I was silent, the wind picked up the torn pages, circled them under the ceiling and removed in the opened window. They disappeared forever together with the confession of the princes prisoner. Disappeared a distorted story about my atrocities. Francesca did not know what to answer how to call for help all her braveness to continue to throw charges. She wanted to raise the candle from the floor and again to light it, but did not dare.
«Clear pretense!» Francesca whispered, with despair, but so quiet that it was almost impossible to hear it, but I heard and unexpectedly felt irritation.
«And what did you expected, that even the devil will like your sophisticated manners, right, but false speech and the talent of the ingenious tracker?» The question was malicious and painfully cut a hearing. «No, Francesca. In fact, everything is much more prosaic. I came here to pick up my property. That is, almost mine,» I immediately corrected. «Anyway, a picture, according to a pure chance, that fell into your collection is written by one of the masters of my world, and therefore should return in the empire. The sooner, the better,» and if you can immediately, I added to myself, remembering that I was too late. You can never postpone tomorrow, otherwise you will never fulfill the conceived. I just wanted to play a day or two in a cat and a mouse with titled lady, and this couple of days dragged on more than a week.
«The painter!» Finally, exclaimed Francesca, as if this word was the key to all existing secrets. «He was the same as you.»
«Well, not quite like that,» I noticed with the knowledge of the case. «There are even in our world lords and servants. Camille was a conventional servant, even worse, almost a slave of his insidious Mr.»
«Yes, he accidentally mentioned that freedom was now very valuable for him,» Francesca nodded thoughtfully.
«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 its 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 counts 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.
«Ill 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 didnt 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 didnt 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?
Hypocritical Francesca
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 dont believe, and Ill 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. Thats 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 didnt 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 didnt 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.
First of all, I was interested in high-speed sailing ships. Francesca most likely neglected trading ships. They were to slow. She needed a light and rapid ship to leave her native shores as soon as possible. I managed to notice the name of the ships, but I didnt find the ship «The Song of the Wind». I had to fly further and overlook the marine space, an immense water surface, where it was difficult to find one small moving point. I overcame some more airspace and sank just below. The port has long remained behind and now I could watch the big, but changing caravel, which is easy and smoothly slid along the water. The nose of the vessel cut the ripple on the sea surface. The desired letters proudly glow on board. What an excellent target can be this fearless ship for the dragon flying over the sea. In the last second, I felt sorry to turn such a wonderful ship into wreckage. Because of one Francesca, its whole team did not deserve death. I turned out into a flexible sparkling snake, easily slid for the sail and dropped on a main deck already in my human appearance. The team engaged in their everyday work did not notice the new passenger, even when his boots were blindly hit on the deck board. An unpleasant impetus is the consequence of the jump, but I still stood on my feet. Francesca must be located in one of the best cabins and believed that now she is in complete safety.
I covered eyelids and mentally imagined the whole ship. The screams of the sea-gulls dropped away in the distance, the birds did not want to be flown to the ship, on which the predator was present. In this case, the birds were more susceptible than people, they did not believe in legends, they just knew that it was not worth flying there, where was a stronger predator.
It was necessary to look into the captains cabin. From there was a ringing of dishes, a knock of plates and glasses about a wooden table. There, most likely, the most honored passengers gathered to the late breakfast. They were unlikely to be on board. The search for Francesca will not be long. It was possible to hear the cry of a parrot in a cage, swinging under the cabin ceiling, to catch the vibration of furniture, weakly screwed to the floor, the clinking of spoons and cups, and one single phrase spoken by a clean female voice:
«You dont think that we float too slowly, captain?»
An awkward pause has come, during which the captain thought about how to explain the lady that everything depends on what direction the wind blows. He wanted to say that all the sails are raised and there can be no more speed, but then he remembered that he had already spoke about it a couple of times before breakfast.
«I apologize, milady, but I can only manage the ship and the team, and not the weather. I dont order the wind,» he finally said.
«And if you could manage the weather?»
«What did you say?» He asked with bewilderment.
«You see for me all this is new and interesting. I dont know anything about the ships, but I want to know,» Francesca immediately understand that it was necessary to be more careful. «For example, what will happen if the wind is stronger? Does this bring some favor to our movements? Does it somehow accelerate our swimming?»
«In the event that the wind is not so strong to break the sails.»
«Excellent,» the lady muttered with a gloomy humor, «it means that it is equally bad for me a calm and a hurricane. Well, I pray that in the open sea it will not find a storm, «she added louder.
«Yes, the storm is always better to meet into the port,» confirmed the captain, taken for the next portion of the food. «We have to swim many days before entering some kind of harbor or bay. It will be fine, if this time things will turn out all right, because from one continent it is not near to another. And the oncoming vessels will be a bit.»
«And of course it will be good if these oncoming vessels are not pirates,» said the lady.
«Well, on board there are enough guns and muskets, but it would be better not to risk,» the captain answered. Already from the conversations I could conclude that he is just a nobleman, protected of someone from the courtiers, but not a sea wolf. Yes, the usual captain could not get the ship, equipped and decorated with such screaming luxury.
«The path of the Lord is unknown,» the lady said sadly. «Someone is afraid of robbers, but an attractive, young gold-haired aristocrat may be more cruel than all pirates together.
«Do you mean any events at the court?» the captain lowered the voice to one two octaves.
Quiet rustling of curls and a ringing of diamond earrings it means the lady has shook her head negatively.
«I meant that there is a danger much worse than an attack of pirates,» she patiently explained. «Someone sells a soul for other peoples treasures, someone for only a friendly look. In any case, at the court of the king, everything can happen,» the lady said.