biased in everything that was in connection to the people of fairies, but he could not take his eyes from the next magnificent building. "Fabulous thing! But what if these monolithic walls get crouched into the dust, barely the visitors come into the cathedral? Do you not know how the elves and the fairies are sly!

"You are too suspicious!" Angus in a friendly way slapped Theobald on the shoulder, and scared when the friend turned pale and almost fell. It seems that the count hurt his old wound.

One of the Finodiries immediately jumped to them and raised the bottle with a sparkling greenish elixir.

"Your friend becomes better ... for a while," said he.

"This is a poison!" suspected Theobald, but the Finodirry has already flew back to working friends. They circled over an unfinished cathedral like a dance of black jinns. From afar it seemed that they did not work, but dancing, fluttering in height. The monstrous and something beautiful spectacle! While Theobald looked at them, the count made him drink a gulp of elixir. And a small miracle happened. Instead of poisoning, Theobald felt relief.

"The fairies' jokes," muttered still, he wanted to spit, but the grass under his feet sparkled from some kind of magic pollen, and he was sorry for her to dump.

"I heard about the ancient King of Moran, who crushed over the swamp, which was fruitless," told the count an old legend. "It was impossible to dry the swamp, a different creature was jumped out of it, hungry, and terrible voices were heard. Somehow that the king managed to call on a Finodirry. Just one, and not a whole company. That Finodirry per night drained the swamp and built a fortress on it. The graceful king decided for this to build a magic builder to the noble rank, to make his approximate and left him a gift from the dried swamp - an exquisite court outfit with all regalia, a hat, boots. Nearby was waiting for a skilled tailor with a large mirror to help the monster to have a sophisticated clothing and if you have to, urgently fit into size. And a little bit, the royal retinue was hiding, wishing to see how Finodirry was getting on an expensive outfit and will be quietly looked at himself in the mirror in full growth. Especially for him found a mobile mirror of a huge size, because the Finodirry is much higher than the people. Yes, and the fabrics for the outfit chose the best. Buckles, buttons, laces - everything was the highest quality and expensive. Seeing this luxury, Finodirry howled. He did not appreciate the gratitude of the king, only was offended and began to smash something that his paws, claws and horns were not a place where there is a similar luxury that he was driving, and he should leave. With that, notice, no one drove him. On the contrary, he was offered an enviable post at the court. The king could not lose such an employee. But offended by the gift Finodirry destroyed some church in the thickets and disappeared.

"And what conclusion should I do from this story?"

"The Magic creatures are not bribes, not seekers of rich patrons, not cunning. It is useful to make friends with them."

"Yes? And this is not that Finodirirry who seduced the wife of the king and a terrible freak was born from their connection instead of the laid heir. By the way, the queen and Finodirirry met in that destroyed church."

Well, maybe it was another Finodirirry. Look, you do not distinguish them from each other."

They jumped so vigorously, as if flew. One dusted Finodirere chopped the stone block, but fortunately managed to catch him raid before he smashed his head to a whole team of the count.

"You are not afraid that one day they will become dangerous."

"Dagda will hold them away," the count has objected confidently, "while we are in friendship." He is their ruler. No wonder they need a strong king."

"And if something happens at the wedding."

"Only Dagda himself and his chosen retinue are invited to the wedding. Monsters there will not be, only fairies and elves. They can behave decently."

"But they can also be dangerous. Their pretty appearance is deceptive."

"And they also have a court etiquette. They know how to behave in order not to provoke a new enmity."

- And what if Dagda himself is dangerous? What if he just pretended, that does it want to make friends with you?"

"I do not think! No wonder he has rumored about him that he is the most noble of all the rulers of the elves, which were before him."

"It is true, others did not agree to go to the world. But it does not mean at all that it is necessary to believe him unconditionally."

"I do not believe! I check it! Therefore, he was invited to the wedding. Let me get him acquainted with my bride. He must promise that he will not hurt her, only then we will become real friends and allies.

"It's all because of Amaranta, yes?" It seemed to Theobald for a moment that he looked into the heart of his friend. "In order to provide her security, you are ready for everything."

"Well, besides her, I am obliged to patronize all the inhabitants of the county, my vassals, servants. I am entrusted concern for many.

"You yourself would fought to the last drop of blood. You did not forget that the elves were the invaders, they murdered your parents. They damaged us by centuries while we did not do anything bad. You see, all these lands, on which we live, were their property even before the first person arose. They considered us only as parasites in their private territories."

"Stop doing that! Everything is not so bad!" The count takes a spyglass to consider the works of the Finodirries better. Still a little bit and they will finish. And the sun is not even beginning to tear up to the sunset.

"Great workers!"

"Just do not invite them to work in our county. They are very dangerous."

Although the cathedral was built on a deserted plain, where it was not necessary to build anything before, and where, because of bad rumors, no one tried not to enter, gossip about the shaggy workers had already separated throughout the county. Somewhere there remained the imprint of their clawed foot size. Somewhere heard their laughter, from which global walls of rural houses were shook. Somewhere broke the roof, on which they jumped in passing.

"Do you really believe that banshees lived in this plain?" interrupted his reflection the count.

"The rustic girls accurately heard them. These spirits are howling, foreshadowing a tragedy. And even if they were driven by Finodirries, the place to build a wedding cathedral here is very unsuccessful.

Where banshees are howling, it is always better to build a chapel for funeral and prepare the graveyard for the funeral, but Theobald didn't say about it. Why once again alarm the friend. In addition, the elixir of Finodirry gave temporary relief from the wound. And thank him.

Only thanks to say it is impossible not to provoke hysteria and discord. Theobald stopped himself in time.

Society of gold masks

Amaranta did not notice how she fell asleep. She dreamed that she walks among gold roses. It was amazing! The flowers, in fact, were made of pure gold, but they could not be called jewelry as they grew right on the bushes and trees. From their radiance blinded eyes. And some dark shadow swept in the sky. Amaranta touched one of the roses, but only pricked a finger about gold spikes.

"Caution, you are very close to the boundaries of the magic kingdom," said someone suddenly. Amaranta raised her head and noticed a bird on a high branch with a human head. It seems such creatures were called Sirin. Or alkonost? Or Hamayun? And they existed only in fairy tales. This bird had a luxurious, almost peacock's tail with sparkling stones. What are they just growing from her feathers? It seems that this bird is Sirin, because her plumage is light, and a smile friendly. Alkonosts' and Hamayuns' feathers are dark, and the faces are gloomy, as they predict tragedies. The Sirin is a bird of joy. The maiden's head on a bird body was crowned with a real crown with rubies and diamonds.

"He's coming!" said the Sirin. "He is so close to you, as he has never been. And he will take you with him! Soon!"

"Who?"

But the Sirin only smiled. And the gold roses ring, as if the bells. There were here hundreds, thousands of roses. And from each was heard a melodic ringing. Someone hugged Amaranta from behind. She turned around. Nearby there was someone state and attractive. It was warm and pleasant with him, but a little confused that his face was completely closed with a gold mask. Amaranta wanted to remove it, but suddenly realized that the mask was his face. Do not remove it!

The dream broke off. The carriage sharply slowed down, and this was the reason that the girl woke up from blissful dreams. Only all her companions still dreamed. Probably, it is a knock of wheels and monotonous landscapes outside the window have affected all sleeping.

"No matter how they attacked the robbers," said the white bird with an amber in her forehead, "I heard, there are many robbers in these forests. And there are also those who are worse as robbers."

" About what are you talking?" Amaranta abruptly remembered a stranger from the dream.

The bird was silent, brushing her luxury snow-white plumage.

"Listen, have you ever seen birds, the same luxurious, like you, only with the human head?

"You have little that I am talking to the human language, you want me to be the girl?!"

"No, what are you! I did not want to offend you. By the way, how can I call you. Do you have a nickname?"

"A nickname?" The bird was displeased.

"Well, okay, a name, not a nickname," went to the assignment Amaranta. "It seems that I speak to a real lady from a notable birds' race!"

"You can choose a name for me. My birds' language you don't understand. It is too difficult for people. But I give you a carte-blanche to choose a new."

"For example, Your Majesty,"Amaranth jokes.

"Not so high!"

"Then the White Queen," the girl looked at her plumage. "or a snow-white marchioness."

"More like titles than the names."

"And what will be suitable for you?"

"The name is not just a beautiful sound, it should characterize me, give individuality. Do not call me like a dog."

"Well, well," Amaranta began to bend fingers and put all his ingenuity into the move. "A Gossip? A Snowflake? An Amber? I think the nickname of an amber is best suited."

"Well, no, there is a feeling that the stone is the main thing that I have."

"Then - the fluff. You are easy in flight, like a fluff. And the touch is the same soft."

"No, I don't want to compare me with a fluff," the bird was capricious.

"Then," Amaranta urgently sought a compromise. "Infanta!"

"And what does it mean?"

"I somehow saw a princess who came with the ambassador from a distant state, where girls are sweet, beautiful and decorate their hairstyle with the peacocks' feathers. They would like them. The heiress of the throne in those states is called infanta, and I will call you so much."

"Well, it doesn't sound bad," said the bird. "Infanta! I like."

"Then now it's your name," Amaranta made a note for herself that the word "a nickname" can not be used. For some reason, she did not want to insult the bird. They did not spend an hour together, and she had already started to treat the gift of the merchant, as the best girlfriend. It's amazing how they did not wake up anyone from her maids with their loud conversation. Even Adeline peacefully dreams. Not to mention the old nurse, which Amaranta also took with her. It will be very good, if Angus does not come in bewilderment, seeing such an unusual escort. He can not send such an unusual escort away. All of her fellow travelers will have to find some place in the castle. They are as if part of the dowry. By the way, she has almost no dowry, not counting the jewels of her mother that she got as the only daughter. But Angus was not embarrassed by this fact. Probably because he himself was very rich. He has more fertile lands than Prince or King!

Someone gently knocked at the window of the carriage. Amaranta was ready to swear that on a moment she saw an unusual hand with sparkling claws and fingers, swirling, like a twig.

" Welcome to the land of the elves, Ms. Amaranta!"

What is this, a joke? Amaranta looked out and did not believe her eyes. At the carriage stood a boy in a green coat. He hid face under a mask, skillfully made of small golden leaves.

"You accidentally turned out the wrong way," he explained delicately. "The coachman fell asleep, and the horses moved to the call from the elves' lands. It happens here with all the travelers. But according to the contract between us and the inhabitants of the county, I have to warn you that you are going directly to the cliff."

"What?"

"You need to turn around and drive a little back, then you will not fall in captivity or trap."

"You want to say, the robbers' nest is nearby?" Amaranta repeated what she heard from her bird.

"Oh, no, they have long shied Arachnes."

"Who?"

"Golden spiders, they weave their web on the way ahead. Therefore, it is safer to turn back."

"You do not want me to come back, change my mind to play the wedding."

"In no case! The wedding of people is an interesting event for us. We all want to visit it, but, alas, not everyone is invited."

"So I can fix it. I invite you all."

Words themselves flew from the language. Amaranta did not have time to regret them, because they were not so many ones in gold hard masks. Just a dozen or a couple of dozens? Or are there several dozen? Ladies and cavaliers in the golden leaves opposed trees. They are suddenly like mushrooms. It costs to break through that she invites them all. Such an army and at the royal wedding do not fit.

Fortunately, the boy, originally spoke to her, delicately explained:

"We can not appear there to everyone. Our lord does not tell us. And otherwise there will be riots. People still do not like us very much. That is, most people ... Some people, as it turned out, is very good. You are, for example.

Amaranta seemed suddenly that he touched her hand, although they were separated by a much greater distance than his hand could reach. Oddly enough in her hair, she suddenly stuck one gold leaf in the form similar to aspen. It was subtle, but tough, precisely metallic. Sack reminds clean gold.

"I don't know who your master, but I am not just a guest at the wedding, but the bride." On ancient tradition, I have the right to invite everyone I want.

The boy looked back concerned, where the state strangers in hardwood masks suddenly turned out to be as much as trees in the forest. It seems that for each tree was at least one of them.

Infanta was anxious and didn't fly out of the carriage.

"I invite at least you and your companion," Amaranta recovered a little.

A little behind the boy stood a slim lady in a luxurious green dress and the same mask from golden leaves, fully closed face. The feeling was such that the mask grows straight from her skin. Moreover, the same golden leaves visited the same golden leaves on the palms under long grains of green sleeves. Probably, the lady wore bracelets. But how does this impression come from that these leaves germinate from her hands?!

"A companion, hmm ..." The boy who met the carriage, clearly felt a little embarrassing. "Mrs. Iveina is not entirely the satellite."

"But still let him come. Will be a guest. Or even a girlfriend of the bride. One of my maids fell ill and died during marine voyage. Now I miss the bridesmaids for an even number. They should be even quantity."

"Uriella did not die. One of the sons of the sea called her with him from the ship, and she jumped into the bunch behind him. He can let her go to the wedding. I can transfer him a message from you, written on the shell. Only in this case the son of the sea, who kidnapped her, will come to a wedding with her, and wet traces will remain everywhere. So I don't really advise you to invite Uriella and him, if you do not want the lock partially flooded. You see, since the Queen of Lilofey (she was a terrestrial princess before it became the wife of the sea king) tried to escape back to the father, the sons of the sea no longer trust their sweethearts who ask to visit their relatives on the Earth. These girls, even if they love their kidnappers, sometimes have a strong nostalgia. It is worth them to step back to the ground, and they can hate the underwater kingdom, where they lived comfortably among the wonders and treasures.

But this speech of the boys has already resembled a draw or nonsense.

"Did you decide to tell me fairy tales?"

He crashes as if he was struck.

"No, sorry, I just thought that your friend Uriella, for sure, did not leave you a farewell inscription on deck with blood and water. And if she left, then you did not understand it. The language of the underwater inhabitants is too complicated, and if they want people to understand them, they are came themselves, and everything becomes bad from their manners. Therefore, I decided to explain to you, where your maid disappeared. She did not show any disrespect for you, that she left, she was just lured under the water. When the water pop up from the waves and play on the swirls, mortal girls are hypnotized by their music. Even love Sonata is no longer needed.

It seems that he did not understand that the girls who jumped from the ship to the open sea are most likely becoming drunk. The fact that their corpse did not come to the surface, does not mean that they became princess in the underwater kingdom. Amaranta frowned, remembering that symbols drawn by blood and water on the deck really appeared. Sailors were baptized for a long time, finding them a bad omen. And Uriella before disappeared, she was sick for a long time and complained that she hears some kind of melody straight from the waves. Others did not hear it, but Uriella had blood from it from ears.

Sorry for Uriella. She was the most beautiful of the girlfriends of the bride, but she began to talk to the waves and rushed overboard. Only its veil then swam on the water.

The sea is a terrible place. Amaranta would not be able to transfer a long voyage a second time. When you are in the open sea in cloudy weather, really you start thinking that thousands of monsters are watching you out of depths, scratching the bottom of the ship, and fiercely whisper about people who accidentally found themselves in their possessions.

Once Amaranta had a nightmare dream about the underwater inhabitants who keep the advice: heat their ship or not. The vessel really threw out of the side to the side and almost listed on the reefs. Someone one of the sea creatures said that it was not worth it, because one of the girls on board was too valuable. Which they meant? Uriella, which was kidnapped. Here, she is already starting to think like a boy. Under the influence of anthracite eyes under deciduous mask slots. The lady for his back his eyes were aquamarine, like two gems. She was silent all the time. Iveina, so it was called. Curious name. Sounds like rustling foliage.

"What is your name?"

The boy even embarrassed from the fact that she was interested in his humble person.

"I am Ivor," he retreated a step back instead of wing, as it should be.

"What is the name of that wizard who made you such a mask?"

Here he was no longer answered, and Iveina laughed in the woolly. Her lips under the golden leaves were not visible. Laughter proceeded, as if from the inside of the statue. Amaranta satellites even did not wake up from it. It seems that they hit the sleepy kingdom.

Or maybe all this dream? And she just sleeps? Amaranta reached for Ivour. He was completely real. And his clothes from soft velvet. And on the palms of the same leaves like at Iveina. And they grew up with the back of the palm, and with outdoor. Grew? Amaranta didn't believe it too much, but failed to touch them. Ivor snatched his hand.

"I had to tell you something," said he.

Amaranta looked at him closely from the window of the carriage.

"We welcome you! And ... Ivor accurately frowned under the mask, because gold leafs were trembling in eyebrows. He could not remember something important.

"And?" Amaranta suggested.

"Dagda ordered me to tell me something, but I do not remember ..."

Dagda? What is the name? Like an ancient pagan god or the ruler of wild tribes. From the politeness Amaranta nodded.

"Do not remember, then do not remember. I'm not angry with you."

"Oh, you are very generous. Looking at you, I begin to respect mortal girls."

Well, here he is again for his jokes. He repels about people as if he does not apply to them, but to the race of the gods. For him, this is normal, he, after all, the child could also go. But the adult lady for his back would have to interrupt the draw. If only it is not included in some local traditions of receiving the bride from other people's edges. There are a variety of wedding rituals in different countries. And in small island kingdoms on holidays, there are even strange rituals. Suddenly, here the masks from leaves are something ritual. It is worth checking out.

"Can you remove the mask?" She asked for Ivor.

"Not now!"

"Why?"

He looked at Iveina

"Why can't you take it right now? I want to see your face, not a mask."

Ivor bent to the window of the carriage and whispering a conspiratorial tone.

"It grows into the skin with the sunset."

So it, however, grows out of skin. Or is he joking? Amaranth managed to tear off one leaf.

"Ouch, it hurts!" Ivor straight screamed.

"Sorry!"

She turns a sparkling leaf in the fingers. He was made of pure gold.

It seems that Ivor really was hurt. His companions at once were alerted and began to remind ready to rush into the battle. Ivor said something to them in an incomprehensible language, and then he turned back to Amaranta. He did not go blood from his chin, although it was from there and a golden leaf was revealed. So, he still did not grow out of the skin, since there is no blood. And pain can be depicted.

"All the mortals are the same jokers," Ivor's voice suddenly became no childish but evil and cruel. "There are many troubles from them. They ruin the fields, and the forests are damaged, our flowers are torn, they expel our vassals from all holes. Therefore, we fought. You do not want a new war?"

His words were angry. It seems that from the underground kingdom, the whole rail of terrible monsters warriors is breaking, which to bear numbers. It is standing to pass out, and they will reach the human world in one fell.

Ivor did not talk about anything, but it seemed that he said, and showed.

"Don't make me angry," he bounced offended and suddenly disappeared, as if he was not. His companions are no longer visible. The road is empty.

"In vain, you did it," Infanta said, greedily looking at the golden leaf, which Amaranth spit in her hands.

The grooms began to wake up, her maids too. Amaranta barely managed to prevent them that they need to turn from this road.

"There's the way to cliff, I was explained by a passing peasant," she turned out. For some reason, she did not want to tell about the people in golden masks.

Expand the crew turned out to be unexpectedly difficult, as if some creatures were clung to the wheels and did not give to go on. Amaranta seemed that she hears their laughter and even sees how they swing on the axes, trying to pull them out of the wheels. They were frozen and shaggy.

"Do not stick to us!" they were angry.

Only none of the satellites have seen them, besides the horses who tried to flood them with hooves.

The golden web on the left side of the new road, which was able to leave, no one also noticed. But the flickering creatures are crawling along it, or women, whether the spides, gloatingly whispered after Amaranta.

"How good that you arrived! We all welcome you!"

It was worth turning to the rear window of the carriage, and they no longer see them behind. Either the carriage is going too quickly, or a huge web with Arachnes was only an illusion.

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.

Guest from the Magic World

Amaranta dreamed on the go. She already could not remember how she has married. The wedding was in a huge cathedral, as if created from the clouds, it would seem a dream if it was not filling with the guests of people and elves.

Angus managed to explain to her that it was quite natural. People and magic people have ever had to unite. It is necessary to live on one land peacefully. Two races: human and magic, must make friends. Someone had to take the first step to conclude the Union, and Angus was made. Her groom was always very bold, sometimes even reckless. Rather, her husband is already, and not the groom. Amaranta frowned, reminding the wedding. Something did not converge. She waited at the altar for one, and saw the other, and realized that it was impossible to live on without him.

Understood? Or did someone tried to inspire it?

"Wake up, a stupid girl! You are entirely under his spells!" Infanta was concerned about her, but the bird's warnings were not at all what Amaranta could now listen to.

She seemed to be burned when she was looking at a stranger in the crown. Although it is possible to call him a stranger. She seemed always to know him. All eternity she was with him. Or does she inspire someone too? A white bird with amber in her forehead was sure that the hostess was enchanted. Well, let it! What can a bird know about love? Is it love? Amaranta wanted to kiss the king of elves, and not her own groom. How could it go out? She did not understand herself. In the head was a strange noise. Or maybe it was all the case in the noise of the wings of the terrible creatures who gathered under the dome of the cathedral. They stared at the bride with their red eys as if they wanted to rush down and kidnap her on the command of their king.

"Yes, I would like to kidnap you ..."

Dagda did not utter these words out loud, but she heard.

And stuck in the head of Angus to enter into an alliance with these creatures? They can drive away with one of their presence nearby, in one glance. But once Angus decided that it was necessary to go on a truce, he should believe. He could not do something in vain. Maybe she came to his county in vain, because she does not know the local people. And they, as it turned out, got along near such unusual creatures and even divided the territory with them. Where Amaranth rose, there were no such creatures. Her people did not utter supernatural neighbors. And the county of Angus is the Earth of Magic. How could he hide from her all this? Why not told immediately? He was afraid that she would refuse to marry him, if she finds out that it had full of supernatural creatures in his homeland, and any of them could become an irreconcilable enemy for all eternity for the entire County if he was angry with them. Thus, they can already go into the grave with Angus, and their children and grandchildren will still pursue some angry elves.

There is a dangerous edge, but she is still glad that she came. As if someone whispered to her that she always had to live here. This is a misunderstanding that she found it so far beyond the sea. As if she chose where she was born! But some kind of magic voice assured that her original homeland is here, and there are no roads back from here. After all, arriving here, she is a meant with the elves clan, and not with the human count.

How strange! What only does not come to mind from drinking of the magic wine, which a monster in the exquisite coat suggested her. Only in this county there are monsters capable of dressing up like a noblemen. And only here is served the wine that affects the occurrence of magic.

But the ball after the wedding is quite natural. It is not clear how it turned out to be. She remembered only the wedding in an unusual temple and noise of wings. And now she dances a dance with a partner, from which it is impossible to remove the eyes. It seems to be hypnotizes. High, blonde, silent and some kind of domineering, as if all here for some reason should be bowed before him.

Why is she dancing with him, and not with her fiance? All around in white. Does all the guests for the wedding came in white? It seems on the ancient tradition in white should be only a bride and a bridegroom. There is no rest. And here on all sophisticated snow-white outfits with gold or silver border.

Someone flashed the wings, the same silver as a ringer of the outfit. How strange! For some reason, Amaranta did not immediately remember that the elves were invited to the wedding. Their exactly half of the gathered. Strange customs! Magic people among those invited to the human wedding! It seems that the fiance is an elf himself. To invite half of the guests from the people, and the second half of nonhumans is supposed only if someone from the crowned is also not a person, but an elf. Either the fairy is a bride, but the groom is a man or the bride is mortal, and the groom is an elf. Then guests are divided into two equal parts from elves and people. But in case the human wedding, then all guests must also be people. And if the magic creatures are married, then on the contrary - all guests from their race. Otherwise it is impossible. These are customs.

And where does she know about these customs? Amaranta frowned eyebrows. She did not hear about this. But knowledge arose in the head itself, as read in the invisible book in front of the nose. But it is not a book in front of it, but a cavalier. The most beautiful young man in the world. And he is not a man. He is an elf.

And all guests suddenly turned out to be solid magical creatures. And where are people? After all, they also attended here. So why now there are only fairies, elves, and even some freaks with wings in elegant coats. The latter came between guests and behaved viciously. That's about to throw. She even frightened.

"Do not be afraid! I'm with you!"

How good is to be next to him! How warm! How calmly! From his wings there is a strong wind, and she in his arms feels such a pleasant golden warmth, as if near the tropical sun.

"You are beautiful! But I should be somewhere else!"

And here she is on the cliff. No, she is on the edge of the tower, which is crumbling and over which the dragon is pouring. This from his breath the castle's wall is lit and rushed. At the bottom is the whole army of the fairies. The elves were beautiful on the ball but now they are angry. A delightful magical society suddenly turned into a black flock of a warriors who precipitate the castle.

And a black bird with a red stone in the forehead flies over the head of Amaranta and said angrily:

"That's what your careless brought, a stupid girl in love.

And she wants to shout at her, but the lips do not move. The bird looks like an Infanta, but only more evil. And a terrible woman came along with a bird. Rather came flying, because she also has the black wings. There are not bird's wings, but the patterned wings of butterfly. She also has a red stone in the forehead, grows straight in the skin, and her dress is a real fire. And she also whispers viciously, trying to rip the necklace from the neck of Amaranta:

"Leave him! He is mine!"

Amaranta fights with her. And her rival turns into a post of a black fire.

And that's all. On this dream ended.

So it was only a dream?

Amaranta did not know: to sigh to her with relief or with disappointment.

A huge bed wit curtains, on which she slept, was clearly an ancient marital bed of local counts. And in the wedding night the bed must be decorated with the flowers from their coat of arms: forget-me-not, chicory and a beast. There are the flowers from the local fields. Bright golden roses appeared instead of them.

"This is a miracle!" Amaranta stretched out her hand to touch one gold rose and strongly stuffed a finger about a sharp spike." It really was like a metal. Is it true that these roses are made of pure gold? It looks like that. That's just gold doesn't grow. And these roses are pulled in length, grow up in front of their eyes, capture more and more space. Soon they tarnish the whole bed.

Amaranta grabbed the peignoir, threw over the lace shirt and literally jumped out of the bed. It would be unreasonable to wait for the maid now. It was too dangerous in the bedroom. It is necessary to run from here. If all these are jokes of elves, local good allies, then she chose the country incorrectly in which she will live. Is she married or not, and from such an edge of the magic you need to flee without regard. Will you stay here and become a victim of fairies.

Where is Angus? Surely, he is hunting or singing with his new supernatural allies. Any inclusive young man will be happy with such friends as the boy is glad to slings. After all, with such allies, everything can not be with simple people. After all, they are magical and all capable. Want - the whole world will tighten with gold roses and wander all the ill-wishers magic wine, and you want to get used by all the enemy army by barbed pits, in which the enemies are confused and dried, erased by metal spikes.

For a guy, this is all a great entertainment, but there is nothing to do in such a place. She prefers a decent life to witchcraft pumping. And here, so look, still get the inquisition, if someone comes to the king of Ilion and tells about what is happening. The bishop died from severe bleeding and burns right after the wedding. She wonder what he managed to burn. Unless inside the cathedral, renounced Finodirries, he felt like in a hot furnace. That is why evil spirits under the ceiling so happily scratched claws.

Be that as it may, Amaranta was not going to become their next victim. She needs to borrow from the count's stables a good fast horse and go back to the port to catch the closest ship. All the same, the marriage, partially bonded by a bishop, and partly by an elf, can be considered invalid.

Amaranta looked down the window. Below on the lawn, some creatures were playing a bow with a group of squires, and the monsters were measured with knights. Behind all this afar watched a flock of evil fairies.

And all this evil spirits are not on the fire of inquisition! And not even in hell, where they should be. All of them, as dear guests, freely settled next to people. They eat a human food, get dressed in human clothes, soon will sleep with human wives. So, as a sign of gratitude for the magic union, which is concluded.

It is necessary to run away as soon as possible from this wild edge. Amaranta knocked ribbons with trembling fingers.

"Stop! Do not go!"

Who said that? Certainly not Angus! The voice was pleasant and crazy, as if honey. From it became sweet in the soul. Amaranta looked around in search of the spoken. It seemed that the voice came from everywhere: both on the left, and on the right, and even from the ceiling. Maybe this is just an echo or another hallucination - the consequence of magic wine drunk yesterday. She drank just one glass of wine. Where are so many visions?

Golden roses sparkled everywhere. She touched and pricked herself.

"This is a gift from me. I wanted to give them to you both for a wedding, you and Angus. But, seeing you, I realized that they were alone for you. Golden roses - a symbol of my kingdom."

The king of the elves stood nearby. He arose as if from nowhere. Amaranta did not even have time to amaze. And he intercepted and kissed her hand. The blood from the thickens of the thumb immediately ceased to flow.

"I came to console you. It seemed to me at the wedding that you had a frustrated look. Do you miss homeland? I fly there and bring you some reminder from relatives?"

"Can you do it?"

"I can deliver a letter from them for an hour."

"Do you not use the ship."

"And without taking advantage of the servants. I myself can become your messenger."

He is sincere and on appearance is completely innocent. She needs to drive him away from here, while the desire to betray her husband will not be completely irresistible. She is just newlywed, she did not even live in marriage, but already thinking about treason. And the object of the temptation came not from somewhere, but from the world of magic. He must not be here. Otherwise, everything will go wrong. Magic beings should not invade here so that there is no confusion.

"Fly!" Amaranta turned away.

"I can deliver you in Aluar to your family. Right now. Do you want?" He was already standing near her, as if she was not turned away. Where do you not turn, he is everywhere."

"What do you want?" Amaranta surrendered.

"Make you happy!"

"Me or Angus?"

"Mainly you. But I see, you are not glad that I am here."

"We are too different, you and me, an elf and a girl."

"So what?"

"Magic creatures and people should not meet."

"But we have already met, and I do not regret it."

He handed out an empty palm to Amaranta and the gold rose with gold spikes immediately appeared in it, as if it had bloomed on his skin.

"Accept as a sign of my admiration for you!"

The flower was made of pure gold. You can buy a whole village house for one petal, and the whole rose in dew from diamonds will be at the cost of small feudal possession. If the king of the elves makes gifts, then the highest sample. But this is not the main thing! His visit is a greater gift than all the treasures of the world. After all, he can everything. If you make friends with him, there will be no worries. Amaranta just realized what honor was his visit to her.

Dagda himself was near. From him was magic in the air. His beautiful blue eyes on a moment reflected the rainbow. Amaranta extended her hand and timidly touched him as a golden shade. They are soft as rye. And his face is so beautiful, open and very young. This is a child of nineteen, and not the terrible king of elves. Without his crown, he looked shy and unprotected. She wanted to caress him like a golden kitten, who himself came to visit.

His coat, shirt and cloak - everything was green. Amaranth pulled his collar for the lace and found that it was not a lace, but a green sprout. From the skin above the ears under the curly strands, gold leaves also grew. It was so unusual and so beautiful that Amaranta laughed happily.

How nice to be close to the elf. Immediately gets so warm and good, as if she is at home. And the evil idea comes to mind that her house where the king of the elves lives, and not where her husband is. Close and beloved of her always was only this beautiful elf.

Dagda hugged her for the waist, not to say a word, and quickly pulled to him. Between his fingers, green sprouts were made to the leaves, but she didn't care. Let both of them to turn the greens, the main thing so that he further hugged her. In his arms, she agrees to contact one blooming spreader tree.

By the way, as it would be nice, to frozen with a tree with a trunk consisting of two figures woven in the arms: one elf and one human, and branches that melt into the crown as the connected hands. People will pass by and not understand where it came from. And she with his beloved can be all the time together.

What to hide? Dagda is the one to whom she fell in love with the first glance at her wedding with Angus.

"Only someone can take and cut a love tree," a rough voice suggested above her head.

Amaranta did not have time to understand who spoke. The guards passed by, so Dagda quickly pulled her into alcove. There they froze, turning to the cypress with the embossed double-headed trunk. The guards and flirting guests passed by, without noticing them, like numerous palm trees in the tub.

Metamorphosis occurred so quickly that Amaranta did not understand why the body was covered with a bark, and her legs and hands are not observed. The spells slept quickly, barely left again, as the bark crumbled, and the leaves remained growing only on her dress. They will soon disappear.

Taking advantage of her confusion, Dagda quickly pressed his lips to her lips. This is a really magic, not a kiss. Amaranth felt smells of flowering meadows, rain and roses' petals. And then suddenly, from somewhere smelled of something burning and the heat.

Dagda immediately broke away from her lips.

"I have to go!"

"So soon? "And that says that she wanted to drive him back so as not to be seduced too much.

Dagda did not even laugh at such a change. Looking like, he also felt not in his plate and was very embarrassed.

"I'll be back," he sincerely promised. "And the day will not pass, how I will be with you again."

She did not want to let him go. She would look at this beautiful face for the whole eternity. But the elf disappeared, leaving her the leaves of cypress on the dress, gold roses on columns and light aura of magic.

Magic boiler

Coals in it have already begun to burn out. Beautiful and creepy faces of super beings, engraved on the walls of the boiler, were displeased. The boiler moaned. It requires blood. Blood of mortals! But Dagda swore no longer shed her.

So what to do? The blood of animals, birds or fish is definitely not suitable.. Enchanted boiler will not accept it. Yes, and he himself will not dare to kill the animal, even cattle. Beasts are part of the magical nature. They arose on Earth as long as the fairies and elves. But people at first were cattle without reason, only with instincts. They were born naked, without wool or wings. They dangled on wastelands and forests, becoming the prey of his people. They were easily caught and killed. And the most important thing is not a pity. As you can regret the creature that does not understand itself, as it turned out in this world, why was born and why lives. But time went, and people suddenly began to change. Initially, they began to spoil the stone to rebuild their home and make a weapon for defense, then climbed further. Push-headed dolls suddenly began to figure out something. They pulled them to the fire to cook on it, they began to collect herbs and fruits. And then the murders began. Representatives of humanity ruthlessly straightened with birds and beasts to get lunch. But how for this not to kill them themselves?!

The worst thing is that intelligence has woke up in people, almost equal reason for centenary creatures. Fairies and elves existed in centuries and gained a mind. Each person quickly older and died, but their root races began to move from generation to generation. And now, people have formed in such an army, which managed to challenge the magic kingdom.

"It's time to pacify them," Pak whispered, twisted nearby, but Dagda dismissed him.

It is better to go to the peace. He never wanted war. The battle for power, which many times ago occurred between magic beings, completely drained him. Creating one race should not kill each other. The same can be said about people. They have no wings, horns, claws and supernatural power. But many girls resemblance are like beautiful fairies until they are, of course young. Their century is not a long.

"Will Amaranta be old?" It was again a whisper of Pak. She interests you alone, and not all of humanity!|

He pressed toward his lord's ear and echoed:

"Amaranta! Amaranta! Amaranta! What a wonderful name! It would be very good for fairies. But she is just a mortal. It is a pity that such a flower ever to be old and die. Let's call in honor about she one of the wonderful flowers in our garden. And what else could we do in honor of Amaranta to give tribute to the mortals with whom we are friends?"

Pak began bending the fingers, which suddenly there was more dozen on each hand.

"If they stop dying, the places in the world will not remain for them. They are not us. They are not perfect."

"We too," Dagda cropped him. "Look at your horns and hooves. Previously there were no."

"Well! I guessed, like all of us. But I'm still immortal and very capable. I can fly to the castle and learn how is Amaranta. Does she have now a marriage night?"

Dagda crossed.

"Leave people alone."

"Let's take one mortal to us as a date, and we will leave everyone else for the century. It will be easier for you!"

He reads his soul like a manuscript. Dagda with annoyance shook wheat curls.

"It will be easier for me if we stop fighting."

" Maybe enough to give a sorrowful tribute to those who interrupted in a magical war. People are cattle."

"No more!"

"Suppose among them is one star named Amaranta. It must be appropriated, that's all. We will take her how the tax farming from our attacks. And everything will be, as before."

"Sometimes you need to change something," Dagda took out a little gold and precious stones from the magic boiler. That's all it was able to give for the knights killed over it on the remnants of the old blood. All stones were overflowing with different colors. They must have magical properties. What is each different.

Engraved faces on the walls of the boiler hide more displeasure. They demanded new victims. In the frame of horns, spikes and snakes instead of hair, these people looked frighteningly, despite their beauty. Once all these creatures were alive associates, then opponents. Now they have become miniature. He won them, but even touched upon them a finger would be dangerous. They immediately bite it off and drink blood. After they reduced them, they became very hungry. And they do not care, whose blood drink: supernatural or human.

"And who is to blame?" helpfully asked his conscience. "You did not begin the war for the first time."

Then the war was inevitable. Now it can be avoided. But the price is high. Do not touch the beautiful Countess. Who would think that at the wedding of a new friend he will be waiting for such a temptation.

"A man's wife!" Whispered the faces on the boiler. "Give us to drink her blood, and we will give you such power as you do not have before."

Why does he need it? He was so strong enough. Once he won the honest battle of them all, but he did not feel joy and pride. Keep defeated in miniature, as in captivity, also turned out to be unpleasant.

"Fly and find out how things are of our new friends and allies, but only offend no one," he commanded Pak.

Pak was offended, but still flew to execute the order. None of the magical creatures, even those who arrived under his banners, once in their own aspiration, did not have the right not to obey.

Left alone, Dagda dismissed from the annoying disembodied advisers who are always visiting him from the darkness, and thought about Amaranta. She hurries to the altar. Her dress is air and light, like wings of a butterfly. Blond curls descend to the belt. The camellias from a wedding bouquet are scattered on the floor. The cloudy temple was quite suitable for her. It could be the place of her habitat. She herself looks like a cloud fairy. Such creatures once drove him from heaven. So why does she entail him so?

Dagda squeezed his hand with force in his fist so that it became painful. He tried to imagine Angus. The count is fitted as a summer elf, strong enough and traveled in battle to repulse, anyone. And he is smart - a rare quality for the knight. Which of them is literate now? But Angus was treated closely not only with the weapons, but also with the library. It is worth to respect. He read about the magic people and managed to reach an agreement with them. A wise mortal! If he were immortal, he would become the right hand of the magic ruler.

Dagda has a sympathy for him. But the stumbling block suddenly became his wife. What a joke of fate? Why he did make up his mind to get married the overseas beauty instead of choosing the bride in his county. Or is it all the jokes of Medea Shai, who having heard about an unusual wedding, where, by the way, the count did not call her, decided to replace the girl with one of his fairies? If so, then the real Amaranta has long been lying in the ravine with a rolled neck or languishes in the magic cage, and the evil spirit took her place.

Dagda immediately shakes this guess. Unlikely! The girl is exactly from the human race. Therefore, it seems such a striking thing that the magic bird is attached to her. Usually this does not happen. These freedom-loving and wise creatures do not accept people.

The boiler came across again. It seems that it was filled with raging blood, which, by the way, no one spilled now. At the bottom of the boiler there was one gemstone size with a female head. Dagda took him out and for the first time in eternity shuddered. It was the head of Amaranta. Who is so brave? All turned over in him. He wanted to destroy the country of mortals, and his own with naked hands.

But the head remained fixed only a moment. Suddenly it jerked, turned over in his hands and gave it to such a penetration and crap smile, which could not belong to Amaranta. And in fact, the features of the face began to change, turning from the human in the elf's one.

"Sorry, my sovereign!" Someone's hands took the head, played it like a ball and put back to his own headless body. Quentin liked to joke. Since Medea Shai cut off his head for some kind of mistake, and he did not die after, he makes fun of the queen and played with his head, as a ball. How he did it, his devil knows. It is true one - the head on his shoulders never held tight. Both in direct and figurative sense.

"Are you sent from Corund?"

"From the kingdom of Fairies," Quentin corrected. "I do not like to call it otherwise only because of the strength of a huge gem, from which we all allegedly dependent."

"What does your sovereign want?"

"She was naturally offended that she was not called for a wedding."

"I believed, she does not endure the mortals, and even more so their entertainment."

"Yes, but if we were talking about the wedding, where among the guests were representatives of the highest race, and the queen of fairies was not invited. She is very annoyed.

"I myself was just a guest and only because I concluded the Union. Not in my power was to invite her.

"But in your power it was advised. The count is listening to you like a dog."

"And you imagine what it would be if the evil crowned fairy arrived to a human wedding on his faithful black dragon. Where would we post it?"

"The cathedral seems to be big," Quentin caught on the word. "With a dragon, there were no problems. But with the fact that Medea Shai would clutch the bride who she considered as the rival. She would have bald and burned from her claws."

"I did not think that your sovereign plans to get a mortal count."

"Not at all. She wishes to get you. By the way, she asked when the two our kingdoms are planned to join with your wedding. Does she invite mortals too? She will make a list herself."

"You have lost your head one day for your sharp language!"

"I'm serious! She really hinted that you had to get married."

"She hints at this already the whole century."

"So far, alas, unsuccessfully. Such a ruler, as you, humble her so much that she would cease to take their eternal discontent on us, and we would have healed almost like in paradise."

"Yes, you are looking for everywhere only your benefit."

"Of course!"

Quentin was never embarrassed. He has a spring, eternally grinning face and red hair as a joker from the earth's circus. For such he usually seemed to the amazed people who saw him at sunset, as he juggles his own head on the edge of the hill.

"What do you want from me?"

"I want nothing, but Medea Shai will really crave to get your wonderful boiler as a wedding gift."

"This is hardly waiting," answered Dagda honestly.

"I understood that," Quentin gently spent his finger on the bas-relief of individuals on the hot wall of the boiler and turned. One person was illuminated and threw him for the finger. Now the magic blood irrigated the greedy mouth, and the boiler happily sings.

"It bites!" Complained Quentin.

"And what did you want, they are hungry."

"Medea Shai would know how to use this boiler."

"I did not know that you were on her side. Until now, even after the truncation of your cunning head."

"I was her vassal," Quentin again removed his head instead of a hat and bowed. "But I'm not on her side. Just go nowhere else."

"Move to me!"

"And provoke a war?" Quentin hoisted his head again. "It is dishonest! But you could ask me as a wedding gift. In advance. Before the wedding. Let deploy me to you, and with the wedding itself we will pull."

"And after you, she will send dragons to hurry the promised celebration, and they knocked into my fortress in the green hills."

"Dragons it becomes less and less with each century. And you know why? She treats them no more kind as me."

"Do they leave her? Usually they love beauties stronger than the faithful dogs the people. You can beat them and curse them out, and they still really serve."

- Mrs. does not just chain them up, she destroys them.

"And why do you still not overtake her?"

Quentin was suddenly sad.

"The fact is that re-election now is too difficult," he confessed.

Why? Previously, they re-elected everyone. A trifle was enough for new elections.

"But now ... Honey Shai ... She, you know ... It turned out to be a stronger nut than everyone else. The kingdom of fairies moans from her. But I came to talk not about her. But about you and the wife of a man."

"Man's wife! How exactly you said."

"And what to do so that she stops being a man's wife and became an elf's wife."

"About what are you talking?"

"You need to entertain and to take care of her. Mortals, however, like many fairies, like precious gifts. And you have so many wonderful roses from pure gold and precious stars who have fallen once from heaven. Give something to Amaranta. She is beautiful. She is worth the trouble. Few fairy can boast such beauty as she."

"Your mistress does not like these words."

"I know! She considers the only beauty in the universe of herself and is too talked. She seeks eternity in front of the magic mirror, and the Earth, meanwhile, melts mortal beauties, which we did not dream. It will be a shame if one of them will be old and die. Take care of her!"

"And start a new war? You are sly! You know how to fit rivals to a new battle. But what is your benefit? Or does it need your mistress?"

"I admit, Medea Shai does not like people, but she also does not love the fairies. Sometimes it seems that she hates everything besides her. Only to you, your magic majesty, she is experiencing a genuine attraction. And I'm afraid only because of your lands, and not because of you."

"She could not send a little more diplomatic matchmaker. You are not talking to moderate."

"I am honest and try to warn everyone from mistakes, but few people listen to me. I'm afraid I myself rarely listened to myself, otherwise I was with my head."

He removed her, as if a headdress, before to take a bow.

"Do not miss a chance," he advised with a joking smile, "if I have a second head, and I, without thinking, sacrifice it for the sake of one smile of Countess Amaranta."

It was not clear whether he was joking, or he says seriously. What's on the mind of Quentin, you will never say. He is a mischievous and mysterious as the ghost of the jester. In no war with mortals he himself did not participate, but constantly cares to this. What did he conceive? Are there intrigues of Medea Shai? Dagda rejected her too often, and the magic beings across the entire district already fought on the mortgage, as sooner their wedding. For some reason, they were absolutely sure that the king of the elves and the queen of fairies would certainly be married. Not after a couple of centuries - so after a dozen. The century was put on the bows, when the wedding is accomplished, and not the questions to be it or not.

Dagda thought, recalling Amaranta, light and gentle, as creating of a cloud kingdom. To take care of her is a sign of attention, he really will not do anything against the conditions of the Union. But how to keep your passion under control. Even seeing Amaranta from afar, he wasn't quick-witted, and what will happen when she is near?

Wonderful poultry house

Gold roses quietly ranked in the wind. Their ringing resembled singing. With such a gift and minstrels are not needed. Roses themselves sing her serenade.

With one memory of the face of the king elves, the heart beats like a bird in a cage. And why only elves are so beautiful? The nature laughed, creating people aging and imperfect, next to such magic creatures. It is clear why people and elves fought without end. Two such different races, like human and magic, do not get along with one land. The strongest will eventually survive more weak. So she may be on the side of the stronger? Amaranta tried to get away from the hallucination. Someone exactly inspires her thoughts.

Twitter of birds away immediately distracted her. It was heard in the hall behind the arch, the ruins. Where only in the human castle took a gloomy arch with rune inscriptions around the edges? It would more reach the atmosphere of elves. Although Angus will certainly have erected this arch from witchcraft. Then now there is no need for it. After all, the union with the magic world was concluded.

Near the arch was surprisingly quiet. Only came from the hall the chirping of birds. In the castle, somewhere there is a large poultry house, equipped by Angus. Probably it is. Angus boasted the fact that the rare species of birds were collected here: both local and overseas. You need to go to see.

Infanta was alerted.

"What is it?"

"It seems that the castle poultry house. I remember how I was in my homeland, Angus bought white peacock for it, and he won at the cards from the Royal Advisor an interesting parrot. And he also bought the real albatross from the navigators. He collected a variety of birds everywhere. So it should be beautiful here.

"No, I do not go there!" The white Infanta felt bad from the type of cages She sat on the fountain before the arch.

"As you want!" Amaranta went into the poultry house and was surprised by how pleasant and warm was the floor with a glitter. Start on it is the same as they sail along the wave of sunlight. Some persons observed below. Probably, they were drawn on the floor, but the drawing is erased. Anyway, she could distinguish that the outlines of horns, wings and sharp ears appear around these individuals.

"Another bird itself came to take a place in a cage," they whispered. "An overseas bird named Amaranta."

"What?" Amaranth turned to the voice, even though he came straight from the floor. But if there is no one in front of her, it means that we have said to look at the back.

Behind it, something orange, similar to a flame figure, was really shot. It darted a fast swirl to the window and disappeared. Amaranta even really did not have time to consider him.

Well, let! The breed of birds were interested in it much more than some kind of pursuit. Nightingales sang in the cages, bullfinches were affected, laughed militant parrots of all colors and sizes. There were also canary, larks, and cardinals, and crimsons, and even a pair of pink flamingos. Inside the cages were spacious, there were pans with palm trees. The cages themselves were also very fanciful. The rods were woven in the form of hearts, then in the form of palm leaves, then arabesque or floral patterns. Silver and gilding sparkled on the lattices.

"Have you already visited the swans in the garden pond? Say them hello from me!"

Has she a fever? Or the raspberry in a round cage really spoke to her.

Amaranta sat in front of the cage and touched the rods. There is a bird here. Can the common non-magic bird talk to her in human language.

"So do you say them hello from me?"

Amaranta nodded slowly.

"Okay!" The bird did not even peck her into his fingers, although it was in a millimeter from them.

"Is it good here?" She decided to support the conversation. "Or did you want to return to your house? In the forest, for example?"

"Only not in the forest!" The bird even frightened. "One day in the forest Pixies saddled me and forced me to carry their carriage from the maple leaf. It was terribly unpleasant."

"Pixies?"

"Yes, such tiny fairies and elves, dimensional size. They are very evil elves."

"And are the elves evil?"

"Not all!"

Amaranta hardly realized that it was capable not only to understand the language of birds, but also to talk to them. If only she does not dream it all. At home, she did not notice this ability by herself. Well, only once. And it could be an illusion.

"You're beautiful!" noted the birds from the neighboring cell.

Someone called Amaranta by name from the opposite part of the poultry house. She got up and looked around. Nobody. If only the next bird did not speak with her. Amaranta noted a large cage with multicolored pigeons.

From one cage a hot radiance was raised to the ceiling, as if the sun was taken from heaven and sharpened behind the rods. In the cage sat a real hot-bird. Her shine tail was quitted through the rods down, like a peacock. Only in contrast to the color of a peacock, it was entirely orange. Amaranta touched it and burned her fingers. Even the fire in the fireplace does not hurt!

"Well, you are burning!" Amaranta did not keep from angry comments.

"So do not touch without permission!" answered the firebird.

"Sorry!" Amaranta was so surprised again, hearing the bird's speech, which did not pay attention to the arrogant tone of the firebird. Such a luxurious creation has the right to be proud of itself.

The hand was terribly painful. Sorry, there is no Dagda near, to heal it with one kiss.

"Come here!" Her called, as it turned out, a peacock.

"What do you want?" Amaranta obediently moved to him.

"It's nice that a lady came here, who understands me," it admitted. In a huge cage with the company of white peacocks, it looked excess. Its feathers were greenish blue. Amaranta raised one feather dropped from it.

"You're handsome," she praised it. "It is cruel to keep you in a cage when the garden is so sunny and warm. Do you want to let go to fly?"

Amaranta touched a tag, but it did not succumb.

"Not worth it!" The peacock opened a lush tail. "In the garden today it is dangerous. We were locked, because peacocks disappeared from the flower garden. They say, at night the Queen of fairies visit the garden, pulls flowers, breaks the bushes of roses, steals and kills birds."

"The Queen of fairies?" Amaranta frowned. "For the first time I here about her. She was not exactly at our wedding with Angus."

" And it is good! Otherwise, your girlfriends would not have died as birds in the garden. The Queen of fairies is very bloodthirsty, especially when it comes to the pretty girls, like your maids."

She was curious where the peacock has already managed to see her girlfriends? Was it released from the cage for some time or have all her companions already visited the poultry house? The peacock was clearly glad to talk at least with someone, so it could chat.

"Do not trust it!" The voice seems to be woven from the darkness, called from afar. Her ears got sick immediately.

Amaranta looked at the sound. It proceeded from the furthest corner of the hall. At first, it even seemed to her that there was nothing there, except for a dead end, but it was worth looking, and a narrow passage was discovered behind the cages.

"Do not go there!" exclaimed the peacock, but Amaranta was not stopped. At the courtyard in her homeland, they said that curiosity would not bring to the good. And she was extremely curious.

In addition, what dangerous maybe in the poultry house? Here her husband just collecting birds, and not engaged in a sorcerer. Although the dark surveys at the end of the bird hung out for witchcraft.

Amaranta has already managed to look at all kinds of birds: from Ostriches, Ibises and peacocks, to small titmice and sparrows. And what kind of birds are these? In the farthest rows, as if in the hope that no one would notice them there. They are not gilded cages, but from some kind of outdoor alloy, shut down on the keys, and not on the neck. And where are the keys themselves?

Amaranta jerked the narrow door of one cage and a terrible bird's paw with thirteen claws almost pulled her hand. Inside the cages, cast in the form of turrets and fortresses, there are birds or monsters: horned, with a multitude of paws or with several heads. One bird had even a malicious human head, but it did not know how to talk, just whistle.

"This is an alkonost! Stay away!" Suddenly someone said.

Amaranta noticed in the lower cage an eagle, or a monster. She became bad from its appearance.

"Do not grumble so, a beautiful girl! Not everyone was so lucky with appearance as a severe Dagda," a bird stretched with sarcasm. "Do you think I'm stuffed, and he is handsome? I would know how it really is. You would be surprised!"

The laughter of the bird was like an evil echo. From it, frost ran over the skin.

"By the way, did you like to understand the crackle of stupid falcons, hawks and parrots? Once the kiss of Elf gives you the ability to hear what rain drops and fire in the fireplace are talking about. It can be crazy! Fear of Dagda's gifts."

"I'm not afraid!" Amaranta froze near the cage, can not move away. Or these are the red-monster bird's eyes so hypnotized she that there was not enough strength to move.

"And if you have a couple of children-monsters from the elf? Then you get scared?"

"What could be?"

"Look at me! Is my kind of pleasure? Does it not annoying?"

"You're still one from the collection of Count Angus."

"And you are another naive young countess that does not understand what to live at the borders of the magical kingdom even more dangerous than on the border with hell."

Amaranta sat down next to the cage, rustling lush skirts. There was no strength anymore, the knees were prevented. And the Monster Bird was laughing.

"Sneak the keys from your villain-husband and free me," it suddenly demanded.

"To steal is not good!" Amaranta became scary.

"And otherwise he locks you in, like me, because you are also magical! Therefore, he married you to locate. A wife can always be declared insane, and no one will deal with that she is actually a fairy."

"I'm not a fairy!"

"Do not listen to it, Milady!" It was Theobald. He as a faithful bodyguard rose behind her.

"It is from the kingdom of Medea Shai," Teobald reluctantly explained.

"And what is it?" The name seemed to her vaguely familiar.

"This is a black tract where all sorts of monsters nest."

"There, too, rules the king of the elves Dagda."

"Probably soon will rule."

"By war? You are categorically against hostilities."

"Only not me," Theobald put one hand on the handle of his sword.

"And with the kingdom of Medea Shai we are not friends?"

"Medea Shai is a Black Fairy. She is with all in enemy relations. And she leads the hordes of monsters."

"Is she an enemy of Dagda too?"

"His people relieves that everything is decided by marriage."

Amaranta's heart failed her.

"That is, he is in love with her."

Everything was an ideal - he is a blonde elf, she is probably a terrible brunette, probably even dark-skinned. The most beautiful blond guys often pulls to black-haired ugly girls. Amaranta has never seen a blonde handsome boy with a blonde beautiful girl. And she is just a blonde. The elf cannot pull to her. And she is just pulling to him, as with a witch magnet. The heart beats like a bird in a cage.

She wanted to the marriage bed with Dagda. With an elf, not with a man. She wanted to be on the place of Medea Shai, even if she will have to exchange her beautiful appearance on an ugly black-colored body. Judging by the appearance of the ugly creature caught in a cage, all her subjects are ugly. So, their mistress is still more disgusting. But the beautiful, like a dawn, Dagdu, for sure likes her. After all, the opposites, as everyone knows, mutually reacts. He, as a clear morning, she, as a nightmare. By uniting, they can rule two peoples immediately and become half a stronger. Such a marriage pair will be obeyed and beautiful elves, and all-conditioning monsters. How successfully everything will work out!

Amaranta felt that she would faint now. Theobald supported her.

"Do you feel bad?"

"Just a headache."

"Do you want to sit down?"

In the corner there was an elegant bench with an openwork back. Next to it fled from the wall a fountain. From above, the water fell on the marble seashells of the droplets, at the bottom of the jets. Amaranta has always become better from the proximity of water. She never thought about Watermen, which are allegedly able to control people through water flows.

"It's bad that if Medea Shai and Dagda connect, they can go to war against us, and against the whole world," Theobald recognized the evidence of the threat.

"But Dagda seems to be against war and bloodshed."

"Yes, this rejection is associated with the past, in which he was forced to fight against his own, when the magic folk shared the territory before the appearance of people on earth. After a forced mortal fight with his best friend, he brought a vow to prevent senseless victims. But Medea Shai can poison the consciousness of anyone. From her castle goes such evil that people, having been there lost their reason, and throw away to kill everyone in a row. Even with the royal messengers, this happened and then there was a mass confusion due to the decrees near them. And Medea Shai laughed from her castle over the human stupidity so that the earth was shaken.

"She must be killed, and it is impossible to love her!"

"But if Dagda wants to please her, then he will fight the first thing against us."

"And what can be done?"

"Seduce him!"

"What?!"

" He likes you. I noticed how the elf looks at you. Flirt with him. Hint what is also not indifferent to him, but you can not betray her husband. Let him dry by you, not getting anything."

"Do you suggest me to drive him behind his nose?"

"This is to benefit. He can not focus on the queen of evil. Let him sympathize and the mortal girls. Then he will not want to exterminate us."

Infanta still flashed into the poultry house, and she became bad. Amaranta has never seen the magic bird in a pre-corrupt state.

"There are some cells around!" she was damaged. "All birds are in the cells!"

"The wings of Infanta became so weak that she collapsed to the legs of Amaranta.

"Bring me from here, Mrs.!"

Hurray, Infanta has already become called her Mrs. and not a girlfriend. The sight of cells and locks taught something even a proud magic bird.

"I'll think about how will be best to all of us," promised Amaranta.

"Just do not tell Angus! He is extremely jealous and sometimes hot-tempered.

"You offer me them both to deceive: and king of elves, and my husband."

" Sometimes human lives are more important than honesty."

This is already a good argument. Amaranth didn't want to imagine, what happened here when war was carried out between people and elves. After all, the power is clearly not equal.

"What if elves now listen to us through the locking wells and cracks between the worlds? Then they already know everything about our insidious plans."

Theobald did not think about it, and his appearance was concerned. The knight even excitedly looked around. Amaranta, when she left, really it seemed that Dagda watches her into some kind of secret window and laughs from anticipation.

Scarlet and white roses

Two fairies fought in flight over the garden. One whole was white: and the air dress on it, and the curls are long to the belt, and even her eyebrows and eyelashes were a milky white shade. The other is dressed in red, with aluminum wings behind the back, reminiscent of the living flame, and even the hair is red, like fire. Scarlet and white claws have joined each other with rage. Scratches remained, as from roses, only on the skin of fairies they instantly heal. Amaranta never thought that she would witness the disassembly of fairies, but it was such a scene behind her window and appeared to look. As if the mischievous artist splashed into each other, the scarlet and white paints, which swirl rushed in height, passed away, walked. Fiery and snow-white wings mercilessly whipped each other.

"I say this pure love," said a white fairy.

"And I say that this is a strong passion," the red insisters.

Amaranta leaned too much into the window. The fairies noticed her and frightened so that they became scary to watch. They both forgot about the dispute and darted against the wall, as if they wanted to merge with it. They succeeded! Under the view of the amazed Amaranta their bodies were modified, stretched out, fought with spikes and petals that were added to the stone wall. Amaranta thought that both fairies will now reincarnate in two multi-colored snakes that seek curious grazing straight into her chambers. But they appealed to the masters of scarlet and white roses on the wall of the tower. Fragrant flowers stretched up past the windowsill. The room was filled with a wonderful aroma.

Amaranta extended her hand and touched the lush flowers. The spikes of red roses pricked her strongly.

"Oh!"

"Do not touch, or you will get hurt," she caught a whisper from flowers. Or was it a warning for the future? The scarlet fairy, after all, told something about passion.

Well, let! Flowers covered on the windowsill were a wonderful gift.

The shadow lay down on the window. In the middle of a day too! When in the sky, not a single cloud foreshadowing thunderstorms. Strange! Although one cloud still appeared. She rushed over the roofs with terrible speed and looked like a sign of misfortune. It looks like a shape on a chariot, drawn by a dragon. Amaranta heard the creaking of the wheels and even the coachman's shout:

"Faster! Don't be late on the feast! There are now many corpses on the battlefield! The queen must be there the first!"

Yes, somewhere not far from Ilior now a war was held. Angus spoke about her. If the king of Ilior will have to intervene in it, then Angus will go to fight. In the meantime, the rumors had flown about crushing defeat of one of the armies. According to reports on the battlefield, located on the borders of Ilior, there are now the sea of ??corpses. As mentioned by someone just! So the chariot flew across the sky, and it threw the shadow? Or was it all dreamed of her?

The roses were not a dream! Even if the fairies were a dream, then the roses that grew up on the tower in one night could still be considered as magic.

They spoke to one of the warring troops, the one that won was helped by black fairies. But Dagda did not know anything about it. In the affairs of black fairies, he did not interfere. But Angus began to stutter about how good it would be if he married the Queen of fairies and began to control her.

The queen of fairies was called a shameless libertine, which should be either shifted, or to give her to the husband who will put an end to her terrible tricks. Moreover, her tricks concerned not only people, but also magic races.

"She is very base," told Infanta, flying behind the Amaranta on the deserted gallery of the castle. "It is impossible to tame her."

"So tell those terrible birds from the poultry house? Did you recognize something from them?"

"What does the poultry house come true!" offended Infanta. "I do not fly to such places. They can catch me and lock in a cage as a conventional bird."

"Then do you know so much from whom?"

"Who did not hear about the queen of fairies!"

Indeed, she could overhear her conversation with Theobald. And just!

Scarlet and white roses have grown so that they can be seen from many windows. It seemed that they fell all the walls of the castle. Golden roses donated by Dagda were already almost not visible.

"They symbolize love and passion," commented Infanta. "White roses - pure love! Red - Passion! And if they go off, it is worth waiting for an incredible feeling."

"Is it with Angus and me?"

"Unlikely! For people, the Red and White Fairies do not try so much. They embody one love in themselves, another passion, and appear where the magical creatures were very fascinated by people. Once they were seen by fighting over the battlefield, on which the Queen of Fairies was defeated in the war with the mortal king. He sincerely loved her, she only experienced a passion for him. For him, everything ended tragically. The fairies brought trouble when they argued in height over the battle troops. They always bring trouble when they so furiously arguing.

Amaranta did not like it. She preserved past the gallery, all the windows in which were wrapped in lush roses. In some places, red and white shoots intertwined. The fragrance stood fabulous!

Only over one window did something special happened. The rainbow behind it, spread like a bridge. But today there was not even rain. So where does the rainbow come from? Yes, even so wide and close to the castle, as if it is a multicolor road in the clouds. One end of the rainbow rested right in the open window. It was possible to climb the windowsill and go straight on the rainbow!

Looks like an amazing dream! But Dagda was already near. He walked along the rainbow bridge. So it's not a dream, but another magic. He leaned over the window from the rainbow and extended the hand to Amaranta.

"I thought that it was unfair that you had no wings and you could not fly over the world in height, like my people," said Dagda. He went and did not fly. Was a rainbow tight enough to withstand a person. An elegant woman, for example? Amaranta wanted to go on the rainbow. Maybe Dagda will support her, almost carrying on his wings. He immediately guessed her wish.

"Do you want to stroll through heaven?" He offered with a charming smile.

She would not refuse, but behind the steps and noise of a lively conversation rang out.

"Not now! It is better in the evening when everyone goes to sleep."

"But in the evening there will be no rainbow."

Amaranta with annoyance bit her lip. How to be? Disappear in the middle of the day from the castle meant to marvel the entire district. It will be started to search her everywhere, a panic raises. Everyone will decide that the elves broke the agreements and kidnapped her. In part, it will be true. There is nothing to object. So it is possible to break the union.

"I'll think of something," Dagda promised.

And he, and the rainbow disappeared, as the wind blown. But when Amaranta came to a large hall where guests gathered, Dugda had already stood there. Nothing amazing! At the rights of the best friend of the count, he had the right to come when he wants. In addition, allies have to communicate from time to time. Angus was glad to see the magic guest. And for many people to look at the elf, it was already a miracle. With the arrival of Dagda, the atmosphere became a festive. Women whispered about him. Unusual creatures that came with him were again in a crowd, recalling the revived wonder. A Duergar showed focuses, entertaining an enthusiastic crowd.

Amaranta looked only for Dagda. How painfully see him next and not to have the ability to hug it, touch his hand with leaves instead of a lace border, stroke the hair of the color of ripe wheat. Dagda with everyone was kind, he led a polite conversation with men, smiling ladies. Amaranta even became painful. Is he forgotten about her? Or just skillfully pretending that he is indifferent to her here to hide his true passion?

"Or he is a liar - the same as all elves," whispered in her ear a monster from a bird cage. Amaranta looked around. There could be a terrible feathery creature somehow get out of the cage and now soar above the hall. It seems to be not visible here. And locks of cages, for sure, durable.

All the focus of Dagda concentrated on a business conversation with Angus. The count listened carefully and nodded him. Amaranta liked that Dagda don't invite any lady to dance although they explicitly suggested themselves.

The king of the elves was delayed on a visit almost all day. Already was an evening, when some dispute broke out between the guests. The knights got drunk wines and began to insist that the leader of the magic people and the head of human society, that is, Dagda and Angus, measured by forces.

"Not to good is it!" said Infanta.

"That's for sure!" Amaranta for the first time agreed with her pet. Surely the quarrel began Theobald. Everyone in the county knew that he hates the elves for the fact that those once had harmed his relatives.

Amaranta saw in the crowd Theobald. He looked at her out of the other end of the hall, hoping that she was suitable for Elf. And why did he only make this ridiculous plan that she should seduce the king of elves? Surely, he wants to lure Dagda into a trap and avenge with him for his whole family. But guilty in everything can be some other elf. Dagda is too noble to offend someone. Or still not?

Amaranta noticed with horror that Dagda easily agreed to the duel. Even quite grinned, as if he was an instigator. Does he really want to face power with a man? He is aware that he is much stronger and accurately wins. Angus turned pale like chalk. To be crippled and humiliated in front of the young wife and all his subjects didn't like him at all. All hope that the king of Elves will fight randomly.

Swords chose to the competition. Better would be arrows. Then everyone would take turns shot in the target prepared by the squire, and not in each other. On the swords it is easy to wound one or even kill.

"You can become a widow today," Infanta almost joyfully predicted. "And we will be inherited all county."

"You are too early happy," said Amaranta. "I still did not have time to acquire a male heir, which means that the castle, and the land can take away the far relatives of my husband."

"There is not Aluar, a stupid girl," answered a white bird. "The heir can be here a girl or a widow."

Dagda really conceived to kill Angus and make her widow. Very convenient! If you got rid of the opponent, you can care for the widow, without fearing anyone. On the one hand it is despicably, but on the other it is tempting. Not that she does not love Angus, but the thought that she could become the wife of the King of Elves ... Stop, because the elves cannot marry mortals. So, killing Angus for Dagda does not make sense. Angus is his best friend. At least both the man and the elf behave like good friends. It is unlikely that Dagda will betray the friendship, for love, or passion, or what she feels to him there. All right! And the passion for the handsome dark-haired Angus seems now just a friendly feeling. She loves him like a brother, as a defender, like a pretty friend, from which it is so nice to get bouquets of flowers and gifts, but for which you will never marry. But she already came out! And the connection with those whose appearance really burned the heart, it became impossible. So what to do? If only Dagda did not dare to murder the count in order to free her from earthly marriage.

Amaranta made her way into the first rows of the crowd, gathered around the meadow, on which the count and the king of the elves will fight. Here is dangerous! She can hurt by the sword. Angus has already removed coat and put on a light kuirass. Dagda remained in a green coat, decorated by alive leaves.

The privilege to attack the first he left his mortal enemy. After a moment, it immediately became clear why. Dagda reflected the blows slightly, but this was enough for Angus to come from. And what will happen if the elf becomes fighting all over?

Behind the shoulders Amaranta the public did rates. Almost all the most faithful friends of Angus put on Dagdu.

"And who will you put on?" said Adeline. "I put my last gold, and even my diamond earrings on the elf. And I think I will not be mistaken."

"How can I bet when people can hurt each other?" Amaranta was indignant.

"Not people, but elves, did you want to say? For people, I see, there is no chance."

She was right. Angus received a bruised injury. At his face and the body, he had already appeared abrasions, and the elf did not even make any effort. Only reflected strikes.

"What do you think, I can get carried away at least one elf?" Questioned Adeline.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes," the girlfriend nodded with readiness. "I want him to marry. He is beautiful and silent, and rich, probably. With such a defender, I am not afraid of a whole army."

Dagda has already demonstrated his skill immediately on several knights, because Angus hurt too much and asked about a temporary respite. How easily the elf managed to cope at the beginning with five, then with ten, and later with a dozen of the most skillful knights!

"He's champion!" Adeline looked at him in love with her eyes. "Will you not introduce me to him or to someone from his magic tribe?"

"I am almost not familiar with him," Amaranta answered. As soon as a lie so easily broke out of her lips! Apparently, she becomes a liar, like all elves or like all lovers who are forced to hide their feelings.

"Nonsense! As the hostess of the castle you have the right to introduce to each other, who came to you. Such is a local etiquette."

"It was different at home."

"Therefore, I like more here. And you?"

"I do not even believe that everything is allowed to me."

"Except to stop the duel," Infanta emphasized, clinging her claws to the blood in the shoulder of Amaranta, for which she sat on the pole. - And it should be stopped if you do not want to be a widow. The king of the elves has conceived something unkind.

Why is it suddenly a cheeky bird so worried? After all, she recently wanted that Amaranta became a widow.

"I do not believe," Adeline intervened. "The elves are gallant and valiant."

"And do you want me to introduce you to one of them?" said Amaranta.

"Of course, I do," Adeline did not lie. Many girls have disliked her for the straightness.

"And what if elves can not marry at all?" Amaranta was worried about this and herself, although she was not shine no longer to be bride. And it's still scary that Dagda marry once on someone. On the Queen of fairies, for example.

"They are not monks!" Adeline was indignant.

"Well, suddenly they are not allowed to take mortal girls as theirs wife.

"There are prohibitions in order to break them," Adeline with a crunch revealed a luxurious fan. "It is hot!"

And really! The grass around the feet of Dagda burned and blackened. It seems that the fire came from him.

"He's angry!" Infanta whispered right to her ear. "When the king of the elves is in anger, he can cause fire."

And the truth, on several knights, flashed their armors. The squires ran for water buckets from the well. No one understood what's the matter. And Dagda already fought again with a rested Angus. The count even after the respite looked exhausted. And the elf, on the contrary, was full of new forces. Including magical. From his sword, sparkling multicolored sparks fly away. Angus squinted, because the appearance of the elf began to blind his eyes.

"It happens," Infanta explained, she knew a lot of things about the elves. "Their kind blinds opponents, so people can not fight with them. But one Dagda can overcome a whole regiment or even fight with a real dragon."

"Why is it angry if his invulnerability is aware?"

"He wants to kill now, but remembers some ancient condition that does not allow him to kill."

"Is it because of the peaceful union?"

"No, it isn't. Some other reason."

"And what is it?" Amaranta was ready to pull the bird for the tail from impatience.

"There is some condition that you can not kill the mortal husband of the one who loved. Otherwise, you will be separated for a whole century," Infanta recalled the rules with difficulty, as if someone's spells prevented her to remember.

"What are you talking about?"

Amaranth noticed at the lawn some kind of woman in black robe, with a porcelain doll's face and a coal-black bird on the shoulder. The silhouette of a woman was almost merged with a darkly farmed forest.

Infanta's beak barely revealed.

"It seems that they practice witchcraft on me," she complaints about.

"What a nonsense!"

Dagda has already stacked Angus. Bloody marks were made on the body of the count, as a seal. But Angus was not going to surrender. An ardent boy woke up in hum. Dagda also showed more aggression. He really was angry, but for some reason he did not decrease to make a deadly blow. Only crossed the enemy. Everyone watched the struggle, hopping his breath. The fight was delayed for more than an hour. The sun was sake, dropping on the meadow of the bricks. In their villain, the blood puddles were lost, which had grown the grass burned.

"So!" The silhouette of a woman in the forest disappeared, and Infanta could speak. "I remembered! There is a law. It is called "one century before the wedding."

"What is it? Some nonsense. Although if you judge: elves live long. For them, the century is not the term. If their wedding preparations are so long, then it is clear why no mortal girl has still become their wife."

"You are a fool!" said the bird. "You look only on the surface. And you must look a little deeper. Truth is always in depth."

"What do you mean?" Amaranta didn't like, as she was called, but she really could not think of herself. You will not say anything to the offensive truth in response.

"One century before the wedding to wait only to those elects of the elves, which are already married mortal women. It happens that you fall in love with someone who is not free. And the death of all people frees from their pair."

"Excluding the cases of family burial when the married couple has one grave."

"This is not the case when the elf took you and keeps in captivity. Then you remain young and alive, and your earthly spouse is dying with time. Nobody lives longer than a century. Therefore, the law on one century before the wedding is quite logical. As soon as a husband will die, you will become an elf's wife. Provided, naturally, the elf still wants to marry you. They also do not like to wait. Dagda here is very hot: and in a figurative sense, and in the straight. From the heat that he created in the meadow my feathers will flash now."

"And if the elf kill her husband? "Amaranta noted that many ladies from non-supported heat began to wave with fans. In the meadow, it became stuffy, like in the furnace, but no one was bold to leave until it would end so curious fight.

"Then you will have to part for a whole century. In the meantime, the husband is alive, albeit abandoned, you can live together.

"How curious! Magic nature is so stirring about mortal spouses," with sarcasm said Amaranta.

"The matter is in some tragedy, which came out due to the love of the elf to the bride of human groom. That's where this law arose. He is magical, that is, it is impossible to break it."

Dagda just defeated Angus, threw him on the ground and put the tip of the sword to his throat. The sword of the count was lying away. Amaranth shoved her breath, but Dagda did not dare to kill. He whispered something, and the sword of Angus suddenly crawled on the grass itself, like an insect, approaching the hand of the count. The new round of battle began.

"Will they fight all day?" Adeline was amazed.

"No, only until night," Amaranta remembered that she promised him a date at night when everyone would sleep. "

And Dagda, obviously, decided to save her from the need to visit a couple bedroom. Dagda managed to break an Angus foot, and hand. Now the count will have to spend the night in the same room with a doctor. And maybe several nights.

"Sorry, I don't know how it happened," said he. "I will heal you with charms."

"Not worth it!" Angus pushed his hand.

Maybe Dagda is not so generous as it seemed first. Although who remains honest when it comes to your own gain? People are forever and hypocrite. The king of elves is no exception.

"I said that it was just a passion," a whisper came from the scarlet roses on the wall of the tower. "The one who is experiencing a clean love will never make an evil deed."

From the white roses came a sad sigh. It seems the white fairy in them experienced disappointment. But the red roses suddenly became more magnificent and there were so much that they were covered with almost all the walls of the castle.

Living image of gold

Guests dispersed in different sides. Many from them were worried about events of the day. The atmosphere in the castle became tense. It seems to be a new war with elves soon, but on the other hand, everyone who has seen today, as elves are strong, understood how meaningless struggle with them.

Amaranta returned to her chambers. They turned out to be empty. And what does she actually hoped? It was stupid to think that Dagda immediately visit her. Probably, he already realized that because of his love, he loses his friend and regretted that he showed his feelings.

The window is overgrown with roses even more. In it barely penetrated the last sunset rays. But the head was spinning from the fragrance of lush flowers. Spikes of roses stretched along the arch of the window. Even for an elf possessing wings, it will be difficult to fly through the window now. There is a risk to abandon blood.

`Did these roses bloom this morning?"

Amaranta quickly turned on an unfamiliar voice. The tone was too powerful, so that one of the maids could say that.

At the mirror stood a young lady, which Amaranta did not see among the guests. She probably came to the castle only tonight. Only strange why she immediately passed into the personal chambers of the hostess. Unless for some reason confused them with their own.

"Don't you remember me?" she was surprised. "You yourself invited me to your wedding when we met in the forest."

Her rainbow eyes seem familiar.

"Iveina? "It seems to be so Ivor called the lady accompanied him."

Iveina nodded. She took the mask, but the strip of thin gold leafs was stretched along her forehead,cheeks and neck. The same leaves framed her dress. It is extremely unusual to sew metal edging on a brocade outfit. The decoration is a little scarecrow. It still seemed that it grows straight out of the skin.

"So you are from the order of people in gold masks?" awkwardly joked Amaranta.

"We are not an order," Iveina didn't even smile. One golden leaf on her cheek disappeared, as if was hiding in the skin. "I remember that you invited me only to a wedding, and not on the celebrations that are expected after it, but I could come only now."

"I'm glad to see you," Amaranta wanted to offer her drinks, but the tray disappeared somewhere. Instead of it there are many gems on a low malachite table.

"Hide them from the count," advised Iveina.

"Why?"

"This is an offer."

"What is it?" Amaranta did not understand her.

"Something like a bribe," Iveina said. "I want to become the maid-in-honor of the Queen of elves.

"Just a maid-in -honor?" Amaranta was surprised. In a heavy brocade dress framed by golden leaves, Iveina herself resembled a fabulous queen.

"A maid-in -honor in the magic world is not exactly the same as at the court in Aluar."

"What is the difference?"

Amaranta seemed to himself a rustic fool from the fact that she did not know the rules of the magic world. Although is she obliged to know them?

"At the magical courts," Iveina patiently explained, "A maid-in -honor is such a title that is almost equal to the Queen. Having received it, you become the second to the value of the lady in the country. But there is a small snag in how to get it. It can be awarded only the queen of elves or for special merits or for great talents, or just from great sympathy. All in the hands of the government. My fate depends on it."

"But how can I help?"

Iveina looked at her like a crazy.

"You seem to have no Queen," remembered Amaranta. It is clear why Iveina found her stupid. The queen of Fairies seemed to be, but now it was about the queen of elves, that is, about the wife of Dagda, which he does not have.

"What is the same century before she is," Iveina hinted carefully, "you need to score yourself a place long before that."

Amaranta touched the gems, which, by the way she really liked. From them in the tips of the fingers flowed a pleasant sunny warmth. If she puts on them, even at a gloomy cold night she will feel herself as if she stands on a flooded meadow.

"The maids-in-honor in Aluar are not as farsighted as you."

"This is because they have vacant places much more, and the privileges from gettingit is a lot less.

Iveina formulated all clearly.

"Is it really a maid-in-honor of the magic queen such a great title that such treasures should give for it?"

Iveina nodded. The last rays of the sunset have already stopped in the darkness. With the onset of twilight, golden leaves disappeared from the skin of the guest, as if someone crushed them with its hand. The skin on her accurate face was absolutely clean. No bleeding, nor moles, nor even tiny mimic wrinkles in the corners of the eyelid. Amaranta somewhere heard that the fairies had no flaws and birthday spots on the skin. So they can be distinguished from ordinary women. Mortals always have some kind of moles or freckles, or traces of scratch. And the skin of elves and fairies reminds smooth as alabaster. But Iveina is definitely not a fairy. Rather elf. It was even uncomfortable to ask her to what kind of magical creatures she treat. Amaranta and so showed herself naive.

"If I ever become your queen, then you will certainly elect you as the maid-in-honor," Amaranth promised, hoping that Dagda could not hear how she divides the privileges from the place that she had not yet received. He still did not even hint that he would make her his queen. And she already gives positions as if she plans to take the elf's throne in the very near future.

For a joyful smile of Iveina it became clear that one century seems to her a very short time for waiting. Who knows them, the immortal creatures that for them is long, and what is fast?

"But if suddenly rumors are confirmed, and your queen will become Medea Shai, then I will return all the gems back, and you will present them to her," even though with wonderful things it was a pity to part, but the conscience woke up in Amaranta."It is not necessary to even assume this," said Iveina. "If she becomes our queen, then I'll take exactly the voluntary expulsion and all my relatives too. Best for centuries to wander on the roads than to dwell in one kingdom with her."

"And how did she not please everyone to you?"

"You would see her! You immediately everything understand."

From the outbreak of the righteous anger the eyes were red for moment like two rubies. Amaranth even backed out of her, but there was nowhere to retreat. Behind the back there were only the window and spiny spikes of roses.

"Did Ivor not come with you?" Amaranta tried to find a harmless topic to conversation. "It would be curious to look at him without a mask. And then I do not even know him when I meet, if you do not introduce him."

But Iveina has already noticed roses on the window and darted to them. Her fingers slipped through soft petals. Even in the dark it was seen that roses are white and red. Two colors clearly awake on the background of the gloomy heavens and a gray window arch.

"So where are they going," Iveina was delighted.

"Who?"

"The girlfriends-rivals," said Iveina. "One fairy of love, another of passion. I have long been pursuing them to learn from them a love line of my destiny, but they are constantly flying away from me. It can be seen nor love, no passion for me yet. Well, let! Limit one career! After all, you will not forget about your promise to make me a maid-in -honor."

Again she about it! It would also become a queen. But suddenly Iveina is able to look in advance, like a fortune teller or clairvoyant.

"When did they appear here?" She was curious.

"In the morning!" remembered Amaranta.

"Did you see the fairies yourself?"

"They quarreled outside the window, even fought."

"These are their usual behavior. Do not be embarrassed."

"What did they want?"

The guest did not answer this question. She was too fascinated by looking at how much roses were scattered, and how many stems on stems.

"If the roses still bloom, then the red and white fairies are dozed," identified Iveina. "And they are dozed when their dispute cannot be allowed. So far, either one or the other will not be the winner, their doze will not end. On roses is much more pleasant to look than on these rivals. But they have sharp spikes. Be careful!"

"On the one hand, they like a wonderful gift," Amaranta liked a magnificent framing of the window. "But with the other hand, they scare me with theirs whisper that I hear when I stand next to them? Does it whisper from the roses themselves?"

"No, it isn't, it's a whisper of fairies in them."

"It's time for you to walk along the castle," suddenly advised Iveina.

Amaranta did not like how demanding Iveina said it, but with magic creatures it is better not to argue. You never know what they have in mind and for what they want to apply their magical powers. If one day they occupy the entire castle, then people will be their powerless toys.

The red and white roses flooded all windows and arches of the towers. The head was spinning from their smell. Noticing more desirable gold flowers, Amaranth did not even believe.

Golden roses bloomed in an indoor gallery with arched windows overlooking the garden. So, Dagda is there. Amaranta rushed there. Legs were confused in lush green skirts. She recently began to dress in all green as the elf's king. It is a pity that she does not know how to fly. But Dagda knew how, but for some reason this time did not hurry to the meeting.

Having found that he is not alone, Amaranta stopped disappointed. This meant that he appeared again as an ambassador from the magical country, and not as a lover. But the king of the elves made her sign to be silent. And the statutory lady next to him, from which there was a wonderful radiance, at the sight of the Countess did not even make a reverence. Who is she? Medea Shai or one of the elves, without which Dagda can now can't make a step. What is the manner to acquaint the abandoned passion with a new one? Amaranta intended to roll the scandal, but coming closer, noticed that the lady was completely made of gold. Her dress, hands, hair laid with steep curls, even tiara and veil over them - everything was gold.

What a surprise. The same statue cast from gold metal. But she is moving like a living person. Gold fingers neatly squeeze Dagda's palm, golden legs in golden shoes carefully steps on the floor of the castle, the golden loop stretches for her, the golden waist looks like a flexible, like a conventional woman. Even eyelids, eyebrows and eye proteins she has golden! And all this gold moves and moves with the same ease as the human body.

"Who is she?" Dagda did not hurry to represent the golden wizard, so Amaranth asked herself. There is still a personal meeting, which is what to follow etiquette.

"Do not you see?" Dagda also threw a formality.

"I see what? Other woman next to you?"

"Other?" He was amazed.

The elves seem so naive, and they themselves are so hypocritical. Amaranta squeezed fists.

"Someone allowed you to bring guests to my house?"

"This is not a guest," he stubbornly objected.

"And who is it?"

The answer struck her.

"This is you!"

Initially, she looked with distrust and noticed that the outfit on the lady repeats her own dress. Only on her it was green, and on a stranger it was gold. The face is also gold, but it is her own. Everything happens as if she looks in the mirror and sees there instead of her familiar bodily reflection in a green dress reflection, entirely peeling with yellow paints.

"As if I was cast from gold," Amaranta whispered. "If it were from marble, you could call it my sculptural portrait."

It was impolite to talk about it with Dagda in the presence of a third party. Everything heard a lady of gold. She was exactly alive. She pushed, grinned, the sponge blows just like Amaranta herself.

"Who is your companion?"

"At the moment, just like you. She is the Countess Amaranta, the young spouse of the count Angus March from the genus of Daverni."

"That is, she is me," as echo repeated Amaranta. "I'm from pure gold!"

She still could not believe it. She wanted to touch the lady, but it is scary that she will burn like the sun. She shone straight as heavenly shining.

What if you touch her, and she grabs you with a golden hand and survive so that it breaks the bones, and the flesh will turn into a mess. Oh like she is a lively sculpture. And her strength should have non-sex. Even the mechanized dolls from Rodolith are very strong. And what to say about the metal sculpture.

"She is a gold copy," Dagda boasted.

"I see it myself."

"Just do not understand the values ??of this definition. You're not an elf."

"I do not need to remind me once again that I am not from your magical kind."

Dagda crashed, understood the miss. It would be nice if Amaranta was born his subject. He would immediately marry her or at least chose her as favorite. The king's favorite is also a very honorable position, even if we are talking about the king of elves. And here in the Count's Castle, where she is a human, and he is an elf, he has to hide everyone, hide his feelings and his dates.

"Copies of the beloved of magic people are different: of gold, from silver, from yellow copper, from tin, from fire, from ice, from water, but they are all intended for one purpose."

"And what for? To please the eye when the sweetheart is not near."

Not to mention, to take her place in his bed. With such a copy of Amaranta Dagda does not need her. He had the second Amaranta all gold and sparkling. He can marry her and makes her the queen of elves. The legendary Medea Shai will be upset that the place on the elfs' throne is already occupied by the desired rival. And it does not matter that this rival is golden. People still do, and the elves are what? They are accustomed to magic.

It was necessary to think about it - to revive the Golden lady and give her the appearance of his own sweetheart. Such a statue is excellent medicine from hopeless love or from rivalry for one woman, as in the case between Dagda and Angus.

Amaranta drew attention that the hands of the ladies melted. Gold fingers have become liquid and thrown out the growths - rings. Those took the form of rings that the Amaranta herself had on today. Why of course! The similarity is not only complete, but also adjusted along the way.

"The magic copies are created to ensure that beloved of elves can freely go on dates with theirs chosen one. While they are no at home, everyone will take a copy left for themselves. And thus no excitement will arise. No one will go to look for you in the forest with torches and hunting dogs. Everyone will think that you are in the castle.

"But she is gold, and I'm not. The difference should notice."

"Only we see that she is actually of gold. For other people's eyes, it is enchanted. So no one will notice the difference, except for rare creatures, understanding in such tricks, but they will just not expose anyone from delicacy."

"And the people of Medea Shai?" said Amaranta.

"All magic peoples are connected by one traditions. We all happened from one shelf of the rebel angels. Everyone respect each other."

"How many mortal women were seduced by elves, if such copies already have invented to hide the absence of their beloved?"

Dagda lowered his eyes, tightly squeezing the hand of a golden woman. She gently slid her fingers on his palm, repeating the Amaranta's caress. Now she will still kiss him. And then it is close to be the hostess of this castle. The copy itself is still very unpleasant. Suddenly she will forget that the main thing in everything is not she and she will want to kill Amaranta to completely take her place.

"Do not be afraid!" Dagda grabbed a golden woman for a thin waist and pushed to Amaranta. "She will become in everything to please you. These copies are designed to serve and cover. It can even become your shield from the arrow or the poison. It is impossible to hurt and kill she. And she has no own consciousness. She will think just like you, while pretending to be you and say the same thing as you."

"She can even speak!"

Dagda laughed frivolously.

"She is a gold copy. She knows everything. Probably, copies of the earth, flowers or different alloys are not so clever. But you are a beloved of king, and not of vassal, so and a copy for you is from pure gold. And the spells in it are sparkling and gold.

"That is, she is not just an idol?"

"She's all that you want to see her. Your girlfriend, your arms, your gold shadow. Your shield from enemy blades, if you need. And your mask when you leave. The dwarfs, who created her, called her Luellin. So she will call, if one day you leave her as unnecessary.

"You're sly! Leaving such a copy here, you can kidnap me and make a hostage forever. No one even guess that I was no longer in the castle."

"And you are not tired of meeting for a shot time and tremble, what does your absence hurt?" the elf was indignant.

"Oh, it means you take care of how best for me. And here I think that with her presence here, I myself can be lured into the kingdom of Medea Shai and raped by her monsters. At home will not even figure it out that I am already dead."

"In no case! If you die, then the spells dispel. And Luellin will become a statue without face. Either she will freeze like the idol, or will take the appearance of all the oncoming people who she likes. In any case, the deception will open."

"That is, the spells act only while I am alive," Amaranta asked for many times as Ta stupid girl. How difficult it is still to communicate with elves! So much suspicion. It would be from the magic people herself to know their true possibilities and the Code. What can it be and then it is impossible.

"And if I leave you forever, then Luellin can depict me exactly as much as human life lasts, and then disappear or escape from the surname crypt? Sounds stupid, but tempting. And I, of course, it is unpleasant to use it, but ..."

Amaranta turned to a gold copy. Suddenly she is a reasonable and sensitive creation, which was already offended by hearing all this. But Luellin stood, frozen as a statue, with a missing expression on a sparkling gold face. Her head resembled the shining sun.

"Alas, if you won't see you every twelve days, she will forget as you look, and stop copying you. Then she will again begin to take the appearance of all women, which will be near, and guessing people either run away from her, or try to destroy it, which will lead the first to the tragedy for them."

" The golden woman was strong, as it should be a revived figure of metal. From her the waves proceeded by power: both physical and magical. Is it not dangerous to keep it in the castle among people?

But Dagda pulled Amaranta to himself, and all the good thoughts instantly flew from her head. The elf hugged her for waist and kissed her a long time. It seems that he realized that he was definitely not enough for a short date, because he suddenly hinted.

"If you leave with me, you will have to do so that you were considered dead, and not abducted."

"Why?" Amaranta even frightened, so ominous it sounded.

"A new war will begin because of the abduction," Dagda explained sullenly, "and I don't want war."

"It seemed to me that you got pleasure when they fought at once with many knights."

"A war is a pleasure, because you can experience the forces in the battle, but on the other side, this is hell, because you have to cripple and kill those who love or appreciate."

He sighed heavily, remembering something that he didn't want to tell her at all.

And the Golden Copy was indifferent to the two desperate in love and shone in the dark as the real sun.

Hut of Gnome

The night with the elf was unmatched. Amaranta began to understand why girls prefer not people but representatives of the elf's race. Love with an elf is magic.

But where do disappear the girls abducted by the elves? She didn't have time to ask about it from Dagda.

The fact that she spent all night in her own room, allocated to her before the wedding, and not in married, no one noticed. After all, Luellin was with the count and took care for him. For some reason, no one noticed that she shines like the sun. People take a gold copy for the usual woman from flesh and blood. But Amaranta saw only her reflection, painted in golden yellow color. Luellin grabbed her eyes and winked to her as a conspirator.

Amaranta hid fiercely behind the column. It is impossible to at least someone discovered that two Countess raise on the castle at once. All have long been aware that she has no twin sister who could come to visit. In addition, the presence of two identical dresses will also cause sense. The dressmakers in Aluar are presented with strict requirements so that the stamps of the dresses of noble ladies are not repeated. Surely, and in Iliore it is not different.

One of the corridors was empty. Amaranta went in it, hoping to find the exit to the garden. The castle resembled a labyrinth with a multitude of transitions. It is impossible to see her now even someone from the servants. Although it is no longer there, but gossip about the fact that the Countess can simultaneously be present immediately in two places can glorify it like a witch. And the witches are usually rushing to send to the fire.

It is a pity that Dagda did not take her for the whole day with him or did not leave her some means to become invisible. Where did he hurried so, spending the night with her? Why did he not stay longer?

Or maybe this Luellin took her appearance too early. So far, the cover of Amaranta was not required. Another thing is when Dagda again calls her on a date.

From the garden it was easy to get into the meadow behind the castle, and from there go to the forest. Well, and the ownership of elves begins in the forest. Amaranta decided to do this path herself, while the Golden Copy plays the hostess of the castle.

Infanta kept in the garden, combining multicolored berries with a bush. It seems that it is not a gooseberry, and not raspberries, and not currants, not even cherries. All berries were different shades and resembled a split of rainbow on tiny balls. This bush was not exactly here yesterday. More precisely, the bush itself was, but there was no unusual berries on it. Probably, a guest-elf flew here. In the thickets of Camellia and Magnolia, it was easy to get lost that Amaranth and hurried to do. The garden, which is replete with the honeysuckle and the box tree trimmed in the form of all sorts of figures is a great place to hide from prying eyes. Somewhere in the bunches the gate is hidden, through which a gardener comes. You need to find it to go on the meadow. Somewhere behind, the cheeky Infanta tried to tease swans who did not want to talk with her. Naturally, they did not understand anything. Not all birds are able to understand human speech.

For Mrs. Infanta today did not fly. So it was even more convenient. Amaranta wanted to be alone. When you want to see only your beloved elf, the company of people or even birds becomes burdensome.

Amaranta found a gate, so violently overgrown with flowers that it was almost not distinguished from the living hedge, but it was not difficult to open it. It was not locked on the key, only on a door latch. The loops were creaked. In both the sounds that filled the garden, it was unnoticed. There were larks, shredded crickets, jumped grasshoppers, motley fish trembled to the pond, and some whispers sounded from the fountains. Or is this murmur of water creates the illusion of whispers?

The meadow was sunny, warm and empty. All the knights are now in the castle. Not far from the forest you can see only shepherds with goats and sheep. This is rural idyll! Amaranta felt at freedom. As well, she found a workaround to pass the lifting bridge and the castle gate. It is good that none of the enemies of Angus knows about the loophole through the garden. And does he have enemies? With elves, he liked him. If only Dagda wishes to become his enemy himself, but until he firmly decided to fight with anyone else. Something was placed in his past, which forced him to fear war, but not at all because he did not have enough strength to defeat. So what's the deal? What happened to him so terrible, which completely dismissed him, who possess the greatest strength, all the desire to lead wars?

"Look, do not get into trouble!" A bird drew angrily on her head. It flew into the forest. Against the background of a light meadow, its black plumage resembled a bunch of gloom.

When you warn something not to do, for some reason you want to do otherwise. Warning to be alert completely deprived of caution Amaranta. She moved to the forest. Some rustic swineherd, who played on his dull, spent her with stunned look. Probably accepted for the fairy. After all, noble ladies don't leave the castle without accompaniment, even for a walk around the surroundings, not to go alone in the dense forest.

The forest was so thick that sunlight was barely penetrated. But the air is made here with pleasant smells of fern, needles, pine cones and wild flowers. Chicory and leaves of plantain grew near the paths - a great set of flowers and herbs for the preparation of medicinal tinctures. If there is a healer in the nearest village, then she exactly walks to collect herbs in this forest.

Amaranta moved along a narrow path in the thicket. One tree along the way turned out to be unusual. This is not a spruce, and not cypress, and not holly. Something average. The trunk is dotted with silver signs, precisely drawn by the claws of elves or some more magical creatures. Fruits on branches juicy and ripe, but instead of peel covered with sparkling scales.

"Dragon apples," whispered someone behind her back. Amaranta turned around. Nobody She reached out to disrupt one such a fruit, but changed her mind. The fruit was hot, like coal in the oven. And the roots of the tree hung under her feet like snake tails.

Maybe, however, in the forest is dangerous, because no wonder the rural residents do not go here. All the people who Amaranta met, walked near the edge, but even in the shadow of the forest, they feared. If a sheep or goat ran here, it was not pursued for some reason to return to the herd, but simply unfolded and did the form that nothing special happened.

Local people know about the forest something that makes them stay away from it? But Angus concluded an agreement with the magic people. The act of non-fire cannot be valid only for aristocrats. It concerns all the inhabitants of the county. Adeline would say that from the countryside there are stupid superstitions that do not allow them to liberate, but Amaranta felt a hidden threat in the forest.

It is stupid to hope that if she gets into trouble, then Dagda immediately gets off to help her. You need to be careful. It is better to walk along the groves or heather empty, which in the county at least debugs. In vain she went to the forest. Amaranta suddenly realized that she could not find the road back. Either she forgot herself, in which direction went, or the path was branched. Now it was no longer one trail, but a whole tangle of narrow tracks with small inhuman footsteps. Footprints were not like any bird, nor the animal, nor the more human.

And where to go now? Some animal darted under her feet. Sharp claws hooked for the hem of her dress. The cloth of the fabric remained in the claws of the beast. Amaranta was looking for a branch to defend, but there was only a tree with scaly fruits. They are hot to the touch, but more to drive the beast nothing. Amaranta threw one fruit and wanted to throw it into a wild animal. But it also immediately jumped and hidden in the bushes. How did this fruit scared him? And is it worth calling it a fruit or somehow else? Yes, scales over the peel are very sharp. You can prick your fingers. And they are hot, like a metal in the horn of a blacksmith. The hand is slightly burned, but Amaranta is not frightened. You need to have in your hands at least something in the case of a new attack by the wild inhabitants of the forest.

She had to choose one of the paths at random. The first led to fallen trees, from which it was possible only to turn back. Another path started in the ravine. The third ended deadlock. There is some kind of elastic wall, similar to the dilapidated wall of an ancient temple, hid in the thick of bushes. Amaranta ran her hand on the symbols and emblems engraved on the stone blocks of the wall. It was depicted by half-rated silhouettes of some gods. The forest kept in itself a lot of secrets.

"The tribes of the goddess Danu," somebody whispered again behind her. "They fell like this, long before the forest grew here."

It was meaningless to turn around. Behind the back is not visible. In the forest so easy to hide, that it is not surprising. Amaranta pouch the fruit. If that this is her only means of self-defense. You can rinse it like a ball in the attacker. Sharp scales are embarrassing for sure. But no one hurried to attack.

She had to return to the fork again and choose the next path. Each time they became more and more. Another trail led it to a forest creek, murdering by stones. Some unfamiliar grass of blue grew near the stream. The flowers have framed the edge of the stream. Amaranta did not like these flowers with incorrectly intersecting petals. They resembled the live ridges of a purple shade.

Behind the stream, no longer, there was a hut. Gloomy and abandoned it resembled a rotten tooth in the forest. There was a circle of voids around it. The big trees stood slightly away. It could be adopted for the hut of a huntsman.

"Release us!" came the voices.

Is it a dream? Amaranta looked around. Where do the sounds come from? Is it really from the hut, which is about to collapse from old age. Wooden logs, of which it is folded, have already rotted and covered with mold. But inside it turned out pure and cozy. Well and miracles! The walls are painted in pastel colors and are seized with iron vignettes. Hooks are suspended cages with a variety of birds. Like in the castle at Angus. Only here were all birds of unfamiliar species. Amaranta did not know the names of them. There are no peacocks nor Ibis, nor falcons. But each bird has a motley of rainbow feathers, and the precious stones sparkle them right in the foreheads or adorn lush tails. Well, straight copies of Infanta. In one cage, a firebird was sitting, it was much more luxurious and large than the fire bird in the castle. From its tail sparks were poured, not able to burn the earthen floor.

"Liberate us!" the whisper became persistent.

This was not exactly the birds. Amaranta understood the birds' language, but the beaks of all birds were tightly closed. None of them tried to say something. But in all birds had such a sad look that they were reminded of prisoners. She was sorry for them.

There was no! Amaranta began to open the door latches. The birds have dropped out of cages, joyfully moved by the motley wings. Together, they resembled a rainbow breathing from imprisonment.

Naturally, none of them lingered to say the Amaranta "Thank you" or at least to not as a sign of appreciation. They were silent and proud. Only the firebird was delayed and dropped her from head to the feet in such a glance that Amaranta felt herself a beggar, which was randomly in higher society, and not the liberator. In vain, she burned her fingers, letting the firebird, whose feathers trembled with hot sparks. Although she did not wait for gratitude. She simply did not want such beautiful birds sadly sit in cages.

"What did you do!" Someone so stamped about the floor with the foot that the whole hut was shaken. It seemed that an earthquake began.

Turned around this time, Amaranta saw an angry gnome. For growth, he could be taken for a child, but a wrinkled embittered face squeezed him. He is exactly a centenary old man, not a child.

Amaranta hid the scaly fruit in the folds of the dress. If you have to throw it into the face of the Gnome. He stamped obsessevly with his feet, and the earth trembled.

"You let go all the captives!" ragged the gnome.

Captives? He so calls the birds. Amaranta looked in a glimpse into the opened door and noticed that the feathered birds did not fly away. They sat down at the stream, and suddenly female figures in multi-colored outfits rose instead of them. The girls differ in different directions, and their clothing in color resembled the plumage of the released birds.

"Do not be under the protection of Dagda, I would have strangled you!" The gnome exactly did not joke.

Amaranta really felt how the hot cord was squeezed on the neck. How strange! The gnome does not get to her knee, and she feels his little hands on her throat, and they are very strong.

"Stop!" Amaranta felt that she was choking and swung on the gnome the only thing that was in her hand. At the sight of a scaly fruit, the gnome immediately jumped aside and hid for one of the empty cages.

"Throw him here!" He pointed to the opened door. "I'll have time to lock it here!"

Naturally, she did not obey, but turned around and ran away. The open door almost climbed it, trying to slam down before the nose. Amaranta hardly slipped into a narrow gap.

The shadow of the gnome hands, which pulled out for her, reminded the paws of the monsters. Amaranta turned around. His arms became large, they do not for hisa small body. It was not worth saying goodbye to him. The dwarf shouted to her.

Upstartt! Thief! Elf's whore!" shouted he. The latter hurt her. In part, he was right. She is not married to an elf, but to a man. And Dagda does not at all offer her a lawful marriage. She, of course, loves him, and not just seduces for power or gifts, but their connection can still be called vicious. It was necessary to turn out to be so evil in the tongue!

It turned out to be upset nowhere. Amaranta stumbled on the road. Someone for her exactly chased, but not a physical being, but some force, revived the roots of trees and plants. The brushwood crawled under her feet of live worms, bunches of trees joined hair. Speaking from the Earth roots resembled snake tails. Only a dragon tree stood calmly and did not make any attempts to grasp her for the hem of dresses.

Amaranta cautiously passed by him. His roots turned out to be slimy and wet as the skin of the snake.

"Turn back my captives!" shouted the gnome. Maybe this is echoes of thunder. But it does not rain. The sky above the forest was cloudless. The lumen distance was the edge of the forest. She was flying away from the gnome and she managed to choose the right path.

The formidable echo stood in her ears, but it was of no importance now. After all, the exit from the forest is already close. There are just a dozen steps, and it will come on the light-floated meadow. And it does not matter that this meadow is plowing Finodirry, trying to make arable fields from it. Let yourself! By him you can run. Finodirries accurately comply with the conditions of the union between people and elves, but there is no evil dwarf.

Suddenly, the roots of the tree came to life and clung to her legs like a network. Finodirry turned on her screams, instantly threw a plow, took off over the roots and picked up Amaranta for the waist. The tree released her reluctantly, but Firnodirry pounded something on the roots, and they, displeased spinning, climbed back under the ground. The tree froze motionless again. Who would think that a minute ago it tried to strangle her.

Amaranth still looked at the roots, who were able to strangle the victim. Now she understood the fears of farmers. She will never go in the forest again!

Finodirry carried her over the meadow and lowered her on the stump so delicately, as if it was the royal throne. He himself leaned toward her legs and began to sniffed to her as food. Is it really bleeding and decided that the smell appetizing!

Not! As it turned out, he just did not bother to touch her and inspect to check whether there is no wounds. By smell, he easily found a scratch and even helped her cure. An inconspicuous gray grass, which grew by stump, instantly heal wounds, if you attach it to them. If not Finodirry, Amaranta would never distinguish this grass from ordinary tree rot.

She looked at her savior with horror. What a monster! But in his strong paws, she felt a queen for a moment, which all Dagda subjects are obliged to serve. Or maybe the arms of an elf corrupted her, and now she entails all the magical creatures? No wonder the Gnome called her for the harlot! But the Finodirry did not entail it in a physical sense, it was only curious to look at him and even touch. His wings on the touch turned out to be slimy, like a bat.

As long as Amaranta rested after the experienced, Finodirry flew to the spring and brought her fresh water. A blank sink of a large snail he used instead of a glass.

Amaranta was almost told thank you, completely forgotten that it could not be thanked in any way. She was frightened and bit her lip to blood.

As close it was from being offended and angry. The fatal words of gratitude were still ready to fly from her mouth. After all, the winged monster served her as a faithful dog.

Finodirry noticed that her shoe is stuck in the roots of the tree. It was now difficult to dig it out of the ground, in which recently revived roots, but Finodirry and did it.

Why don't these monsters like and be afraid if they are helpful? And why are they such zealous assistants? Amaranta heard the edge of the ear, the legend of the curse, which forces them to behave exactly that, and not otherwise.

What if the Finodirry is not free to act, as he wishes? He in fact may not begood? Just a certain strength makes him be a slave of all oncoming. Maybe he likes her? He looked at her with a light delight. He got out of somewhere the handful of wild plums and handed it to her, but she didn't take it.

"Eat yourself!" She advised him.

Finodirry immediately threw them over his shoulder. And thump them managed in one fell swoop on the other side of the meadow, where they fell on a plow, like a hail.

Amaranta noticed that in addition to the plow in the meadow, there were a spit and a sickle. Why are they there? Usually uses everything in their season. First they plow, then they sow, and only then mow. An unusual worker did everything at once. He does not know how it is necessary or does it noticeable to achieve an unnatural result? He, in the end, is a magical creature. They are all otherwise than people.

The fruit with a dragon tree hurt her fingers, so hard she squeezed him all this time. Finodirry immediately stopped the blood, and then noticed the scaly ball in her hand.

"Dragon apples," he said. "Dangerous things!"

He can speak! Amaranta hesitated. She thought these monsters are dumb, because in her presence they were constantly silent. Disassemble what he says was difficult, but he could utter human words! This is a miracle!

"You're beautiful! Do not eat, otherwise you will blow up like fira ..."

"Like who?"

But Finodirirry, instead of an answer, extracted from somewhere, as if straight from the emptiness, a homemade reed.

"Do you like sleeping melodies?"

"Sleeping?"

"Helping to sleep melanchly and pain," he explained and began to play. From the gentle sounds, the nerves immediately calmed down. Amaranth felt happy. Even love longing for Dagda was forgotten.

"Thank you!" She thanked hot, barely he finished playing. "You're a rare musician! Thank you!"

He jumped up and shouted like a wounded animal. Claws on his paws began to stretch in length. Such a paw can to demolish the head in one fell. How she could forget that these monsters are unbearable to hear the words of gratitude! For a moment it seemed to her that now Finodirry would hit her, but he just skipped with a black column of ash and disappeared.

Arch at the junction of worlds

The way back was done not just. In the garden, as disclosed, the couples were walking out. She had to wait until they leave. From a look at the love of other Amaranta felt a sharp loneliness. Where does Dagda disappear?

In her bedroom, someone was, but not he. Some lady. Probably, Iveina came again. The carpet under her legs was lying to the holes, as if the bonfire had recently slept in the room.

"Merry evening, my liberator!" An orange face, staring at Amaranta, resembled a bunch of fire. Crispy hair around it, too, crowded with solid flames.

"Who are you?"

"Do not remember the firebird?" A fairy rose from the iron fireplace screen, on which she sat. How delicately she did that she did not take one of the chairs. The body is completely fused from the fire, the silk upholstery would go to one touch.

"Just do not come close! "Amaranta noted that a dress of fairy is already licking the firewood in the fireplace.

"In the form of a firebird, you liked me much more," said the fairy. Sparks flew from her orange wings. That's where the holes on the carpet come from! Several sparks fell on the Amaranta's dress and burned it.

"Listen, and you do not want to fly away, whoever you are."

It is impolite way to immediately put someone, but the situation is extreme. We will not drive the fiery fairy, and the entire castle will flash.

"Did you wait for a lover, not me?" The fairy mockingly led her red flaming eyebrows. Understand. It is sad when you want one, and someone else comes. But Dagda will not break out in the near future. He has his own duties. Just do not think that he was fascinated and locked in a cage as me. He is too strong."

"I can not believe that you were a bird!"

The fairy instantly demonstrated an impressive metamorphosis. The luxurious firebird hovering for a minute under the ceiling, concerned over the room and again turned into a fiery figure, who prudently fed to the fireplace screen, which definitely does not burn. It is good that it is forced from iron. Here, the bronze or brass screens of fireplaces in Aluar would hardly withstand such a head of fire. In addition, they were supplied with pearl inserts, and here, in Ilior, everything was stronger, probably because the locals were often preparing for visits of such creatures.

"Thank you that you let me go," said the fairy. She sat on the lattice of the screen, but there were so much sparks from her hemp on the floor that only some threads remained from the carpet.

"It's my pleasure!" Amaranta did not know how to put out a burning guest. Take it at your own is same thing that open the doors to a raging fire. "I actually accidentally went into that hut and opened the cages."

"There is nothing casual," said the guest proudly. "Other captives went who is where, but I know that they are all grateful too. Simply, their consciousness clung from long imprisonment. I was in the cage less than everyone. Just a couple of centuries."

"So long?"

"The main thing, I am free now."

Better yet, she fastened somewhere in another place. From her hair is about to light the porter.

"Move a little bit!"

The fairy immediately understood, what's the matter, and she obeyed.

"You saved me. I have to serve you now. So told Dagda."

"Did the gnome complain?"

"I reported to him. He decided that if you rescued me, you liked me. So you want such a maid-in-honor like me. And here I am here! What do you deign?"

And this way there! The place of maid-in-honor has already requested by Iveina.

"Tell me why Dagda could not rescue his subject himself?"

|The fact is that I am not quite his subject," the fairy moved with flaming wings. From them proceeded such a heat that the room was stuffy. "But my queen refused from me, so I decided that it would be reasonable to knock at the Elf's King's court and asked to help."

"You didn't burn his door with your knock?"

"No, it's all burning here. In seven hills otherwise. You, people, all are so fragile."

Seven hills? So, probably called the kingdom of elves. Amaranta heard the maids whisper about large hollow hills. Probably there are elves' palaces inside such hills.

The fairy is tired of sitting on the screen, like on the pole. She flashed with it, hung over the carpet and squeezed to Amaranta.

"Let's play!"

"Just do not touch me!" exclaimed Amaranta. Of course, it is impolite, but communicating with the fairy reminded to torture with fire. "I will be burning!"

"What kind of gentle you are! Probably, therefore, our king preferred you to all. Strong love gentle. And he is stronger than all.

"Even stronger than Medea Shai?

"Well, this is a difficult question."

"What's wrong!"

"She put me into the cage and gave to the dwarf."

"Why did she do it?"

"For a small fault."

"She's a monster!

Everyone was talking about this, but the fiery fairy made amendment.

"A beautiful monster."

How everything changes from the tiny, but significant amendment.

"I would know earlier that the monsters are beautiful."

"Everything happens in our countries. It's you, people are limited."

"Maybe you should not cut us out!"

The fairy missed the remark by the ears.

" Shai is the kingdom of the darkness, it is built as the world of black fantasies," she began to tell. "Someday it will absorb the whole world. Even the Lords of Dreams cannot inspire as she, that everything is really real and vice versa. Fear with her!"

"Well, you gave me advice. You can consider yourself free. You paid for the service."

"Is it truth?" The fairy was delighted. "Tell the king about it."

Amaranta nodded with a smile, hiding behind her burned palms. From such an assistant will have to be treated for a long time.

The orange silhouette of the fire rushed through the window in the night and shown in the sky like a flying torch. It was strange, but the roses, surrounding the window, did not catch fire from the touches. Apparently, the magic items are really more durable than everything that belongs to people. The roses though stuck climb, but did not become the property of county. Rather, they resembled parasites, and still spies that everyone see, hear, and everyone whisper.

So now they whisper, discussing all the recent Amaranta's and Dagda's actions. Their dispute was infinite, and the question is the same: love or passion? What is stronger? What will translate in a particular case, that is, in the relations of the mortal countess and king's of elves.

And so she torn the dress during the forest walk, now it was also written by sparks. Amaranta decided to try to change clothes herself, without the help of the maid. It is impossible that someone noticed her tattered dress. Immediately there will be suspicions why was it so dirty. It turned out that to take off the corset was impossible. If the lacing was in front, and not on the back! But in front, it was supposed to be only on the dresses of maids who were accustomed to dress independently. Notable ladies, as a rule, were helped by the maids.

Luellin went on time. She seemed to understand that Amaranta needed help. When he presented such an unusual gift as a gold copy, Dagda said something about the fact that she would become for Amaranta an assistant, and even a shield from enemy arrows if necessary. Gold fingers cleverly slid along the back, turning out and tightening the lacing. They were warm to the touch, like molten gold. Having finished with the outfit, Luellin took the ridge, made out of the hair of Amarantas all the leaves, stuck in them, and put her curls in the wicker, passing the pearl threads and silk flowers.

In the mirror Amaranta hardly recognized herself. New hairstyle completely transformed her. Is it possible to say the Luellin "Thank you" or she will be angry as Finodirry. It is better not to risk. And then metal hands will easily strangle her if the copy will lose control.

Luellin fully justified her vocation as the copy. With the transformation of Amaranta began to change and she. The same ruffles, the same hairstyle, the same necklace on the neck as on the hostess of the castle - everything itself was formed by the growths from the golden body. And here is a miracle completed! The yellow reflection, which copied all of her appearance to the smallest details, stands next to her. Even scary becomes!

There were dozens of diverse dresses in the wardrobe, but for some reason Luellin every time copied exactly the outfit that Amaranta put on. Obviously, otherwise it does not come true anyone's reflection.

Everything happened in complete silence. Luellin did not say a word, and so silently left. Stunned Amaranta for a long time could not budge. Although she was warned about the magical abilities of the copy, and wondering wonders with her own eyes turned out to be too much tested for strength. To see herself merged with liquid rolling gold was a voltage for the nerves. But the resistant aroma of roses brought pleasant thoughts. A smell of paradise! When roses grow on the window, neither perfume nor incense are required. If they did not come from the persistent whispers.

The starry sky outside the window in the frame of roses seemed a fragment of a fabulous picture. Amaranta fell asleep straight sitting in the chair, and when she woke up, Dagda already stood nearby. He flew to the window, without hurting about spikes of roses. The view from him was alarmed, he blushed.

"Where did you disappear so long?"

Although it is possible to say "so long" about one day?

"There were causes, cares!" He smiled radiantly, but in his eyes lay down a gloomy shadow."

"What did it happen?"

"You will not understand!|

He did not repel it. There was nothing to be offended. About what and how it is arranged in his world and that for elves is important, she really knew nothing. He could explain, but make love, much more pleasant than conversations. When he is near, she do not want to think about anything.

Today, Dagda for some reason did not want to stay in the castle.

"Come on, we will fly!"

He quickly grabbed her waist and pulled out the window. One moment and they rushed in the sky high above the ground, supported by only its patterned wings. Amaranta was frightened that the hem of her dress was clinging for the spire of the highest tower when the elf rushed her in flight above the roof.

"I hope no one sees us from the windows!"

"Yes, let them look if they want. I'm tired of hiding."

"Better do that no one can see us," Amaranta clung with her hand in his collar, the lace from the living leaves immediately snakes around her wrist. "Can you?"

"To throw on the crepe of invisibility?|

|Exactly!" More precisely, it was not to formulate.

Dagda only chuckled.

"If they see us, they will not believe that I decided on it."

"For what? On the flight in heaven?"

"On the abduction."

"Do you kidnap me?"

The elf did not answer. The roofs and towers of the castle remained far behind. Below was the black forest. Amaranta feared to fly at such a height. In addition, she has no wings. If the elf accidentally will relieve her and will not have time to picked up again, she will shatter to death.

"Your white bird is very strict. She coursed me out yesterday when I was looking for you."

So he was still looking for her! The fire fairy in vain upset her with the fact that he was too busy for dates. Amaranta remembered the wise statements of the nurse that if a man becomes too busy for meetings with his beloved, then this simple words mean that his love has already passed. And the elf is still a man. If one day he does not wish to visit her, then everything will be clear without words.

Amaranta for some reason did not believe that he kidnaps her. Probably because they flew not to the magical kingdom and not even to the green hills, but in some kind of waste. The land here was empty, there were no plants. The only fine thing here was the arch as if the remaining of destroyed palace. They had a bas-relief silhouettes of fairies, elves and a miniature dragon. Because of these bizarre decorations it was impossible to take eyes from the arch.

"A divine work of art!" Praised Amaranta. "Is this one made of elf's masters?

Dagda answered nothing. He lowered Amaranta on dry gray earth. The hem of golden dress was immediately painted with gray spots.

The arch stood in the cracked ground of a gray bulb. It seemed that it grows straight out of it, as some kind of mythical being. It is worth spending her fingers on it or drop on it with blood like a dragon on it will revive and speak! The feeling that the palace was destroyed here, and the arch from it in a ridiculous accident remained, immediately passed. It was something independent, and not part of the former luxury.

"The ancient tribes of Albov, Side and Fomor walked or played weddings near the arches. Sometimes blooming trees or bushes struggle like the arch, if Elf came to marry, but everything is different ...

"It feels like the dragon flinched at the surroundings and everything burned here! Why did you bring me here?"

Dagda did not answer.

"Once upon a time there was a fortress," he told after the pause. "Now there is only an arch."

In shape it looks like a snake," Amaranta touched the bottom of the arches with her fingers, but the bas-reliefs did not come to life on it.

"Here he lived ... a snake, a traitor, a former friend ... I don't even know how to call him."

On the face of the elf was reflected the longing.

On the arc was a miniature dragon. He was no more Infanta's size. The whole emerald, as if crawling out of the jewelry box and was one of them.

"This is Malachite," Dagda presented him. "He lives on the border of the worlds. And the arch itself is a kind of portal. You will come on one hand, you will fall into my kingdom, on the other - in black tract."

Red and white roses were also bloomed on the arch. So far from the castle? So, these are no longer the roses that personify love and passion, but just similar to them. The earth around is too dry, which would have something sprouted on it. It feels like it burned with dragon fire. Roses were before it and did not get out. They sprout only on the arch without feeding, without water. If only suddenly it will rain, and they drink. Or whose blood is shed. Amaranta heard fairy tales of roses from the world of fairies that feed on blood.

|If someone wants to go into my world through it, then it will delay the unwanted guest, will miss the welcome. The enemy will vanish in it."

"Even a whole army?"

"Even so! Let the king of Ilior come with a regiment. Then from the arch appears the Spirit, who lures them into it and they will disappear forever."

"Where will they fall?"

"There is no way out of this place."

Amaranta felt like in a hot furnace. The hot wind blows as if from the mouth of the dragon. From the arch perfectly came the sounds of a distant battle, although it looked completely empty.

"It seems that the earth is still glowing."

"So only seems! There was a grandiose battle. Now, here from time to time it becomes stuffy and hot, but while you cannot burn with me here."

"And without you?"

"Such a beautiful lady, like you, should not go anywhere without a bodyguard," he smiled.

He himself was not too suited on the role of the bodyguard. Too elegant, but so could only say those who have never seen him in battle. Probably Dagda and a whole army can overcome alone, if not with physical strength, then with magic.

That's just the battle, which was held here, was not with people. This battle burned the land, turning previously fertile fields into a dry desert.

"With whom did you fight here?"

"And you already guessed that I fought here."

He grabbed her face with his hands.

"Everything does not matter while you are here."

"Why did you bring me here?" she repeated.

"I want you to drive away from me the memory of this battle".

"I never thought I could help an elf. It's you magic, not me."

"You can! Promise me that you always love me, and then maybe I will stop hearing the echoes of the screams of all who fell here during a slaughter."

She did not hear anything else, but his elf' ears were strained, catching some faint sounds.

"Always is it longer than I can live," Amaranta sighed with regret. "You're an elf, you are immortal, and I'm mortal." And the death sooner or later separate us."

"All beloved of elves who leave the world of people, are also immortal too. Do you want to go right now?"

"I want," Amaranta noticed that the roses stretched around the arch is not only the same red and white, like at home, but also they whisper. How did they then be here? The castle is far away. The roses discussed something fiercely. Leaves moved. It seemed that the bas-reliefs on the arch also revive and slowly move. The stone snake revealed heavy eyelids and looked at Amaranta with eyes from amber. Such monsters must be inhabited in the kingdom of Medea Shai.

"If you go with me you can't and never die," Dagda said. "You will forget about diseases, longing, pain, there will be no hunger, no thirst, nor feasible desires. The people you knew are rotten and become bones in the ground, and you will still be the same young and beautiful as now. Many girls go deep into the magical kingdom voluntarily, because an eternal youth is a priceless gift.

"Let's wait a bit. I promise that I will leave with you, but not so right away," she remembered Medea Shai. "At first, I must know that you need only me."

She did not want to dig up at the Queen of Fairies' black claws. Dagda did not even understand what she means, and decided to convince her with a kiss.

The roses whisper, tormented by the same dispute: passion or love. Amaranta heard their whisper and some shoves in the depths of the dry ground. And the dragon is something grumbling, walked around the arch. He didn't like a sight of happy and kissing lovers.

Dancing on rainbow

Angus with annoyance looked at the ballroom, where his young wife had fun. It is unlikely that she actually had fun when her husband was so ill. Most likely, she pretended for guests. At the court in Aluar, she was taught the rules of the ceremonial, which she had followed. The etiquette is invented to hide the true emotions. Amaranta smiled clean mechanically. From the side she reminded the doll from Rodolith, which obeys the will of the master.

Sometimes Angus did not recognize his wife. She spoke only when she was asked. Amaranta ceased to show the initiative herself. Maybe she became nasty after he lost in the battle against the Elf?

Angus and himself was unpleasant to remember this. Rubbed bones struggled with difficulty. To be healing after all, he had to resort to magic. In the village there lived one witch-doctor, which had knowledge in magic. Angus wanted to send for her, but Dagda was ahead of him, and sent to him his own doctor. It was a little magic creature with a lot of paws and feet. It resembled a revived green tree. In each paw, it held the flask with the ointment or with the medical instrument. He whispered magic spells, from which the health was restored by itself, and the bone fragments were collected back into one and hardening. He gave the count a pleasant drink that helped get rid of pain. It was necessary to give advice not to fight more with elves. But about this fact Angus remembered himself. Only therefore he concluded an alliance with Dagda. So what the hell pulled him to compete with the magic ally?

In compensation for injury, Dagda gave him his personal dagger with a luxurious handle, snapped with emeralds. Oddly enough, the blade was iron. Magic beings usually do not endure iron and fluid water, but Dagda touched the arms without fear. He accompanied the gift with words.

"Let it be yours! My subjects are unpleasant that I keep the iron object. Although I am not afraid of iron myself, but my elves do not like it".

Now the magnificent blade has become the property of Angus. Amaranta threw on it only a dismissive glance and opened the golden fan. For some reason, lately she started preferring outfits of an exceptional gold shade. It seems that she came out straight from the royal treasury, where all her dresses were painted into the sparkling color of the clean gold. Previously, she adored blue, white, green and pink fabrics. Her current choice hinted that she was a real queen. Golden is a royal color.

The knights of Angus were paying court to her and praised her wonderful azure outfit. Are they blind? Or he is so angry with them that he hears everything wrong, because they are courting his spouse.

"Charming!" said somebody next to him.

Angus was sitting in a chair at the wall, there was nowhere to turn around. There is only lambrequin, even there is no windows. Outside the window could someone soar, and near the lambrequin there were only hissing burning candles in the candelabrum. And yet Angus looked back and collided his nose to the nose with an orange, like the flame face of a mischievous boy.

"I am Spark," he introduced himself, having fallen out of the hole of the candelabrum with a solid post of fire. "Nice to meet you."

A fire elf! Well, it is necessary! Angus could not take eyes from him. Spark all consisted of a solid flame. Even his wings were orange and flaming.

"I settled a long time here," he explained, "since the king of the elves and the Queen of Fairies failed to unite their kingdoms. And I am not attributed to your agreement, because I am not subject to a single yard. You can drive me if you want, but remaining, I will be more useful."

How to drive such a guest! Angus looked into his orange eyes without pupils and felt such a heat that was forced to immediately turn away.

"Stay, if you are comfortable here! Only, please, do not burn anything!"

"Did I still at least started something?" The elf led red flaming eyebrows. His beautiful face burned like a torch. In a solid bunch of fire, it was hardly possible to consider accurate features.

"The daughter of the butler does not come out of her room because of burns on the face. Are you guilty?"

"Oh, I just tried to kiss her. I love cute young girls, but they, alas, do not love me. I have already taken into account this and correct, that is, I will no longer be a womanizer."

Womanizer? In this case, an incomplete comparison. The elf didn't look like a boy of ten or twelve, but there are in his glance wisdom and cunning, earned in the century. Angus did not even decide to ask, and how old he was. And so it was clear that he was ancient than the walls of the his castle.

"Countess Amaranta enjoys great success," said Spark. He rushed a little further to consider better. His redhead shadow lay down on the carpet and began to be written as a squad, not copying the movement of the owner, but making the opposite. He even has a redhead shade!

"How beautiful she is!"

"Do not burn her! Even her hand does not think to kiss!"

Spark obviously wanted flirting.

"How to keep such a wife?"

"You voiced my thoughts," Angus admitted.

"Do you want, I will help?" The elf was delighted.

"What exactly can you do? Will you persuade her not to betray me?"

"There is something more interesting."

"What are you talking about? About magic?"

"On the usual spell for passion and loyalty. I understand in them."

"There is a witch in the village, she knows them too."

"Belladonna takes any sympathy for the consequences of her potions. And I know how to soar such products from the fire, which penetrates the skin, ignites the heart, forces to keep loyalty. The thought about cheating begins to burn.

Spark flyed over the back of the chair and whispered right in the ear of Angus. His whisper was hot and burning, but he offered intelligent things. It was worth listening to him.

Amaranta felt the heat emanating from the arch. A huge gloomy shadow lay down on dry bugs of the earth. Someone monstrous whispered on the ear.

"So far, love overshadows the brain of your boyfriend, but he is cruel. See what he did with me! Someday he will do it with you. Look at the scorched soil under your feet and ash, remaining from the fire of war. Do you see the cage in which I am? You can also be in it!"

Amaranta removed from the shoulder of Dagda.

"Did you hear something?"

He caught the sharp ears.

"Fairies' procession is in the forest. I hear them. If they now meet mortals, then these mortals will disappear.

"Isn't your contract with Angus that does not exclude?"

"We- yes, but for the kingdom of Medea Shai I do not answer. Although I will try to agree with it at the next festival. For any gifts or losing in the Golden game, she can give an oath not to attack the people one century."

Amaranta saw a golden game on a chess table at Angus, but she did not understand how to play it. Probably Dagda will ever show her.

In vain, he recalled about the Medea Shai. Only her name cut the rumor as a poisonous arrow.

"Is she beautiful? The queen of fairies?"

Dagda thoughtfully frowned his forehead.

"They say that yes," he hardly recalled. "Do you want to see her? To do this, you will have to visit one of our elf's holidays. She will not visit the castle. She is too arrogant."

He neglects her clearly. You could have been comforting. But suddenly it is just a pose. He could be offended for something at her. She is the same ruling person as he. It is likely that they had a distribution due to land.

Amaranta heard again screams inside the arch.

"Let's go from here!" She suggested. "Or let's fly!"

Dagda easily grabbed her waist. It was more pleasant to fly than to go. In the transcendental heights are scary, and the flights which are low above the ground can be compared with a pleasant walk.

In the forest moved an elegant cavalcade.

"Let's go down and look at them!" asked Amaranta.

Dagda went on a concession, although for him, for sure, to watch the march of fairies was familiar.

In the forest, where they descended, the leaves on the trees were copper, and not alive. One of them rang up, almost cutting Amaranta with a sharp edge to blood.

"This is normal," Dagda explained. "There are forests of steel needles, from red copper, and there are forests with gold and silver leaves. But after them is the black tract. All thieves, who wanted to steal in the suburbs of the kingdom of fairies and go away with the full pockets of the plants from precious metal disappear there.

"We are on the borders of the kingdom of fairies!" Amaranth looked around. They sank in thickets near the trail. Due to the corner, the cavalcade was left, which she so wanted to consider closer. All horses were snow-white, on the skull there is a single speck, breakdown and bridles are gold. In the mane horses were woven lush flowers. Even saddles are made of some sparkling material. And how luxurious would be a cortege from the kingdom of fairies!

According to Dagda, it was a holiday, and not just a walk. All the ladies were very elegant. The eyes do not tear off their faces. Each rider flickers like a star. Theirs cavaliers are more gloomy. Every rider is similar to the revived root of tree. What is common have such freaks with beautiful ladies? Maybe clumsy black creatures are servants of Fairies and not their cavaliers. Some of them went on foot, carrying some sparkling rods instead of torches in the hands. The procession easily moved forward in the dark, as if the horses were perfectly seen through the darkness.

"What are they celebrating?" Asked Amaranta, but Dagda did not answer. Probably did not want to attract attention. Close to the cavalcade he also did not bring her, because then he would have to represent her to fairies. And what is she? A wife of a count. The fairies will immediately recognize the rival in her and tear her up. Maybe they would drag her with them. After all, they seem kidnap the people too. That's just why? Why did they take ordinary people in the magic kingdom?

Amaranta turned her head and again touched one of the ringing copper leaves. One of the fairies immediately rushed at her a piercing look of two luminous yellow eyes. Not eyes, but a continuous radiance inside the eye. The fairy had a heart-shaped face and a hoop in the form of a salamander, which seemed to be grow into the forehead. She pointed out by hand towards the hidden lovers, and several black satellites of the fairies immediately rushed into the thickets.

Dagda ahead of all, waking up height with Amaranta. In heaven no one persecutes them. Although it is strange, because all members of the cavalcade had their own wings. They were able to fly exactly. Or did not want to leave their magnificent horses unattended, or in the sky with Dagda, they were not so strong.

"Don't look into the eyes of, Igrid," Dagda warned. "She knows how to blind in one glance."

Probably so called the fairy with a salamander in the forehead.

"Are you not tired of carrying me over the ground?" Amaranta felt guilty that they had to go like two thieves, fly away, laying their heads.

"Not at all," Dagda grabbed her waist stronger. - You are the most pleasant burden, which only can be."

In the distance was engaged in dawn. They walked all day long. She didn't want to go home, it was too early to go to the house of Elf. Let at first prove that she is more important to him than all the beautiful fairies.

"Do you want to entertain you with the game?" Dagda caught her alarm.

"What do you mean?"

Only a gold game came to mind with figures, circular on the board, like whirlwind of sparkling dust.

"Dancing on the rainbow."

She laughed.

"But now the rainbow is not visible. After all, so long there was no rain ..." She stopped, remembering that he could cause a rainbow and without rain.

So it happened this time. The elf carried her over the sea, behind the mountains and forests. At the bottom, foamy waves splashed. Some creatures like a nymph and mermaids were entertained by games on the water, and bridges stretched over their heads. They broke, branched it, repeatedly crossed.

"It seems that the Magic Masters built the bridges over the sea," she stated.

"So it is, but those bridges are not for us. For us is the rainbow."

Amaranta finally saw it. From afar, the rainbow paths seemed like a ghostly radiance. They were far above sea bridges. Some edges of the rainbow reached clouds.

"These are bridges from the rainbow, "Dagda confirmed her guesses. "They are more convenient than bridges over the sea, because they are caught not only water, but the whole world."

The roads from the rainbow also joined, intertwined, diverged into different directions, were connected immediately with several ways, forming intersections and maze. Need a map to do not get lost here. Each road was with seven colors.

"You can reach anywhere. Up to any window of any city and palace. Do you want to go to the castle in Aluar? The old king, for sure, will be happy to see you, but will not get ready for me."

Amaranth did not appreciate the joke. Dagda laughed cheerfully and put her on the widest rainbow trail.

"I'll fall!: She was frightened to slip and fall, but he was already there, he grabbed her for the waist and led in dance. The world was screwed down at the bottom before the eyes. Dagda said something about the fact that the rainbow on the left leads to the window of the Throne's Hall in Aluar, the direct path goes to Sultanit, the heavenly trail will lead to the kingdom of ghosts, and the rainbow between them will lead to the mountain kingdom of Nag.

"And for all these paths you can pass one without me, since it turned out to be here, but I will not let to go alone. A beautiful girl should not walk alone anywhere, because there is a lot of applicants everywhere."

For example, the queen of fairies, she wanted to add but did not want to spoil the divine moment. Dancing in heaven were even more interesting than the flights. Even in a wonderful dream is not so good. Her companion also looked happy.

Amaranta did not immediately notice the white towers of a big city.

"And what's in there?"

"I forgot to say." Dagda turned her in a sharp pa, and then picked up and moved from one road on the other. Hence the view of the city became closer. The towers in the form of sleeping dragons did not exactly belong to earthly countries. "You can see the magic kingdoms from the rainbow. This is Orelo. Only spirits live in it. Do you want to go there?"

"No, let's still dance!"

She did not want to miss the moment that could not repeat. Dance on the rainbow was as pleasant as making love with the magical creation. The elf then picked her up and circled in the dance in the air, he went down with her to the next rainbow path. Amaranta noted that all roads are at different levels: that is higher, then is below. So they were at the very top. From here, the entire endless rainbow labyrinth was visible. Amaranta pulled her hand up, wanting to touch the cloud, and then over the motley paths hung a dark shadow. It smashed everything. The feeling was such that darkness covered the whole world. The terrible roar of the back forced her to tremble. Even Dagda strained.

"Looks like a dragon flies here," he determined, but late. He did not have time to drag the Amaranta to the side. The sharp edge of the dragon wing hung her on the cheek. Blood went, but the shock was worse than pain. The black dragon turned out to be so enormous and fierce that it could seemed to disseminate the whole world. It is larger than the monolithic wall size, and the spikes on its crest resemble a giant tool. It's scary to approach such a monster, but the lady, who squeezed it on its back, did not think so. She laughed when she noticed that her dragon wounded somebody.

It seems that she herself had wings, but she proudly sat on the dragon as in the saddle, trimmed with spikes.

"A crazy Queen," Dagda threw her, or Amaranta just heard it. Can the queen be crazy? Although women or even fairy fly on dragons? For the winged fairies, this is exactly absurd, but she has just seen it with his own eyes. Unless it seemed to her. Blood on the cheek was exactly real.

After the flying dragon the darkness was smoking. Even the rainbow was from it gloomy.

Between the elf and the mortal

The steps were formed from water at the edge of the lake. They led deeply under the water. Only on them was scared to stand. Suddenly they spread with water along coastal stones.

"They are durable, albeit water," Dagda explained. "In fact, from the aquatic masses, you can build at least a fortress and live in it if the sea king does not consider it the arrogance and will not destroy the spell. That's then water will again become ordinary water without a form."

"Why have we to go under the water?" Amaranta suspected some trick. Suddenly she managed to bother him, and he wants to get rid of her to fly back to the beautiful fairies. "What will we look at the bottom of the pond?"

"Don't you want to visit Uriella?"

"Uriella," she repeated as if the name was unfamiliar. From where Dagda generally found out about her girlfriend, drowned during the maritime travel.

"Your companion," he reminded, "the one who kidnapped the water spirit."

"The one, most likely, is no longer alive," Amaranth emphasized. "Who would not drag her from the ship into the water, but people are not able to breathe under water. Elves can , but I, for example, in the lake will suffocate. I don't even know how to swim, as, however, most of the aristocrats. We are taught dancing, music, embroidery, horseback riding, good manners, but not swimming.

"For this, there are steps. I have studied everything," said Dagda. "And in the lake you will not suffer, you are with me! And Uriella will be glad if you visit hei. I brought references and found out that she was lonely at the bottom."

"I would also be glad to see her if she was alive ..." Amaranth looked at the aqueous steps. They seemed durable in appearance, but this is only an illusion.

"Let's somehow another time!" She asked. The fear of water stopped her. All who do not know how to swim, are afraid of deep reservoirs. And the lake was deep.

Dagda nodded.

"Uriella and a couple of centuries can now wait. The girls who were stolen by the water spirits, since they survived under water, become almost immortal."

It sounds curious, but here is a lot of inconsistent. Amaranta seemed suspicious that the elf drags her under the water.

"Did Uriella, which is collected specifically in the sea, can be found at the bottom of the lake?"

"Of course not. The lake is only a convenient portal in that part of the underwater kingdom, where she is now. If you knew a little more about the kingdom of water, it would not be confused. All water channels are actually linked. Even ponds and fountains. From everyone you can get into the sea, if you know a set of non-hard magic techniques."

He could not deceive her. To meet a girlfriend, whom everyone considered already dead is a wonderful gift. If Uriella has still remained alive.

"Once I dreamed of Uriella. In her body sprout pearls and instead of the collar grew from her neck sharp gills.

"Either these were nightmares, or the water spirits joked."

"Why do they need it?"

"Well," Dagda shrugged, "how to explain: they are everywhere. And in each decline of water on the table, and in every cup, and in each source. You did not hear in your bedroom laugh, similar to the murmur of water."

It seems hearing. Amaranta frowned. It turns out, people around all sides surround the spirits. And not only water. Dagda mentioned the air spirits and the fire spirits. It is dangerous to be a man. You can become a toy in the hands of the other forces. They will tempt everything that they want, and you will not even understand where these thoughts came from.

Dancing on the rainbow was much more fascinating than to stand near the lakes overgrown with water lilies. The steps in the water disappeared, barely Amaranta flatly refused to go down to the underwater world. Now the lake was the most common in appearance, quiet and calm, as if sleeping. It is curious what strength is dormant at its bottom.

Amaranta was ashamed that she was so frightened by the dragon that the journey through the rainbow bridges immediately seemed dangerous. However, the dragon hurt her much. From one kiss of Dagda in her cheek the wound immediately healed. On the one hand, it is very convenient to be in an elf company, the touch of whom has a life-giving force. On the other hand, there is a risk of falling on a lunch with his terrible acquaintances from the neighboring magic kingdoms. The dragon accurately wanted to try the mortal countess onto the tooth and would certainly do it if she walked along the rainbow alone, and not accompanied by an influential companion.

She wonder who was the rider on the dragon? A very graceful lady, by the way. With the dragons, she could definitely cope, but did not want to ban him to touch the mortal oncoming. Maybe she ordered it to stake her with an edge of the wing. Amaranta was still lucky that she was left only with a minor wound.

Dagda called her the queen. Suddenly the hostess of the dragon really turns out to be the same queen, about which she is heard. She failed to consider the lady. She saw her one moment, and then in the frame of the black dragon's wings. But an intricate hairstyle from coal-black hair and the exact profile produced an unforgettable impression.

How influential is the queen of fairies? From the gossip Amaranta managed to determine that many were trembling in front of her. If it comes to open clashes, who will be more powerful: queen of fairies or the king of the elves. Amaranta had the impression that the rider on the dragon would crave wars and openly challenges. The cut on the cheek of Amaranta was like an abandoned glove.

It would be necessary to find out how far the Kingdom of Medea Shai is from Dagda's possessions, and is it possible to be built between the two countries as a solid border that will be equal to barricades in case of a quarrel.

The kingdom of the sea king was discovered in dangerous intimacy from all in a row, because the water flows everywhere. If water can speak with you from any bowl and even from a bowl for washing, then from water spirits, indeed, there is no way to go. And they cannot be leaving from their territory, because no one can do without water. And thus, if the waters go to war at least to the whole world, they will certainly win. It is better not to conflict with them.

"And on whose side is the sea king?" As if by the way, Amaranta asked. Having enlisted support for such an ally, you can not be afraid of anything. But here is the most powerful enemy.

Dagda thought. The question even drove him into the corner.

"It seems to be anyone. Only on your own. He does not like people."

"With the exception of those girls who can be kidnapped by water spirits," Amaranta said.

"These are rare exceptions. Mostly girls are drown under water. We need either special deposits, or a special love for them from water spirits so that they survive at the bottom."

"And from the elves and fairies, who would prefer the sea king?"

"With elves, he is more friendly. Fairies are too proud."

It is already encouraging.

"And Ice elves are on whose side?" Amaranta remembered the acquaintances from the bridge. One memory of them pierced the brain like an acute ice plant.

"Neither at all. They hate everyone and try to destroy. Therefore, I expelled them."

"That is, they no longer obey you unlike all other elves?"

"They are rebels. They could be forgiven for endless uprisings, but to keep them in their service turned out to be very consistent. Not even rebellion, they perform orders somehow in their own way: go with the intention to do everything as you told them, and at the time of the performence they are something shook in the head ... In general, they do the opposite. I told them somehow bring the news about the peace, and after they announced my decree before the delighted king, they destroyed the whole kingdom. Well, the scandal was then!"

"Did you intervene?"

"It was too late. I trusted them and believed that it was more superfluous. Then I had to send them to imprisonment into the abyss, which they also formed, estimated from the face of the Earth the whole country with which I wanted to conclude the peace. There they are still sitting."

No, someone released them. Amaranta wanted to report the case that happened to her on the bridge, but Dagda already regrets about the other:

"Solar elves considered them geeks from the very beginning. Because of their frightening appearance and feed. I, as a reasonable ruler, believed that they were not always the best ones who are pleasant to look, although in my country everyone is judged by appearance. What you are more beautiful, there are the more magic talents in you. But with ice creatures, it turned out otherwise. They sometimes showed that force in witchcraft, which no one had. The only thing that all of their power goes to freezing. They are able to cover with the ice a whole area, forcibly detaining whole armies under the crust of ice, leading hostilities. So I stopped war from my borders. The warriors just frozen, turning to the ice statues. And then I noticed that my winter elves are creating a destructive black witchcraft around the ice figures. It was useless to punish them, they faded themselves for a while, and then behaved even worse."

He seemed justified for the fact that they were sharpened.

"Do you regret them?"

"Yes!" The king of the elves amazed how easy she looked into his soul. "They are the only thing that I am inherited from the tribes of the goddess Danu, which once ruled these lands, and then went into oblivion. I wanted to save them.

Amaranta was awkward that she arranged to him such interrogation. Dagda was sad from what he had to remember all this.

They walked around the field, holding hands as simple mortals. It would be nice if they would never end in the road. It was worth thinking about it, as it swung with zigzags and unexpectedly led to that very Arc, from which the sounds of the battle were heard.

The arch was still chased the body of a stone snake and roses, but it was not quiet around this time. At dusk, silhouettes were visible - whole hordes! There were people and magic creatures here. And they all fight like obsessed. Amaranta saw a slaughter for the first time in her life, and the spectacle led her to horror. Dagda for some reason was not surprised and not even alert.

"This is a ghost battle," he explained. "The spirits are forced to fight so every night, repeating the same action to infinity."

"Why?"

"This happens when some strong person believes that the outcome of the battle was dishonest."

"These ghostly troops will everything destroy, if they break out from the wasteland."

"Unlikely! They are not material."

Amaranta did not dare move on. The ghost battle frightened her. She backed to the forest. In the world of elves were so much surprises! It was worth a confusion with one of them, and the usual world seemed to collapse.

"Bear me out!" She asked. The type of bloodshed, even if the ghostly, too, acted on the nerves.

From nowhere to take a griffin with a message to elf's king. It is amazing that the bird found he in such a blind spot. It is unlikely that Dagda reported in advance to someone where he was going to fly. In the expression of his face it was seen that in the message something not tolerating deposits.

"I'll find the way home myself," she said. "Fly, if it is urgent."

Although, as from here, she didn't even imagine how to reach the count's castle."

"It will take you."

The griffin dropped before Amaranta. It turned out to be enough space on his back to get a job as in the saddle. A wonderful bird! Amaranta heard about griffins, but never saw them with her eyes. And now you can sort out with your fingers a soft plumage with golden border. It seems to be said that the griffin is a variety of eagle. The external similarity is really there, but here's the size closer to the dragon. Flying on it above the forest, Amaranta began to understand how comfortable was the lady that saddled the dragon. Have a covered creation that takes you on your upload, much more convenient than ride even on the fastest and purebred horse.

The guards noticed nothing if the Griffin would be enchanted from unwanted views. He brought her to a small balcony, whose doors led to the art gallery. The portraits of all the ancestors of Angus were collected here. Theobald told her that some of them became victims of the magic people, therefore Angus himself hurried to conclude an agreement with the magic kingdom. His ancestors did not succeed, and he somehow squeezed. It is certainly for him, it was worthwhile. And she can all destroy it all. Amaranta perplexed in the soul. Love is fine, but it is impossible to be an egoist. What if you break out a new war right under the walls of this castle. The magic people will be precipitated bastions using destructive magical tricks against which people are powerless.

"Dagda in any case will begin the war if you won't leave him, "someone from the flame whispered in the candlelight. "And the ruins of the castle will become our cozy home. On the ruins dance much more rarely than to get along with people."

Around, of course, no one was visible. Only the flame on the sconce took the shape of the dandy silhouettes. Their faces are more and more referred to in the fire.

Amaranta picked up the hem of dresses and ran from them. The gallery ran out quickly. In the lobby, she was met by gloomy, as usual, Theobald and a pretty smiling knight, whose name she remembered. Ambrose. He presented a bouquet of daisies. He looked at her so in love, as if she had recently flirted with him.

Probably, this gold copy managed to seduce him in her absence. She herself did not have time to give any advances to Ambrose. But Luellin is another matter. It is impossible to vouch for her behavior. You just need to play if you do not want to be exposed. Amaranta smiled. She really liked him. Among the knights of Angus, he was considered the best. If he proclaimed her his lady's heart before, she would not mind. But the elf confused all her plans. The desire to communicate with someone except Dagda beat off.

All the knights chose some ladies for which they won on tournaments. And it does not matter that these ladies are already married. All that is required by them is some kind of tiny sign of their attention, which can be worn like a banner - glove, ribbon, handkerchief or even curl hair. At Ambrose, somehow turned out to be her shawl, which he wrapped around his wrist. Did Luellin give it to him? Surely she did! Amaranta, of course, did not try to take a thing back. Let him wear it if he wants so much. She has a lot of shawls and silk scarves. With the loss of one her wardrobe will not appease. Unless Laellin decides to distribute all to different knights looking for her attention. Then either they will be confused among themselves, or the golden crawler will receive scolding.

In her room Amaranta saw the long-awaited guest.

"Ivor!"

She recognized him and without a mask. The mischievous boy was covered with golden freckles. The wreath of the golden leaves decorated soft curls.

"The king sent me to you with gifts," he explained, pointing to baskets with unusual fruits and berries.

"Here are fruits for good dreams. From them you dreamed of those who wish to see," Ivor winked. "Here it will become fun of these. And from these will pass any ailment. These are to feel happy. Oh, but these, I bring in vain, you can lose your memory from them.

Ivor quickly took out two coal-black fruits from the basket.

"I need to check again! I was not suitable in the morning, I could disrupt the fruits that act like poison. They are usually used as weapons on the battlefield so that enemy warriors eat and began to lose force. From them on the skin there are glands, the bodies are mutated, and the knights are already crawling, leaving traces of contagious blood. You don't need to fight them."

"Why are you scaring me?"

"I explain why the tree with such fruits was not destroyed. It is useful in wartime, but now is peace. And you should have the pleasure of magic fruits, not pain."

He poured fruits on the table. They were beautiful as toys. Peel, like lace, leaves, divergent in the form of wings, in one fruit sprout a large red stone, similar to the eye.

"This for clairvoyance! And these for Euphoria," all could not finish the enumerations of the Ivor. "But there are no poisonous here. Although one. Dragon Fruit!"

"Leave it!"

Ivor looked at her in surprise.

This is a dangerous thing!"

"I know, I was already told about it, but I myself picked it."

"And you are brave!" Ivor looked at her with delight. "I never thought that the lady from the castle of mortals would be so brave to pick dragon apples. By the way, here are still appetizing nuts from aforest nearby. They are not magical, but I also pick them for you. I was told to please you."

"You coped with it! Thank you!"

What else to do for her, he did not know, so he watched at the window sadly. He wanted to fly.

"Iveina liked you," he suddenly said. "She says you are nice and modest."

Probably, Angus has some urgent advice, because Luellin sat at the table and did not hurry anywhere. She behaved, as usual is closed, but what else to expect from the metal sculpture. With Ivor, she and the word did not spread. Does she have a speech in general? Amaranta has not heard anything from her.

The golden lady cracked nuts with bare fingers. Under its metal touches the shell was cracked but nuts were cracked too. Not a single nut left.

|Nothing, Dagda will send you others."

"Golden?" What else can not crack in golden hands?

"What do you want?"

"Let the squirrel still come to split them, "she joked, but the guest nodded to it with all seriousness.

"How do you order!" said Ivor and disappeared, turning in the sparkling smoke post.

Feast behind the mirrors

How well have a powerful friend who himself has magic objects, and will allow you to use them. At first, Dagda decorated the whole castle with golden roses, then gave her to ride on the real griffin, now sent whole baskets of miraculous fruits. What does it expect in the future? Does he just get tired of her or he will give her something more significant? The crown of elf's queen, for example?

Someone whispered in her ears ambitious thoughts. It's not her thoughts! She was without a difference, what he was: a king or a farmer. The main thing is that her husband is a beautiful elf with gold curls. The attraction to him enveloped the warm wave, even when it was not very close. Together with him any place could seem magic.

But now he was not there. Luellin also left, silently slipping out of the room. Infanta, who returned from the garden, moved with the beak gems left by Iveina. She did not touch the fruits.

"Dangerous fruits," she grunted.

Amaranta did not argue with her. Let her think as she wants. The fruits are miraculous, not harmful. Ivor could not lie. True, he is a little scattered. Suddenly he had something mixed up?

Amaranta took a fruit that has the tea-colored petals as a lush rose. Such a fruit, most likely, excites love and romance. All that like a rose can serve as an extremely aphrodisiac. But the fruit, on the sides of which the intricate symbols were crushed, reminded the page that was digging from the book.

"Do not eat!" inspired Infanta. "This is the fruit of secret knowledge."

But Amaranta already took a bite of it. The taste was like a sugar paper. It was better to start with a fruit in the form of a rose.

Though the fruit and was sweetened, something tart, unpleasant was left on the tongue.

Her head was spinning. Suspicious whispers rang out from all sides. It seems that the walls themselves speak with her. Whispering voices led the dialogues, performed a whole choir or a monologue said. She wanted to hold the ears. Amaranta did it, but it did not make it easier. The inscriptions began to perform right on the walls. Letters beyond the letter. Should she read them? The lines flashed before her eyes. They appeared already on the ceiling, and on the floor under her feet.

Infanta did not see them, so she continued quietly to sort out the trinkets.

Maybe she should get out of her chambers, then it will become easier. Amaranta passed to the corridor. She heard from the nannies that such miracles are worked only at the School of Wizards, the place where the elected magic are trained. It stands for her students to ask some kind of question, and the answer to it appears with fiery letters on the wall. This form of communication with spirits compensates for the lack of teachers.

"Hey, babe!" called a strange voice, it was similar to the hissing of fire. Amaranta turned to the sound. And it is truth, behind was only a candelabrum.

"I have a gift for you," the hoarse voice came out again from the candle's hissing.

"From Dagda?" If this flame itself speaks with her, then only one conclusion can be made.

"From Count Angus, of course!" The face fired inside the flames of the candles, began to grow, and this is a figure with orange wings.

"What a surprise!" Amaranta wanted to touch the fiery creature, but realized that she could only burn her fingers. "You are a gift? You will light my chambers in the darkness."

"No, a gift is not me," the fiery jinn frowned. "I had to give something to you."

"Let's do it later!" In the eyes of Amaranta doubled: on the one hand are the line from the fire, with another is a fiery man or who is it?"

"By the way, I'm Spark," he introduced himself.

"Are you the Spirit of Flame?"

"Just a stray elf, I found shelter in the candelabrums and fireplaces of your castle, Mrs. Countess.

He bowed a burning head.

"Can you read it?" She nodded to the lines.

"What exactly?" Spark looked around.

"The written letters?"

"Where? What kind?"

Does he play it or, however, does not see?

"Fire writes! Everywhere!"

Spark was puzzled.

"It should be only for you, because I can't see them."

That's how! So, guilty is that fruit she ate. Though it was not very good, but after it she began to see the inscriptions. If you still understand them, and not just see.

"I am so alone in the castle, they don't like met," Spark flew over the Amaranta, barely she moved away from him. He smoothly moved behind her shoulder, from him flew the real hot sparks. How would they do not drop on the dress!

"Sorry, but you don't think that as a couple we looked ridiculous: you all burn, like a torch, and I am the most common, of flesh and blood, not even a fairy.

"In no case! I adore beautiful girls."

Looks like he was not lied. The rumors came to Amaranths that several maid had burned faces. Who else could kiss them to burn besides such a creation? Again ridiculous! Spark himself, after all, resembled a schoolboy. He is fit to study the alphabet, and not climb with courtship to adult maidens. Unless you can justify it with an unusual view. Feet, for example, he had not at all. Only jets of flames hung over the carpet. An orange head shone like a lamp.

"I am the ruler in the company of fire elves," Spark praised. "You know how difficult it is to keep them all in submission?

"And what do you mean? They can burn the whole castle, if you don't hold them back ?"

"I mean that not only Dagda manages entire clans of supernatural creatures. I, too, am a kind of ruler."

"Pretty miniature on appearance."

"You wanted to say the juvenile! And you are mistaken! I am many hundreds years old."

He caught her for the idea how others catch on the word. She really wanted to call him a little one, but was afraid to offend.

"Do you want to dance with me?" suddenly offered Spark.

Amaranta looked at his flaming palms and said decisive:

"Not!"

"And right!" Spark did not apply that offended. " The last lady, which danced with me, burned down alive, like logs in the fireplace. Well, there was noise then."

"Did Angus already know about it?"

"Of course, no, it was still with his great-grandfather."

"Have you so long been in the castle?"

"There are many gloomy corners, there is where to hide and pretend to be a candle or a burning log in the oven."

"You said you have a company?"

"Yes! The same flames like me. Together, we can follow the castle from many corners, and then we can tell everything to you."

Why did he get so worried about suggestions? Something is wrong here! If Dagda didn't send Spark, then Spark is not obliged to serve her in general. He has lived in this castle many centuries. On the battlefield, the flaming body of the elf could be a crushing weapon.

"Did you participate in the wars on the side of the ancestors of Angus?" Amaranta asked directly.

" Save us God! When the war begins, we hide with friends in chimneys. There are we during the war."

With his burning, he is pretty cowardly. No wonder looks like a child. He has a consciousness like a hooligan of ten years old. The main principle is to keep and hide.

Before Amaranta came a laughter from a dead end.

"Are there your friends?" - She got up to the tiptoe to get better to see. Behind the statues and columns there is exactly something, but it does not seem a fire.

"There's a dead end. Even the secret turn is not here, it is on the other side," Spark showed with his finger-like as a flashing match in opposite direction. But Amaranth is already interested in sounds. In the dead end was a music and ringing of metallic dishes they were distributed.

There was never a door there, and now there was a passage to a huge hall. For some reason, the passage was decorated in the form of a copper frame from monograms and roses. This is a mirror frame! Amaranta wanted to step into the hall and stumbled upon a glass barrier. This is the most ordinary mirror, but it suddenly began to show wonderful pictures.

"Look! There is a past!" Spark whistled here his friends. "We already were not have at the court! We were expelled! It is curious what happened there."

Amaranta was also curious, but unlike Spark she wanted to get inside. Glass began melting under her fingers. If there is no more reflective amalgam in the mirror, then it can disappear. A little bit and it stopped being a barrier. The hand sinks in it, as in water, but through such a membrane you can already go through. Only Amaranta was shy.

This is the festival at the magic court! Her outfit for such a case is not too luxurious. All guests have unimaginable robes, and even the attributes of magic with themselves. Multicolored sparks fly over the hall. Well, a miracle! Just look at it is scary. The magic ruler has a threatening view and a cup of lively twisting salamander. Before him are dancing snakes-girls, Goblins guard the entrance. Creatures are sitting at the table, similar to the revived trees and vampire fairies, chopping blood from the cups. But also the pleasant creations here were also present.

Fairies with lace outflows on foreheads and temples. It must be firas. Very pretty! Instead of legs under the dresses they had white foxes' paws, in the foreheads sprout, similar to the gem, the third eye. By ignorance, you can take it for the suspension from the non-existent feronniere.

Near the king there was a fairy with scales on the skin, hand tips, turning into paws and a dragon tail. Amaranta heard firas, whispering, called her a dragon fairy. Valid, it is very similar to a miniature dragon, which partially turned into a seductive woman.

"Temptress," the king called her. There was no queen next to him, only the dragon fairy. She played with dragon apples.

Then she brought these fruits as a gift to firas. They can burn from the inside if they eat the apples! But instead of it, they began to lose theirs beauty.

"Your relatives, Finodirries, ignored my invitation," as if by the way said the king. "Even thank you they did not say.

"They will come," the dragon fairy said.

And Finodirries came. Concerned, winged and ... beautiful! Amaranta could not recognize those monsters in them, with which she became acquainted.

They were furious. The evil king, as it turned out, directed the flock of dragon fairies to burn their houses.

"Thank you for coming," said he in response to all their threats. "Here is my gratitude for your responsiveness."

His spells twisted guests tightly. Finodirries could not move, and the sparkling tapes of magic were wrapped around them, intertwined their bodies, turning them into freaks.

It is not surprising that they are now trembling before the word "Thank you" and run from it, like from fire. Their grief began with gratitude statements and did not end up to this day.

"You will serve everyone who will ask you, and do not refuse," the curse of the king was heard over them, accompanied by the laugh of the dragon fairy.

Fira ran away from the table. From now on, they will hide from all who want to take a look at them. They and in the beautiful form were shy.

The dragon fairy sang a frivolous song about fire, how dangerously is playing with a flame and how it hurts. And the enemy army has already approached the windows below, but Finodirirries was late to save. Let them remain strong, but the curse was sought. From now on, they are the slaves of anyone who will require their help, the words of gratitude will burn them like a whip, and their appearance became monstrous.

"How cruelly!" whispered Amaranta in the mirror, and on the other side they were heard. The dragon fairy wrapped on her flame eyes with narrow coffee pupils and showed a split tongue. Some trolls in the corner of the table and vampire fairies giggled.

But the one who was sitting at the head of the table said:

"This is a magical world, beauty! It's all cruel!" He smiled predatory. " But if you want to rescue them, go to me herself!"

She almost crossed the frame of the mirror, but noticed that the border around her was not spikes of copper roses, but Garpys' claws. It is better not to risk. The mirror changed everything. It was worth putting her hand into it, and the skin became older and wrinkled. Her hand almost crumbled in dust. Inactive transformation on it, only precious rings remained. Gold forever, but there is no flesh. Amaranta reached a palm from the mirror, and it became the same again.

Fire Earrings

Fire inscriptions disappeared somewhere. Probably ended the expiration of the magic fruit. Is it possible that it contributed to the fact that she saw inside the mirror? Infanta called it the fruit of secret knowledge.

Without flaming letters, the walls began to appear empty and gray. But in the big fireplace, such a hot fire was hampered, which was scary. Flame post broke out. So it and the entire castle will save!

"Hi again!" from the fire seemed a playful face of Spark. You thought I forgot about you, since you went to another hall? Candelabrums and fireplaces are everywhere. So you do not get away from me."

"And from your company," Amaranta noted that there are several orange silhouettes in the fireplace. They flew down the fire after their leader and spoke around Amaranta with a fiery round dance.

"I said that she is beauty!"

"It is not that the old hostess of the castle."

"She tried to scare us with prayers yet, and this Countess is wiser."

"She understands that we are her new retinue," the voices were heard in the hiss of fire, but it was not clear who exactly said.

"Stop them!" Amaranta was frightened that her dress would now break up from their intimacy. Flame figures sourced heat, like a fire.

Spark reluctantly obeyed. The whole dance scattered back on the holes of the candlesticks and the sconces. The flame in the fireplace was still burning, but no longer looked so dangerous.

"I used a fireplace, like a blacksmith horn," Spark admitted.

"What for?" Amaranta was surprised. He was not like a hardworking creature.

"To make it!" Spark split orange palm, producing two jets of flames from it hanging in the air. Each of them very much resemble an earrings with a pendant in the form of a Phoenix.

"Beautiful, but not practical," said Amaranta.

"Why?"

"They burn the ears of the one who puts them. If only it is not a fire fairy."

"You do not appreciate my efforts for you."

"For me? You do not think that fire earrings came to me."

"I think so, and Count Angus too."

"Do not joke!"

"I do not joke! The count sent me to you with a wedding gift." Spark smiled. "And as a sign that your union will be eternal."

"But I even have no ears punctured," Amaranta raised the curls from the ears. The earrings were flames like a real fire in his hands. So tempting sparkle! And she wanted to get them as a gift, and for some reason she was afraid.

"Nonsense," Spark jumped to her. "Sit down please, I just need to reach your ears to pierce them at once. As you can see, I am not big. Everyone takes me for a child."

"But you can fly above the floor."

"Better sit down!"

Behind her back, he muttered something, as he promised to the count. Well, now Dagda will go back from her. The main thing is to pierce her ears in the right place and insert the flame right in them.

`I heard that it hurts the ears very painful, even saw how it was made by grinding nails, so as not to make an infection."

"So people do, but you are lucky that the count hired me."

Spark puncture her ears with the fire claws. She even did not feel the injection. Once, and earrings were already on the place. They got the ears from the inside and did not weigh anything at all. It is not that heavy clips, from the clamps of which inflamed traces remained on her ears.

"True, it is beautiful," he brought her a manual mirror, borrowed from her bedroom. On his handle, the sparks remained soot, but the reflection in it was above all praise. The earrings were burning, but did not burn, illuminating the face with an orange light. From them the cheeks seemed more ruddy, and they themselves, as if two live salamanders were in contact with the cheekbones.

"Yes," she confirmed.

"That's good, that you are satisfied!" Spark's voice was nursing, and the view is insidious, but she was not alerted.

"The earrings mean a couple, so I thought that as a symbol of a happy marriage, they will be useful. But after all, at first, strong marriages do not withstand the tests of time on strength and are terminated. See, do not lose any of the earrings. The loss means the end of the relationship."

Amaranta listened to him. Her own reflection in the mirror has enchanted her. The earrings fought in the ears with fiery snakes, as if she managed to subjugate the flame. But the feeling was like the captive was she herself.

In the corridor came in Luellin. She walked on the carpet like a golden ghost. She did not need the candles. So who was supposed to please Spark as if his native sister, who was glowed by herself, like him. However, the elf from surprise stacked his eyes.

" A Copy of gold!" he exclaimed. "Well, well! For a long time, I have not seen these pretenders."

Amaranta was surprised. She thought that the twin of gold was only one of her.

"That is, you want to say, she is not the only one?"

"Well, from gold can be the only one," said Spark, "such a second, right, I do not remember. But from less valuable materials ..."

"What are these?"

Amaranta looked on the sides. It seems to be no one in such a time, but there is no danger too much that it will be forced here with a twin. She had to go back to her chambers. Spark submissively flew after her, listed on the fingers of all copies, which he knew.

"They were made of silver, from tin, from glass, out of the water, from ice, from marble, were made of herbs and flowers, even from the ground, the hardest was from lead, it strangled her husband when she finally decided to escape with the beloved . By the way, you know that these pretenders are created not just so, but in order to cover your intrigue with a representative of the Magic race."

"Yes, I know."

"Well, well! And then I thought about you ... Spark said. "In general, you have such an innocent look that anyone is no longer think about you something bad."

"Don't read me notations," Amaranta stopped him.

"Fine, I will not. So what did I stop on? Oh, yes, on the listing of materials. I knew an aquatic copy, an ice copy, a silver copy, a bronze copy, an emerald copy and ... Even you get tired! But all of them, as one, served as a common goal - covered the traitors. The material of the copy depends on the status of the one who created it. Your copy produced the king of elves, so it is golden. And here I knew one king of demons, which created a copy of the black fog. There were problems from it!"

"Why couldn't the king of demons just hesitate to kidnap his beloved?"

"And why the king of the elves why can not kidnap you?"

" This is a delicious question."

"He loves you, but he also loves Angus too. Right?"

Amaranth threw such a condemn look at Spark that he immediately stopped.

- OK. I was kidding."

But she felt specifically offended. Why remind her about the solidarity of the beloved in relation to her husband?

"There was another copy from grave," as if nothing had happened went on Spark. "It happened so! Two twin sisters, daughters of Baron were famous for their beauty. One died, the other was confused with a black elf. And he raised her dead twin from the grave, so that she was pretended to be her. From the dead copy, the stench was shone, the worms were crawling around the castle behind it, and the stupid people did not feel anything. True, mortals are idiots?

"They simply do not have such abilities as you, representatives of the magic race."

"Therefore, mortals need to be destroyed," he showed a flammable tongue, forked like a sting.

"Well, not so cruel! Give them a chance."

"What would they hunted on us, how on deer and foxes? We are the first inhabitants of the Earth. And you got it here and began to beat off our territory."

Spark was in rage and rushed to Amaranta. She barely had time to jump aside. Instead of her shoulder, he burned through her sleeve.

"Oh, sorry!" Spark looked at lace cuffs, shining with black ash. "You're friend of Dagda! He will catch me for it and cast me into the dungeon for thousands of years."

"I won't tell him," said Amaranta. "Do not worry! This is not the last one dress."

"You are kind. It's a rare quality for people. They are most often cunning, arrange the same trap on us as on rabbits. And they are not embarrassing that they catch and eat animals. This is evil."

"I no longer know who is more cruel: people or elves." Amaranta urgently searched for a wardrobe outfit, which is easy to wear without the help of a maid.

Where is the dress with a lacing front, which is easy to wear? There is not it in the wardrobe.

"Help me change my clothes," she said.

The fire elf was shy. Who would think that such an ardent mischief-maker can be shy?

"You need only to tighten the lacing."

"I will burn you."

And that's right! She is too frivolous that she didn't think about it immediately.

"Sorry," Spark was ashamed, "I could not immediately guess that you could burn, you're a favorite of Dagda. It is not easily to burn such lady."

"You didn't burn me, but the dress is damaged."

"It's not the last one," Spark answered. There are many rags in the closet, and I can dress you only in the flame."

"Thank you, no need," she recoiled from the flaming pillar.

Dresses were dozens: purple, canary-yellow, plum shade or sky blue. The outfits, embroidered with pearls, silver braid and flowers would be the subject of envy and for the princess, but the whole problem is that this dress is not fastened. You can wear it, but the lacing on the back remains not fastened.

"Let me help!" The ringing gold voice crashed into the ears, like a metal needle. Cold gold fingers touched the back of Amaranta and ran their skin, like insects. Just a minute, and the lacing was tightened so tight that Amaranta almost suffocated.

"Not so tight!"

"She thinks you don't need to breathe too," Spark noted. " Be careful with this thing, and then she will also tangle you out of courtesy."

One moment and he disappeared. And the sparks remained there. Friendship with evil spirits will not lead to good. People and spirits have too different mentality.

The earrings began to burn her ears. Amaranta tried to remove them, but only burned her fingers. Maybe ask Luellin to remove them. Her golden hands will definitely not be burned. But the copy has already went out. Probably Angus woke up and need his wife near him. It is good to have a cover, but it is bad to have in the castle fire elves. They are in the castle like at home. According to Spark, there was their home here, because they settled in the castle from time immemorial. We will have to endure them.

The head began to spin, the consciousness was clouded. Is it all because of the earrings? Fire is not the material that is compatible with human flesh. Such earrings would suit the fairy, but not a mortal woman.

"Angus! Angus! Angus!" whispered the flames. "Why do you need the king of elves if Angus is here? Is he not the most handsome guy you met at the court in Aluar? The elf has a golden beauty, a glitter of gold, and Angus is a living person. He fits you more."

A whole swarm of voices sounded in her brain. The voices tried to convince her that she herself did not consider the right one. This is violence! Let not physically, but moral. She is imposed on someone else's thoughts.

Amaranta tried to fight it. She submitted to herself the radiant image of Dagda. The earrings immediately broke out so that it became scary. They burned not the skin, but consciousness. In the brain, everything was burning, not wanting to submit an imposed foreign will.

She need water! With fire you can cope with water.

"At least a water spirit will help me," she thought. "Dagda said they are everywhere."

A pillar of silver radiance was appeared from the water in a cup, as if responding to the call. When he formed into a thin figure, Amaranta was afraid. She already learned that from the spirits similar to boys were some problems.

The spirit of the water was an accurate copy of Spark, just not fire, but transparent. Even his wings have the same form. Whether they are colored, they would resemble the wings of the butterfly.

"So you are already thirsty to become a new lily in my pond," the spirit was delighted.

"Who are you?"

"Call me Stream," the spirit hung over the bowl, disliked on dry space around. Apparently, he had the right to steer only over the water. Thus, the sphere of its influence in the room was limited to the bowl.

"Are you capable of making girls in lily?"

" Only drowned."

Looks like they began the conversation not from that note. It was necessary to immediately ask him about the case.

"Can you remove it," Amaranta pointed to the earrings.

"Touch of Spark!" Stream was all twisted. "Tell him, with whom you made friends, tat he must disappear from territory."

"With yours? Does he climb on the water?"

"From the territory of this castle," Stream clarified. "Here I live and my small community. For a fiery clan, there is no longer enough space.:

And he disappeared, dissolved in the water.

White Rainbow

The morning brought strange sensations. She wanted to visit Angus, but he is now with Luellin. The golden copy, as usual, masterfully pretend to be her, Countess Amaranta. If the second Amaranta suddenly goes into the room of the count, then what alarm will then rise! His valet and servants are always near Angus. In general, the witnesses are even too many. The scandal will not be avoided.

Why did this pull it to Angus? The unreasonable memories of how fun they were entertained in Aluar, as it was pleasant to flirt with him and dance in front of the jealous old king.

"And a young count is handsome!" whispered someone in the ear, as if the flame was sought.

And she herself did not know that Angus was very pretty! Only here she recently liked someone else. Her immediately hit a fire pain.

"Forget! Forget! Forget!" whispered the flame.

The flame burned nearby. Right in her ears! How to remove these earrings? Maybe plunge into the garden pond? Only not now! There are too many people in the garden. But the earrings burn ears now. The flame does not want to wait.

She had to, as usual, slip out from the castle through the garden gate. Behind the meadow was the stream. She needs to rush there. Somewhere not far from the forest she noticed the lake. Amaranta was confident that if they plunge into a reservoir with a head, then the fire earrings simply melt. She could be mistaken, but it was worth to try it. Anyway there is no alternative. From magic you will not be treated by a doctor, although he is in the castle.

Some beggar was standing near an aspen at the edge of the meadow and played on his fife. Amaranta wanted to give him money, as suddenly noticed that under the wretched torn cape, he had a coat decorated with golden leaves and chains.

"The king of the elves sent you a message!" happily whispered, disguised as a beggar elf. "He will not be able to visit you the whole day, but barely finishes the state's affairs in Seven hills, arrives to you. He also asked to make music for some poems for you."

Elf climbed into his pocket and accidentally rang up the full wallet of gold coins. Or were it not coins, but golden leaves? In the form of a coin, the leaves are very much reminded from the aspen, which the elf folded into the wallet and drew in gold. And she thought to send him to the castle's cuisine to fed him there. Not all begging should be believed. Ripped cloth can be chosen on the road and make cape from it. And under it, the wings, expensive jewelry and soft green velvet. He is not a beggar, there is full of gold in his wallet! And everything that he touches, turns into gold, for example, the leaves on the tree became gold coins, as soon as he was touched them.

"I found it!" The elf pulled out a scroll with verses.

Before that, he played on his fife. Now it hung in the air and itself began to publish trills. The elf turned the scroll and wanted to read or sing what is written there, but Amaranta quickly moved away from him. The pain in the ears became unbearable.

"Sorry, but I can't hear you now! I hurry!"

The elf was surprised. He obviously did not expect this. And it seems, her flaming earrings also caused his suspicion. Probably, it was necessary to ask him to remove them, but she was ashamed. It is one thing to ask for such a service of mischievous boys and another business of the statutory winged young man.

In vain she was ashamed. There is nobody to ask for help. The mention of the king of elves painfully cut the hearing. Why's that?

"Go home to Angus!" Such a feeling that Spark whispered in her ears. Amaranta even looked back. Spark did not fly after her. Nothing amazing. The fire elf lives so well in the castle, he does not want to leave it. It is strange that she hears the Spark's voice everywhere. Probably all because of the earrings. Amaranta tried to pull them out of their ears and burned.

Amaranta wandered in search of a lake. Her last hope was in it. If the earrings will not disappear after that, she do not get rid of them.

Instead of lake Amaranta came to the ravine. Something like a rainbow bridge hovered above it. Near the bridge it turned out that the rainbow is entirely white and flickering. If only this is a rainbow. In any case, the bridge is the same ether as the one on which they danced with Dagda. One edge of the bridge rested in the ravine, the other was lost behind the meadows and forests. It is stupid to step on it, if you do not know where it leads, but as if someone called Amaranta.

The black bird circled over the bridge. Amaranta has already seen this bird before. It has a large red stone burned in the forehead, as if the third eye. The bird's glance was unkind. It seems she intended to attack, but the white bridge scared it with something. It's good. And the beak of the bird was sharp, as if scissors.

The white rainbow rose over meadows, heather waste and picturesque hollows. It was nice to go through it. As if you are in heaven, and not go. The walk in heaven this time quickly approached the end. The edge of the bridge rested in a rocky precipice. There was an old hut near the precipice. And next to the hut, a slim young woman was working hard, collecting herbs and meadow flowers. The woman was dressed in a simple blouse and skirt, like a peasant, but on her forehead was a precious hoop and on the neck were many amulets.

As soon as Amaranta descended from the bridge, the stranger broke away from her work. Some small evil creatures, who helped her pick herbs, immediately scattered in different directions, hissing on the road:

"The captive of the elves came!"

"Only do not set up a network for her," the collector of herbs warned, "she is not with threats."

What threats? Amaranta frowned. The house looked like a dream. It seemed that the filament clouds concern its roof.

"After all, are you not with an ultimatum?: said the stranger.

"What kind of ultimatum?"

"The ultimatum for Belladonna."

Obviously, it was her name.

"Everyone is tired of my work here. I help people, elves and fairies. I help check the traces of everything in a row, but no one is grateful to me, so I have a triple fee with all. This is true, since all three clan do not appreciate me. Let everyone who came, pays at once for everyone."

"But I was not going to pay you."

"But you need help?"

Amaranta reluctantly nodded.

"Can you remove it?"

Belladonna has enough one glance to assess the situation.

"It is very hot, right?"

"As if the oven was burned right next to the ears."

"A love speech. Yes, and conspiracies for eternal loyalty. Everyone is worse than the fire."

"I'm sorry, what?"

Belladonna, on a moment, burned down and suddenly began to look like an ancient old woman.

"Oh, sorry!" She almost immediately straightened and gained a young look. "It's all because of the former owner of the hut. She was called old Helga and considered a witch, but in fact she was a healer. When she died, I ranked her housing, but for it put on me a tribute. Sometimes I have to pretend to be her before the inhabitants of the nearest villages. They have already begun to consider the old woman as immortal. About my deal with her spirit they do not know."

"Are you something like an elf or a fairy?" Amaranta noted that Belladonna has rainbow eyes. It seems that she removed all the colors from the rainbow and sharpened them inside her eyes. Its pupils and proteins have become multicolored, and the rainbow over the cliff became white.

"You know, except for the elves and fairies, in the fields and the meadows are still full of a wide variety of spirits of nature," Belladonna smiled.

"If I did not come here from Aluar, I didn't hear about everything. Or maybe not," Amaranta frowned from burning in the ears.

Belladonna thoughtfully picked it up on her arm and led inside the hut.

"In secret, I believe that from the sea, people brings not only the ship, but fate itself," she whispered. "If someone has been put on such a long journey, then without the intervention of the highest strength it did not cost. You called here!"

It was almost romantically sounded, as if she was born from the very beginning to become the queen of local elves.

A witch doctor can still be trusted. They treat herbs and tinctures. But Belladonna was in a hurry to take the role of a prophet. Amaranta was used to not believe the fortune tellers. Already too often they gave false predictions in Aluar only to get a reward for them and snatch up as the deception opens. There was next to Belladonna an amazing calm, as if you find someone who understands and shares all your feelings.

Belladonna touched her belly.

"The knights dream of having great sons who will win in any battle, but ..." Her nails scratched a corset slightly, she listened that she had already heard the beat of the second heart. "You will have a great daughter."

"Do not kidding ME!"

"Or maybe not! Sometimes it is better when children from people and elves are not at all appear."

"Why?"

"Love is a wonderful thing, but sometimes she gives life to monsters."

"You say like a bird in a cage in the castle of Angus," Amaranta stopped. That bird also considered itself a prophet.

There were many things inside the hut in which even an inexperienced girl could guess the attributes of witchcraft.

"What are you doing here?"

Belladonna kept silence. But the big boiler on fire whispered something. Whispering came from green brews.

"Came!"

"Wow!"

"She herself found the road!"

"And it's too early!"

"She has a flat stomach and I do not know the monster inside it!"

Someone whispers or she just seems? Where Amaranth did not look, and everywhere she saw the bunches of herbs and empty eyes stuffed, made not from ordinary animals, but from some terrible creatures. If used from the monstrous birds caught by Angus, they made stuffed, they would like it. That is, frightening.

"Who hides and chatting on all the frets?"

Votes were a whole whispering choir. Belladonna missed the question by ears.

"Sit down!"

There was no chairs. Only the bed shown by the skin of unusual animals. There have never seen such beasts of Amaranta. And not bears, and not lions, and not leopard.

"Manticor's skins and Lamiya," dispelled her doubts the mistress of the hut. "They wandered here from the kingdom of Medea Shai. But she herself never regards me, and you know why?"

"Because she does not need to be treated from anything, and therefore she will cost without herbal tinctures?"

"Because she loves to generate monsters into the light."

"In portable or literally?"

Belladonna did not answer again. She decided to play silence?

"I try to prevent the appearance of monsters to the light," she said suddenly.

"Very commendable," Amaranta nodded, although she didn't understand her.

The earrings burned ears with fire.

"They need to be removed," The witch doctor stated. "Otherwise you will not meet your love."

"But I have already met."

Belladonna shook her head with knowledge.

"You will not meet more the king of elves if you wear them," she said.

Like the fire elf giggles right above the ear in tact of her words.

"Spark is such a prankster."

"Do you know him?" Amaranta was surprised.

"I know, even the fact that your wedding ring is actually a gift from the king of elves, although you are officially married to the count.

Who would think? And it was necessary to immediately guess. The ring in the form of a golden rose could produce only Dagda. Golden roses - his symbol. Obviously, they are in the elf's emblem.

"What are you in fact?" Amaranta looked into the eyes, which seemed elderly wise, although they were young. There are no wrinkles on her face.

Belladonna chose from all the bunches of the collected herbs alone. The grass in it alternated with small flower. This is not dill, and not parsley, and not cleanly. Something average between all this.

"This is algae from the Gulf of Mermaids," Belladonna explained.

"And it looks like terrestrial grass."

"You are mistaken! They had to dive to the depth to get them."

Belladonna divided a beam into two equal parts and pressed herb to the ears of Amaranta. The earrings have sought, like a hot iron that was watering with water. Somewhere far away, the swears of Spark were heard, even though he was not there. Looks like removing the earrings, Belladonna hurt and him. After her manipulations with the fire earrings, one mold and pond scum remained. It was easily removed from the ears. On the ear lobs there were dirty traces of ash. Belladonna found a bunch of flowers, took out two flower from it and went to ash pins in the lines. Flowers instantly cleaned the skin and sprouted tightly in the ear lobs, wrapped all the ear shell with patterned stems.

"Will they not be faded in the evening?" Amaranta felt flowers as part of the body.

"It is instead of earrings. Metal is not for gentle ears. The fairies, for example, carry earrings only from flowers or drops of dew. Or two butterflies, she showed their own ears, in which two butterflies cracked red. Well, beauty!"

"What about the mountain fairies? They wear a crystal in the ears. And mermaids pearls," said a certain horned creature inside the oval mirror on the wall. Amaranta was even afraid. The creature with the crossed moss and rings in the nostrils instead of reflection would be afraid of any lady. Fortunately, she realized that the reflection was not her. Otherwise, she would have decided that she was enchanted and turned into a beast.

"Oh, a girlfriend from the Territory near the Green Hills! Hello to you!" The reflection winked to Amaranta.

"Disappear, mischief-maker!" exclaimed Belladonna, apparently, also shocked by the behavior of her mirror.

"Hi and you, Green Spirit!" Suddenly Amaranta nodded.

Did really greet the mirror, like a living being? It was alive. The mirror's frame was a continuation of its horns. It winked Amaranta.

"Do not chat with them, as with your friends," the mistress of the hut advised when the mirror disappeared. "They sleep, then wake up. On the surface they are kind, but they hid anger.

"Why?"

"Medea Shai put them here. She likes to mock everyone who will be touched under a hot hand. She sent her dragon to drop the old Helga from the cliff."

"The place of which you took?"

"After all, she can not destroy me."

"And why did the old witch not please her?"

"Remember, I already said to you. The queen of fairies likes to produce monsters, and we, witch doctors, try to prevent their appearance into the world. And we help to correct the people's and fairies' mistakes.

"Who climbs on the roof?" Amaranta heard a knock at the top.

"These are my sisters Heather and Tamsin. They worship the hut with flowers so that no one seen it while the magic is going on inside."

"Witchcraft," the Amaranta corrected.

"Well, you got help," Belladonna said irritably, "no matter: witchcraft or magical. If you have no complaints, then you can go."

"Not paying?"

"Dagda will pay for you if the need arises."

"I'm not his kept woman," Amaranta was offended. She heard in Aluar, as such a phrase spoke the dressmakers and jewelers to the King's favorites.

"Right! You are his prisoner."

"Not! Did not guess!"

"No, I did!" Belladonna moved the bunches of black herbs and dried frogs. "You yourself walk on the will, as you think, but your heart is in captivity of the elf's king. And he does not want to let it go. And you do not want to be free. Prisoners of the magical kingdom are voluntary too."

"Prisoners of the Magic Kingdom! How mysteriously sounds? These are people who elves and fairies have kidnapped."

"And those who loved them. Such people may even die from the longing, if the magic beloved once will leave them at all."

Dagda will not do so! Although it is not possible to be confident in this. After all, somewhere lives the seductive queen of fairies.

Someone just flew over the hut. Black shadow closed the daylight. What is the tremendous creature, which is thrown off! It feels like a hurricane. All the circle trembled and shook.

It seems that the bridge from the white rainbow is giant. In fact, the black dragon flew across the sky.

"It is from the Queen fairies' scaly vassals," Belladonna explained. "She has a lot of them, but the favorites are three: one black, one ash color with silver curves of wings and crest, and another purple. In the castle she still has three gray. One emerald rebelled against her, and it disappeared. Who will understand their internal distribution? All lovers of Medea Shai in the end become her worst enemies.

"Dragons - her lovers? I do not believe!"

"You do not know what they can contact. Rather, to whom."

Amaranta was afraid. Belladonna realized that in revelations he gave a stick and quickly changed the topic.

"Before Medea Shai and Dagda here ruled the Goddess Danu. The king of the elves took her place, but the rules set by her did not disappear. She did not want to give up her power to anyone, but her time was expired. She had to dissolve in the Wizard fog. They say she had a magic sword, which she could separate part of the soul of a magical creature. From here, they originate all the legends about mutual love and the search for the missing particle itself. There is a belief that each has its own ideal half. Only finding it, you can feel happy, and it doesn't matter who your chosen one is: the beggar blind or the king himself - the main thing is that you are just right next to him."

"What if Dagda is my perfect half?"

"An elf is a half of the mortal?" Belladonna said. Never have heard about that."

"But what if?"

"What if he plays around you?"

"What if the goddess Danu separated part of his soul once, and this part was embodied in me?"

A bold assumption! But it does not go into incision with the judgments of the Belladonna herself.

"Well, who knows?" Belladonna threw a few frogs in a boiling boiler. - She was his enemy. He, as obsessed, rushed to power. After bloodshed, though, he realized that he did it in vain. But a part of him had already taken away with the sword. You are similar to those heavenly spirits, from which he himself happened once, but let's close this topic, otherwise we approached the dangerous border.

"What are you cooking?"

"A decoction."

"From what kind of diseases? From gout? From colic? From cold?"

"This is for the girls who were confused with evil spirits, and then ..."

"What then?"

"Their relationship broke out, and the black fruit already originated as a demon within the human body."

"I do not understand you!" said Amaranta.

"Better you do not understand further, but if you understand one day, come to me. I will help you for gratis. Neither a drop of blood will not take, nor your tears dial into the flask."

"And is it a regular fee?"

"Sometimes it is still more difficult. And there is a terrible price at once for two: the elf and the girl, with which he was together."

Belladonna sniffed to the air.

"From you go Duga's spells, as if he himself stands next to you."

The king of the elves was not exactly nearby.

"You'd better go befor sunset, otherwise the bridge from the rainbow will disappear."

"This is the same bridge from the rainbow, which to disperse a labyrinth over the sea."

"No, this is my own bridge. I created it from a piece of rainbow, which arose after the rain. They can take advantage of my clients exclusively."

"Why is the rainbow white?"

"Because my life has become a monophonic since I had to settle here." But do not worry, I have enough of this segment of the rainbow, I do not pretend to a multicolor maze of heavenly bridges, just try to point the way to my house to everyone who fell into trouble from contacts with elves."

Amaranta involuntarily giggled.

- If all doctors were the same responsive as you. Other even leave the pointer to theirs houses.

"And do it right! At the crossroads there are many fairies. Do you hear legends about the stray fairies settled at the intersections?"

"No, and I do not want to hear. Magical secrets are enough for me today."

Only she said it, as in the locked drawer of the chest, hung as knitting garlic, something desperately screamed.

"Did you lock a cat there? Or a rat?" Amaranta was in horror. "This is the top of cruelty."

"Do not condemn, until you dispersed, what's the matter! And I ask you, go faster. With a sunset, the rainbow will begin to disappear. Then you will not get to the castle and for a week."

The hostess herself was not happy that a creature woke up in the dresser. It has already hacked with sharp claws a wooden box and climbed through the breakdowns outside.

"It learned you! Probably found her ..."

"Captive?"

"Mother," the witch doctor corrected in a whisper.

Amaranta hesitated. A tiny monster got out of the box, very similar to those birds, which was languishing in the poultry house of the count. A creepy miracle! You will not call it a bird nor a beast. Rather a cobald. Only there are several heads and tails. A spell, which whispered the witch doctor, did not stop it.

"You do not want to make something similar, do not fall more with elves!"

The instructions sounded like a threat, and a creature had already crawled to her. It almost clung with the claws in her hem. Amaranta jumped out the door, not even saying goodbye. The sunset was already seen in the distance, but the bridge from the rainbow still did not disappear. She barely had time to reach it back until the onset of twilight. The white rainbow disappeared, barely around it became dark.

The path from the ravine to the castle Amaranta found with difficulty.

When she returned to the usual way through the garden, there was fire on the night pond. It turned out that Spark and Stream were fighting. Water argues with fire, and the fire with water. Spark noted Amaranta, but the fight did not stop. Drops and sparks fly away in all directions. The water is still nothing, but the sparks are so burning! Amaranta regretted that she slapped a secret gate too loudly and attracted the attention of the fighting. She ran quickly by the pond and went into the castle.

City of dolls

At the morning Spark flew with apologies.

"Apparently, you are the owner of the castle, not a count. After all, you are stronger. So, it will have to puzzle to fall into step with you.

"Thank you, but I no longer need gifts from you."

"Even flowers?" He made the passage with his hands, and a fiery rose was bloomed in the air. The yellow shining center was framed by layers of red and orange petals. From roses came the heat.

Amaranth did not dare to touch it, and he put it in a blank bowl of the candelabra. Let it flame! Here its place is. If he creates more such flaming flowers, then in the candlelight it will be possible to save greatly.

"Do not be so angry! The beauties must be kind," began Spark.

"You tried to deceive me!"

"I don't want to become a traitor, but this Angus ordered your love spell. And I wanted to help the count, the owner of the castle in which I inhabit. I am here, as you understand, in a subordinate position."

"I would not say so," answered Aamaranta. It is unrealistic, even if you want it to drive away fire from the hearth?

As for the love spell, he told a complete nonsense. Probably invented on the go, trying to somehow justify his prank. Angus is definitely not for the pain. He doesn't even know that she betrayed him with the king of the elves. The Golden Copy is watching him to not know about it. Could Luellin make a blunder? So now she went into the room. Probably Angus had a council where the ladies were not allowed, and she had a pause.

"Do not communicate with the Stream," the fiery elf warned, "he will try to drown you." He has an instinct. All aquatic beings are as follows: barely see a beauty, they immediately want to drag her to the bottom."

Having noticed the copy, he decided that it was time to disappear.

Amaranta had a rare case to communicate face to face with a reflection of herself. This time, Luellin did not leave immediately, and sat down to play with Countess a party in checkers. The board lay right on the table, and there was nothing more. It turned out that the copy can play checkers just like Amaranta herself. Is it really transmitted to the ability of the prototype. As far as Amaranta noticed, Luellin knew how to dance perfectly and flirted with all the knights in her absence.

During the game, she managed to talk. The copy had a monotonous metallic voice, as if the knife was crushing about a lead surface. But it was impossible to call it unpleasant. He did not cut hearing, but delivered a strange pleasure, even hypnotized. When Luellin spoke, it seemed that the world fell asleep, and a certain hour mechanism enclosed inside it continues to work smoothly.

Naturally it was only an impression. Amaranta understood that a living figure, cast out of gold, had nothing to do with mechanical dolls from the workshops of Rodolit. They could make only stingy monotonous gestures and only after they were brought by a key. The key was in their back or in the back of them. Luellin did not have this. The copy was entirely smooth, plastic, mobile and everyone saw in her only that particular, it is obliged to pretend. Does she like all this purely theatrical undertaking? Does she want like actress to feel someone else? It seems to be created for this, but is she at least some personal feelings? When Amaranta asked her about it, in response only ranked with metal laughter.

"Do you like to be someone like?" Amaranta asked her.

"Do you like to be a Countess Amarantha?"

An unexpected question. Is it really an intelligence in the golden lady?

"It seems yes," Amaranta admitted. Men at the court in Aluar and even here, in the county, they found her very attractive, so she was completely satisfied with her appearance. Yes, and the status of titled person meant honor and privileges. Countess is not a queen, but still not the last lady at the court, and even more so here, in the wilderness. For the surrounding village, it can be said, equal to the government, like her husband, a count.

"I never thought about it, until you asked," Amaranta admitted, moving his checkers on the board, "but I like to be myself."

"So I like it," Luellin smiled, as if her reflection in the yellow mirror.

Here you go! Copying shelter! Once the prototype likes, it means that you like and copies! Such turnover should be expected.

Amaranta has already seen, driving by Rodolit, along the way to the count's castle, as they give a performance with mechanical dolls. The presentation is very monotonous, because the dolls are moving hardly, but the children like them.

Luellin in such a theater would produce a sensation. It would be accepted for a real actress among dolls.

Even Amaranta was a little afraid in her society. It is terrible to see her copy, alive, shuffling and whole gold. There are parables about the dolls in which demons are instilled in to revive them and torment people. Luellin embodies all these stories. Such parables told priests in Rodolit. Amaranta heard them when she drove there. It so happened that to get from the coast to the county, you first needed to drive Rhodolit. Judging by the terrible preaching of the priest and on the superstitious trembling of parishioners, it was possible to understand that they had trouble with mechanized dolls. Their production even wanted to stop, and the main master send to the bonfire of the Inquisition. It seems to be Angus intervened and did not allow to destroy the masters and the workshop. As a local feudal, he had the right to control the nearest town and all the villages, spread on the territory of his county. The priest vainly urged him to destroy all the devilish dolls. Angus was a sensible person. For him, the threat was real supernatural creatures from the fields and forests, with whom he concluded the Union. He would not suggest that magic can exhibit simple mechanisms, because he was familiar with the elves and fairy.

What would he do if he found out that one demonic doll settled in his castle and pretended to be his wife?

Although the worst thing happened in the event that Luellin rebelled and spawned the entire castle on the pebble. It will neither stop, nor bore, nor wrenches, but she herself with hands from the metal easily abate all the vassals of Angus, like chickens. Well, if a copy is entirely under the control of the king of elves, otherwise there is trouble and pogrom. It is terrible to imagine how much it can break and defeat one revived and uncontrolled statue of metal.

Outside came the sounds of hunting horn. How strange! In a contract with the elves, it was a condition that all hunting in the county will be discontinued. Dagda did not allow the animals hurt.

"This is the messenger from the king," Luellin decreased to explanations.

"Which King?" - For sure not the king of elves. The elves do not use ordinary horn.

The king or Ilior, of course."

"What is the messenger of the king doing here?"

"He came to Angus with a letter."

"So Angus told you?"

"So Angus said to me," Luellin repeated monotonously, coping every movement of the Amaranta's lips.

"Did he not say why the king sent the messenger to us?"

"Anxiety! Mechanisms in Rodolit! Magic! Northern Warriors! Enemies from ice! Invasion!" A copy repeated a set of words purely mechanical. Apparently, she heard them somewhere and did not even understand their meaning. "The king of ice terrorizes the king of flesh and blood, climbs on his throne, freezes the guests and ambassadors, covers the throne's room with ice. They need help of skillful knights, even vassals from the provinces."

While she walked around the fields and forests, so much had time to happen?

"Have you ever been to Rodolit?"

A copy looked at her with empty golden eyes. They have no expression.

"There is a rebellion in Rodolit," she repeated what she, obviously, heard from Angus or from someone else. "People are afraid of dolls and fairies."

"Wow! And I'm not afraid!" Amaranta decided to walk. She was tired of sitting in her room and playing checkers with the gold copy.

On the way to the garden, she accidentally overheard, as in the locked room Angus and Theobald fiercely argue about something. It seems that really the king of Ilior is forced to enter the war. Now people would have no time for wars against elves. Angus managed to conclude a peace treaty with them.

In the town of Rodolit, who was not far from the feudal castle, nobody spoke about the war and the problems of the king. Although if the threat of war is so great, then the bailiffs have already been to walk and recruit recruits, but it was quiet and cursed around.

When Amaranta passed here a month earlier, the elegant citizens crowded around. And now there was nobody in the streets. Even shops who traded all sorts of things, stood without sellers. The goods decomposed unattended, was a look for the thief, but Amaranta was not going to take anything just like that, although ribbons, rims and turtle crests attracted her.

The street's theater was empty and also stood unattended. Dolls in it reminded people. If they do not have drawn faces and crude keys in the neck, then the illusion would be complete. Amaranta wanted to start a doll-colombina, but she was ashamed. Suddenly the doll's master will jump out and scolds her.

Mechanical dolls are not Luellin. They will not go for you. And it's still scary to see them in the city where there are no people.

"Hey!" called Amaranta.

No one responded. Only it picked her voice and carried on the alleys. There is no one to ask the way. Amaranta and herself without a hint found a workshop where dolls were made. There was nothing difficult. According to the colorful signboard on the front of a brick building with a roof of a brown tile, anyone could determine that the dolls are mastered here.

Nobody responded to the knock, and Amaranta entered without demand. If there are no master in place, no one will read it for the invasion. But she herself can see, from which they produce spherical toys.

The workshop of dolls in Rodolit was littered with different trash. Inside the building reigned chaos. Things were scattered on the floor and mixed in heaps. One hinge doll scattered into parts or did not have time to gather it. Her limbs lay in different angles and, it seemed that they were moving. So it may seem because of the dusk. Most windows are striking. The light of the door and window frames barely made the light. Amaranta stepped through the hand of a doll lying on the way. It twitched slightly.

In the whole building, neither the soul. Is it really enthusiastic inquisition, and all inventors were sent to the fire? Although someone is there. In the attic, someone's lush skirts rustle. This is definitely not one of the dolls. A song is heard. The voice is definitely female. Gentle fingers slide on the bodies of papier-mache. The backs of some dolls are disclosed as a box. Inside, a network of mechanisms as in hours is visible. Screws, gears and many such details whose names Amaranta did not know.

Does the master have a daughter or a wife who can be inventive herself? The woman in the attic was exactly the craftswoman. Her deft fingers launched an inside of the mechanisms of a thin wire, similar to a black cob. From her, the mechanisms began to work without a clockwork key.

"Get expensive! Get used to! New city to survive!" singing merged with rustling of black silks. "People out here! Outbalance! Kill! Be free!"

It looks like a rhyme, not a song. Just sounds very sinister. Master is or crazy, or sings with black humor.

She is dressed too in black. Only the corsage and ruffles on the skirts are dark red. Lace on a dress resemble a black web. The dress itself is too luxurious to belong to a relative or friend of any craftsmen. The woman here is accurately alien, but she behaves so confidently, as if the whole workshop already belongs to her one. Probably some kind of wrinkling aristocrat decided to redeem all this establishment to turn it into the site for self-smuggling and games. Otherwise you can not say!

Toolbox will overturn from the table. Its content is lying around the woman under their feet. Screwdrivers, drills, chisel, nippers, hammers - so much acute items in dangerous intimacy from her luxurious hem. And no one still caught her skirt, did not break the expensive fabric. It seems that all cutting and stitching tools are scattered along the floor right under her feet, and the woman herself is soaring in a millimeter above them. Can not be! Only Dagda and his subjects can fly and the beautiful fairies she saw on a forest walk. All of them are shiny and bright. A woman in black is definitely not from their number. Amaranta did not immediately notice the wings behind her back. They were difficult to distinguish from the same black-colored snakes.

Really before her is a fairy! Does the real fairies need any dolls? What did she think? It's not good for her to pry, but it's curious. And scary too! The black fairy has such sharp claws.

A huge yellow eye looked into the attic window. The eyelid around it was a solid armor from black scales. Someone's sharp claws with a creak scratched along the chimney pipe. Is it really a dragon above the workshop? The black fairy also noticed it, but continued to sing her sinister rhyme, as if nothing had happened.

"Doll will come to life - a lot of people die. Life in Rodolit will fall, and my people will come."

The rhyme more and more resembled a witch spell.

Amaranta realized that it was time to leave. The main thing is to do it quietly.

No one detained Amaranta on the road to the entrance door. The lantern hanging on the copper hook was broken. Outside is no the soul.

Amaranta has already gathered to step over the threshold, on which the paints mixed up, or the blood, as in the doorway, the winged female figure grew up. This is the very black fairy that sang in the attic. In her hands, twitches and laughs a torn doll's head. The black fairy's wings were very strong. The face of fairy resembled a porcelain. It was scary to look at it, even though it was struck by beauty.

The fairy looked at Amaranta as if she recognized a long-fashioned acquaintance in her.

"Man's wife!" She stared, and her dark red lips stretched out in an ominous smile.

Now she will attack! Amaranta backed up, but the fairy gracefully moved to the side.

"Go!" she allowed. "This is my city! And you go home. To the man. Not to the Elf!"

The last words caught up with Amaranta on the road. They resembled a threat.

The streets of the city were empty. Amaranta left Rodolit in confusion of feelings.

How a black fairy dares to threaten her! She wanted to come back and drop with her. Maybe she provokes in others the most unworthy feelings. Amaranta would never have occurred to join someone in a quarrel, copying the bazaar trader. Such behavior is not to notable lady. She firmly learned the rules of etiquette. But the black fairy provoked her. She wanted not only to quarrel, but even fight with a winged pride. Only it was unreasonable. Amaranta would lose. After all, the fairies are much stronger than people, and even in magic professionals.

It remains only to express dissatisfaction, drowning under her breath.

"She believes if she has wings, and I do not have, then the advantage is for her!" whispered Amaranta angry. The fists were scolded, but it was meaningless to throw in a fight with the fairy. And why did this fairy manage to bring it out so much? It seems nothing particularly said. In addition to truth. The husband of Amaranta is a man, not an elf, although she would like the opposite.

"They say that women feel rivals from afar, - some adult spirit snapped the brilliant fog straight from the pebbles on the road."

"Is it truth?" Amaranta herself did not know. She had no rivals, because phlegmatic Angus was fond of her only. But with the appearance of Dagda, the first thoughts on the risks arose. There are so many beautiful magical ladies around him. Even if he does not notice them today, it does not mean that he will not notice tomorrow.

"And at the sight of rivals, have you a strong rage?"

The spirit is doubtful in one place, blocking her the road. She found her consultant in heart's matters. Look, he himself did not fall in love with his life. He is even an immaterial, but he could watch outreach and acquire experience based on their love intrigues.

"It seems, yes," he answered. "Some girls want to fight with theirs rivals, to scratch theirs eyes. I saw himself!"

Probably, in the village maidens did so. It is unlikely that the townspeople in Rodolit fight with theirs rival. Amaranta wants to fight now.

But why did she suddenly decide that this fairy is her rival? She is not even a queen. The crown in her hair was definitely not. Unless the hoop with a large corundum. Or corundum grows right from her forehead? It likes a third and all-seeing eye. From one glance at it Amaranta was afraid. Corundum seemed to suck energy from everyone who is near.

She needs to sit down somewhere and calm down. Blessed Those who know how to keep themselves in their hands and can not be nervous. Did the governess not taught her that the composure is important. If it happens to her at the sight of the usual fairy, then what will happen when she sees Medea Shai.

Amaranta bit her lips. This meeting would like to avoid, but for some reason it seems that it is inevitable. Although she should not attribute prophetic qualities herself. She is simply unpleasant to know that somewhere there is a rival, which is immortal and can get its own after the bones of the Countess Amarants will not remain. If one of the rivals is

mortal, and the second is immortal, then the best tactics is to wait.

There are so many rumors about the wedding of Dagda and Medea Shai that they begin to be considered an inevitable fact.

And what does the wandering spirit think: to be the wedding of the king elves with the queen of fairies or not to be? Amaranta wanted to ask him, but he had already disappeared. He woke up only by heating the conversation to those themes that he was interested in supporting. And in other cases, it is better not to count on his advice.

End of the first volume

From the author

The History of Amaranta consists of two books: "Amaranta-1: Rival of fairies' queen" and "Amaaranta-2: Captive of the elf's king". Both books about Amaranta and Dagda are included in the Cycle of Books "Prisoners of the Magic Kingdom".

About such episodic heroes, like the queen of the seas Lilofei, the sea king and mermaids are there separate books. They are included in the cycle of books "Prisoners of the underwater kingdom".

Those who like books where dragons are not episodic but the main characters and they can turn into people, I advise the cycle of books "Dragon Empire".

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Аннотация: The union between elves and people was concluded for the first time in the century. Now is the end of the magical strife. The king of elves and the mortal count managed to make friends. But from behind the sea, the bride of the Count Amaranta arrived, and the king of elves realized that her love was for him more expensive than the peace with mortals. He begins to pay court to Amaranta, bringing her gold roses and magic gifts. And the Queen of Fairies and Dragons wants to destroy a rival.

Якобсон Натали : другие произведения.

Amaranta - Rival of Fairies" Queen