You are not aВ horse! She spoke.
You’re just a cow!
What aВ fool put you inВ the stable!
You really belong inВ the barn! She scolded her redhead.
But, the animal seemed completely indifferent toВ such accusations.
Horses are running! If you didn’t know. Diana continued.
But, redhead, as if accepting that she is aВ cow. She reached for aВ portion ofВ the leaves again, lazily chewing on the treat.
Ah, Diana sighed. Hearing the sound ofВ the hunt receding. The noise ofВ the bugle, the barking ofВ dogs and the neighing ofВ horses became quieter and quieter. She realized that she could not catch up with them, sighed again, looking around. Everywhere there was the scent ofВ the forest, the buzzing ofВ all kinds ofВ bugs and bumblebees, the chirping ofВ forest birds inВ different ways. AВ squirrel flashed inВ the branches ofВ aВ tree, sitting on aВ trunk and with curiosity began toВ examine the uninvited guests. She lowered the reins, giving free rein toВ her mare toВ go wherever she pleases, and delighting admiring the surrounding beauty, enjoying the fresh air. Her redhead walked forward, feeling freedom.
Poitiers didn’t care to guide her.
She wandered this way through the forest for aВ while. Her horse went out into aВ small meadow covered with greenery and flowers. The mare stopped and began gnawing at the nearest bush.
Suddenly Diana heard a dull thud and the crunch of breaking branches on the other side of the forest. A moment later, a huge boar suddenly jumped out from there. The monster was huge with bloodshot eyes and large yellow fangs. A piece of a broken dart was stuck in his side, the beast was wounded. Poitiers, as if hypnotized, could not take her eyes off the monster, frozen in place. Her horse stopped chewing, staring blankly at the boar. Perhaps, if Diana had gotten a more agile animal, and not this red mare, then most likely she would have given dry. But, unfortunately, her mare turned out to be thinking for a long time. Diana herself froze in place, doing nothing. So they stood her and her horse. Foolishly staring at the huge boar opposite, and not the one, not the other, did not think to run. The boar froze only for a moment, seeing them, but in the next instant, with a belligerent wheeze and pressing his fangs closer to the ground, he was about to rush at both. But, he was prevented by a terrible crash and crash in the bushes nearby. The boar turned sharply at the noise. The noise finally brought Diana out of her mortal stupor. Heinrich flew out to the edge of the forest all the way, on his smoky one. Smoky was covered in foam and leaves. Smokey’s eyes burned with red fire, his nostrils widened, he snorted menacingly. Heinrich, like his stallion, was also covered in leaves. His eyes, like those of his horse, burned with the same fire.
It all happened so quickly that she didn’t have time to recover. Heinrich jumped out of the saddle at full gallop, jumping straight onto the back of the monster. A dagger blade flashed in the sunlight. And both of them, Heinrich and the boar, rolled head over heels over the leaves and the ground in a deadly ball. The boar roared terribly, and a moment later, issuing a monstrous howl, the monster trembled and froze. Heinrich was not visible, he was under the boar. They both did not move. Diana finally woke up completely. Her heart sank and beat so desperately that it became difficult to breathe.
God! He is dead! AВ nightmarish thought flashed through.
She quickly jumped from the saddle down toВ the ground.
Her redhead also woke up, and smelling the smell ofВ blood inВ horror, she whinnied, rearing up and rushing as fast as she could. Poitiers ran toВ the boar trying toВ make out Heinrich. Her heart was pounding wildly, tap dancing inВ her chest. Heinrich was crushed byВ the carcass ofВ aВ wild boar. But, here he began toВ stir and, throwing aside the carcass ofВ the boar, which he was crushed by, lay down next toВ the boar, leaning his elbows on its carcass, as if on the back ofВ aВ chair. She watched his actions, dumbfounded.
AndВ he!
He was smiling!
All stained with the blood ofВ aВ defeated animal, mixed with foliage and earth. He smiled at her. Anger seizedВ her.
Are you crazy?! She cried out, unable toВ contain herself.
Do you always attack wild animals with your bare hands?!
You really hoped toВ strangle him?!
The monster almost killed you! She finished, annoyed.
He laughed loudly and abruptly, catching a breath that still hadn’t come back to normal after a deadly hug with a boar.
Are you madam? He parried, cheerfully.
Always stay inВ place like aВ statue? And do not try toВ escape when you see aВ wounded, and IВ want toВ note, an extremely dangerous wild boar.
Or did you intend toВ greet him kindly? He finished, clearly enjoying their conversation.
And continuing toВ smile contentedly, he looked at her confused look. He continued almost seriously, but with the same note ofВ sarcasm.
IВ guess IВ should have waited for him toВ chargeВ you?
She was taken aback. Not finding what toВ answer him. Indeed, it was true; it was incredibly stupid that she did not rush away from this monster as soon as she noticed him. And if Heinrich had not appeared so on time. The boar would no doubt rush at her. Not finding anything toВ say toВ him, she just flapped her eyelashes. She looked so confused that he could not resist and laughed heartily. And then she noticed that his leg was bleeding.
Oh my God! She screamed.
You are injured!
She sat down beside him toВ help and, trying toВ examine his wound, eyes full ofВ sympathy, compassion and fear.
Nonsense, he waved itВ off.
Scratch. Diana, you shouldn’t be so worried. He smiled sweetly at her.
Everything heals very quickly onВ me.
You need toВ be bandaged! You will lose aВ lot ofВ blood! Poitiers did not agree withВ him.
She already wanted toВ put her words into action. Suddenly there was aВ noise and crackling nearby inВ the bush. And inВ the next instant, riders ofВ aВ man and aВ woman, as well as their dogs, flew into the clearing. Seeing the defeated boar, and next toВ him the wounded Henry, the men rushed toВ the prince inВ aВ hurry toВ help. InВ the next instant, they tightened and bandaged his wound. Women sitting side byВ side on their horses and groaned. Continuing toВ cast loving glances towards the prince.
Ah! Poor thing!
He looks badly injured! They whispered.
The whole crowd pushed Poitiers aside. She watched inВ silence. The men made something like aВ stretcher for Henry. They lamented about how close they were toВ the boar, and aВ little more and the prey would be inВ their hands. Talking about how Heinrich beat everyone up again and took the loot. Heinrich reassured them. Saying that they might be lucky next time they hunt. But, clearly not going toВ give inВ toВ anyone next time. And suddenly, he said loudly, looking for Diana with his eyes among the crowd.
No gentlemen!
I wouldn’t have been able to catch him myself if it weren’t for Madame de Poitiers!
She’s a great hunter!
The beast runs towardsВ it!
Saying this. He looked at her slyly and mischievously, smiling broadly at her. All heads turned towards her. Looking with curiosity. As if toВ say. Is that really true?! She shot him an angry look and answered coldly.
Complete nonsense.
IВ ended up here byВ accident.
But, Henry was completely amused, despite his wound, continued.
Gentlemen, don’t believe her!
Madame de Poitiers is just beingВ shy!
She pursed her lips, casting an almost angry look inВ his direction. Hoping that he will finally calm down. He winked at her cheerfully, continuing toВ arrive inВ good spirits.
What nonsense is he talking! Diana thought irritably, turning away from him inВ order toВ end this conversation. And so, this whole honest company. Horses, people, dogs, the carcass ofВ aВ wild boar, prey, undoubtedly, Heinrich and he himself, leading, like aВ Caesar, all this noisy company, moved through the forest, heading back toВ the palace. He was carried byВ men, like aВ Roman emperor on an improvised stretcher, since he himself could not ride on horseback because ofВ aВ wound on his leg, which was ripped apart, like aВ sharp blade byВ boar fangs almost toВ the very thigh.
He was pale from blood loss, but he didn’t seem to care at all. He was having fun and joking. The men laughed loudly at his jokes, and the ladies giggled coquettishly. He himself swung his arms in different directions, as well as his one leg, since his other leg was not able to tap the first. Poitiers gave way to the horse, as her mare had fled somewhere. She rode a little further away from him. Heinrich now and then turned his head, looking for her in the crowd, and when he found, he smiled good-naturedly at her.
In the evening, all this society gathered for a feast on the occasion of a successful hunt. And, in spite of his wounded leg, Heinrich rejoiced heartily. His prey, already well-done, was greeted with noisy and stormy exclamations, praising the hunter for courage and dexterity. The courtiers were noisy and merry. When enough wine had been drunk, they began to play a sweet and reckless game, blind man’s buff. They put on a black silk bandage over their eyes and circled.
And the one who had his eyes closed with aВ blindfold had toВ catch with his eyes closed one ofВ the fleeing. If it was an attractive lady, then there were many willing gentlemen toВ fall into her hands.
If it was an attractive man, then the lady who liked him should not have bothered toВ fall into his arms, pretending that she was trying toВ run away.
And for some reason many ofВ the ladies ran so badly that they very quickly found themselves inВ the clutches ofВ the players. The bottom line was that no one really ran away from anyone, but sooner found himself inВ the arms ofВ the one who turned out toВ be nice toВ him. AВ kiss was considered aВ win, but one kiss, as aВ rule, did not end anything. Heinrich was sitting at the table, watching the game. Putting his wounded leg on aВ small velvet stool. Poitiers remained inВ the same place, not participating inВ the fun. He looked atВ her.
Not playing? He asked.
No, she answered, bored.
What not? Heinrich continued.
You might have someВ fun.
The corners ofВ her lips floated up like the wings ofВ aВ butterfly.
I don’t see a decent player there. She answered, still smiling.
He laughed.
Yes, but IВ think aВ lot ofВ people would love toВ fall into your wonderful hands. He continued their dialogue.
She raised her eyebrows. She looked at him intently and carefully and answered.
You seem to be worried that you can’t play? She sang.
Oh, IВ think you would have caught aВ dozen ofВ the nicest ladies at aВ time.
Those who didn’t get caught would obviously be upset. She finished, purring the words sarcastically like a big cat. Smiling at him with just the corner of her lips.
He smiled back atВ her.
How angry you are, though! He answered with aВ grin.
Ah, my dear Diana.
What do IВ care about these pet cats. He smiled at her with aВ grin.
Either you! Another thing!
Try toВ eat someone for lunch or dinner.
Unfortunate victims! He added.
And do not suspect that the prey. He sighed.
And the bigger the game, the better for you. He continued.
Obviously hinting at the king and her relationship withВ him.
Poitiers said nothing, slowly rose from the table. Letting him know that he was leaving and grimaced picturesquely, replied.
I’m not hungry today.
Heinrich laughed, shaking his head.
So they’re lucky! He said, waving lazily at the running, cheerful crowd.
Where are you going? He asked.
She bowed toВ him inВ pictures.
OfВ course, sleep, your highness! She purred and swam like aВ swan toВ the exit.
He called afterВ her.
Will you leave aВ sick, almost dying person?!
This is not merciful, Diana! He added.
She turned around, laughing cheerfully.
You are the least like aВ sick and dying person! She answered cheerfully.
Good night, your highness. She said, already moving away.
Good night, Heinrich replied with aВ sigh. Saddened that she had left.
Poitiers were allocated rooms inВ the palace, there she went, where she hoped toВ take aВ break from such an eventfulВ day.
Miracle broth
But, she was not allowed toВ sleep. There was aВ knock on the door. AВ small letter was handed over toВ her. The letter was from Henry. He wrote: В«that he seems toВ have become worse, and he is thrown into aВ fever, and it seems that he is dying at all. And his last wish is toВ see her. В«She read the message and laughed heartily.
On death!
Oh myВ God!
