Читать книгу Swan Lake. Dragon Empire - Natalie Yacobson - Страница 6

Years passed and Christian returned. Travels, wars, duels, battles tempered him and made him an invincible knight. He won fame and honor with his sword, but he did not rush to the palace to meet with his family. Of course, he loved them, was attached to them, but now he was called by a stronger love, love for the black swan. He has to see Odile at all costs.

His brother Etienne has changed a lot over the years. The taverns, booze, drunken fights were forgotten. University education and military training. He became flawless. Love for Odette completely cured him of drunken fights and noisy taverns, now he did not look at any girl, he was waiting for the moment when he would return to Odette again.

Rothbert went to the lake and flapped the flaps of his long black cloak like the wings of a black bird. The white swan on the lake sparkled with magical colors, and now it was no longer a swan, but a beautiful girl with blond hair. As if after a long sleep she ran her hand over her face, she was again a man, she, Princess Odette, enchanted by a swan.

«Remember everything,» said Rothbert, and like flashes of lightning in Odette’s head flashed a moment from the past, but not her, but her beautiful mother.

She seemed to see how Diana ran across the hall, how she bends over the corpse of the young king, how she receives the kiss of death from the golden bowl of the red-haired witch.

«Yes,» whispered Odette, «yes, I remember you, because of you my mother died.»

«I avenge the death of the one who was your mother. She has doomed you to suffer forever, far from your love, forever to be a cursed princess, a swan girl. At night you will take on a human form, and during the day you will become a swan with a golden crown on your head. I can give you just one day, one day you will be human and make sure that your prince has long forgotten you.»

«It will never happen,» she said boldly.

«Just remember one day, princess,» the evil genius hissed. The flaps of his cloak swept, and a large black bird flew away from the lake.

Etienne drove up to the caves located in the depths of the forest, far from the capital.

He jumped off his horse and, tying it to one of the trees, entered the cave.

Voices rang out from afar. Where did the voices come from in the domain of the old hermit, and in addition female voices, which was even more alarming.

«Prince,» someone invisible called, and another voice continued:

«Come to us!»

«Come!» It sounded in silence and echoed from the walls of the cave, «come to us, we have been waiting for you for so long!»

Etienne could not believe what he was hearing. The owner of the caves, his old friend, the hermit, had no relatives. no friends, but he was the greatest sorcerer in the whole kingdom. With this in mind, Étienne boldly moved forward.

«Prince Charming,» came from behind him. He turned and had time to catch his gaze, as a shadow flashed, dark and fast as an arrow. Suddenly the cave was lit up with light, and three girls appeared in front of him, looking like oriental princesses.

One of them was red-haired, the second was a brunette, the third was a blonde. They were undoubtedly beautiful, but for the prince, only Odette existed in the world.

The red-haired beauty looked straight into Etienne’s eyes, trying to find at least some response to her beauty, but in vain, Etienne’s eyes remained impassive. She put her hands on Etienne’s neck and grinned.

«I look like her, Etienne,» she asked. How did she know his name?

«And I? And I?» The other girls moaned to her.

«It’s stupid to think about the one so far away,» the brunette echoed.

«There are other girls in the world,» the blonde continued.

«Stay with us, Etienne,» continued the red-haired girl, «even if we are not her, but we can replace her for a while.»

«Never,» Etienne replied, removing her hands from his neck, but the red-haired beauty did not pay attention to it.

«Is she really so beautiful,» she interrupted.

«Yes,» the prince answered firmly, «more beautiful than all earthly girls, and even ghosts.»

«Go away,» came an imperious voice behind him. The three girls rose up like smoke and disappeared, and before Etienne stood his old friend, his second father, a hermit and a sorcerer.

«You came,» he said, and slightly tilted his head in greeting.

«How could I not come,» Etienne replied to his words, «you became a second father to me.»

«And you have changed,» said the hermit, «now you are a handsome prince, and soon you will become the king of your country.»

«One thing scares me,» said Etienne honestly, «marriage, I cannot marry any girl, except…»

«Her?»

«Yes,» said Etienne, not even knowing how the sorcerer knows his secret.

«Princess Odette,» said the wizard thoughtfully.

«Yes, but where is she?» The prince roused himself.

«I don’t know that, but there is one thing that I can know.

He led Etienne forward, and they found themselves in another, dark and huge cave. On the table with books lay a skull, and above it, on the wall, hung an old sword, decorated with precious stones and a golden hilt. Next to the table, on a dais, was a mirror. They approached him.

«Look,» said the hermit and ran his wrinkled hand over the smooth surface of the mirror. The mirror reflected a lake with swans swimming in it, and then Etienne saw Odette’s face. She has grown and become even more beautiful.

«Yes, it’s her,» Etienne burst out, and immediately the vision disappeared.

«Will I find her?» The prince asked.

«Yes,» said his old and wise friend, «but believe me, I know how hard it is to lose your love.»

«How do you know,» Etienne was surprised, «tell me!»

The old man moved away from the mirror, and his face was not visible behind the long gray hair, but Etienne could swear that for a moment, just for one magical moment, it again became the young and beautiful face of a prince in love with a red witch.

«It was a long time ago,» he began, «in that kingdom that no longer exists, War and death destroyed it, after the beautiful witch killed the king and the king’s brother, who was handsome and young, and…»

«And it was you,» the Etienne continued, fascinated.

«Yes,» his friend nodded his head and continued his story, «I was young and brave, I was looking for glory and battles, but she appeared, a beauty from a dark fairy tale, and crossed out my whole life. She became the wife of my older brother, the king, and broke my heart forever. She did not need love, her selfish heart longed for power, and I could offer her nothing but my heart. I left the palace and went into voluntary exile. When my brother died suddenly, she was accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death at the stake.

The day she was to be executed, my life was shattered forever.

«Was she executed?» Etienne asked excitedly.

«No,» was the answer, «she sold her soul to the devil, and by this she was saved from death. She disappeared right from the place of execution, and I have only one memo about her.»

«Which one?»

«A piece of her dress,» the hermit replied. He clutched a piece of scarlet cloth in his hand, and suddenly it slipped out of his hands.

«What’s going on,» Etienne asked excitedly as a strange glow lit up the entire cave.

«I’m even afraid to think,» answered the sorcerer, but the radiance has already illuminated the whole room, and a piece of dress fell on the mirror and began to grow. Now it was not a fragment, but a royal scarlet dress.

Then, against the background of a scarlet dress, white hands and a neck appeared, and then everything was over, and a red-haired beauty stood in front of them. There was something eerie, blood-curdling about her beauty, and a long cross-shaped brand on a long chain stretched around her neck.

«You called me,» she whispered, addressing the king’s brother, and a cold grin ran across her lips, «I had a dream,» she said, «and I became young again, as I did many years ago, but this is just an optical illusion.»

«You’re back,» he said. She walked over to him, her face beaming white. He was old, and she was very young. Her beauty shone like a bright star, like her red hair against his gray hair.

«I was always afraid that old age would touch me,» she said as if in thought, «but it happened even worse: the devil made me vicious and ugly, like himself.»

Her eyes flashed with life and hope.

«Come with me,» she said, «come with me, and you will look younger again.»

«Violetta,» he said, moving towards her, but the scar on her neck reminded him that she was different.

«Will you come with me?» she asked.

«I can’t,» he replied, and at that moment her eyes again filled with anger and hatred.

«You will regret it,» sounded in the silence, and the red-haired witch disappeared.

«Go away, Etienne,» said the hermit, «don’t make me fear for your life.»

«Remember, now you know the secret of the red-haired witch, and danger will haunt you.»

Etienne rode for a long time through the forest, heading back to the royal castle. He did not leave the feeling that someone was watching him, but so far the enemy had not attacked him openly. Odette’s face was in front of the prince’s eyes, and now he was going to find her, no matter what it cost him. The price could be high, but he was not afraid of anything.

Etienne’s coming of age has long been celebrated at the royal castle. Both the peasants who loved the good prince, and the noble people who highly appreciated him, all gathered here, and each of them celebrated this event in his own way, although it was equally dear to all.

The peasant girls immediately ran up to the prince, and Etienne barely managed to free himself from their circle and approach his friends. Fritz and Ben, as always, were ready to leave any fun company for the sake of the prince’s company.

«Etienne, where have you been,» Fritz asked first of all, «some very beautiful girls are waiting for you here, they want to congratulate you.»

«If you knew what real beauty is,» Etienne sighed sadly.

«What happened to you,» only his friend could squeeze out, «before we went around all the taverns in the district and if you have no desire to resume all this, then I have it.»

«I was in an old hermit’s cave,» Etienne said quietly.

«Now everything is clear,» Ben cut him off. «They say that getting into the world of witchcraft there is as easy as crossing the entrance to a cave.»

«You’re right,» Etienne admitted honestly, remembering what happened in the cave today.

«I also saw witchcraft,» as if by chance, Fritz threw, «by one swan lake, no one comes there now.»

He was silent for a moment, as if with difficulty remembering the features of some misty ghost.

«I saw a girl there,» he finally said, with such admiration as if he were talking about the heavenly angel itself.

«Girl,» Etienne burst out.

«Yes, she was very beautiful. So beautiful that I cannot compare her even with you and with the prince, I mean your strange brother.»

For Fritz, Christian has always been strange, because, unlike Etienne, he spent his youth not in a tavern, but in duels.

«It was like a vision,» Fritz continued. «She was wearing a luxurious ball gown, although she was standing in the middle of the swan lakes. I have never seen such a beautiful girl. She had blonde hair and clear eyes, I was struck by her look, and then right in front of my eyes, but I swear I wasn’t, and it didn’t seem to me, she turned into a white swan and flew away into the distance.»

He expected Etienne to protest, but he was stunned.

«You say she had blonde hair,» he could only say.

«Yes,» answered Fritz without hesitation, «do you believe me?»

«Still a swan girl,» Ben laughed at him, «you can tell stories. anywhere, but not at court, you will be immediately sent to hell, deciding that you are insane.»

«I swear to you, I saw her,» Fritz objected, but Ben cut him off.

«Hush!»

A group of young peasant women came up to congratulate Etienne. One of them handed the prince a bouquet of wildflowers.

«Meet, Etienne, this is Marie,» Ben said.

Marie sat down before the prince in a graceful curtsy. She was very attractive, with golden spike hair, and reminded him a bit of Odette, but this was not his favorite princess.

«Today is a wonderful day, your highness,» said Marie, and her eyes flashed merrily, «are you happy?»

«I doubt it,» Etienne replied honestly, he did not want to lie or dissemble, he did not see this sweet girl as a threat to his happiness.

«You should be happy on a day like this,» she said.

«It’s too difficult, my happiness is far from here, in the land of swan lakes.»

«Do you love the girl, or maybe,» she smiled slyly.

«Perhaps what?» he asked.

«Perhaps you love the swan girl. It’s just a fairy tale, but I wanted it to be a reality, right?»

«I do not understand?»

«Do you know the legend?»

«Which one?»

«It doesn’t matter,» she replied.

«What legend?» Etienne could not resist.

«About girls – swans who become fabulous beauties at night if they are on the swan lake.»

«No, I don’t know,» said Etienne.

«BUT it’s just a fairy tale,» she shook her head sadly.

«Why is it only a fairy tale?»

«Do you believe that this is reality?»

«Let my friends laugh at me, but I would like to believe it.»

«It’s impossible to laugh at you,» she replied coquettishly.

«Why not?»

«Because today is a holiday in honor of your birthday.»

«But there is no happiness in it.»

«And you would be happy if there was a girl who would love you with all her heart.»

«I only love one girl,» Etienne began, but did not have time to finish, as the heralds announced: «Queen!»

The Queen was accompanied by a large, luxuriously dressed retinue. Almost next to the queen was a girl who was simply hated by Etienne. Her name was Rosalyn, and it was her, after Odette’s disappearance, that Etienne was predicted to be a bride.

Fritz was not taken aback and led the peasant girls forward.

«Your Majesty, let me introduce them to you, they have come to congratulate you and the prince. They have a present for you,» he said, as politely as possible. The girls sat down in graceful curtsies, and Marie brought a small ginger kitten to the Queen in a basket of flowers.

«What a charm,» the queen burst out, «I’ll call her Clarice,» she said after a little thought, «that was my grandmother’s name, and I think this name is especially dear to me.»

The kitten immediately realized that it had fallen into the hands of the one who would herself and make everyone love it, like the most adored kitty in the kingdom. With joy, it immediately fell asleep in the arms of the queen. Neither Etienne nor Christian had such a favor as children, but they were not cute tricolor kittens.

«Etienne, escort this charming lady to the castle,» the queen ordered, placing Rosalyn’s hand in Etienne’s. Etienne almost gritted his teeth with anger, but obeyed.

«Your Highness,» Rosalyn began as soon as they were together, «I want to congratulate you.»

«Yes, thanks,» Etienne responded somehow awkwardly, looking aside and counting the moments until the moment when they finally parted.

«You are sad,» she said. What a question, and who would have fun in the company of a silly cutesy doll.

«I’m a little thoughtful, I’m sorry,» he said in response.

«About what?» With obvious curiosity she asked.

«It does not matter.»

«Open up to me,» she smiled.

«I was thinking about…» Etienne hesitated.

«About what?»

«About the legend.»

«How interesting.»

«But this is just a legend.»

«Many legends turn out to be true,» Rosalyn said.

«You think,» Etienne shrugged.

«What legend disturbs you,» Rosalyn continued her interrogation, «maybe you can tell me.»

«The legend of the swan girls,» said Etienne.

«They say they have a princess.»

«Princess?»

«Yes, the most beautiful girl in the world. The king of evil is in love with her, but she loves another, and the king of evil has vowed to destroy him.»

Etienne froze in surprise, but he did not have time to ask another question. A knight approached him – a guard from his mother’s retinue.

«Her Majesty asks you to come to her,» he said respectfully bowing to the prince, and Etienne, barely nodding to his unwanted companion, hurried to the queen’s chambers.

She was waiting for him in her apartment.

«Etienne,» the queen began, «isn’t it time for those to take a more serious look at some very important things for the country?»

«For the country,» the prince repeated with a sinking voice.

«You must marry Rosalyn.»

«Yes, I would rather marry the first peasant woman I come across, or a girl from a tavern.»

«Don’t say that, Etienne,» the queen ordered, «why don’t you want to marry Rosalyn.»

«Because I’m in love,» he said finally.

«You are in love,» the queen burst out, «with whom?»

«I don’t know where she is now, but I’ll find her.»

«Who is she?» the queen repeated her question.

«The princess is a swan,» Etienne answered, not understanding what he was saying, «I love the girl – the swan, I love the princess Odette.»

The queen was about to faint.

«This is what communication with hermit sorcerers brings to,» she concluded.

«Think,» the queen has already begged, «today is your coming of age, today you must prepare to become king and choose your queen, Rosalyn would be so suitable for this role.»

«Never,» Etienne burst out, and his face flushed with anger.

«I’ll only marry Odette,» he shouted as he left the room. The queen brought her thin, graceful hand to her forehead, well, what a trouble she has with her sons.

Etienne decided to go in search of Odette. He entered his room only to take his cloak and sword. Rosalyn suddenly appeared next to him. Her hair was loose and the collar of her dress was unbuttoned. A long, curved scar in the shape of a five-pointed star glittered on one of the exposed shoulders.

«God,» Etienne whispered, looking at the scar, «what is this?»

«The kiss of hell,» she replied in a dream.

«Then…» Etienne began, but she stopped him.

«You are leaving,» she asked, and her lips lit up a faint smile, «believe me, you would be much better off staying here.»

«Why?»

«The curse of a rejected bride can be the worst,» she said.

«I don’t understand,» said Etienne.

«There are forces in the world that a mortal cannot compete with.»

«How do you know?» Etienne asked.

«Trust me, I know the king of evil. Don’t leave,» she whispered.

«I must leave,» Etienne answered resolutely, and, grabbing his cloak and sword, ran out of the room.

«Well, let it be so,» she shouted after him with malice and rage, «remember my curse, you will never find the one you love, and she can never become your bride because she is cursed, she is a princess – a swan…»