Buch lesen: «Amaranta-2. Captive of Elf’s King»
Translator Natalie Lilienthal
© Natalie Yacobson, 2021
© Natalie Lilienthal, translation, 2021
ISBN 978-5-0055-0571-2 (т. 2)
ISBN 978-5-0055-0572-9
Created with Ridero smart publishing system
Visit of Fairies’ Queen
The feast of the evil spirits was nothing without her. Fiery demons danced in the magic ring, and he was not warm from their heat. It would be warm only from her arms.
«It’s hard to want someone else’s wife,«the evil spirit whispered, penetrated on the feast.
«Yes!» Dagda himself did not want, but responded. Never join conversations with stray spirits. There are some problems from them. So this spirit turned out to be obsessive.
«Want to pick it up for yourself forever so that you will never part with her.»
«Yes!» Why has he to hide the truth?
«But for this you have to take her away from the people,» the spirit said. «And this threatens a new agreement with people.»
«Sometimes the war is the only way to get something, without which you can’t live and what they will not give.»
«Who whatever you know it! Who fought against his own fellow for power?»
«Why do people believe that love needs to be kept under the lock, and someone else’s beloved can be kept next to themselves for marriage?»
– Well, marriage, if it is concluded, even without any love, is not so easy to terminate. You remember about the law about one century before the wedding. You start the war, kill Angus, and then you will have to say goodbye to Amaranta exactly per one century, and maybe forever. She is fragile and naive. In the transcendental fortress, where she will be locked from you, will certainly be a dark peri, who will told to her so that she herself violates all the conditions and extended your separation forever. We live in a cruel world, although we are magic creatures. And you remember perfectly that in heaven there was no better where your friend Lucifer once started the battle, and all of us, the former angels, and the current fairies were exiled on this mortal land, where people also appeared. Iy would be better they did not appear at all. Here and without them it was painfully.
But Dagda did not think so.
«There would be no human tribe, and Amaranta would not be born.»
«Right! You would have no problem. And now you suffer. You have a feeling that near the heart under the skin sprouted with spikes a blood-sucking rose. It is concerned, she, as a parasite, is embroidered to the hearts of all elves who fell in love with ordinary mortals. Although probably Amaranta a niece or a granddaughter of any stray fairies.»
«Unlikely! There are nothing from fairies. They are all contentious and sly. And she…»
:It is similar to those air angels who once fought against us.»
«Very accurate definition,» Dagda and himself thought about it, but he was afraid to pronounce it aloud.»
«Amaranta! Amaranta! Amaranta!» sang the spirit. «This gently girl will bring us something that the whole world will turn upside down, and people will not remain at all.»
«Stop it! I am so painful.»
«Sorry, Lord!»
It was clear on the tone that the spirit was not at all ashamed, but he flew too high, and Dagda was too lazy to catch him.
Typically, Pak disgusted all the other free spirits, who twisted over the kingdom of seven hills, but this time he had evaporated somewhere. Probably, the hissing boiler scared him. Dagda himself wanted no longer to sacrifice either the guilty elves, no more people caught on forest roads, but today Medea Shai generously sent victims – her own subjects. And the boiler from their blood came to life again. Miniature faces on it were cheerful it seemed that they would break out of the copper captivity, in which they stay. It was impossible, but even evil spirits were afraid of them.
«How strange you awarded all your friends and comrades!» said the spirit. «Will you do so with all your loved ones too? Does Amaranta also make a copper face on gates or boilers?»
Dagda was in a rage. Who did not know that his colleagues became his enemies during the war? The spirit was cunning. He flew in a black swirl around a boiler, considering all the troubles.
«I do not see here your best fighter.Is it for him not enough space? Where is Semildanah? Or did you cook him in the boiler, like Fomor or their mistress Domny?»
Duga felt as if he trode on his corns. It’s time to drive the spirit away, but he was burned from the boiler himself. Even an intangible creature it can burn. The thick of the boiler resembled a living being. Still a little bit, and the face of which he wants to forget will be seen. I knew about it.
Theevil spirit disappeared himself. It did not have to drive him. The guests slowly disperse, scattered and mowed in their own holes and hills. Inside each hill in the vicinity was located a palace. But some guests came from the black tract of Medea Shai. Even they were embarrassed at the sight of metamorphosis occurring with the boiler. Did you even condemn it to the monsters for putting a live copper monument to his victory on the bones of defeated? Persons in miniature whispered something, but he did not listen to them. All of them were the monument, erected on the battlefield from the souls of his rivals. And all the rivals once were his friends. Today, they all have got enaugh blood. In return there were on the bottom of the boiler something wonderful: gold, stone or some kind of magical object.
The blood of the victims overflowed through the edge of the boiler and flowed on copper persons. Only absorbing it all, they fell asleep.
Finally he remained alone. It was not here! Suddenly, after the feast, arrived a new guest and as usually entered without demand. No one dared to delay her.
What does she want this time? After all, he has already visited the celebration of New Moon, the solstice and disclosure of the gates of the underground world, which happens once in the century. Oh, yes on the nose is another holiday night of the afterlife, when all the dead rose to the night exactly at night, the bloodthirsty skeletons roam the world, catching travelers, and circle ditch above the ghosts. The king of the dead will be in question, and where is the partner of the beautiful Queen, who called him. Dagde will again have to play her partner, as he did at her request many times at every important holiday and event. May be time to say the stop. And let the king of the dead pulls Medea Shai to the kingdom of death. He will still shift himself on her fangs. During the century, Dagda understood that the Queen of fairies was the same black gift, like those evil spells that they gather a gloomy cloud near her.
«Dragon’s Love!» said the voices from the boiler. All knew about the love affairs of the fairies’ Queen with her scaly bodyguards. So they were consistent.
Often Dagda wondered why she needs someone else if she loves dragons so much to share her bed with them? The passion of Queen of fairies to the dragons was more than mutual. Nevertheless, Medea Shai more than once came to Dagde, to persuade so that he marry her. She did it quite skillfully, at the same time spread rumor. The magic people believed that the weddings would not be powerless, but Dagda himself decided otherwise.
So now the guest began a conversation with the old note.
«It’s time for you to make me your queen.» About us are already gossiped.
«You’re too beautiful to belong to someone alone.» In addition, your dragons are already waiting for you. By the way, how many of them are yours. On your bed, guarding the door, in the pools, in heaven…
«The dragons will be in the past, if you say «yes.»
«It is hardly an elf that does not know how and does not want to go to the dragon.»
«I will arrange the king of elves,» she insisted.
«Is it all about the title? Only?»
«The king is suitable for the queen. You are the ruler of the elves, I am the Governor of fairies and all sorts of ill spirits. We can rule the whole world together.»
«I do not want such great power.»
«Why?»
«To rule the whole world, you need to fight without the end, and the war is expensive.»
«When did you spend money on mercenaries?»
«I’m about moral value. When you kill someone, the black sites of their souls then do not lag behind you for centuries.
«It only happens with bright elves. If you enter into an alliance with the dark fairy, then your conscience will be neutralized. In addition, opposites should be attracted and formed into a happy marriage union. You like sunlight, I am a seductive darkness. We are made for each other.
«This is poetic, but unreliable.»
«All because of the man’s wife?»
«Do not call her so. And please leave.»
«She will die during the century, and I will still come back to seduce you.»
The queen of fairies’ lips were next to his, but Dagda easily opposed all her charm and tricks.
«Better to seduce another dragon,» he advised.
She was offended deadly. Now, for sure, she will take revenge. Dagda has already prepared for small dirty tricks, like rains from black mud over the hills or invasion of the black locust. But Medea Shai suddenly started another song.
«I am the queen of faries,» she began to beat on pity. «Do you imagine how much duties has the queen? I will right with my people alone. Without the help of a man. Dragons are only part of the Bestiary. There are no benefit.
«Is it only in bed?» Dagda heard what everyone said, «Medea Shai is not only a lady, but also a lover of dragons. Let her temptation for everyone in a row, but with dragons she is the rightmost. After all, such relationships can not be called mesallians.»
«Oh, you are jealous!» she was delighted. «I thought you were from a stone or from copper, as your boyfriend in the boiler. But you feel something, so accompany me when I ask. Somewhere deep under the gold and green leaves that they grow from the skin, the heart beats.»
She put her hand with black fingernails to his coat, but Dagda was removed.
«I also wanted to talk about… escort,» otherwise it was not called. «I would no longer wanted to play the role of your accompanying.»
«Because you yourself have a lady? Did you forget that she is busy? And here I am free. Dragons are only for the species. They will not fly for a holiday. Everyone will ask, and where is my king. Dragon is just a means of movement in the eyes of royal persons. Without a king-spent or at least Prince Consort, I am considered a lonely and unfortunate woman who is easy to take away the power.
«Other Queen of fairies did not complain about it.»
«All my predecessors have not been detained on the throne for a long time. So, behaved wrong.»
«And among your subjects there is no one who could be your prince consort? For example, one of the dragons or Thierry.»
«They are unworthy of such a high position. It can only be another ruler.»
Dagda felt herself trapped. So many arguments, and everything leads to one result – it’s easy for him not to harm her. Sometimes the queen uf fairies resembled a monstrous shadow, which crawled over the wall and fled everything with black darkness.
«I can not walk anywhere without a satellite,» Medea Chai insisted. «I am too seductive. Because of me, war will break.»
«You have dragons. In my opinion, they are quite enough.»
«Need a decent satellite.»
«What about Thierry and Quentin, which you seduced.
«Need a king, not an ordinary elf.»
«Seduce a mortal king.»
«This is such a boredom! He and a century will not last, as will be in a living skeleton in the crown.»
«To the joy of the king of the deads?»
«He was waiting for me many centuries.»
«So go with him. He has an extensive kingdom, which is all expanding due to the people who have moved to the world.»
«And who will rule the fairy in my absence?»
«There is someone!» It’s for sure. Other government replaced faster. Before it was a lot of them, all radiant and playful. And she came as night and shrouded in darkness everything.
«Think if I rule the kingdom of deads, then I’ll get what you wish.»
«In terms of?»
«All people are mortal! Amaranta too. When she dies, she will get to the servants, because it will be forced to go down to the kingdom of the deads, as it should be all.»
«So what?» Dagda tried to pretend that he did not care. Did not work. The queen of fairies knew perfectly who and to whom he was disseminated. For it she has an excellent sense. And the keys of the strange form, which were at her belt, allegedly unlocked the doors, followed by the stolen souls of all the magical beings that she did not please. The keys are ringing tightly, knocking on each other when she walked or flew above the floor. What if one of these keys she prohibits for him after thers wedding, as if they asked him.
Why did everyone consider their wedding inevitable fact? Because the black servants of Medea Shai trottered it to everyone. They knew how to introduce black couples in consciousness, changing the worldview not only people, but also of magical creatures. Thus, no one has denied the news of the wedding. In addition to Dagda himself, he did not believe well. It was believed that he was excessivly modest, while bidding about the degree of power and dowry.
«The people die like flies,» Medea Shai sighed theatrically. The keys with heads in the shape of the sun, month, elephant, the castle, the mountains and the dragons were wrung by copying her facial expressions. And they are all of the metal, but they look like alive. One key with the head in the form of an iron rose was exactly from the dungeon, where Medea Shai locked part of herself, embodied in a black living plant. Will her collection be happy once the key with his head in the form of wings from the dungeon, where does she ban the king of the elves? She plans it. Dagda could sometimes read her thoughts as one big black manuscript in which solid horrors are recorded.
«You will need an immortal companion.»
«Or the content? Your debts in front of the kings with whom you were friends, fed, like your magic abilities.»
«True, so all my lenders have long been sleeping in the form of crowned skeletons in the fortresses overgrown with spikes and bloodsowing plants.»
«Many people will envy your ability to repay loans.»
«I put the eyes on the king of Ilior.»
«So go to him. Or fly. The window is open for you. The door will open the servants, barely ask.»
«You are not happy at all? Do not miss me?»
«We saw each other recently.»
«You’re the first cavalier, who is tired of me.»
«Perhaps not the last.»
«Do not be rude!»
«Sorry, but you are extremely intrusive,» quite like a darkness, which is lipped to everything and takes the monstrous outlines for her back.
«Do not forget that I am a lady. The code of knights and elves do not allow cautiousness with the lady, even if the monstrous.»
An annoying one! And then he would immediately put her out. Maybe you should change the code? But it will affect and gentle ladies, such as Amaranta. There is a society once in relation to someone, and the elves will take care of all in a row. The love of his subjects to pranks is strong. Sometimes he barely restrains them. Although it is worth it to restrain? Is it not better to declare agaist Medei Shai war than regularly playing her cavalier and tolerate rumors about the wedding and that he himself the king of elves in the end will be under her heel, because she is an incomparable beauty, and he’s only a man. It can break and depict indifference how much will fit. And all the magic society is already confident that he will dry by the queen of fairies.
«You think about her!» Medea Shai sniffed to the air as if the thought of the interlocutor could have improving the fragrance of treason. «About the man’s wife! Do you think she is better than me?»
It is urgent to come up with an excuse, but Dagda is tired of playing these games. Pulled to tell the truth. Instead, he flashed the first thing that came to mind.
«She is less demanding than you. It is easier to make her happy. Do not have to keep the army of monsters with her so that she felt like a queen.»
«And she is very similar to angels and cloud fairies. You always fell weakness to them. It is a pity that earth girls are very prolific. You can have many monsters from her. Even if she lives only one human life, the black army of her bastards arise near the seven hills, which will certainly want to beat off your power and rule themselves. Bastards of people from elves are extremely ambitious.
«Nothing! In addition to the seven hills, there are still green hills, and inside each of them can be established on a separate kingdom for each of the descendants.»
|Yes, the palace inside every hill will fit, the royal retinue is enough for everyone, the squads from the elves too. But what if your sons from Amarants will be greedy?»
«And if this is her daughters?»
«Monstrous ladies with horns and hooves that will want to rape the pretty elves.»
«Remember, it did not reach violence when your monsters seduced my elves and lured to themselves. Take at least Thierry and his warriors. Roddy weapons, love from your creatures, he sought, and not the opposite.»
– I agree, there are unattractive ladies, gifted by force to choose the most beautiful elves and mortal men. But I could not take me to the number of unattractive ladies.
«But you also got born monster from the mortals that you kept in captivity. Do not remember?»
«I don’t even know these children from other warriors in my army. But in your sunny country, the monsters will be too in the public eye. The last of them you personally killed so that he does not confuse other people with his appearance.»
«He was not my son.»
«But was the best friend. Almost half: brother, comrades, lover.»
«Only not a lover. I prefer women.»
«And I prefer men. Unlike most of the magic rulers who went into oblivion.
She is seductive. Black darkness, magic couples emanating from her – solid temptation. He circled his head, but his thoughts on Amaranta scattered him.
Dagda found the strength to throw off the hands of the queen of fairies from the shoulders. Her hands have already begun to let black roots in his coat. Of the graceful claws of Medea Shai such a nasty thing grew. And it still can not be called a monster? She could turn into the bloodthirsty black tree, which is staggering travelers with dry roots, or into a giant black flower, drinking blood – a lungwort. Because of the often transformations in the last nickname, the Lungwort got to her.
The prefix to her name was already hinting that the queen comes from the genus of hellish creatures, once formed in black deserts of the Kingdom with such a name. In the fortresses of Shai, whole armies disappeared. The kingdom of black deserts delayed human troops and caravans like a monster.
«What do you want from me?» Dagda asked directly.
«Combining two great states: Dark and Light. For absolute strength, I need day and night. And elves, and fairies. And monsters, and excellent creatures. I want to become the queen of the universe.»
«Then the king you no longer need.»
«But Amaranta will not get him.»
It has already resembled a threat.
Dagda also wanted to answer something sharp, but Medea Shai seems to finally realized that he was not happy about her here. In the place where she stood, now was only a black smoke pillar.
Friends from fire
Spark played with Amaranta in chess, burning the figures.
«Well, enough,» she said, noticing how after the rook and the queen was covered with something burnibg in his fingers. «So you will burn all the figures. And this board is dear to me. It is a gift from Shah, who was with the Embassy Mission at the court of Aluar.
«He wanted to marry you?»
«Yes,» she answered.
«Like the king of Aluar?»
«Right!»
Amaranta frowned. Where does Spark know so much? Really the fiery elf flew over the sea to spy behind her.
«So why did you refuse? Is there a queen worse than a provincial countess?»
«You’re very arrogant!»
«It’s a compliment?»
She was embarrassed.
«In my company to be brazen it means to be the main one. Therefore, I am a leader. Thank you for praising me, the most beautiful!»
He wanted to kiss her hand, but Amaranta was already reassigned and so burned his breathing palm.
It was not too nice to be friends with a fiery elf. He could burn in any moment. In addition, Spark was not restrained with the tongue, and demanded without the end the details of her personal life.
«Why were you still not expelled from the castle?«said Amaranta.
«Can you drive away the fire from the hearth?» her opponent smiled disarmingly.
«Can! But without fire it will be difficult to survive in winter, cook food and light the evening room for guests.»
«That’s it – I will be indispensable!«smiled Spark. «Therefore, I will assume that you are all, the official owners of the castle, in fact, my debtors. After all, without me, you will not be able to survive the cold, cook dinners and dinners, and to arrange the ball without my fire on the candlelight it is impossible at all. People are not fair, your weak vision will not allow you to dance in the dark. If I will not shine you, you boost each other.»
How in vain she revealed her mouth! I did not know that he was so closed to her words.
«By the way, you started speech on the cold.» «Spark somehow strains, and he flashed brighter. «Unusual fit! The cold carries not winter, but the breath of the ice beings, which you let go from the gorge where they were sharpened.»
«I did not let anyone. They themselves crawled to meet my carriage.»
«That’s it! You drove on the bridge, for which no one has staped for centuries. It is in the fog and is not visible. It cost you to go on it, and thet felt you. You were for them as a white torch.»
«I didn’t know that there is another way to the county,» Amaranta was weakly justified. «That bridge seemed the only existing in the district. It was necessary to ask the road from someone, but when we arrived at the port, no one even wanted to communicate with us.
– This is because of the evil spirits, which fell on board. From one of your dresses, Morgen is still divided by the smell. So called the inhabitants of the sea kingdom. All navigaters and the inhabitants of the coast in front of them tremble. If the morgen knocked on your window at night, then you do not live – you are pulled to the bottom. Morgens love pretty young girls.
«One my girlfriend disappeared from the ship.»
«Does Stream her know.»
«From where? Did he ever settle in the county recently, and before that he lived in the ponds of Aluar?»
«He hears how she sings at the bottom. Morgens love when their captives sing, imitating sirens. But Uriella is not just a prisoner. She became the wife of that morgen, who kidnapped her.
«You fool my head!»
«Ask Stream. Or listen to, leaning toward the pond. Through the sources, everything is heard and visible.»
«Depending on who! I will not see anything except water.»
«In addition, Stream will try to drown you. He, like all the water spirit, loves beautiful girls.»
«But how didn’t drowned Uriella?»
«Some at the bottom not drown – the true brides of water. Since the abducted beauty did not sink under water, it means that she can be married. Here with ice creatures is more dangerous. Their leader has already kidnapped the niece of King of Ilior and completely frozen her. And since it does not come out with the royal family, he will most likely freeze all the kingdom. But we will save you: I and my guard,» Spark winked. «Or it is better to call us a detachment by a volunteer to save an excellent lady. We surround you and warm up, even when everything comes here.»
«What is it?» Amaranta scolded from the board the slide of the ash, remaining from the burned chess. «Only not asking kisses. I do not want to stay with a burnt face.»
«And for this you will help me open one door!» The elf took several chess figures from the board, obviously deciding that the game was won, and he has the right to keep himself something as a trophy.
«What else is the door?»
«Follow me!»
Spark fell out and flew forward as a torch, overclocking the darkness. From the curiosity Amaranta went after him.
«Where are we going?»
Rather, he flew, she walked, but Spark was not embarrassed. He hurried to the garden, and in the most rushing corner.
«In the crypt!» He responded, flew to the thickets. He was stolen from the board the queen, it had to be thrown into the bushes, because the figure in his fingers is hopelessly burned. «You need to unlock this door.»
The door was heavy and cast-iron, increasing moss and bind. This is definitely not the door of the surname crypt. It is located much to the left than the ever-locked entrance to the family tomb. Amaranta crashed from the door the stems of the bindweed. Under them was visible a key well in the form of some vensel.
Friends of Spark turned out to be here as here. They are really a whole team! They walked around a fiery round dance. The air heated from their presence. The breathing became more difficult.
«Let’s play!» One elf tried to burn her. Other giggle.
Amaranta tried to adopt them. As strange, what else, not to acquire children, she has already felt like a mother who cannot cope with the hooliganism of their own offspring. Fiery elves are not only in mind, but also in nature very much resembled risen children. They walked over her head like live fire pillars. And torches were not needed.
«Here is the key!» Spark handed her the key, dirty and rusty. It, probably, still resting at the bottom of the source or even in the quagmire.«Open!»
«And you yourself can not open?»
«If I could, I would not ask you to help me. This is nonsense – ask for the help of the lady.»
Did he believed himself that he is a knight who himself should serve the lady in all?
Mould remained from the key on her hands. Amaranta climbed into a garden well to rinse hands. The well bucket was full of water, and suddenly there was no water in a moment, and a water elf was leaned from the well. The one she has already seen. Only this time he was kinder. Even showed obsession.
«Do not communicate with fiery shoes, whatever they walked you. Better pay attention to me. I can greatly prove you on the day at the bottom. With my help, you could become a water queen. You know the story of Lilofey, which married the underwater king. At first she resisted, but then she was good at the bottom.
«Lilofey was a princess, and Amaranta is just a countess. She is suitable for beauty, but not suitable by origin,» Spark interrupted.»
«But the king of elves does not think so.»
Silence has come.
«Let him seek unmarried. Otherwise, the law on the same century will come into force before the wedding.»
«What?»
«Never mind! Open!»
The door succumbed. Spark kissed her. Lips burned. When he kissed the maid, he usually burned the face. She darted to the well. Reflection in the water comforted her. The lips turned red, but there is neither blister or burns. The skin has not burned down to the bone.
How it happened that the others he burned, but did not harm her? Ladies, burned by his kisses, were forced later to cover faces with veil. Amaranta managed to pay attention to the victims of his courting. Unfortunate ladies complained that they were a victim of the fireplace demon.
«There is a secret move to the hills,» a joyful voice of Spark came. «Thank you, babe, now we can fly to the hills.»
«Was it not easier to fly to them through the field at the castle?» Amaranta looked at the tightened cobweb. There was dark and damp.
«It is impossible through the field!» Spark flew in the darkness, burning the web. «This is the territory of Dagda. He will not let us down to the hills, because he remembers how we were fried the victims there. And through the underground we move easily! With underground spirits, I am easy to agree. By the way, you want to visit our hills. Inside, the whole workshop lies in them, where we are improving fiery magic on the received captured travelers.
It seems clear why Dagda drove them away. Spark was mentioned that he was driven away from all the magic courts.
«If the castle is precipitated, then through a secret move you can escape. You do not even need a torch, because we will shine!»
«Thank you! In case of siege, I will consider,» said Amaranta. Spark was right. Just in case you need to know what way to escape from the fortress. Another secret way is good in order to quietly leave the castle on dates with Dagda. Here and garden gate is no longer needed. Amaranta left the key for herself. She was not even noticed by Spark.
«Well, if the king of Ilior does not see you,» he talked. «And then the poor Angus will immediately have two rivals-kings. He and so from jealousy all got it. Luellin after all, likes flirting with the knights!
And you are not restrained in the language.
«And where did you decide that the King of Ilior is also a fall on the ladies like me, like the king of Aluar. Is he also a lustful old man?»
«No, it is even relatively young, but still not married. And do you know why?»
«How can I know? I am not familiar with him.»
«It should seem to know at least something about the customs and politics of the country in which you now live. And you are only after the elves and run.»
«So after you and yours?»
«After the elves from the seven hills,» Spark clarified. «You are not too courteous with me. I did not fit for the role of the hero-lover?»
«Okay, you stuck me. So what’s wrong with the king of Ilior?»
«So,» Spark is burning a chess figure and thrown it to his annoyance. It was a black queen. It is a pity that Medea Shai also will not be thrown. Otherwise, Amaranth woula put Spark a monument in the castle garden. Let people laugh, for her the fiery elf would be a hero.
«The king himself is a man, but captured by the songs of the stray minstrel about the beautiful fairies. That’s the same he craves to get to his wife. Count: Immortal Eternally Young Queen! You wouldn’t have it? Although, you are not. But I look from the point of view of men.»
«The king or a man, like you, it’s right. But it would hardly be interested in me with the same zeal as you. I’m still not a fairy, but he wants to put a real fairy on the throne next to him. With wings!»
