As soon as the road rolled to the cliff, the horses were frightened. Countess Francesca hurriedly jumped out of the sleigh. In a road dress, with disheveled blond hair, she resembled an angry nymph.

«How did you dare to leave the castle not to say goodbye? She shouted, but the young man who stood on the edge of the cliff did not even turn around. It seemed that he was not worried or anger, nor the favor of famous persons.

For the first time, Francesca regretted that she was sheltered in her castle this stray painter. When he late at night came to the gates of the fortress and showed her samples of his works, she was fascinated and did not even notice that the grave’s cold was blowing from these pictures. She wanted to hire a talented artist to work, but as soon as he crossed the threshold of her dwelling, the castle was filled with invisible guests. Objects moved by themselves, the wind broke the windows, and at night there was a mysterious melody, as if someone played on the harp. The servants began to happen about the mischievous elves. But after all, Francesca did not believe in the elves. She did not believe and then when at night went down into the ballroom and saw there six ghostly, pale ladies.

The countess drew attention to the fact that all animals, especially horses, feared the painter. So now the horses were afraid to approach him. And in the meantime he dropped the bag to earth, in which he kept his miniatures and brushes, and began to push some object to the edge of the cliff. In the outline of sharp corners, Francesca guessed that it was a picture wrapped in a scarlet velvet. But why the artist will discharge one of his paintings into the abyss, because he could sell it and thus earn for a living. Judging by clothes, he was very poor.

«What are you doing, Camille?» The countess approached the young man. He did not even pay attention to her. The red hairs under the green beret, really gave him similarity with the mischievous elf.

The anger of Francesca began to give way to curiosity. She decided to buy this picture, at least for the sake of pleasure to see what is drawn on it? Once the artist himself wants to get rid of his work, it means that the price will not be high.

«Camille, how much do you want for this… thing?» Francesca’s elegant hand pointed to the picture in the velvet. «Do you really think that its place is in the abyss?»

However, the mysterious and, obviously, poorly educated young man didn’t want to start a secular conversation. Only on the moment he broke away from his occupation to look at the countess. Francesca seemed that pain flashed in his eyes.

«You do not understand. I have to destroy the proof,» he whispered so quietly, that she barely heard the words.

«And if I give you the fastest horse and in addition, the wallet with silver,» without thinking, offered Francesca.

In response, Camille only sadly grinned.

«To travel, I don’t need a horse, Milady,» he said. The simplest phrase in his lips sounded like a mystery.

«Although on the other hand…» Camille became thoughtful. There was a deep fold between his eyebrows. «If I sell you this picture, you promise not to put it in the sun?»

«I promise,» Francesca nodded, although this requirement seemed to her strange. She stretched out the wallet with money, and he reluctantly accepted them.

«I hope that you will not get a mischief to your head, my reckless mistress,» Camille whispered. He raised his bag from the ground, he threw it over his shoulder and went away, not even saying goodbye. When he passed by, the horses frightened and beat about the ground with hooves, but Camille did not even pay attention to them, as if used to such reaction of animal to his appearance.

As soon as he disappeared from sight, Francesca wanted to take away the velvet from the painting, but immediately remembered the warning. The snowfall recently stopped, and now in the sky shone a cold, winter sun. And it is impossible to exhibit the picture on the sun’s rays. She had to ask the coachman to bring the picture to the sleigh and turn back to the castle.

There was an extensive forest around her castle. Her family lived here already a lot of centuries. Nearby are several prosperous villages. As a child, Francesca often played in the forest with rustic children and never was afraid to meet the night on the forest road. So why does it seem to her now that a dangerous observer can hide in this forest?

The way to the castle seemed to her long and tedious.

«How did you pale, mistress!» Exclaimed the maid, waiting for her mistress at the gate. The countess looked into the manual mirror. Yes, indeed, she was too pale and felt a strange dizziness, just like the heroine of a fairy tale, bewitched by elves.

Francesca told to bring the picture in the tower and put on the easel. When the servants left, Francesca drew the curtains on the windows, lit the candles and only then removed the cover from the painting.

In the first moment, she lost the gift of speech from amazement. In her head a thought was still flashed, and suddenly Camille stole somewhere this picture. In any case, such work is not typical for him, and no one court master could create something similar. At first, Francesca thought that an angel was depicted on the canvas, but already in the next moment rejected this guess. Each item was identified very clearly, and at the same time, a mysteriousness forced all the colors, except for black and gold. In the background there was a lattice of the dungeon and chains attached to the raw walls, a wonderful, blonde young man was sitting at the oak table. He leaned over the revealed book. The glare from the candle lays down on his face. The large, pensive eyes shone. The bright curls like halo surrounded the smooth forehead. What an exalted image, Francesca thought, and only a moment later, noticed that behind the young man stands the black winged creature. Long claws stretch to the shoulders of a diligent student who does not even want to tear his eye from the book to see the demon for his back.

The countess inspected the angles of the picture in the hope to find the name of an artist or at least the name of the picture, but did not find any or another. Looking on the picture, she asked herself the same question: who is this young man, did he die many years ago or is still alive, and maybe this perfect face is just a fantasy of the painter?

«Who are you?» Francesca asked out loud, touching with her fingers the canvas, as if she was hoping that the drawing could answer her. She wanted to say something else, but here they knocked at the door. A frightened servant was on the threshold.

«Milady, there is a fire in the village,» he began without warnings.

«So send people who will help to put out the fire,» Francesca ordered.

«No one wants to go to the village,» said the frightened servant, not knowing whether he should tell her the whole truth. «There is no accident at home. The peasants swear that they saw a dragon.»

«A dragon,» Francesca repeated as echo, «but this is incredible!»

The servant left and she rushed to the window. She opened the window. Now on the place where the village had even recently stood, the flame was raging. The black smoke rose to heaven, and a flexible, golden creature was circled over a huge burial fire. Francesca did not have time, as it should, look at, the winged destroyer disappeared, and the fire continued to be raging.

Francesca closed the window and pressed her back to the wall. She had to close the eyelids. All candles except one, at once went out. Shadows drank on the walls. Some voices sounded in silence.

Francesca opened her eyes and almost screamed from surprise. Before her stood the same blonde young man. He was as beautiful as in the picture. Only this time his head was decorated by the crown.

A warning

The light of the moon makes its way into the window. Sharpened feathers lie next to the inkwell. I have to start my story. The magic clock count the time allotted to me until dawn. And in the morning I will have to be present at the coronation and no longer be able to work at night, bending over the book of spells. Now I’m just a newly magician who wants to write down the history of his life on the pure pages of the witchcraft’s folio. Maybe some novice of the magic school will visit the corner tower and will find my memoirs. I want that at least someone will recognize my secret, and read about who I was before becoming a warlock. To do this, I have to forget about the elves waiting for me at the entrance of the fortress, and look far back into the past.

Eternity to that year ago

I stood before the arched window and looked at the city spread down at the bottom. Is there a richest and prosperous land in the world than the kingdom of my father? I could not know this, because no of the princes was allowed to travel beyond the country. I had no right to go on a journey even under someone else’s name, such a law was established by the Royal Council.

At the bottom, the lights of the sleeping city were sparkled, the motley flags were flushed on the fair tents, pigeons nests were nesting at lower roofs. Houses of the capital even at night did not plunge into darkness. On the streets lit the lanterns, as if their light could protect the peaceful citizens from attacking robbers or evil spirits. What a majestic look opened to me from the windows of the tower, the whole city was lying, as on the palm. There was a blue cold sea to the left from city’s gate. Brightly burned the light on the lighthouse. In the royal port flies off shopping ships from around the world. Many of them stood in a quiet harbor. From the foreign merchants I listened many stories about distant countries and exotic islands, but I didn’t long keep the hope of going to the maritime journey. How much I did not ask about it my father, the answer was always alone and the constant warning that outside the native country a danger is waiting for me.

Although why suddenly such concern about the younger son. After all, I could not inherit the throne and was not educated enough to give any advice in state affairs. But every day, from dawn to sunset, I spent on the school stadium or archers’ contest. Even old, experienced knights recognized me with one of the best, and the native brothers looked at me as if I could not withstand even the first test of fate. I used to hide from the inhabitants of the castle that at night, when nobody could notice me, I went out in the city to fight with my sword the first robber I met. But today I was in no hurry to descend down the fortress wall. I, as enchanted, looked at the starry sky, spread over the castle towers and on a bright flag attached to a high spire.

I wanted to move away from the window, but suddenly some strange sounds came to me.. Who can demand to open the castle’s gate in such a late hour? To my surprise, the guards immediately hurried to the winch, plundered chains and squeezed lattices. The lifting bridge was immediately lowered, and a black carriage came into the courtyard of the castle. The coachman opened the carriage door. It seemed to me that the whole eternity was held before from the crew’s darkness came out a high, state-owned gentleman in the long, dark clothes decorated with sables. In his right hand sparkled the gilded staff. His uncovered proud headt seemed to be intended to wear a crown. The appearance and manners of the stranger made an indelible impression on me. He moved with an extraordinary, predatory grace and led himself with such dignity, as if he was headed above all the terrestrial rules.

My older brother Florian ran into the courtyard of the castle. Despite the late hour, he was dressed in his festive camisole, briefly marked hair in the light of torches were cast gold. He ran up to a stranger and respectfully bowed to him. Who is this gentleman? What did he deserve the bow of the heir to the throne? After all, everyone knows that the heir to the throne is not putting anyone except the king.

I disassembled curiosity. I had to find out what a night guest in our area needs. Probably he came from afar, from some country that I never heard. After all, I was able to paint the world map only by stories of seamen. Now I was interested in questioning a stranger about his lands. His clothes, although it was rich, but did not correspond to the last fashion installed in our country. But apparently, this guest was waiting for.

I left the tower, descended down the screw staircase and stopped in front of the front halls. This usually brought all visitors, but this time it was deserted around. No magnificent reception. Only guard stood before the closed doors.

I turned into a dark gallery. It was quiet and deserted here, only knightly armoires stood in the walls of niches and the mirrors flicker coldly. Steps heard ahead. I hastily slipped behind the tapestry and from my shelter could observe how the king was accompanied by an alien. Slightly behind them, sadly lowering the blond heads, my brothers Florian and Claude walked. Since childhood, these two all the time kept together. It seems that they were not embarrassed at all that the crown would get only to the eldest son, and the average will be able to take only second place in the country.

Carefully choosing from my shelter, I followed the strange procession. The king, a mysterious stranger and both of my brothers entered the throne hall. The key turned in the castle, and all the subsided. I went to the closed doors and listened.

«Believe me, if I want, he rushes at my call and even the whole army will not be able to keep him», someone’s domineering, triumphant voice came to me. From these sounds in the head clouded. In front of the eyes there was darkness, and one single word was in my head. It seems that it was someone’s name «Rothbert». Strange, I have never heard this name before, why did it come to my mind, as if one of those magical words, with which you can get open any locks.

The door of the throne’s room suddenly swung open. Someone grabbed me by the shoulders and dragged to the side.

«Edwin, what happened to you?» The concerned voice of Claude brought me out of stupor. «Previously, you did not have any habits to sleep on the go. Maybe you are unhealthy?»

«No, everything is fine with me,» I lied and leaned back to the wall so as not to fall. «Tell me, what is the name of that gentleman, who just arrived in the castle?»

In just a moment on the face of my brother, the gamma of feelings from the complete despair to the cold indifference was replaced.

«You were mistaken,» Claude finally squeezed out. «Today in the castle they did not allow any messengers or guests. Such is the royal decree.»

«But I saw a black carriage in the courtyard of the castle.»

«It seemed to you,» Claude said with a impermeable expression. «Go back to your chambers. Tomorrow I will send to you a doctor.»

Claude himself took me to the door of the bedroom.

«Close the door and do not come out of your chambers before dawn,» he advised. It is necessary to say that his advice seemed to me strange. I have never been afraid to look in the face of danger, on the contrary, wandered on the dark banks of the capital, looking for opportunities to expose the sword. So what do I fear in the walls, where I was born and grew up. Is only the fact that the court doctor poison me with one of his potions.

Why would you suddenly begin to deny the existence of a night visitor? For the first time in life, I felt offended of my father for the fact that he did not devote me to state’s secrets.

At the bottom I was heard the crash of the wheels of the departing crew. I threw the first raincoat on my shoulders, grabbed the sword and rushed down to the stables. Claude’s warning did not have values for me. If something is hidden from me, then it is no reason. Well, I have enough courage to learn everything myself.

I quickly saddled the horse and slipped along the lowered bridge. Thin grooves from wheels and traces of horse hoofs were noticeable on a wet dirt road. The chain of traces rushed to the forest. Who would have been this strange traveler, but he chose an unsuccessful route. The dark forest road led to the ruins of the old city. People were afraid to walk there even during the day. It is unlikely that there would be a brave one in the entire capital, which at night would go to the ruins. But I, without thinking, sent my horse after the mysterious crew.

I spurred a horse, hoping to catch up with a carriage before it deepened into the forest, but, to my surprise, I discovered that despite the rush, the distance between me and the black carriage is not reduced. Well, not even better, I can follow a person who caused my curiosity, and at the same time remain unnoticed. After all, if I just catch it up and ask him directly, what did he need from my father, will he give me an honest answer? There was no rear window in the carriage, there were no grooms on the footboard. And the coachman could not see the pursuer.

When I accepted the fact that I would have to comply with a respectful distance, the horses neighed wildly. The carriage lurched slightly, there was a crack. I looked closer and saw that one of the rear wheels landed in the ditch. It must be now the driver will jump from the box to inspect the damage, and I will try to provide all possible assistance and, of course, the conversation will begin. But a careless driver and didn’t leave his seat. There was a whistling whip exploded in the night air a few glittering sparks, so bright that I closed my eyes and when I opened them, I could not help but startled a cry. The road was empty, no horses, no coach, just next to the ditch left deep furrows – the latest evidence that there has recently been stuck wheel of carriage.

I was so surprised that I forgot about my own difficulty. When I looked around, I realized that I could move off very far from the edge of the forest. The darkness deepened over the road. In this forest, even during the day it lacked light, and after the midnight thick gloom became impenetrable. I had to make the return journey in the possible shortest time and closely monitored so that my horse did not hit a hoof into some pit. The trees surrounded the trail as the fabulous giants. The thorny branches clung to my clothes and a long mane of a horse. Maybe I too succumbed to the play of the imagination, but it seemed to me that the road is rapidly shrinking, and it will be impossible to go through it soon.

Somewhere flashed a light in a thicket. I dismounted, tied my horse to the trunk of a spruce and rushed to the light. I did not believe the stories of wandering flames and was not afraid that the devil will knock me off track. The farther I went, the brighter was the light. A few more steps and I could see that the flame is burning in a window. Is someone still lives in the hunters’ house. I thought it was already abandoned for a long time, and the royal manager would still not have time to send here a huntsman.

I approached the hollow and looked into the window. There was a candle on the table. A bright radiance was spread from the candle in the room of the hut. And next to the table two girls were sitting. Judging by their luxurious outfits, I would count them to the number of noble ladies. Although what could ladies do at night in the forest wilderness? They did not notice me, and I stood at the window and could not take a look from two red-haired beauties. One of them kept in the hands of the golden yarn, and the other cleverly wove the threads in the ball. They spoke about something, perhaps they joked. One girl laughed, swung in the tact of the movement of head fiery curls. Her silver laughter echoed from the walls of the hut.

«And the youngest prince is beautiful as an angel,» the girl said suddenly. She copied with accuracy to the compliment, which I so often heard from the court ladies. By the tone of her voice, it was impossible to understand whether she was saying this with admiration or simply messengers someone.

«Yes, he is very good,» the second lady agreed more reserved. «I’m sorry for him. Unhappy, handsome boy! He is not created for such fate.»

«This beautiful young man does not even know what is waiting for him. Even the king will not be able to protect him from the wrath of sorcerers,» the girl carefully chose the words as if she was afraid to pronounce the prohibited names. «He is too noble to agree to the terms of the prince.»

«From those who like to play in honor and valor in childhood, are obtained the most revealed villains,» her girlfriend objected completely calmly.

«Is it really that he must choose the way of evil?» said the first lady. «But if he wants to survive, he will have to renounce his nobility and his mortal family. Forget that he himself was once mortal.»

«Prince will take care of opening apart before the elect of the fate the gate of the Empire,» was an answer.

«Keep silence,» the first girl whispered. «Even in the forest it is impossible to disclose our secrets. In addition, the gates in the magic world can be anywhere and at the same time remain invisible for our eyes.»

Her friend nodded silently, postponed her tangle and began to sprawl lace frills on the dress.

«And this country flourishes,» she decided to translate the conversation to another direction. «Any king would like to have such fertile lands, and even gold mines in addition. Sometimes it seems to me that the gnomes themselves violate their own laws and help this mortal to produce emeralds and other treasures.»

«Dwarfs are trying in vain. At the expense of mines grow rich only the retinue of the king and residents of cities, and dissatisfaction is growing in the provinces.»

«But the king holds a strong army and does not give the ambitious neighbors to invade his territory. Now, if his advisers were less corrupt and more intelligent. They never even asked the younger prince about his opinion, and he is smarter than all of them. Whether he is a king, then he would lead a more skillful policy than his father rather than.»

I moved closer to the window. Under the sole of my boot, the dry branch cried. The girls were fixed. One of them looked into the window and noticed me. Anger broke out in her eyes.

I hurriedly moved away from the window and opened the door. I wanted to apologize to the ladies and ask if they did not know another road leading to the castle, but there were no longer them in the hut. Only moths circled over the candle flame. The light danced on the wick a few more moments, and then went out, as if someone blew it. I did not have anything, how to return to the place where I left the horse. Even the most desperate adventure seeker does not want to spend the night in the hut, where creatures like ghosts live.

To my surprise, the milled trees were broken, freeing the roadway. Now I could safely return to the castle. The light of the moon made my way through the lush crowns of firs and felt on an uneven path. Before the edge of the forest, I got safely, only sometimes in silence I was heard a slight fluttering of the wings of the moth.

Hunt on the wild boar

Until the very beginning of winter, life at the royal court flowed calmly. The visits of ambassadors and the council meetings were replaced by noisy feasts. Passing along the halls and the galleries, I often caught admiring looks of people. Only Florian and Claude avoided meetings with me after a secret conversation with a midnight guest. In their eyes, I often noticed fear. How could I cause their fright? It was worth looking into the mirror, and I saw my beautiful twin there. Oval face looked very young, gold curls were always shone too bright, but I tagged them on the back of a black ribbon. That’s just huge blue eyes sometimes light up with a cruel, steel gloss, as if from the depths of the mirror I was looking at me not naive, blonde young man, and the evil angel, dressed in the clothes of the royal son.

Once from the tower’s window, I saw a messenger who was rushing to the castle. According to coat of arms embroidered on his clothes, I guessed that he serves one of the barons. There must be something terrible, once the servant of one of the royal vassals rushes here at full speed. Maybe the robbers attacked the baron or peasants rebelled against their master, and the needed a rapid help.

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Dragon’s Empire – 1. Curse of the younger Prince

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