Fairytale chosen (16 page)

"There is nothing to distract me from my sister!" claimed Heera without him to listen at all.

"Listen to me first!" He demanded angrily. "I will now spend the day in the woods with hunting. Would you like to join me? "

The offer sounded tempting but Heera yet crossed his arms over his chest petulantly. To accept his offer and, if possible to enjoy the day even, it seemed like a betrayal of Medea, who may was in mortal danger. "No, thank you."

Lean glared angrily. "What should I do to make you come with me? Should I go on my knees and beg you? "

"An attempt would be worth it," she grinned, but when the prince actually made as if to go on the floor in front of her, she stopped him by both shoulders. "All right, I appreciate your involvement."

"So you come with?" Grinned Lean what Heera nodded reluctantly.

Heera’s heart pounded against her ribs when she left her room in saddlebags. She was worried about her sister, but also felt a certain nervousness that since their nightly conversation sparked the prince always with her when she met him alone.

More relieved she was when she realized when entering the castle courtyard, that she would not alone have to spend the day with him. While Lean proudly sat on his white horse, holding the reins of a black mare impatient in his hands, waited with him his faithful companion Silas and Yanis, and the young wizard Amphion, who was unhappy in his saddle. Heera let her gaze guiltily slide over the men.

"Forgive me for being late," she said to all appealed.

"For a beautiful woman, we like to wait", flattered her Yanis what Heera blushed. She was used to get it neither compliments nor to be called beautiful.

"Do not apologize to us, but when the horse had to be because of you that the legs into the belly," Lean teased cheeky. Heera took the reins from him, but did not know how they should now mount the horse. She had never ridden and the stirrup it appeared too high to be able to pull up it can. When she tried it yet, the horse ran off, so that she stumbled and just could catch even without falling. Lean burst into loud laughter. "What's going on, courageous Heera, you will not finish with a horse?" He teased. Heera gave him an angry look and tried again. But as soon as Lean moved even one step forward on his white horse, also Heera’s horse moving. She put after the second unsuccessful attempt angry hands on his hips and looked up at Lean. "Get quiet fun of me because I have never ridden. I'm gonna laugh when hunting for it because there is no goal that I cannot meet, "she countered triumphantly.

"I doubt if you cannot even manage to climb a harmless horse there," Lean said cheekily. "How about if we make a wager of it?"

"All right," Heera agreed without hesitation.

"If I win, you're going to the prom the opening dance commit with me," Lean said, amused. He apparently knew very well that Heera had two left feet when it came to dancing.

"And if I win?" She asked defiantly, for she had no doubt that she would beat him. In the hunt you could do no kidding, let alone a prince.

"Then you may take of like to see something, no matter what!"

"Agreed," she gave him her hand to seal the bet. His grip was firm, while ne was skin was surprisingly soft. Heera’s was strewn of callosities and hard skin and cornea..

"Amphion, would you help her on the horse now, please?" Lean asked his magicians. As Heera tried this time, it was as they would push someone from the bottom up was. Amphion winked at her kindly.

They rode out of the courtyard, through the city. The citizens were all awesome aside when they passed them. Some bowed humbly, others cheered them on. All eyed Heera curiously. Some of them knew they already n all their lives by trade, she had all too often operated with them, yet she could not stop being amazed when Heera now on the noble horse in a soft coat and loose hair sitting . They seemed to have actually changed. Although she felt nothing about it, she could see in particular in the eyes of a how to read in a book. The children ran laughing and yelling after them as far as the city limits.

As the forest came into view, Heera caught up to Lean and joined beside him at the head of her little hunt train.

"Did you not feel guilty?" She asked him provocatively.

He rolled his eyes. "You have my father, the king, heard. It's my job to protect my people. I cannot help Phoebe. "

"You should not have sent them so they must be in danger!", Contradicted him Heera. "Should not protect his bride a prince? Should not a prince against dragons fight? You send your bride before instead. "

Lean lifted amused his right eyebrow. "When did you get so old-fashioned? I want a bride who cannot be deterred by dragons. Your should not way too long, no river too deep and no mountain is too high when it comes to save the ones she loves. A queen must not only pretty to look at her husband's side, but can vouch for her people. "

Heera felt he would now propose their own words. She herself always claimed but that women were men equal. Why then stir about it now on that the King of the elect did not expect anything else than if it were a marrying his daughter and not his son? Would twelve young men to fight for the hand of a princess, no one would be surprised that was expected of them in the tests to put their courage to the test.

Lean leaned on his white horse slightly in their direction. A cheeky grin on his lips. "What's going on? Are you speechless? "

He laughed smugly and gave his horse. Heera however, fell back. It seemed to her as if she had lost a game and it was a bad loser. But she would get her revenge, not later than the hunt.

Amphion, who also kept his distance to the other, rode beside her. "Do not worry about your sister," he said empathetic.

Heera blushed. In fact, she had barely thought of Medea, since they had left the castle behind. However, "I think all the time about it," she claimed. She could not and did not want to admit that they actually enjoyed the ride so far. It was certainly not the prince, but the silence of the forest. Everything was covered by a thick layer of snow and it could be heard in addition to the clatter of their horses only from and to the cracking of the branches that broke under the snow load.

As Amphion said, left his breath a cloud in the air. "Why you trust her so little? You, Xenia and Daphne have your tests also passed. One might think that you'd think you're better than that. "

Angrily she looked at his face, but he smiled at her steadfastly, what you took the wind out of the sails. You could be angry at anyone who saw it so honestly and sincerely. "I'm not better, but I am different than the other girls," she tried to explain, without sounding conceited.

"In what way?"

"The others are all as beautiful as I am fearless."

"I do not think you're fearless," he replied seriously, and added with a smile: ". Besides, you're certainly not ugly"

Heera grinned, but did not elaborate on their appearance a. "There is not something I fear. No man, no animal and no magic. "

"That may be, and yet you are afraid of something."

Heera furrowed brow blankly. What was he getting at? "What would that be?"

"You are afraid of love."

Heera wanted to laugh and deny everything, but no sound came from her throat. Her heart began to beat so wildly, as if it wanted to report to speak for themselves. She had her chance to contradict Amphion missed.

The horses were tied up under a large oak tree, while the hunting party ventured into the undergrowth. It was already afternoon and the sun was shining on the horizon in a deep orange. The first animals would now venture out of their hiding places. Lean handed Heera a crossbow. Suspiciously she looked at the device. She was therefore just as unfamiliar as the riding in a saddle. He showed her surprisingly helpful and patient as they had to keep the gun properly and how they lodged the bolts. The weight of the crossbow was good in her hand.

"What should I aim?" She asked Lean challenging. He looked around, as Yanis suggested: "How about there to start with the arms of the king in the tree behind?" He pointed with an outstretched arm into the woods. Small metal crest marked the hunting ground. One was seen in about ten meters.

"At first I, then you" chose Lean and lifted the crossbow. He aimed his bolt and hit exactly in the center of the emblem, which showed a man holding a red apple in her hand. The apple had been split.

An appreciative murmur went through the round.

"Now you," the prince grinned cheekily.

Heera raised the gun and pointed as they usually did with her bow. Still, she jerked from the shock, the crossbow triggered when shot, together. Her bolt struck just wide of the coat of arms in the tree.

"I'm afraid you should ever worry about going to wear what dress you to the ball," Lean teased triumphantly.

Marriage, Heera it could meet something, sit Silas for them. "I would not be so hasty, Lean. Not Do you remember your first shot? "

"I'm a natural," the prince sneered, laughing.

Silas and Yanis exchanged amused glances before Silas said. "A natural talent that has instead of the target of the king shot the crown of the head"

Heera looked at him in horror, but Lean waved casually from. "Everything planned out."

"What I want to say is that you have as opposed to our princes for your first shot really good beat you bloody" Silas praised them. "Is it really the first time that you hold a crossbow?"

Heera nodded and said nothing about the fact that she was better in dealing with the bow and arrow for that.

"Let us choose a slightly more exciting goal," the Prince demanded belligerently and walked through the woods. The group followed him. They reached a nearby shore. "Too bad we do not have a dog with us," Lean said regretfully and turned with a mischievous look to Amphion. This also began to grin. Almost imperceptibly he muttered a few words, gesturing on Yanis. After a moment, there was a barking, brown hound in front of them. Lean laughed enthusiastically while Yanis confused turned in a circle. Silas and Heera also began to laugh when the dog trying to catch its tail.

"Yanis, out!" Smirked Lean. The dog paused and cocked his head before he was an unwilling growl from him.

"Be a good dog and blow us the ducks from the pond," he urged his new four-legged friend. Yanis sniffing held his nose in the direction of the lake, before loss piled barking.

Hastily put Silas, Lean and Heera their crossbows ready to fire at. First came a loud chatter from the reeds, then scored the first birds in the sky. Already the first bolt of Silas met and a duck fell swoop to the ground. A short time later also met Lean and Heera their goal. They hurried to the spot on the had to be dropped to the ground animals. All three ducks were dead.

"What happens to them?" Asked Heera, as she pulled the pin out of the lifeless body.

"Landen probably in saucepan. Duck there with us in abundance, I prefer rather have a juicy leg of wild boar, "Lean said indifferently. In the villages there were usually only once a week to eat meat, if at all. The common people were not allowed to hunt in the forest. Heera had not been kept in mind, but who would now go for her family on the hunt? Her father was busy all day trying to buy the small field and neither Elena nor her mother were proficient with the bow.

"May I bring my family the ducks?" Heera asked hesitantly. It was hard, lean to ask for anything. He should not see how much she missed her parents and her sister.

Lean looked curiously her face before he apologetically pouted. "You can, as long as you are in the selection, not visit your family," he said. Heera naturally knew about it, but a part of her had hoped that Lean does not abide by the rules and would make an exception for her.

"Our farm is not far from here," setting them again and felt her longing away rolled like a wave over them.

"I'll even bring your parents all the animals we kill today," promised Lean conciliatory. Compassion in his eyes. Heera wanted to like to see their parents themselves, but the idea, like the prince himself would stand in front of her little sister, she brought yet to smile. Elena would probably even more pleased about the visit of the Prince as the visit Heera’s. Your mother would be hectic emphasize the hair out of her face and a young girl blush when they bowed to Lean. You'd probably for months to talk about nothing but the visit of the Prince and praise him to the skies.

"Thanks," she said timidly and fought back the lump in her throat. She felt Lean looked at her, when he said: "It's best to begin directly tomorrow to practice for the opening dance." She heard the cheeky grin in his voice and shook his head violently. "I have met my goal!",  lifted and held to prove the duck up.

"Amphion, my charming friend, help us," writhed Lean to the wizard who winced frightened, as if he had slept with his eyes open. "What shall I do?"

"Put us up at the moon, so we can shoot him from heaven."

Amphion pulled a coin out of his sleeve and threw them high, while he whispered:

"Get up the firmament,

On the night that you shine."

The coin disappeared and in its place was in the sky next to the delicate contours of the winter sun to recognize second ball. But this was beaming brighter than the sun and sparkled like gems only it could.

Heera held her hand over her eyes to be dazzled.

"The one of us who shoots the moon from the sky, won the bet," Lean said, putting on his crossbow. "Silas, be so kind and count for us."

Hastily put Heera themselves to their weapon.

"3 ..."

The false moon blinded so much that she could hardly see anything.

"2 ..."

She would never reach their destination.

"1 ..."

She closed her eyes ...

"Go!"

... and shot without aiming. They relied on their sense.

When she opened her eyes again, the second moon disappeared from the sky. For a warm glow could be seen deep in the forest between the trees. Lean it seemed as surprised as you. "One of us has probably taken," he exclaimed, and began to start running.

"How do we know who owns the bolt?" Asked Heera while they ran after him.