Natalie Yacobson - Dragon’s Empire – 3. Countess and Dragon

«Camille does nothing by chance, and he gave the picture exactly you, for sure, with a special intent.»

«He managed to run away from you. Well, I am glad for him,» Francesca has found strength to smile. «Now it’s clear to me why he wanted to destroy the picture.» Why do you need to keep an image of the owner, who probably very brutally addressed him. But he loved you very much, it feels in every stroke laid on canvas. Otherwise he could not draw with such inspiration.»

«This is a pretty ill manifestation of love – to create an eternal reminder about experienced sufferings,» I said and thought that this was really the most sophisticated torture – to capture the moment when several months have separated me from the carefree past, and the long road to the future was dark and thorny. How did Camille attracted the prince on the verge of dishonor? Why was it possible to transfer all mysticism with such an impression of reality, as on this, undoubtedly the best of his canvases? Cleanliness and innocence, the memories of which are still preserved in the picture, was already unattainable, and the dark satellite behind my back was just revealed his black wings.

«How did I not immediately guess who he was,» Francesca laughed at her naivety. «It was suspicious from the very beginning, well, he looked like a boy, and painted as a recognized talent. Then someone noticed his sharp ears, which sometimes peeking out from under the beret, the fiery shine in the eyes, the ability to move the items without touching them. And then these six ladies came, and Camille realized that it was time to run.

«Also and the spinners,» I said, thinking that for the count’s castle, the most worthy company was treated. Francesca, which naturally did not understand about the spinners, stared at me in amazement.

«All this does not have any relationship to you personally. They will no longer appear,» I comforted Francesca, although I myself was not sure about it. If the spinners will want to force their way somewhere in secret, then nobody will stop them. If one of them wants to kill this frightened amateur adventure, it is unlikely that the guards of the fortress can save her.

«Go away from here and do not appear here more!» Francesca shouted in the rage. «Take your picture and fly back to hell, where you came from. Surely, all these ballroom halls and statues were just an illusion. And in fact there is no castle, there is only a hell and there is the place for you, the fallen angel.»

I calmly waited when Francesca will keep silence. When the rage of the countess became dangerous, I slightly removed her, but she swayed with this light touch and almost fell.

«I’ll pick a portrait so that you could no longer touch it and thus call me out of my… hell,» before the last word, an expressive pause was made only because I didn’t dare to call my delicious castle as a hell. Then I boldly moved to the tower where the picture was kept, throwing on the move. «Perhaps I will return to pay.»

Absolutely innocent offer Francesca interpreted in her own way. On the same night, she began to collect her things and told to prepare the crew, but I never bothered to check where she was going to go.

Reaching my own castle, I did not decide to destroy the picture, but I didn’t want it to hang on the wall. Only after reliably hid it in the basement, and locked the door with the key, I unwittingly thought about Francesca. Was it worth to let her go. She knew now a strange unforgettable secret? And how long will her silence last?

Hearing the noise in the estate, I decided that Selvin had a discussion with a lazy master. The first assumption did not justify itself. Near the ladder to the attic stood a viscount and a mant dressed in black. They argued about something. I managed to find out the excited voice of Vincent. He retained the hardly catchy emphasis – a reminder of that speech I heard on the streets of the native capital. No one, besides me, could not understand that clear dictations and some outdated words are just a tribute to the past.

«I tell you, Edwin is my friend. He himself invited me to spend the night here, «Vincent urged, while his eyes were furious. A little more and he would clutch the interlocutor in the face.

I watched him and barely kept laughter. Vincent always knew how to lie shamelessly, but this time he surpassed himself.

«Ask him if you don’t believe, and I’ll wait here. Would I climb into the house against the will of my best friend? Did he not have the right to invite his friends?» shouted Vincent.

And I was able to manage a fragile thoughtful contact with Vincent and uttered only one praise «Bravo!».

He heard it and was amazed. He turned to me. Only I noticed that his hands nervously trembled.

«All right, Selvin,» I said, after a long pause, for which I well managed to enjoy the confusion of Vincent. «It is indeed my old and very educated friend. We even learned the same science. I did not warn you about his presence because I was hoping that he was about to leave, but the visit suddenly pulled out, obviously, because of the fact that my „best friend“ again remained homeless.»

«Oh, everything is clear,» Selvin extended disappointed, although in fact he did not understand anything. Vincent tried proudly straighten the shoulders, but immediately stuck under my gaze.

«By the way, it is necessary to somehow justify what the homeless friend will live here,» as if by the way I put in and turned to Selvin, hoping that he would not consider me very cruel. «You could not help me find an inexpensive lackey livery for him so that he does not continue to confuse guests with his humble robe.»

Vincent cheeks became almost purple. Selvin was clearly stunned, and I, cheerfully grinning, announced:

«Sorry, Vincent, it was just a joke. I did not know that you do not like when I make fun on your own manner.»

«You would follow him,» Selvin whispered when we stayed alone. «I found him when he slept on a couch in front of the attic window and muttered something in a dream, and there were some unclear silhouettes around him, but as soon as I lit a lantern, they all disappeared somewhere. I hope he is not a necromancer.

«No, what are you?» I assured. «He just loves to pretend it, and he himself would even be afraid to touch the black books.»

From where can Vincent achieve such stage of perfection, as experience and practice, he likes to do everything as soon as possible and makes mistakes.

Vincent preferred to hide in his attic. He shook my hand as a sign of gratitude and whispered:

«From the northern port, tomorrow morning swims off the ship called the „Song of the Wind“. The countess sails with the first passing wind. And then you will decide.»

Why did he say that and immediately disappeared in the darkness of the attic staircase, as if fearing further inquiries. The flight of Francesca was not a surprise for me. There were series of warnings and threats, she was afraid of them. That’s just, I decided that she wanted to go to Viniena again, visit the bookshops, could even achieve an audience with the king and complaint him on the neighbor, who turned out to be a robber and a killer. I did not expect that she would decide to sail in the sea, maybe even cross the ocean and all this is just to be as far as possible from me. A lovely lady did not understand that if I wish, I can overcome any space lighter than the high speed ship.

Just one phrase of Vincent was able to awaken a long-awaited beast in me. Now I have already regretted that I allowed the countess to leave. Surely, my all-knowing subjects also silently condemned this act, simply from respect and fear they did not mind. If Francesca was one of the students of the School of Witchcraft, for her it was advantageous to comply with the vows of silence and do not disclose the secrets of her fellows, then the road for her would be open. But she was not the owner of a dangerous, witchcraft gift. She was strange for sorcerers, and tried to become more informed than they. I myself did not notice that I had already dragged the cord of the raincoat and went out in a cold night, in search of some empty, where I can turn into a dragon and fly ton a ship, which will be sail at dawn. I didn’t even know what I was going to do, and how I would explain to Selvin my next long absence. He was so amazed by the fact that I found time for such long absences and I didn’t want to spend only half a day on the road to the royal residence. Dawn found me on the road. From the ground it was almost impossible to notice the one who rapidly flies across the sky. There were many ships, barks, boats, frigates and flagship galleys in the port. It was a whole forest from wooden masts.