Rhianon-8. War and Magic
Natalie Yacobson
Until now, the will of heaven has forced Madael to fight only on the side of justice, but out of jealousy he breaks the law of heaven and takes the side of King Manfred. The king, who had dreamed of enlisting the support of the winged warrior, quickly regrets the fact that he got him. After all, it turns out that he has summoned a true demon lord to his armies. Madael wants to give Rhianon an ultimatum. She must give him the child she is about to give birth to.
Rhianon-8. War and Magic
Natalie Yacobson
Translator Natalia Lilienthal
© Natalie Yacobson, 2022
© Natalia Lilienthal, translation, 2022
ISBNВ 978-5-0059-0923-7 (С‚. 8)
ISBNВ 978-5-0056-8618-3
Created with Ridero smart publishing system
General interests
She was awakened byВ aВ terrifying noise. The walls ofВ the castle seemed toВ be shaking, as if some force was destroying the sky and the earth beneath them. Rhianon opened her eyes and noticed how the crystal on the dressing tables trembled and the pendants ofВ the chandelier shook. Everything from the bases ofВ the earth, the piles and foundations toВ the uppermost spires on the towers was inВ motion. It felt as if some giant was destroying aВ grandiose structure with his mighty fist like aВ toy. What was it? Was it an earthquake, aВ hurricane ofВ unbelievable strength? Was it aВ storm or aВ doomsday?
At the last guess, she jumped up and began dressing herself in a hurry, not waiting for the fairy maids. What if it was Madael who had come with all his hellish army? What if right now he was standing under the gates of the castle, demanding her surrender, and the noble Ferdinand, of course, would not agree to part with his imaginary spouse? If it were his will, he would not give her up to any demon. But Madael, even alone without his infernal army, is capable of crushing not only the entire royal castle, but Vinor as well. He could turn an entire country to rubble without a second thought. Once he walks through the streets of the city with his flaming sword without his helmet on, those who don’t have time to take his head off will go blind or mad at the sight of him. And if he were to summon a pack of his dragons, they’d have no trouble turning half the world to ash.
With horror, Rhianon could hardly think straight. She grabbed the most sumptuous of her dresses. The ceremonial garment had been the first to arrive. The ceremonial garment fastened at the front with dainty gold buttons, like a royal emblem. She kept the dragon comb in her hair until she went to bed. Surprisingly, it did not prevent her from resting her head comfortably on the pillow. But she had strange dreams, as if she were lying dead under a mountain of treasure in a dragon’s cave, not living in a castle. Maybe it wasn’t her, but some other girl. The dream seemed so real.
В«Mistress!В»
It was Domian already knocking on the door of the secret passage that he appeared to have known about long ago. Last night they had agreed that he would snitch on her about everything that was going on in the castle and help as much as he could. He respected the fallen angel’s friend in her so much that he was willing to forget all self-interest. He didn’t really have any hobbies. He was tired of power and the impossibility of delaying the impending infirmity and old age. All his dreams had long been to gather as much information about Lucifer’s army as possible and, if possible, to get closer to it. Rhianon had helped him get so close to his cherished dream that the poor man felt dizzy. He had realized from the first that had it not been for her arrival in Vinor he would never have found the angel’s wing feather. If Rhianon had not come, the winged knight that Domian had been able to see at the tournament would never have arrived. Rhianon had advised him not to look too closely in the future, lest he lose his sight. Only she did not know whether Domian would have the fortitude to heed her advice when temptation was near again.
All along it seemed to her that Madael would come here and his appearance would prove devastating not only to her, but to everything around her now. She just didn’t think it would happen so soon.
If Domian was knocking on her door this early, something incredible had happened. Yesterday, when he’d helped her carry and hide the sword, he’d acted surprisingly manly, today his voice was trembling. Then something terrible was about to happen. Rhianon did not immediately think of him bringing her news of another attack. What if war had already begun? Had Manfred found powerful new allies and attacked Vinor himself? It was unlikely to happen, and yet fear struck her.
For aВ minute she came toВ her senses, not even rushing toВ let the waiting Domian in. He must have thought something must have happened toВ her already, because he looked extremely frightened. The first thing he did was toВ look at the window, which was wide open.
В«Close it!В» He pleaded.
В«But why is it?В» Rhianon took her time. Her windows were too high above ground level. Even if aВ storm were toВ break out below the cliffs on which the fortress towered inВ the Royal Harbor, it was unlikely that the spray from the waves would reach that high up. В«Is there aВ storm coming? Or are we being taken under siege? Should IВ be wary ofВ enemy arrows?В»
He shook his head inВ the negative.
В«Very well,В» Rhianon knew ofВ only one kind ofВ creature other than aВ bird that could fly inВ here. An unsettling suspicion stirred inВ her heart again. Could it be Madael?
«It is better for you not to be alone now. It will be safer in the throne room. The men are gathered there. The archers in the towers are ready to fire, too, if necessary. They’re good shots. But their arrowheads aren’t designed to penetrate such armor.»
«You intrigue me,» Rhianon took her hand mirror and gazed at her reflection. She hadn’t slept much tonight, but she looked beautiful. Behind her was the reflection of a misty dawn and an open window. Something seemed to gleam in the gray sky. Rhianon noticed that the curve of a wing was reflected in the mirror.
В«Be careful!В» Dominic warnedВ her.
She stepped back from the window and peered beyond, where she could make out the shape of a dragon. She focused her sharpened vision. The dragon must be able to see her from this distance, but he didn’t need her. She really needed him, though. He was a bright copper-yellow hue, with incredible green eyes like emeralds and a golden crest across his back.
«Just don’t get Vivian here. He needs his dragon scales armor alone,» she grinned, took one last look in the mirror to fix her disheveled locks, and was off before Domian could stop her.
«Where are you going?» He clasped his hands in despair as he struggled to keep up with her. «The throne room, I told you, is where everyone is…»
But she was hurtling up the countless flights of steps and spiral staircases. The more swiftly the others flocked down into the warmth and safety of the throne room, the more she was drawn upward, to the very spires of the towers, to the parapet, to the gray overcast skies. She had been afraid of heights before, but now she longed to go up. Soon she was on the roof. It was cold up here. The archers, who had already prepared to shoot, didn’t even notice her. Some were drawing the bowstring, others were checking the sharpness of their arrows, and some were firing cannons and heavy cannonballs. The dragon was just approaching the castle. In another minute it would either fly swiftly over the spires or attack. If the second happened, there would be a battle that these people might not win. Rhianon imagined how pathetic they looked in the dragon’s eyes. They were small and frail, with their bows and toy sabers or swords. They would do him even less harm than needles would do a thick turtle shell.
Rhianon held her breath. Here was her chance toВ negotiate with the dragon. It is with another one. This one was much bigger than the one she had played with inВ the cave. It was prettier, stronger, and surely more powerful. Rhianon knew he could see her even from aВ great distance. She stood on the parapet. The excitement was so great that even the fear ofВ falling down inВ front ofВ him meant nothing.
В«Notice me! Notice me!В» She begged him mentally. В«IВ need toВ negotiate with you.В»
Her puffy azure dress fluttered inВ the wind, must have looked like aВ banner. InВ any case, the frail maiden figure must attract aВ dragon. He is drawn byВ beauty and innocence, something Dennitsa had before he fell. Dragons are magnetically attracted toВ anything that even remotely resembles him. And who is more like him than she? So she must be more precious toВ them than all the other innocent maidens, or gold, or jewels. They must all strive for her, and even fight over her if they must. It would be better if they fought at her side. Rhianon trembled with anticipation. Just aВ moment more and she could look into his eyes, reach out and touch the sharp teeth ofВ the comb on his head, mentally start aВ conversation.
It was very cold on high ground. Even the archers, dressed warmly under their cuirasses, were freezing, their fingers straining the bowstring and laying arrows trembling, either from strain or from cold. She herself was warmed by the flames that beat beneath her skin instead of her blood. Her magical power was growing. Even if a dragon came at her with fire, she could summon her power into an invisible shield and fend off the blow. She didn’t want to burn the dragon herself. For him it was a bad time anyway. It was going to rain. Rhianon felt the first raindrops hit her face.
В«IВ must speak toВ you, please!В» She was whispering instead ofВ speaking mentally. В«Just look atВ me!В»
Look at me! This is how the forest fairies beg the wayfarers toВ turn around at the seductive voice and be captured byВ them forever. InВ fact, she wanted the same thing. Rhianon expected that byВ recognizing inВ her the likeness ofВ his first warlord, all the infernal creatures would serve her. With her own tame dragons, she could become the strongest ruler inВ the world. How toВ make them at least look at her and discern inВ her all the things they had long loved and lost.
If the dragon has already spotted the lonely figure standing on the parapet with her golden head and the stolen comb in her hair, what is he waiting for? It is, after all, his comb. Rhianon had already guessed. The dragon flew here to return what he had stolen. Naturally he would have returned it, along with his new victim. Surely, in his mind, any girl who wore his jewelry herself would also become his property. He could sense from afar that a living creature owned his thing. He planned to grab it along with the comb and carry it away with him. So what is he waiting for? Why doesn’t he pick it up and rain fire down on the castle while he still has the strength. And will he be able to spew jets of flame when the storm comes? Rhianon didn’t even know that.
She noticed how the dragon slowed its flight. It regarded her long and intently. Sharply glowing eyes glittered in his forehead. It looked as if it reflected a rainbow. The curved horns bent just above it. Its nostrils flared menacingly, but it kept its fire out, though that had been its intention just a moment ago – to explode the castle in flames. Rhianon suddenly realized that she could read his thoughts. She’d never been able to do that before. Could it be because of the comb?
In any case, a ridge would not have the power to make a dragon hover in the air above the tower and gaze at the young queen. The archers amicably lowered their arrows, but they bounced off the dragon’s armor in an instant. One of the arrows that ricocheted back struck the archer in the shoulder. Now his comrades were supporting him, and he was bleeding. Someone shouted that it was time to fire the cannons. Rhianon hoped the dragon would fly over the tower before the gunner lit the fuse. Or would a cannonball also do it no harm?
В«Could we make aВ deal?В» She turned toВ him mentally.
Maybe she thought the crowned head bowed slightly, as if to pay her respects. That’s how you bow to your mistress.
The clawed paw did not reach forward toВ take the comb out ofВ her hair. The dragon stared at her carefully, almost appraisingly. And then suddenly it turned and flew away.
В«No!В» Rhianon was furious. She even clenched her fists. She would have loved toВ fire at him now, toВ scorch his impenetrable tail and wings and spine. But she was being watched. The tower was full ofВ archers, squires bringing arrows and gunners. All these people must not know that their queen could breathe fire as well as aВ dragon.
Rhianon was furious. How many witnesses watched as the dragon turned and flew away from her? Now they all knew ofВ her humiliation. Instead ofВ serving her, or at least grabbing her and carrying her away toВ negotiate elsewhere, the dragon simply abandoned her and flew away.
Had she had strength enough, she would have torn it toВ pieces herself toВ make armor from its scales and wear it as aВ battle trophy. She knew such warlords who made cups for themselves out ofВ the skull ofВ aВ defeated enemy. Now she even understood them. She wanted the same thing. But aВ dragon that had flown away was beyond her reach.
And on top of that, there were so many onlookers watching her fail. They were the only ones who looked at her with admiration. Of course, they didn’t know that it wasn’t her victory, but her defeat.
Rhianon slid surprisingly easily off the parapet, careful not toВ look down. The height frightened her. The roof ofВ the castle became wet with rain drops. Carefully avoiding the puddles, she wandered away into the warmth and comfort ofВ the castle chambers. And just as she was leaving, aВ thunderstorm began.
«He wants to see you,» the spirit whispered in her ear, not even paying attention to the fact that she didn’t want to hear it. The quiet whisper merged with the crackling of the fire in the fireplace, and it was impossible to distinguish one from the other.
Rhianon rested her head on the back of the carved chair and watched the play of the flames in the fireplace’s yawning fireplace. Today it did not irritate, on the contrary, it sent a kind of pleasant current through her veins. After soaking in the rain, she didn’t feel hot from the flames inside her. This had happened to her for the first time. Had one mishap made the fire in her go out?
Rhianon was not even sure what the invisible interlocutor was talking about. And when she did, he was already breaking news.
«You didn’t see that the dragon didn’t fly back out to sea, did you?
В«Well, yes,В» she nodded apathetically.
«There are caves beyond the forest where no one lives yet, and he waits there…»
She nodded apathetically.
В«Why isВ it?В»
В«You must tell him what you want from him?В»
«What is it?» Rhianon turned her head in confusion. She couldn’t see the spirit behind her, of course, but she could distinguish his voice better.
«He knows you want something from him. Well, he’ll grant you anything you want. I can tell him.»
She didn’t know whether to be more surprised by the helpfulness of the spirit or by the dragon’s willingness to cooperate with her.
«Wouldn’t it be better if Vivian found him first?»
A dragon slayer! Rhianon grinned. It wasn’t the left and the cleansed world that he wanted, it was just impenetrable armor. Rhianon did not believe that Vivian had enough strength of his own to defeat a dragon alone, or even with an entire squad. If someone resorted to magic to drug the beast with a potion that deprived or trapped it, then Vivian with his sword could already prove to be a hero. But who would dare do such a thing?
Rhianon began toВ drum her nails against the armrest ofВ her chair. Sparks shot out from under her fingernails, lightly marring the smooth, polished surface.
She didn’t know how to call out to the spirit, for it had no name, so she only asked quietly.
В«Could you answer one question?В»
В«What is it?В» He answered readily.
В«Why do dragons turn their backs on me now? Am IВ so ugly that IВ frighten them? Or is it something else?В»
He grinned quickly. The laugh was like aВ slap inВ the face. It was the same way she felt when the dragon turned away fromВ her.
«They don’t like me for abandoning Madael?»
For the first time, the spirit did not find something toВ answer. His jaw must have dropped, or he was running out ofВ words.
Rhianon stared sadly at the flames. It was as if she were right. For all her charm and resemblance toВ their fallen leader, they loved him more. They stillВ did.
She clawed at the chair with her fingernails. What charm it takes toВ be worshipped byВ those you cast into hell.
В«IВ want toВ be like him,В» she muttered into the void.
В«Well, then you must learn how toВ wield aВ sword,В» the spirit inside her responded.
Rhianon was in complete agreement, except that she wished it wasn’t enough.
Rhianon made an appointment inВ the forest before the caves. The spirit insisted that she should not go there herself, because it would be easier toВ send him, but as always Rhianon insisted.
She could send no one else on such an important errand. Besides, how could she have known that the spirit would give the dragon exactly what she said, not her own embellished version.
She could only negotiate with someone inВ person. But the forest greeted her with aВ sullen silence. The large clearing inВ the thicket, where someone had uprooted and felled all the trees, was empty.
The place had been cleared, but the dragon was gone. Rhianon already regretted wearing the crest that was supposed toВ be the identifying mark.
She waited until she began toВ notice some movement behind the trees. She was immediately reminded ofВ the nighttime treasure hunters. What if something similar was happening inВ this forest?
