Natalie Yacobson "Dragon’s Empire – 3. Countess and Dragon"

Dragon’s Empire – 3. Countess and Dragon
Natalie Yacobson

The young Countess Francesca carelessly touched the magic relic and called in her county the dragon, who burned the village and crops. At the same time, in her castle appeared a guest, a wonderful nobleman Edwin. He is a dragon, called by Francesca. His love can lead her to death.

Dragon’s Empire – 3

Countess and Dragon

Natalie Yacobson

Translator Natalie Lilienthal

© Natalie Yacobson, 2021

© Natalie Lilienthal, translation, 2021

ISBNВ 978-5-0055-8641-4 (С‚. 3)

ISBNВ 978-5-0055-4050-8

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Exposure

The countess was not too worried after the owner of the mysterious castle tactfully and kindly in the midst of the night pointed her a door. So it seemed to me when I looked into the castle’s window and saw her in a circle of fans. Elegant and beautiful, she flirted at once with everyone and did not even suspect that the Golden Shadow is watching her from the darkness of non-existence. And maybe she suspected. In any case, for one long moment her eyes rushed to the window. She did not see anything other than a snowfall behind the illuminated glass. Did she notice a golden, winged snake that had clung with all its slippery body to the stone wall?

The countess with a crash folded the fan and hit them on the knuckles of their fingers, so the skin turned red. She could not have to pinch herself to check if her sudden imagination was true. She miraculously managed to feel that there is a golden something firmly connected with the restless soul of her dark idol behind the window. If it were not for a noisy company, and not questions that flew on her from all sides, Francesca would undoubtedly rushed to the window to test their assumptions or again to let the spirit into the house. That is how she first called me – a light touch to the picture on canvas. Now she tried to establish a mental contact with me, but inexperienced in witchcraft, she did not know how to fasten the subtle binding threads of strangers.

В«Did you cut yourself?В» said excitedly someone from the guests, turning towardsВ her.

Francesca really squeezed the fan too strong, the ostrich feathers were broken, and the revealed needles scratched her on the nameless finger. She did not even feel pain, but I breathe in air even at such a distance the aroma of her blood. So you inhale the smell of expensive wine before you enjoy a thin bouquet of taste. This feeling made me look again through the glass to determine whether it was on the finger of Francesca that amethyst ring, which Rothbert tried to intimidate me. It was not an amethyst. The most attractive magnet was in the fortress – the picture. I needed only this magnificent canvas, but since Francesca felt my presence this evening, I had to fly away.

The estate met me with the usual panorama ofВ the majestic launch. The snow was spinning over the frontons, covered the balconies. Snow flakes melted, touching marble caryatid. The rooms ofВ the palace, intense and cold, did not welcome the owner. Only inВ one fireplace inВ the ash, dry branches were preserved, as if someone recently was here. There was neither the time nor the desire toВ bypass with the ward all the premises from the attic toВ the basements toВ discover the tramp who could look for the shelter from the snowfall. Even if someone snuck through the window, it will soon be afraid ofВ the arrival ofВ legal owners and will run away.

Having visited the mill to the next morning, I even found there two shy peasants: a miller and his assistant, who swore, that they used to worked here and asked me as a new owner, allow them to take up former duties again. I decided to allow them to grind the grain of neighboring farmers, because it’s not to stand without a mill, but put forward one prerequisite. Having finished their day work, in the evening they should leave the mill to their home and not to return to the dawn itself. Of course, such a whim could seem strange, but such a contract guaranteed security to people. With the onset of darkness, my subjects could frighten them too much. Taking advantage of the fact that two men are in the evening alone on the lands of their sovereign the evil spirits could attack them, pushed, and pester until the unfortunate drown in the nearest mill pond.

The imperative tone, which was put forward by the condition, became a guarantee of its observance. I myself examined the mill. There was nothing unusual to the room, not a single hint that this place belongs to evil. Of course, two mercenaries could dissolve rumors about the oddities of their new owner, but I didn’t care. I wanted the mill to earn again to rotate the wheel of the wind in former times. Maybe then something unusual will happen here.

IВ secretly watched the Countess when she ordered toВ collect aВ road chest and prepare the carriage. It seemed toВ me that inВ the capital she would not only entail the desire toВ acquire new books, because she could send someone from servants. The first impression could not deceive me. Francesca was too nervous when she sat down inВ the carriage. The entire way Francesca could not calm down. IВ corrected the warm raincoat with aВ white fox. At the entrance toВ the lively wide road, she put on the face aВ dark half mask, as if she did not want that her friends could know her byВ chance met inВ theВ way.

On the streets ofВ the capital IВ had toВ abide byВ the double caution and slide behind the crew as an invisible shadow. On too narrow stone streets, each passerby was well noticeable. OfВ course, the old king invited me toВ go toВ the palace at any suitable time, but after aВ frank conversation inВ aВ hunting house, IВ did not decrease toВ put aВ visit toВ him again.

The crew went along the stone bridge, drove on one ofВ the main streets and stopped inВ front ofВ the facade ofВ aВ well-known home. It was there, on the second floor behind aВ draped window, IВ with Vincent recently played cards. Here IВ first felt the hand ofВ the countess, touching the portrait.

Francesca slipped out ofВ the crew. Francesca reached the door hammer, made inВ the form ofВ an eagle head. The door almost immediately opened. On the threshold rose an servant.

В«Conduct me toВ the baronet and prepare the card,В» said Francesca with aВ clear pure voice. Under the lace, the veil descended from the half mask was impossible toВ consider even how her lips move, pronouncing words. The forehead, cheekbones and nose were completely closed, only her eyes sparkled from the slots. The servant objected.

В«The one you are looking for, does not live here anymore. The house is recently sold.В»

«Where can I find the former owner? Speak, do not be shy, I’m not an enemy.»

«Sorry, milady, but I don’t know anything.»

Francesca shuddered aВ little when the door slammed beforeВ her.

В«Unpleasant, ofВ course, my darling, but you are not the first who paid him forward,В» shouted after Francesca, aВ man, who appeared for aВ long time under the windows ofВ the same house. В«It seems that our omniscient predictor is not going toВ return debts toВ anyone.В»

Francesca did not even pay attention toВ the insolence, and the one, tapping some melody with his cane on the pavement, also continued toВ look at the unlit windows ofВ the facade. The darkness over the streets thickened. The countess returned toВ the carriage and order toВ the coachman toВ go through hers favorite route, that is, toВ the bookshops. IВ followed her when she moved books inВ leather bindings behind glass shop windows and for aВ long time asked the seller. She was satisfied with books standing on the shelves. Then the old merchant with wrinkled hands and face, as if he remembered something, took aВ lantern and went inВ search inВ aВ storage room, returned and handed her the book inВ the dark as aВ fragment ofВ the night, binding. The lady eagerly grabbed it, immediately paid, while not taking off the mask nor gloves.

Approaching the showcase, IВ could hear the fragments ofВ the conversation.

В«Go toВ the tavernВ» Crown and EagleВ», he happens every evening there,В» said the merchant, wiping about the apron, the hands smeared with glue and wax. The light ofВ aВ single lamp laid inВ orange shine on aВ closely pressed bookshelves and aВ ladder, leaning towards the highest cabinet.

В«Are you sure that he is not madman?В» Francesca masked with an arrogant tone her interest.

В«InВ the days ofВ his youth, he was aВ robber inВ Roshen. IВ knew him well, milady and tried toВ return him on the right path. But the person who set foot on the vice path can return toВ honest life only byВ surviving aВ real chilling blood horror.В»

В«Briefly speaking! Do not say as the novelist! IВ only need facts,В» Francesca demanded, adding aВ coin toВ pay.

В«Then ask him about everything, he will advise you.В»

В«Is it really?В»

В«He is ready toВ talk about it with everyone, but rarely who believes.В»

«And what is the connection between the book and the stories of this… unhappy man?» asked Francesca.

«Many books are based on the truth,» the merchant mysteriously answered, «but sometimes only one story, moreover, written so long ago, cannot end the existence of his heroes,» he again crossed his grilling apron and added in a completely different tone. «In the „Crown and Eagle“ you will find at the same time good rooms for overnight.»

В«Thanks!В» Francesca nodded coldly and went out into the street. When the carriage again was on the road, IВ stubbornly continued my surveillance.

This time the crew stopped at the building with an elegant sign. While IВ stayed on the street, the countess boldly went inВ the institution, ordered the rooms for the night and looked around. At the table with aВ mug ofВ beer was sitting an elderly man like the most ordinary appearance and physique, but inВ his unreleased look, something testifies ofВ the memories who can deprive the mind ofВ even the hardening criminal. IВ have never seen this person before, but, appreciating the muscles inВ his arms, IВ could say that he was not bad with aВ knife and often used it not for the most noble goals, he could strangle someone inВ the darkness. OfВ course, IВ was struck byВ the fact that the sophisticated Francesca fearlessly headed for such aВ subject and started the conversation, whose echoes were reachingВ me.

В«What did that stranger looked like who killed your comrades? IВ want toВ know!В» She demanded.

В«So you believe me?В» The man looked at her. His hand holding aВ mug ofВ beer froze aВ halfway from his mouth.

В«Suppose IВ have reasons toВ believe,В» she nodded.

«You asked how he looked,» her companion whispered. «Yes, since then many years have passed, but I still remember. Such a beautiful arrogant face, I saw him only in the profile, but I could not forget. It was expensive clothes, a velvet raincoat, and something like silhouettes of the dragon embroidered on the camisole. I then thought that he himself was the devil, because there was no wonder that if an evil spirit tempts someone, it becomes very handsome. He so coolly killed my partners… Imagine, Madam, he revealed both the throat with such ease, as if he had to do this not for the first time. After that night I went gray. Not every time you have to see how your friends are separated, as if meat carcasses.»

В«Would you be able toВ find out this young man if you saw him again?В» InВ the voice ofВ Frances, insidious notes sounded.

«God forbid,» the tavern’s frequenter slightly crossed himself, but he was afraid to show himself a coward in the eyes of such proud and undoubtedly noble lady. «His image and so still stands before your eyes. It is only worth covering eyelids, as he is here again in front of me, deadly pale, beautiful, gold-haired and the same young as many years ago. So now it seemed to me that he flashed in the window. Do you believe me?»

Francesca turned toВ the window but, ofВ course, did not notice anyone.

В«So he was very beautiful, pale and gold-haired. Is that all you remember?В» She calmly asked. He looked at her as the drowning on his savior and continued feverishly toВ recall.

«It was dark. In Roshen’s slums there were no lanterns, but his skin was glowed by itself and the hair was also shone like the sun. And he also had a golden claw instead of one hand. You see, such a paw with long sharp claws. She finished off my friends. Did an erased hand not evidence that he is a devil?»

В«InВ fact,В» Francesca nodded and throwing aВ coin on the table offered. В«Order something strong toВ drink. It is not necessary toВ talk so often about the gold-haired devil, and he really can hear you and return.В»

With these words, she turned around and called the owner ofВ the tavern, so that he spent her upstairs, inВ apartments. The long raincoat have retired on aВ narrow wooden staircase like aВ train.

He could also take the lady inВ the road raincoat and mask for the devil, if it were not for aВ ringing coin, after her left-handed on the table.

Now I also remembered this person. That night, when robbers attacked me, he was hiding around the corner, waiting for the injury of prey. Then, I didn’t even turn, but I felt behind the presence of a third gangster with a knife, pressed against the wall behind my back. It turns out he managed to consider me and remember. And here, even if I looked at him now I could not know him, because so many years passed. The face that was old, the forehead cut the wrinkles, and under the eyes climbed dark circles. Even if he drank less, no one would believe in such a crazy story about the gold-haired demon, who boldly walks on the backyards of Roshen and manages a bloody trial over the robber. I could enter the warm, weakly lit by the lamps tavern, and make a random witness silence forever, but did not want. After all, he was not a dangerous accusatory in front of me, but only the unfortunate, who, once saw a supernatural being, is now trying to convince unbelievers in his right and slowly, but correctly acquires a reputation of madman.

I flew up to the window. Behind a small glazed window was clearly visible, a newly recently cleaned bedroom. The book seller was right, such clean rooms are far from all the innovations. Francesca rubbed with a towel a mirror on the dressing table and combed her long bright curls. They covered her shoulders and her back, and were too naughty, to make the countess herself without the help of the maid managed to lay them into the hairstyle. She managed to change the road outfit for the long lace shirt. Mask, dress, raincoat, as well as many hairpins were scattered on the couch. Her lordship is not used to do without servants. Only the most valuable acquisition – a black binding book was neatly put on the bed over a quilted blanket.

What is such an extraordinary concluded in the printed text on the stitched sheets? Why did Francesca search, almost demand that the seller found exactly this book? Maybe in all its unhealthy hobbies of mysticism lies something more than simple interest. I watched Francesca put the ridge on the table, and the contents of a small lady’s handbag were poured nearby. Jewels, bottles with spirits and jars with lipstick scattered on the table top. Francesca took out the folded sheet of paper with torn edges. She turned it out and read. I decided that it was a page taken from some old book. Paper is already yellow, and the text itself almost faded. The countess revealed the book in the stored place and compared its content with her leaflet. So uncertain and timidly you usually collect pieces of puzzle. Francesca took a deep breath, as if she did not find what she was looking for. She reached out to blew a candle and here she saw me in the window. In her eyes expanded from horror, like two lakes, reflected a flexible gold silhouette of a winged snake.

В«How is it possible?В» Only she was able toВ whisper, but the winged something had already disappeared. Francesca ran up toВ the windowsill, but it was already empty there.

So simply, the countess could not retreat, she saw the whole golden guest, looked at the snake, but heard a charm, human voice, who wished only «good night, countess, because calm can not last very long.» After all the sounds dropped in a night emptiness, Francesca seemed to hear them so far. Switching out of the bedroom, she found the side narrow ladder and went into the attic, and from there rose to the roof. Tile slid under the barefoot feet, but Francesca did not want to go back to the heat and peace. She was waiting for that – that’s somewhere at the level of dark sloping roofs again flashed flexible, golden silhouette, but it did not appear. Only the gray sea of urban homes stretched around, and the wind walked over it and cleaned lonely stars on the blue sky.

Francesca wanted to call someone, say someone’s name, but never decided. She turned back, almost stumbled on the ladder, forgotten by a chimney-sweep. The low roof’s slope hung over the windows of the upper floors, and it would be easy to hide not only a flexible flying creature, but even a child. Francesca, of course, did not calculate it. She last turned on the sleeping city and went down to the room, not even worrying that someone from the waking guests could see her without a mask.

Then IВ opened the window ofВ not busy room and slept there until the morning. Nobody even paid attention toВ the draught, escaping from the slots ofВ the locked door. The owner never came toВ disturb my dream, although IВ honestly was going toВ pay, if IВ was forced inВ the tavern. Even before awakening, IВ realized that Francesca had long gathered toВ go and her carriage had already left the city. IВ could easily follow her. IВ already knew the route byВ which they will return, besides, on the roads, deep furrows from the wheels were well noticeable.

The weather spoiled. The wet snow alternated with raindrops, and find the tracks of the crew on the risky road was increasingly harder. Overcoming another turn of the way, I heard the snoring of horses and the orders of the coachman. Due to the subtle trunks of the trees, it was possible to see the crew, accidentally went from the road and fell into a swamp, on which the ice was melted. The wheels of the carriage were stuck in the mud. The groom and the coachman tried to force their horses to pull the crew from the mud but they didn’t manage it. Francesca stood a little bit away from the roadway. Sometimes she looked back, hoping to see another carriage. Nobody was in a hurry to help her.

Without thinking, IВ took my initial and most familiar appearance, and came out ofВ the trees. Francesca almost screamed from surprise when IВ suddenly turned out toВ be right at her back, because aВ minute ago the road was empty. IВ did not even move my hand, but she felt the persistent touching io her shoulder. Too amazed toВ greet me, Francesca was silent.

В«Maybe your ladyship will allow me toВ provide aВ help?В» IВ asked. It sounded as if IВ was going toВ raise aВ scarf, and not toВ correct the traffic accident. Francesca just shrugged and said:

«I would only bless your efforts, but how can you manage it one… without servants?» She hinted at the fact that I would have to explain how I was here alone without a horse and the carriage. I did not satisfy her curiosity, but only strictly ordered the groom and the coachman:

В«Get out!В»

They exchanged glances incredulously, fearing, as if they did not hear correctly, but under aВ shrill, ice-looking stranger left their work. With aВ quiet whisper, the meaning ofВ which no one did not understand, IВ calmed down the horses, and then IВ presented as the rims ofВ the wheels, bypassing the dirt, climb over the mud and roll on solid soil. The crew slightly straightened. When, IВ was aВ man, my mental efforts would hardly have enough for such hard work, but now everything went out, as inВ aВ dream. Observing the order, the horses themselves pulled forward aВ carriage, which thanks toВ my invisible support became much easier, and soon the crew was already on the road.

В«Witchcraft!В» Quietly murmured the coachman, raised his hand toВ cross, but then looked at me right away, scared toВ make some pious gesture inВ my presence. After all, an extraordinary acquaintance ofВ his hostess can be angry. And what will his anger lead?

Francesca through the power thanked me and allowed toВ help her climb into the carriage. InВ her glance flashed all the same spark ofВ suspicion and recognition, but IВ did not pay attention toВ it.

IВ said goodbye, closing the door, but she looked out inВ the window and suggested.

В«Do not want us toВ bring you toВ your estate?В»

В«Oh,В» IВ extended and carelessly dismissed. В«ToВ travel, IВ do not need aВ carriage.В»

She nodded, as if she understood something that we were both afraid toВ speak out loud, although inВ fact it was incomprehensible toВ her.

Returning toВ my still not renovated abandoned estate, IВ found the porch ofВ uninvited visitors. Most likely, Mr. and two servants who spent all their strength toВ keep the excited horses on the spot. All animals almost went mad when they found themselves within my newly acquired possessions. InВ Mr. IВ immediately recognized Selvin. He was already took for the door ring, it hit at the metal door with aВ buzz. The door, ofВ course, remained locked. Despite the insistence ofВ Selvin, no one hurried toВ let him into the house.

В«Probably the owner is not at home,В» timidly suggested one ofВ the servants. В«Maybe we will return, and then send aВ servant with the message.В»

He was already frozen under the snowfall. Selvin himself also hung up inВ aВ fur coat, but did not go away.

«Let’s wait,» he said calmly, but in the intonation of the voice, the order was felt.

В«Good afternoon and welcome!В» IВ said, suddenly appearing behind his back.