I didn’t even know what to do with her. Put on the shelf for decoration? But why do I need a book that I can’t read?
When I stayed alone, I revealed the gold-plated latches, opened the book and started flipping the pages, as if trying to determine what was written on them. All letters were neatly bred on the handful parchment with black and aluminum paints. Scarlet letters, as if burned against the background of dark symbols.
There was a persistent knock at the door. I broke away from the book and let the valet, who courteously reminded that it was time to change to the evening reception. On the way to one of the halls, I looked into the mirror and saw some fabulous, mysterious stranger there. Is it really my reflection? It appeared to me very dazzling and someone else’s, as if the gold-haired ghost looks at me from a dark mirror.
In the spacious hall under the sounds of the flutes were spinning in dance only two – three pairs. I decided to play chess with one of the nobles, and we took a table at the window. Time was nearing night. I won several parties in a row and already looking for a reason to retire when I heard the heralds’ tubes. The king appeared in support of his suite. I looked for a long time as the stone sparkle in his crown, how the folds of his mantle fluttered when he is walking. Probably Claude has already managed to tell him about the battle with the wild boar. For the first time my crowned father looked at me with gratitude and even with respect.
«Edwin!» Claude took me under the elbow and took to the side. «The father told me to present you one lady. She just returned from the journey and can tell you a lot. Let me introduce you to Lady Silvia.»
A slim lady turned to meet us. Curls of reddish hair covered her back and shoulders, even lay down on a smooth forehead. For some reason it seemed to me that she had never come out on the sun in her life. Only this could explain the painful pallor of her face. The white openwork dress only emphasized the marble white skin. Black eyelashes beautifully bent over expressive eyes. In a deceptive light from the walls, it seemed to me that the girl’s face was just a smooth gypsum mask framed by rag curls of the hair.
I approached her, more and more convincing that she was just a doll, which was forced to speak and move with help of some kind of cunning mechanism which was inserted in her head. Maybe in front of me really was the creation of a puppet master.
Lady Silvia stood motionless. Just noticing me, she cried softly and would fall, if Claude did not support her on time.
«You must have not got used to noisy reception, Milady,» he said, helping her to get to the nearest sofa.
«No, just not to the fire,» she dismissed when Claude tried to sit down near the fireplace. She settled in the chair, which stood rather far from the fire. Maybe she was afraid that the flame even in a distance could burn her white, gentle skin or spark, accidentally escaped because of the low fireplace, it would fall on her dress. Never have a single lady fainted from the presence of a prince. Claude also did not understand anything, but, nevertheless, he tried to bring Silvia to feelings. I could only retire. Several ladies standing at the exit from the hall, seeing me, sat down in low courtesy. I answered them with a nod of head. Other courtiers, found in the galleries, also bowed to me, someone made a compliment, and only this strange Sylvia for some reason was frightened of me or of someone who was invisible attended behind my back. I turned around, thinking that I would see the ugly shadow behind my back, but I saw only how the black smoke was swept away, taking the shape of the winged being. Just a shadow curve from some kind of subject, but it seemed to me frightening and mysterious.
There was a candle on my table. I could not fall asleep for a long time, listening to silence. It seemed that sometimes a quiet, silk rustle hears outside the window. So rustled the dress of the late queen – my mother, when she went in support of her maids of honour along the narrow corridor in her bedroom. From her kingdom, she led several astrologers in the royal castle, which to this day gave some valuable advice to the king.
Again I heard some sounds. Only now I remembered that, contrary to the promise, I forgot to close the window. I wanted to rise from the bed. The candle was almost burned down and dropped only weak reflections on the morocco’s cover of the book. From the side of the window there was a quiet flap of wings. Did some kind of bird decide to take off so high? Maybe it decided to make the nest on the windowsill? I turned to the window, and what I saw seemed incredible to me. In the arched opening of window, was a graceful female silhouette. I looked at the white marble shoulders, hands, prayer-crossed on the chest, the pile of dark curls and two transparent, sparkling wings behind her. The face of the night guest was also strikingly beautiful. She did not look at me, her lips barely moved, as if in prayer. And I was afraid to twitch her and feared that, bypassing the window opening, she would fly straight into the room, put off the candle with her wing and would speak about the ancient secrets. I carefully rose from the bed and, trying to stick in the shade, approached the window. Suddenly the winged guest raised her eyes.
Under the dark eyelashes flashed a cruel fire. There was no one before the window. My guest disappeared as suddenly, as it appeared.
I remembered the instructions of Florian. In this midnight hour I was ready to give the tribute to his mind. How could he foresee it? He also warned me not to go to the city after the coming of darkness, but I could not obey this instruction. If some murderer roams around the city at night, then I have to fight against him, as I fought against many before him. I took the sword, left the bedroom and on the long-mastered route got out of the castle. Soon I had already walked around the dark streets. Sometimes I went out onto wide, well-lit roads. But the robber is unlikely to be painted in such places. Too much light. Snowflakes are circling near the lanterns like silver dust. In several windows, the light was still burning. In one of them I saw the silhouette of the seamstress with the needlework. I wrapped in a raincoat and continued my way. In addition to echo of my steps, I have not heard any sound for a long time. Then I heard the noise of carriage on the deserted street. The crew, almost came up with me. I wanted to leave the road and stand aside, because on this narrow street it was impossible for us to pass on this part of the road, but suddenly a graceful head looked out of the window.
«I am glad to see you, Monseigneur!» sang a familiar voice. This very voice called me from the sleigh, passing by the deserted glade.
«I am surprised how you are not afraid to ride at night on these sinister streets,» said I, standing near the crew.
«I’m trying to imitate your courage,» she answered in all the same playful tone. «And, moreover, you must help me. Have you not noticed that we have just broken the axis in the wheel, so I had to stop. And not because I am looking for meetings with our beautiful lord.»
I looked at the wheel. The axis was broken. We needed a master to replace it. Meanwhile, my random acquaintance was impatiently tangled with the tips of the fingers along the door.
«Unfortunately, I can not fix it just like that. Does your coachman have any tools with him?» I really wanted to help her, without even thinking about the fact that I am a prince, not a coach-builder. Florian would be horrified by one such thought.
«I don’t understand why you need tools,» the lady was displeased. «With your abilities, you continue to think like a simple person. And it surprises me. So you help me?»
«Sorry, but I really can’t,» I looked at the hopeless breakdown.
«No, you can,» the lady said a imperious tone. Her eyes burned in the light of the lantern. – Call for help your secret force and everything will work out. After all, I have no relation to your brothers, you should not hide your talents from me.»
Her words hit me something. I looked at the broken axis and strained thoughts, presenting how slow the tree would grow together how the wheel rises. And indeed, in just a few moments, breakdowns did not happen. The axis moved to the previous place. The wheel looked like a new one, although I did not even touch it. I was amazed. However,