walked up to Jim and gave him his hand.
– Get up! What, did they treat you cruelly? I’m sorry if something’s wrong. You understand, they are martinets, what can you take from them?
The advisors and guards didn’t even turn their heads, pretending not to pay attention to Dinor’s actions. He is a king, he knows better how to behave with a criminal.
– Tell me, who advised you to attack my only son?
Jim became bolder, even looked the king in the eyes.
«Not one of the advisers can afford such insolence!» – Darsu thought.
«I’ve already told the guards several times.» Your son paid me for this. I’m talking about Silver.
Dinor’s expression changed, and a flash of anger flashed through him.
– Silver is no longer my son! Don’t you dare say another word about him! So why does he need my only son? All the same, I will not hand over the throne to him, even if there is no other heir left besides him.
– Nevertheless, he has the right to your crown. And behind him is the huge army of Morelia. He is already approaching the borders of Suthering.
– Take the scoundrel away! – Dinor shouted. Darsu looked at Valin. The soldier understood the commander at a glance. He grabbed Jim’s hand.
«Let’s go,» said Valin.
– Execute him at dawn! – Dinor said.
– You promised! Jim groaned. «They promised me that if I told the truth, they wouldn’t touch me.» I have a wife and three children!
«And I have one son,» Dinor said. – And you made an attempt on his life. Take me away!
No sooner said than done. When the door closed behind the criminal, Dinor spoke:
– Councilor Wind, report on the situation at the borders.
– I’ve been hearing disturbing rumors for a long time. I’m not ready to give the king unverified information. But Morelia has long been preparing for an attack on the borders of Suthering. I underestimated the rumors I heard. After torturing Jim, I realized that we had been underestimating the enemy all this time.
– You will answer later for hiding information from the king, Councilor. Colonel Darsu, report on the readiness of the army.
Darsu didn’t have time to say a word when Advisor Anilix interrupted him:
– Your Highness, Silver is a powerful sorcerer, and you know this very well. They say he hobnobs with evil spirits, he is a strong rival. His wife, Queen Regatta, is also a witch!
– The Inquisition will also participate in this war! – said Gvirtel, head of the Anti-Witchcraft League of Suthering. This was the first time this had happened for the court magician and the anti-magician to come to a common opinion. The king noticed this and was on his guard. – Silver is a powerful magician, and he challenges the Anti-Witch League.
Dinor does not need to explain that Silver challenged not only the Inquisition, but also Gvirtel personally when he declared Morelia a country without anti-mages. And the head of the Anti-Witch League will not leave this just like that, without an answer.
– What are your suggestions, advisors? – asked the king.
Anilix was the first to speak:
– I heard rumors…
– Rumors are reaching all of you! – the king boiled. «They just reach me late.» Don’t pull the horse’s bridle, advisor. You better not test my patience!
– I know where the Elvish dictionary is! – Anilix said, and absolute silence reigned in the hall for a while. Even Dinor’s jaw dropped. He patted the adviser on the shoulder:
– Good news is reaching you. If we could get our hands on a book, what would be a significant trump card in the game with Morelia!
– You can’t, Your Majesty! – Gvirtel shouted. – Don’t listen to Councilor Anilix. Better yet, throw him in prison! This is not why the Anti-Witch League fought against sorcerers for so many years, in order to bring back the original magic to our educated age! I appeal to your reason, Your Majesty!
«The Anti-Witch League lost a long time ago,» Dinor raised his voice. – On the day when the Empire of Magicians collapsed. The inquisitors probably did not understand that they were anti-magicians as long as there were sorcerers. And now you are ridiculous and useless.
– What about the period of the reign of Emperor Hellenius?
– How did it end, Gvirtel, have you forgotten the story? Moreover, already at that time Beelzuvik did not have any power over Suthering. I will give the anti-mages a chance to restore their former greatness. I will return your antipode – real magic!
– Your Mightiness! – Gvirtel’s eyes glowed. If this were a simple man in front of him, and not a king, the adviser would now glare at him.
– You are forgetting yourself, Gvirtel. Don’t test my patience. Jesters and minstrels sing obscene songs about my hot temper. But I forgive them – they are jesters to distract people from real problems. And I will not forgive you, adviser. The meeting is over for today!
***
Still walked through the garden with his mentor Nermall. The old teacher taught the prince everything he knew. Nermall has seen the world; any warrior would envy his experience. He taught Still how to fight with fists and swords, how to navigate the terrain and find a source of power even in an impassable desert.
A strekquil, a huge dragonfly, flew from a bush, and Still turned his head in fear.
– What worries you, student? – asked Nermall.
– Yes, nothing…
– I’ve known you since you were a child. You know that you can trust me completely.
Still could trust the old man with his life. Nermall, the son of a Belzuvian nobleman, received a good education, even studied for several years at the University. But women broke the fates of many. So at twenty-four he found himself on a pirate ship. In four countries, he would have faced a death sentence if he had been caught, of course. In two more countries he would have spent the rest of his days in prison. That is why he spent most of his life in the ocean. But Dinor’s people managed to catch the old robber. Dinor was then suffering from terrible back pain, and Nermall was a doctor on a pirate ship. He just happened to have zaneeris lying around, a medicinal plant from the Unknown Lands. In gratitude for his health, the king gave the man life. Dinor made him a court physician, and then a teacher to his youngest son.
Dinor is generally a strange person. Usually hot-tempered, in moments of insight he did noble deeds. So, for example, he picked up a bastard boy during the attack on Lorraine, and in general more often he chose officials based on real talent, and not on noble origin.
– So what’s bothering you, student? – asked Nermall.
– Teacher, tell me about the elven dictionary!
– I don’t know much. Maybe it’s just a legend? Who knows!
– Tell me everything you know!
– Okay, listen!
Chapter 3. The Legend of the Elves.
– They say that elves came down from heaven. They once had wings and roamed the clouds. Then there was a war between the high elves. It was led by Zaymond, a fallen elf. He declared himself equal to the Creator. Some joined him, others went against him. There were also those who realized in time the mistake of joining the army of the fallen. They stopped participating in battles. After the war, those who swore allegiance to Zeymond were overthrown. And the elves who remained on the sidelines