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

В«Eternity without joy, without aВ friend, without aВ companion. Eternity inВ the darkness,В» Francesca tried toВ blame, but the voice fell into tears.

«What’s so bad in this,» I objected. «Your fortress will rot, your books will turn into dust, and my people will exist in teasing proximity to your dilapidated world, subject to disease and old age. Recently, you sought forbidden: feasts, treasures and secrets of my possessions. Is not it?»

I was silent, the wind picked up the torn pages, circled them under the ceiling and removed in the opened window. They disappeared forever together with the confession of the prince’s prisoner. Disappeared a distorted story about my atrocities. Francesca did not know what to answer how to call for help all her braveness to continue to throw charges. She wanted to raise the candle from the floor and again to light it, but did not dare.

В«Clear pretense!В» Francesca whispered, with despair, but so quiet that it was almost impossible toВ hear it, but IВ heard and unexpectedly felt irritation.

В«And what did you expected, that even the devil will like your sophisticated manners, right, but false speech and the talent ofВ the ingenious tracker?В» The question was malicious and painfully cut aВ hearing. В«No, Francesca. InВ fact, everything is much more prosaic. IВ came here toВ pick up my property. That is, almost mine,В» IВ immediately corrected. В«Anyway, aВ picture, according toВ aВ pure chance, that fell into your collection is written byВ one ofВ the masters ofВ my world, and therefore should return inВ the empire. The sooner, the better,В» and if you can immediately, IВ added toВ myself, remembering that IВ was too late. You can never postpone tomorrow, otherwise you will never fulfill the conceived. IВ just wanted toВ play aВ day or two inВ aВ cat and aВ mouse with titled lady, and this couple ofВ days dragged on more than aВ week.

В«The painter!В» Finally, exclaimed Francesca, as if this word was the key toВ all existing secrets. В«He was the same as you.В»

В«Well, not quite like that,В» IВ noticed with the knowledge ofВ the case. В«There are even inВ our world lords and servants. Camille was aВ conventional servant, even worse, almost aВ slave ofВ his insidiousВ Mr.В»

В«Yes, he accidentally mentioned that freedom was now very valuable for him,В» Francesca nodded thoughtfully.

В«Camille does nothing byВ chance, and he gave the picture exactly you, for sure, with aВ special intent.В»

«He managed to run away from you. Well, I am glad for him,» Francesca has found strength to smile. «Now it’s clear to me why he wanted to destroy the picture.» Why do you need to keep an image of the owner, who probably very brutally addressed him. But he loved you very much, it feels in every stroke laid on canvas. Otherwise he could not draw with such inspiration.»

«This is a pretty ill manifestation of love – to create an eternal reminder about experienced sufferings,» I said and thought that this was really the most sophisticated torture – to capture the moment when several months have separated me from the carefree past, and the long road to the future was dark and thorny. How did Camille attracted the prince on the verge of dishonor? Why was it possible to transfer all mysticism with such an impression of reality, as on this, undoubtedly the best of his canvases? Cleanliness and innocence, the memories of which are still preserved in the picture, was already unattainable, and the dark satellite behind my back was just revealed his black wings.

В«How did IВ not immediately guess who he was,В» Francesca laughed at her naivety. В«It was suspicious from the very beginning, well, he looked like aВ boy, and painted as aВ recognized talent. Then someone noticed his sharp ears, which sometimes peeking out from under the beret, the fiery shine inВ the eyes, the ability toВ move the items without touching them. And then these six ladies came, and Camille realized that it was time toВ run.

«Also and the spinners,» I said, thinking that for the count’s castle, the most worthy company was treated. Francesca, which naturally did not understand about the spinners, stared at me in amazement.

В«All this does not have any relationship toВ you personally. They will no longer appear,В» IВ comforted Francesca, although IВ myself was not sure about it. If the spinners will want toВ force their way somewhere inВ secret, then nobody will stop them. If one ofВ them wants toВ kill this frightened amateur adventure, it is unlikely that the guards ofВ the fortress can saveВ her.

В«Go away from here and do not appear here more!В» Francesca shouted inВ the rage. В«Take your picture and fly back toВ hell, where you came from. Surely, all these ballroom halls and statues were just an illusion. And inВ fact there is no castle, there is only aВ hell and there is the place for you, the fallen angel.В»

IВ calmly waited when Francesca will keep silence. When the rage ofВ the countess became dangerous, IВ slightly removed her, but she swayed with this light touch and almost fell.

«I’ll pick a portrait so that you could no longer touch it and thus call me out of my… hell,» before the last word, an expressive pause was made only because I didn’t dare to call my delicious castle as a hell. Then I boldly moved to the tower where the picture was kept, throwing on the move. «Perhaps I will return to pay.»

Absolutely innocent offer Francesca interpreted inВ her own way. On the same night, she began toВ collect her things and told toВ prepare the crew, but IВ never bothered toВ check where she was going toВ go.

Reaching my own castle, I did not decide to destroy the picture, but I didn’t want it to hang on the wall. Only after reliably hid it in the basement, and locked the door with the key, I unwittingly thought about Francesca. Was it worth to let her go. She knew now a strange unforgettable secret? And how long will her silence last?

Hypocritical Francesca

Hearing the noise in the estate, I decided that Selvin had a discussion with a lazy master. The first assumption did not justify itself. Near the ladder to the attic stood a viscount and a mant dressed in black. They argued about something. I managed to find out the excited voice of Vincent. He retained the hardly catchy emphasis – a reminder of that speech I heard on the streets of the native capital. No one, besides me, could not understand that clear dictations and some outdated words are just a tribute to the past.

В«IВ tell you, Edwin is my friend. He himself invited me toВ spend the night here, В«Vincent urged, while his eyes were furious. AВ little more and he would clutch the interlocutor inВ the face.

IВ watched him and barely kept laughter. Vincent always knew how toВ lie shamelessly, but this time he surpassed himself.

«Ask him if you don’t believe, and I’ll wait here. Would I climb into the house against the will of my best friend? Did he not have the right to invite his friends?» shouted Vincent.

And IВ was able toВ manage aВ fragile thoughtful contact with Vincent and uttered only one praise В«Bravo!В».

He heard it and was amazed. He turned toВ me. Only IВ noticed that his hands nervously trembled.

«All right, Selvin,» I said, after a long pause, for which I well managed to enjoy the confusion of Vincent. «It is indeed my old and very educated friend. We even learned the same science. I did not warn you about his presence because I was hoping that he was about to leave, but the visit suddenly pulled out, obviously, because of the fact that my „best friend“ again remained homeless.»

В«Oh, everything is clear,В» Selvin extended disappointed, although inВ fact he did not understand anything. Vincent tried proudly straighten the shoulders, but immediately stuck under my gaze.

В«ByВ the way, it is necessary toВ somehow justify what the homeless friend will live here,В» as if byВ the way IВ put inВ and turned toВ Selvin, hoping that he would not consider me very cruel. В«You could not help me find an inexpensive lackey livery for him so that he does not continue toВ confuse guests with his humble robe.В»

Vincent cheeks became almost purple. Selvin was clearly stunned, and I, cheerfully grinning, announced:

В«Sorry, Vincent, it was just aВ joke. IВ did not know that you do not like when IВ make fun on your own manner.В»

В«You would follow him,В» Selvin whispered when we stayed alone. В«IВ found him when he slept on aВ couch inВ front ofВ the attic window and muttered something inВ aВ dream, and there were some unclear silhouettes around him, but as soon as IВ lit aВ lantern, they all disappeared somewhere. IВ hope he is not aВ necromancer.

В«No, what are you?В» IВ assured. В«He just loves toВ pretend it, and he himself would even be afraid toВ touch the black books.В»

From where can Vincent achieve such stage ofВ perfection, as experience and practice, he likes toВ do everything as soon as possible and makes mistakes.

Vincent preferred toВ hide inВ his attic. He shook my hand as aВ sign ofВ gratitude and whispered:

«From the northern port, tomorrow morning swims off the ship called the „Song of the Wind“. The countess sails with the first passing wind. And then you will decide.»

Why did he say that and immediately disappeared in the darkness of the attic staircase, as if fearing further inquiries. The flight of Francesca was not a surprise for me. There were series of warnings and threats, she was afraid of them. That’s just, I decided that she wanted to go to Viniena again, visit the bookshops, could even achieve an audience with the king and complaint him on the neighbor, who turned out to be a robber and a killer. I did not expect that she would decide to sail in the sea, maybe even cross the ocean and all this is just to be as far as possible from me. A lovely lady did not understand that if I wish, I can overcome any space lighter than the high speed ship.

Just one phrase of Vincent was able to awaken a long-awaited beast in me. Now I have already regretted that I allowed the countess to leave. Surely, my all-knowing subjects also silently condemned this act, simply from respect and fear they did not mind. If Francesca was one of the students of the School of Witchcraft, for her it was advantageous to comply with the vows of silence and do not disclose the secrets of her fellows, then the road for her would be open. But she was not the owner of a dangerous, witchcraft gift. She was strange for sorcerers, and tried to become more informed than they. I myself did not notice that I had already dragged the cord of the raincoat and went out in a cold night, in search of some empty, where I can turn into a dragon and fly ton a ship, which will be sail at dawn. I didn’t even know what I was going to do, and how I would explain to Selvin my next long absence. He was so amazed by the fact that I found time for such long absences and I didn’t want to spend only half a day on the road to the royal residence. Dawn found me on the road. From the ground it was almost impossible to notice the one who rapidly flies across the sky. There were many ships, barks, boats, frigates and flagship galleys in the port. It was a whole forest from wooden masts.

First of all, I was interested in high-speed sailing ships. Francesca most likely neglected trading ships. They were to slow. She needed a light and rapid ship to leave her native shores as soon as possible. I managed to notice the name of the ships, but I didn’t find the ship «The Song of the Wind». I had to fly further and overlook the marine space, an immense water surface, where it was difficult to find one small moving point. I overcame some more airspace and sank just below. The port has long remained behind and now I could watch the big, but changing caravel, which is easy and smoothly slid along the water. The nose of the vessel cut the ripple on the sea surface. The desired letters proudly glow on board. What an excellent target can be this fearless ship for the dragon flying over the sea. In the last second, I felt sorry to turn such a wonderful ship into wreckage. Because of one Francesca, its whole team did not deserve death. I turned out into a flexible sparkling snake, easily slid for the sail and dropped on a main deck already in my human appearance. The team engaged in their everyday work did not notice the new passenger, even when his boots were blindly hit on the deck board. An unpleasant impetus is the consequence of the jump, but I still stood on my feet. Francesca must be located in one of the best cabins and believed that now she is in complete safety.

IВ covered eyelids and mentally imagined the whole ship. The screams ofВ the sea-gulls dropped away inВ the distance, the birds did not want toВ be flown toВ the ship, on which the predator was present. InВ this case, the birds were more susceptible than people, they did not believe inВ legends, they just knew that it was not worth flying there, where was aВ stronger predator.

It was necessary to look into the captain’s cabin. From there was a ringing of dishes, a knock of plates and glasses about a wooden table. There, most likely, the most honored passengers gathered to the late breakfast. They were unlikely to be on board. The search for Francesca will not be long. It was possible to hear the cry of a parrot in a cage, swinging under the cabin ceiling, to catch the vibration of furniture, weakly screwed to the floor, the clinking of spoons and cups, and one single phrase spoken by a clean female voice:

«You don’t think that we float too slowly, captain?»

An awkward pause has come, during which the captain thought about how toВ explain the lady that everything depends on what direction the wind blows. He wanted toВ say that all the sails are raised and there can be no more speed, but then he remembered that he had already spoke about it aВ couple ofВ times before breakfast.

«I apologize, milady, but I can only manage the ship and the team, and not the weather. I don’t order the wind,» he finally said.

В«And if you could manage the weather?В»

В«What did you say?В» He asked with bewilderment.

«You see for me all this is new and interesting. I don’t know anything about the ships, but I want to know,» Francesca immediately understand that it was necessary to be more careful. «For example, what will happen if the wind is stronger? Does this bring some favor to our movements? Does it somehow accelerate our swimming?»

В«InВ the event that the wind is not so strong toВ break the sails.В»

В«Excellent,В» the lady muttered with aВ gloomy humor, В«it means that it is equally bad for me aВ calm and aВ hurricane. Well, IВ pray that inВ the open sea it will not find aВ storm, В«she added louder.

В«Yes, the storm is always better toВ meet into the port,В» confirmed the captain, taken for the next portion ofВ the food. В«We have toВ swim many days before entering some kind ofВ harbor or bay. It will be fine, if this time things will turn out all right, because from one continent it is not near toВ another. And the oncoming vessels will be aВ bit.В»

В«And ofВ course it will be good if these oncoming vessels are not pirates,В» said the lady.

В«Well, on board there are enough guns and muskets, but it would be better not toВ risk,В» the captain answered. Already from the conversations IВ could conclude that he is just aВ nobleman, protected ofВ someone from the courtiers, but not aВ sea wolf. Yes, the usual captain could not get the ship, equipped and decorated with such screaming luxury.

В«The path ofВ the Lord is unknown,В» the lady said sadly. В«Someone is afraid ofВ robbers, but an attractive, young gold-haired aristocrat may be more cruel than all pirates together.

«Do you mean any events at the court?» the captain lowered the voice to one – two octaves.

Quiet rustling of curls and a ringing of diamond earrings – it means the lady has shook her head negatively.

«I meant that there is a danger much worse than an attack of pirates,» she patiently explained. «Someone sells a soul for other people’s treasures, someone for only a friendly look. In any case, at the court of the king, everything can happen,» the lady said.

В«There are many strange things at the court now. It is better not toВ talk about it. Dark silhouettes, unusual rustles and music inВ the locked rooms are not dangerous. The most important news is that the king has already chosen aВ heir who has not seen anyone, except one viscount and several courtiers. They swear that this heir is the most real sorcerer, but nevertheless young, handsome and gold-haired.

The captain tried toВ hint that even inВ the open sea should not insult the ruling monarch, speaking ofВ gold-haired criminals, because such aВ statement can be regarded as an insult. With the last words, the lady shuddered, the spoon fell out ofВ her hand.

В«Indeed, it is interesting news,В» she said and as if for herself added. В«But still, aВ strong passing wind would not preventВ us.

I was in the shade when Francesca came out of the captain’s cabin, rustling chiffon skirts and covering the shoulders with black, silk scarf. She hid something in a tightly compressed fist, but that was not able to consider. Light breeze played with the curls of blond hair. Going to the board, the countess pulled a white handkerchief out of the scarf. Already on a tiny monogram, embroidered in its corner it was clear that the handkerchief belonged not to her. These were Vincent’s initials. So the dark time of their union has not yet ended. Francesca began to untie the first small knot with her fingers. It was difficult. It seems I remembered the elementary initial magic, which she tried to call for help. The first knot is the wind, the second is a hurricane, the third is a strong storm, and after this, in inept hands, witchcraft can cause an elevation anger.

It was necessary toВ stop her until she did the trouble. The first signs ofВ thunderstorm already appeared inВ the sky. IВ tried toВ direct the wind stream so that it would pull out the handkerchief from the hands ofВ Francesca. It slipped out ofВ her fingers and smoothly fell into water.

How quickly the color of the sea water managed to change from the gentle-blue to dull – blue. Foam waves rhythmically beat about the board of the ship. Salted wet droplets beaded flew on clothes, cheeks, forehead and slightly cooled the unnatural hot heat of my skin. It’s time to grab the victim and fly away. In the sky, the first broken zipper flashed. Sailors engaged in riding surviving sails, do not even notice anyone’s disappearance. During the storm, many die, the vessel itself can spread in wreckage. Everyone will think that the countess fell abroad, and the wind drove the shouts. The highest waves occasionally took a wooden barrier and washed deck.

Francesca looked into muddy water, as if not noticing the whirlwind of flying splashes, only in the very last moment she felt that someone’s shiny claws stretch to her waist, and shuddered with all the body. I felt this trembling, because I had already had time to grab her and tear off the ride and unreliable deck under my feet.

Squeezing tightly my victim, IВ rushed away. IВ felt fear and despair ofВ the countess. Francesca did not even try toВ escape, she was simply numb, as if was just aВ lamb on the sacrifice, as if she did not suspect, that the flirting with aВ stranger was dangerous. IВ wanted toВ lose her inВ aВ muddy green water, so that she did not tell any secrets toВ anyone, but then IВ decided that it would be more humanely toВ commit aВ sacrifice on land, inВ one ofВ the secluded corners located at the borders ofВ my and county possessions. Francesca hung inВ dragon claws, her dress was wet, lush frills absorbed water and doubled the weight ofВ the fragile woman. Her multilateral inquisitive mind rushed toВ aВ dangerous path. She had toВ dye.

The presence of my predecessor was felt in the cave, signs of long-standing life were noticeable – a chest with opals, emeralds and malachite fragments in a niche, a small brazier, a pillar for the victim and shackles. In the depths of the cave glittered precious ore. I laid an insensible Francesca on the floor and chained one of her wrist towards a high post. The inhabitant of the cave, whoever he was, when he wakes up, will take care of the modest offer of his owner. Without feeling the slightest conscience, because Francesca was intensified into this dark matter herself, I returned to the estate with solid intentions to put Vincent beyond the door. I’m already tired of his dirty tricks. Any patience has a limit.

The house was warm and cozy. Soft carpets covering the floor, drove steps. Embroidered blankets and pads decorated furniture, recently woven tapestries were blocked on the walls. There are many crystal on the tables. The most amazing was that my «best friend», which I was going to drive away, didn’t steal anything. For him, such a long manifestation of honesty was a real wonder.

Vincent slept, curling out straight on the rug at the burning fireplace, and his appearance was absolutely innocent, as if it was not he, who helped Francesca inВ her whims. IВ did not decide toВ approach and wake him up. He resembled aВ homeless child, who was suddenly put toВ warm up byВ the fire, and it caused pity. Let him then take the attic if he likes it so much.

В«But one more prank and you will find out on the street, my friend,В» IВ added out loud.

Vincent sleepy asked:

В«What?В»

В«Nothing, sleep further,В» IВ have already gathered toВ leave, but he calledВ me.

В«Edwin!В»

В«Yes,В» IВ turned around.

«Thanks!» said Vincent. «You turned out to be more hospitable as the countess, she never even invited me to spend the night. If you already help her to return to the castle, then tomorrow we can put a visit to her, have a heart-to-hear talk with her. What would you do not decide, I will accept your side… so, from a sense of duty.»

В«The countess!В» IВ repeated tiredly, IВ threw the curls from the forehead, they were still wet from rain and snow. What did IВ do with the countess? IВ left her inВ some cave, alone with those who settled there beforeВ me.

В«Edwin, are you not well?В» InВ the voice ofВ Vincent, for the first time, flashed aВ concern. В«But it is impossible? Truth? You are the same as me, eternal and inviolable for death and ailments?В»

«Sit here, I’ll come back soon,» I said strictly.

В«Where are you going?В» Vincent muttered displeased and suspiciously.

В«Search misfortunes toВ my head,В» IВ recalled with aВ gloomy humor. It was impossible toВ answer that IВ was heading toВ the cave, check whether the countess was still alive or no longer. Already at the very entrance toВ the cave, IВ ordered its inhabitant toВ behave quietly and calmly stepped inВ the darkness, which was illuminated byВ radiance ofВ precious stones. Francesca has already woke up and tried inВ vain toВ free up her wrist. InВ vain attempts have not led toВ anything, except that the countess accidentally noticed the bronze scales ofВ who settled here before me, and was afraid ofВ him.

В«You can never wake aВ sleeping predator, otherwise, when you awaken, his anger will certainly fall on you,В» IВ said. The sounds ofВ my voice hit the walls ofВ the cave, but the echo did not follow them, only the oppressive dead silence.

Francesca turned out so abruptly that the chained wrist jumped involuntarily, and the shackle cut the skin toВ the blood.

«It is you again!» She just exhaled, either with hatred, or with a contempt, and maybe just with reproach.» I tried to turn away not to see the pale face of Francesca. From the smell of her blood began to torment me. The nails on the hand came up and stretched out, and I hid the hand behind my back. There is no need once again to watch the glitter of gold claws, it is too dazzling even for my own eyes. The flakes on golden claw caused inconvenience, this armor appeared on the wrist only in the case when I don’t avoid killing, but there was no one in the cave except for the countess and a huge reptile. For some incomprehensible reason, I didn’t want longer to kill Francesca, because she was still so young and beautiful.

В«If IВ let you go, do you promise toВ forget about my existence?В»

В«Forget?В» Francesca stumbled as if the phosphoric light came from my skin blinded her eyes.

«Yes, forget,» I immediately picked up the initiative. «Do not remember more about the picture, about the trip to the castle and even about the estate of Caryatid, I still will not be there soon. I will disappear from someone’s life, as I did it more than once and no longer appear.»

«Of course, you will no longer appear there,» she nodded with an unscrupulous arrogance. «With my silence, you are guaranteed the empty place of the king’s hear.»

It was worth me aВ lot ofВ work toВ restrain and not hit her. Francesca sadly laughed.

В«Why do you need toВ sit inВ the province, near the villages? You would be able toВ become aВ pet even byВ aВ more powerful king.

В«Keep silence!В» IВ ordered strictly.

В«Why have IВ toВ keep silence? Nobody hears us. There are no royal spies here. And even if there would be someone and conveyed the king about you? It is no use. The monarch wanted toВ see inВ you his son and his friend. It would be better if he chose someone from his courtiers toВ this role, and not aВ killer and arsonist.В»

Without restraining, IВ threw my hand from behind my back and cut with the claws the shoulder ofВ France. The look ofВ deformed hand shook her before she managed toВ scream from pain. The necklace was broken, the pearls rolled along the bottom ofВ the cave, the laces were broken, and long red scars from claws stretched on the shoulder. Previously, the executioners branded only fallen women, and IВ myself, not wanting, stamped the countess. Now these scars will always remind her ofВ what the strength she awakened, touching the portrait.

IВ cut the chain. Francesca, did not hold on her legs and fell. She tried toВ push off her palms from the bottom ofВ the cave and climb, but confused inВ long skirts. The hair fell on her forehead and when she took them into her hand, she saw that IВ brought aВ claw for another blow, but this hit did not come over her. The countess screamed and tried toВ crawl from the aВ huge ugly snake with fragile dragon wings and aВ poisonous saliva, fluttered along with blood ofВ dissected throat. Her ankle stuck between the broken and sharp growths ofВ stalagmites, so it could not be released. IВ had toВ throw off the shoe and it probably remained forever toВ lie among the flickering stones and minerals. IВ did not doubt that now the countess will be go out from the cave and will find the road herself, but still on the way back, knocking at her fortress, IВ ordered the servants toВ take the crew and go toВ meet the countess. Nobody dreamed me toВ object, my statement was too convinced that her lordship had changed her mind toВ sail over theВ see.

Returning home, IВ found Vincent there. It was clear that he had already found out everything and believed that IВ behaved me mean, even worse than he himself.

«Go drink something and don’t look at me as if I am a complete villain,» I warned. «You also did not always follow the conscience.»

В«Do you mean aВ granted village?В» He immediately became red, quite, as aВ schoolboy who was guilty. Only he was not ashamed at all, and just afraid ofВ punishment and regretted that he was so quickly caught.

В«Was it noble?В»

В«At least you had the opportunity toВ fly,В» he grunted softly, but IВ appreciated the justice ofВ comments. If IВ myself had now decided toВ attack, then Vincent could not fly or hide or even defend.

В«Immediately it is clear that the angry crowd did not attack you.В»