Fairytale chosen (20 page)

Heera hugged and tried to classify the emotions raging inside her. It was a long time no longer just about Medea, but what was it about then? Had they the ambition packed? Or they wanted in the UK make a difference? Or she liked Lean perhaps better than she admitted to herself? When she had accompanied her sister to choose from, they had run out of an arrogant pretty boy, the welfare of his people did not care. Instead, she had met a humorous young man who presented to the people its obligations over its own good. She enjoyed every single minute in his presence. He took it as it was and did not try to make her into a lady. Near him she did not have to be strong at home, where she always had her father's son to replace. In Lean she could be herself easily. Perhaps she had indeed found in him something like a friend. Would that be over now? What if he did not even decide at the end of Medea? Would she then completely lose contact with him if possible? It would then, as if it had never been their shared moments, while Heera had changed more than they ever thought possible. They had Heera shown her soft, vulnerable side. Amphion was absolutely right, it was not fruitless. She was afraid of love.

"Are you disappointed?" Suddenly asked a familiar voice and Heera blushed as she turned her gaze from the table and looked Lean in the warm, brown eyes, which he had inherited from his mother. Medea resigned from her and she looked behind Lean the curious faces of the other girls. Only in Erinas pretty eyes was regret.

"No," she replied without hesitation, and folded her arms across her chest protectively.

He seemed disappointed with their determination. "Are you going? A piece with me," he asked, stepping with her in the hallway, away from the eyes of the other.

"You cannot imagine how difficult this decision has been made to me. Without you I will miss something. "

Heera smiled at his despondency. How fortunate that he did not know how much she met his dismissal. "Why did you then decided against me?" She asked yet, but with a fitted, challenging grin, as he was accustomed from her there.

"You like me might not believe it but I did it for your sake. The castle is no place for you. It seemed every day more ago, when I'd thought you were trapped in a golden cage. "

Indeed Heera had often felt this way, but the moments with Lean it had been worth it, but that she could only now, when it was already too late to admit. "You're not so bad," she admitted, and added with a smile. "Maybe we could even be friends." Her expression was serious. "Assuming you're breaking my sister not the heart, because then I would have you break your every bone, unfortunately."

Lean laughed with relief. "I'll try," he promised. "My offer to hire you as a hunter, by the way is still. If you do not want to even be my bride, maybe I can at least bring you then to work for me. "

Heera looked at him thoughtfully. If she would work for him, she would not renounce their joint rides in the woods. Your family would be well cared for. Still, she hesitated with a pledge.

"Maybe I could learn something from you," Lean added with a mischievous grin and gave her a friendly punch with the shoulder.

"Maybe?" Heera teased with mock indignation. The prospect of being able to see Lean on, they cheered.

"Will you think about you?" Lean asked her. Whenever she talked, it seemed almost as if they would switch roles. He treated Heera as his equal. If he had wanted, he could have ordered her to serve him, but instead he was courting her. He would be a good king.

"I'll think about it", promised Heera, stood by her decision already. She would be foolish to refuse his offer.

"If there is something else that I could do for you, please let me know," Lean said. "Do not forget that you still have one wish for me."

Heera grinned at him. "I would never forget, but a request for a prince wins is not every day, so I'll think well, what I will redeem it."

"I already suspect B öses" he joked. "Please remember that I am a prince and not a magician. For a flying horse you have to you contact Amphion. "

"Who wants a winged horse? "Heera replied unimpressed and stretched Lean tongue out.

"You can be even stay the night and morning of a coach will brought back to your family," said Lean and Heera believed to recognize regret in his face. Was it him as hard to let it go as it almost broke her heart to leave him? She tried it thinking that it would soon again see her beloved parents and her little sister. She had sorely missed, but all she could think about was Lean.

The next morning, Agnes broke shortly after sunrise on to assess them. None of the other knew what was required of her, but she saw the girl with a raised head with pride left the castle. So far, Agnes had passed every test and no one doubted that they would also meet these successfully. Nevertheless, they did not seem to be in the favor of the prince. Something mysterious around them like a black fog.

As Heera wanted to take her home at noon, Agnes returned already back from their audit. Under her arm she carried a chicken like a trophy. In her eyes was a victory safer expression. Your quick return was so unexpected that Heera’s departure was postponed. Erina was already fast, but at least she had been gone overnight. Agnes seemed to have not even used a few hours.

Heera and the elect were called to the throne room to find out the result of Agnes examination. She had been the last, and so the prince would have to make a decision within the next few days. Which four girls he would choose?

Lean strode toward Agnes, who was standing in her black cape with satisfied air before the throne.

"Agnes, my father asked you to bring him the goose that lays golden eggs," he said to the black-haired girl. "Have you it with you?"

Agnes handed him the beast with brown feathers. At first glance it looked ordinary, hardly that Lean it sat on the ground, it already laid a golden egg. The court applauded, but neither the prince nor his parents seemed pleased with Agnes. King Egeas raised his hand to bring the audience to rest. Immediately all fell silent and looked stretched between him and Agnes Lean back and forth. Egeas pushed himself from his throne and walked threateningly towards the elect. "Tell me, Agnes, what you had to do to get this chicken?"

She smiled at him without fear. "Dear King, I'm not allowed to speak!" She said, and taunted him with it because he had been the one who had forbidden the elect, to talk with others about their examination.

A lighter shade of red retired over the bearded face of the king. On Heera he had always acted as his wife good-natured, but now the same anger was reflected in his face as in Niobe who snapped indignantly for air.

"I, the king of Chóraleio, allow yourself to talk about your test!", Squirmed Egeas  Agnes and stood in front of her. He was a tall man, though Agnes handed him to tip of nose. She was not intimidated by Egeas and challenging stretched towards him chin. None of those present understood what was going on there. Why was the royal family so angry at the chosen one? Had she not done exactly what he had asked of her?

"As you wish," whispered Agnes. "I found the chicken not far from here in a village!"

"It went there alone around or was it someone?" Asked Egeas with sharp tone on.

"The chicken was living with a mother and her daughter," Agnes answered truthfully, without any sense of guilt.

"Did you leave the animal voluntarily?"

"No," she admitted, adding: "I know what I want and I know how I get it. What's wrong with that? "

The King's eyes formed in anger to narrow slits. He pointed an accusing finger at the chicken that ran cackling over the ground. "This chicken is all that remains of this poor woman. Without this chicken she and her daughter will die of starvation. How could you be so heartless to take them the most precious thing they had? "

Agnes shrugged. "You have each other. I have given them life, which is not more than enough? "

The court began indignant whispering. The King turned away from Agnes, when he could bear the sight no longer. Then the queen spoke. "You are as beautiful as any other chosen one, but you have a heart of stone. If any man will never be Queen of Chóraleio. Agnes, you'll still leave the castle! "

Agnes strode angrily toward the queen before Lean stood protectively between them and his mother.

The girl pointed an accusing finger at him. "Tell me what would I need to do in order to pass the exam? How could I  bring the chicken to my king, without stealing from the family? Why have you asked me a check, I would never be able to fulfil? Did you want to get rid of me so? "

Lean stood in front of her. "You would have passed the test if you were returned empty-handed. A true queen puts the welfare of their people above their own. Your job was not to prove it courage, but compassion. You failed! "

Agnes looked at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. Suddenly the anger drained from her look and her lips began to tremble. Tears ran down her cheeks and she threw herself head bowed in front of him on his knees. "Forgive me, my lord!"

Lean gave her his hand. "You do not have to kneel in front of me. You've achieved a lot, can be proud of what you and I am pleased that you realize your mistake. Now return to your family back! "

Agnes stood up and looked at him pleadingly. "Would you do me the honor to take me out of the castle?"

He nodded without hesitation and offered her his arm. "Certainly, you still need something from your room?"

"No, I have everything with me," said Agnes and linked arms with him. They left the throne room.

Agnes' hand was cold on Lean's arm. Despite her tears and her sobs he could feel no pity for her. He had been expected to be lodged with the first two tests, in which it came to their helpfulness demonstrated, would fail. It was still inexplicable to him as she had these may exist. "What did the bird calls with the red eyes of yours?" He asked now curious, as they walked through the castle gate.

She smiled. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" He echoed surprised. "But everyone has a gift. Medea has her voice, Daphne her blond curls, Xenia their dance, Erina their undying hope and their courage Heera. What is your talent? "

Agnes turned to him and put her cold finger to his lips. "Pssst!"

The prince was silent and looked at her confused in the dark eyes. Something seemed to move in them. Almost like a top. He could not look away, as was captured by the play of colors of red and black.

"My dear Prince, the only thing, I possess is my malice. Your mother was right when she accused me of having a heart of stone. I have you condemned to a life without love many years ago, but you were so stupid to think that you could bypass the curse, if you could only find the right bride. "

Lean heard her words, but he could not move. His whole body was frozen like stone. He could not even shrug their eyelids twitch.

Her cold hand stroked his cheek and suddenly the flawless features of her face changed to a ghastly grimace. Her eyes were turning scarlet and out of her mouth grew long, sharp teeth. On her fingers were sharp claws and her skin grew bristles. The sight of her burned in his head like a nightmare. "My dear prince, I willkiss you now and you will stay with me forever," she croaked with a dark voice that seemed to come straight from hell. She leaned over to him and lean felt her moist lips touched his lips. A pain shot through his heart and ran like poison through his body. He could not see anything and was caught in deep, cold darkness.

The king, the queen and the whole court had with its windows all have to look at, but when they realized who was really Agnes, any help came too late. As the royal guard reached the castle gate, the black witch along with Lean had already disappeared. What remained was only a small pile of ashes that was blown by the wind in all directions.

Niobe sank to his knees and burst into tears. It was as if someone had ripped her heart out of my chest. She loved her son more than anything in the world. Egeas tried to comfort her, though his heart as hard as their weighed. Both wept for her beloved son. The whole court burst into tears because she had lost her handsome prince. The chosen girls began to sob violently. Only Heera’s eyes remained dry. They cared about the prince as anyone else, but she knew that a sea of ​​tears could not save him.

Suddenly the Queen jumped up and rushed to the fearless girl. She went to her knees and her hands clung to the hem of Heera’s dress. "I'm begging you, bring me back my son!"

Heera more scared away from her. "I do not know if I can."

"You'll Heera, called the Fearless, who if not you should manage to free the prince? I will reward you richly with gold! Your family, it is for nothing! "

Heera took the hands of the Queen in her own and pulled the trembling woman to her feet. "I'll try my best, but not for the sake of gold, but to save the prince," she promised Niobe. King Egeas put comforting arms around his wife and looked at Heera’s sincere face. "Thou shalt not have to fight alone against the witch. The Royal Guard is to accompany you and your obey orders, "he decided.

"Also, we will support you!" Yanis and Silas called out at the same time.

"I'm not against a witch, but maybe my magic can you also be of use," Amphion said.

Medea, Erina, Daphne and Xenia also stepped forward. "The prince is our priority. We have already proven our mettle and now want to feel free, if it comes, to save his life also. "

On the same day the group left and they would come back when they had the prince found.

––––––––

The castle of the Black Witch was

East of the sun

And
to the west of the moon.

The way there was a Soul

Never and never be found

H
eera rode ahead on the mare who had entrusted her already to their common hunting trip the prince. Right next to her Amphion went on his horse. Behind them followed Leans loyal friends Silas and Yanis, then the elect and the rearguard was the royal guard arrived. All relied on Heera’s instinct, while this did not even know where to start looking. The Kingdom was big and there were countries where they did not even know anything. Agnes could have fled with the prince in every direction and maybe it would never succeed in finding Lean.