Dragon’s Empire – 2. Goddess for Dragon

«I need a boat with a durable bottom and one rower,» I demanded. The elder comrade pushed the younger one. The boy with an unpleasant appearance and still uncovered head stood in front of me and did not dare to put on his shabby cap on his head.

«Let’s go,» I ordered strictly. «If you will exactly execute all my commands, it may even be possible to get a reward.

He went down after me, while his comrade, reluctantly brought the boat. Fear was a reliable guarantor for the fact that they would not try to swindle.

Soon the boat with a carved nose cut the water’s surface. Two oars with a splash loose on salty seaside water. The rower barely coped with them, so the boat all the time looped, instead of heading straight to the right place. Of course, I could send the boat so that it smoothly rolled forward, but it was better to get strength to the point when I have to get the luggage from the seabed. The boy was trembling all the time or from the cold, or from fear of unwanted neighborhood. One thing to stand in a cozy tavern and with curiosity to look at the dangerous nobleman and quite another thing to stay with him alone in a swinging boat when there are only ripples on the water, and under the boat is the bottom of incredible depth.

When the boat finally got to the right place, I gave another order:

«Stay here. Soon I will come back, wait for me and do not try to run away!»

I jumped down. The frightened smuggler, watched me with the opened mouth. After all, he did not understand that I had plunged into the water already completely in a different guise. The skin of the golden snake was not a luxurious clothing.

In the thickets of corals, it was not possible to immediately notice the chests with gold. The ship, transporting gold, sank too far from this place, but the spirits managed to drag all the most valuable here. With claws it was easy to raise the chests and tear them off from the bottom. My satellite did not even notice how the dragon’s paw deftly threw the luggage into the boat. He just stared at the chests, appearing as if from nowhere. I jumped in the boat after them.

«Turn to the shore!»

After another order we sailed in silence until the boy dared to speak.

«You promised to reward me,» he said.

«So what? We have not even reached the shore.»

«You can everything?» Quietly sounded the question, full of hope.

«What do you want to ask?»

«Only the love potion.»

I had a short laugh. I thought he would ask for one of the gold bars hidden in the chest.

«For this, they usually turn to the witch. You are the first who asks such an uninteresting trifle from a more powerful creature.»

He recoiled, noticing dangerous shine in my look.

«Well, okay, who is this beauty? Probably from noble?»

«No, a lace-maker,» he whispered.

«A lace-maker!» I grinned, then still threw him a coin, which he cleverly caught. «Buy a sheet of paper in the hotel, a feather and a little ink. I will write you a recipe.»

«But I don’t know how to read,» he protested.

«Well, wait for me in the hall for card games, I will bring you a potion,» the petitioner has already started to bother me.

He nodded gratefully.

The boat stuck to the common shore, on a decent distance from the hotel’s yard so that even the visitors of the tavern could not see us.

«You have to wait an hour, maybe more,» I warned the rower, who immediately jumped out of the boat and rushed towards the tavern

In an hour I had to have time to take the chest to the crypt and go into the nearest forest to get the necessary potion. Although the dragon could successfully cope with this, but the aid of Percy would not be a bad thing. I found him near the crypt. He devotedly protected my new ownership. He had nothing to explain. When the chests were fell on the stone floor, and the doors were locked again, Percy followed me to the nearest forest.

Leaving him to wait near the edge, I deepened in the thicket. There was no full moon in the sky, but a new moon also gave enough light. Finding a century-old tree, grew up on the crossroads of a few paths, I took out the dagger and plunged a sharp blade deep into the tree. Dull lights running through the fresh cut and in the pre-substituted flask, drove a thick wood juice. According to the old habit, I decided to fulfill the promise. There was a little more time. Little glowing balls flew low above the bushes, disappeared and again appeared in the most unexpected places. A few minutes have passed before I realized that these are wandering lights. How often they knock down the trails from the road and lure deep into the forest or in a swamp.

However, this time they called me for a certain purpose. After all, before them was not a simple traveler. Tightly clogging the flask and waiting until the cut in the tree dries off and stop shining, I succumbed to temptation and followed the wandering lights. They had fun danced, overflowing with all the colors of the rainbow, looped and flew to the level of high branches. They tried to tell me the way to another treasure. I myself carefully followed the road and counted the steps. I got to the old oak even earlier than the dozens of colored lights had time to take place. They rushed on branches, shifting with pink, purple and purple tones, and I viewed the thick roots of oak, discovering from under the ground. I needed a shovel, but it was not there. However, it was too early to lose heart. It was necessary to find a stick and whisper a spell. In my hands was a useful tool for the job.

Soon the edge of the shovel clanged on forged lid of the chest. I jumped into a deep hole, knocked down a rusty lock and flipped it open to see if it is not a hoax. The chest was full of precious stones and jewels. A handful of gold, sapphire and pearl necklaces are mixed into one glittering mass. It costs to open the chest and on the brightness of the set of priceless items beginning dazzle the eyes.

Percy took the responsibility to deliver the box to the door of the tomb, and I came at the appointed time to the yard in front of the hotel. In the window could be seen the hall where the audience ordered strong ale and shuffle the cards. Only one visitor sat at a separate table with a strained view of peering into the faces of guests, seemed to be waiting for someone. He immediately stood up when he saw me and warmly whispered words of gratitude when I slipped into his hand a sealed bottle.

«I’m grateful to you,» once again he said.

«Why do I need your gratitude?» I took the liberated table and watched how the happy fraudster hurries to his friends playing cards.

Several guards crossed the threshold and headed straight to the table, behind which my acquaintances are located. Of course, they did not pay attention to the young nobleman, which with the most innocent appearance, was located at the window, although the danger proceeded from this side.

The owner of the hotel moved to me. A minute ago, he saw me talking with one of his visitors, now causing the attention of the guards.

«Do you need a room for the night?» He asked uncertainly.

I nodded:

«Yes! I need a key to the room,» I grinned. The prince would not have come to mind that his former student of noble blood suddenly decided to spend the night in such a dirty hotel with robbers.

The owner jammed was clearly not going to remove one of the bundles of copper keys, chatting on his belt.

«What’s the matter?» I asked strictly.

«Sorry, but we never let guests who came after the sunset,» finally said the owner.

So what’s the matter. I wanted to get offended, but I just got up, pushed the nervous suspicious person from my road and slowly said:

«Good!»

Even without turning around, I went out on the night. The door itself slammed after me. It seemed that the moon over coal-dark water was flooded with a bloody color.

I was in rage, and the transformation happened faster than usual. A kind of curious visitor who looked into the window did not see the young nobleman. in the courtyard. Of course, the winged sparkling silhouette, which rose to the roof level, was also not able to notice. Panic in the tavern began only when the smooth dragon wing was demolished part of the roof. Those who managed to figure out what was the matter, rushed into the street, and the others in horror observed how the building easily flashed from the first breath of the dragon.

Feelings of dragon

The dawn, illuminating the picturesque forest’s glade, smoothed the latest memories of the night fire. Most visitors, of course, managed to carry their feet in time. The burning hotel is not a whole huge city, but the inhospitable owner lost his institution.

The shore of a small forest lake was fenced with a border of flowers. Water, as a mirror, reflected the flexible branches of willows’ and wild roses’ bushes. The sounds of music came from the far edge of the glade. It made me alert. There was something unusual in this music. The traveler who heard it would certainly turn off from his way and would run to a deceptively calm lake. A pleasant colder freshness came from the water. Another would hear in this melody all his dreams, but I caught a hidden catch. The sounds were too clean, measured, but without a single fake note. A musician must have very long deft fingers, person can not have those fingers. Through thickets of the reeds I moved to the side where the singing of violin came from. I did not immediately realize that this was a violin.. It is impossible to get used to such perfection during visits to theaters or holidays. Even if the nyx hides in the crowd, he will not work on the stage to entertain the people. The only exception to this rule was Camille. During the service, accustomed to tolerate the adversity, he did not want to miss the opportunity to have fun and deserve at least someone’s approval.

As I approached, the excitement was intensified. Really, I will see the violinist that as the ghost flashed at the reception. Contrary to expectations, no transparent silhouette was there. Only a nyx was sitting on a stump and playing a small violin. He did not even notice a number of outsiders. What can he be afraid when he is so close to his native lake.

My steps were almost silent. The nyx broke away from the violin. He heard the sound somewhere far beyond the forest and put the ears, as if wishing to disassemble someone’s call.

«How was it said there?» the nyx said. Then he smiled, as if he remembered the long-being forgotten chorus and whispered quietly, like a prayer:

«All the spirits know about you.Where the fortress is burnedFlocks of demons flyAnd the bells call.With seal and locksTogether the treasure is lockedThere is a mystery andSomeone’s first dream!»

The nyx noticed me only when I approached him closely. All the mood to read poems instantly passed, he shuddered, dropped his invaluable violin and turned frightened. By rounded blue eyes, it was possible to say that he was not deceived, having taken me for a traveler or an elf. From his attention did not slip away any trait and he felt the presence of hidden strength.

He realized that no one was going to hurt him, he, even at the speed of slow-witted person, but still decided that the reverence would not hurt. The nyx hastily rose from the stump, muttered something instead of a greeting.

«Does this pretty place belong to you?» said I. «Have you settled here for a long time?»

In response, he only nodded.

«I see you more like your underwater house than the land?»

Again the short nod. Loved to chat with himself, The nyx was shy and did not expect a sudden invasion. He did not tear off his eyes off the upward socks of his shoes.

«Are you looking for a place to rest?» answered the nyx. «Unfortunately, there is neither the cave nor the gorge, nor the palace, only the hut.»

«Does anyone live in it?»

«The forester lived with his family. Now the hut is empty.»

«Why?»

«The guard came from the city and accused the whole family in witchcraft,» the nyx smiled slyly. «No one else will live there, mortal are faint-hearted. And you are dangerous.»

Last words, he said quietly with noticeable respect.

«Did you not take my lake?» he asked with the excitement.

«No. Would you really give it without a fight?» Against my will, the question sounded with a contemptuous mockery.

«And you do not tell him that I settled here without making a gift in the treasury?»

I immediately understood that he spoke about Rothbart and almost laughed.

«If he understands that you give the lake only with life, he’ll immediately leave you alone.» If you are able to repulse him, then I will be on your side.»

The hut was in the forest’s wilderness, I immediately liked it. There was all necessary for a sorcerer with his books. Little windows almost missed light, instead of glasses in the frame was inserted transparent mica. Obviously, the glass turned out to be too expensive for local residents. A small furnace in the corner could become useful with the beginning of cold weather. The floorboards strongly creaked, but it could be fixed, besides, Percy is unknown from where it managed to drag a soft carpet, who faded the steps well. Little furniture remained in the room, and the firewood were folded in the yard. Apparently, after the hut was empty, no one dreamed of visiting here to pick up something.

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