Amaranta did not notice how she fell asleep. She dreamed that she walks among gold roses. It was amazing! The flowers, inВ fact, were made ofВ 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 inВ the sky. Amaranta touched one ofВ the roses, but only pricked aВ 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!»
В«Who?В»
But the Sirin only smiled. And the gold roses ring, as if the bells. There were here hundreds, thousands ofВ roses. And from each was heard aВ 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 aВ little confused that his face was completely closed with aВ gold mask. Amaranta wanted toВ remove it, but suddenly realized that the mask was his face. Do not removeВ 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 aВ knock ofВ wheels and monotonous landscapes outside the window have affected all sleeping.
В«No matter how they attacked the robbers,В» said the white bird with an amber inВ her forehead, В«IВ heard, there are many robbers inВ these forests. And there are also those who are worse as robbers.В»
В«About what are you talking?В» Amaranta abruptly remembered aВ stranger from the dream.
The bird was silent, brushing her luxury snow-white plumage.
В«Listen, have you ever seen birds, the same luxurious, like you, only with the human head?
В«You have little that IВ am talking toВ the human language, you want me toВ be the girl?!В»
В«No, what are you! IВ did not want toВ offend you. ByВ the way, how can IВ call you. Do you have aВ nickname?В»
В«AВ nickname?В» 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.»
В«For example, Your Majesty,В«Amaranth jokes.
В«Not so high!В»
В«Then the White Queen,В» the girl looked at her plumage. В«or aВ snow-white marchioness.В»
В«More like titles than the names.В»
В«And what will be suitable for you?В»
В«The name is not just aВ beautiful sound, it should characterize me, give individuality. Do not call me like aВ dog.В»
В«Well, well,В» Amaranta began toВ bend fingers and put all his ingenuity into the move. В«AВ Gossip? AВ Snowflake? An Amber? IВ think the nickname ofВ an amber is best suited.В»
В«Well, no, there is aВ feeling that the stone is the main thing that IВ have.В»
«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.
В«Then,В» Amaranta urgently sought aВ compromise. В«Infanta!В»
В«And what does it mean?В»
«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 ofВ the carriage. Amaranta was ready toВ swear that on aВ moment she saw an unusual hand with sparkling claws and fingers, swirling, like aВ twig.
В«Welcome toВ the land ofВ the elves, Ms. Amaranta!В»
What is this, aВ joke? Amaranta looked out and did not believe her eyes. At the carriage stood aВ boy inВ aВ green coat. He hid face under aВ mask, skillfully made ofВ 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.»
В«What?В»
В«You need toВ turn around and drive aВ little back, then you will not fall inВ captivity or trap.В»
«You want to say, the robbers’ nest is nearby?» Amaranta repeated what she heard from her bird.
В«Oh, no, they have long shied Arachnes.В»
В«Who?В»
В«Golden spiders, they weave their web on the way ahead. Therefore, it is safer toВ turn back.В»
В«You do not want me toВ come back, change my mind toВ play the wedding.В»
В«InВ no case! The wedding ofВ people is an interesting event for us. We all want toВ visit it, but, alas, not everyone is invited.В»
В«So IВ can fix it. IВ invite you all.В»
Words themselves flew from the language. Amaranta did not have time toВ regret them, because they were not so many ones inВ gold hard masks. Just aВ dozen or aВ couple ofВ dozens? Or are there several dozen? Ladies and cavaliers inВ the golden leaves opposed trees. They are suddenly like mushrooms. It costs toВ break through that she invites them all. Such an army and at the royal wedding do notВ fit.
Fortunately, the boy, originally spoke toВ 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 byВ aВ much greater distance than his hand could reach. Oddly enough inВ her hair, she suddenly stuck one gold leaf inВ the form similar toВ 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 inВ hardwood masks suddenly turned out toВ be as much as trees inВ the forest. It seems that for each tree was at least one ofВ them.
Infanta was anxious and didn’t fly out of the carriage.
В«IВ invite at least you and your companion,В» Amaranta recovered aВ little.
AВ little behind the boy stood aВ slim lady inВ aВ 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 ofВ 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.»
В«But still let him come. Will be aВ guest. Or even aВ girlfriend ofВ the bride. One ofВ my maids fell ill and died during marine voyage. Now IВ miss the bridesmaids for an even number. They should be even quantity.В»
«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 ofВ the boys has already resembled aВ draw or nonsense.
В«Did you decide toВ tell me fairy tales?В»
He crashes as if he was struck.
В«No, sorry, IВ just thought that your friend Uriella, for sure, did not leave you aВ farewell inscription on deck with blood and water. And if she left, then you did not understand it. The language ofВ the underwater inhabitants is too complicated, and if they want people toВ understand them, they are came themselves, and everything becomes bad from their manners. Therefore, IВ decided toВ explain toВ 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 byВ their music. Even love Sonata is no longer needed.
It seems that he did not understand that the girls who jumped from the ship toВ the open sea are most likely becoming drunk. The fact that their corpse did not come toВ the surface, does not mean that they became princess inВ the underwater kingdom. Amaranta frowned, remembering that symbols drawn byВ blood and water on the deck really appeared. Sailors were baptized for aВ long time, finding them aВ bad omen. And Uriella before disappeared, she was sick for aВ long time and complained that she hears some kind ofВ 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 ofВ the girlfriends ofВ the bride, but she began toВ talk toВ the waves and rushed overboard. Only its veil then swam on the water.
The sea is aВ terrible place. Amaranta would not be able toВ transfer aВ long voyage aВ second time. When you are inВ the open sea inВ cloudy weather, really you start thinking that thousands ofВ monsters are watching you out ofВ depths, scratching the bottom ofВ the ship, and fiercely whisper about people who accidentally found themselves inВ their possessions.
Once Amaranta had aВ nightmare dream about the underwater inhabitants who keep the advice: heat their ship or not. The vessel really threw out ofВ the side toВ the side and almost listed on the reefs. Someone one ofВ the sea creatures said that it was not worth it, because one ofВ the girls on board was too valuable. Which they meant? Uriella, which was kidnapped. Here, she is already starting toВ think like aВ boy. Under the influence ofВ 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.
В«What is your name?В»
The boy even embarrassed from the fact that she was interested inВ his humble person.
В«IВ am Ivor,В» he retreated aВ step back instead ofВ wing, as it shouldВ be.
В«What is the name ofВ that wizard who made you such aВ mask?В»
Here he was no longer answered, and Iveina laughed inВ the woolly. Her lips under the golden leaves were not visible. Laughter proceeded, as if from the inside ofВ 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.
В«IВ had toВ tell you something,В» saidВ he.
Amaranta looked at him closely from the window ofВ 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.
В«And?В» 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 ofВ wild tribes. From the politeness Amaranta nodded.
«Do not remember, then do not remember. I’m not angry with you.»
В«Oh, you are very generous. Looking at you, IВ begin toВ respect mortal girls.В»
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.
В«Can you remove the mask?В» She asked for Ivor.
В«Not now!В»
В«Why?В»
He looked at Iveina
«Why can’t you take it right now? I want to see your face, not a mask.»
Ivor bent toВ the window ofВ the carriage and whispering aВ conspiratorial tone.
В«It grows into the skin with the sunset.В»
So it, however, grows out ofВ skin. Or is he joking? Amaranth managed toВ tear off one leaf.
В«Ouch, it hurts!В» Ivor straight screamed.
В«Sorry!В»
She turns aВ sparkling leaf inВ the fingers. He was made ofВ pure gold.
It seems that Ivor really was hurt. His companions at once were alerted and began toВ remind ready toВ rush into the battle. Ivor said something toВ them inВ an incomprehensible language, and then he turned back toВ Amaranta. He did not go blood from his chin, although it was from there and aВ golden leaf was revealed. So, he still did not grow out ofВ 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 ofВ terrible monsters warriors is breaking, which toВ bear numbers. It is standing toВ pass out, and they will reach the human world inВ 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.
В«InВ vain, you did it,В» Infanta said, greedily looking at the golden leaf, which Amaranth spit inВ her hands.
The grooms began toВ wake up, her maids too. Amaranta barely managed toВ prevent them that they need toВ 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 toВ be unexpectedly difficult, as if some creatures were clung toВ the wheels and did not give toВ go on. Amaranta seemed that she hears their laughter and even sees how they swing on the axes, trying toВ pull them out ofВ the wheels. They were frozen and shaggy.
В«Do not stick toВ us!В» they were angry.
