What are they just growing from her feathers? It seems that this bird is Sirin, because her plumage is light, and a smile friendly. Alkonosts’ and Hamayuns’ feathers are dark, and the faces are gloomy, as they predict tragedies. The Sirin is a bird of joy. The maiden’s head on a bird body was crowned with a real crown with rubies and diamonds.
«He’s coming!» said the Sirin. «He is so close to you, as he has never been. And he will take you with him! Soon!»
«Who?»
But the Sirin only smiled. And the gold roses ring, as if the bells. There were here hundreds, thousands of roses. And from each was heard a melodic ringing. Someone hugged Amaranta from behind. She turned around. Nearby there was someone state and attractive. It was warm and pleasant with him, but a little confused that his face was completely closed with a gold mask. Amaranta wanted to remove it, but suddenly realized that the mask was his face. Do not remove it!
The dream broke off. The carriage sharply slowed down, and this was the reason that the girl woke up from blissful dreams. Only all her companions still dreamed. Probably, it is a knock of wheels and monotonous landscapes outside the window have affected all sleeping.
«No matter how they attacked the robbers,» said the white bird with an amber in her forehead, «I heard, there are many robbers in these forests. And there are also those who are worse as robbers.»
«About what are you talking?» Amaranta abruptly remembered a stranger from the dream.
The bird was silent, brushing her luxury snow-white plumage.
«Listen, have you ever seen birds, the same luxurious, like you, only with the human head?
«You have little that I am talking to the human language, you want me to be the girl?!»
«No, what are you! I did not want to offend you. By the way, how can I call you. Do you have a nickname?»
«A nickname?» The bird was displeased.
«Well, okay, a name, not a nickname,» went to the assignment Amaranta. «It seems that I speak to a real lady from a notable birds’ race!»
«You can choose a name for me. My birds’ language you don’t understand. It is too difficult for people. But I give you a carte-blanche to choose a new.»
«For example, Your Majesty,«Amaranth jokes.
«Not so high!»
«Then the White Queen,» the girl looked at her plumage. «or a snow-white marchioness.»
«More like titles than the names.»
«And what will be suitable for you?»
«The name is not just a beautiful sound, it should characterize me, give individuality. Do not call me like a dog.»
«Well, well,» Amaranta began to bend fingers and put all his ingenuity into the move. «A Gossip? A Snowflake? An Amber? I think the nickname of an amber is best suited.»
«Well, no, there is a feeling that the stone is the main thing that I have.»
«Then – the fluff. You are easy in flight, like a fluff. And the touch is the same soft.»
«No, I don’t want to compare me with a fluff,» the bird was capricious.
«Then,» Amaranta urgently sought a compromise. «Infanta!»
«And what does it mean?»
«I somehow saw a princess who came with the ambassador from a distant state, where girls are sweet, beautiful and decorate their hairstyle with the peacocks’ feathers. They would like them. The heiress of the throne in those states is called infanta, and I will call you so much.»
«Well, it doesn’t sound bad,» said the bird. «Infanta! I like.»
«Then now it’s your name,» Amaranta made a note for herself that the word «a nickname» can not be used. For some reason, she did not want to insult the bird. They did not spend an hour together, and she had already started to treat the gift of the merchant, as the best girlfriend. It’s amazing how they did not wake up anyone from her maids with their loud conversation. Even Adeline peacefully dreams. Not to mention the old nurse, which Amaranta also took with her. It will be very good, if Angus does not come in bewilderment, seeing such an unusual escort. He can not send such an unusual escort away. All of her fellow travelers will have to find some place in the castle. They are as if part of the dowry. By the way, she has almost no dowry, not counting the jewels of her mother that she got as the only daughter. But Angus was not embarrassed by this fact. Probably because he himself was very rich. He has more fertile lands than Prince or King!
Someone gently knocked at the window of the carriage. Amaranta was ready to swear that on a moment she saw an unusual hand with sparkling claws and fingers, swirling, like a twig.
«Welcome to the land of the elves, Ms. Amaranta!»
What is this, a joke? Amaranta looked out and did not believe her eyes. At the carriage stood a boy in a green coat. He hid face under a mask, skillfully made of small golden leaves.
«You accidentally turned out the wrong way,» he explained delicately. «The coachman fell asleep, and the horses moved to the call from the elves’ lands. It happens here with all the travelers. But according to the contract between us and the inhabitants of the county, I have to warn you that you are going directly to the cliff.»
«What?»
«You need to turn around and drive a little back, then you will not fall in captivity or trap.»
«You want to say, the robbers’ nest is nearby?» Amaranta repeated what she heard from her bird.
«Oh, no, they have long shied Arachnes.»
«Who?»
«Golden spiders, they weave their web on the way ahead. Therefore, it is safer to turn back.»
«You do not want me to come back, change my mind to play the wedding.»
«In no case! The wedding of people is an interesting event for us. We all want to visit it, but, alas, not everyone is invited.»
«So I can fix it. I invite you all.»
Words themselves flew from the language. Amaranta did not have time to regret them, because they were not so many ones in gold hard masks. Just a dozen or a couple of dozens? Or are there several dozen? Ladies and cavaliers in the golden leaves opposed trees. They are suddenly like mushrooms. It costs to break through that she invites them all. Such an army and at the royal wedding do not fit.
Fortunately, the boy, originally spoke to her, delicately explained:
«We can not appear there to everyone. Our lord does not tell us. And otherwise there will be riots. People still do not like us very much. That is, most people… Some people, as it turned out, is very good. You are, for example.
Amaranta seemed suddenly that he touched her hand, although they were separated by a much greater distance than his hand could reach. Oddly enough in her hair, she suddenly stuck one gold leaf in the form similar to aspen. It was subtle, but tough, precisely metallic. Sack reminds clean gold.
«I don’t know who your master, but I am not just a guest at the wedding, but the bride.» On ancient tradition, I have the right to invite everyone I want.
The boy looked back concerned, where the state strangers in hardwood masks suddenly turned out to be as much as trees in the forest. It seems that for each tree was at least one of them.
Infanta was anxious and didn’t fly out of the carriage.
«I invite at least you and your companion,» Amaranta recovered a little.
A little behind the boy stood a slim lady in a luxurious green dress and the same mask from golden leaves, fully closed face. The feeling was such that the mask grows straight from her skin. Moreover, the same golden leaves visited