Unconquered Sun (5 page)

- I so am grateful to you for everything, the Beautiful Fairy! You so helped me, saved to me life, cured me so I am your debtor forever - and would like to remain your friend forever! - somehow Prince Fee at dinner told.

- Hey, Prinze, and it that else for news? Why it on "you"? What for thanks such? You what, was going to leave perhaps? - with insult the Fairy inflated sponges.

The prince hesitated.

- You understand, the Fairy, me, of course, it is good with you, but I so zagostitsya at you, inconveniently somehow …

- Nonsenses are what! - the Fairy threw up the hands. - And I want to hear nothing! Where you will go, a miracle in feathers? You all the same any have no memory!

- I will show a medallion in the village, maybe, will prompt …

The fairy has a snack was a sponge from disappointment, but in a moment already melodiously burst out laughing:

- Oh! And I yours incidentally dropped a medallion to the river, together with a ringlet! You sorry, Prinze, I, however, did not want … - and right there reddened with shame, all know that fairies are not able to lie.

- How?! Same … memory! As you could! Yes what you afford! - and, having ridiculously thrown up the hands, ran out from the house …

The prince was not shown at the Fairy the whole day at home, even did not come for a dinner. He felt offended up to the soul depth: its last communication with the past was so unscrupulously, is torn so roughly off!

But when there ascended the moon and lit with the silvery shine the hilly coast, Prinze felt that he is not one.

- Forgive me, Kind Prinze, I specially destroyed them … - is guilty having sighed, the Fairy spoke. - Even not in the river … I melted them and made of them … Generally, made other things. You forgive! Such we, fairies: if we strongly want something, we will achieve the in any way …

- And our girls so do not behave! - Prinze spoke with insult, looking somewhere afar, there, where the moonlight, being reflected from a water smooth surface, was scattered by myriads of silvery sparks.

- Beautifully, truth? - a languid voice the Fairy whispered.

- Yes, it is beautiful …

- And why you do not want to remain with me still? To you it is bad here?

- Is not present … - Prinze with astonishment answered, having looked at it. - Simply … inconveniently somehow …

- Yes throw you! Too to me, "inconveniently"! With you it is interesting to me. You are not such as all other people. To them all to eat, drink - kind you will not hear the word … And you - fairy tales tell me, love the wood … It is direct as we, fairies! You our warehouse, understand, and you not incidentally appeared in we wash to the wood … You understand
it
? - And the Fairy again as then, in a pine grove, stridently looked to it in eyes, and again Prinze not in forces was to take away the look. Suddenly it seemed to it that on the place of eyes of the Fairy some black wells which all attracted it stronger and stronger were formed. The black chasm closed the embraces, and Prinze remained her captive forever.

10.

And next morning, when Prinze woke up, he found the Animals standing waiting for his awakening in the bed. The kitten held in the pads a fine wreath from eternal and live fragrant snow-white roses, the Puppy - the silver-white tunic embroidered by golden roses and a gold belt, and Oslenok - a small pink box with wedding rings. All three Zverenk were dressed in the same tunics with corbels up to a waist. Oslenok it is important, with understanding of the high mission assigned to it took a step forward, efficiently corrected points on a nose and a little bit a snuffling voice spoke:

- Your Highness, Kind Prinze! Under laws of our country, the one to whom the fairy allowed to kiss herself from now on has to become her lawful spouse forever. Here we, her faithful servants, are ready to accompany you on meeting of Community of fairies where the ceremony already prepares. The fairy waits for you, oh, Happy Prinze!

Prinze did not manage to think that happens to him as the Kitten and the Puppy dressed it in a beautiful dress, put on a wreath the head and moved on a lawn at the house.

The magnificent balloon from pink silk was already harnessed by couple of beautiful white-headed griffins. Prinze and Animals should have entered a basket and to cut a rope which held a sphere on the earth as it right there soared up up. And then the magic winged animals directed by the Kitten pulled it for themselves.

How many flight lasted, Prinze did not know. He was too bewitched by contemplation of beauty of the sky, he flew in the balloon for the first time to lives! The sky was transparent-blue, under legs cotton wool fluffy clouds curled white as, and far the bright red rising sun in the east seemed.

At last, on one of pink islands, seemed ahead, he noticed a round structure of the same color, enormous by the sizes, something like stadium with stands. All stands were filled as a beehive - the bees, identical as if the made to one measure of the same material, winged beauties. They sat and with curiosity waited for Prinze, not so often fairies marry, and especially for whom - for the person! Ways of fairies and people nowadays infrequently meet …

At last, the Kitten unhooked reins, and griffins departed further, on the affairs, and the balloon stiffened over stadium. A simple spell - and air in a cylinder began to cool down. A sphere, gradually losing height, landed directly on the stadium arena covered with the pink sand sparkling, sparkling in beams of a rising sun.

In the center of the arena there were three chairs, also pink color made of some strange porous, live, breathing material. On them three most important fairies majestically sat. They looked same young, as well as all others, but eyes on their passionless, motionless as stone sculptures, persons, radiated such wisdom which could collect only for the uncountable millennia of life. They were dressed in purple tunics, hoops on their heads were from pure gold, but not from silver, as at the others, and stones on hoops - ruby-red.

- Prikloni knee, oh, Happy Prinze! - it is hardly heard whispered on an ear to Prince Kotenok. - Before you - the Triad of Perfect, Eternal Keepers of the Order and Tselestiya's Prosperity whom all fairies call "Triune Knowledge" because though their Three, but they are eternally uniform - even in thoughts - in the aspiration to create good to the whole world!

The prince submissively fell by one knee and, having removed a wreath, bent the head before Triune Knowledge, and all three Knowledge at the same time nodded in reply. Then the voice of the Second of Them was distributed - and this voice was diveins in Prinze's ears. Majestic, passionless, imperious and - gentle and melodious at the same time.

- Get up, the son human, and listen attentively. You are invited here, being convicted of the impudent offense made by you against one of absolutely young attendants of group of Keepers of the Limit. This offense - infringement of honor of the immortal fairy - is punished under our laws by death. Do you have what to tell in the justification?

- I have! - firmly and fearlessly Prinze answered, having fearlessly looked fool in the face the Second of Three. - The beautiful Fairy saved to me life, and I fell in love with it. And now - do with me that want!

The rumble of approval and admiration as noise of a surf swept on stands of huge stadium. But all three Knowledge at the same time raised the right hands and right there the silence, full silence set in.

- Under the laws of Community, laws established from the beginning of the world and consecrated with the Creator, - it is passionless as though without noticing anything around, the Second of Three said, - you can keep the life only if the fairy whom you fearlessly concerned bails your life, both life and your death will belong from now on only to it.

As soon as She spoke it as air pierced a melodious high pitched voice - a voice of the Beautiful Fairy well familiar to Prinze:

- Your Knowledge, allow
me
to bail him. I fell in love with Kind Prinze and I allowed to kiss myself!

And then Prinze saw how one of fairies got up and solemnly came downstairs to the arena. It differed from the sisters only in the fact that on it the same silver-white tunic was dressed, as well as on Prinze, and on the head there was the same wreath from eternal and live snow-white roses.

The fairy, slowly, with advantage, approached the Throne, with awe bowed to Triune Knowledge and a confident movement took Prinze's hand in the, and Oslenok, having again inflated from importance, dexterously gave to the Fairy a small pink box with rings. The beautiful Fairy took one of rings and solemnly said:

- From now on your life and death, oh, the person, in my hands, - and the ring in the face of the surprised Prinze suddenly turned into a small snake and at the same moment dexterously twisted a thin anonymous finger of the Fairy.

- From now on yes never to stop my power over you, - and the second ring a snake crept on a hand, and then twisted Prinze's finger.

And only after that the Beautiful Fairy embraced Prinze and touched pink as corals, lips to his lips, under joyful shouts and applause of thousands and thousands of fairies in the stands. Petals of eternal and live roses a rain fell down on the arena, marking commission of great sacrament, such nowadays rare in Skies, - sacraments Sacred Ouse. And then all three Knowledge at the same time upraised hands to heaven, and Prinze felt how the unknown exciting force fills his soul and a body from which at him the head right there began to spin, as from young wine.

- It is force of the country of fairies Happy Prinze fills you, oh, - the familiar voice of the Kitten was heard. - Accept it and be blessed because mortal cannot concern fairies, and now you became one of us. Accept and make happy our madam as it became happy! - It were the last words which were distinctly remembered by Prinze. His head began to spin so if not careful pads of the Kitten and Puppy, he, probably, would fall.

And everything was farther in some haze, a pink haze …

The prince as through some fog saw a long-predlinny table in a pink trees grove, the petals covered with the poured all flowers of a rainbow. Vaguely remembered a never-ending stream of music, songs, dances and glorifications from which there was no anything left at it in the head. He with something was treated and given to drink, something was told, but that - he did not remember. He even saw hardly …

Remembered only the Beautiful Fairy sitting on the right, its blue as the eye sky, tenderly and gently looking at it. It all shone with happiness.

Yes, still there was a dance … He danced with the Fairy. Her hair and a neck smelled honey so delicious, and her hand were such soft and gentle that it was even terrible to Prinze to touch it. And the Fairy laughed and laughed and all the time told something to it. They were turned in dance, and it seemed to Prinze that they even departed somewhere, but where and as - he already did not remember at all …

11.

The prince woke up in a former small hut of the Fairy at the river. His head was clear, and in a breast the feeling of inexpressible pleasure burned. At first he thought that all being with it - only a fine dream. He even wanted to close once again eyes and to fall asleep again to appear in this wonderful fairy tale. But here someone's thin handle touched Prinze's hair and gently stroked him on the head. He right there turned and saw the Beautiful Fairy. She lay nearby and looked at it so gently and so tenderly as though it was her native child.

- My dear Prinze, at last we together … - its melodious soft voice was distributed. - You do not even represent how long I waited for you! - and then passionately embraced him and strong nestled on him all the body.

- Tell me, the Beautiful Fairy, and I was really going to be executed there, on the arena? - having a little been confused from caress, unusual still for it, Prinze told the first that came to its mind.

- Well you, silly, are just ancient ritual of inclusion in our Community! - in a voice of the Fairy indulgence notes, as at the loving mother explaining something axiomatic to the dull baby sounded. - You had to die for the race and to become one of us. Differently you cannot take me in the wife, and me you - in husbands. Unless you do not understand it?

- Yes … I understand now … - Prinze confusedly murmured. - And I then really thought that I will be killed now …

The fairy raised the head and, having leaned against a cam, with curiosity glanced to it directly in eyes:

- And you would go to it? Well … to death? - she asked, slightly with bated breath.

- Without reflecting! - Prinze answered and kissed the Beautiful Fairy.

1.

That day Prinze woke up much later than usual. The matter is that already for five years it was awakened from a dream by the morning song of the Beautiful Fairy. In it it was sung about what wonderful the forthcoming day how many it is possible to make this day kind and remarkable promises to be. The fairy sang this song the high and gentle voice under sounds of a magic lute, touching thin and flexible fingers ringing strings from murmaid hair. Usually under these sounds all woke up at once - both Prinze, and Animals, and children, - without grumble and scandals, without whims and discontent because from this light and joyful song only one thought arose in the head - to rise somewhat quicker to try to make this world slightly better, than it was yesterday.

But that morning all left absolutely differently. The prince for some reason woke up not from a song of the Fairy, as always, and from the bright sunlight arresting to it directly attention. Below, in a refectory, the ring of the moved ware and a melodious female voice was already heard. This is the Fairy who woke up, as well as all representatives of her sort, from the dawn, already set the table. With it it was helped by faithful Animals. The prince slightly envied the Fairy, he could not force to get up the same as she, from the dawn in any way.

"And why to you? - the Fairy hit once question with a question, having playfully given a flick to him fingers. - You sleep, the sluggard, you are a person moreover and the man, and we, fairies, differently we cannot. The sun itself calls us, as well as birdies to sing to it of the anthem! Such is our nature …"

"And here still not only that from the dawn - even in time, usual for all normal people, managed to oversleep!" - Prinze thought, and this thought for some reason even more him grieved.

The prince sadly yawned from ear to ear and went to wash. In a bathroom the careful Puppy already prepared fragrant pink tooth-powder, warm pink water and fresh clothes.

"Well I without them would do! - Prinze thought with relief, inertly being accepted to toothbrushing. - Without Fairy, without Animals? I live-live, and in anything, except as in the composition of fairy tales, did not succeed … How the Fairy in general suffers me? Why to it such husband?" From these thoughts which, by the way, appeared in his head
for the first time
for all the time of their joint life Prinze felt ill at ease. He looked at the reflection in a mirror and, without having kept as the child writhed a mug.

Then, having put on a fresh shirt and trousers, Prinze went down in a refectory. The fairy as the careful bee, similarity to whom to her gave pair of transparent wings behind the back, already imposed pink porridge and spilled pink juice on glasses. The ware to it was given by the Kitten and the Puppy. Oslenk was not visible anywhere. Probably, he washed children.

"Well, here, - again Prinze gloomy thought, - all at affairs, one I live here as a drone! Really I am necessary to the Fairy only in order that to entertain her yes kids to give birth?. What strange, however, visit me thoughts today!"

The refectory represented quite big room which is pasted over with pink wall-paper with the long table laid by a pink cloth. In it there were many big round windows, on two from each party walls, and therefore in a refectory always was light-and it is fresh. On walls the set of beautiful pictures with images of various animals, birds, trees and plants was hanged out. These pictures were made by Prinze by means of the magic crystal presented by the Fairy who could remember an image of any subject, and then display it on any material - whether it be a canvas or a tree. The fairy sometimes gave special tasks to the Prince to take photographs of this or that animal or a plant, sometimes it was a task for all day, and even on two … Try remove some timid leveret - it is necessary to run about fairly!

Pink curtains hung on refectory windows, as well as in all house. In general, this color was darling at the Fairy, and Prinze never dared to challenge her opinion in housekeeping questions. But this time the domination pink in the conditions of the house unpleasantly rezanut to it eyes.

"Really, well why pink?! And I, by the way, love blue and blue! - again discontentedly Prinze thought. - Why it
always
does as wants?! And I as who in general in this house? A doggie for game or a drone for reproduction?!"

Several chandeliers hung on a refectory ceiling halls. They burned with the multi-colored blinking small lamps in the evenings, each of which was made in the form of the fairy with wings which moved in a magic way on a chandelier circle, as if flew. But also it that morning was not pleasant to Prinze.

"Well why and here fairies? Well really it is impossible to make a chandelier with small animals or birdies?! Everywhere one fairies - on pillows, on sheets, on curtains … Bothered! I want animals and birdies! Here!" - again Prinze angrily thought and itself did not notice how he came to be at a table.

And in a refectory there were several cases with books, but all of them were locked on a magic castle, except one which contained books on flora, fauna and Tselestiya's history. At all these books on the first page it was written by the large red letters "it is approved for instructive reading". These books were interestingly and is fascinating are written. Colourful self-moving pictures were located on everyone to the cream-pink, tartly smelling of honey page. And if to read the necessary spells written on the fly-leaf of books - that and with a soundtrack. The prince could for hours as the child to look at these moving pictures, driving according to them fingers and to listen as elephants, rhinoceroses or other rare animals or birds whom he never before never saw before really roar. The fairy liked to watch it these minutes. She loved in Prinze naive and childly the surprised expression of his eyes which at it arose when reading books, and therefore with great pleasure ordered for it from Skies book novelties.

But now Prinze thought not of it, and that other cases were tightly closed from him. "Well I am a child, perhaps, to hide from me books?!"

The response of the Fairy to his objection stated once did not allow other opinion: "it will be boring for you to read them, there are no pictures … Watch better what I to you the new book ordered, - here all about bees! You see what here bright pictures!?" And Prinze right there forgot about everything - occupation was for these days found … But now Prinze thought: "Well it - for the child, perhaps, holds me? I, maybe, too want to be a wizard, it is not worse than it!"

In addition Prinze inopportunely remembered, as books on stories were not for the entire period. They covered only Hera Poryadca's events and Prosperity, and what was earlier - "Dark Centuries" as this time were called by fairies - in these books was not reflected. And it is interesting to know how people lived then! Of course, Prinze liked also those books which were available to him. They abounded with beautiful moving pictures with a soundtrack too. The prince in them was especially attracted by bright suits and hairdresses, various in different kingdoms of the Commonwealth, and also inhabitants of other countries - here were also a strange Cyclops from the Oversea country, both walking trees of Drevlyandiya, and dwarfs of Podzemya and many, many others.

But when Prinze somehow asked "and what was earlier, well, to the Order and Prosperity?", the Fairy somehow strange and seriously looked at it. And then suddenly having sharply passed to the usual indulgent and cheerful tone, told, having scornfully waved the handle: "-a-a! yes there everything was uninteresting: people went in animal skins, ate crude meat, did not wash and in addition disgusting louses so pictures from such books to you will not want to be looked were found in their dirty and unkempt hair". And, as always, suddenly suddenly remembered that quite recently it brought to it the new book, and not just on stories, and on stories of the Country of Fey, with a set of beautiful pictures! The book which only those people who were unusually lucky to become husbands of fairies can read! Eyes at Prinze lit up, and he somehow forgot at once about the interest in Dark Centuries … But now he remembered this episode and became it very and very unpleasantly at heart.

Yes, Prinze was today obviously in low spirits! Even the wall where their joint portraits with the Fairy were hanged out, with kids and Animals did not please it. From what party look at these portraits everywhere the Fairy was in the center, and it … It all the time with one side, from another … The prince writhed a sour mine and turned away.

- Darling, with you everything is all right? You as though got up on the wrong side of the bed today! - anxiously the Fairy asked, spilling the last portions of pink juice on glasses.

The prince did not manage to answer as right there with squeal small kids, probably, much overtaken Oslenc rushed into the room, and right there began to make a din, be enough from a table of sweet, to shake on chairs, to rattle spoons - generally, to do all that is usually done by small children. The fairy right there began to calm them, the benefit to her Oslenok to the aid appeared in time. And Prinze sadly thought also of that, as the father he is useless: children it do not obey, found only with the Fairy da Oslenc …

"No, enough! - Prinze in a fit of temper thought. - With such life it is time to finish! It is necessary to go urgently today to the wood and to make some feat! I feel that I surely have to make today something outstanding! Feat, feat and once again feat!" - and from this thought felt better it at once.

It was already, probably, its 1001st intention which seldom came to an end with success. As a result of the similar enterprises the Prince usually got into the most ridiculous and even dangerous troubles. The last happened all a month ago - then he tried to cross the river in the deepest and wide place. As a result it has suffered much waters so that nearly drowned. The benefit, mermaids pulled out it and made an artificial respiration. The fairy then very much was upset though he also convinced her that if not a spasm - water was very cold - he would manage to make impossible for the person. But she did not believe it. "You are dear to me without any feats", - the Fairy told and kissed him on a forehead, and then quietly began to cry. And Prinze again tearfully promised it (and itself too) not to make more feats, but knew that he sometime surely will not sustain and something will throw out again.

Here and now he by all means decided to make a feat, is firm, as a real man, and itself did not notice how in dreams of it it slapped a fist on a table so that from it the ware nearly got.

- Darling, yes what there is with you it today? - the Fairy was already outright disturbed. - You what, decided to make feats again, and? - The intuition never deceives fairies …

The prince was a little discouraged by the fact that he so ridiculously gave himself and reddened as poppy.

- No, no, expensive, I just thought out a rhyme for my new song about bees and could not think up in any way, and here suddenly - found …

- Well, why so to worry? You tell Oslenk - he at us the poet pervostateyny. He to you will think up any rhyme, - the Fairy told and stretched was the handle to stroke Prinze on the head ….

But here the anger which is carefully suppressed by Prinze escaped outside.

- Well why Oslenok?! Well why?! Or perhaps I want! Why all for me do others?! Others take care of children, homework - others, feats - and those make others! And I on what? Everything, will be enough, I go to live to the wood! I will live one: to itself to get food, to feed itself, to give to drink, dress, I will grow a beard and I will live in a cave as a bear! Bothered! And I will better go to Avalon, I will be employed in pupils to the knight and I will participate then in tournaments! Here! - and once again slapped, already intentionally, on a table a fist.

Even kids which, using that the Fairy turned away from them, began to pull the sitting next Oslenk ears puzzly looked at Prinze and distracted from the so entertaining occupation. And the Kitten and the Puppy spreading napkins stood on the place.

- The prince and what is with you? Whether you got sick? - also softly the Fairy spoke. - You sit down, drink pink juice - at you the mood will improve at once! Give, tell me what disturbs you?

On Prinze the quiet and melodious sound of a feiny voice worked soothingly. He sat down on a chair, and the Fairy - nearby. She took him by hand and told:

- Well, say what disturbs you? Again has a longing you for deeds, huh?

The prince silently nodded.

- Give so, Prinze. I really need your help. At me the stock of medical medicines, and now the season almost ended. I will give you the list, and you descend and will take them in the wood. Agree that it is the best feat! By means of these grasses, you know, I treat the small animals getting to trouble and the birdies and also some of the little men who are especially seeking to make feats - she added, having tenderly smiled and having playfully frayed Prinze for an ear. - And that really is no time me - I have many another matters today.

The prince was always pacified by a voice of the Fairy. How many "feats" Prinze made for these years - it is possible to count on fingers of hands and legs and how many he
did not make
under the influence of a magic voice of the beloved wife - it is impossible to count. He obediently nodded also the Fairy happy with rose to go to the place at a table, near children. The breakfast went the turn, but the Fairy all the time did not leave unpleasant feeling that today surely there will be something bad.

"Well, of course! - suddenly the Fairy thought about herself. - Still! For the first time for all these years I did not sing the morning song to the Prince! And I think that it it directly since morning such gloomy? The morning song adjusts it on the necessary thoughts, the necessary feelings, and without it - you never know will begin to come to its mind? These people - such weak, such changeable …"