Amaranta. Rival of Fairies’ Queen

A little behind the boy stood a slim lady in a luxurious green dress and the same mask from golden leaves, fully closed face. The feeling was such that the mask grows straight from her skin. Moreover, the same golden leaves visited the same golden leaves on the palms under long grains of green sleeves. Probably, the lady wore bracelets. But how does this impression come from that these leaves germinate from her hands?!

«A companion, hmm…» The boy who met the carriage, clearly felt a little embarrassing. «Mrs. Iveina is not entirely the satellite.»

«But still let him come. Will be a guest. Or even a girlfriend of the bride. One of my maids fell ill and died during marine voyage. Now I miss the bridesmaids for an even number. They should be even quantity.»

«Uriella did not die. One of the sons of the sea called her with him from the ship, and she jumped into the bunch behind him. He can let her go to the wedding. I can transfer him a message from you, written on the shell. Only in this case the son of the sea, who kidnapped her, will come to a wedding with her, and wet traces will remain everywhere. So I don’t really advise you to invite Uriella and him, if you do not want the lock partially flooded. You see, since the Queen of Lilofey (she was a terrestrial princess before it became the wife of the sea king) tried to escape back to the father, the sons of the sea no longer trust their sweethearts who ask to visit their relatives on the Earth. These girls, even if they love their kidnappers, sometimes have a strong nostalgia. It is worth them to step back to the ground, and they can hate the underwater kingdom, where they lived comfortably among the wonders and treasures.

But this speech of the boys has already resembled a draw or nonsense.

«Did you decide to tell me fairy tales?»

He crashes as if he was struck.

«No, sorry, I just thought that your friend Uriella, for sure, did not leave you a farewell inscription on deck with blood and water. And if she left, then you did not understand it. The language of the underwater inhabitants is too complicated, and if they want people to understand them, they are came themselves, and everything becomes bad from their manners. Therefore, I decided to explain to you, where your maid disappeared. She did not show any disrespect for you, that she left, she was just lured under the water. When the water pop up from the waves and play on the swirls, mortal girls are hypnotized by their music. Even love Sonata is no longer needed.

It seems that he did not understand that the girls who jumped from the ship to the open sea are most likely becoming drunk. The fact that their corpse did not come to the surface, does not mean that they became princess in the underwater kingdom. Amaranta frowned, remembering that symbols drawn by blood and water on the deck really appeared. Sailors were baptized for a long time, finding them a bad omen. And Uriella before disappeared, she was sick for a long time and complained that she hears some kind of melody straight from the waves. Others did not hear it, but Uriella had blood from it from ears.

Sorry for Uriella. She was the most beautiful of the girlfriends of the bride, but she began to talk to the waves and rushed overboard. Only its veil then swam on the water.

The sea is a terrible place. Amaranta would not be able to transfer a long voyage a second time. When you are in the open sea in cloudy weather, really you start thinking that thousands of monsters are watching you out of depths, scratching the bottom of the ship, and fiercely whisper about people who accidentally found themselves in their possessions.

Once Amaranta had a nightmare dream about the underwater inhabitants who keep the advice: heat their ship or not. The vessel really threw out of the side to the side and almost listed on the reefs. Someone one of the sea creatures said that it was not worth it, because one of the girls on board was too valuable. Which they meant? Uriella, which was kidnapped. Here, she is already starting to think like a boy. Under the influence of anthracite eyes under deciduous mask slots. The lady for his back his eyes were aquamarine, like two gems. She was silent all the time. Iveina, so it was called. Curious name. Sounds like rustling foliage.

«What is your name?»

The boy even embarrassed from the fact that she was interested in his humble person.

«I am Ivor,» he retreated a step back instead of wing, as it should be.

«What is the name of that wizard who made you such a mask?»

Here he was no longer answered, and Iveina laughed in the woolly. Her lips under the golden leaves were not visible. Laughter proceeded, as if from the inside of the statue. Amaranta satellites even did not wake up from it. It seems that they hit the sleepy kingdom.

Or maybe all this dream? And she just sleeps? Amaranta reached for Ivour. He was completely real. And his clothes from soft velvet. And on the palms of the same leaves like at Iveina. And they grew up with the back of the palm, and with outdoor. Grew? Amaranta didn’t believe it too much, but failed to touch them. Ivor snatched his hand.

«I had to tell you something,» said he.

Amaranta looked at him closely from the window of the carriage.

«We welcome you! And… Ivor accurately frowned under the mask, because gold leafs were trembling in eyebrows. He could not remember something important.

«And?» Amaranta suggested.

«Dagda ordered me to tell me something, but I do not remember…»

Dagda? What is the name? Like an ancient pagan god or the ruler of wild tribes. From the politeness Amaranta nodded.

«Do not remember, then do not remember. I’m not angry with you.»

«Oh, you are very generous. Looking at you, I begin to respect mortal girls.»

Well, here he is again for his jokes. He repels about people as if he does not apply to them, but to the race of the gods. For him, this is normal, he, after all, the child could also go. But the adult lady for his back would have to interrupt the draw. If only it is not included in some local traditions of receiving the bride from other people’s edges. There are a variety of wedding rituals in different countries. And in small island kingdoms on holidays, there are even strange rituals. Suddenly, here the masks from leaves are something ritual. It is worth checking out.

«Can you remove the mask?» She asked for Ivor.

«Not now!»

«Why?»

He looked at Iveina

«Why can’t you take it right now? I want to see your face, not a mask.»

Ivor bent to the window of the carriage and whispering a conspiratorial tone.

«It grows into the skin with the sunset.»

So it, however, grows out of skin. Or is he joking? Amaranth managed to tear off one leaf.

«Ouch, it hurts!» Ivor straight screamed.

«Sorry!»

She turns a sparkling leaf in the fingers. He was made of pure gold.

It seems that Ivor really was hurt. His companions at once were alerted and began to remind ready to rush into the battle. Ivor said something to them in an incomprehensible language, and then he turned back to Amaranta. He did not go blood from his chin, although it was from there and a golden leaf was revealed. So, he still did not grow out of the skin, since there is no blood. And pain can be depicted.

«All the mortals are the same jokers,» Ivor’s voice suddenly became no childish but evil and cruel. «There are many troubles from them. They ruin the fields, and the forests are damaged, our flowers are torn, they expel our vassals from all holes. Therefore, we fought. You do not want a new war?»

His words were angry. It seems that from the underground kingdom, the whole rail of terrible monsters warriors is breaking, which to bear numbers. It is standing to pass out, and they will reach the human world in one fell.

Ivor did not talk about anything, but it seemed that he said, and showed.

«Don’t make me angry,» he bounced offended and suddenly disappeared, as if he was not. His companions are no longer visible. The road is empty.

«In vain, you did it,» Infanta said, greedily looking at the golden leaf, which Amaranth spit in her hands.

The grooms began to wake up, her maids too. Amaranta barely managed to prevent them that they need to turn from this road.

«There’s the way to cliff, I was explained by a passing peasant,» she turned out. For some reason, she did not want to tell about the people in golden masks.

Expand the crew turned out to be unexpectedly difficult, as if some creatures were clung to the wheels and did not give to go on. Amaranta seemed that she hears their laughter and even sees how they swing on the axes, trying to pull them out of the wheels. They were frozen and shaggy.

«Do not stick to us!» they were angry.

Only none of the satellites have seen them, besides the horses who tried to flood them with hooves.

The golden web on the left side of the new road, which was able to leave, no one also noticed. But the flickering creatures are crawling along it, or women, whether the spides, gloatingly whispered after Amaranta.

«How good that you arrived! We all welcome you!»

It was worth turning to the rear window of the carriage, and they no longer see them behind. Either the carriage is going too quickly, or a huge web with Arachnes was only an illusion.

Golden game

The king of the elves appeared suddenly. Angus did not expect him to visit right now. And how can he call the guest of the one who originated right from the emptiness on the other side of the table from you.

Just ranked somewhere bells, sounded right above the ear of wonderful voices, and here the elf is already here. Dagda clearly made a moment when Angus remained alone and without servants, and without vassals. Obviously, before appearing to all the inhabitants of the county, he wanted to agree on something with the count personally. But as it turned out, he wanted only to play, and the invisible servants were taken in care that all items disappeared from the table. Instead of them, the gold figures were lined up on the countertop: or chess, or checkers. They moved themselves. They did not need to even touch them. Angus has never become a participant in the game in which it is not necessary to play. Everything is done by yourself.

«I just check the honesty of your intentions,» Dagda admitted, «and see that they are honest.»

«And how can this be seen?» perplexed Angus. Unless the elf knows how to read thoughts in the face.

«They catch all your intentions,» Dagda waved his hand to spinning figures, which resemble golden tornados. His nails were also gold covered with some embossed patterns. You do not need to wear with such nails and rob. Such nails are already as a jewel.

Angus felt not in his place. Although he was sitting in his own chair in his castle, and Dagda was here just a guest. But in the presence of an elf, the owner of the castle felt himself uncomfortable.

«So, do you know all my thoughts?»

The elf looked at him through the table with clean azure eyes, for which, as if darkness was hiding.

«They know!» He nodded again on the figures, reminding the ghosts from the golden sand.

«You have a lot of thoughts, but among them there is not a single insidious idea,» the king of Elves decreased to clarification. «From the people you’re the first one, whom I can call sincere. So let’s be friends.»

A good offer! Is it an honest one. Angus remembered the disturbing stories of the peasants and even several knights who returned from the forest in a terrible state and swore that the evil spirits almost pinched them to death.

«In our areas, they say that Elves can not honest,» Angus admitted. He did not want Dagda to consider him petty or unfriendly.

«In my country the elves talk about people the same,» said the guest indifferently. «But I see that it is not always worth believing what they say. People are different as we, elves.»

«Among you there are not only an elves,» Angus did not even know how to call those terrible creatures that sometimes began to appear here together with quite harmless fairies.

«Now I offer friendship from the face of the whole of my magic people, no matter how much varieties do not belong to them, as you have suggested a friendly union to me on behalf of the whole county, although not all the knights are also generous as you.»

«You already know about their contradictions?»

«I know about everything,» Dagda unexpectedly caught one of the golden figures with his hand. Under his fingers, it took the outlines of the flower closed by the petals in the ring.

«You think now about your bride, which sailed here through the sea. Give it to her!»

Angus took the ring uncertainly. For such elegant work, no earthly jeweler is capable.

«She exactly likes it!»

«I know how to please how to earth girls and fairies,» Dagda had a self-confident appearance.

«How can I thank you?»

«Only being honest in communication. I can’t endure hypocrisy.»

And it says master of all elves. Is it worth trusting him or is it a tricky trap? He came here and now lubricate people to himself in the magical seven hills, and then rip them on the feast. Doesn’t the legends go about him that he did this with his enemies from the magic clan?

«The danger was waiting on the sea,» Dagda said. «Your bride had not to saile by the sea. Water like beautiful girls, but the risk is already behind. Amaranta is save and sound on the shore.

«You even know her name!»

«You know it, and I know everything you know.»

«And I don’t know anything about you. Do you have a Queen?» Angus asked with trepidation and felt relief when Dagda denied it. Seeing the real elf, unwittingly feel jealousy. He wanted Dagda to belong only to him. Even thoughts about Amaranta disappeared somewhere. Angus fed to the guest charm.

«At least you have a bride?»

They want to impose me one, but before it happens, there will be the next war. Already between us, elves. It will not affect you.»

It is easy to say!

«This bride is so ugly that you do not want her. She is a monster from the forest.|

«She’s something like a black storm, which if you let her in our possessions, enlisters with her black everything and enslave us all.»

«Then do not marry her!»

«It is easier to say than to do.»

The creature, who came with Dagda diligently made the view that he did not overhear the conversation. The game on the table was done by itself. In the hall hung such a pleasant atmosphere, as if everything was warmed from the sun, descended into the castle straight from heaven. It is a solid pleasure to have an elf as a guest.

The king of elves, it should be noted, was incredibly beautiful. Near him, Angus was almost ugly. Is all elves so beautiful that even the most impoverished earth guy compared to them can be considered crippled? They are also strong not like people, but as titans. Dagda easily crushed the stairs to the railway, forgotten by some of the guards, while not borrowing about her spikes and not even noticing what he did.

He would be the whole castle to crush with one fist. It’s well to have such an ally. With him no war is terrible. You just need to try so that he does not become an enemy again.

Near Dagda, a green creature was expected, resembling a living tree. It held a bundle of pure gold keys. What are the gold resources of elves, if they don’t even have copper keys, but gold? How would you take all this at least partially?

Angus himself could not understand where such a bad thought was from. He was never greedy. And to steal something from the elves is almost a suicide. They are hundreds of times stronger than people and immediately account for the thief. So what does he think about their wealth?!

«Take something from them! At least try!» As if someone is a terrible, monstrous and planted in a distant underground cell, woke up and fiercely whispered in his ears. This someone, dark and terrible, oddly enough led to a beautiful and shining Dagda. It did not lead, of course, in the literal sense, but his presence was pending, like a black cloud. This someone is angry with the fire of the rod of his cell. He demanded to make some kind of evil. Angus shook his head to get rid of the title. It seemed that the thunderstorm cloud was hung over the hall, and the rain was not water from her, but a black fitness and blood.

Vision instantly passed. Did Dagda see it? The elf looked entirely focused on the game. His golden eyebrows frowned, eyes under the sparkling eyelashes stressed the figures. His eyes change the color, Angus noted it with surprise. They are green as grass, then blue, like the sky. Slightly curly hair reached shoulders. In color, they were also like pure gold. And on the face of the king of elves is nice to look. It immediately causes sympathy. It even entails him. Probably, for the girl it is impossible to be near him and immediately do not fall in love with madness. It is probably why he decided to meet alone with the count so that no one else saw him. Otherwise, broken hearts will bear numbers.

«What are you waiting for? He is near, and you don’t even try to cripple him or kill,» the wary voice came out again. It was worth covering eyelids, and Angus almost saw a monster in a cage that appeared to him from the dungeon. «Call at least pops from rural churches, if you are weak yourself. They know how to harm elves.»

This gloomy creation in a cell has dozens of clawed hands and hundreds of heads. All this is a crazy dream! He got drunk too much. Angus shook his head, trying to come to himself.

Dagda frowned, watching the game.

«Do you feel it too? Someone third is between us?» honestly asked him Angus, but did not receive the answer.

Dagda only flashed with golden eyelashes and smiled as if he was able to look into his soul and read all human fears and doubts there.

Their eyes met: Blue of the Elf and brown of the count. From the look of Dagda came an unexpected calm, as if a multi-headed and multi-rigid monster in a cage did not exist even in a dream.

«I am more pleasant to have you in friends than in the enemies,» Dagda noticed and ordered his companion to transfer the count one of the gold keys. «Just turn it in your hands and call me instantly when you wish.» No matter how far I am, but I will immediately be on the call.

The key lay on the pad from the green leaves and really reminded the magical.

«So you can lure you into the trap.»

«But for the sake of friendship, I go to risk.»

How this elf is unusual. And how nice to make friends with him! And what would be a fight with him?

«The war is not far off,» the same evil voice made from the cage, but Angus had never listened to it.

«By the way, I bring the wonderful wine as a gift and pretty girlfriends to entertain you while you are waiting for the bride.»

From the last Angus wanted to refuse, but the beauties in the eastern robes and with the wings already arose near, offered him sweets and mouthpiece. From vapor and aromatic smoking made dizzy the head. One of the peri reminded him Amaranta, and the entrance door was tightly closed. No one will see, unless in the keyhole, that the groom spends time with wizards. Dagda himself, kindly offered them, has already disappeared somewhere. Apparently, he himself did not like to entertain. Or, that black, like a cloud, bride poisoned his interest in women and fun. Angus even felt abandoned from the fact that the king of the elves went somewhere. Although it is difficult to feel himself abandoned in the company of the magic beauties.

Elves at the wedding

The day of wedding came. Amaranta was in a white silk dress, decorated with the flowers and with a bouquet of roses in her hands. A heavenly vision! And the temple is just heavenly, although created by the hands of the fairies. In the arches behind her back reflected the sky and clouds. The temple tiers were arranged so cunning, as if the structure was in heaven. Such close clouds seem only here. Amaranta looked like a flying angel. The bridal veil from lace framed her blond curls. The face is struck by incomparable beauty. Well, not a fairy! Even Dagda will envy such beauty.

«You can’t imagine how right are you!»

The count shuddered. Where did the voice come from? It seemed from the emptiness itself. Or from the clouds? This is again the jokes of the elves or this time is it a warning from angels. If the first one, then nothing, even with the elves and the peace is concluded, but they love to fool all the same, but the second alarmed. The count sighed with relief, noticing that it says an unusual bird flying for Amaranta. It was white with a bright amber spot in the forehead, resembling a gem and a fluffy cockle on the head. He was already warned that this bird knows how to speak to the people. There is nothing surprising in this. He himself used to collect in the poultry house the speaking parrots delivered from foreign countries. But in the fluffy bird of Amaranta he preferred to see the special blessing of heaven.

It was attributed to the ability to predict the future, but in this count preferred not to really believe. What this bird was called, he did not even know, although he collected the most rare feathered species in his poultry house. But the birds possessing the gift of foresight, he has not yet seen. And did not even hear about the probability of existence. Unless she flew out of the Magic World of fairies. But then he knew about it. All creatures who came to the county after the conclusion of his union with Dagda, were in line, because now they were obliged to come, fly or cord only after official warning. So installed Dagda himself. He, too, as it turned out, did not want to quarrel anymore.

«He is very merciful, our ruler,» a tiny drunk elf tumbled in a barrel. Now he drank without fear, and therefore did not hurry to fly away when he got drunk, and his tongue was unleashed. «Good, bold, brave, humane, no one punishes in vain. There were still no such as he. Therefore, for him a couple of centuries ago, everyone voted unanimously.»

«Were there many others?» asked Angus.

«Yes, many…» The elf did not remember himself from intoxication. «Wait, after all, he rules not a couple of centuries, but already four or five,» he began to count on his fingers and suddenly it turned out that he had a lot of fingers than a pair of dozens on every tiny handle.?

The count was curious about the world of elves.

«But someday you will start this world to destroy,» the bird whispered, sowing him on the shoulder at the altar, as if acknowledged for the owner, the future husband of the hostess.

And the count again did not believe it. It’s just a bird chatter. It is not wiser than the words of the scientist parrot.

There were many supernatural guests. Residents of the county have already managed to get used to them, but here are people invited from the city, they are frightened. Fortunately, there was still no fight and quarrels. Angus was thinking about how to avoid mutual offense, since the townspeople are frightened by his magic guests. It was not necessary, of course, to invite anyone from Rodolit – the city closest to the county, but then the bishop would be nowhere to call. According to the traditions of the country, the Count had to marry not a simple priest and not even a cardinal, but only a bishop sent by the king himself. Now the rumors will reach the king that in the county, evil spirits live side by side with mortals. Probably, everyone will give a hint that it’s time to finish hostility. The magic creatures are stronger than people. You can not fight with them, you can only make a compromise. And Count Angus went to it. But is it worth expecting such humanity from the others? The bishop was displeasured, settled on the elves and fairies, although they were all beautiful as on the selection. And for some reason, they came to the wedding in white. Probably, they are considered to be a festive color. In snow-white clothes with a sparkling edging, they looked very solemnly. That’s just their wings occupied a lot of space and sometimes they whipped the people not on purpose. There were heard outraged exclamations, but no one was able to call the elves to the duel. Immediately it was clear to them to lose.

Amaranta did not show the slightest fear, having learned that the elves were now settled in the county, as if she was familiar with such creatures before. At the sight of ugly trolls and Finodirriers in the crowd, she also did not express squeamishness. But her companions, including the old nurse were very frightened.