Unconquered Sun (32 page)

The invincible Sun rang out with the hand bells so that their sound blocked even lion's roar. Then, prosmeyavshis, she with astonishment looked at Prinze - that was unconscious.

Then It touched the invisible - but quite, it is necessary to tell, tangible! - a leg his shoulder and Prinze right there jumped from a floor as scalded, holding the burned shoulder.

- Oh, I, apparently, you burned … - and again burst out laughing.

But to Prinze had no time for laughter. He frowned and loured in a mirror - it was not so much offensive for it for a burn how many for the fact that it was so dishonored with a lion.

- I do not love such jokes! What such treatment of guests is? In total - I do not play with you any more! I will go to myself to the room, and more you will not see me! - the Prince indeed right there went to an exit, about himself having thought whether it will burn down it again or not.

But, seemingly, that the Invincible Sun decided to accept rules of the game - it so was pleasant to it!

- Hey, Prinze, do not leave, I will not be any more! Give, I will treat you! However, I did not want …

Suddenly the tunic sleeve by itself spread up, and something gentle touched a red spot on skin, soft, cool. Pain right there abated, and the tunic sleeve again by itself fell by the place.

- Well, how?

- Now it is good … And why these monsters so began to roar?

Loud ring of hand bells.

- And - and-and! Was frightened, the little coward! I specially made it that to frighten guests. Fine worked, the truth? You only present what is it - to wait for twenty thousand years that somebody here and so as you fell heavily with fear on a floor for my joke! - and again laughed.

But it ridiculous did not seem to Prinze at all. To be in such idiotic position the first and only was a dubious honor, and he kept silent.

- Hey, well do not take offense! I liked to play with you! I think, we will get on with you! Let's go, I will show you other hall, there too it is interesting. - And the solar ghost ran forward, to a door opposite to a throne again. Nothing remained to the prince how to follow it.

Other hall was diamond.

- Diamond chamber, - with undisguised pride said the Invincible Sun. - How many dwarfs had to be driven here that all of them made it for me - horror simply!

- And - and-and! - stretched to Prinze disappointedly. - Means, these are dwarfs all did!

- And who else? - puzzly the Voice answered. - But all drawings were done by me, they only performed technical work, ground stones … Fi! Yes unless dwarfs would guess to do such tiles at windows? And such patterns and pictures? And gobelins? Whether in the you mind, the little man! Only I could make it - and nobody more! - the ghost stamped a leg on a floor - at least, so showed walls mirrors.

The prince understood that it is better not to anger "
the hospitable hostess
" - so he called her present role. And the fact that she was upset was clear because she called it "little man" instead of "Prince" again.

- Forgive me, the Invincible Sun, I did not want to offend you … - Prinze hasty apologized.

- Oh well! At once it is visible, the village! You understand nothing high art! Probably, except cheap water color peyzazhik saw nothing. So and to be, I forgive. If understands, would understand what is dwarfs do not make. There is only enough their imagination to give short weight prostofil-fairies in the market, selling them stones extremely expensively, and on it … Well, is not present! Here, look!

Light touch of a hot breeze some force pushed to shovels and Prinze forward. It appeared at the long wall covered with gobelins.

All gobelins were weaved out of the golden threads shining on the sun. But the main thing was not in it.

- Watch how many threads! Shine in all flowers of a rainbow. I had to pull out them directly from diamonds special spells. Worked then wonderfully well!

- Yes, really, fine!

And it is right, on a golden silk background all flowers of a rainbow which are poured on the sun threads embroidered various landscapes. There were also water green meadows on which well-fad cows were grazed; and green bosks on which cheerful leverets jumped; and blue ponds on which ducks floated; mountain gorges over which it is proud eagles and much flew, many other. But all these separate stories were united by one - everywhere, on a clear sky the large bright gold sun with female features regal shone.

These gobelins were pleasant to the prince more, than lions with emerald eyes. His face lit up, as at the child to whom showed a new toy. He attentively began to study each drawing, gently touching the represented animals.

- Oh, what leveret pretty! And what cows! And young frogs … Well, exactly as presents! - its delighted exclamations were continually distributed.

The solar ghost with a sinking heart stood behind Prinze. He obviously did not expect such sincere praise and such children's direct pleasure.

- You want, Prinze, I will present you a couple of such features - time they so were pleasant to you? At me still is! - at last, childly directly said the Invincible Sun.

- Truth?! - for pleasure Prinze clapped the hands and turned to the Invincible Sun. - Here my Fairy will be glad - she too so loves …

- What such Fairy?! - sharply the Voice changed. And Prinze felt intolerable burning in a breast and the head. The head began to spin and ached as it happens at an overheat on the sun, strongly zatoshnit. Sweat drove a hail on all body, legs were turned in and it failed on a floor. The prince wanted to tell something, but not in forces was to publish a sound. It opened a mouth as the fish cast ashore. Before eyes orange circles floated. It began to fall promptly in some fiery orange chasm …

However, falling quickly stopped. He felt that someone as if seized him with a hand by a collar and sharply dragged back from this chasm.

- Hey, the little man, you are living? And well answer, and that will be worse!

The prince hardly opened eyes.

- Once again you will tell me about this Fairy, I will burn your memory so, as there will be no ashes left, understood?

The prince frowned.

- You hear?

Silence.

- Hey, be not silent! Answer when with you I speak! Immediately! Who here the captive - I or you?

The prince sadly looked at tips of the sandals, and then slowly answered:

- And I thought that I here voluntarily that I am a guest to whom
the hospitable hostess
… shows sights - and in forced bewilderment made a helpless gesture.

There was an awkward pause.

- Well, generally, of course, yes, but it is meant after all that you already from here will not leave anywhere, here … Really after all this magnificence and perfection to you can be wanted to return back to the den?! - with feeling of just indignation spoke the Voice. - I do not understand! I meant that I your new room (however, it is good?) I will decorate with the gifts that you will be them here and so how now to admire, think of me … Judge itself - as if justifying oneself, told the Invincible Sun, - what to me to hear about this … a rural goose in my halls?

- She is not a goose, - Prinze with insult said, - and my wife and mother of my kids whom I very much and very much love …

- Fi! You will think! - parried the Voice. - Here you will see when you merge with the Stream, you even will not remember them! This such pleasure that all terrestrial seems nonsense! However, you still will have an opportunity it to estimate for now … Until we go we will examine sapphire!

And the ghost hurried forward as if running away from further continuation of the conversation which took such turn, unpleasant for it.

The general view of a sapphire hall was approximately same. Same high ceiling, same gold cast columns, same candelabrums, statues and chandeliers. Only everything is decorated here were dark blue sapphires.

- I did the sketch and ordered delivery of stones and their facet - the hostess boasted, looking enough at how Prinze with astonishment examined the rare pebbles which skillfully decorated one of columns.

- Here, look, you did not see it yet, - and again between shovels Prinze felt the hot touch which pushed him one of walls.

The prince approached there and … gasped. All wall was covered with excellent pictures whose gold frames were decorated with blue sapphires of absolutely different size and a different form of a facet. Prinze did not see such irrational use of wealth yet.

But the most beautiful, of course, in these pictures there were pictures. All of them were quite big size, in three, and even four human growth so that to consider them completely, Prinze had to recede far back. They were written by oil paint - very bright and live. Generally, it were entirely landscapes and on the same subjects, as gobelins - meadows, gardens, the woods, mountains, ponds with the most various animals. In all pictures as live the zhenoobrazny sun with beams handles which, appear, want to embrace everyone and everything in this world brightly shone.

But landscapes were also pleasant to the Prince most of all! It is surprising even as far as tastes of the Invincible Sun and Prinze coincided! Even the Fairy after all loved both portraits, and art compositions, and therefore insisted on usefulness of both family portraits, and any sketches from their life for home art gallery. And here - one landscapes - more than anything!

But the most surprising in these pictures was the fact that the characters represented there seemed just as live. Branches of trees, for example, appear, fluctuated from whiff of a breeze, the rivers - flew, and bees almost like live crowded over flowers.

It brought the prince into such delight that he even forgot to close a mouth, greedy considering the next animal.

- At-at-at! And my Fairy so is not able to draw … - Prinze whispered and right there stopped short - now ka-a-a-ak I will get it again in the neck! But nothing occurred.

- Still! - indulgently said the Voice. - It, probably, does all pictures by means of the memorable crystals! Fi! Here and the dwarf will make a large number of some pictures, and try oil paint!

- Oh! - suddenly Prinze exclaimed, - and on this source I was … Yes, yes, I cannot be mistaken! There still there live my old familiar willows - they so like to have a talk unceasingly! And for them there live two big snails, such ridiculous, with horns … I liked to tickle them a blade on a paunch! And this small river is familiar to me … I swim always with mermaids, on distillations there! Yes, here still the sandy beach behind turn, I usually there dried. And here I was … and here … Listen, the Invincible Sun and from where you have these stories? From where you know about our places?

- I a lot of things, Prinze, know, a lot of things … - mysteriously spoke the Voice.

- You are direct as my Fairy! - angrily stamped-legged Prinze. - All the time from me you hide something! It is not pleasant to me! Unless I am not your guest?! Itself spoke! - In reply to it again hand bells melodiously rang out.

- And you unless still did not understand that
ALL OF US are SUCH
? Yes,
we
like to mistreat others, to feel the superiority. These are our elements! Even your provincial beauty cannot but show properties of the race!

- Well also sit with your secrets! Very much it is necessary! - and Prinze as the child with insult waved a hand and turned away a back to pictures.

Some time both were silent.

- Hey, Prinze, and well return to me! It is boring for me! We so did not agree! Give! I show you my treasures, and you have to admire, understood? And that I will roast to you one place, you will quickly start talking!

Silence.

- E-e-e-y, Prinze, and well, make still such person as earlier when you looked at animals. It was pleasant to me! Well, give, I want to continue game! Yes - and - and - and - va - and - and - ah! - The prince felt how someone tickles him as though some blade in an ear, on a stomach, on a back. The prince did not sustain and laughed.

- Ag-a-a-a-a! Laughed! It is good! Now I know, than to get you when you sulk. And well, went to other hall, I will show you still something interesting … - the Solar Ghost, having stopped tickling Prinze, was headlong let forward, and nothing remained to Prinze how to follow directly him.

Following the hall was ruby. As it was possible to guess, everything was decorated with blood-red rubies here.

But here Prinze's attention was drawn by the strange patterns on walls made of some unfamiliar color material pasted on a golden background.

- What is it? - Prinze with astonishment asked, pointing a finger at them.

- Eh you, village! - derisively said the Voice. - It a mosaic, unless you do not know?

- No, I know only stained-glass windows. In Avalon, on tournament, I saw them much, and I see this for the first time, - Prinze puzzly told. He attentively picked a finger a ruby-red rose which grew in the middle of a garden from peach and pear trees. By the light of the sun it was poured by ruby-red sparks. - These are some crumbs …

- Here if you at the queen Laura would fool about less, then would see that in her palace there is a lot of mosaic. Mermaids collect multi-colored sinks at the bottom of the Sea, and then pound them in a crumb in special mortars. On boards, by means of special tubules blow patterns, and then spells attach them to a board and the picture turns out.