Natalie Yacobson "Amaranta-2. Captive of Elf’s King"

Amaranta tried toВ adopt them. As strange, what else, not toВ acquire children, she has already felt like aВ mother who cannot cope with the hooliganism ofВ their own offspring. Fiery elves are not only inВ mind, but also inВ nature very much resembled risen children. They walked over her head like live fire pillars. And torches were not needed.

В«Here is the key!В» Spark handed her the key, dirty and rusty. It, probably, still resting at the bottom ofВ the source or even inВ the quagmire.В«Open!В»

В«And you yourself can not open?В»

«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 aВ knight who himself should serve the lady inВ all?

Mould remained from the key on her hands. Amaranta climbed into aВ garden well toВ rinse hands. The well bucket was full ofВ water, and suddenly there was no water inВ aВ moment, and aВ water elf was leaned from the well. The one she has already seen. Only this time he was kinder. Even showed obsession.

В«Do not communicate with fiery shoes, whatever they walked you. Better pay attention toВ me. IВ can greatly prove you on the day at the bottom. With my help, you could become aВ water queen. You know the story ofВ Lilofey, which married the underwater king. At first she resisted, but then she was good at the bottom.

В«Lilofey was aВ princess, and Amaranta is just aВ countess. She is suitable for beauty, but not suitable byВ origin,В» Spark interrupted.В»

В«But the king ofВ elves does not thinkВ so.В»

Silence has come.

В«Let him seek unmarried. Otherwise, the law on the same century will come into force before the wedding.В»

В«What?В»

В«Never mind! Open!В»

The door succumbed. Spark kissed her. Lips burned. When he kissed the maid, he usually burned the face. She darted toВ the well. Reflection inВ the water comforted her. The lips turned red, but there is neither blister or burns. The skin has not burned down toВ the bone.

How it happened that the others he burned, but did not harm her? Ladies, burned byВ his kisses, were forced later toВ cover faces with veil. Amaranta managed toВ pay attention toВ the victims ofВ his courting. Unfortunate ladies complained that they were aВ victim ofВ the fireplace demon.

В«There is aВ secret move toВ the hills,В» aВ joyful voice ofВ Spark came. В«Thank you, babe, now we can fly toВ the hills.В»

В«Was it not easier toВ fly toВ them through the field at the castle?В» Amaranta looked at the tightened cobweb. There was dark and damp.

В«It is impossible through the field!В» Spark flew inВ the darkness, burning the web. В«This is the territory ofВ Dagda. He will not let us down toВ the hills, because he remembers how we were fried the victims there. And through the underground we move easily! With underground spirits, IВ am easy toВ agree. ByВ the way, you want toВ visit our hills. Inside, the whole workshop lies inВ 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.

В«If the castle is precipitated, then through aВ secret move you can escape. You do not even need aВ torch, because we will shine!В»

В«Thank you! InВ case ofВ siege, IВ will consider,В» said Amaranta. Spark was right. Just inВ case you need toВ know what way toВ escape from the fortress. Another secret way is good inВ order toВ 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 byВ Spark.

В«Well, if the king ofВ Ilior does not see you,В» he talked. В«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 inВ the language.

В«And where did you decide that the King ofВ Ilior is also aВ fall on the ladies like me, like the king ofВ Aluar. Is he also aВ lustful old man?В»

В«No, it is even relatively young, but still not married. And do you know why?В»

В«How can IВ know? IВ am not familiar with him.В»

В«It should seem toВ know at least something about the customs and politics ofВ the country inВ which you now live. And you are only after the elves and run.В»

В«So after you and yours?В»

В«After the elves from the seven hills,В» Spark clarified. В«You are not too courteous with me. IВ did not fit for the role ofВ the hero-lover?В»

«Okay, you stuck me. So what’s wrong with the king of Ilior?»

В«So,В» Spark is burning aВ chess figure and thrown it toВ his annoyance. It was aВ black queen. It is aВ pity that Medea Shai also will not be thrown. Otherwise, Amaranth woula put Spark aВ monument inВ the castle garden. Let people laugh, for her the fiery elf would be aВ 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!»

«Oh, about the wings minstrel did not tell him anything. So you can be a fairy too. You look like a cloud fairy. Such only in heaven to float. We step into the throne hall of Ilior, and the poets of the king will vividly compound the poems about how you went to the parquet directly from the cloud that walked outside the window. Angus is convicted or sent to the hot zone of hostilities so that he does not survive there. It is necessary to destroy the opponent. And you will become a queen. It did not come out in Aluar, and your fate came on foot in Irior, it didn’t need even to go by the sea. You have written in your family that you will be the queen.»

She already heard something from ice creature.

В«Sad perspectives. So IВ will not go toВ the court.В»

«But you may be called on mandatory. Here, in the county, you are masters, but all the surrounding feudalles: both counts, dukes, and marquises, all of you, regardless of the title or size of possessions are the King’s vassals. Only I am in my own! True, for me privileges? Better would you come out for me than the Angus. I would remove you from everyone. In the case of siege, it would be pushing such a wife in the fireplace pipe.»

В«Besides yourself. You will burnВ me!В»

В«But behind the wall ofВ my fire, others will not get you, come at least aВ whole army.В»

В«You seem toВ expect aВ siege.В»

В«Rumors are regrettable,В» Spark put the sharp flaming ears, В«IВ hear over the walls more than you, therefore, and more concerned. The ignorance is aВ grace!В»

She did not hear anything through the walls, but did not consider the ignorance as a grace. It’s better to be aware of news. It will be necessary to question Adelina. She is a gossip.

В«And you are not afraid ofВ Dagda, as aВ rival?В» It first seemed toВ her that the situation was exactly different.

«But do not stick about him! I can’t endure Dagda and Medea Shai to the same degree.»

В«Because both ruler expelled you, the elves ofВ fire, from their lands for unacceptable pranks.В»

В«How do you know that?В»

She herself could not say where she knowsВ it.

It seemed that Spark was about toВ weep with fiery tears.

В«Everyone is not good toВ me, do not bring, do not like, do not stroke the head, because they are afraid toВ burn. And what IВ did this! Just born fiery! Fire is not aВ shameful stigma! What toВ scareВ me?В»

«I’m not afraid of you!» Amaranta boldly extended her hand to him, because she had already understood that he could no longer burn her. Previously, he could. But the more time she spent in the arms of the king of elves, the more invulnerable became.

В«Truth?В» Spark is hung under the ceiling ofВ aВ narrow tunnel. В«And my lady are you ready toВ become?В»

В«Your lady?В» She was amazed.

В«Lady ofВ the heart!В» He jokingly touched his burning chest. Inside it, except for fire and sparks there was nothing.

В«Do you have aВ heart? It is from the fire, how are you all?В»

В«IВ do not know!В» Spark frowned his orange eyebrows.:But IВ want the lady ofВ the heart. Such is all the knights. Will you beВ it?В»

«I can not! I’m already the lady of the heart of elf’s king.»

В«True,В» Spark became sad and began toВ shine not so bright. В«IВ forget all the time that you are busy twice. Man and Elf! Who would you choose if you could only leave one?В»

The elf, she wanted toВ say but kept silence. Spark will not toВ know about all her feelings.

«I’m still determined,» said she.

В«Okay. We will fly toВ the hills,В» the hot post ofВ fire disappeared inВ aВ dark tunnel. All friends ofВ Spark flew after him. Amaranta also decided toВ walk. The main thing, toВ have time toВ follow the orange sparks, remaining from the procession flying along the tunnel. Otherwise, she risks get lost here inВ complete darkness.

How not toВ lose yourВ head

Stream shouted that she did not go, but he could not fly away from the well and rush behind her. Water elves are tied toВ water. Where there are no sources, there are no ofВ them. And there was no water inВ the tunnel: neither underground sources, nor even puddles.

– It is impossible to lose your head because of the fiery elves and expose yourself danger!» came to Amaranta of the moraling of Stream left to float over the well.

Probably, she really lost her head from the secrets, once decided on aВ dangerous journey under the ground. Once, undoubtedly, it was aВ secret move from the fortress outside the case ofВ siege. Now the fiery elves are travelling here. The radiance from their orange wings was enough toВ see the tiles inВ the walls, similar toВ the tombstone. Spark did not lie. He himself and his friends now played for her the role ofВ living and moving torches. Lay from them and stay inВ the pitch darkness was scary. Fortunately, it was not necessary toВ wander around the tunnel. Soon they really went toВ the hills.

В«Well, good bye, aВ beauty!В» Spark with his fiery flock flew toВ the nearest hill.

Amaranta even rubbed her eyes toВ make sure that she does not dream that inside the hill opened the shining door. The flocks ofВ the elves inВ aВ moment did not become, and on the site ofВ aВ door was only aВ green surface. It comes out, the legends about the houses and palaces inside the hills are true! It is said that inВ the hills sometimes the whole magic states fit. Such hills seem toВ be called sits. If the mortal was part ofВ them, he was no longer returned.

Amaranta even frightened. That if the elves were pulled her inside the hill.

Okay, the case is done. Now she knows the secret path from the castle. If you decide toВ take advantage ofВ them without the help ofВ Spark, it is better toВ take aВ torch or at least aВ candle. InВ addition, Spark is unreliable accompanying. You never know what makes him mind. Now he is next toВ you and illuminates the way toВ you, and inВ the moment he will be afraid and will fly on his affairs inside the closest hill. Yes, he also has aВ relationship with water elves such that aВ fight between water and fire can breakВ out.

It is better toВ make friends with someone more reliable than fiery or water elves. Although she did not make friends with Dagha. If only such relationships can be called friendship, and not romantic hobbies. It sometimes seemed that Dagda could be simultaneously everyone: both, and the beloved, and the interlocutor, who knows all the secrets ofВ the universe. It is aВ pity that he left her for aВ long time.

Amaranta walked around the meadow ofВ the distance from suspicious hills, where firing fighters are found. Thoughts about the rival from the fairies again climbed into the head and overshadowed the coming morning. What if he is with herВ now?

InВ order not toВ break up, it is worth thinking about something pleasant. For example, about flower thickets behind the meadow. As the oppressive thoughts came toВ mind. What if the meadow flowers are about toВ cover with the invasion ofВ ice armies. Can the King ofВ Ilior cope with them? Unless with whose magic.

The king ofВ Ilior dreams ofВ aВ fairy. What would happen if it would bring him toВ that black fairy, which occupied Rhodolite and creates some kind ofВ witchcraft with the mechanisms? Suddenly, two ofВ them would have aВ great couple! From the king and fairies? Something doubtful, but the thought is tempting.

В«Do you want toВ play?В» Called her someone. В«Catch!В»

She caught the ball abandoned by someone. On time, otherwise he would have applied to her lips. It was not heavy, but still it’s unpleasant that rural children so loosely started the game. By the way, where are they themselves? Amaranta looked around a meadow. Nobody. So who threw her ball? On the ball, a face drawn by a cinnaber, like on hinged dolls from Rodolite. Only these features suddenly became movable. The face was widely revealed, giving it a risen smile. One eye winked.

В«And now bring me toВ place!В» asked the lips.

«Where to? «Amaranth almost dropped the ball, that is, someone’s head. It looks like a nightmare! She holds in the hands of someone’s severe head!

«Here!» Suddenly someone’s hands took away the head.

AВ static young man took it on the neck, as if aВ fashionable hat. At first, crooked, but the head immediately turned on the neck, like on the axis, and here the face ofВ the naughty red elf looked at Amaranta no longer from her own hands, but with aВ wide shoulder inВ blue-red coat.

В«IВ have long wanted toВ approach you, but there was no possibility.В»

В«Where are you from?В»

В«Sometimes it seems that right from the place ofВ execution, where IВ was broken.В»

Amaranta was afraid and backedВ up.

«I’m kidding! I am not a ghost. Just unsuccessful and rebellious servant of her gloomy majesty Queen of fairies.

В«This fucking?

В«Are you already familiar with her? So accurately described it. ByВ the way, you will not shiver the word for me before Dagda so that he take me toВ his service. IВ have long wanted toВ run, but there is no convenient possibility. You are my chance.В»

The red elf raised her bouquet lilies ofВ the valley, which were bleeding.

В«Sorry, the head smears,В» he apologized, В«but they say, the bleeding will pass, barely the Queen ofВ Fairies will be defeated and someone will win. IВ hope you will be the winner.

How sincere he said it! And the smile is so sly. Is it not aВ trap, all this.

В«IВ am Quentin,В» an elf introduced himself, on aВ moment, removing his head as others remove the headdress as aВ sign ofВ respect. It can be seen, he entered the habit ofВ doing so. It thus shalls or shows his superiority over mortals, which are not capable ofВ such aВ focus.

В«You see, an immortal being toВ execute toВ death is very difficult,В» he justified, noticing the fright inВ the eyes ofВ Amararanta. В«One can only cause pain than the queen ofВ fairies did.В»

«You’re an elf? How did you get to the service for the queen of fairies?»

В«Furious. All because ofВ the silly boyish love. Even the monster can love if it is beautiful outside. While you will figure it out that inside the darkness and rot, sometimes there are centuries. IВ figured out, sobbed, understood my mistake, but could not return back toВ Dagda. The oath ofВ loyalty keeps me on the old place ofВ service. Obligations are associated with even elves byВ hand and legs stronger as chains. While the queen ofВ the fairies herself will not drive me away, IВ have no right toВ leaveВ her.

В«Would Dagda forgive you and take you back?

В«He is generous. Recently! AВ couple ofВ thousand few years ago he was also cruel. But one war was happened, inВ which he killed his creature expensive. Since then, the conscience has sharply appealed toВ his nobility.В»

В«What kind ofВ war?В»

В«Ordinary distribution due toВ power.В»

«And the way a woman was expensive to his heart? Isn’t it Goddess Danu?»

В«No, not aВ woman. Do not be jealous.В»