PART I. A strange night guest

 

 

It was just after midnight. The room was illuminated by dim night-light. Lica was sitting on the window-sill and looking up at the sta

rry sky. Suddenly the door of her room opened and her mother came in.

 

“Liсa, why are not you asleep?” she asked. “It’s late!”

 

“Mom, you know, how I love night! Night is wonderful and quiet ... and it is so cool to dream at night! And it is so romantic to walk under the Moon!”

 

“And bump into the bandits under the Moon. Romantic, isn’t it?” her mother remarked.

 

“You’re always spoiling everything!” the girl said petulantly. “You can possibly cross with the bandits during the day. But at night it is easier to hide from them - all cats are grey at night!”

 

“Ok, a dreamer!” mom said amicably. “Let’s get down sleep-ing! Sixteen-year-old girls must sleep at least nine hours a day.”

 

She kissed her daughter on forehead and left the room. Liсa sat for another ten minutes looking at the stars. Then she jumped down from the window-sill and went to bed.

 

Suddenly, she noticed an envelope on the desk. Angelica could swear that ten minutes ago that envelope had not been there!

 

“My Mom must have laid it,” she thought. “What a restless inventor!”

 

Young girl went to the desk and picked up the envelope. It was sealed. There were no inscriptions or names on it. Liсa opened the enve-lope and pulled out a folded sheet of thick paper. She opened it and read:

 

 

 

You are a true admirer of Night! So Prince Night invites you to his annual ball, which will be held today...

 

Get ready by three o’clock in the morning – You will be picked up!

 

 

 

And she saw a luxury signature below. Angelica read the letter once more and said aloud:

 

“What nonsense! Mom surpassed herself! Well, when she comes by th

ree o’clock in the morning, I’ll be waiting for her ready. Furthermore, I have not much time left to three.”

 

The girl opened the wardrobe and pulled out her only ball dress, which her parents had bought when she participated in the school beauty contest. The beautiful golden dress was perfectly matching Liсa’s auburn hair. Angelica put on the dress and high heels, let her hair and slightly tinted her lips. Then she looked in the mirror and satisfied with herself went to bed.

 

“Let a little scared,” she thought sarcastically. “When she comes at night here, I’ll be fully ready!”

 

She smiled her own joke, and did not notice that fell asleep. No sooner had she fell asleep, when something touched her face. Liсa opened her eyes and at first could not understand  anything. Moonlight filled the room and she saw a huge eagle-owl sitting on the chair back just in front of her.

 

“Oh!” Angelica screamed. “Shoo, shoo!”

 

“It may have flown through the window,” flashed in her mind. She was waving her hands but the owl just narrowed its eyes. “Oh, you’re so!” the girl got her rag out. “Well, hold on!” She got up and began to creep to the owl slowly to grab it. But  it suddenly fluttered and whirled around the room.

 

“I wish it wouldn’t break down anything!” Liсa had just thought.

 

At that time an owl’s feather dropped from the wing and stacked into her hair. The girl did not understand what was happen-ing to her but suddenly she became to shrink. A minute later she was sitting on the floor scrutinizing her arms with surprise, which had turned into wings. Owl hooted and it is oddly enough but now Liсa could understand it!

 

“We’re already late!” the owl said.

 

“Where to?” the girl wanted to ask but just heard bird squawking from her throat.

 

“To the ball, where else?!” the night guest hooted. “Fly!” “So is it all true?!” Angelica was marveled. “And what if I

 

refuse?”

 

“In this case you will stay as an owl forever!” the eagle owl replied.

 

It did not explain anything more and making a circle around the room flew out of the window. Lica had no choice and followed him.

 

They were flying over the night city and she could not help admiring the beautiful neon advertising lights. Then the owl turned to the side and they flew over woods and fields. They were soaring for a long time Angelica even stopped counting the time. Finally they saw the walls of a castle in front of them. Lica couldn’t see it properly but it seemed to her that the castle was pretty dark in the moonlight. The eagle owl circled and flew into the window of a high tower. The girl followed him. They passed through the long corridors and got into a small brightly lit room. Here the eagle owl hit the ground and turned into a quite old man, dressed in dark clothes. Angelica sat down on the chair back and was watching for a while.

 

“A little more and we would have been late!” the old man said peevishly.

 

He approached the girl and took out a feather from her plum-age. And immediately, Liсa became the young girl again.

 

“No good!” the fellow traveler said looking around Angelica. “You are so disheveled and your dress is tattered. As if we had made the way through the thorns! Who is flying like this? Ok, wait!”

 

Just he said that the man came out of the room. He was ab-sent a few minutes then he came back with a luxurious white dress.

 

“Put it on, hurry up!” he said throwing the dress to Liсa’s hands. “Ball is in full swing! I’m waiting outside!”

 

The old man came out and closed the door. The girl imme-diately changed her clothes perplexedly. The dress fitted her like a glove. Angelica went to the mirror hanging on the wall and looked at herself. She saw a very pretty girl in the mirror’s reflection; however, she was slightly disheveled. Liсa put her hair straight and said aloud:

 

“Well, those fools who had not given me the first place in the beauty contest! If only they would see me now!”

 

When she came out of the room the night guest had been waiting for her behind the door.

 

“Well now you are quite different!” he smiled and gave Angelica his hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prince asks Angelica for help

 

 

While the girl and her fellow traveler were walking down the corridor they could hear nice music ahead. The man led Lica to the stairs running to a large posh room where ladies and gentlemen were spinning in a beautiful dance. Angelica tried to see their faces but alas all the guests were wearing masks.

 

“Why...” she was going to ask her new friend, who had brought her here, but he had already disappeared.

 

Lica was going down the wide stairs trying to find her night visitor, who so carelessly had left her alone. She was in a large spa-cious hall where hundreds of guests were dancing and enjoying themselves. The walls and the ceiling of the hall were decorated with amazing chandeliers with burning candles. Beautiful curtains with gold and silver embroidery were falling down the windows and the flame of the candles was glancing in the white marble floor. Angelica was confused by this entire splendor. She was looking around but

what she could see just a lot of masks. Somebody was laughing others were saying something but she heard nothing. It seemed to her that she was spinning on the carousel. She wanted only one thing - to break out of this circle! Lica rushed back to the saving stairs to get away from here. But the laughing people, dancing just in front of her, blocked the way. Angelica thrashed about between well-dressed ladies and gentlemen and suddenly heard a mellow voice behind:

 

“You look great!”

 

The girl looked around and saw a handsome young man. He was without a mask.

 

“Let me invite you to dance!” the stranger said and held out his hand to Lica.

 

Angelica nodded. After all now this handsome man was her escape from those faceless laughing people. The girl put her hand on his shoulder. They heard beautiful music and began to waltz. Now Lica could see her savior better. He had regular features. His pale and thin skin gave the young man an aristocratic look. Black curls were hanging down to his shoulders. The fathomless black eyes looked straight into the soul. Angelica embarrassed and blushed.

 

“What is your name?” the man asked.

 

“Lica!”

 

The young man raised his left eyebrow amazedly.

 

“Oh, sorry! Angelica…” Lica corrected herself. “And you?”

 

“Edward! You are very beautiful, Angelica! Do you love night?”

 

The girl nodded. She felt how she was beginning to sympa-thize with this handsome stranger. They continued to whirl in the dance and Lica did not notice laughing masks any more. Soon the music was over and Edward accompanied Angelica to the room with set tables. This room was much smaller than the ball hall but also decorated beautifully. There were all sorts of dishes and drinks and guests could take anything they wanted!

 

“Help yourself!” Edward turned to the girl. “I’ll get to you a little later. Now I have to deal with other guests.”

 

He bowed and left the room. While Lica was looking around in confusion, her night guest –“eagle-owl” approached to her.

 

 

“I see that our Prince liked you!” he said smiling.

 

“Prince?” Angelica surprised.

 

“Prince!” an “owl” confirmed. “But do not kid yourself too much about him!”

 

“What do you mean?” Lica flushed.

 

“I mean that he is engaged...”

 

“Why are you telling me this?” the girl said angrily.

 

“Because I saw the way you looked at him!”

 

Angelica blushed and decided to stop talking to that nasty old man. At this moment Edward entered the room.

 

“Henry!” he called the “owl”. “So you had told me about this girl, hadn’t you?”

 

“Yes, I had,” Henry nodded. “She loves night like no one does!” “In that case, Angelica, can I talk to you?”

 

The young man gave the girl his hand and led her to a sepa-rate room, which was in another wing of the castle. Henry followed them. Prince Edward suggested Lica sitting down in an arm chair and began his story.

 

“Angelica, I invited you not without a reason! I have been looking for someone who is madly in love with night. For this rea-son, every year I arrange the ball for all fans of night. I am looking for a person who can help me!”

 

“Help you?” the girl amazed.

 

“Yes... Many years ago, when I was a young boy, I fell in love with the princess from the neighboring kingdom. She was so pretty almost as much as you are, Angelica. We were going to get married and it seemed nothing would prevent our happiness! But... the evil wizard envied us! He created a Frankenstein’s monster-spider who kidnapped the Princess. That Wizard hid her somewhere in the caves and put a spell on her. He said that one who was madly in love with night would be able to disenchant the Princess.”

 

“That’s why you called me, didn’t you?” Lica whispered.

 

“Yes, I did!” Prince nodded.

 

“But I thought you had liked me!” she said even quieter.

 

“I had told you do not hope for nothing,” Henry whispered in her ear.

 

Angelica was very disappointed. It was the first time did she really fall in love with a man and Edward so insensitively “put her down”. She looked at the Prince again and realized that she was gone! His eyes just fascinated her.

 

“I’ll help you,” suddenly Lica said. “I will save your Princess but not for her sake but for you!”

 

“Thank you,” Edward replied. “The road to the caves where the Princess has been hidden is through Nightmare Forest, Sleepy Lake and Ghosts Fields. We have never day time in my kingdom so you will have to get there in the dark. I cannot go with you because by the condition of the Wizard I mustn’t leave the walls of my castle as long as the Princess is released. But I am going to send my faithful servant and friend – Henry with you. It will be a lot easier with him!”

 

“Yeah thank you!” the girl muttered. “Just let me change my dress! I do not want to climb the mountains in a ball dress and high heels.”

 

“Henry! Bring a suit for the lady!” the Prince said.

 

The servant bowed and left the room.

 

“Tell me, do you really still love her?” Angelica asked the young man curiously.

 

“Princess? Of course!”

 

“But you are talking about it so easily... Besides, so many years passed!”

 

Edward looked at Lica and was about to add something but at that moment the door opened and Henry came in with men’s clothes in his hands.

 

“Change your dress!” Prince said, standing up. “Henry and I are waiting for you outside.”

 

The men went out of the room and Angelica took off her wonderful ball dress with great regret. Then she put on the suit, however it was also fit her perfectly. The only thing that the old servant had not guessed was the size of the shoes. The shoes, which he had brought for the girl, were too big for her but Lica decided that they were better than high heel shoes.

 

A few minutes later she came out of the room. Prince Edward looked at her admiringly and a smile has slipped on Henry’s face.

 

“Horses are waiting for you!” the Prince said. “You will find food and water in baskets tied to the saddles! Come on!”

 

They went out of the castle to the wide courtyard. Edward’s servant jumped into the saddle and the Prince helped Angelica to mount a horse.

 

“Have you ever ridden a horse?” he asked suspiciously.

 

“No never!” Lica answered honestly. “But everything has ever made for the first time!”

 

Henry briefly explained the girl how to handle a horse.

 

Then he pulled the reins and left the yard. Lica followed him.

 

“Angelica, you must promise me that you back sound in life and limb!” Edward shouted after her. “It is very important to me!”

Nightmare Forest

 

 

The horsemen were galloping down the dusty road. They had been ridden for a long time and Lica not being used to riding was awfully tired.

 

“How far is the forest?” she asked her companion.

 

“About an hour and a half,” Henry said.

 

When the moon moved in the sky the dark wall of the forest appeared in front of them. The huge trees seemed to touch the sky.

 

“Is that it?” the girl showed forward.

 

The old man nodded.

 

“Yes, it’s Nightmare Forest,” he said. “If you have ever had nightmares, even as a child, they all live here. Do you remember any of your nightmares?”

 

“No.”

 

“It’s a pity. If you had at least we would have coped with them! If not... we would have to skip at random.”

 

“Do you remember your nightmares?”

 

 

“Of course! I even had time to make friends with some of them. After all, I have an advantage - I live here! And I am a magi-cian a little bit.”

 

Angelica and Henry came into the forest. The moonlight hardly permeated through the tall thick trees. Their branches were so intertwined that they looked like a picket fence. Only a narrow road led along.

 

“Follow me on my horse’s hooves!” Edward’s servant said quietly.

 

But only could he say that something huge and grey blocked their way...

 

“Meow - Meow!” grey creature roared. “What are you look-ing at? I will not let you go further! And it is all her fault! She is al-ways saying that “all cats are grey at night.” But I used to be another color! So, until she guesses my color, you will not go!”

 

“Is it your nightmare?” Henry pointed toward the huge grey cat. “Come on, disentangle! Unless my nightmares come, I am afraid they may. If that happens, we will not be in laughing mood!”

 

The girl was lost in thoughts.

 

She remembered that when she was a little girl and refused to go to bed, her mother used to scary her by a horror story. Her mother would say:

 

At night Kitty will come after you,

 

And walk away with you!

 

It was the time when Lica came up with a huge scary cat Mr.Greytail. And at first it was not very scary. But then night by night he was getting more and more frightening!

 

“I am wondering what color he was,” Lica thought aloud. “White? - No... Red? - No...”

 

Suddenly they heard terrible howl and a sound of hooves in the forest.

 

“Harry up, remember!” Henry was getting nervous.

 

“Ah! I have remembered!” Angelica shouted. “You were black… a usual black cat but with a grey tail!”

 

As she said that, the cat disappeared in the air.

 

“Come on, let’s go!” the old man called her. “Someone seems to be chasing us! If it is my nightmare, it will not be easy! There must be fork road ahead. You will turn to the right and I will go to the left! Meet me beyond the forest!”

 

And Henry spurred his horse.

 

Hooves clatter was getting closer. Lica did not linger and had let her horse galloping. Soon she saw the fork road ahead. Although it was hardly perceptible, she instinctively turned to the right. Hoof beats had left behind her. But now she heard another unpleasant sound. As if sand was sifting somewhere. Angelica instantly re-membered the horror of her childhood – Mr. Sandman! Since she had read a book about him she hadn’t been able to sleep properly.

 

“How had I escaped from him?” the girl began to remember quickly. “I think I just had closed my eyes and hid under the duvet!” The noise of sand was coming. Lica closed her eyes and

 

stopped to control the horse.

 

“It will deal!” she thought. “Horses are intelligent animals!” “Angelica!” she heard someone’s nasty raspy voice. “Angelica!

 

Open your eyes! I’m here! I have come for you!”

 

The girl clutched the reins tighter and even more screwed her eyes. But the voice continued:

 

“Angelica! At least once look at me!”

 

Lica did not respond. For some time the voice was saying something and then had gone but then she heard the sound of hooves behind her again. Someone or something was going to catch up the girl. She began to pull the reins of rushing galloping horse. But she felt that the “something” was reaching her! Suddenly she saw the edge of the forest in front. There was much brighter and Lica rushed there! Only when did she quite a bit get out of this horror Angelica felt someone’s a stinking breath behind. She turned around and saw a huge black rider racing to her with his head in his arms.

 

“Sleepy Hollow!” the girl amazed. “But it’s not my nightmare!” At this point the rider raised his head and threw it into Lica.

 

She screamed and fainted...

 

 

When the girl came to life, the first person she saw was Henry.

 

Angelica was lying on the grass carefully covered with his cloak.

 

“Oh, well done!” the old man said seeing that Lica had opened her eyes. “You had coped with the “headless horseman”!”

 

“Have you seen it?” she asked suspiciously.

 

“Yes, I have! I had just got out of the forest. What I had heard was your scream. When I had been riding to you I saw him throw-ing his head at you. That was good you had lost consciousness and the nightmare immediately vanished!”

 

“But it was not my nightmare!” Angelica protested.

 

“Neither was mine!”

 

“Then whose?”

 

“You never know... I’m telling you can find all nightmares collection here. We were just lucky that we had passed so easily.”

 

“Aha! Easily!” Lica needled and tried to sit up.

 

Something was buzzing in her ears and everything was swimming before her eyes. But she clung to the grass and soon the girl finally came to life.

 

“How long have I been a “sedated”?” she asked.

 

“For no more than three hours. In fact it has been morning in your time.”

 

“Oh, what’s about my mother?” Angelica scared. “If she comes into my room and I am not there!”

 

“Do not worry! While you’re here no one will even remember about you! No wonder that I am a bit magician.”

 

“Then let’s go on!”

 

“First, you must eat! I had already had while I was keeping watch over you.”

 

Lica had some white bread and milk and our heroes hit the road again. The horses had rested and were running quite briskly.

 

A wide valley stretched beyond the forest. Here and there were small groves. And they looked very romantic in the moon-light. Very soon they saw a huge lake ahead.

 

“This is Sleepy Lake!” Henry explained. “If someone sleeps here, it will be forever! So any hook or by crook we mustn’t let each other sleep.” The horsemen rode up to the lake where they saw a lot of white human bones on the bank. Just near the shore the boat was swaying on the water. Our heroes dismounted and tied the horses

 

to a tree quite far away from the water.

 

“And what if they want to drink?” Lica asked pointing to the animals.

 

“There is a lot of fresh grass around. They can quench their thirst. And if they drink from the lake, we will never get them awake!” The girl nodded. Henry untied the baskets with food from the saddles and the travelers went to the boat. There was only one

 

oar at the bottom.

 

“Only one oar, we will reach eternity with it!” Angelica said.

 

She returned to the trees and broke off a big wide branch.

 

“Now - sail!” she told Henry.

 

Our heroes had put food baskets on the bottom of the boat and pushed off from the bank.

 

“You will row on the right and I will on the left!” Lica com-manded.

 

And they began to row. They did not always smoothly but the boat was significantly moving forward. Ten minutes later the girl no-ticed that her eyes began to stick together. Henry also was nodding.

 

“What fools we are!” Lica screamed in the hearts. “Henry, get the salt and knife from our baskets!”

 

“What for?”

 

“Even children know that! In order not to fall asleep we must cut ourselves and sprinkle with salt. Then even if you really want to you won’t! The pain won’t allow you!”

 

The old man looked at the girl with respect and immediately took out the knife and salt. Travelers slightly notched their hands on the back and covered the wound with salt. They felt such intense pain that forgot about sleeping.

 

When the boat was moored to the opposite bank Angelica and Henry jumped out and first thing they did was washing off the salt, which they had taken with them, from their hands.

 

Wide fields were stretching beyond the lake. They were quite different from the valley stretching after the Nightmare Forest. There had been low grass and everywhere they met copses. Here the grass was almost reaching their knees. It was thick and fragrant as a carpet. There were not so many trees and they were scattered throughout the place. Here and there you could see a lonely tree.

 

“These are Ghosts Fields - a rather peaceful place. And be-hind them the cave of the Evil Wizard is. So let’s go! Now we haven’t got horses here,” the Prince’s servant said.

 

“And shall we turn into birds again?!” Lica suggested. “I will turn into an owl and you will be the eagle owl!”

 

Henry grinned.

 

“You know,” he said, “I can transform into a bird only for some time each night. Today I have exhausted my limit. So it can’t be help we will have to go on foot.”

 

The girl nodded, picked up her food basket and they set off. In the fields above the grass they often saw whitish figures remind-ing people and animals. Sometimes something was lamentably howling or someone was moaning but no one else was chasing our heroes or attacking them.

 

In the Wizard’s caves

 

 

 

The moon had moved to the opposite side of the horizon sky again and the high black mountains appeared in front of them.

 

“Here the Princess is imprisoned!” Henry pointed to the mountains.

 

“Is the Prince really still in love with her?” Lica asked gently. “How would I say…” old man hesitated “…it is his duty! And what about love; I would not say anything after seeing how he had

 

looked at you today.”

 

Joy filled Angelica’s soul. She remembered Edward’s eyes and smiled.

 

In about two hours our heroes came to the mountains. Very near there was a wide entrance to the cave.

 

“But there is no moonlight,” the girl said quietly. “How can we go in total darkness?”

 

“I saved some oakum and took a flint with me. And we could find some sticks right now!”

 

Henry quickly found two sturdy sticks wrapped them with oakum and set on fire. He gave one torch to Lica and the other left for himself. They put baskets at the cave entrance and went inside. The ceiling and the walls of the cave were covered with a thick spi-der’s web. Wrapped into spider cocoons birds, small animals and bats were hanging from the top.

 

“Well at least it’s good that there are no people!” Angelica said.

 

And she and Henry passed on. First the entrance narrowed then widened again and travelers came into a large room. There they saw a lot of bones lying around and some gnawed bodies.

 

Suddenly they heard some rustle behind. The girl and the old servant looked back and saw a huge house size spider was quietly creeping towards them.

 

“Run!” Henry shouted and pushed Lica into the side aisle. They were running but the spider did not want to leave their

 

victims. He spit a few balls of web chasing our heroes. Five minutes later Angelica and the Prince’s servant ran into another room where a fairly wide stream was flowing in the middle.

 

“Web is afraid of water! Jump!” the old man shouted.

 

He grabbed girl’s arm and pulled her along. She had no choice and obeyed. While they were running and jumping over the stream the spider’s web, following them, appeared. It rolled to the stream but did not jump over it.

 

“Thank God, you had been right,” said Lica barely breathing. But suddenly they heard ramble in the cave and at that mo-ment a strange gray-haired man in a black cloak appeared in front

 

of the girl and the Prince’s servant.

 

“Hello, Henry!” he said. “We haven’t seen for ages! You are getting old...”

 

“Greetings, Wizard! And you’ve changed for the worse!” the servant parried. “By the way, Angelica, this is the Wizard who kidnapped the Princess from Prince Edward.”

 

“Yes, I am!” the old man giggled. “Many years have passed... I see the Prince has managed to find someone who is madly in love with night!”

And the villain began to examine Lica with curiosity.

 

“She is very beautiful!” he said finally.

 

“You do not get distracted,” Henry pulled him. “We have fulfilled your condition, so you must return the Princess!”

 

“Princess? Oh, yes, please! I am not interested in her any-more! But the girl... I need a ransom!” the Wizard croaked.

 

“What ransom?” Angelica said.

 

“I want something that you haven’t had yet!”

 

“Please, take it!” the girl surprised. “If I do not have it and feel quite normal then why I need it?”

 

“Are you sure?” the Wizard laughed in his beard.

 

“Of course I am!”

 

The villain clapped his hands and they heard boom again. “All right, take your Princess! But she is not the same as she

 

used to!” the old man burst of laughing.

 

He whistled and the side wall of the cave moved apart. Lica and Henry saw a tall thin woman who tried going by touch to them.

 

“What happened?” Henry asked.

 

“Since being here in absolute darkness she has gone blind!” the Villain giggled.

 

“What a rascal you are!” Edward’s servant wiped at the Wizard.

 

“Henry!” the Princess shouted. “Stop it! Anyway you can change nothing.”

 

Laughing the Wizard had disappeared in the air.

 

“Have you recognized me, Your Mightiness?” the old servant said with tragic voice.

 

“Of course, because your voice has not changed at all! Come on, I’ll get us out of these caves!” the Princess replied. “I have ex-plored them well enough.”

 

She was leading Angelica and Henry some known only to her way. And our heroes came out quite far from the place where they had left their food baskets.

 

“We had better not to come back!” Edward’s servant said. “I don’t want to meet with the spider again.”

 

Lica and Princess agreed with him.

 

Without any incidents they got to Sleepy Lake and crossed it. Then Henry untied the horses from the tree, sat with the Princess and Lica mounted on the other. Riders pulled the reins and went across the wide valley to the Nightmare Forest. When they got to the edge of the forest the moon was on the other side of the sky again.

 

“Hooray!” the old man shouted. “One day has passed! My magi-cal power went back to me! Angelica, I’ll turn you into an owl and I will ride with the Princess through the forest. I would have bewitched the Princess but unfortunately she wouldn’t have seen where to fly.”

 

“But it is very dangerous!” the girl said. “I will not leave you!” “The less we are, the less we will have nightmares haunting!”

 

Henry said emphatically. “And never ever argue with the old!”

 

He muttered something quickly under his breath then took a

 

feather out of his coat pocket and stuck it into Lica’s hair.

The Wizard’s Curse

 

The girl felt how her body was getting shrunk again. And a minute later she turned in to the owl and she went up the sky and flew towards the castle. The Nightmare Forest, fields and valleys were had left far behind her. Lica was flying in the dark starry sky and her wings seemed to touch the clouds. Soon on the horizon she saw the spires of the tall building. It was the castle of Prince Edward, who Angelica nicknamed “The Prince Night.” Edward was sitting in his room and looking through the open window. Suddenly the owl flew in to. She sat down on the chair back and rubbed her head on it. The feather dropped from her head and the bird had turned into the girl.

 

“Oh my God, Angelica!” the Prince exclaimed. “If only you knew how I had been worried about you! What happened? Where’s Henry? Where is the Princess? Have you saved her?”

 

“We have saved your Princess! But, unfortunately, because of spending many years in the dark, she had gone blind. So Henry had to ride with her through the Nightmare Forest. However, he turned me into the owl. I think your friends will be here in just a few hours.”

 

“Thank God! She’s alive!” Edward said. “Or I would never have dared to tell you what I am going to say now. Angelica, I think, no, I’m sure that I love you! I am going to talk with the Princess about it! I hope she will understand and forgive me!”

 

The Prince Night came to Lica and kissed her on her lips gen-tly. Before she had not even dreamt about it! But at that moment they heard familiar hoarse ha-ha and the evil Wizard came into the room.

 

“Alas, Prince! In the caves to save the Princess, this girl had refused to you!”

 

“It’s not true!” Angelica protested.

 

“Do you remember you had given me what you hadn’t had in your life yet? It was the Prince’s love. So - sorry!”

 

And the villain rubbed his dry hands snidely. “Edward, no!” Lica screamed and ran to the Prince. “It’s time for the last dance,” the Wizard mumbled. Suddenly the Prince Night and Angelica saw themselves in

 

a huge bright room and heard beautiful music. Lica was wearing a great white ball dress, the one in which she had danced with Edward for the first time. The Prince offered her his hand gallantly and they whirled in a waltz. When the music was over the young man bended over to kiss Angelica but she suddenly disappeared...

 

“Young lady, how do I have to understand this?” Lica heard her mother’s voice.

 

She opened her eyes and saw that she was in her room.

 

 

“Mom, what a wonderful dream I had!” the girl said stretch-ing herself.

 

“This is good! But why were you sleeping in clothes and where did you get such a luxurious ball dress? I don’t remember that I or your father had ever bought something like this!”

 

Only then did Angelica see her lying on the bed wearing the white dress, in which she had been dancing at the Prince’s ball.

 

“Is all that has happened true?” Lica asked herself amazedly and joyfully.

 

Since now every night the girl stared out the window for a long time waiting for news from the wonderful Kingdom of night, where she had been lucky enough to visit.

 

Part 2 . Henry’s comeback

 

It was a full moon night. As usual Lica was standing and feasting her eyes on the starry sky through the window. A year has passed since she attended the Prince’s Night ball. But as yet hasn’t she been able to forget Edward. However, sometimes it seemed to her that it had been only a dream. But doubts vanished as soon as Angelica, opening the wardrobe, saw her beautiful white ball dress, which she was wearing at the Prince’s ball. The dress was absolutely real and the girl began to hope that one day she would meet Edward again!

 

“Lica, you are not going to bed again?” she heard her mother’s voice behind the door.

“I am… I am going to!” the girl answered.

 

She was about to lie down when suddenly something large and dark struck the window outside and then slipped down onto the sill. It was the eagle-owl!

“Henry?!” Angelica whooped.

 

She immediately opened the window and brought the bird into the room. The owl had no signs of life. The girl put it on the carpet and began to sob:

“Henry! What have you done? How could you beat into the glass with all over the fluff?”

 

 Some of her tears fell on the owl’s head and it suddenly started up. Then he shook his head and one small feather fell to the floor. At the same moment the Prince Edward’s old servant appeared before Lica.

 

“Henry! You’re alive!” Lica was happy.

 

She rushed to the old man and hung around his neck. The Prince’s servant smiled but then said with serious face:

 

“Angelica, a young lady ought not to behave like a cur! In ad-dition I’m not feeling very well after a collision with your window.” “Oh, Henry, I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I was just afraid that you had died. And when I saw that you had been alive, I was so

 

happy that I could not resist! But why didn’t you notice the closed windows?”

 

“Tonight the moon is so bright that apparently it had blinded me. So I had miscalculated a bit.”

 

Lica offered the old man to sit down on the chair and began to interrogate him:

 

“Well, how are you? How is the Princess? Because I was not there when you had returned from the Nightmare Forest.”

 

Then a little girl hesitated but then continued:

 

“How is Edward?”

 

The Prince’s servant stared at Angelica and began to speak:

 

“I and the Princess got out of the forest safely; although we had met some nasty nightmares, we reached the castle without any incidents. And then the Prince told us everything. He explained the Princess everything and asked her to let him go. Admittedly, the Princess held with dignity. She promised not to hinder Edward. The only thing that she regretted about was her blindness. And my lord is the man of honor. Therefore, he vowed that he would return the Princess the ability to see, whatever it would cost him! So Edward went to a very powerful witch, who lived on the edge of our king-dom after Goblins’ City. And we had not received any news from him for ages. But recently he had come back. The witch gave him a magic potion that returned the Princess her eyes. The girl can see now and has gone back to her country. But strangely something has happened to the Prince. He has completely changed. He does things that he didn’t use to before. He became arrogant, sarcastic and cold. His thirst for power began to frighten me! The other day he told me that he would like the whole world to be plunged into eternal night and he would have become absolute ruler of the night. You know, Lica, I have known Edward since his childhood and I can state with full responsibility that after his visit to the witch he has become a totally different man. But the strangest thing is that he does not remember many things. For example, when I reminded him about the annual ball for Admirers of Night he was very surprised and then he just charged me to do it. However, he used to invite guests to his ball personally! Then I reminded him about you. And he said without batting an eye that he did not understand who you were. With the help of a magic mirror I had to show Edward last year’s ball, where you were dancing with him in the center of the room. Seeing him with you the Prince smiled wryly and said: ‘Well, Henry, if you want you can invite this girl! Withal, she’s pretty sweet.’”

 

“What?!” Angelica exclaimed. “Pretty sweet?! He told me that I was beautiful!”

 

She jumped out of the bed and began to pace nervously from one corner of her room to another.

 

“Lica? Are you still awake?” she heard her mother’s voice behind the door.

 

“I am sleeping! It’s just a bad dream!” she replied.

 

“It is very suspicious how the Prince has changed,” Henry continued, “that’s why I came here to take you with me to the ball for Admirers of Night. And there together we shall understand everything somehow!”

 

“Let’s fly!” Angelica agreed.

 

“But are you going like this?”

 

The girl looked at herself in the mirror and saw her standing in pyjamas.

 

“Yeah...” she drawled. “I am not ready for the ball. But I still have that white ball dress, which Edward had given me as a present!” “You know, the Prince doesn’t like bright colors any more.

 

Now he prefers black, dark brown, dark blue and burgundy. So let’s fly in pyjamas and in the castle I’ll find something for you.”

 

 

The ball

 

Henry got quickly two feathers. One he stuck to Angelica’s hair and another to his. Soon the two birds flew out of the win-dow of Lica’s bedroom towards the Kingdom of Night. The girl remembered that wonderful feeling very well. The feeling of flying! The first time she had been confused so she hadn’t really looked around but now she was enjoying herself in the night scenery of the sparkling moon. She was flying over dark woods and forests, glistening lakes and rivers, cities and villages. Everything looked too mysterious and inscrutable.

 

Reaching the castle the birds as before flew in to the window of the tall tower and along corridors got to the small hall. Here Henry hit the ground and became a man again. Then he pulled out a magic feather from the owl Lica and she immediately turned to the girl.

 

“Wait, I’m not for long!” the old servant said and quietly left the room.

 

A few minutes later he returned with a luxury black dress and black shoes.

 

“Get dressed! We are short of time!” Henry said and gave it to Lica.

 

“But it is very black!” she tried to protest. “I’d rather put on something burgundy.”

 

“I am telling you, get dressed!”

 

The old man went out leaving Angelica being at a loss. But just a few seconds passed as she pulled herself together and quickly put the dress on. The dress was gorgeous! Lica put on the black shoes and pleased with herself said:

 

“At least this time Henry had made no mistake with the size.” She looked in the mirror and did not recognize herself... She saw a very beautiful young girl in the mirror but it was something  unfamiliar in her to Angelica.

 

“It’s just the color; it doesn’t suit me!” she decided to herself.

 

She left the room. Behind the door she saw the Prince’s ser-vant who was impatiently waiting and shifting from one foot to the other. Seeing Lica he, satisfied, nodded his head.

 

“You look just as if my Lord prefers now,” he said contentedly. “Come on! You must invite him to dance. Now he is unlikely to do it himself. But keep alert! You should talk less about yourself and try to find out about him as much as possible.”

 

Henry gave his hand to Angelica and led her to the huge hall where the ball had already begun.

 

Lica looked around the room from the stairs. As last year there were a lot of people. Men and women in the Viennese masks were all around the girl again. Some of them were waltzing; others were standing at the walls, talking and laughing merrily. Angelica was trying to find Edward among them. Suddenly she thought she had seen him. The girl moved through the crowd of people but someone grabbed her hand and whirled in the dance. He was a tall and skinny man in a mask. Lica tried to escape but couldn’t; the man was just laughing. Then he handed Angelica to another man in a mask who made her dance again. Lica could not get rid of these unexpected admirers. She began to feel dizzy of the endless dance as then she saw Edward. He was standing at the wall and watching with interest what was happening with her. He was wearing a dark blue suit holding a Viennese mask in his hand. When they made their eyes meet he laughed cheerfully. Angelica pushed her next fel-low and moved to Prince. Suddenly the Prince Night put the mask on his face and got lost in the crowd.

 

“What’s happening?” the girl surprised. “Edward would nev-er hide from me or even more laugh at me!”

 

She continued walking and looking for the disappeared Prince and soon she saw him. He was standing and flirting with two girls in bright dresses and Viennese masks. Lica went toward him. At this point one of the girls opened a big fan. And when she closed it, Edward disappeared again.

 

The Ball was on and Angelica was trying and trying to find the Prince. Again she climbed the stairs and suddenly saw the Prince Night waltzing in the hall with one and then the other partner girl.

 

“Now or never!” Lica decided.

 

She quickly came down and mingled with the crowd of dancing people. Dancing she passed from one partner to another and finally came face to face with Edward. Prince had nothing to do but start dancing with her.

 

“You can dance very well!” he grinned.

 

“And you too!” Angelica retorted.

 

It was so strange to dance with the man who had declared his love very recently and now pretended to be an unfamiliar to her. The girl took a close look at the young man. Yes, something had changed but what? Lica could not understand it.

 

“And you’re so...” the Prince began to speak. “Yes, I know I’m so sweet!” Angelica interrupted. The Prince Night looked at her and then said:

 

“And I think we have known each other! You’re Angelica, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am!” she nodded.

 

She wanted to tell him everything but she remembered that Henry had asked her to talk less about their feelings and find out more about the Prince. Therefore Lica took courage and said:

“I thought last year we had made friends.”

 

“Maybe... I do not remember!” the Prince said. “You know I was very busy.”

“And also you had declared your love to me,” Angelica said quietly.

“Had I?” Edward raised his eyebrows. “Really?” “And...”

The girl had not finished when the music stopped and the Prince Night bowed gallantly. Then he turned around and went to the entrance. Only now did Lica realize that if the Prince went away, she wouldn’t be able to talk to him anymore. So she ran after him through the crowd of the guests who seemed to deliberately stop her and block the way. And only in the corridor Angelica had caught up with the young man then turned him around and kissed on his lips.

Meeting Elsa

 

 

Lica came to herself when the guests had begun to laugh at her. She pushed Edward and ran away to the room, where she had arrived with Henry today.

 

Running into the room she slammed the door and burst into tears. All her hopes were dashed. Not only didn’t the Prince love her but he even did not remember her!

 

A few minutes later she heard the footsteps in the corri-dor. Angelica hid behind a high throne, which was standing in the room. And soon Henry came into.

 

“Lica!” he called her quietly. “Lica, are you here?” Blubbered girl came out of the throne.

 

“The Prince did not recognize you, did he?” the man said.

 

Angelica nodded and began to cry again.

 

“And did not you see that he had changed?” Edward’s servant asked.

 

“Absolutely everything had; if you start with his appearance and finish with his behavior.”

 

“So, I was right. Something had happened to him on that journey... when he had gone to take a potion for the Princess. We need to know but what...”

 

“And how will we know?”

 

“You just must go to that witch, who gave him a potion, and ask her about everything. I would have gone myself if I had been able to, but the Prince does not let me go a step. I have a feeling that he even does not know anything about our castle but he is just trying not to show it anybody. So he needs me to be close all the time as a consultant.”

 

“I will go!” Angelica said firmly.

 

“I would have offered you to do it before if I had known your reaction.”

 

“No more words. Can you tell me where this witch lives and how I can get there?”

 

“She lives on the edge of our kingdom. You need to leave the castle and go to the opposite direction of the Nightmare Forest. Behind the Dark Canyons you will see the big City of Goblins. Passing it, you will be at the foot of the high mountains. There in one of the caves this witch lives.”

 

“My clothes for travel are still here?” “Yes! They are in that trunk!” Henry said. “Give me a couple of minutes!”

 

“See you in corridor!” the old man nodded.

 

Lica changed clothes quickly and they both unnoticed sneaked to the royal stables.

 

“While you were dancing, I was able to prepare a horse for you.” Henry helped her to climb the horse. This time she managed

 

to do it much easier than before.

 

“Do not stay in the Dark Canyons for a long time and be careful with the Goblins! They will not harm you a lot but they may play a prank. It’s in their blood. All right, go! And good luck!” Edward’s servant counseled her.

 

Angelica hugged the old man and yanked the reins.

 

“If she always hugs me, I’ll get used to it,” Henry said to himself.

 

The girl left the royal courtyard and went into the opposite direction of the Nightmare Forest. The Moon was high in the sky and brightly lit all around. Lica was riding at full speed. A few hours later her horse suddenly began to stumble. The girl looked around and no-ticed that the road was not as flat as before. Here and there she came across small ravines and ruts. And soon they turned into the canyons.

 

“Well I have reached the Dark Canyons,” Angelica made glad. “They are not so far from the castle.”

 

She went on choosing the road carefully. After a while Lica noticed that her eyes began to stick together and she feels dizzy.

 

“That’s it!” the girl said in the hearts. “It looks as if it was at Sleepy Lake! I hope Henry had put some salt for me.”

 

She got down the horse to check the food basket. To her de-light Lica had found the desired bag. As before on the lake she made a cut on her hand and sprinkled it with salt. Then she thought for a while and made a cut on the horse’s back. The animal was kicking but the girl managed to sprinkle the cut with the salt.

 

Their doze had immediately disappeared. And Lica continued going without any drowsiness. Very soon she saw the lights ahead.

 

“It must be the City of Goblins,” she decided.

 

When Angelica came closer, she could see the high wall and the gate to the city. Two guards were standing at the gate, they looked very ugly and not so tall and both had very big heads and rugged features. Lica got nearer to the gate.

 

“Where are you going?” one of the guards shouted sharply. “I need to ride through the city. I’m going to the witch!” “Wait until the morning. At night the way through the city is closed!” the guards said and “snickered.”

 

“Are you kidding me?” Angelica said raising her voice. “What a morning are you saying about in the Kingdom of Night?”

 

Goblins continued laughing.

 

“Well, you’ll see,” the girl said. “When I get to the witch and ask her to have turned you into frogs!”

 

“Go, go away!” the guards cackled.

 

Lica turned her horse around and pulled away from the city.

 

“What should I do now?” she thought.

 

And then she saw an old goblin woman. The woman was go-ing towards the city carrying a large basket. Apparently, the basket was heavy because the woman often stopped and had a rest.

 

“Shall I help you!” the girl asked the goblin woman.

 

“Go on your way!” the woman answered rudely.

 

“I would love to but the guards do not let me,” Lica replied. “Where?”

 

“To the witch!”

 

And the goblin woman looked at the girl with interest. “Why do you want to see her?”

 

“I want to know something about the Prince Night.”

 

“Ok, help me with the basket! Just be quiet all the time who-ever will come across and whatever they’ll tell you!”

 

Angelica came down her horse and helped the woman to put the heavy basket onto the seat. Then, holding it on both sides, they went to the gate of the city.

 

“Who, who is going?!” the first guard shouted.

 

“What are you yelling?” the goblin woman snarled. “Can’t you see it’s me Elsa!”

 

“I see you. But who is the ugly mug that next to you?”

 

Lica flushed with anger but remembering the woman’s words said nothing.

 

“This is my new maid! She is helping me to carry something.” “Oh, I see then, why she was going to the witch,” the guards

 

jabbered.

 

They opened the gates quickly and let Elsa and Lica to go into the city.

 

“Hey, you...” the other guard pushed the girl in the shoulder, “don’t tell the witch about us...”

 

Lica grinned and looked at the goblins emphatically.

 

And the women entered the city.

The Goblins’ story

 

 

The City of Goblins looked like a strange heap of houses, huts and slums. It was as if they had built in a hurry. Passing along the nar-row streets, Elsa turned into a small lane and stopped in front of the low house. They put the basket down out of the saddle and Elsa said:

 

“Help me to take it to the house!”

 

The girl helped the woman with the basket then the goblin woman invited her to come in and get some rest.

 

Angelica had to bend down a little because the ceiling of the house was low. She sat down in the old but comfortable armchair and waited for Elsa. After a few minutes the woman came in hold-ing awkwardly a metal tray.

 

“I have made some herbal tea,” she said. “If you want to - drink!”

 

 Lica thanked Elsa but refused to; referring to the fact that she was not hungry or thirsty.

 

“It’s up to you!” the goblin woman shrugged. “You’re going to the witch, aren’t you?”

 

“Yes, I am!”

 

“To find out about the Prince?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And I serve the witch!”

 

“Do you?”

 

“Yes, I do! I pick up some roots and stones for her... then I take them to her. And she makes potions from them.”

 

“How long have you been working?” “For ages! Since our young King died.” “Did he?” Lica repeated.

 

“Hey, you do not know anything at all?” the goblin woman surprised. “I think you are not from our kingdom.”

 

The girl nodded.

 

“Ok, listen... Before the goblins were not as ugly as they are now. We were exactly the same as other people. We used to live and work together until the evil Wizard and his army captured our kingdom. He vowed that he would destroy all our people including the old and children. That’s why all of the people went into the caves by secret passages. We had been living there for years. The men had been mining ore and precious stones, the women had been farming and bringing up their children. We have changed over time. Our bodies have adapted to the living underground. We had become stunted and our hands and feet had been thickened. Our eyes stopped seeing during the day. But in fact the life in the caves was awful. Therefore, when the Prince Night had allowed our King to build the city in his kingdom, we were very happy! No matter that it was night all the time but we could live in the open air and not un-derground! Here, our King’s son was born. His mother died during childbirth. The boy looked like the man - not the goblin. Our King was afraid and went with that child to the witch that you were looking for. The witch told him that there were some magic books where was an old legend about the goblin with the appearance of a man who would be able to return his people to life in the daylight.

 

However, the fate of this goblin was sad... he would die young.

 

The King listened to the witch and came back to his palace. He named his son Swein. Since then the King never took his eyes off the boy. The child grew up handsome but very spoilt. All his whims were immediately performed. But despite the arduous nature of Swein, our King was able to bring up a smart, brave and responsible goblin. When the boy was eighteen, the King took him to the witch.

 

‘You must fulfill your destiny and return the nation of gob-lins to real life,’ the witch said. ‘To do this you have to go back to the land of your ancestors. It is the kingdom which was captured by the evil Wizard and you have to find the magic crystal there. And finally, you have to find the Book of Destiny. Then you must bring them to me and I’ll tell you what to do...’

 

When they came back to the castle on the same day the King crowned his son. So Swein had become the King of Goblins.

 

Soon the young King assembled a squad and set off to the Land of his Ancestors. We had no news for a long time. Finally, after eight months, some men from the squad returned back to our city. They brought the wounded King with them. Swein was hang-ing between life and death. The soldiers said that Swein had been fighting heroically but the vile wizard used a magic and was able to wound the young King mortally in the main battle.

 

Our King took his son and immediately went to the witch. For some days we had heard nothing and then the King came back and told us sad news - Swein had died. He has been buried in the Valley of Oblivion, which is just next to our city.

 

The witch also was at the funeral ceremony. She had held some mysterious rituals before we placed Swein’s body into the tomb.

 

After the ceremony the witch came up to me and suddenly offered me to assist her and I agreed. Since then I have been helping the witch. And I was there when the Prince Night had come. But my master had sent me home early; so I do not know what had happened there. But I’ll take you to her...”

 

“Oh when will we go?”

 

“Let’s have a rest a bit and then we’ll go!”

 

Lica agreed. Elsa gave her a few pillows and a blanket. The girl put the pillows around, covered with the blanket and fell asleep in the chair.

At the witch

 

 

Angelica did not know how long she had been sleeping but suddenly felt that someone was shaking her shoulder. It was Elsa.

 

“Get up!” she said. “It’s time to go! Just help me with the basket, ok?”

 

Lica nodded. She roused herself and was fully awake. After that she went outside and helped the goblin woman to put the basket on the saddle. Soon they left the City of Goblins and came to the wide valley.

 

“Over there,” the woman pointed, “is the Valley of Oblivion. While we are passing that way you can even see the tomb of our young King.”

 

Indeed, about an hour Lica saw a tall stone building.

 

“This is the tomb!” Elsa said.

 

“Can I go there and see?” Lica asked suddenly.

 

“Not now! It is at least two hours both ways. Moreover the horse is loaded... So come on - on the way back you will go there!”

 

The girl had no choice and agreed.

 

About two hours later Elsa and Angelica came to the foot of the mountains. Here the woman had been leading Lica some secret paths and soon they were at the entrance of the cave.

 

The girl and the woman put the basket down and took it inside the cave, which was quite a well-lit by torches.

 

“Elsa, who is it with you?” Angelica heard a woman’s voice. “Madam, this girl has helped me to lift the basket with roots

 

and stones here. And also she wanted to ask you about something.”

 

It was silence and then the voice said:

 

“Well, let her go to the hall.”

 

Elsa nodded and said:

 

“You see, you’re lucky! She has not turned you away.”

 

She was pushing Lica to the corridor in the far corner of the cave. “You must go along this corridor and then turn right. There

 

you’ll wait for the witch.”

 

“And you?”

 

“She never let me go there. My place is here.” And the maid pushed the girl again.

 

Angelica pulled herself together and went forward. She came into a long narrow corridor, which was also illuminated. On the left of the corridor there were different rooms but Lica remembered that Elsa had told her to turn right. So she came to the first right turn and bend. There was a large room more looked like a big hall.

 

In the middle, on the platform there was a table with burning candles in the graceful candlestick. Also on the table Lica saw a large crystal ball in the small stand. Next to the table there were a few chairs. The girl went and sat down on one of them. A moment later she heard footsteps and a woman entered the room.

 

Angelica had expected to see a decrepit old woman but saw a quite young and pretty one. The girl jumped up from the chair and said:

 

“Hello!”

 

“Hello, my dear,” the woman said.

 

She passed by and sat in the chair in front of Lica.

 

“I am the witch! Sit down and tell me why you have come to my humble abode?”

 

Angelica sat down, plucked up heart and said:

 

“Last year the Prince Night visited you, he needed a potion for the Princess.”

 

“Has not the potion worked?” the astonished witch inter-rupted the girl.

 

“No, the potion has worked! But the Prince...” “What’s wrong with him?” she smiled.

 

“He has changed a lot! He is just a different person!”

 

“So, girl,” the witch snapped, “the Prince is alive and the potion has worked! What more do you want?”

 

“The Prince!” Lica said firmly. “I just want him to be real as before!”

 

The witch winced.

 

“And why do you think that he is not real?” “Why? I’ll explain you!”

 

And Angelica started telling the story from the beginning...

 

She told her about coming to the Prince’s Night ball; about rescuing the Princess and that the Prince declared his love to her but the evil Wizard had torn them apart; and that this year she had been at the ball again but the Prince had not recognized her and how she had gone to the witch...

 

“And now I am here,” she finished her story.

 

The witch thought a little and finally said:

 

“You’re very brave! You deserve to know the truth. Yes, the Prince Night was here last year. He asked me to give him a potion for a blind Princess. To make this potion was very hard work and its price was very high! I warned the Prince about that. But the Prince was a man of honor and he agreed to pay this long price.”

 

“What was the price?” Angelica asked. “The soul! The soul of the Prince...” “So is the Prince dead?” Lica horrified.

 

She tried to jump out of the chair but she felt dizzy and lost consciousness.

 

She came to senses because she felt some nasty smell from the bottle the witch had brought to her nose. Angelica opened her eyes.

 

“Do not be so sensitive,” the cave hostess admonished her. “You must understand that each thing has its price. And it’s not easy to give eyes to the blind. The Prince had chosen it himself nobody had made him. His soul had left his body. But I hadn’t been able to allow his body to be useless! So I had made up something.”

 

“Who is in the Prince’s body now?” Lica asked quietly.

 

“Oh! I have sworn to keep this secret until I die. So do not ask me about that. And now – you have to go! Elsa will show you the way.”

 

The witch stood up and took the girl to the corridor.

Thunderclap

 

 

Angelica came to the first hall of the cave. Elsa had been waiting for her there.

 

“Well, have you found out?” she was curious.

 

Lica nodded.

 

“Then why are you so pale? Bad news?” The girl nodded again.

 

“Well, come on, Madam had ordered to take you outside!” the goblin woman said.

 

She helped Angelica to sit on the horse and showed her the way to the mountains.

 

“Now you have to ride straight on and on!” Elsa pointed. “If you go to the tomb then you’ll have to follow back your footprints. Beware of some enchanted paths in the Valley of Oblivion you may get lost. And do not turn anywhere!”

 

“Thank you, dear Elsa!” Lica said. “If it hadn’t been you, I would have never got here!”

 

She bent down and kissed the kind goblin woman. Elsa was deeply moved and shed a tear. Then the witch’s maid turned around and immediately disappeared among large boulders.

 

The girl pulled the reins and went back. She couldn’t get confusing thoughts out of her head.

 

“Henry was absolutely right,” she thought. “It’s not Edward; it is someone else in his body... But who?”

 

Suddenly she saw the Goblin King’s tomb ahead.

 

Not knowing why Angelica turned there. Fifteen minutes later she was at the entrance of the tomb and got off the horse. The building looking pretty big from the distance, in fact, it was enor-mous. Lica went inside and in the center of circular hall, in the moon light she saw superbly adorned gravestone. In the opposite side, on the wall she saw the portrait of a very handsome young man. The inscription under the portrait said: “The Goblin King Swein I».

 

 

The girl began to examine the portrait and then, as some-thing pricked her, she saw that the young man in the portrait was wearing exactly the same navy-blue suit as the Prince Edward at the ball.

 

“And the grin of his lips! Exactly the same!” Lica remembered suddenly.

 

She came out of the tomb bewildered. Somehow Angelica sat on the horse and pulled the reins. She remembered the ball, Edward, his behavior, his clothes and his smile or rather his smirk!

 

“It cannot be true!” Lica said aloud. “Is the Goblin King Swein in Edward’s body?”

 

Suddenly some trees branches crashed nearby. The girl start-ed and looked around.

 

She was in a strange place... She can’t have gone far away from the tomb. But what Angelica saw were only lots of broken trees all around.

 

“Well, take it easy!” Lica whispered. “What did Elsa say about the ‘enchanted paths’? Oh I remembered! I should have followed my footprints from the tomb, otherwise... Apparently, I have got lost. And where am I now!”

 

The crackle from the fallen trees was louder and she saw a strange monster. It looked like a wolf with long hair, which was walking on its hind legs. The monster bared his mouth and pre-pared to attack the girl.

 

Angelica pulled the reins and the horse was going at full speed among the trees but the monster was chasing her behind.

 

“Well, my dear, come on!” Lica was whispering to the horse in its ear. “Do not let me down!”

 

But suddenly the horse caught its foot and fell down, the girl rolled head over hills.

 

She was lying on her back and watching as the monster opened his stinking mouth was bending over her. Angelica gasped and closed her eyes.

 

Lica did not understand what happened next. Only had she heard was the sound of an unsheathed sword then stabbed and something heavy and soft had fallen upon her.

 

 The girl opened her eyes and saw the body of the beheaded monster lying. In disgust she pushed it off and sat up quickly. But she was shocked by what she saw next!

 

It was the Prince Edward himself! He was holding the sword in his hands and smirking.

 

“Would not they have told you that a visit to the Valley of Oblivion is a rather risky?” he asked.

 

“But how did you know?” Lica murmured.

 

“Oh! It was not so easy. I have to say; Henry is a very stub-born man. Only when had I given him the “potion of truth”, I knew where you were.”

 

The Prince came up and gave Angelica his hand. But she pushed it, stood up and said accusingly:

 

“I see you do not scorn the magic!” “Sure, why not?” the Prince smiled.

 

“I know who you really are!” she said firmly. “You are Swein, the Goblin King!”

 

The Prince burst of laughing and clapped his hands: “Bravo! You have good intuition! What made you think that?” “I have been at your tomb.”

 

The young man has turned pale and looked away.

 

“So what?” he finally asked.

 

“I have been at the witch; she has told me that Edward had given his soul for the Princess’s “potion”. And his body she had given you!”

“You are right!” the Prince said quietly. “But it wasn’t my fault. While I was dying, my father took me to the witch and she had time to catch my heart. The witch explained to my father that I had to fulfill my destiny and save the people of Goblins. ‘When time comes, I will give him a new body,’ she said. Then she gave my body to my father to tomb. And I was buried in the Valley of Oblivion. Then I did not remember anything. The only thing I know I had woken up in the cave of the witch. She told me that it was the body of the Prince Night, who had given his soul for the “potion.” Then she warned me how I should behave in order not to arouse any suspicion. In fact it has been quite difficult because the Prince and I are different men! But I have to help my people, so I keep silence about everything.”

 

“How noble,” Lica grinned. “And how have you found me?” “When I got to the witch, Elsa told me that you had wanted to

 

see my tomb. I followed your footsteps and here I am.”

 

“Why have you saved me? After all, I am an unnecessary witness!”

 

“I like you. I have never met such a brave girl before,” the Prince said. “When I remember you following me at the ball and then your kiss, I have goose bumps!”

 

“I did not kiss you, I kissed the Prince Edward!” Angelica flushed. “You may tell that Henry, he will believe!” the young man laughed. “All right, let’s go! It is dangerous to stay in the enchanted place for a long time. Everything changes here every minute.”

Chase

 

 

The Prince went somewhere and soon came back with two horses.

 

“That’s good that your horse falling hasn’t broken its neck or it would be hard for mine to take both of us.”

 

“Would you say I’m fat?” Lica was indignant.

 

“No! I say only what I mean!” the Prince remarked ironically.

 

He led the horse to the girl and gave her the reins.

 

“What a cad!” Angelica thought. “If it had been the Prince Edward, he would have helped me to get into the saddle.”

 

Thinking of Edward tears welled up her eyes. But Lica pulled herself together and quickly climbed the horse.

 

“Wow, you can even ride a horse! You are the girl of worth!” the Prince was sarcastic.

 

“If you do not shut up now...” Angelica threatened. “What?!” the Prince was amazed. “And then what will happen?

 

You will kiss me to death, won’t you? I have no doubts that you will.”

 

The girl was furious; so not to continue the conversation she pulled the reins and rushed forward. The Prince followed her. In about half an hour they got out of the fallen trees and saw the wide field.

 

“Where are we?” Lica asked.

 

“It must be the Ghosts’ Fields,” the Prince replied. “I think the enchanted path has exactly led us here.”

 

“Henry said that it was a pretty safe place!”

 

“Well, who knows...? I mean besides the ghosts we may meet with werewolves, they also live here. By the way one of them had attacked you. And the vampires - the children of night also favor this valley. So be careful!”

 

“Why are you worried about me?!” Angelica smiled. “I think I’m not your type; you said I was slightly overweight!”

 

“Do you know my taste?” the Prince asked mockingly.

 

The girl pulled the reins and rode to the silent valley. The young man followed her. In less than ten minutes they heard the sound of chase behind them.

 

“Well, what did I tell you?” the Prince said looking back. “The crowd of riding ghosts is chasing us. We are unlikely to get away clear!” “There should be Sleepy Lake after the Ghosts’ Fields!” Lica shouted. “Maybe we still have time to escape?”

 

“Let’s try,” the Prince answered and spurred his horse.

 

But they were getting closer. And soon they heard blood-thirsty screams.

 

“Angelica, can you use a sword?” the Prince shouted.

 

“I’ve never tried!” the girl answered.

 

“So I think it’s time to try! The main thing is… Remember do not let anyone come close to you. If something is, just wave your sword around. And I’ll try to deal with them myself!”

 

The young man drew his second sword and threw it to Lica. The girl was just in time to catch it. And the Prince slightly slowed his horse and left behind.

 

Angelica looked back and saw her fellow traveler fighting with the group of vampires surrounding him. Two vampires have rushed to Lica. One has already reached out his filthy hands to her. The girl screamed and stabbed him with the sword.

 

“Apparently, I’ve got,” she thought so, because the vampire gasped and fell off his horse.

 

The second one has almost caught the escapee. But then Angelica remembered the Prince’s instruction and began waving her sword. Seeing her clumsy attempts, the vampire suddenly burst out of laughing and let the reins for a second. At that moment a tree branch, which the horses were passing by, knocked the vampire to the ground. Lica has escaped the chase. Soon she saw Sleepy Lake ahead. The girl came down the horse and began to stare back to the darkness of the far Ghosts’ Fields.

 

“Has the Prince defeated these monsters?” she thought. Suddenly she heard the sound of hoofs and saw the figure of

 

the Prince in the moonlight. Angelica nearly screamed for joy but restrained herself and said only one thing:

 

“Are you all right?”

 

The young man came closer and, as always, smiled.

 

“What can they do with me if I have such a defender? Your sword master class so impressed the battle-seasoned ghosts that they were taken aback by watching this scene and I got a temporary advantage.” Lica flushed and tried to say something in response but then she noticed that the Prince was clamping down the left side of his

 

body by hand and saw blood oozing through his fingers. “Have you been wounded? Get down, I’ll bandage you!” The Prince did not argue and went down his horse. The  wound was more serious than Angelica had expected. So she tore off her shirt sleeves and made the Prince a pressure bandage.

 

“How do you feel?” she asked having finished.

 

“It’s bearable,” the Prince said with a grimace. “However now I won’t able to sleep on the Sleepy Lake.”

 

“And what about the horses?” the girl said. “They can’t be on the boat!”

 

“We have to leave them here,” the Prince shrugged his shoulders. “But there will be the Nightmare Forest ahead! I would not

 

want to go there on foot.”

 

“We’ll move short dashes.”

 

“You are always so sarcastic!”

 

“And you are always so sensitive!”

 

Lica did not know why but she started to sympathize this man. Yes, he was sarcastic and mocking but Angelica noticed how brave he was and never gave in to threats.

 

The girl and the Prince went down to the boat. Lica picked up the food basket, which Henry had given her. They got into the boat and pushed off from the bank. When our heroes were quite far from the Ghosts’ Fields they heard a loud howl.

 

“We are lucky!” the Prince said. “But our horses are not!” In this bustle Angelica had forgotten to cut her hand and sprinkle

 

with salt. A few minutes later her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep.

Come back to the palace

 

Suddenly Lica woke up as if something had pushed her. She opened her eyes and saw that she had been sleeping on the Prince’s shoulder under the tall tree. The Prince was sitting, leaning the tree and chewing a straw.

 

“Good morning!” he said seeing Angelica had woken up. “Are you kidding me? What a morning?” she smiled looking

 

at the bright moon. “How long have I been sleeping?”

 

“Since we were going across the Sleepy Lake. You have fallen asleep in the boat.”

 

“But how have you taken me from the lake to the tree? You are injured!”

 

“Honestly say, it was very difficult,” the Prince joked. “But, having taken my will in a fist, I have done it. I just couldn’t leave you in the boat, like “Sleeping Beauty.””

 

“Thank you!” Lica said gratefully. “And what about the food basket; haven’t you saved it?”

 

“It is on your right.”

 

“Then let’s have some food and go to the Nightmare Forest. I mean the basket just will hinder to move around.”

 

“You may eat; I am not hungry.”

 

The girl had some bread and milk and leaving the basket under the tree, our heroes set off toward the forest.

 

Only in the woods did Angelica realize the benefits of the man-goblin compared with the common man. The Prince could see in the dark like a cat and had a unique ear to hear. While Lica just listened and looked, the Prince had already said:

 

“Oh the “guests” are near here; we have to change the direction.” He immediately turned another way and pulled the girl with him. So, they had passed the Nightmare Forest, having not met

 

with any of the nightmares. The girl even said:

 

“How boring we have passed the Nightmare Forest. No ad-venture!”

 

“Oh do you need the nightmares?” the Prince laughed. “You have insulted me. Am I not enough for you?”

 

After the forest they came in the wide field. And suddenly Angelica saw that the Prince was staggering.

 

“Let me check your bandage,” she demanded.

 

The Prince tried to joke it off but Lica insisted. Finally, the Prince opened his cloak and the girl gasped! The bandage was soaked with blood. Moreover, the blood has been flowed around his shirt.

 

“You cannot go any more! You are losing a lot of blood!” Angelica said firmly. “Lie down on the grass and I’ll find a horse.” “Where will you find a horse here? Only the field is around us!”

 

“It’s not your business!” Lica said strictly.

 

She put the Prince on the grass tucked the cloak under his head. Then she gave him a new bandage, finally had torn her shirt off and then ran across the field toward the road.

 

She was lucky and soon she saw a cart ahead. “Hey!” Angelica shouted, waving her arms. “Here!”

 

A few minutes later some farmers, who were carrying the flour to the Prince’s castle, arrived.

 

“That’s a luck!” the girl was happy.

 

She immediately showed them the place where the wounded Prince was lying. The Farmers carefully put him on the cart and moved on. Several hours later the carts reached the castle but by this time the Prince had already been unconscious.

 

Worried Henry met our travelers in the wide royal court. The Prince was immediately taken into the castle and the best doctors were called for him. Sick and tired Lica was waiting for news sitting in the chair in a small room, which was next door to the Prince’s. The girl did not notice as she had fallen asleep. She woke up because someone had entered the room. It was Henry.

 

“The Prince has lost a lot of blood and unconscious,” he said. “But doctors have assured that his life is not in danger. You have managed to bring him in time. Lica, has the witch told you any-thing about the Prince?”

 

Angelica nodded but thought for a while said:

 

“Not until the end. I would like to visit this witch once again!” “Not now! You’re exhausted. The Prince is unconscious.” “You’re right, Henry! Can I get some sleep?”

 

“Of course,” the old servant smiled and left the room.

 

Angelica fell asleep again...

 

“Lica, good morning!” the girl heard her mother’s voice. “What’s the masquerade again?”

 

Her mother was standing stared in amazement at Angelica. The girl stretched, got up and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked terrible! She was smeared with mud and blood, her hair was wild and she was wearing a torn shirt without sleeves and tattered leather trousers – Lica was appalling.

 

“Mom,” she smiled. “I am just getting ready for Halloween!” “But Halloween is in the autumn! And now, it’s spring!” “Well, I’m before hand,” Lica grinned like the Prince Swein. “Come on, wash your face!” her mother sighed.

 

Angelica went into the bathroom and different thoughts flashed through her mind:

 

“How’s the Prince? What will I do? To tell or not to tell Henry the truth?”

 

“So, stop!” she interrupted herself aloud. “I don’t know if I ever get back to the Kingdom of Night!”

 

After a pause, she added:

 

“However I would like to...”

 

Part 3. The invasion

 

“Mom, I’m going to the gym!” Lica shouted out.

 

She took her sport bag and ran out of the house...

 

After her last return from the Kingdom of Night, first, every night Angelica waited for any news about the Prince from Henry. But time was passing and nothing happened. So the girl day by day came to the normal life.

 

She finished the school, has entered the University of Languages at the Faculty of Translation and joined two sport sec-tions: Aikido and Fencing.

 

“Aikido is OK,” her mother sighed. “There are lots of hooli-gans in the streets. But why is Fencing? Are you going to wave with a stick under the offender’s nose?”

 

“Anything can be useful in life!” Lica said smiling.

 

She remembered clearly how stupid she had looked, swing-ing her sword in front of the vampires. But six months have passed since that time.

 

Coming back from the training, she found a note on the kitchen table from her mother:

 

 

 

We are at the Petrovs, in the country. We are going to stay for a night. So do not wait for us!

 

Have dinner and go to bed!

 

Your Mom

 

 

Next to the note on the table she saw the plate with some cutlets and fries. She ate leisurely and went to her room. Coming to the window, she looked out. The weather was stormy. The wind was whirling last autumn leaves and occasional but large drops of rain began drumming on the glass.

 

“Well... The sky is overcast, so it’s nothing to look at,” Lica thought. “I’d rather watch TV!”

 

But only could she make a couple of steps the light blinked and went out. The wire must have shorted out somewhere.

 

Angelica went by feel to the kitchen and pulled three thick souvenir candles out of the cupboard. Then she returned to her room, lit the candles and put them on the table. It was very nice.

 

“Hmm...” Lica said aloud. “I think the evening will be boring! I must do something about it!”

 

She walked here and there across the room and then went to the wardrobe, as if she had remembered something, and opened it. There on the hangers was that white ball dress in which she had danced at her first ball in the Kingdom of Night. Angelica took it out and carefully removed from the hanger.

 

“I have to try it on!” the girl decided. “Because I haven’t put it on once after the ball!”

 

She put on her dress and lovely white high-heeled shoes and let her hair.

 

“Well, now I look just as when I was dancing with Edward for the first time,” Lica thought, looking in the mirror.

 

Remembered the ball, she was dancing around the room, humming a tune. The candles flame was swaying and strange shadows were dancing on the walls and ceiling. Angelica stopped in front of the mirror and laughed merrily at herself.

 

At this moment the reflection in the mirror suddenly trembled and ran. The girl shook her head and blinked frequen-cy. The reflection became clear again but behind the “mirror” Lica there was not her room but a luxurious hall. There were two armchairs, carved table and a fireplace with merrily burning flame by the wall.

 

“That’s what I call over dancing,” Angelica thought.

 

At this moment her own reflection in the mirror suddenly dimmed and she saw the face of the Prince Night there.

“Well they are hallucinations!” Lica said loudly. “When I touch the mirror, it all will disappear!”

She held out her hand and the Prince did the same. The girl was absolutely sure that she would touch the cold mirror by her fingers. But suddenly she felt the warm touch of the Prince’s hand. Angelica screamed and jumped back. The Prince Night grinned, took a step forward and stood on the table. A second later he jumped into Lica’s room.

 

“What a cramped room!” the Prince remarked sarcastically, looking around. “But the atmosphere is very romantic. The bed, the candles and the lovely girl! Are you waiting for someone, Angelica?”

 

“You! You…” Lica flushed.

 

She could not find the right words. Finally, she pulled herself together and said:

“You have broken into here, as if it would be your home!” “Well, let’s say I have not broken,” the Prince answered. “I just have quietly jumped into your room. What are you so afraid of, my fearless Angelica? We are friends, aren’t we?”

“What do you think? I haven’t heard from you for ages!” Then out of the blue you have jumped from the mirror and asked me what I was scared of?

“Oh, that’s why! And I thought that I had disturbed you. You look as if you are going to the ball. So I decided that you had been waiting for someone.”

“For you!” Lica quipped.

 

“Well, here I am! I am entirely at your disposal.”

 

The Prince slowly moved to the girl and put his hands over her shoulders and pulled her close. He bended forward and stared into her eyes. Angelica could feel his breath near her face. She closed her eyes and froze ready for a kiss. However, the Prince bended even down and whispered in her ear:

 

“Only first of all, I’d like to discuss something more important...”

 

 

The Prince’s gift

 

The young man turned around, went to the desk and sat down on the chair. Angelica started and opened her eyes. She felt terribly embarrassed.

 

“Well, now the Prince thinks I’m awfully frivolous and thoughtless,” flashed through her mind.

 

And she said aloud:

 

“All right! Let’s discuss. I’m over to you.”

 

“Do you remember the day when we were rescuing from the vampires? Anyway, one of them had wounded me. And, apparently, some of the vampires’ blood had got into my wound and infected me. As soon as I came to the castle of the Prince Night, I began to notice some strange habits, which I hadn’t had before. I had liked under fried meat with blood. When the moon is full I have a desire to jump on a horse and rush into the Ghosts Fields. I have almost stopped to sleep but I do not feel tired... Any cuts heal such quickly that I have never even dreamt of. So, I have summed up all facts and came to the disappointing conclusion - I’m turning into a vampire. Without telling anyone, I went to the witch and she confirmed my fears. Then I asked her to help me but she said: ‘You must go to the land of your ancestors, fight with the Wizard and find the Magic Crystal. It is your destiny! Remember, what happened when you had gone to the Wizard, being an ordinary mortal goblin? He had cheated and fatally wounded you. Now you have a trump card – you are turning into a vampire, then, in fact you are immortal! For the Wizard it will be very difficult to win you. If only he will not use a silver bullet or an aspen stake. But he still does not know anything about you, so the advantage is in your hands.’”

 

“Has she refused to heal you?” Lica exclaimed.

 

The Prince nodded.

 

“So, are you a vampire now?”

 

“Not really... The witch said that the process of turning would take quite a long time. And she promised to heal me after I had brought the Magic Crystal. But she warned me about something. She said that if I did finally turn into a vampire until the end of the mission I would forget about it and in general everything. That is why I have come, “broken into”, as you had said. I wish someone would know my secret because if I be-came a vampire, I would not be able to control myself. At first I wanted to tell Henry about that but then thought I’d better not worry him. Therefore I have chosen you. Today I’m going for the Crystal and you’ll keep in touch with Henry. If I am not back in a couple of months, tell him everything!”

 

“But I cannot contact Henry. He always finds me himself!” “You know that I’m not shy of being a magician,” the Prince smiled.

 

He got up and took a long and narrow dirk in elegant scab-bard out of his wide black cloak.

 

“Take it!”

 

“What is it?”

 

“It is the thing which will help you to keep touch with Henry! When you want to get into the castle, just go to your mirror and put the dirk in the place between the glass and the frame. You will open the door to the castle. But when you go through the mirror, do not forget to pull it out and take the dirk with you, otherwise you will stay in the Kingdom of Night forever.”

 

Angelica took the knife carefully, got it out of its scabbard and examined. It was narrow and very sharp. Its handle was made of chrysolite and had the form of some obscure monster with two heads.

 

“It is beautiful!” Lica said.

 

“Well, I’ve got to go my dear lady!” the Prince said quickly. “I told Henry to prepare the horse. Just in case, good-bye, Angelica!” The girl was ready to hug him on the neck, but stopped herself. Then he walked quickly to the dressing table, went up and jumped into the mirror. After a second the mirror fogged up and when the glass was clear, Lica saw herself and her room again...

 

Angelica would think that it just had seemed to her. But the sharp dirk, which she was holding in her hands, did not let her doubt.

 

“Oh my God!” she thought. “Poor Prince! At first it was Swein, now the vampire! What will happen next?”

 

She put the dirk on the table and walked around the room nervously.

 

“What if he turned into the vampire before he would find this stupid Crystal? No, I cannot let him go alone! This could end badly!” Lica decided.

 

She quickly went to the kitchen and wrote a note for her parents:

 

 

 

I will stay at Sveta’s! We are going to study for tests!

 

Lica

 

 

 

Then she called her friend Svetlana and prevented her of telling Lica’s parents the truth.

 

After that Angelica went to her room and quickly changed clothes. As her suit, she traveled in the Kingdom of Night, was depraved, she put on her usual jeans and a pullover. Then she made her hair in a ponytail and looked in the mirror. Satisfied with the result, she put her trainers on, took the dirk and went to the mir-ror. She stuck the blade in between the glass and the frame, as the Prince had told you. For a minute, nothing was happening. But then reflection of Lica’s room was darkened and she saw the luxurious room with a fireplace again. Now not hesitating, Angelica climbed on the table and stepped into the mirror. Remembered the Prince’s warning, she put her hand back and pulled the dirk out.

 

Jumping down, she looked around. A large antique mirror was hanging over the carved wooden nightstand. Lica still could see her room in the mirror but after a few seconds the image be-came dark and vanished. And she saw the surrounding furniture and herself in the mirror.

 

The girl hid the dirk in the pocket of jeans. However, it was too big and she had to make a hole to put it in. having finished with this, Lica immediately rushed to look for the Prince or Henry.

 

When she ran into the big room she heard the sound of hooves through the open window. Angelica came to the window and looked out. She saw the Prince riding out of the yard of the castle and Henry standing and looking at him.

 

“Henry!” Lica screamed as loudly as she could. “Stop the Prince! Can you hear me, Henry?”

 

But the old servant did not even turn around.

 

Then she rushed to the door. She ran out into the wide court-yard and literally bumped nose-to-nose with Henry.

 

“The young lady?” the old man was taken aback. “Oh, what clothes! But how?”

 

“Not now, Henry! Tell me if there is a saddled horse in the stables?” “Actually, yes... I have saddled two horses to choose from.

The Prince has chosen the white one; it’s friskier. The black one I have not unsaddled yet.”

 

“Excellent!” Angelica nodded.

 

She ran to the stable, jumped on the black horse and rode up to the discouraged Edward’s servant.

 

“Henry, I have no time now. But I swear, I’ll explain every-thing later!”

 

The girl spurred her horse and went out of the yard. The old man just waved his hand.

 

The crystal

 

 

Lica looked around. Far ahead in the bright moonlight she saw the figure of the rider.

 

“Oh, the Prince!” she said to herself. “No, he won’t get away from me!”

 

She pulled the reins and started up the horse in a gallop. Soon the distance between her and the rider was getting short. When Angelica was even closer, she shouted:

 

“Prince! Where are you going in such a hurry? My horse has lathered!”

 

The young man turned around and pulled up his horse. “Angelica? What the hell are you doing here?” he asked quite

 

rudely.

 

“I have decided to ride with you!” the girl retorted.

 

“Young ladies had better stay at home! And furthermore, two months have not passed yet!”

 

“Prince, I thought that you wouldn’t cope with your mission,” Angelica said calmly. “And what if you turned into the vampire faster than could find the Magic Crystal? Because then you wouldn’t control yourself or even would forget who you were and where you were going... So I have decided to look after you.”

 

The Prince was thinking for a moment. And then he said:

 

“There is a little sense in your words. Well, let’s go together!

 

But be careful if I do turn into the vampire, I can hurt you, even kill you. And after that I won’t remember anything. Are not you scared?” “I’m not as simple as before,” Lica said. “I have taken fencing lessons and I can assure you that it is not so easy to kill me!” The young man smiled and nodded.

 

“Well, let’s go ahead!” he said.

 

And two riders went on into the night. They had been riding for quite a long time until the horses were finally exhausted. Then the Prince turned into a small village. He jumped off his horse and went into the first house on the road.

 

“Feed the horses, and give a room for the girl, where she can relax!” he ordered the farmers, who lived in this house.

 

Of course they have known their master’s face and quickly followed all his orders. They made the soft bed for Angelica. She was really very tired. But going to sleep she warned a farmer woman discreetly:

 

“If you suddenly see the Prince is going away, wake me up immediately!”

 

Lica fell asleep as soon as she touched the pillow. She did not know how long she had been sleeping but she woke up because someone was shaking her shoulder. It was the farmer woman.

 

“Our Master has saddled the horse!” she said quickly, seeing that Angelica had woken up.

 

The girl immediately got up and ran out of the house. “Prince, are you going to leave me here alone!” she called the young man, sitting in the saddle.

 

“No way my dear! Where am I going without you?” the Prince answered spitefully.

 

The farmer led the saddled horse to Lica and she jumped into the saddle.

 

“How did you sleep?” the Prince asked.

 

“Very well!” Angelica said and first pulled the reins.

 

They went on...

 

Our heroes had been traveling for several days, until they reached the borders of the Kingdom of Night. There was normal order of night and day.

 

“I cannot see in the light of the day,” the Prince said. “Now we can go only at night that will delay our journey a lot.”

 

“Yes, but during the day I’ll be able to sleep,” Lica was glad. “Ah, yes...” the young man said pensively. “I forgot that you would need a rest!”

 

He has not slept for a long time and has eaten very little and Angelica was afraid that Prince would turn into the vampire. But he was all right and remembered everything. It calmed the girl.

 

Having left the Kingdom of Night, Lica and the Prince were moving only at night. During the day they were hiding in a shelter, where Angelica could sleep. Thus more than a week has passed.

 

One day at dusk the riders, as usual, set off. And suddenly on the horizon, the young man noticed a tall castle.

 

“Look!” he pointed at it. “This is the land of my ancestors! My great - great - great - ... well, a great-grandfather lived in this castle.”

 

“We have really got?!” the girl took a breath relieved.

 

“How to say... It is a couple of days more travel from here to the castle.”

 

Indeed, exactly in two days Angelica and the Prince arrived at the great building. There was the tall wall around the castle and the wide moat filled with water in front of it.

 

“I have a feeling that the bridge is not provided,” Lica said.

 

“You are absolutely right. Let’s swim across. You are not afraid of getting wet your wonderful feet with such odd shoes, aren’t you?” the Prince asked sarcastically.

 

“You can be absolutely sure for my feet and shoes!” the girl retorted.

 

Then the young man rode up to Angelica and took her reins. Then he led his horse into the water and Lica was following him. The horses went into the water obediently and swam across the moat. On the opposite side Lica and the Prince dismounted and tied their horses to a small bush that grew nearby.

 

“Follow me! I’ll show you the secret passage,” the Prince said quietly.

He took Angelica’s hand and led her...

 

They walked along the fort and soon the young man noticed a small stone sticking out of the wall almost at the ground. The Prince pushed it. There was a noise and a little wicket opened.

“It still works!” the Prince Night said satisfied. “Let’s go inside!” He first came in to the secret door. Lica followed him...

 

They were in the wide yard. It was perfectly quiet and empty. And the castle seemed to be dreary and doleful. All its windows were dark. But then in the window of one of the towers on the top the girl saw the light.

 

“Look, there’s someone there!” she pointed to the window telling her companion.

“There used to be our family library in this tower,” the Prince said thoughtfully. “Perhaps the Wizard is there!”

He went straight to the tower and Angelica hurried after him. Coming closer, our heroes saw that one of the ground floor win-dows was not closed. The Prince helped the girl up and she climbed inside. Then the young man got into.

 

“I cannot see anything!” Lica whispered.

 

“But I can see in the dark like a cat,” her companion said quietly. “Hold on to me.”

He led the girl forward. They reached a wide spiral stairs that were running up. Now it was a little lighter because of the moonlight from the windows. Angelica and the Prince Night were quietly going upstairs. Soon the bright yellow light, streaming down above, was added to the moonlight. The spiral stairs were over by a spacious room with shelves and bookcases. The room was lit by the large wooden chandelier with lots of candles.

The vampire

 

 

 

In the middle of the room they saw a grey-bearded old man, sitting at the table.

 

“I’ve been waiting for you, Swein!” the old man said quietly. “But I did not think that you would come here only with a snotty girl.”

 

“I see my new body has not confused you!” the Prince smiled. “I see deeper. I can see the soul. I wish I could take it when we

 

met last time. Well, today I am going to correct my mistake!”

 

The old man stood up and suddenly nowhere a wide sword appeared in his hands.

 

“I’ll kill you, take your soul and then finish your girl off. And I will make your soul look at her excruciation,” the villain said malevolently.

 

The Prince turned to Lica and told her quickly: “Immediately hide yourself somewhere!” The girl nodded and hid behind the shelves.

 

The young man took out two of his swords from the scabbard and said:

 

“Wizard, you are too talkative today! It is time to shut you up!” The Prince Night and the old man came to the middle of the room and the Wizard first attacked the Prince. They were fighting with the swords. Swein was very skillful warrior and the Wizard knew that. So he decided to cheat again. He read a spell and immediately large pieces of plaster and stones fell down on the Prince from the ceiling. One of these stones knocked out Swein’s second sword.

 

“Ah, ah!” the Prince shouted. “You did it again! I see you cannot win without cheating!”

 

The villain grinned and pointed his sword at the Prince. The thin ray went out of the top of his sword and hit the Prince’s shoulder. He groaned in pain. It made a hole in his clothes and burnt his skin.

 

“Well, Swein, you shouldn’t have come back here!” the Wizard laughed loudly.

 

But suddenly the Prince’s wound was closed quickly and in a few seconds disappeared.

 

“What the devil?” the old man couldn’t understand. He directed ray at the Prince again but he only laughed. “What, Wizard, you did not expect, did you?” he asked

 

sarcastically. “You cannot do me any harm! I am immortal! You’d better tell me where you’re hiding the Magic Crystal?”

 

“You have become the undead?” the villain yelled.

 

Only now did he realize what position he was in now. The old man turned back and ran toward the spiral stairs.

 

“He’ll get away!” Angelica shouted.

 

She ran after the Wizard. He ran up to the window, opened it, muttered a spell and turned into a raven. The Prince did not have time to run downstairs and Lica knew that the villain would fly away now.

 

When the Raven flapped its wings she remembered about the dirk. She immediately pulled it out of her jeans and threw it into the bird. Raven took off but the dirk cut his throat right in the air. And the Wizard’s beheaded body fell on the floor. His head rolled down the stairs and stopped on one of them with his eyes opened and looking to the window.

 

“Bravo!” the Prince said. “You are absolutely accurate. Congratulations! But there is one problem now how will I know where the Wizard had hidden the Magical Crystal?”

 

The young man was going down stairs and Lica was standing and staring with horror at the Wizard’s open eyes.

 

“Look!” she whispered finally. “It looks like as if he is looking at us! And one of his eyes is unnatural - it is too shiny even the moon reflects in it!”

 

The Prince crouched down and looked at the villain’s face closely.

 

“Bravo once again!” he said. “Angelica, you’re a genius! His eye is the Magic Crystal. That is why the Wizard lived so long. And that’s why he was the Lord of all the Elements. Turn around! Now you’d better not to see what I would do.”

 

The girl turned around and picked up the dirk, stained with Wizard’s blood.

 

“Come on!” the Prince said. “It’s time! I have taken out the crystal.”

 

Our heroes went down the spiral stairs and out into the hall. There were old portraits everywhere on the walls. But the moonlight shone brightly just one of them. Angelica looked at it and started.

 

It was the portrait of Swein! Exactly the same as the portrait in the tomb only the clothes, he was wearing, different.

 

“Swein, there you are!” the girl said with stammering voice; it was the first time when she called the King Goblin by his real name.

 

The young man smiled and said:

 

“Well ... In less than a year, you finally have remembered what my name is! But, please, do not call me by my name in front of other people! My mission hasn’t finished yet.”

 

Angelica nodded. The Prince walked slowly to the portrait and said:

 

“This is my great-great-great-... To make it shorter - my an-cestor. You know that the goblins were exactly the same as ordinary people before. And I really look like him. Looked ... anyway! But let’s go! I do not think the Wizard was alone in the castle. Now his people may come here.”

 

Our heroes went through the window outside and walked to the secret gate. The Prince pushed the stone and the door closed.

 

“We must hurry,” the young man said. “It is the dawn soon!” They sat on the horses and crossed the moat. The sky was getting light. Lica looked at the Prince, she was worried. But he took his heart. They let the horses galloping and soon they saw the hills ahead.

 

“We must stay there and find a shelter!” she pointed out. The Prince didn’t answer and nodded. They got to the hills  and hardly found a shallow cave. But for the Prince it was the best place ever now. Lica tied the horses to the tree near the cave and they went inside.

 

“I’m terribly tired,” she said. “Can I have a nap?”

 

“You can!” the Prince agreed. “And I’ll be here to watch you are sleeping.”

 

The girl did not like the tone the Prince said this simple phrase. And she said:

 

“I think I will sleep in the sun. And you will be here!”

 

She came out of the cave and went to the horses. Near them Angelica saw nice green meadow and the tall apple tree. She walked to the tree, pulled out the dirk, just in case, from her pocket and holding it in her hand, laid down on the soft grass. Five minutes later she fell asleep.

 

She woke up from the feeling of anxiety. Lica opened her eyes and saw the Prince’s face over her. It was already dark and he was able to get out of the cave.

 

“Angelica, you are so beautiful!” the young man whispered his lips. “Let me kiss you...”

 

He was getting closer towards the girl but she raised the dirk and held it to his chest.

 

“If you move I’ll plunge it to you!” Lica said quietly. “I know that you are immortal and this won’t kill you. But you have forgotten one thing! There is the Wizard’s blood on it. And it will certainly cause any new changes in your body. Do you need it, Prince?”

 

Swein laughed, stood up and walked away from the girl. “And you’re cleverer than others, Angelica!” he said laughing. Lica stood up from the grass, shook herself off and said: “Let’s go! We cannot waste time!” They went on…

 

Each day the Prince’s character changed even more. Angelica had already got used to hearing Swein’s sarcastic and mocking jokes

 

but now he was too polite and affectionate. He could predict any her desire that frightened her a lot.

 

“He’d rather be the same Swein,” Lica thought. “It’s obviously not him but someone else...”

 

Finally, our heroes get to the Kingdom of Night.

 

“Go to the witch!” Angelica said firmly.

 

“You order, my lady! And where does she live?”

 

She realized that the Prince was losing his memory, so she had to hurry up...

The plan of the witch

 

 

When Swein and Lica reached the cave of the witch, they dismounted and rushed inside. They met Elsa in the first room. She was glad and hugged the girl. The Prince puzzled by what he had seen as if he was here for the first time. A minute later Madam came to our heroes and took them into the big hall.

 

“Sit down. I see you are tired of the way,” the witch said softly. “Shall I offer you a drink?”

 

She went out of the room, leaving Swein and Angelica, who were sitting in the soft armchairs, for a short time. Soon, Madam

 

came back with two glasses.

 

“Please!” she offered.

 

Lica took her glass and made a couple of sips. It was a deli-cious drink made of some herbs. The Prince drank it in one gulp. Suddenly he lost consciousness and fell on his chair back. The glass fell from his hand and rolled across the floor.

 

“Have you poisoned him?!” the stunned girl exclaimed.

 

“Of course not! What do you think of me?” the witch smiled. “I just saw that the Prince had almost turned into the vampire. And it can be dangerous to both of us. So I have simply put him to sleep.”

 

“But you had promised to help him!”

 

“And I haven’t denied this fact. But in this situation, simple herbs and drugs will not be enough. To make the cure drink I need the blood of a real vampire. The rule is “fight fire with fire.””

 

“Where are you going to take the blood of a vampire?” Angelica asked.

 

The witch laughed.

 

“Not I but you will bring the vampire’s blood!” “Me?”

 

The girl’s eyes were widened in surprise.

 

“But they will kill or eat me! Or first they drink my blood and then eat...” Lica spoke haltingly.

 

“This is if you’re an ordinary person. And I’ll infect you by the Prince’s blood and you will also become the vampire. And they will not touch you. The process of mutation is very long as you have probably noticed in case of the Prince. But your blood will not be human and that will open you the way to the vampires. It will be the full moon tomorrow; which means that they are organizing the ball. Every full moon vampires come together in the castle of their Prince and Lord. And you are going to this ball, allure a vampire and take his blood. The blood you will put here!”

 

The witch gave a small glassy bottle to Angelica.

 

“And then,” she continued, “you’ll get back to me with the blood and I will make a healing drink for the Prince and for you. Well, what do you think of my plan?”

“Great!” the girl said, looking at the small bottle in her hands. “Then we’d better not postpone it!” The witch said loudly. She took a small knife from the table and made a cut on the Prince’s hand. The Prince’s blood was thick almost black. The witch stained the knife with the Prince’s blood and then with this knife she made a cut on Lica’s hand.

“Well,” the woman said satisfied. “Now you are infected. It will begin in a few hours. And when you get the vampires’ castle,  you won’t be mortal any more. Elsa will lead you by enchanted paths and you will be in the Ghosts Fields very soon. And then the vampire’s blood and your intuition will lead you to the castle. But you cannot go to the ball in such horrible clothes! Now let’s find something better for you!”

 

The witch came out of the room and soon back with a sump-tuous scarlet dress and matching scarlet shoes.

“Well, I have found!” the hostess of the cave announced happily. “It is vampires’ favorite color - the color of red blood! Get changed!”

“How many different dresses I have worn for the balls,” Angelica thought.

She changed clothes quickly and the witch clapped her hands with delight.

“Charming! Charming!” she said. “You will have great suc-cess! Just do not forget about your mission and bring me the blood of a vampire.”

Lica nodded wearily. She hid the bottle into the dress sleeve and, just in case, put the dirk, which Swein had given her, under the corset. Then she came out of the cave. Elsa had been already waiting for her, holding the reins of the horse. She helped Angelica to mount and sat on a thin nag herself.

 

“Come on, we must hurry,” Elsa said. “The enchanted paths often change their direction.”

And two riders sped away from the cave. After a couple of hours Lica saw Swein’s tomb.

“We need to turn,” the goblin woman said confidently.

 

She turned her nag and Angelica followed her. Suddenly a thick fog cloaked them but witch’s maid wasn’t worried about it. She moved forward. Soon they were in the wide field. The mist drifted down and now it was just above the ground.

 

“These are the Ghosts Fields,” Elsa whispered. “Now you’ll go alone. It’s too dangerous for me to stay here.”

Lica nodded and said goodbye to her. The woman turned her horse back and ... disappeared.

 

“Perhaps, she went away by enchanted path,” she decided. She looked up at the sky. The Moon was shining brightly high above the mist. Angelica, not knowing why, turned his horse and ran toward the Moon. On the right and on the left from her there were some whitish figures and silhouettes but she did not look at them. Somewhere back there was a long howl but Lica did not even look round. She, like possessed with some-thing, raced ahead.

 

Suddenly she saw very tall walls of the castle.

 

“It’s the Castle of Vampires,” she guessed.

 

She went along the wall and soon saw the opened gate. Some tall skinny men were standing near them. Angelica was a bit nervous but then pulled herself together, made a stone face and went into the yard of the castle. The men looked at the horsewoman and Lica realized that she hadn’t been mistaken in her thoughts.

 

Those men’s faces were so pale and their eyes were shining so that it was impossible to make a mistake: they were vampires!

The girl jumped off the horse and tied it to the tree, growing in the yard. Then she marched arrogantly to the main entrance of the castle, went up the stairs and pushed the carved wooden door.

The Vampires’ ball

 

A minute later Lica was in a huge hall. It was empty but she could hear the sound of music from other room. The girl went along the corridor leading to that room and saw herself in a large, bright room lit by candles. The music could be heard from here. There were a lot of people. Some were dancing; others were standing along the walls and talking about something. It seemed that all the guests were similar to each other... Their bright glowing eyes, very pale skin and red lips.

 

“Do I look the same?” Angelica thought anxiously.

 

She looked in the big mirror on the wall but did not notice anything different.

 

“Apparently, the infection process has not gone too far!” she reassured herself.

 

Only now Lica saw that lots of men were looking at her with obvious interest.

 

“Well! And who am I going to tempt?” she thought.

 

At this moment the music stopped and a loud voice an-nounced:

“Ladies and gentlemen! The Prince is glad to welcome you at his ball. Enjoy yourself and have fun! Remember that the Fool Moon is not eternal!”

The girl was very curious.

 

“What a person is that Prince?” she thought. “I wish I could have one look-see at him and then flirt with someone.”

Angelica went through the crowd of the guests moving for-ward. Seeing Lica, the men respectfully made her a way and the women just snorted her back, being jealous. At last she saw the high throne next to the columns. A handsome young man with dark long hair was sitting on the throne. His skin was so white and thin that it seemed to shine with some light. He looked so aristocratic and mysterious.

 

“Well, this Prince of vampires is not bad!” she thought. “Perhaps now I will invite him to dance.”

The music started and Lica moved boldly to the Prince, sit-ting on the throne. When she was no more than in three or four steps, two vampires blocked her way.

“And where are you going?” one asked sarcastically.

 

“I would like to invite the Prince to dance!” Angelica retorted. “You do not have the right to come near the Lord!” another one said strictly. “You may be a new here if you do not know our laws!”

 

Loud talk and Lica’s bright scarlet dress attracted the Prince’s attention. He stood up from the throne, came to them quietly and now was just behind his guards.

 

“So I ask you,” the vampire continued speaking sternly to the girl, “to go back and dance with someone else.”

 

Angelica saw the Prince behind the vampire guards and gave him a smile.

 

“Have I said anything funny?” the guard asked.

 

“Look back!” Lica said smiling.

 

The vampires turned around and, seeing his master, bent into a bow. Then they explained haltingly:

 

“This girl... she wanted to invite you to dance... she’s probably new here... She does not know our rules...”

 

The Prince raised his hand and they both fell silent as if by command.

 

“Why do you get our beautiful guest wait!” the Prince said with ingratiating voice.

 

He waved his hand and the musicians began to play a new and sweet melody. The Prince of vampires gave his hand to Angelica and they started dancing.

 

The main vampire was just guzzling Lica with his eyes. He immediately noticed that she was different from other women at the ball. She had a pink velvety skin, lively eyes and soft lips. She was just like an ordinary alive girl. But the Prince was still feeling the blood of a vampire in her. They whirled dancing and the vam-pire asked:

 

“You are not from here, aren’t you? I know all my people. Where did you come from?”

 

“I’m from afar...” Angelica replied evasively.

 

“You are very beautiful! And the red color of the dress so suits you!”

 

“Thank you!” Lica blushed.

 

“You can you blush, can’t you? It’s a miracle!” the Prince admired. “None of vampires I know have ever done that!”

 

The girl looked into his eyes and remembered her dancing with Prince Edward at her first ball.

 

 “What are you thinking about?” the Lord of vampires asked.

 

“About the past...” Angelica answered honestly.

 

“You are so charming that I’m starting to lose my mind,” the vampire said quietly.

At this time the music ended, the Prince took Lica’s hand and held her to the throne. He raised his hand and there was silent in the hall.

“My people,” he talked to his guests. “You know it was not my rules but today I want to choose the Queen of the Ball. It will be this beautiful stranger in a scarlet dress!”

Everyone was applauding and shouting:

 

“Bravo!”

 

The Prince waved his hand again and the music played.

 

He began to circle Angelica in dance more passionate. Nobody had seen how the Prince took the girl from the hall to the corridor and then to a small room.

“I have lost my mind!” he whispered. “You are so beloved...” He pulled Lica to him and kissed her lips passionately. “Prince, not so fast!” Angelica was trying to cool his ardor. But the Lord of vampires picked her up and carried to the large bed, which was in the room.

 

“Prince, you have got it wrong!” Lica shouted. “I’m not here for that! I have a fiancé!”

The main vampire suddenly stopped...

 

“The fiancé?” he asked. “Why did you want to dance with me then?”

 

She sat on the bed and said:

 

“I thought that you could understand me.” “Me? You?” the Prince surprised. “Please, listen to me!” Angelica asked.

And she told the vampire everything... about the infected Prince Night and dangerous changes in his body. And that she had been infected by the vampire’s blood to get here to the ball...

“Now I have to bring the blood of the real vampire to save the Prince,” Lica finished her story.

The Prince listened to her in silence and finally said:

 

 “Your fiancé is a lucky man! I would be immensely happy if a girl, like you are, fell in love with me... Give me your bottle!”

 

Angelica took the bottle from her sleeve and handed it to the main vampire.

 

“Now bite!” the Prince offered the girl his neck, throwing his long black hair behind.

 

“No, I cannot!” Lica confused.

 

“You can!” the Prince smiled. “Give me the favor!”

 

He walked away and sat down in the chair. Then he put his head on the chair back and looked at her sidelong.

 

“I’m waiting!” the vampire encouraged her quietly.

The Lord’s blood

 

 

Lica came to the Prince cautiously.

 

“But I’m...” she began to mutter.

 

The main vampire grinned and pulled her hand. Angelica dropped to his knees. They merged in a passionate kiss. Lica felt how another Lica began to awaken in her - predatory and passionate. She started kissing the Prince hot, getting lower and nearer to his neck. The Prince closed his eyes and gave way her kisses. The girl felt the soft skin of his neck and then something happened to her.

 

She did not understand how it had happened but she dug into the vampire’s neck. He groaned but nestled up to Lica more closely.

 

“I think I’m in love with you...” he whispered.

 

Angelica, feeling the taste of his blood, almost went crazy. She felt such wave of passion that a little more and she would drag the Lord to bed. The Prince made an incredible effort to push the girl away. Two streams of blood were flowing down his neck. He put the bottle to the wound and filled it to the brim…

 

“Take it!” He gave the bottle to Lica. “You need to leave now or I’m afraid I will not let you go later.”

 

Only now did Angelica realize that she had been almost ready to sin with the Prince of vampires and she felt incredibly ashamed...

 

“Sorry!” she said blushing.

 

The girl grabbed the bottle and ran out of the room. She ran down the corridor, round the main hall, where was the ball. Running out to the yard, Lica immediately noticed her horse. She quickly climbed into the saddle and rode out to the field.

 

Spurred the horse, Angelica was riding somewhere aimlessly. A few minutes later she heard a clop. Lica looked around and saw that a rider was catching up her. It was the Prince of vampires.

 

“I thought that you could hardly find the way yourself!” he said quietly. “Follow me!”

 

He turned to the right and let the horse galloping. The girl hurried after him. After some time they were near the tomb of Swein.

 

“Now I have to leave you,” the Prince said calmly. “However I am sure that I cannot forget you!”

 

Angelica was ready to throw herself back into his arms but kept herself. She just rode up to the Lord of the vampires and kissed him on his lips. He smiled, turned his horse back and... disappeared.

 

Now she was alone. She went around the City of Goblins and a few hours later she was at the witch’s cave. Elsa met Lica at the entrance and took her to the hostess.

 

“I have brought the blood!” Angelica said, holding out a small bottle to the witch.

 

“Excellent! Now I will prepare the potion for the Prince. But first, I need to heal you. I see your trip was not easy!” the witch smiled.

 

She left the room and returned with a large cup.

 

“Drink! This is to heal you!” the hostess of the cave said, referring to Lica.

 

The girl took the cup and drank the potion. Suddenly she felt the great desire of sleeping.

 

“I’m so tired,” she murmured. “May I have a little nap?”

 

“Of course! Lay on that sofa!” the witch said softly.

 

Angelica lay down on the sofa and immediately fell asleep...

 

“Lica, Lica, wake up!” she heard her mother’s voice through the dream. “Lica, I see you get used to sleeping in ball dresses! Tell me where have you got this charm? Has Sveta lent you to wear it?” Angelica opened her eyes and saw herself in the bedroom in her own bed.

 

Her Mom was talking and talking... and Angelica got up and began to touch herself. Only when she felt the dirk was still under her dress belt she calmed down and said:

 

“Mom, I and Sveta want to participate in the University Beauty Competition. She has given me this dress.”

 

Her mother left the room and she quickly took the dirk out of the belt and hid it in her desk. Then she looked in the mirror, smiled and winked at her reflection...

Part 4. Talk to Henry

 

 

A few days after returning Lica couldn’t cope with the feeling of trouble. She knew very well that she needed to continue studying and she was taking exams but... All what she was thinking about was the Kingdom of Night. One time she remembered the Prince Edward then she thought about Swein and his wonderful portrait, which she had seen in the tomb, another time she dreamt about the Prince of vampires.

 

“What is happening to me?” the girl bewildered. “I fell in love, didn’t I? But if I am in love, then who is it? First - the Prince Night, then – Swein and finally – the Prince of vampires... I’m get-ting crazy!”

 

Angelica scolded herself but it didn’t help anyway. Finally she decided:

 

“I need to get back to the Kingdom of Night and tell Henry everything, especially as I have promised him! At one I can find about the Prince and give the dress to the witch back.”

 

Lica was looking forward to the next weekend, when her parents would go to their friends’ country house and stay there for a night.

 

She put on jeans, a sweater and sneakers, packed the red dress, which she had been wearing at the ball of vampires, in a plastic bag and took the dirk out of the drawer.

 

“Well, God bless me!” she told herself.

 

Then she took the bag and came to the looking-glass and put the dirk between the glass and the frame. The Mirror was getting dull and then she saw that room with the fireplace.

 

Angelica climbed on the table and took a step into the mirror. At the end she put her hand back and took the dirk out. Jumping into the room in the castle, she looked back and saw that her own room began to disappear in the mirror.

 

“Well, come on!” she said firmly.

 

Lica hid the dirk and went out to the corridor. “Henry!” she called. “Where are you, Henry?”

 

The girl went along the corridor and then down the wide stairs into the big hall.

 

“Lica!” she heard a voice behind her suddenly. “Lica, how have you got here? Where is the Prince?”

 

Angelica turned around and saw Edward’s old servant. She ran to the old man joyfully. He hugged her and then said smiling:

 

“Well, you have taught me to embrace. Now I cannot live without it.”

 

And Henry laughed.

 

“My dear Henry!” Lica exclaimed. “Let’s go somewhere! I have so much to tell you!”

 

They came into a small room next to the stairs. The girl put the bag with the dress on the floor, sat the old servant in the arm-chair and began nervously walking from one corner to another.

 

“You wanted to tell something,” Henry reminded her quietly. “Yeah, I know... I just do not know how to start...” “Tell me where the Prince is?”

 

Lica sighed and blurted:

 

“The Prince... Henry, the fact is that the Prince - is not exactly the Prince!”

 

The old man gasped and whispered:

 

“I knew that... All his new habits! But why did not you tell me that earlier?”

 

“I was afraid to stop him of fulfilling his mission!” “WHO were you afraid to stop? And what mission?”

 

Angelica stopped in the middle of the room and started speaking...

 

“Do you remember, Henry, the Prince Edward went to the witch to help the Princess? So, for the Princess’s Potion he had given his soul. He gave it himself no one forced him. And his body the witch gave to Swein...”

 

“...the Goblin King?” Henry continued.

 

“Yes, the Goblin King,” Lica confirmed. “He had to fulfill an ancient prophecy and save his people!”

 

“But Swein is dead and buried near the City of goblins!” Edward’s servant exclaimed.

 

“I know; I was at his tomb!”

 

“Oh, God!” Henry said. “What a nightmare! But the witch... How could she do that? To implant the soul of the dead Goblins’ King into the living body of the Prince Edward!”

 

“I thought about it,” the girl said. “The body of the Prince without the soul would have died, so the witch had saved him.”

 

Now the old servant stood up and was walking nervously across the room.

 

“But that’s not all!” Angelica said. “When I and the Prince got in the run-in with vampires, one of them wounded and infected him. The Prince began to turn into the vampire.

 

“So that’s why he has this passion for meat with blood! Poor, poor prince!” Henry muttered. “First - Swein, then - the vampire! And where is he now?”

 

“I took him to the witch, so that she would heal him,” Lica said, but she didn’t say anything about her adventures in the Land of vampires.

 

“Well, that’s good!” Henry said. “Tell me, Angelica, if Swein has finished his mission? If yes, then I am personally go-ing to the witch and ask her to bring the real soul of the Prince back to his body.”

 

“Unfortunately not,” she shook her head.

 

“What are we going to do now?” the old man asked. “We need the King in our Kingdom of Night! And what about Swein... He has other interests!”

 

“My dear Henry,” Lica said with begging voice, “I ask you not to do anything now! I will go to the witch and talk to her, OK?”

 

Edward’s servant looked at Angelica and said:

 

“The heart of a girl is too weak to make such decisions! Judging by how long you have kept silent about all these events, I am afraid that the soul of the Prince may not come back to his body.”

 

“But I have told you everything! You can always help me any time. Henry, believe me, please! I promise I’ll do it myself, just give me a little more time.”

 

Henry was thinking and walking around the room. Finally, he stopped and said:

 

“All right! I’ll give you time. But you must talk to the witch.” “Thank you!”

 

Lica was relieved and again hung around the old man’s neck. “Well, that’s enough,” the old servant smiled. “We’d rather

 

think when you are going?”

 

“When? Well right now!” the girl exclaimed. “Let the horse be ready, Henry!”

 

The old man went to the stables and Angelica took the dress and followed him.

At Elsa’s

 

 

Edward’s servant quickly prepared the black horse. The bag with the dress he tied to the saddle. Lica said goodbye to him and quite easily climbed on her horse.

 

“You are a good rider!” Henry said.

 

She smiled and waved her hand goodbye. Then she rode out of the castle courtyard.

 

Angelica spurred her horse and raced on the road, lit by moonlight. The wind was blowing in her face but she did not notice it. She rushed forward and only the dust flew out of the horse hooves.

 

 Lica did not know how much time had passed but suddenly she saw the walls of the Goblins’ City. The same guards let her go inside, without saying a word. Angelica went along the narrow streets and turned into the alley, where Elsa lived.

 

She came to her house and jumped off the horse. The door was closed and Lica started knocking at it. But nobody answered for a long time then a young goblin girl opened the door.

 

“Who do you want?” she asked.

 

“Me? Elsa!” Angelica said confidently.

 

“Ah my mother has not been back yet. She is still working,” the girl replied.

 

“At the witch?” Lica asked.

 

The girl nodded. She stared at Lica and suddenly said:

 

“And I remember you; you have spent the night in our house once. Come in! Have a cup of tea!”

 

Angelica didn’t know why but she came in to Elsa’s house...

 

The Goblin girl seated Lica at the table and quickly began to lay it. She took two cups, put some donuts on the plate and went out somewhere. A few minutes later she was back with a kettle, which was spreading wonderful aroma of herbs all around. The Goblin girl poured some tea her and the girl and sat down opposite Lica.

 

“What is your name?” she asked.

 

“Lica... Angelica!” Lica corrected herself. “And you?” “Leya. Do you work with my mother for the witch?”

 

“Not really. Shall we say… your mother helps me with some-thing.”

 

“She’s so kind,” she smiled. “She always helps everyone.” “Tell me, how often she comes home?”

 

“Usually she spends at the witch 72 hours and then for 24 hours she is at home. But this time she is not here for a long time.” “It’s probably because of me and the Prince,” Angelica

 

thought and said aloud:

 

“Your Mom is wonderful. She told me so much about your people and your King - Swein...”

 

“Oh, Swein!” Goblin girl sighed. “He was so handsome that you had not even dreamed of. He was like a man and had to return our people to normal life in the light of the sun. We had hoped that if we didn’t, then at least our children would be ordinary people like our ancestors... But that damn Wizard killed him! Although...”

 

And the goblin girl looked at Lica and stopped.

 

“What “although”?” she asked.

 

“It’s not my secret and I will not tell you,” Leya said sharply. “Anyway you have to go!”

 

She put her tea cup on the table and stood up.

 

“My dear Leya,” Lica said quickly. “I know that you do not know me at all and you have the right not to trust me but listen to what I am going to tell you now! I have been in the Land of your ancestors and seen myself the dead Wizard. Now the future of your people depends on someone who can complete the mission, entrusted on the King Swein. That’s why, dear Leya, if you know anything that can help, please, tell me!”

 

Leya was thinking. Then she slowly sat down on her chair and said quietly:

 

“All right. I saw that my mother had let you into our home. Anyway she would never have trusted a bad man... Listen! All the Goblins were at the funeral of King Swein. But my mother was in the front row. She saw the witch coming to the coffin. After that the palace guards dispelled all Goblins to their homes. However, my mother was there until the end of the ceremony. She told me that the witch had done some obscure rituals over the body then she had smeared it with a viscous liquid and poured something with the color of blood into Swein’s mouth. Then the King’s body had been buried in the tomb. My mother wanted to go home but the witch suddenly asked her to work with her. My Mom decided that it was because she had seen all the witch’s rituals and she decided to keep her close. As it turned out, she was right; as soon as my mother started working, the witch made her word of honor that no one would ever know about that. That’s my secret.”

 

“That’s interesting...” Angelica said. “What has the witch done with the body of Swein?”

 

Leya stood up, bent low over the table and whispered to Lica’s face:

 

“My mom said that the witch had embalmed his body.”

 

After that the goblin girl flopped back into her chair and covered her face with hands.

 

“But, please, do not tell it anyone. The witch... she is some-times very dangerous! I am worried of my mother and myself!”

 

“OK,” the girl nodded. “I promise that no one will ever know about that! And now I really have to go! I was here a little more than I had expected. Thanks for tea!”

 

Lica went out of Elsa’s house, sat on her horse and continued her way...

Talking to the witch

 

 

Angelica left the City of Goblins and went across the wide valley. Soon she saw King Swein’s tomb in front.

 

“I need to visit him,” Lica decided and veered off the road. She came to the tomb, jumped off her horse and tied it to the fence. Then she went inside. The moon was so bright that Angelica was able to see clearly the splendid tombstone and the portrait of Swein. She couldn’t get Leya’s words out of her head and finally she made a decision.

 

“Well! Let’s see!” she said aloud to herself.

 

Then the girl came to the tomb and tried to push the coffin lid.

 

It didn’t even move. Lica tried it different ways but nothing helped.

 

“Yeah,” she said grimly, “and I don’t think that I can find something as a lever here.”

 

Angelica passed the tombstone several times and then she saw an interesting picture on the one side. Lica kneeled down to examine it. As in the moonlight not all details of the orna-ment were visible, she began touching them with her fingers. At one point her finger touched the shamrock, carved on the tombstone. Suddenly she heard a click and the lid slowly began to move off to the side. Angelica did not expect that and sat on the floor shocked. With dreadful feeling she imagined that now she would have to smell the stench of the dead body and closed her eyes... She was sitting for two minutes but felt nothing. Then she slowly stood up and took a step toward the coffin and looked inside. She expected to see anything: the body, yellowed bones or mummy... But what she saw shocked her to the core! She saw the body of a very handsome young man in royal clothes. It had not been touched by corruption. The skin on his face, neck and wrists was pale and soft, long blonde hair was falling down his shoulders. His eyes... seemed to open now! It was the impression that the young man had been taking a nap and just about to wake up.

 

“It’s crazy!” Angelica exclaimed. “Swein, you are so good looking!”

 

She couldn’t stand it anymore and gently kissed him. Then she pushed the shamrock again and the lid closed.

 

“That’s strange,” Lica murmured. “Now I do not understand anything! Why did the witch need the body of the Prince Night if the body of Swein was perfect? Something is not right here! And the witch is not as simple as she is...”

 

The girl came out of the tomb and sat on her horse. She felt pain in her heart. She could not understand what game the witch was playing. Although Lica was deep in her thoughts, she did not forget how she had got to the enchanted path because of her distraction and the ugly monster had nearly eaten her. So now Angelica was very careful looking for prints of her horse on the ground to follow them back. Soon she got the road and spurred the horse rushed to the witch.

 

A few hours later she reached the cave. She tied her horse at the door, took the bag with the dress and went inside.

 

In the first room she met Elsa, who was sorting out some-thing at the table.

 

“Elsa!” Lica called her.

 

And suddenly as if she was the best friend, she added:

 

“I’m so glad to see you!”

 

The Goblin woman was also happy and hugged the girl. “I’m glad you came!” she said as if she was going to cry. “The

 

Prince feels much better and I see you are alright too!”

 

“Elsa!” the witch called her upstairs. “We have such a guest why do not you invite her inside? Take her to my room, hurry up!”

The Goblin woman smiled and pushed Lica forward.

 

“Go!” she waved her. “Talk later!”

 

Angelica nodded and walked down the corridor to the familiar room. The witch had been already waiting for her.

“Well, hello!” she exclaimed. “How are you? You don’t look like a vampire! Blood doesn’t attract you, does it?”

“No,” the girl shook her head. “I brought you the dress. Thank you very much!”

“Well, not at all, you should have left it for you,” the hostess of the cave smiled. “So, are you all right, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am!”

 

“That’s good!”

 

“And what about the Prince? I would like to see him.”

 

“He’s sleeping now. But he’s all right. I have made the ritual and Elsa is always looking after him.”

“And can I take care of the Prince now?” Lica asked. “And Elsa can have a rest.”

“Can you?” the witch surprised. “Yes, please, if you want to.”

 

The witch clapped her hands and shouted:

 

“Elsa, you can go home! I’ll give you a couple of days off!” Then she took the bag with the dress out of Lica’s hands and

 

put it on the chair.

 

“And could you,” the witch continued, “give the drink, which is on the table, to the Prince when he wakes up. Could you?”

 

The girl nodded.

 

“The room of the Prince is a bit further along the corridor, opposite this hall. Do you want something else?”

Lica was a bit hesitating but pulled herself together and said: “I have told servant Henry everything about the Prince.” A smile instantly vanished from the witch’s face.

 

“What for?” she asked. “Now that old dog will try to spoil everything!”

 

“No,” Angelica shook her head. “He promised to wait for as long as Swein has not finished his mission.”

 

“Well, it’s all right then!” the woman said sarcastically.

 

“So, Henry wants to know whether you can bring the Prince’s real soul to his body back?”

 

“Well... There is nothing impossible in the world,” the witch grinned.

 

“And then what will happen to Swein’s soul?” she asked quietly. “I will free it in the Valley of Oblivion so as the Goblin King

 

would find eternal peace at last!”

 

Lica was about to shout that she had just seen the perfectly normal body of Swein in the tomb but remembering that the health of the Prince now depended on the witch, decided to keep silent. She nodded and the hostess of the cave told her:

 

“Take the drink and give it to the Prince. I think he has al-ready woken up.”

 

Angelica took the glass with potion, which smelled like herbs and went into the corridor. She walked a little further and turned into the room opposite the hall.

A new mission

 

There was a bedroom. The fire was burning brightly and a wide four-poster bed was in the far corner of the room. The Prince was lying there on the high pillows. When Lica saw him, her heart ached with joy.

 

“Prince,” she said quietly. “Aren’t you sleeping?”

 

“I think, I am sleeping if I am dreaming of you again,” the young man said.

 

 “It’s me, I’m real. I came here to look after you!”

 

“It’s not true!” the Prince exclaimed and tried to sit up.

 

However, he was still too weak, so he fell back.

 

“Drink it,” Lica said, giving him the herbal potion. “You’ll feel better.”

 

The Prince Night made a​ few sips and lay down on the pillows.

 

“But how did you get here?” he asked. “Margo told me that you had left.”

 

“Margo?” Angelica did not understand.

 

“The witch. Her name is Margo!”

 

“Yeah, she was right, I had been away for a short time but I could not leave you here alone.”

 

At that time the witch entered the Prince’s room.

 

“I see, Swein, you’re in good hands, so I am leaving for a while on business. I’ll be back tomorrow. And you, my dear, come here. I’ll show you where the food is.”

 

The hostess took Lica to the store-room and showed her everything. Then she said goodbye to her, came out of the cave, snapped her fingers and... disappeared. The girl went back to the Prince’s room.

 

“Swein, are you sure that the witch has really left the cave?” she asked quietly.

 

The Prince nodded.

 

“Then I have something to tell you.”

 

And Angelica told Swein everything: about her conversa-tion with Henry, about her visit to the tomb, that when she had opened the lid she had seen the normal body of Goblin King. But she said nothing about Leya, the daughter of Elsa, because she had promised not to give her out. Swein was greatly impressed by Lica’s story.

 

“But why?” he couldn’t understand it. “Why hadn’t Margo brought me back to my own body? Why did she need the Prince Edward?”

“I do not know,” Angelica shrugged. “In any case, we’d better to keep silent. Promise me, Prince!”

 

Swein agreed.

 

“Now I am more interested in this story,” he grinned. “Angelica, what about going for a walk with me! I have been here for a long time.”

 

“But you are too weak!”

 

“I would be even weaker if I didn’t move. Give me my clothes and leave the room for ten minutes. I’ll call you when I’m ready.”

 

The girl brought the Prince’s clothes and put it next to him.

 

“Are you sure that you can do it yourself?” she asked.

 

“You cannot wait to see the Prince naked?” Swein chuckled. “You, you...” Lica blushed. “You are, Swein, always the same!

 

You used to be the boor and you still are!”

 

She ran out of the room and stopped in the corridor, leaning the stone wall. After a while, the Prince called her:

“Angelica, can you help me up! I have really got excited and slightly overestimated my power.”

Lica came into the bedroom and saw the Prince, already dressed, was sitting on the bed. She came closer and said:

“Hold on to me!”

 

“But I am a man and you are a delicate girl!” “It won’t be difficult!”

She held the Prince around the waist and helped him to stand up. Then walking slowly they came out of the cave.

“How nice!” the young man said, taking a breath of fresh air. “Look how starry the sky is!”

“The sky, yes, it’s starry,” Angelica agreed. “But I don’t rec-ommend you to stay here for a long time. You are still too weak.”

 

“You know,” the Prince said, “I suddenly felt hungry! Do not you cook something for us?”

“I hope not red meat?” Lica asked suspiciously.

 

“No,” Swein smiled. “You can make the usual bread and cheese.”

“Then let’s go inside!”

 

The girl took the Prince into the room, where she usually had spoken to the witch, and sat him on the sofa. Then she went to the store-room and brought out some cheese, bread and a jug of milk. After having dinner, the Prince said:

 

“You know, now I feel much better. Can you stay with me and we can have a chat? We never have enough time.”

Angelica nodded and sat down in the chair opposite the young man.

“What was Henry reaction to your story?” the Prince asked. “He was probably requiring taking the Prince’s soul back to his body?”

 

Lica nodded again.

 

“And you? What do you think of it?”

 

“I do not know,” she shook her head. “I think, probably, it would be fair. But...”

She stopped and blushed.

 

“But what?” the Prince asked, gazing at Angelica.

 

“But I wish Swein wouldn’t go to the Valley of Oblivion for-ever,” the girl said very quietly.

“You have been at my tomb and seen me,” Swein said slowly. “Tell me if you like me? Or do you like more Edward, whose body I am now in?”

Lica looked at the Prince’s face, his black eyes and remem-bered that Swein, who she had kissed in the tomb. She hesitated and did not know what to say.

“Angelica, please, tell me!”

 

“Yes! I like you, Swein,” she said finally. “But, please, do not consider me frivolous, I like the Prince Edward too.”

Swein raised his left eyebrow and grinned:

 

“It is difficult to compete with the Prince Night! In addition, it’s me in his body but he is not in mine!”

At this time they heard the sound of steps in the corridor and in a moment the witch came in the hall.

“I had to go back a little earlier,” she said. “And I see the Prince is much better! It’s because of the young beautiful girl. Well, it’s good! Do you remember that you have to bring me the Book of Destiny? Otherwise I cannot help the people of Goblins.”

 

“But why are you talking in plural?” Swein asked. “I have to bring the Book and Angelica has absolutely nothing to do with it.”

 

 “You will be weak for a quite long time, until the vampire completely dies in you. Therefore, you cannot go alone. The girl will go with you!”

 

“No! It’s too dangerous!” the Prince refused.

 

“But you will be together!” the witch smiled.

 

“Wait a minute!” Lica interrupted them. “You’d better ask me! Swein, I agree with her, we cannot let you go alone. And where is the Book of Destiny?”

 

“It is hidden in the dungeons of the Wizard who lives behind the Ghosts Fields.”

 

“Isn’t it that Wizard, who had been hiding the Princess, for the sake of who the Prince Edward had lost his soul?” Angelica asked.

 

“That’s him!” Margo nodded.

 

“Then I have the reason to go with the Prince! After all, I had already been there!”

 

The young man was staring at Lica with amazement and the witch laughed and said:

 

“I know. Edward has told me about it! Now let’s go to bed! Everyone needs to relax. And as soon as the Prince is stronger, you will go!”

In the kingdom of Princess

 

In a couple of days Swein finally recovered and they were ready to go.

 

“Just remember, without this book I can do nothing!” the witch told them.

 

The Prince and Lica said goodbye to her and Elsa, went for the Book of Destiny.

 

“Tell me, Angelica,” the young man said suddenly, “you said that you had already been in the Wizard’s catacombs. What had you been doing there?”

 

“We had been saving the Princess; Gosh, what else?”

 

“I thought that it had been Edward’s mission!” Swein chuck-led. “Well, in any case, it will be much easier for us.”

 

“In what way?”

 

“We’ll go to the rescued Princess and question her about everything; otherwise we will seek the Book of Destiny all our life.”

 

“But it is not right... Edward and Princess were engaged.” “Were they? That’s interesting! How much I have missed

 

being dead... So it’s even better! Let’s go! I know the enchanted path that will lead us right to the kingdom of the Princess.”

 

And Swein turned his horse to the Valley of Oblivion.

 

“Just follow me in the tracks. Otherwise you risk getting a completely different place!” the Prince shouted.

 

The girl did so. She saw Swein’s horse perfectly well and tailed him. After about half an hour heavy fog suddenly covered them.

“What is it?” Lica asked.

 

“The path!” the Prince answered. “Do not worry, I’ve grown up here and I have all the paths at my fingertips.”

 

“Actually, you’re not in your body now to talk about ‘your fingertips’!” - Angelica quipped.

 

The Prince burst of laughing.

 

“You are right!” he shouted going on.

 

After a couple of hours the fog was getting thawing and the riders came to a wonderful valley. It was already dusk. The first stars had appeared in the sky.

 

“It seems to be the Kingdom of the Princess!” Swein said. “I was lucky that we had not come in the day light. And here is the palace over there!”

 

The Prince pointed forward. Far ahead where the valley end-ed there was the beautiful white stone palace.

 

“So what are we waiting for?” Lica asked. “Go!”

 

And she pulled the reins. The Prince followed her. Soon the riders arrived at the gate of the palace. The guards were watching it.

 

“Immediately tell the Princess that Prince Edward and Angelica are here,” Swein said, jumping out of his horse.

 

The girl had hoped that he would help her but the Prince even did not look back. She flushed with anger but said nothing and did

 

it herself. The Prince walked quickly and Lica had nothing to do but to follow him. They were taken to a small room and in fifteen minutes the Princess came to them.

 

“Oh, God!” she said, waving her hands. “Edward, Angelica! What a meeting! I am so happy!”

 

Swein came up to the Princess, dropped to one knee and kissed her hand. Then he stood up and holding her hand, said with a languid voice:

 

“Good evening! We have not seen each other for a long time! And you are getting more beautiful!”

 

Lica was as surprised that stood frozen. If she had not known Swein, she would be able to swear that the Prince had fallen in love with the Princess; he was looking at her in such way! “Oh, Edward, you look great too!” she blushed.

 

Then the Princess pulled her hand away from Edward’s and went to Angelica.

 

“My dear,” she said, “I am so grateful to you! If not you, I’d have still been in the dungeons of the Wizard! I did not have time to thank you but now I am going to correct my mistake and I thank you with all my heart!”

 

The Princess bent into a bow in front of Lica.

 

“Your Highness, not at all,” the girl was taken aback. “You shouldn’t! I’m really embarrassed!”

 

The Princess stood up, smiled and said:

 

“Now you’re tired of the way... first you’ll have dinner and then you will be taken to your rooms, where you can have a rest. And tomorrow I am going to organize a ball in your honor!”

 

“But...” Angelica and Swein tried to say something. However, the Princess had already called her servants and given them the orders.

 

“We’ll need a little patience,” the Prince whispered to Lica’s ear.

 

She nodded and went obediently to her room.

 

In the morning there was a knock at Lica’s door.

 

“Come in!” she said.

 

It was the Princess.

 

“Dear, Angelica!” she said. “I hope you can help me to get everything ready for the ball! Edward cannot stand sunlight and I

 

cannot do it by myself.”

 

The girl nodded.

 

“Then get dressed and go out, I’ll be waiting for you in the hall!”

 

The Princess went out and Angelica got up reluctantly and put on her clothes. Then she went to the Princess.

 

When they started preparations for the ball Lica realized that being the Princess or Queen is not so easy. In the evening she was exhausted.

 

“Honey, you should go and have a rest!” the Princess said. “We have to dance all night. So you must go to your room. When you are all right, choose any of my dresses and get down to the ballroom!”

 

The girl did not mind and went to her room. She came in and looked in the mirror. She saw a slim girl in jeans and a pullover, with black eyes in a pale face.

 

“Well, it is clear now why Swein is always flirting with the Princess!” Angelica said aloud. “Unfortunately now, I really look awful.”

She lay down the bed and fell asleep.

Ladies are changing gentlemen!

 

 

Angelica did not know how much time had passed but when she woke up, the sun had set and the sky had darkened. She opened her eyes and listened. She could hear the sounds of music from somewhere.

 

“The ball may have already started,” Lica decided.

 

She sat on the bed and lost in thoughts. She had no desire to go to this ball but for some reason she was afraid to leave Swein

with the Princess alone. Since she was free, the Princess had been prettier. She had long blond hair, going down with marvelous curls; she was well-built with sparkling blue eyes. Angelica remembered Swein holding the Princess’s hand and some unpleasant feelings haunted her.

 

“Am I jealous?” flashed through her mind. “Perhaps, I should go...” Lica called the servant, who was waiting outside, and asked

 

him where she could get a dress.

 

“Her Highness told me about you,” the servant said. “Follow me!” He led the girl through the corridors to the spacious room

 

with lots of wardrobes.

 

“Choose whatever you like!” the servant pointed to the ward-robes.

 

Angelica opened one and just confused. There were so many dresses of any colors and any style that she couldn’t chose anything.

 

“Tell me,” Lica asked suddenly, “and what color is Her Majesty’s wearing today?”

 

“White made of the best lace,” the servant replied.

 

“She looks like a bride!” the girl smiled to herself. “Oh, Your Highness, Your Highness! It was Edward who loved white but Swein’s favorite is dark blue...”

 

She turned to the servant and said:

 

“Do you have any dark blue dresses?”

 

He hesitated a little but then remembered:

 

“Yes, there is one! But the Princess has never worn it, so first we must find it!”

 

“Excellent! Could you look for it, please!”

 

Angelica sat down on the armchair in the middle of the room and the servant began to open every wardrobe. About an hour later, he finally exclaimed:

 

“Yeah! That’s it! But do not you think that it is too dark for the ball?”

 

Lica looked at the dress and said with satisfaction:

 

“No! It is exactly what I wanted!”

 

She went behind the screen and put on the dress. Then she let her hair and went to the mirror.

 

“How is it?” she asked amazed servant.

 

“Brilliant!” he said admiringly.

 

“Now find me matching shoes and hurry up!” the girl gave the order.

 

The servant immediately rushed to do that.

 

In fifteen minutes Angelica came out of the room ready. She was going on the balcony upstairs and looked down at the dance hall. Lica immediately noticed Swein and the Princess, dancing in the center of the room. The Prince almost never took his eyes from the beauty. Angelica froze. She was standing and watching as one dance was replaced by another and Swein and the Princess did not stop.

 

“Well, it seems a bit steep!” she thought irritably. “I must do something!”

 

And she went down the stairs.

 

At this time the music stopped and the emcee announced that for the next dance ladies would invite gentlemen.

 

“That’s good!” Lica thought.

 

She came into the hall but saw the Princess had already held the Prince’s hand.

 

“Damn it!” Angelica cursed. “I am really jealous! But who? Edward or Swein? Or both of them?”

 

She looked around and saw a good looking young man near her. The girl stepped up to him and said:

 

“Can I invite you to dance?”

 

The young man looked at Lica with delight and gave her his hand.

 

They were the second pair after Swein and the Princess. The Prince accidentally turned around and saw Angelica. She was so beautiful that he could not miss it. But he just smiled and turned his full attention to the Princess. At this time, the emcee said:

 

“Ladies are changing gentlemen!”

 

And the Princess, laughing, stole Lica’s partner and the girl stayed with the Prince.

 

“You look great!” Swein said cold.

 

“Yeah,” Angelica nodded. “But you are always caring for the Princess!”

 

“Have you forgotten she’s my fiancée,” the Prince smiled. “Ex-fiancée! And she is not yours but Edward’s!” “It’s not important!” the Prince quipped.

 

At this moment the music stopped and Swein led Lica to the chairs. Then he went back to Princess again.

 

Angelica was so angry that ran out of the hall and went to her room. On the way she came into the dressing room and put on her old clothes and hung the blue dress in the wardrobe.

 

In the room she sat down on the windowsill staring up at the starry sky. Then she went to bed and did not notice as she fell asleep.

The Book of Destiny

 

 

Early in the morning, before dawn Lica was woken by some-one shaking her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw Swein.

 

“Angelica, get dressed and go downstairs, hurry up. The horses are ready.”

 

“Horses?” she did not understand. “Have you forgotten about our mission?”

 

“I remember!” Angelica said. “And I have already got dressed!”

 

“Then let’s go!”

 

The Prince took Lica’s hand and helped her up. Then he was waiting while Lica was lacing her trainers and they went to the stairs quietly. And now the riders were speeding toward the Kingdom of Night.

 

“What’s the hurry?” Angelica asked. “Why have you woken me up so early?!”

 

“Have you forgotten that I cannot stand the light of the day? So I had to wake you up before dawn.”

 

“I thought after the ball you would sleep the whole day!”

 

“If I stayed for another day, our relationship with the Princess would go too far...”

 

“I am not surprised; you fixed your eyes on her the whole evening!”

 

“The end justifies the means! Now I know where the Book of Destiny is!”

 

“Oh, you schemer!” Lica shouted. “So you have arranged that on purpose?”

 

Swein slowed his horse and grinned:

 

“I do not like white color, dear Angelica! But I do love dark blue.” And he spurred his horse again.

 

Her heart leapt with joy but she didn’t show anything and fol-lowed the Prince. After a while they were cloaked by the thick fog again.

 

“So, now the main thing is – not to lose our way,” the Prince said quietly. “Soon we have to turn left.”

 

And they went on...

 

Lica did not notice where they were going. She was automatically following her companion. When the fog lifted they were at the foot of the high mountains, Angelica even was surprised by that.

 

“Are these the mountains you had seen before?” the Prince asked her.

 

“Yes, I guess,” she nodded. “Let’s stop! Somewhere there must be a move, which the Princess had used to lead us outside the dungeons. It is pretty safe. We just need to remember where it is.”

 

Swein stopped his horse. And Lica was examining the mountains. “There must be the main entrance to the cave on the right,” she said. “So, the secret passage is near here. Get down, Prince, we  have arrived!”

 

They dismounted and tied their horses to the tree growing nearby.

 

“Wait,” Swein said. “I have taken something from the palace.” And he pulled out of the small bag a coil of rope, oakum and

 

matches.

 

“Oh, you are very farsighted!” Angelica smiled.

 

“Of course. How would we look for the Book in the dark? You are unlikely to think about that!” the Prince quipped.

 

 “But you can see in the dark like a cat!”

 

“But you cannot! And what do I have to do - hold your hand all the time?”

 

They found two strong sticks and wrapped them with oakum. “Come on! The secret passage is over there!” Lica pointed. Swein and the girl were going along the foot of the moun-

 

tains and saw the narrow cleft. The Prince lit their torches and they climbed inside. As they were walking the cleft was getting wider.

 

“You have not told me where we should look for the Book of Destiny yet,” Angelica asked Swein.

 

“According to Princess, the Wizard had a lab with the hiding-place, where he was keeping the Book. But what it looks like, the Princess does not know as well the Wizard didn’t allow her to come inside.”

“Well, at least we have a clue. It is bad that I have never been in the lab.”

 

“But you said that you had known these dungeons!” the Prince grumbled.

 

“But not as good as you have your fingertips!” she quipped. “And now you should be as quiet as possible. I don’t want that somebody will hear us.”

 

Lica pushed Swein aside and went first. It seemed to her that she knew this corridor but sometimes she didn’t. However, she was here a long time ago. Suddenly the hole widened and our heroes came in the small hall with the stream flowing in the center.

 

“I know!” Angelica whispered. “Here we had met the Wizard. That wall - right in front of us - it can move. The Princess had come out of it. Henry and I had gone out of the passage on the left. There was no lab of Wizard. So we need to go to the right!”

 

And she cautiously entered the right corridor leading from the hall.

 

Everything was different here. The ceilings seemed to hang over their heads. The air was so heavy that they had difficulties breathing. After a few turns Lica and the Prince came to the edge of the deep abyss.

 

“Well, where are we going now?” the young man asked in-credulously.

 

Angelica stretched her hand with a torch forward and looked around...

 

She couldn’t see the opposite side of the abyss but she heard some unpleasant splashes below. And then the girl looked at the cliffs hanging over the abyss. The right rock was vertical but the left had a small ledge - just half foot - but they could move on it.

 

“We are going there!” Lica pointed it.

 

“You are crazy! We are going to fall down!” the Prince whispered.

 

But he could not resist not being sarcastic:

 

“But there are two of us, so we can sacrifice one!”

 

He gave the girl his torch and set his foot on the dangerous path. Swein nestled up the wall and slowly began to bend the rock around. A few minutes later he disappeared around the bend. For a while it was completely silent and suddenly she heard his voice:

 

“Angelica, you were right! Laboratory is here!”

 

It was silence again but ten minutes later she heard him again: “Angelica, there is nothing even looks like a hiding-place!” The girl immediately stuck her torch in the cleft of the rock

 

and followed Swein. Slowly, step by step, she was moving on the narrow ledge. At some point she nearly stumbled and began to balance on her left leg over the abyss. The stone, she was holding on, suddenly broke off and the girl fell in.

 

She only had time to scream. But the fall was not long. Lica got hurt her legs by the stone floor and sat down. The Prince bended down from the top:

 

“Angelica!” he cried. “Angelica, are you alive?” “Yes, I am alive!” Lica said. “Only hurt myself.”

 

“You scared me! Why have you followed me? You should have waited for me there!”

 

“Well, would you like to give me a lesson!” she smiled. “By the way, can you see from the top where I have fallen? Because I’m poorly guided in the dark!”

 

“I think it is ledge! You were very lucky... A little more to the right or to the left - and you would have died! Stay there! I am going down!”

 

Soon she saw the rope and the young man was sliding down it.

 

“Stand up!” he gave his hand to Lica.

 

And then suddenly froze.

 

“What is it?” he asked quietly, pointing at something behind Angelica.

 

“Where?”

 

 

The girl looked back. But she could not see anything instead of the black wall.

 

“It is there in the rock, right behind you!”

 

“I cannot see in the dark, have you forgotten?” “Oh you are right!” the Prince nodded.

 

He carefully removed Angelica and came up to the wall. Then he started touching it and suddenly they heard a click. The part of the rock moved to the side.

 

“The hiding-place!” Lica gasped.

 

“There are stairs. I’ll go down myself! And you stay here and wait and do not take anything!”

 

Swein like a cat entered the dark hole. A few minutes later he came back to Angelica, holding a thick folio.

 

“Here it is! The Book of Destiny!” he said, smiling happily. “Take it! I am going upstairs first and then help you out.”

 

Lica took the book and the Prince quickly climbed the rope. Then he pulled the girl. They were slowly rounding the rock going along the ledge. Angelica pulled out the torches from the cliff and our heroes entered the dark cave tunnel leading outside.

The deadly fight

 

Suddenly they heard a boom sweeping through the stone walls and the ground trembled.

 

“Earthquake!” the girl shouted.

 

“No that’s worse!” the Prince grinned.

 

They heard terrible roar over their heads and the Wizard blocked them the way.

 

“Wow, the guests!” he croaked. “Why had not you told me about your visit? I would have met you!”

 

“Next time we will!” Swein parried, taking his sword out. “Have nobody told you, Your Highness, that it’s not good to take other people’s things without asking?”

 

Having said that the Wizard raised his hand and sent a bundle of bright sparks of fire to them. Swein pushed Angelica and turned the fire aside himself.

 

“That’s right!” the Prince said and swung his sword at him. The Wizard laughed and struck his finger in the air. The stone  ceiling above the Prince and the girl began to crumble. Swein grabbed Lica’s hand and pushed her into the corridor, which they had come from.

 

“Run!” he whispered to her. “Do not stop! I’ll meet you outside.” Angelica clung the book was running through the corridors. The Wizard screamed terribly behind and raised his hands. Have muttered a spell he pointed at the girl. Suddenly Lica heard as if something was rolling after her. She looked back and saw the stone boulder, which was as big as all space of the corridor. Angelica screamed and ran even faster. But it wasn’t easy because in one hand she had a book and the torch in the other. Running she turned to the right and to the left but it did not stop the stone. The girl reached the hall with the stream, jumped over it and went out of the tunnel, which the Princess had showed her and Henry. Angelica was running like the wind but the stone kept rolling behind her. Lica was getting exhausted.

 

Taking last strength she pushed her way into the cleft, leading outside, threw the torch away and climbed a little up to the moun-tain. A few seconds later the stone with the terrible roar, almost blowing up the cleft, rolling ran down the slope.

 

“God, what a blessing that I have got rid of it at last,” she thought.

 

Meanwhile, Swein and the Wizard met in mortal duel. “You never get out of here!” the Wizard hissed. “What about your girl; she is probably already dead; only wet spot left!”

 

“We’ll see!” Prince grinned.

 

The Wizard muttered a curse again and huge spiders were crawling towards Swein from everywhere.

 

“I see you do not like fighting fair!” the young man said.

 

He rushed to the Wizard and wounded him in his right arm with the sword. The villain screamed in pain but Swein had to retreat almost to the edge of the abyss, as the spiders began surrounding him.

 

“Say goodbye to your life!” the Wizard shouted.

 

He started muttering his curse again but the Prince sudden-ly kneeled down, rolled under the jaws of the biggest spider and jumped at the Wizard. He did not expect such a sharp throw and was taken aback for a moment, Swein, wasted no time, swung his sword and cut him down from his shoulder. The villain fell with a grimace on his face and the cold draught swept around the cave. Then there was a terrible noise. Huge spiders, which had been haunting Swein, suddenly began to shake and paying no attention to the Prince, were quickly crawling away of the abyss. They were racing madly down the corridors, as far away as they could.

 

The Prince looked around and saw that terrible tentacles were rising from the abyss and extending to the dead body of the Wizard. He did not wait for the outcome and rushed to the corridor, which Lica had run before...

 

It had passed quite a long time, as she thought, waiting for the Prince but he had not appeared yet.

 

“Has the Wizard beaten him?” she thought with horror.

 

At this point, the mountains trembled. Angelica jumped off the stone, she had been sitting on, and ran down. She realized that something terrible was happening in the dungeons. Lica came to the horses and untied them of the tree.

 

“Prince! Where are you?” she cried desperately.

 

At this moment she saw the Prince, getting out of the broken cleft. “Get in the saddle immediately!” he shouted. “We’re leaving!” She quickly put the Book of Destiny in the Prince’s bag, which was tied to his saddle and then climbed on her horse. Swein joined her and pulled the reins.

 

“Come on!” he cried.

 

In the end Angelica looked back. What she had seen shocked her. The mountains were crumbling. The huge stones exploded were flying in the air, like the grains of sand. The huge spiders were scattering in all directions. And then a vast formless monster, which had closed the half of the sky, rose over the mountains. It stretched its tentacles, which were grabbing and sucking the huge spiders, like over-ripe fruits...

 

“Do not look back!” Swein said. “We have too little time!” And they spurred their horses. Soon they were hid by the fog and in a few hours our heroes came near Margo’s house.

 

“What was there - in the mountains?” Lica asked the Prince. “I do not know. I think Margo will explain everything soon!” The riders turned to the cave and dismounted. Swein took the Book of Destiny out of his bag carefully and they went inside.

 

Ironically, Margo had been already waiting for them.

 

“At last!” she exclaimed. “Have you brought the Book?”

 

She rushed to Swein, trying to wrest the tome from his hands.

 

But the Prince dodged and said:

 

“Be patient, Margo! First of all you have to explain everything!”

 

“What do I have to explain?”

 

“Everything!”

 

The witch flushed but then pulled herself together and said:

 

“All right! Come with me to the hall.”

 

She went into the corridor and Lica with the Prince followed her.

 

Margo’s revelation

 

 

Our heroes came into the room and sat down on the sofa and the witch took the place opposite them.

 

“Ask!” she said to Swein.

 

“What happened in the dungeons when I killed the Wizard?”

 

“In fact, the Wizard had sold his soul to Devil and when you killed him you unconsciously let the evil out.”

 

“What will happen now?”

 

“I will try to stop him there - in the canyons!”

 

“Margo, could you answer one more question? Why did you need Edward’s body?”

 

“You died, Swein! Haven’t you forgotten that?”

 

“Then why do you keep my body? Angelica has been in my tomb and opened my coffin. She says that my body hasn’t changed at all. No decay, decomposition or mummification. I think that you have done something with it!”

 

Margo started. Then she rose from the chair and began walk-ing around the room nervously.

 

“I always thought that this girl was too curious, but now...”

 

The witch suddenly stopped and said:

 

“I have sworn to your father to keep this secret. But now, I see, if I don’t tell you anything, it will be even worse. So listen... When your father brought you, wounded, you were on the verge of death. While I was treating you, we talked a lot with your father about your destiny and the future. According to the ancient manuscripts you had to die very young. But your death would jeopardize the future all of the people of Goblins. Because it was you who would be able to take them back to normal life and to the sunlight. Therefore, your father begged me to cheat the prophecy so as you would man-aged to finish your mission. And your injury had shown again that you were a mere mortal man... To cheat the ancient prediction was impossible but to play the scenario, which was described there, with the least loss for you was quite possible. Therefore, I and your father decided to play this tragedy, titled ‘The death of Swein’. Just think of it... You died young and were buried in the tomb. The prophecy had come true! Consequently your fate had to retreat. Besides, everyone calmed down... and especially the Wizard did.”

 

“I do not understand,” Swein shrugged his shoulders. “But why had you rather cure me?”

 

“And what! You would rush back to the Wizard again! And where was the guarantee, that the second time, he finally would not

have killed you! And then it was the end of hopes of your nation! And so... I just separated your soul and your body, held some rituals as not to anything happen to it and started waiting.”

 

“Did you? What for?”

 

“When your time came!”

 

“But why did you involve Edward?” Lica suddenly shouted. “Because Edward just turned out to be the most ‘suitable occasion’. No, you do not think it was unfair! No one had made him. He de-cided to give his soul for the potion himself. But the Prince was young and strong and far more experienced in combat than Swein. Without the soul his would have died within a few days and that’s when I had the brilliant idea to put his soul into the Prince Swein’s body. On the one hand, I had saved Edward from imminent death and on the other hand, I had given the opportunity to Swein to fulfill his destiny with the least loss. However, I did not tell anyone about my decision, not even Swein’s father. I was afraid that he could stop me.”

 

“But why? Why have you done that?” Swein asked in amaze-ment. “I doubt that you are really worried of the goblins’ fate!”

 

Margo paused a little and then said firmly:

 

“Because I love your father, Swein!”

 

“What?” the Prince could not believe his ears.

 

“Yes, and I have loved him for a long time!” the witch said calmly. “So that’s why! Well, Father! You are the old rascal!” the young man exclaimed in surprise. “And what are you going to do next? After all, we have brought you the Magic Crystal and the Book of Destiny!” “I’ll get your soul to your body back. And Edward will rest in the Valley of Oblivion!”

 

“I do not agree!” Angelica exclaimed. “That’s not fair! You have used Edward’s body and now you want to get rid of it as an unnecessary thing?”

 

Margo sat down in the chair and looking at the girl’s eyes, asked:

 

“And what do you suggest?”

 

“I want the Prince’s soul to get back to his body!” “She’s right!” Swein supported Angelica. “Is it possible?” “Yes, it is,” the witch nodded.

 

“What do you need for that?” Lica asked.

 

“Oh... a trifle! You must go to the Ghosts Fields, to find the soul of dead Edward there, catch it and bring to me! Next it is my business, as they say! But as the Prince has given his soul willingly, only True Love’s Kiss will bring him back to life. So the life of Edward is in your hands, Angelica!”

“Yeah,” Swein said grimly.

 

Slowly rising from the sofa, he silently handed the Book of Destiny to Margo and walked out of the room...

 

“Well, so what?” the hostess of the cave asked Lica. “Are you ready for this rate?”

 

The girl was thinking.

 

“And what if it was not the kiss of true love?” she said finally. “The soul of the Prince wouldn’t return to his body! But why did you ask? Do not you love Edward?” Angelica started crying...

 

“Margo,” she said, sobbing, “the problem is that I cannot un-derstand my feelings! I think I’m in love with several men at once. I do not know what to do!”

 

“Wow!” the witch was laughing. “And you, I see, the girl who does not miss! Well, it is clear that you love the Prince... But have you fallen in love with Swein too?”

 

“And not only Swein,” Lica murmured.

 

“Is there someone else?” Margo burst of laughing. “Who is it?” “The Prince of vampires,” Angelica said very quietly. “Wow!” the witch exclaimed. “You have hit me to the core!

 

Anyway you have to decide! After all Edward’s life is in your hands.” “Can I get some rest and think about it? I’m so sick and tired

 

of all of this.”

 

“Of course, we have a few days. So while you are having rest, I will be reading the Book of Destiny.”

 

Having said that, the witch stood up and left the room and the girl lay down on the sofa and immediately fell asleep...

 

It was not a surprise when she woke up at home in the morn-ing. Her parents have not come back yet.

 

“That’s good!” Lica decided. “No one will distract me of thinking...”

Part 5. Difficult choice

 

 The whole following week Angelica didn’t look like herself. She automatically attended the institute, did tasks and tests. But her thoughts were somewhere far away. She kept thinking of Margo’s words that the life of Edward was in her hands. However, she could not forget either Swein or the Prince of vampires.

 

“Flirt, deceiver!” Lica scolded herself, but it did not help.

 

Finally, she decided to talk to her friend Sveta.

 

“Sveta, what would you do if you fell in love with three guys at the same time?” the girl asked Sveta, while visiting her at home.

 

“Well, apparently, I wouldn’t do that!” Sveta laughed. “And I think that it never happens! You cannot love everybody at the same time. Whatever one of them you like more than others!”

 

“It happens!” Angelica muttered gloomily.

 

“Are you in love with someone?” her friend asked with interest. “No, I just asked… it’s interesting!” the girl replied. “But if the life of one of these guys depended on you, then what would you do?” “Well, then you should choose this guy, though as in duty bound! Look, I think you have a secret, come on tell me!” “There’s nothing to tell, I said that just theoretically!”

 

The girls chatted a little and Lica went home. At home she had dinner, exchanged a few words with her parents and locked in her room.

 

“Sveta was right,” Angelica thought. “Duty is above all! So I must save Edward and forget about Swein and Prince of vampires.” Thinking about that she had a headache but finally she decided to be resolute...

 

At the weekend Lica’s parents were going to their friends’ country house.

 

“Would you like to go with us?” her mother asked.

 

“No, thanks!” Angelica shook her head. “We are too tired of each other, so this weekend we just need to rest separately!”

 

Her mother laughed, patted Lica’s hair and went out.

 

The girl went back to her room, opened the wardrobe and took her jeans, which she was wearing in the Kingdom of Night. She put her hand into the jeans pocket and pulled out the dirk.

 

“I think it is time to visit the witch!” Angelica said aloud. She quickly got dressed, made her hair in a ponytail and went to the mirror. Already having got used to wielding her dirk, Lica in-serted it between the mirror glass and the frame. When the mirror became dull, she stepped forward, took the knife and jumped in to the room of Prince Edward’s castle.

 

But she was not going to look for Henry. Not to make a noise she sneaked in the stables through the castle courtyard. There she saddled the horse, climbed slowly and went out of the yard.

 

“I will not say anything to Henry yet!” the girl decided. “I don’t want to worry the old man.”

 

She sent her horse towards the City of goblins. She knew this road very well and the moonlight helped her to light the way. Angelica pulled the reins and rushed galloping. She was riding as suddenly she felt a nasty chill inside. Lica looked around; although she did not notice anything strange, she suddenly began to be afraid of something.

 

“What is this?” the girl was worried. “I am not here for the first time and I have never felt anything like that before. The worst was when I fell asleep.”

 

She tried to pull herself together and not paying attention on her troubles to go on. Bypassing the City of goblins, Angelica turned to the right. A few hours later she got to the road that was running past Swein’s tomb.

 

“Well, I am going to be at Margo’s soon!” Lica thought relieved. But here some excitement and trembling had been overcome her. “What is wrong with me today?” Angelica exclaimed indignantly. She pulled the reins and directed the horse to the rising  mountains ahead...

 

After another couple of hours she got to the mountains and turned towards the witch’s cave. There she jumped off the horse, tied it at the entrance and went inside. There wasn’t anybody in the first room. Lica was going along the corridor to the familiar room. When she came in, she saw Margo, sitting in the armchair with the long pipe in her hand.

 

“At last!” she said quietly. “Have you chosen yet?”

 

“Yes!” Angelica nodded. “But at first I must talk to Swein!” “The Prince is in his room, reading the Book of Destiny.” “Thank you!” she said and went to his room.

 

The Prince was sitting at the table next to the brightly burn-ing fireplace. He was reading carefully the thick tome, which they had brought from the caves of dead Wizard. “Swein!” she called him quietly.

 

The Prince raised his head and having seen Angelica smiled. “I’m glad to see you!” he said. “If you are here then it means  that you have made a decision!”

 

“Yes,” Lica agreed. “And I want to talk about it with you.” “Why with me?” Swein surprised raising his left eyebrow. “I’ve been thinking a lot about you, Edward and me...”

 

Angelica began to speak. “I really like you, Swein! Despite all your ridicule and sarcasm! You are brave, honest, and...”

 

Then she paused and looked at the Prince. She expected her speech would make a splash and Swein would be moved and would embrace declaring his love but she saw only the usual grin on his face.

 

“You are... you are!” Lica flushed. “Even now you are grin-ning! Ii is impossible to talk to you! So you must know that I have chosen Edward! He’s not a cad like you!”

 

“You have just appeared and so much insult!” the Prince burst of laughing. “Well, let it be Edward! I am truly happy for him!”

 

“And you do not want to say anything else?” she was disappointed.

 

“What did you expect to hear? ‘Oh, Angelica, stay with me! I cannot live without you!?’” Swein said snidely.

 

“You know!” Lica was furious.

 

She turned around and ran away from the Prince’s room. In the hall, where she ran in, the witch had been waiting for her patiently.

 

“Margo, I have made a decision!” Angelica said firmly. “I have chosen Edward! What do I have to do to give his soul back?”

 

“Excellent!” the witch shouted.

The “wrong” path

 

 Margo rose from the chair and began to pace up and down. “You have to go to the Ghosts fields,” she finally said. “In order to find the soul of the Prince among the undead, you must become like them. So I am giving you a potion, which you drink as soon as you get there. When you drink it, you will fall into lethargic and your soul can get out of your body. After that you will go to the Fields to look for the Prince’s soul. You’ll have to entice his soul into the bottle, which I will give, and bring it to me. As you cannot do it  yourself, then you will have to go with Swein!” “Never!” Lica refused.

 

At this moment the Prince entered the room. Apparently, he had heard their conversation because he was smiling and said:

 

“But, Angelica, you want to bring Edward’s soul back to his body, don’t you? Then do what Margo said!”

 

The girl blushed, but just kept silence.

 

“Swein is right!” the witch remarked. “When you are in a state of lethargy, you’ll be vulnerable to any danger. Any vampire or werewolf can easily kill you. And besides that how you can come back to your body yourself? To do this, you need to have someone who will give you another potion - otherwise you’ll stay in the Ghosts Fields forever.”

 

“All right!” the girl agreed.

 

She shot an evil look at Swein. He noticed that and burst of laughing.

 

“Damn, what a scratch-cat you are!” he said laughing. Margo pretended not to notice that and turned to Angelica said: “Have a rest here, the Prince will go to his room and I need to make something for your trip!”

 

She took Swein’s hand and led him out of the hall.

 

Being frustrated, Lica sat on the sofa, staring at the burning candles. Her eyes started to droop of fatigue and she did not notice that fell asleep, leaning on the pillows.

 

She woke up because someone was shaking her shoulder. “Angelica, wake up!” she heard Margo’s voice. “You have been sleeping for six hours. I hope you have had a good sleep. I have made a potion and a bottle for Edward’s soul.”

 

The girl shook her head to wake herself up.

 

“Tell me where that is!” she said.

 

The witch showed her a small clay amphora with various cabalistic signs on its sides.

 

“This is the bottle in which you will keep the soul of the Prince!” she said. “As soon as you are close enough, at least a couple of meters, the magic bottle will suck his soul inside. But be atten-tive, do not make a mistake! Because only one soul can be in the amphora!”

 

“What if it sucked me inside?” Lica said.

 

“It’s possible,” Margo smiled. “That is why do not fly up to the amphora closer than I told you! Now the potion... You will drink from this green bottle to fall into a lethargic sleep and this red one Swein will give you after three hours and you will be able to get back into your body.”

 

“But if I do not have time to do everything in three hours?” “You have to do all your best! It is very dangerous to stay in lethargy too long, you may not wake up!”

 

“But the Ghosts Fields are huge! What about the distance?”

 

“Do not worry about it! The distance for a soul is a loose concept! At any time you could be anywhere you wish. The only thing I have to warn you about is that you should stay away from the creatures that are from other world - vampires and werewolves. You know that they live in the Ghosts Fields too. And even if you have the etheric body, for them you will be real as you are now. They cannot kill you, of course, but they can put a crimp you!”

 

Suddenly the Prince came into the room.

 

“Margo, could you repeat everything again for me, please!” he said.

 

“So...” the witch started, referring to the King of Goblins. “You are going to the Ghosts Fields. There you should find a place and put the amphora but it should be away from your camp - the soul of Prince must not see Swein in his body! Then Angelica drinks the potion and her soul leaves her body for a while. She then goes to look for the soul of Edward and when find, she should try to lead him to the amphora, which will sucked it up. You have three hours to do that. You Swein, all the time should keep a sharp eye so that werewolves or vampires cannot attack you. And after three hours time you must give Angelica to drink from the red bottle to return her life back. Then you take the amphora with the soul of Prince Night and bring it to me. Clear?”

 

“Absolutely!” Swein chuckled. “Well, let’s go!” “Good luck!” Margo said.

 

Lica gave the amphora and the red bottle to Swein and the green one put into her jeans pocket. After that she came out of the cave and sat on the horse. The Prince appeared a minute later. He put the amphora into the bag, tied to the saddle, and the bottle into his traveling cloak pocket.

 

“Do not lose them!” the girl said sharply. “I do not want to become a ghost with your help!”

 

Swein said nothing, but just smiled again. He climbed into the saddle, patted his horse’s mane and pulled the reins. Two riders raced forward under the bright moon to the Ghosts fields. For some time they were riding in complete silence. Finally, they saw the tomb of Swein.

 

“Now we must turn!” said the Prince abruptly. “Here the enchanted path to the Ghosts Fields begins. Follow me!”

 

He turned his horse, and Lica followed him. They were riding for another few minutes and then the dense fog surrounded them.

 

“It is always the same here...” Angelica remembered. “Soon the fog clears and we will come to the Fields!”

 

But the fog did not dissipate. They were riding in a fog for about half an hour.

 

“Well I do not like it!” Swein said. “We have already had to get out of the fog!”

 

“We have got lost, haven’t we?” Lica quipped. “What about your boasted experience of the enchanted paths?”

 

“One more word, beautiful Angelica, and then you will go only accompanied by your horse!” the Prince retorted.

 

She realized he was serious and decided to keep quiet. Twenty minutes later the fog finally began to dissipate.

 

“Where are we?” Lica marveled.

 

The girl and her companion were on a narrow path and ev-erywhere around they see swamps with the old rotten roods.

 

“It looks like the lair of the werewolves,” Swein said quietly. “How it could happen - I’ll never know! Listen to me carefully, Angelica! Now your wariness can save your life. Follow me around, keeping a step. And take my second sword! I remember you said that you had learned how to use it, didn’t you? Wonderful! Now your skill can come in handy.”

 

He got to Lica and handed her the sharpened sword. The girl was horrified but she did not show that she was scared. Taking the blade, Angelica said quietly:

 

“The most important is not to break the amphora!”

 

“I’ll try,” the Prince nodded.

 

He jumped quickly from his horse and put his ear to the ground. Having listened, he jumped into the saddle and said:

 

“We must go that way!”

 

Riders went on a narrow path forward. They were going mak-ing as little noise as possible. Soon the swamp finished and they felt more solid ground under their horses’ hoofs. Suddenly, they heard  a rustle of fallen trees behind. Swein instantly tensed and drew his sword out. After a moment, something huge jumped out of the bushes. Lica did not have time to understand anything. Only what she saw was the Prince barred her and met this ‘something’ with his sword. In one stroke he cut it in half and the lifeless body fell down to the grass. The girl came closer to look at the monster.

 

It was half - beast, half - man. Long sharp teeth were sticking from the huge mouth. Giant claws were growing in the hands.

 

“Is it the werewolf?” Angelica whispered.

 

“Yes, my dear!” Swein chuckled. “You do not have a quick reaction! Learn to be quick or you will be eaten by someone!”

 

“Thank you for saving me from a werewolf again!” the girl thanked him sincerely.

 

The Prince dismounted again and began to listen. He was moving quickly and silently as a cat and then climbed into his saddle.

 

“I can hear something,” he said. “And these are not the were-wolves!”

 

“So it’s good!” Lica was relieved.

 

“No, it is bad!” Swein said grimly. “It is not just bad, but is also deadly dangerous! Now we have to go as fast as possible!”

 

And he spurred his horse.

 

“What happened?” Angelica shouted behind him.

 

But the Prince did not answer and she had no choice and followed him. Swein was racing like the wind. The girl barely had time to catch him.

 

“Faster, faster!” Swein shouted.

 

Suddenly Lica began to hear something too. Some nasty sound was heard behind. As if someone was walking by and chomping loudly. Angelica looked back and what she saw, threw her to the horror! Something huge and black was getting nearer behind them. It was so enormous, that rose high into the night sky. It seemed that the darkness is haunting them.

 

“What is it?” Lica cried.

 

“Not now!” the Prince said. “There must be one more en-chanted path near here. Hurry up! Otherwise, nothing can save us!”

 

He turned his horse to the side and Angelica hurried after him. Suddenly, the dense fog enveloped them.

 

“Hooray!” Lica exclaimed. “I think we could get away!”

 

“Do not rejoice too soon!” the Prince said. “Something has happened to the enchanted paths and they have changed their di-rection. Now I do not know where this path will lead us.”

 

About twenty minutes later the fog lifted and Swein with Angelica were in the dark forest.

 

“An hour from bad to worse,” the Prince said quietly. “This is Nightmare Forest! Be alert and keep the sword ready! Although the sword would be a weak defense against the local inhabitants!”

 

“And what was there behind us? Something we were running away from…”

 

“Something looked like the Golem! But, please, do not talk, we may be heard!”

 

Swein moved forward again and Lica had to go to his horse’s hooves. She could see absolutely nothing around her.

Almost there

 

Suddenly, the girl saw a twinkle flitting among the trees.

 

“Swein, there is something in the trees!” said Lica quietly.

 

“We’d rather not know what it is,” the Prince answered.

 

“But it’s coming!”

 

And indeed, at first the faint light was getting brighter. Soon they heard the crackle of breaking branches, as if someone forced the way through the bushes.

 

“Angelica, hurry up!” Swein called her and spurred his horse.

 

“But my horse is already at the limit!” cried the girl.

 

She tugged at the reins, but suddenly, in front of her, on the road, as if out of nowhere, there was a terrible old woman  with a candle in her hand. She was so terrible, that Lica nearly took her breath.

 

“Swein!” only was the girl able to shout.

 

The Prince immediately turned his horse back. But the old woman did not wait for his approaching.

 

“Well, baby, do not you want to visit Grandma - Top crust?” she snapped with a terrible voice.

 

She held out her hands to Lica, and they began to stretch further and further. Suddenly the skin began to peel from them, exposing her cold and white bones.

 

“Grandma-Crust...” flashed in Angelica’s head.

 

“Of course, I should have guessed!” she smiled with relief. “Swein, everything is all right! She is the nightmare from my childhood!”

She courageously raised her sword, and when the old wom-an’s hand was nearly touching her, she slashed at it with all the fluff. The old woman howled and fell to pieces in the air.

 

“Who was it?” asked the Prince riding up.

 

“When I was little, the hunchbacked old woman lived near us. She was terribly angry. And if some kid pestering her, she grabbed him by the ear and pulled to her, saying: ‘Do not you want to visit Grandma - Top crust?’ All the children were terrified her. And I even started dreaming about her at night, it was my nightmare. However, I completely forgot about it and remembered just now.”

 

“You were lucky that it was your own nightmare, and not someone else’s. Otherwise, your sword would have been simply powerless. Let’s go!”

 

The horsemen galloped forward.

 

“Swein, and have you ever had nightmares?”

 

“Of course, I have. I am also a human being!”

 

“Sometimes I am not sure about that,” Lica whispered. However, the Prince heard everything perfectly and smiled.

 

But because of the dark the girl did not notice anything. They passed other two turns, and then heard someone’s heart-rending screams and strange clanking noises in the wood.

 

“Swein, there’s someone screaming! We must turn back to help!”

 

“Remember, Angelica, a man, who became a nightmare hos-tage, must cope himself and nobody can help him.”

 

“But...”

 

“No!”

 

And the Prince did not tarry for a moment.

 

“We are nearly at the end of the forest!” he said.

 

But then Angelica saw how, among the dark silhouettes of the trees, the green lights lit up. Her horse snorted and shied. The Prince’s horse also began to laugh and tried to break away somewhere.

 

“Damn!” Swein cursed. “I have not reckoned in one thing - the animals seem to have nightmares too!”

 

No sooner had he said that, here and there more and more green lights began to appear and they heard a wail.

 

“Wolves!” Lica guessed.

 

“They are! Who else?” the Prince called cursing and trying to straighten his horse. “Of course! Wolves are Horses’ Nightmare!” Angelica’s horse began to dance and balled from side to side.

 

“Keep the reins tight! And try to hit the animal with a whip. Pain is sobering!” said Swein.

 

The girl did so...

 

Suddenly her horse jerked forward so quickly that Lica barely stay in the saddle. The Goblin King’s horse raced following her. But the wolves seem to have decided not to lose their prey. They were running out of the trees and shrubs pursuing our heroes. The larg-est and most ferocious predator had almost caught up with Swein’s horse. It bent down to the ground and jumped. However, the Prince cut him with his sharp sword in the air. Other wolves were struck dumb a bit, seeing what had happened to their leader.

 

At last, the forest began to thin, and soon she and the Prince came to the wide valley. The wolves did not pursue them anymore.

 

“The horses need a rest,” said Swein.

 

“And so do we,” Angelica smiled.

 

Our heroes drove away from the forest and dismounted. The Prince took out the amphora to check if it was ok?

 

“It’s amazing that at such a breakneck ride, it was not bro-ken!” he said.

 

After that, the Goblin’s King sat on the grass and mused:

 

“Angelica, something is happening to the Kingdom of Night.  I have never been wrong with the enchanted paths.”

 

“Do not worry, it may happen to anyone!” Lica tried to calm him down.

 

“No, there’s something wrong! I know those paths very well, and they never changed. But now...”

 

“Maybe it’s because we released the evil out of the sorcerer’s cave while searching for the Book of Destiny?”

 

“I also began to think more and more about it.”

 

Swein plucked a blade of grass and began to chew it think-ing. Angelica admired him. She also sat down and looked up at the starry sky.

 

“Do you like the stars?” the Prince asked her.

 

“Yes, I do, very much! The stars, the Moon and the Night.”

“Me too...”

 

They rested for half an hour and then the Goblin’s King rose, led horses and said:

 

“It’s time to go!”

 

And they went further. Shortly ahead they saw Sleepy Lake. “Look Swein, the lake has become much wider!” Angelica exclaimed. “You were right! Something is changing in the Kingdom of Night.”

 

They came closer. The Prince dismounted and waited for Lica.

 

“We have to leave the horses on this shore,” he said.

 

“Let’s take only swords, potion and the amphora. The fields are almost immediately after the Lake, so we do not need horses.”

 

Swein took the horses to the nearest tree and tied them. Then he pulled the amphora from the bag, checked the vial of potion in his coat pocket and went towards the lake looking for a boat. Soon he found it in the reeds.

 

“Angelica, come here!” he cried. “The boat is here.”

 

The girl took the sword and ran to the water. Her com-panion sat down at the oars, and Lica quickly climbed inside. The Prince held out his hand and said:

 

“Cut, my dear Angelica, otherwise I will fall asleep some-where in the middle of the Lake.”

 

Lica gently cut the Prince’s hand with the blade of the sword.

 

Immediately the crimson blood appeared of the wound.

 

“Now your turn!” she said, and held out the sword to Swein.

 

And he, without flinching, struck Lica’s hand.

 

“You do not have to oar, do you!” he grinned. “So it’s better to make a wound here!”

 

They pushed off from the shore and went to the opposite side of the Lake. The Prince was rowing pretty fast but they still couldn’t see the other side.

 

“Someone must have pulled our legs and made this Lake endless!” said the girl.

 

Swein said nothing. He rowed very hard and soon they saw a distant shore.

 

“At last!” Angelica gasped.

 

They landed on the gentle slope of a small hill. The Prince tied the boat to the bush that grew near here, took the amphora and waited for Lica to climb out. Then they went to the Ghosts’ Fields.

 

“Now we should carry the amphora away from the fields, then come back and stay somewhere near the Lake. Neither vampires nor werewolves will be at risk to come here, so we will be relatively safe here,” said Swein.

 

Angelica nodded, showing her approving with the Prince. Ahead there was a broad valley covered with thick lush grass. Only occasionally - here and there – they could see trees.

 

“Put the amphora next to one of the trees!” Swein offered. “So that you will have at least a mark!”

 

“I agree!”

 

The Prince went to a high spreading tree and placed the amphora under it. And to make the tree with sign, he broke down a thick low branch.

 

“Now, you certainly cannot go wrong!” he said with sat-isfaction.

 

After that, Lica and Swein came back to the Lake and stayed at the safe distance.

 

“Here!” said the girl. “Here, I will rest - here the grass is high and soft. And you will watch over me.”

 

She took out the green bottle, opened it and drank the potion.

 

After that, she lay down on the grass and began to wait.

 

“Angelica, try to do everything!” Swein said. “In three hours, I’ll return you to your body.”

 

But Lica had not heard him very well yet...

 

Everything began to swim before her eyes. She relaxed and flew off somewhere. It lasted for a long time. Suddenly she realized that she could see herself from above. She saw her lying on the grass and Swein carefully covering her with his cloak. Then he bent low over the girl and kissed her on her lips.

 

“Oh, what a smart aleck you are!” cried Angelica in the hearts. “You have taken the advantage of my helplessness!”

 

And she threw herself at the Prince with her fists. But... flew through him. She tried again. And again it did not work.

 

“All right! Leave showdown on then!” the girl began to think more quietly. “Business - above all!”

 

She turned and flew to the fields of Ghosts. Angelica was flying and enjoyed the flight. No, it was not like that time when she was an owl. That time she had to flap her wings, and it was quite tir-ing. Now the flight did not cause any effort. Lica was just hovering...

In the Fields

 

 

At first she did not see anyone, but then suddenly began to distinguish translucent whitish figures looked like small clouds. Someone was waving above the grass and some were swimming over her, like a fog.

 

“Maybe they are the souls!” Angelica said to herself. “But how do I talk to them? How do I know where the soul of Prince Edward is?”

 

She flew closer to one of the clouds and accidentally touched it. Immediately, pictures appeared in front of her eyes, as if she was watching a film...

 

She saw a young boy who went fishing at the lake on the boat quite far from the shore and threw the bait. Suddenly his float hopped, and the boy jumped up in delight, trying to hook in the fish. But he did it very carelessly and stepped on the edge of his small boat. The boy lost balance and fell into the water; the boat turned over and hit him on the head...

 

Lica shook her head, took a deep breath and flew on. For some reason she did not want to ask that boy’s soul anything. She was hovering over the grass and soon saw a group of semi-transpar-ent clouds. The girl immediately turned towards them and this time intentionally touched one of them.

 

And again she saw something like film...

 

She saw two guys and two girls talking about holiday togeth-er. They were in someone’s house having a lot of fun ... Suddenly, a fire broke out. The flame instantly covered the wooden hut. They were in a panic, trying to get out of the house, but accidentally the roof fell...

 

Angelica pulled her hand back. Then she gathered her will in a fist and said:

 

“I am looking for the Prince Night’s - Prince Edward’s soul. Do you know anything about it?”

 

“No,” the souls shook their heads. “Here, everyone is for himself, and no one knows anything about others.”

 

“But what can I do?” the girl exclaimed in the hearts.

 

“Try to find the soul of a suicide girl. She rushed down the mountain when she knew that her beloved died,” suddenly offered one of the souls. “I once talked to her. She told me that she flew everywhere in the Ghosts’ Fields looking for the soul of her beloved boyfriend. Maybe she can help you.”

 

“And how can I find her?” Angelica asked.

 

“Fly ahead – towards the break! She is usually there, if only not is she flying and looking for him.”

 

“Thank you!” Lica sincerely thanked her.

 

 She rose higher above the ground and flew forward. Soon she saw the break. The girl flew up and looked around. She heard the river roared far below in the abyss. But even in the bright light of the moon she could not see it. Suddenly, she heard somebody singing. She could not really make out the words of that song, but some pieces of phrases flew to her ears:

 

... My dear, where are you?

 

..............................

 

I ... went through pain and death...

 

..............................

 

... I want to be with you...

 

“It looks like I’m on the right way!” Angelica was happy. She began circling along the cliff, and finally saw the figure of the girl sitting at the edge of the cliff. Lica flew closer and touched her hand. And immediately pictures of a girl’s life flashed as on the screen. She saw her with a young man... They were very happy together, and then she clang onto her sadness when she knew that her boyfriend was killed and, finally, she stretched out her arm like a bird - wings, and jumped from that cliff into the abyss...

 

“Help me,” asked Angelica. “I am looking for the Prince Edward’s soul. You are said to know where it is!”

“I have been looking for my boyfriend’s soul for many years,” she said sadly. “And I can swear that it is not among the souls here in the Fields. I have never met the Prince’s soul here!” “What does that mean?” Lica asked excitedly.

 

“This means that they can be only in one place – in the Well of Oppression! This is the kind of hell for the restless souls. They create their own dark illusion and cannot get out of it.”

“Why you are not flying there?”

 

“When I get there, I will not be able to get back. And I won’t be able to help my boyfriend.”

“But it must be some way to do it!”

 

“Only a creature that lives at the same time in the real world and in the hereafter can go down to the well, find there the soul and get along with it up. For other souls the way there is closed.”

 

“And where is this well?”

 

“Let’s fly, I’ll show you!”

 

And the soul of a girl rose into the air. Angelica hurried after her. They flew along the cliff. Shortly ahead Angelica saw a structure that reminded her abandoned farm. In the yard she saw the well.

 

“That is the well!” she pointed out. “But do not poke your nose or you’ll stay there forever!”

 

“What is your name?” asked Lica.

 

“Sofia.”

 

“And your boyfriend’s name?”

 

“Michael!”

 

“Thank you, Sofia, for help! I promise you, if I can get into this well, I will try to find your boyfriend!”

 

Angelica hovered in the sky and began to wonder.

 

“What am I going to do now?” she thought. “The Prince in the well! I cannot go there ... creature... I need a creature that lives in two worlds at once... Wait a minute!” Lica nearly screamed with joy.

 

“Of course! The prince of Vampires!” Confused thoughts danced in Angelica’s head:

 

“Yes. He lives in two worlds. But Margo warned me that he would take me as real. How she was saying: ‘They will not kill you, but they can cramp...’ And yet I have no other choice! Time passes and I haven’t found the soul of Prince yet!”

 

And she decided. She went down to Sofia.

 

“Do you know where the castle of Prince of Vampires is?” Lica asked her.

 

“I do, but I keep away from it!”

 

“Why?”

 

“Vampires are very crafty creatures. With the same success they can drink the blood of a living person and suck the energy out of the soul. If it happens, then we will simply cease to exist.”

 

“Sofia, listen to me. I need you now took me to the castle of vampires. In the castle you’re not going to fly with me! I beg you, show me the way to it!”

 

Sofia thought for a while and then said:

 

“All right! For so many years, at least some adventure! Fly!”

 

And she flew showing Lica the way. Shortly ahead Lica could see the steeples of dark gloomy castle of Vampires. Angelica stopped

 

and said:

 

“Well Sofia, wait for me here. If everything goes well, I’ll persuade the Prince of Vampires to help us. If not... If, ‘not’ and anyway I have no choice!”

 

“Prince of Vampires!” Sophia gasped. “Are you crazy?” “Maybe,” she smiled.

 

She quickly got up off the ground and flew towards the castle. Angelica remembered, where the bedroom of the prince was and went straight to its window. Luckily the light of candle was winking in the room.

The Prince of Vampires’ help

 

 

Lica flew up to the window and looked inside. The prince was reading something lying in his bed. He was as handsome as ever.

 

Angelica plucked up courage and flew through the window into the room. The Prince immediately turned around, as if he felt it.

 

“Angelica?” he said with startled voice. “But why are you in the etheric body? What happened to you?”

 

“Prince! You recognize me?!” Lica exhaled. “What a joy!” “How I can forget you if your bite on my neck has not healed yet!” Vampire smiled.

 

He threw back his long black hair, and Angelica saw two no-table points on his neck. Then he threw aside the book and got up.

 

“But you did not answer me, what happened to you?”

 

“Oh! It’s a long story, Prince! The fact is that I’m looking for the soul of Prince Edward - Prince Night – in the Ghosts’ Fields!”

 

“Is the Prince dead?” the Prince of vampires astonished. “Not really... He voluntarily gave his soul for a potion for a girl, and now I want that soul back!” “What for? Is he your fiancé?”

 

“No! But without his soul everything has gone wrong.” “That’s what I feel; something strange is going on in the Kingdom...” Prince of Vampires mused. “In the mountains something strange is happening. I sent there some of my servants to find out what it was, but they did not come back. Can you imagine what that means? It means that something threatens us - vampires! It’s the wrong time for Prince Night to part with his soul!”

 

“That’s why I have been looking for his soul!” “All right! But what can I do to help you?”

 

“I have the information that his soul is in the Well of Oppression but I cannot go there. Only you can.”

 

“So you want me to go with you and save the soul of the Prince?” he smiled. “Ok but I want something in return!”

 

“What?”

 

“Your appreciation!”

 

“But I...”

 

“Yes, I remember that you have a fiancé! But I do not claim anything physical just your energy will be enough!”

 

Prince slowly approached Lica. Her heart was pounding. She’s been doubted her feelings for Edward, and here... In the light of the candle flame Prince seemed so lovely that she could not resist. He went to her very close and whispered with his lips:

 

“Simply log on me, Angelica! Be mine!”

 

Lica, as if she was hypnotized, took a step forward and merged with the Prince’s body. She so strangely hunkered to possess him that her body became shining brighter. The Prince of Vampires groaned and dropped to his knees.

 

“Angelica, it’s perfect!” he whispered.

 

She completely yielded to this feeling and then suddenly realized that she was getting weaker. She remembered Sofia’s words “vampires can suck all your energy”. Lica made an effort and came out of the Prince’s body. He came round after a few minutes. Finally, he stood up and said:

 

“Angelica, you are - the only woman with whom I would like to be both physically and energetically. You have awakened such feelings in me as no one ever!”

 

“Prince...” she said with a weaken voice. “Time is precious, Prince! We have to hurry!”

 

The Prince of Vampires nodded and rang the bell, standing on his desk.

 

“Saddle my horse immediately!” he ordered loudly to the appeared servant. “Come on, Angelica.”

 

Several minutes later, the Prince of Vampires and Lica went outside and jumped into the saddle.

 

“Show me the way!” he said shortly.

 

The girl nodded and flew ahead. Suddenly, Sofia joined her.

 

“Who is that?” Vampire asked open-eyed.

 

“She is the girl who helped me to find the soul of the Prince,” Angelica answered.

 

“Aha,” the Prince smiled.

 

“How do you do!” Sofia greeted him.

 

Vampire bowed.

 

Soon they saw the abandoned farmhouse with a well. The main vampire jumped off his horse and asked:

 

“So the soul of Prince is in this well, isn’t it?” “Yes, it’s there!” the girl nodded.

 

“Prince!” said Angelica with imploring voice. “I beg you; make the soul of the Prince get with you out! And... if you meet there the soul of Michael - this is her boyfriend (Lica pointed to Sofia) – then, please, let him leave with you this well too!”

 

“Angelica, you use me!” Prince smiled. “I’m not your potboy.” “I’ll be very grateful,” the girl said looking down.

 

The Prince of Vampires stared at her, then went to the well and disappeared.

 

“Is the Prince your friend?” Sophia asked in surprise.

 

“Something like that,” Lica sighed.

 

The ruler of Vampires kept them wait long enough. But final-ly, he appeared. In one hand he was holding a small sparkling ball.

 

“It looks like yours!” he turned to Sophia.

 

He threw the ball up into the air and it became a figure of a young man.

 

“Michael!” she exclaimed happily. “How long have I been looking for you?”

 

She flew at Michael. Two whitish clouds came together vigor-ously flickering. Then Sophia flew to the Vampire and said:

 

“You’re ... you’re so noble! This is wonderful! Thank you very much!” Then she began to embrace Angelica.

 

“Sophia! I’m very happy for you!” exclaimed Lica. “You have found your boyfriend. Fly away! You have a lot to talk about!”

 

Sophia nodded, waved goodbye and two white clouds van-ished in the dark sky.

 

“Prince, but where is the soul of the Prince?” Angelica asked hotly. “Not all at the same time, my dear! The Well of Oppression is

not as small as it looks from here.”

 

And the Prince of Vampires went back down into the well.

The Ritual

 

 

Lica was waiting for the Lord of Vampires for very long time. So long that Lica began to think that her three hours were about to expire. She got nervous and started to circle above the farm. At this point, the Lord of Vampires appeared over the well with another pulsating ball in his hand.

 

“Angelica, your Prince had created such an impenetrable illusion that it was a big job to reach out to him,” he grinned.

 

“My dear Lord!” the girl was happy. “Thank you so much! You cannot imagine what you’ve done!”

 

“Why not... I can! I have saved a man’s soul in exchange for the promise of one beautiful woman’s appreciation!”

 

He pushed the ball, and it became a translucent figure of the Prince Edward.

 

“Angelica!” Edward exclaimed. “Is that you? But what happened? Are you dead?”

 

“Not now, Prince!” Lica interrupted him, fearing that her time will soon be over. “I’ll explain everything, but now do not ask any more questions and just follow me!”

 

After that, she flew to the Prince of Vampires and quietly said to him:

 

“You are - the best! I will never forget you! Thank you!”

 

She ran her hand over his pale face, and soared into the sky. The soul of Prince Edward followed her. Lord of Vampires sighed and said:

 

“Me too, I will never forget you, Angelica!”

 

Then he mounted his horse and went to his castle.

 

Lica was flying like the wind. Prince Edward barely kept pace with her.

 

“Angelica, why are we in such a hurry?” he finally asked.

 

“I have no time! And I have to show you where the amphora is!” “Amphora? What is it?”

 

Then she saw the tree with the broken branch ahead. “Well, thank God!” she murmured and exclaimed: “Prince! Can you see the tree in front? Fly towards it!” “What for?”

 

“Don’t ask, Prince! You must do it!”

 

Then Lica felt as if something was weighting her down. “Hurry up, Prince; otherwise it will be too late!” she cried. Edward nodded and flew to the tree. The last thing she saw was a bright glow under the tree, where she and Swein had left the amphora...

 

Angelica opened her eyes.

 

“Welcome back!” the King of Goblins smiled at her. “How was it going? Have you managed to find the soul of Prince Edward?”

 

Lica tried to sit up but her head began to spin and she fell back on the grass.

 

“What a queasy feeling...” she murmured.

 

Then she pulled herself up and tried to sit down.

 

“I could find the soul of the Prince!” she said to Swein.

 

“But could I allure it into the amphora, I do not know. You brought me back into the body just at the time when we flew up to it. So the only way to find it out is to get the amphora! Help me up.” Goblins’ King gave Lica his hand and helped her up. The girl stood a little, paced about until she got better. Then she remembered about Swein’s kiss and shouted at him:

 

“By the way, Swein, could you explain me, please, why did you touch absolutely defenseless body?”

 

“What do you mean?” Prince raised his left eyebrow.

 

“Do not deny it! I saw the whole thing. You kissed me. When I came out of the body.”

 

“Angelica, you must have post levitation symptom!”

 

“Oh, nonsense!” Lica exclaimed and ran with her fists on the Goblins’ King.

 

Swein laughed and dodged it.

 

“Angelica, be careful! You can harm the body of your future fiancé!” he continued laughing.

 

The girl kicked the nearest stone out of spite and said:

 

“Right! I do hurt Edward not you, that’s not fair! So, let’s wait, when Margo return your body then I will get my own back!” Swein could not calm down and continued laughing and furi-ous Lica went to the tree with a broken branch – to find the amphora. She saw that tree afar. The girl ran to the amphora and looked. She saw a pulsing, iridescent, little ball inside.

 

“Hooray!” cried Lica. “Swein, we have done it! Edward’s soul is inside.”

 

“Excellent!” the goblin said. “Then it’s time to come back.” Swein and Angelica went down to the boat. The girl sat in the stern, carefully holding the vessel with the soul of the Prince Night. The goblin king sat at the oars. He scratched a wound on his hand, so as not to fall asleep and began to row. Lica also picked a sore on the back of her hand. The moon had not crossed the horizon yet, but our travelers tied up on the other side. Their horses were waiting for them at the tree. Swein came up and unbent them.

 

“I know one more enchanted path near here,” he said. “I hope it has not changed its direction and we will drive directly to Margo’s cave.” After that, he carefully put the amphora with the soul into the travel bag and sat on the horse. Angelica was already in the saddle.

 

“Let’s go!” she said shortly.

 

King pulled the reins, and they started out. The girl was not surprised when a thick fog muffled them. Once it vanished, the riders were not far from the city of Goblins.

 

“It is not the cave, but at least we are not under a werewolf nose!” concluded Swein. “Don’t worry very soon we are going to be there.”

 

They spurred horses and rode by loop road. After a few hours our heroes passed Swein’s crypt and came to the root of the mountains.

 

When they got to the witch’s cave, they were surprised be-cause Margo had already waited for them at the entrance.

 

“I knew that you were coming!” the witch smiled. “Well, come off or didn’t?”

 

“Come off,” Lica nodded, jumping from her horse down. “It’s here, inside the amphora!”

 

Goblin King gently pulled the vessel out of his bag and handed it over to the witch.

 

“Excellent!” Margo said. “Now come into my house. I have set the table. You need to eat and get some rest. And tomorrow we’ll be able to go through the ceremony of transmigration.”

 

The girl and the young man went inside the cave. They saw the familiar room where the witch used to meet them and richly laid table. There were so many different dishes that Angelica didn’t know where to look next.

 

“I’ve never seen such ampleness!” she had finally managed to say.

 

“Help yourself; Margo is a wizard of her hands!” said Swein. “Now can I understand what my father had found in her?”

 

And he burst of laughing.

 

Lica and the Goblins’ King ate well, and then coiling in the chair, she fell asleep. Swein covered her with a blanket and went to his room.

 

Margo gave them the opportunity to sleep for a few hours while she was reading magic books, cooking a variety of potions and choosing spells for the right ritual. When everything was ready, the witch and the Prince woke her up and said:

 

“It’s time to go to the crypt!”

 

Swein and Angelica bundled, helped Margo to load every-thing on a horse and then, got on their horses, went to Swein’s crypt. Near the monument the riders dismounted and the witch began giving them instructions.

 

For a start our heroes lit four bright torches and placed them inside the room, according to the cardinal points. Then, on the floor of the crypt, Margo drew a huge pentagram. She was drawing various Cabbalistic symbols and signs in it. Then, in the center of the pentagram the witch placed the amphora with the soul of Prince Edward.

 

“Angelica, open the tomb!” Margo commanded.

 

Lica approached the tombstone and found the clover leaf. She pressed it, heard a click and the lid slid opened. Goblin King turned pale, when she opened his coffin.

 

“Look at you, Swein!” Lica said. “You have perfectly with-stood the ravages of time!”

 

“No, thank you! Maybe next time, when I will revive again!” Swein parried.

 

Margo took the Prince’s hand and led him into one corner of the pentagram, and Angelica - into the other. After that, she forbade them to move and began to cast spell in some ancient language. She walked around the amphora and Swein and Lica, muttering and periodically splashing some smelling potion over them. Suddenly, the crypt was lit with the pale blue light. Thousands of tiny bright stars flashed in the air. The witch continued walking and mumbling something under her breath. Finally, she said:

 

“And let the kiss of true love return the soul into his body!” “That’s it! Kiss Edward!” Margo exclaimed loudly, turning

 

to the girl.

 

Angelica, as if she was bewitched, came to Swein, who was in Prince Edward’s body, and kissed him. At that time something whistled, buzzed, and suddenly the Prince fell down. He was mo-tionless and showed no signs of life. Blue light disappeared and Lica asked with fear:

 

“Margo! What happened?”

 

“Something went wrong,” the witch murmured.

 

She looked over Edward’s body, then came to the coffin and looked at Swein’s.

 

“No, it is impossible!” she exclaimed. “They are both dead!” Angelica ran to the amphora, looked into and saw two pulsating balls there.

 

“Margo! Look, there are two souls inside!” she cried. “Perform the ritual again! Let’s try.”

 

“It is impossible!” the witch whispered. “There can be only one soul in a vessel!”

 

Not believing her eyes she took the amphora and looked inside.

 

“It’s a miracle!” just said Margo.

 

The witch pulled herself up and started again. Soon the crypt was lit with pale blue light again. Now not only was Margo walking around the pentagram, but also around the Swein’s coffin. She was splashing her potion over everything, muttering incomprehensible words. When the witch said her final phrase about the ‘kiss of true love’, Lica fell down on her knees and kissed the Prince Edward then went up to the coffin and kissed Swein – the Goblins’ King. Neither Angelica nor Margo understood what had happened next. They heard a terrible roar, and the walls of the tomb were pulling down. The girl screamed and shielding with her hands ran to the door. But a big piece of stucco hit her and she felt down without consciousness...

 

When Angelica awoke, she saw herself lying in ruins; it was all what remains of Swein’s tomb.

 

“Margo!” Lica called.

 

She immediately got on her feet, and despite the pain in her back, began to look for the witch. On the floor, where was drawn the pentagram, was a huge piece of stone.

 

“Edward, Swein...” cried the girl.

 

She went to the coffin, trying to push the stones aside. Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps behind. Lica turned around and could not believe her eyes...

 

Among the ruins of the tomb she saw Prince Edward. She did not know what to do.

 

“Who is it - Edward or Swein in his body?” she said to herself. “Angelica!” the Prince exclaimed. “You are alive! When I and Swein had saved Margo, I immediately rushed back to look for you!”

 

“Hooray!” Lica cried. “We did it! Both of you are alive!” And she rushed to embrace Edward. At this point, a handsome young man, whose portrait was painted in the tomb, came into. He saw Angelica was hugging Edward, turned around and tried to steal softly out.

 

“Swein!” Lica called him. “Don’t you think that you could disappear so easily right now?!”

 

She ran to the man and fell on his neck.

 

“Angelica! Oh man, you are so exiting!” the young man smiled. “Be more modest, please, because your fiancé is here!”

 

“And what about Margo? Is she okay?” asked the girl. “Edward said that you had pulled her out of the rubble. Is she all right?”

 

“Almost yes, except her bruised feet,” said the Prince Night coming up.

 

The three of them got out of the tomb. Near there on the grass was sitting Margo. Seeing Angelica, she waved her hand and smiled.

 

“I didn’t know that you are a deep one!” the witch laughed. “All right, we’ll talk later! And now I would like to invite everybody to my home. You need something else to do.”

 

Our heroes went to the horses, but there were only three of them. “Why I didn’t think of taking another extra horse!” Margo said embarrassedly. “Well, the two of you will ride together. But not me, I will ride alone because my foot aches a lot.” Swein, Edward and Margo looked at Lica.

 

“Okay, okay,” waved the girl. “If you need someone - I will!” She looked at Edward and Swein, and realized that it would

 

be a difficult choice.

 

“So,” Angelica said slowly, “half way I’m going with Edward and half way - with Swein. Otherwise the horses will get tired.”

 

“Indeed, it’s a wise decision!” the witch smiled. “Otherwise, the horses will be really tired to the bone!”

 

Lica gave her hand to Edward; he helped her to climb on a horse, and then sat at the back. Margo and Swein had been already waiting for them on the road.

 

“Well, come on!” commanded the witch, and a small troop went to the rising above mountains.

Reappearance

 

 

Swein was riding first, Margo - behind him, and Prince Edward with Angelica was the last.

 

“Angelica,” the Prince said quietly. “I have never dreamed to see you again! But God knows, I was always thinking of you! Do you remember our dance at the ball, and our kiss?”

 

“But you have given your life for a potion for a Princess!” “It was just a matter of honor! Because it was my fault that she lost her sight!”

 

“And what about me I have nearly lost my life because of you,” she wanted to say, but didn’t. Then she said:

 

“And why did you go down to the Well of Oppression?”

 

“I was sure that I would never revive. I was suffering so much that I just lost in the hell of hopelessness... But how were you able to convince the Prince of Vampires to help me?”

 

“The Prince is very clever! He is well aware that without you the kingdom would be in trouble! Actually, it has already happened.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I think Margo can explain you everything, because I really cannot understand anything. The one thing I know that something bad is happening in the Kingdom of Night.”

 

They didn’t notice how they passed the half-way.

 

“Well, Edward, your horse must be tired. I have to ride with Swein now!” Lica said.

 

“Load cod codswallop! My horse will hold both of us until the end of the way!”

 

“Don’t torture a poor animal!” the girl said then called:

 

“Swein, I am changing the horse, could you take me!”

 

The Goblins’ King slowed down, waiting for Angelica to bestride. Then he pulled the reins and rode forward.

 

“Well, how is Edward?” he asked sarcastically.

 

“Excellent!” Lica shot back.

 

“Did you talk about the wedding?”

 

“Swein, I promise you, you’ll know about it first!”

 

“Where did you learn to bite?” Swein chuckled.

 

“Oh! I had a wonderful teacher!” said the girl.

 

They were riding very fast. Angelica, cuddling to the Goblins’ King, could hear the beating of his heart. Lica did not understand herself, but she would have given a lot if only this road had been longer... However, very soon they saw the mountains in front. Riders came to the witch’s cave. Edward helped Angelica and Margo to get off, while Swein went to tie horses. With Lica’s help the witch limping went to the cave, where they were met by harassed Elsa.

 

“Madam, I was so worried! When I came this morning, nobody was at home! I had different premonitions running in my head,” she muttered.

 

“Elsa, stop talking and set the table! We are going to have a party!” Margot exclaimed.

 

The Goblin woman instantly disappeared.

 

“Can I have a shower?” asked Angelica.

 

“Go to the end of this corridor - there is a bathroom!” the witch pointed.

 

The girl nodded and went there. In the corridor, she met Elsa. “Elsa, dear, could you help me to find a bath, please!” she said.

 

“This way!” the maid smiled. “You look as if you were digging the ground!”

 

She took Lica up to the end of the corridor, showed her the bathroom and lit the candles.

 

“There is hot water in the boiler!” Elsa said. “I have heated it up. Bath well! I’ll get you some clean clothes. Leave the dirty one here – I’ll clean it later.”

 

The Goblin Woman put a clean towel on the stool and walked out, closing the door. Angelica immediately filled the bath, took off her dirty clothes and doused into the warm water.

 

“What a delight!” she said aloud.

 

At this point, she heard the sound of Elsa’s footsteps in the corridor.

 

“I need to take the advantage of it,” thought Lica.

 

She turned her back to the door quickly soaping a sponge. At this moment the maid came in. Angelica, without turning around, handed her the sponge and asked:

 

“Soap my back, please!”

 

Elsa, without a word, took the sponge and lathered Lica well.

 

“God, Heaven!” the girl said.

 

“Just a bit!” a man’s voice answered.

 

Angelica turned around and saw... Swein. Screaming she flung into the water, then surfaced and shouted:

 

“What the hell are you doing here? Do not look at me!” “Actually, I came here to wash up,” the Goblin said, turning back to Lica. “We have agreed with Edward that first - me, then he would. And now I do not regret that I was first.”

 

“You are clown!”

 

“Well, I know that!” Swein chuckled. “Even though, what have I done? I just went to the bathroom, and you asked me to soap your back! I could not refuse!”

 

“But I thought it was Elsa!”

 

“And this is - the question! Did you really think so? Maybe, you were waiting for Edward?”

 

“Swein!” Lica was furious. “Give me a towel immediately! And do not turn round! It is there - on the stool - beside you!”

 

“Please!” snorted the Goblins’ King, and without turning around, he threw her the towel. It hit right into the girl’s face.

 

“Well, Swein, now hold on there!” she said threateningly, shielding in the towel.

 

“Can I go now?” asked Swein.

 

“No, I’d better go!” Angelica exclaimed.

 

The girl pushed the Goblins’ King and went into the corridor.

 

There, she came across Elsa carrying her dress.

 

Lica immediately grabbed it, ran into her room and got dressed. The dress was pretty simple, but elegant. After the dusty jeans and a pullover Angelica looked like a princess. She went into the dining room where Margot and Prince Edward were already sitting at the table. The Prince looked at her admiringly.

 

“Take your seat,” the witch invited her. “Dinner is ready!” “Thank you! I’m starving! It’s because of nerves, probably!”  Lica said.

 

“Ladies, I’ll join you immediately as soon as I wash up!” Edward said.

He stood up and left the room.

 

“Angelica, you shook me to the core!” Margo smiled. “I un-derstood why the ritual hadn’t worked first. You told me that you were in love with several men at once, and it was true! Therefore, when you kissed just Edward, the spell did not work. But when you kissed them both - Edward and Swein - everything came out as I predicted! And the souls came back to their own bodies. But, Angelica, you have to make up your mind! Men are possessive and they will not be able to share you with each other. You have to make a choice!”

 

“Margo, that’s not the half of the story...” she said lack as ink. “When I was looking for the soul of the Prince, I had to ask Prince of Vampires’ help and I promised him my favor in return.”

“One thing is on the top of another! Now the Prince will never forget your promise. You will see, he will remind you it. Do you like him? The Lord, I mean...”

“Yes, very,” Lica nodded. “But so do I like Swein and Edward! And I cannot choose one.”

 

 At that moment Swein came in. He was dressed clean, and the drops of water were still glistening in his hair.

“We’ll talk to you about it later,” Margo said, referring to the girl. Fifteen minutes later, looking well, Edward also joined them

 

at the table, he was as handsome as never before.

 

“I have a toast!” said the witch loudly. “A toast to our success! After all, thanks to luck we are here at this wonderful table now, drinking this good wine!”

They all drank, and then Prince Edward said:

 

“My dear friends, first I want to thank you all for my sal-vation! I have never thought that I will be alive again, but for what it’s worth, I would like to know what is going on in the Kingdom of Night!”

 

“Oh! Big changes,” the witch said slowly. “So big then you will not tell at one go. But the worst thing is that after the death of the evil sorcerer, on the other end of the Kingdom the Evil was released; and now it is going to be an uphill struggle to put it back!”

 

“By the way,” said the Goblins’ King, “the Mystery Paths are changing direction.”

“And the Sleepy Lake has been much bigger!” Angelica added. “Cut a long story short, Prince Edward,” continued Margo, “today we’ve got a great deal of work ahead of us! I’ll tell you every-thing what had happened while you were dead. Angelica and Swein  need a good rest! They have done difficult job.”

 

They sat at the table a little more, and then the witch stood up, took Edward with her and left the room with the permission of Lica and Swein. The Goblins’ King was sitting quietly and staring at Lica, after a moment he said:

 

“I’ve found something in the bathroom.”

 

“What?”

 

“Here it is!”

 

And Swein pulled the stiletto from somewhere.

 

“Oh, God! My stiletto! It was in my clothes!” Angelica exclaimed.

 

“That’s right.”

 

“You have stolen it from my clothes!” she went off.

 

“Not exactly! Stiletto was on the floor next to your clothes.” “So give it to me!”

“No! I have thought about it and made a decision. I gave you stiletto, and now I am going to take it back.”

“But why?”

 

“I do not want you to be able to get to Edward’s room so easily.”

“Are you jealous of him?” Lica smirked.

 

“I just want to equal our chances!” said the Goblins’ King. “But what if I need to get to the Kingdom of the Night

urgently?”

 

“I’ll think about it. And now, excuse me, I must leave you. I need a good rest!”

Swein rose from the table, picked up the stiletto and left the room.

Escape

 

 

Angelica was terribly nervous. She realized that now she had lost the key of the door to the Kingdom of Night.

“What have I done?” she exclaimed. “I closed the way to the Kingdom with my own hands. Now I will be bound hand and foot!”

The girl jumped up from the chair and began to pace ner-vously. Little by little she had an idea. She went to the mirror hanging on the wall, and looked at herself critically.

“Of course, it is not a ball dress, but actually not bad… It will be as it is!” finally, she decided.

 

She did her long hair up and slowly went into the corridor. Seeing that no one was around, Lica walked towards the Goblins’ King’s room...

Swein had already taken off his jerkin and was reclining on his bed with a book. The girl on tiptoe came in and looked around the room. The stiletto was on the mantelshelf.

“Swein,” started Lica with a quiet voice. “I’m so lonely, Swein!” “Angelica! What are you doing here?” the Goblins’ King showed

 

surprise. “A young girl shouldn’t come into the man’s bedroom.”

 

“I thought that after all the adventures we had, we became friends,” said Lica in an offended tone.

“Everything has changed a bit. Now I’m in my own body, and you’re going to marry Edward.”

“I am not going to marry anybody yet,” honestly said Angelica.

She sat on the edge of the bed and said:

 

“Can I sit with you?”

 

“Actually, you’ve already sat,” Swein chuckled.

 

“What are you reading?” she asked, moving closer to the Goblins’ King.

“The Book of Destiny! I have to learn a lot in order to help my people.”

“I think your people can wait a little,” quietly said Angelica, taking the book from Swein.

She closed and threw it in to the opposite side of the bed. Then she leaned over the King, taking his long blonde hair back from his face and kissed him. Swein neither backed off nor moved to Angelica.

 

“Is he feeling nothing to me?” the girl thought.

 

She started back and looked into Swein’s cold eyes.

 

“Be careful, Angelica,” he said quietly. “I’m not made of iron, and Prince Edward is here.”

“You’re right, they can see us!” Lica agreed.

 

She rose and snuffed out almost all candles in the room. The last lit candle was on the mantelpiece, near the stiletto.

 

Angelica went there and easily snuffed it out too. Now the room was lit only by the firelight. The girl quietly took the stiletto and carried it in a fold of her dress sleeve. At that time, Swein came to her. He turned Angelica around and passionately kissed her.

 

“Wait, Swein, I think I can hear somebody in the corridor,” Lica whispered.

 

She slipped from Goblins’ Kings strong hands and ran out of the room.

 

“I’ll be back soon,” she said quietly for the last.

 

She quickly ran out of the cave, jumped on her horse and rode away. She was racing like a wind; for fear that Swein will catch her and take the stiletto away. Lica was distressed and calmed down only when she saw Prince Night’s castle in front.

 

Angelica left the horse in the stable and rushed to the castle. The Prince Night’ servant - Henry had been already meeting her halfway.

 

“Lica, is that you? I have heard a horse riding and went out to meet! What happened?”

 

“Henry, let’s go into the room with the old mirror. I’ll explain you everything by the way!”

 

The girl told the old man about all her adventures. She told him how she was looking for the Prince’s soul, about Margo’s ceremony, how Prince Edward and the Goblins’ King –Swein were returned to their bodies...

 

“God be thanked!” Henry was delighted. “All’s well that ends well! So tell me, why you are in a hurry now?!”

 

“Swein decided to take my stiletto, with which I can easily get into your kingdom, and I don’t need to wait for you to do that. I have stolen this stiletto and now I want to return home as I think the Goblins’ King has already realized that. Of course, he will try to catch me and take the knife away.”

 

“I see,” the servant Edward smiled.

 

They went into the room with an old mirror.

 

“Henry, I beg you, do not say anything about me neither Edward nor Swein,” said Angelica.

 

“About you? So I haven’t seen you here and had no idea where your horse came from!” the old man smiled.

 

“Thank you!” the girl was happy and hugged the kind servant. Then she put the stiletto between the mirror glass and wooden frames. A few minutes later the mirror got muddy, and then Lica  saw her own room. The girl climbed on the bedside table and took a step forward; not forgetting to take the knife with her.

 

Angelica jumped down. She looked back and waved to Henry, who smiled at her from the mirror. After that, his image disappeared...

 

“God, it is not my clothes again!” Lica cried in the hearts. “I must change clothes and hide the dress or my mother will get nervous.”

 

She quickly changed clothes, put the stiletto safely away, and joyfully went to bed.

 

“So many events!” Angelica thought. “But I ‘m so tired. So I will think about it tomorrow!”

 

And she fell asleep...

Part 6. Fortune-telling

 

It was the end of the year. Students were very busy, passing examinations. Lica also swirled, poring over books. For a time the Kingdom of Night fell by the wayside. In addition, she was very afraid of Swein’s stormy reaction on her extraordinary behavior - stiletto stealing. At first after she returned home, the girl would wait that the mirror in her room suddenly get muddy, and the angry Goblins’ King would jump out of the mirror. But the days passed, and Swein did not appear. Angelica little by little calmed down and lived her regular routine – training and revising for exams.

 

She did not notice how one month passed, the exams were left behind, and it was Christmas holidays.

 

“Do you know anything about Christmas and Twelfth Day?” Lica was asked by her friend Sveta one day. “It is time for fortune-telling! My brother gifted me a wonderful crystal ball! What about trying it!”

 

“We’re not fortune tellers!” Lica grinned.

 

“Well, I think together we can read fortune or something like that!” her friend said confidentially. “Come on, come to me tomorrow night, we’ll try some spirit rapping!”

 

And Svetlana burst of laughing.

 

The next evening, Angelica came to Sveta’s house. They locked in the room, lit candles and placed them in the corners. They  moved the desk to the middle of the room, covered it with a bright tablecloth with fringe and put the crystal ball in the center. The ball was really wonderful! Lica never had seen such a large crystal ball before! It was a little smaller than a soccer ball.

 

“It’s not a ball!” Angelica noticed. “It rather looks like a small screen!”

 

“That’s good!” Sveta smiled. “I hope that this screen will show us something interesting today! By the way, my brother claimed that he had bought this ball not just in the simple gift shop but at the real witch.”

 

“Cool!” Lica admired.

 

The girls sat down opposite each other and began to look at the crystal surface.

 

“Can you see anything?” whispered Svetlana by some reason. “Not yet! Perhaps later.”

 

And the girls began to stare wide-eyed at the ball again.

 

Twenty minutes later Sveta gasped:

 

“That’s it for me, I can’t look anymore! It has made my eyes tear. Now I will not see anything. We’d better go to sleep now!”

 

“Let’s stay up a little bit more!” Lica tried to convince her friend.

 

But she refused.

 

“Okay, now we go to bed, but you will give me the ball for one day, won’t you?” Angelica asked Svetlana.

 

“If you think that you are a little witch, of course, I will! And now – bed time!”

 

The girls got into the sofa together, but still could not sleep for a long time. They chatted and laughed, remembering their last exams.

 

The next day, Sveta, as promised, gave Lica the crystal ball. The girl wrapped it in a scarf and went home, afraid to stumble and fall somewhere.

 

At home, she hid the ball under her table until the evening. “How was your fortune-telling?” Angelica’s Mom asked her. “Yeah, no way!” the girl shrugged her shoulders. “We were staring at it almost all night but could see nothing!”

 

“I think you didn’t stare enough!” her Mom joked. “You should have stayed up all night – if so you would see everything!”

 

“Are you putting me on!” waved Lica.

 

She got dressed and went to college to check the timetable for the new semester.

 

In the evening, when Angelica stayed alone, she placed can-dles as they did with Sveta and moved the table into the middle of the room. Then she took the crystal ball and put it in the center of the table.

 

“Well, that’s it!” satisfied she sat down opposite the ball.

 

She remembered Sveta’s words that you need to look at the center of the ball. Lica tried to do that and felt that her eyes were moving down somewhere to the bridge.

 

“My Mom was right about squinting,” she smiled.

 

Angelica looked to the far corner of the room at the candle, and when her eyes rested a bit, again began to look at the ball. An hour later, her Mom came to say her goodnight.

 

“How long are you going to practice obi?” she asked. “Just a little more!”

 

“Okay! Be careful with your eyes!” And her Mom went to bed.

 

Lica looked at the ball. All the objects in the room, reflected in it upside down. It seemed terribly funny, and she began to gig-gle quietly, trying not to attract the attention of her parents. She laughed until cry.

 

“A little witch!” Angelica told herself. “Laughed until cry!” She began to wipe her eyes, and then it seemed to her that the ball moved. Lica looked about... She immediately blinked and looked what was going on!

 

The ball dimmed as it once happened with her mirror, then the picture became clearer and she saw a familiar face. Angelica looked more and more closely and then exclaimed:

 

“Margo?!”

 

“I am, my dear! And who did you expect to see?” “Honestly, anyone else, but not you!”

 

“I hope you did not mean to hurt me,” the witch laughed.

 

“No, of course not! I just wanted to read my fortune ...” “Well, consider you did! I’ve been trying to contact you, but after your sudden disappearance, I have lost all the threads leading to you.”

 

“You know, it just happened...” the girl started to mumble. “I had to go back home.”

 

“So urgent that you could not even say goodbye? Edward and Swein then were riding for hours in the mountains, looking for you!”

 

“Yes; it was so urgent that I couldn’t wait a minute!” Lica said firmly.

 

“Well, well!” Margo smiled. “But we have not finished our conversation. I told Prince Edward everything what happened since he had given his soul for a potion for a princess. I told him that you and Swein had found the Book of Destiny, killed the sorcerer, who lived in the caves and released the evil!”

 

“But if we had not killed him, he would have killed us!” Angelica cried and looked with horror at the door of her room – been afraid that her mother could hear it?!

 

But it was silence.

 

“I see,” the witch nodded. “But, as it turned out, the sorcerer’s life was a kind of seal, closing the evil here - in our world! And having killed him, you broke that seal and opened the way to an-other world. At first I did not realized it and tried to fight using the usual magic to restrain the evil. For a few days, I succeeded, but then I understood that our forces are unequal. I have read a lot of magical books before finding out with what we are faced. They are not the usual creatures of the other world! It is very old magic. The sorcerer was a pagan and managed to contact with the terrible spirits. He stamped them with his soul. And while he was alive, the spirits obeyed him; but now they are out of control. I’m still trying to restrain them, but I feel that soon they will slice through defence and then our kingdom and many others won’t find it funny. I told everything to the Prince Night. Edward decided to raise an army and go to the mountains to give a battle. But usual weapon won’t help in this case. Worse the evil has a material embodiment, and can take any image of the terrible monsters if they want. Moreover, even if his army beat all the monsters, one cannot be sure that you will bag the spirits back - into the abyss! I explained that to Edward. We need other warriors, who are able to fight in the material and other world.”

 

“Are you talking about vampires?” “Yes, my dear! About vampires!”

 

“But why are you looking for me?” said Lica, blushing. “Remember you said that you and the Prince of Vampires were not just friends.”

 

“It’s not your busyness!” the girl flushed with anger.

 

“I don’t argue the point,” Margo smiled. “I need you to go to the Prince and convince him to fight against the evil!”

 

“But why...”

 

“Why don’t I or Prince Edward go to him? You know, be-cause we are afraid of him. The Prince won’t even talk to us! Only once I did with him: he needed a magic potion... I barely escaped with my life!”

 

The witch laughed.

 

“You’re the only girl I know who have been safe and sound after meeting him. That’s why I am looking for you.”

 

“But I promised the Prince my appreciation in return of Edward’s soul. And now I have to keep my promise. And I am still thinking about it.”

 

“You’re such a randy!” Margo smiled. “Okay, I’ll give you a talisman. The Vampire will not be able to do anything with you un-til you are wearing my talisman. But remember, so ever you have to convince him to join the war against the evil, otherwise we all will die! And so will them, by the way! Spirits do not strain at vampires as well!”

 

Angelica thought a little then said:

 

“Okay, I’ll go to the Prince and talk to him! Now, Margo, tell me what Swein and Edward are doing now?”

 

“Edward has returned to his castle and started to put things in order. Now he is gathering army to march. Swein went back to the city of Goblins. I told his father that the soul of the King was returned to his body, and on this occasion happy goblins are preparing for the grand ball. However, Swein stopped preparation, saying that he was going to join Edward’s campaign against the evil. He has gathered his bodyguards and at this moment spends time training. I and his father tried to talk him out of doing that, because the ritual has not completed yet, but Swein did not even want to listen to us!”

 

“And how did the Prince Night and the Goblins’ King react to my sudden departure?” Lica asked softly.

 

“Edward was very upset, and Swein was furious about it. Actually, he told us about your “disappearance”. They ransacked everything for lost Angelica. But, alas... And tell me, why you ran away?” “I stole one thing from Swein, which he wanted to pick up,” said the girl. “With this I can enter the Kingdom of Night when I

 

need it. And Swein wanted to deprive me this.”

 

“Oh, he is wretch!” Margo exclaimed. “It’s probably a stiletto?!” Angelica nodded.

 

“Yes, I gave him a stiletto and a magic mirror using them he could enter your world. So, that means that now you have the stiletto? That’s why Swein could not explain anything to me, when I asked him to find you. He said that he had left the knife somewhere, and lost touch with your world. And the magic mirror... Where is it?”

 

“At the Prince Edward’s castle. With the help of the stiletto I can go through the magic mirror in one of the rooms of the castle.” “Oh, I see. Excellent! I will bring the mirror to my cave in order to avoid unnecessary meetings with your Prince or Goblins’

 

King. You will be in touch directly with me. Agreed?”

 

“Brilliant!” said the girl full of mirth. “When do I have to come?”

 

“Give me a couple of days. I’ll take the mirror and prepare a talisman for you. So come on the third night.”

 

“So, see you there,” said Angelica.

 

“Bye!” Margo smiled.

 

The crystal ball got dark, and when it cleared, all pictures disappeared.

 

“Well, thank God!” thought Lica.

 

She was very tired, and she could barely hold her eyes open.

 

As soon as the girl got to bed she fell asleep...

The visit to vampires

 

 

The next day, Angelica gave the crystal ball back to her friend.

 

“Well, how about it? Could you see anything?” Sveta gibed her.

 

“Yes, a lot,” truly said Lica.

 

“Well, well, go on!” laughed Sveta. “You might have seen a dream!”

 

“Maybe a dream...” the girl didn’t deny.

 

Two days passed like a flash. Fortunately for Angelica, it was a weekend, because she knew that at this time her parents always went to their summer cottage to relax with friends. As usual her mom left a lot of ready food for her daughter, after that they lightheartedly went away for a weekend.

 

Since lunch the girl was looking forward to begin to her jour-ney into the Kingdom of Night. She was already ready beforehand, but just in case decided to wait for the evening, for fear that her mom could phone.

 

It was already dark. Not have waited for a call, Lica took the stiletto and inserted it, as usual, between the mirror glass and wooden base. Mirror surface became dull, and then the familiar outlines of the room appeared. She saw Margo sitting in the chair and friendly waving her hand to the girl. Angelica decisively stepped forward, not forgetting to take the stiletto back. She jumped from the low table into the hall of the cave.

 

“Nice to see you!” Margo exclaimed. “I was afraid you had scared and would not come.”

 

“I don’t scare easily,” she said firmly.

 

“I’m kidding!” the witch grinned. “Welcome, sit down.” Angelica hid the stiletto in the jeans pocket and sat down on the sofa.

 

“As you can see, I took the mirror, although that old sad dog, Henry, did not want to give it to me! But the Prince Night insisted and I have carried it to my home. Now all this stupid mess, asso-ciated with your appearance in the kingdom, won’t give so many troubles any more. In addition, I have made a talisman for you.”

 

With these words, Margot put a small thing on a string out of somewhere.

 

“Here you are!” she said and threw it to Lica.

 

The girl caught it and began to examine. It was a female fig-ure carved with incomprehensible magic symbols.

 

“Put it on!” ordered the witch.

 

Angelica nodded and put the amulet on her neck.

 

“While this amulet on you, the Prince of Vampires will not be able to touch you. But if you take it off, I will not guarantee anything... Do not forget that! Now the main thing is. Today you must go to vampires and convince the Prince to join the campaign against the evil. Tomorrow Prince Night Edward and the Goblins’ King Swein will be waiting for you and the Prince of Vampires at Sleepy Lake, near the Fields of Ghosts.”

 

“And what if the Prince refuses to do that?”

 

“Then you will come alone! And if you do not come, then I’ll know that something bad have happened, and will try to help you. But I hope everything will be okay, if only my amulet is with you.” “Clear! But how will I get to the vampires? Last time I was with Swein. He showed me the way to the enchanted paths. And the

 

paths changed the direction, and we came to another place.” “This time Elsa will help you. The Goblins have instincts as  cats. They can easily orient in all these paths. Even if you take the wrong turn, Elsa will find the right way.”

 

“Thank you! When am I going?”

 

“Right now! Elsa is coming!”

 

Margo hadn’t completed yet, as they heard the voice of the goblin woman:

 

“Madam, I’m back!”

 

“Come on!” said the witch to Angelica, and headed out of the hall.

 

Lica followed her. Elsa was waiting for them at the entrance.

 

“Have you brought what I asked for?” asked Margo.

 

“Yes, I have!” goblinka nodded and pulled a scattering of strange, colored pebbles from her pocket.

 

The witch chose three brilliant violet ones and gave to the goblin woman.

 

“Always keep them with you, and your intuition will increase even half!” she said. “And now, Elsa, you go with Angelica and show her the way to the Fields of Ghosts. I hope your sixth sense won’t let you down.”

 

“Okay,” the maid nodded. “Horses are ready, we can go.” Margo turned to Lica and hugged her.

 

“Well, good luck!” she said quietly. “And remember, the fu-ture of the Night Kingdom depends on you.”

 

The girl nodded and walked quickly out of the cave. She be-strode one of the horses and pulled the reins. Elsa hurried after her.

 

“Take care of the amulet!” the witch shouted after.

 

Two riders raced in the light of the moon on a dusty road. The stars twinkled over their heads, the wind blew in their faces, but they seemed not to notice anything. Before reaching the tomb the Goblin woman suddenly stopped her horse and said:

 

“I do not know why, but something said to me to turn here, although I’ve never done it before.”

 

“So, listen to your heart!” Angelica noticed. “There are good reasons why Margo gave you magic stones.”

 

Elsa thought for a moment, and then turned to that way where her heart was telling. The riders drove slowly, one after another. Soon, the thick fog enveloped them.

 

“We are on magic path,” muttered the goblin woman, “if only I knew what exactly path it was?”

 

Our heroes were travelling not very long and then the fog melted away. They found themselves in a wide bare place, and only something looks like a structure was seen in the distance.

 

“Where are we?” Elsa was confused. “I do not recognize this place.”

 

“It seems to me that I have already been here,” said Lica. “Let’s ride forward a little, to that building, and then I can say if it is true.” Women sent horses to the building. The closer they ap-proached, the more convinced Angelica was that it was the Well of  Oppression.

 

“Elsa, well done!” shouted the girl. “At one dash you took me to the Ghosts’ Fields, it is only the other side. Now I know where the castle of vampires is. And you may go back following our tracks.”

 

“Please, be careful!” the Goblin woman warned Lica. “Do not trust vampires.”

 

She came up to Lica, hugged her and went back. She stood and watched her going until Elsa had not disappeared from her view.

 

“Now go! To vampires!” Angelica commanded herself and pulled the reins.

 

Strange thing, but when she was ghost, the way to the castle of vampires seemed very short to her. Now she was riding for a long time, and had not see the dark sharp towers yet.

 

“What stuff!” she thought angrily. “The castle must have already been somewhere here, but it wasn’t. I hope vampires haven’t moved it anywhere far away?”

 

And she laughed at her thoughts.

 

Finally, ahead she saw a monumental structure.

 

“Thank God!” Angelica gasped.

 

She confidently sent her horse into the castle courtyard. Oddly, there were not any vampires. Lica dismounted and tied her horse to a tree. Then quite easily climbed the steps and entered the hall. But there she saw nobody either.

 

“It is strange, where is everybody?” she thought.

 

She turned left to the stairs and went up - to the Vampires Prince’s room. Soon she was standing in front of his door. Angelica knocked, but nobody answered it. She knocked louder, and suddenly the door opened itself. The girl looked inside and saw that the room was empty.

 

“What’s happened? As if they all have died out!” she was outraged.

 

Lica closed the door and went downstairs – to the hall. Suddenly, she heard the sound of horses’ hoofs in the yard, and voices:

 

“Whose horse is this?”

 

“We do not know, sir! We were with you on the hunt!” “Find and take him to me!”

 

Angelica ran out into the porch. She saw the Prince of Vampires with his servants was coming to the door.

 

“You do not have to search anybody!” she exclaimed. “Prince, it’s me!”

 

Vampires rushed to the girl, but their lord raised his hand and said:

 

“Wait, I’ll talk to her.”

 

He quickly ran up the stairs and went into the castle.

 

“Follow me,” he said, turning to Lica.

 

She nodded and hurried after the Prince. They both went to his room. The Vampire gave her a way, then came in and closed the door.

 

“You are, as usually, quite unexpected!” he said. “Have you come to express your appreciation?”

 

“Not really. I came on behalf of...”

 

“What!” the Prince of Vampires raised his eyebrow in sur-prise. “On behalf? Only the Devil can give me instructions!”

 

“No! Sorry I didn’t mean to,” Angelica tried to rectify the sit-uation. “Not on behalf of, but rather, at request. Yes, at request! The fact is that at the boundary of your Kingdom - in the mountains - something terrible is happening. When the sorcerer, who lived in caves, died the ancient evil had been released from the hellhole. It is the stranger to fear and borders, and soon it will spread over your world. Then no one will survive here. And vampires won’t either.” “I guessed,” the Prince breathed. “I suspected that the evil in the mountains was much older than all of us together. If they were

 

the usual demons or monsters, I would know them, but I didn’t. And when my servants began to die in the mountains, I had realized that they were not our friends from the underworld.”

 

“The sorcerer was a pagan and was able to control the primal evil. His soul was sealed the entrance to that terrible world, but with his death, everything changed. Some horrible creatures, which have both materializes and energy structure have ripped into your world. And no one can fight with them with usual weapon, it is impossible!”

 

“What do you want me to do?”

 

“Now Prince Edward and the Goblins’ King Swein are gathering the army against these monsters. They ask you, Prince, to join them. They think that with joint efforts you will be able to stop the evil.”

 

The Vampire thought to himself for a minute.

 

“Put it that you are right,” he finally said. “In the name of common interests, I’ll join Prince Edward and the Goblins’ King. But none of us knows exactly what is it in the caves? I am against hasty decisions. First we must find out what we have to contend with and then act!”

 

“I absolutely agree with you, Prince!” Lica said with conviction.

“When do I have to decide and give you my answer?”

“Tomorrow Prince Night and the Goblins’ King Swein will be waiting for you and me at Sleepy Lake, near the Fields of Ghosts.” “Then we have little time. Come on, Angelica! We need to do a lot.” The Prince blankly went out of the room. He clapped his  hands and shouted:

 

“Saddle my horse immediately!”

 

Then he turned to Lica and said:

 

“Do you mind a horse riding, young lady?” “Where are we going?” asked the girl. “A walk to Hell!”

 

He offer Angelica his hand, but she remembered about the amulet given to her by the witch. Therefore, pretending have not seen it, she walked pass. Vampires were bustling in the courtyard. They straddled the black horse, and the Prince easily jumped into the saddle. Lica also climbed the horse.

 

“Try to keep up,” the Lord warned the girl.

 

He pulled the reins and rode out of the yard. Riders rushed back in the direction from which Angelica had just come. The girl was not surprised when she saw the abandoned farm in front.

 

“Are we going to the Well of Oppression?” she asked.

 

“Yes! We have to go down.”

 

“But the last time I could not do it.”

 

“The last time you were a soul, and could never go back, because this Well is a kind of Hell for souls! A sort of a trap from which there is no exit for energy substances. In addition, the Well is the tunnel into the bottomless pit, and you could meet my lord - the Devil!”

 

At this point, the riders entered the courtyard of the aban-doned farm and came to the Well of Oppression. The Prince jumped to the ground and wanted to help Angelica down, but she refused and went down herself.

 

“You are strange today, Angelica,” the Prince smiled. “You seem to avoid my touch.”

 

“It seems to you! Let’s talk about the well. Why are we here?” “As I have said, the Well opens the way to the Underworld, and I want to talk to the Devil about the strange things in the mountains, and about what we can do with it. Moreover, I need you to go with me, because the path to the Underworld is through Hellfire Valley. You can meet very old creatures - Viatores. They are beholders and they control good and evil to be equal. And only a man with soul can see Viatores. I do not have soul – consequently I can’t! That’s why I asked you to accompany me. You can ask these ancient creatures how to stop the evil in the mountains. But be very careful with these restless souls. They can put it across you, creating an illusion.”

 

“Okay, I’ll try,” promised the girl.

 

They came to the Well, and the Prince went first.

 

“Here in the well you can feel for some step irons,” he ex-plained. “Find first and go.”

 

“But I cannot see in the dark,” said Lica.

 

“At the bottom it is going to be much lighter, I assure you,” she heard the voice of the Prince.

 

Angelica sighed and sat on the edge of the well and began to fumble a step in the dark. At some point, she hit something. She turned and started down.

 

Lica had never gone so deep down before. The Well seemed to be endless. The starry sky overhead had disappeared, and the girl was surrounded only by Cimmerian gloom. She looked down, and it seemed to her that below it was getting lighter. However, there was a strange feeling of fear.

 

“Angelica! Get down, do not hesitate!” she heard the Prince’s voice. “And take no notice of anything, no matter what you will see or hear. Remember that Hell is just an illusion created by you - people.” The girl calmed down when she realized that the Prince was waiting for her. She went down and down. And with each her step it was getting lighter and lighter. Soon Lica reached the bottom of the Well, she saw the narrow corridor. Here the Prince was waiting for her.

 

“Come on!” he said, and led the way forward.

In the Well of Oppression

 

 

The corridor suddenly widened and they found themselves in a quite strange place. It reminded Lica a slaughter-house. Everywhere she could see widely scattered pieces of rotten meat, heads of animals, skins and bones. Swarms of flies were buzzing and flying over all this mess. Angelica started feeling dizzy because of this smell of rotting flesh.

 

“What is it?” asked the girl, trying to keep loathing.

 

“This one? It’s someone’s illusion!” the Vampire smiled. “Every person imagines the Hell in their own way. Don’t be so sensitive.”

 

He kicked the skull, lying on the road and went forward. Lica covered her mouth and nose with her hands and ran after him. Suddenly the slaughter-house replaced with the old room which was absolutely freezing. A girl was sitting on a ragged sofa dully staring at the ceiling. On the walls, floor and ceiling spiders and woodlice were bustling in and out. They also were on the girl but she seemed not to notice them.

 

“Look!” Angelica exclaimed. “She needs help. She will die here alone.”

 

“She is dead,” said the Vampire, “and this is her choice- illusion!” However Lica went to the sofa took a warm blanket and covered the woman with it. She sighed and looked gratefully at Angelica. The picture of the room immediately disappeared. Our heroes were facing with a huge lake of blood. They could hear heart-breaking eerie shrieks from the lake – and people’s heads picked out of the blood lake. Their faces spoke unfeigned horror. They tried to get out stretching their hands to the girl and Vampire. “What a nightmare!” Angelica shivered. “Poor people!”

 

“I have told you that each person creates their own hell. It is the choice of these people. Take courage, we have to go through them.”

 

“Never!” Lica said in horror.

 

“No turning back! You won’t be able to come out of the well without my help. You will get in someone’s illusion and go missing. So we must move on. Give me your hand! I’ll help you!”

 

“No!” cried the girl. “I’ll do it myself...”

 

The Prince looked at her suspiciously, but said nothing.

 

He first stepped onto the surface of the bloody lake. Ironically, it had sustained, and the Vampire moved forward. He was walking over the heads of dead people, who tried to come up, and if someone grabbed him by the leg, the Prince mercilessly kicked them with his boots. Lica took a deep breath and also followed him. Screams were ringing in her ears, but she tried not to look at them. Suddenly under her feet she heard a familiar voice.

 

“Angelica! Save me!”

 

She looked down and saw Sofia. She stretched out her arms, spitting blood out.

 

“Sofia! How did you get here?” Lica was shocked.

 

“Michael has gone back to the Well and I have followed him. I couldn’t imagine what a horror was here!”

 

Suddenly Angelica felt that her legs started to sink in the slurry of blood.

 

“Prince!” she cried. “Help me, Prince!”

 

The Vampire immediately turned back and gave Lica his hand.

 

“Cleek!” he shouted.

 

For a moment she thought about amulet, but then took it off and decisively threw it away. Then she held out her hand to the Prince and he began to pull her out of this bloody mess. Then he caught her up and walked forward quickly.

 

“It was Sofia!” cried the girl. “She’s there! We have to help her!”

 

“If she is there - we are not able to help her. It is a collective illusion. Too much energy is involved.”

 

Lica burst of tears on the Prince’s shoulder.

 

“Take it easy!” the Vampire said quietly. “May be, it was not Sofia. You have mistaken. There are many traps in the Well of Oppression, so you should watch your back.”

 

Soon “Bloody Lake” was over, and Lica saw beautiful valleys.

 

The Prince gently lowered her down and said:

 

“It is Hell Valley. Next, our paths are going to diverge. I am going to Hell and you are this way. I hope you will be able to meet with one of the Viatores.”

 

“But I’m afraid. What if I fell into someone’s illusion again?” “Impossible! The Hell Valley is a real place in the Well of Oppression. And if you do not leave it outside, you are not in danger. Believe me! Do not respond anybody’s cries or requests for help, take no notice to what you see outside the valleys - and you’ll be perfectly safe. Walk here and there... It’s not the worst place in Hell, believe me. And if you’re lucky enough you may meet at least one of the Viatores – then ask him how to win the evil!”

 

“Okay,” said Lica. “And when are you coming back?”

 

“I will try as soon as possible!” the Prince of Vampires as-sured her.

 

He turned and, making only two steps to the side, disap-peared. The girl had even frozen in surprise.

 

“Wow!” she said finally. “And indeed, it is an illusion. But I have forgotten to ask how these Viatores, look like. Now I do not know who I am looking for.”

 

Angelica turned to the wide valley and set out in search of the Viatores. The Hell Valley was a pretty attractive place. There was light, although she did not understand where this wonderful pink light was coming from. It seemed as if you walking at the sunset. Fresh green grass was shuffling under her feet. She could see a lot of unknown plants but they fit so perfectly in the landscape that Lica did not pay attention to them. The only thing that alarmed Angelica was the complete lack of insects. No buzzing flies, no flying mosquitoes and midges, no butterflies and dragonflies. Even no ants and beetles among the green grass. At first it piqued her, but then she moved on to look for the Viatores.

 

Lica did not know how much time passed, but she was sure that she had been walking for several hours. However, she had not met anybody yet. Nothing disturbed the peace and quiet of this wonderful place. Angelica was so tired that she just fell into the grass exhausted and began to look into the pink sky. Then she felt some movement in the pink gauze. Lica started to look narrowly. It seemed to her that a huge white cloud is moving away from her to the border of Hell Valley.

 

“Wait!” the girl cried. “I can see! I can see you!”

 

She jumped up and ran after the “cloud.” It stopped and suddenly gained a clearer shape. Now Lica could see a figure looked like a man, but he was not less than fifteen meters tall. It was shaky and transparent, but still differentiated from the pink valley.

 

“Hello!” Angelica cried. “Are you a Viatore? I’ve been look-ing for you!”

 

For a few minutes the figure was looking at the girl mutely and Lica could almost physically feel as if someone was rummaging in her brain. Suddenly she heard a soft voice in her mind:

 

“I see... The people in the kingdom need our help. But we just bystanders, and have no right to interfere in the struggle of good and evil. If only does one of the side far outweigh, we will have a right.”

 

“Now it is a case in point!” cried the girl. “The old evil had been released and we are unable to help ourselves! Is it allowable?” The Viatore fell to thinking. Then Lica heard his voice in her  head again:

 

“We will come to the battle and watch it. If it is so, as you are saying, we will have to balance your powers.”

“And do you know how to return the evil back into the abyss?” “Your friend will tell you.”

“Which friend?” Angelica cried, but the Viatore did not say a word.

A moment later he turned into a white cloud and floated away from the Hell Valleys.

“But why?!” screamed the girl in annoyance. “Why didn’t he say anything?”

She tried to catch him up but couldn’t...

 

Tired and annoyed, Lica sat in the grass waiting the Prince of Vampires. He appeared in two hours. The Prince came from nowhere. He looked extremely nervous.

“Prince!” Lica was glad. “How long I have been waiting for you! Frankly, I’m tired of this place. Have you found out anything?”

 

“Yes a little...”

 

The Vampire sat on the grass next to the girl and continued: “The evil is much older than Hell and the Devil. We have delved all magic books, and only in the oldest one we could find a mention about these spirits. To catch them back into the abyss, we need to find another sorcerer.”

 

“What do you mean?” Angelica did not understand.

 

“We must find someone who will be able to seal them in the abyss of his heart. As you know, I am not good for this, because I am heartless.”

The Vampire smiled and continued:

 

“He must be a very powerful sorcerer who is able to cope with the old evil. So I am wondering who it could be. By the way, Angelica, have you met with the Viatore?”

“Yes! I have seen one of them. He wasn’t very talkative.” The Prince’s eyes flashed.

“What did he say? Please, tell me word for word.”

 

“He said that they were only bystanders and were not going to interfere in the fight between good and evil. But when I said that

 

 the evil’s power is bigger, the Viatore promised me to come and balance the enemy forces.”

“Good,” the Prince breathed out. “You were very lucky – you could persuade the Viatore to participate. I admire you more and more.”

And the Vampire impulsively grabbed Angelica’s hand and passionately kissed her.

“Prince,” Lica murmured, “it’s time to go! As a matter of fact, I’d rather quickly get out of here.”

“Let’s go,” the Vampire agreed.

 

He stood up and helped her up as well. After that, the Prince unhanded Lica even for a second. They had set off back.

Angelica dreaded to see that “Bloody Lake” again, but instead, our heroes found themselves in a dirty and cold hospital room. They saw a very thin and haggard old man on the narrow bed; he was crying.

 

“Young lady,” he turned to Lica. “Give me a pain killer! I can’t stand this pain anymore.”

“Just a minute,” said Angelica.

 

She pulled the Vampire to the old man and lightly poked him into the hand with her little finger.

“Done,” she said. “Now you must feel better.”

 

She saw the tension disappeared from the face of the old man.

 

“Thank you,” he muttered.

 

A minute later the old man was asleep.

 

“You’re too sensitive,” said the Prince. “Come on, hurry up.” And he led the way. Next they saw some more someone’s

 

terrible illusions...

 

A maniac was sawing someone into pieces with chainsaw, wolves were ripping someone and someone went mad with loneliness...

Lica could not see this horror any more. She just clung to the Vampire’s arm and silently followed him. The girl did not remember how they got to the exit. She was quite delusional and woke up only in the saddle...

The night in the castle of vampires

 

 

The Lord of Vampires was riding with Angelica and her horse was running after them.

 

“Prince,” she murmured, “what a blessing that you are!” And Lica sobbed on the Vampire’s shoulder.

 

“I understand, Angelica, that today’s adventure has unsettled you,” quietly said the Lord of Vampires. “You need to get some rest. In my castle, you can sleep well, and tomorrow we will go to see the Prince and the King of Goblins.”

 

Lica remembered with horror that she had thrown the amulet, given her by Margo, in the Well of Oppression. But she was got coming and going... However, spending the night in the Fields of Ghosts, with lots of werewolves, wasn’t a good idea either.

 

Meanwhile, the Lord had entered the courtyard of his castle.

 

His servants immediately rushed to meet him.

 

“Prepare her apartments next to my room!” ordered the Prince.

 

“Things are getting worse and worse,” Angelica thought, but said nothing.

 

The Prince dismounted and helped the girl down. Then he gave his hand and led her to the castle.

 

“Lay the table in a small hall immediately!” the Prince continued to give orders. “A fried meat for the girls and as usual – for me!”

 

“Just half an hour everything will be ready!” said a tall, thin vampire.

 

“I see, that you are very tired,” said the Lord of Vampire turning to Lica, “but we have to wait a little, until dinner is cooked and your room is tidy. Nobody has expected a visitor here today.”

 

“Of course,” she nodded.

 

They went into in a small room next to the small hall.

 

“Would you like a glass of red wine,” said the Vampire.

 

“Is it wine?” Angelica asked suspiciously.

 

“Do you really think that I’ll pour you the blood?” the Prince laughed.

He took two glasses and a bottle of wine from the bar and filled each one half.

“Drink, please,” said the Prince, giving her a glass of wine. “You need to relax.”

Lica took a pull, and the heat began to spread throughout her body. “You have blushed,” the Vampire smiled. “How do I love your 

velvet skin!”

 

“Tell me, Prince, why aren’t you married yet?” now brave enough Lica asked.

“I haven’t found the one single yet. Although now I’m not so sure...”

The Vampire put unfinished glass of wine on the table, walked up and down the room, sat in the chair and stared at the girl.

 

“Tell me, Angelica, would you agree to marry me?” “But you’re immortal, and I am not!”

“I can change it,” the Lord of Vampire smiled ironically. “Are you speaking at me; should I become a vampire? But I think if I become similar to all your women - with pale skin, sunken eyes and dull hair - you will go off me very quickly, won’t you, Prince?”

 

The Vampire thought, and then said quietly:

 

“Maybe you’re right.”

 

“And more, if I become a vampire, I will never be able to give you heir, because I will be dead. So if not... you will have a little chance!”

The Prince stared at Lica, but said nothing. At this moment a servant entered and announced that the table was set.

The Lord of Vampire gave Lica his hand, and they went to the dining room. Angelica expected to see raw meat with blood, but she had been mistaken. There was everything that your heart desired. Even a fruit tray was on the table. However, the Prince didn’t touch any food; he was only drinking something from a high goblet. But Lica was so hungry that did not hesitate to eat enough. After dinner, the Lord of Vampire showed the girl her room and said:

 

“My room is next to yours. If you need something, you are welcome!”

“Thank you.”

 

Angelica went to her bedroom and was astonished by its luxury. In the middle of the room there was a large canopied bed, next to it there was an elegant armchair with clean clothes on it. Lica locked the door and change clothes quickly. Then she dived under the blanket and fell asleep. However she could not sleep very well! Angelica suffered from nightmares. She saw Sophia pulling her bloody hands and asking for help, then a dying old man begging to kill him and stop torture ... The girl woke up in a cold sweat. Her heart was just in her mouth. She jumped out of the bed, dressed up and began pacing the room. But she couldn’t calm down. In a moment Angelica was so afraid that she could not be alone any more.

 

The girl slowly pushed the bar and opened the door. The vampires -servants were quite far from her room and standing back.

 

“Excellent,” thought Lica.

 

She tiptoed out of the bedroom and went to the Prince’s room.

 

“And what if his room locked?” she thought with horror. Angelica pushed the door and it opened easily. The girl slipped into the Lord of Vampires apartment. A dim candle was burning in the room. Surprisingly, the Prince was not sleeping. He was sitting on the window sill with wide open window, looking up at the starry sky. He was wearing open shirt and black trousers tucked into boots. Hearing the creak of the door, the Vampire turned around and saw the girl.

 

“Angelica?” he asked. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Prince,” breathed Lica, “I cannot sleep at all. I saw night-mares with seas of ​blood. May I stay with you a little?”

“Yes, come in,” the Prince shrugged.

 

“And why are not you sleeping?”

 

 “Vampires do not sleep.”

 

“But why do you have this bedroom then?”

 

“I thought you were a big girl and had to guess,” the Vampire Prince smiled. “But if seriously, then I usually have a rest here. Sometimes you just need to be alone. Come in, please, sit down in the armchair!”

 

“If it’s possible, I’d rather sit down on the windowsill with you? I love looking at the stars!”

“You know... so, do I!”

 

The Lord of Vampires moved slightly, and Angelica sat down near him.

“Can I ask you something?” she said.

 

“Ask.”

 

“What is your name? Everybody always say Prince, Prince! It makes me sick to hear.”

The Vampire laughed...

 

“Nobody has asked me about that for a long time,” he said. “My name is Arthur.”

“Just like King Arthur!” Lica blurted out.

 

“What?” the Prince did not understand.

 

“Forget about that! Once upon a time there lived famous King Arthur.”

“Can you tell me about him?”

 

“Next time, okay?”

 

Arthur took the girl’s hand and kissed her gently.

 

“Tell me, Angelica,” he said, “and about my heir; was it seri-ously saying today?”

“Absolutely,” she assured him without batting an eye.

 

“You know, at first I liked you because your beauty, but later I saw that you are very intelligent and brave. That’s unusual for a pretty girl. So I was thinking about my bachelorhood.”

Lica looking at his bottomless eyes realized that she was losing her head again. She gave his black as night hair a smooth, leaned over and kissed him. Arthur strained her in his arms. His breath hitched, and veins appeared on his high forehead under the thin skin. The girl moved aside a little, but did not completely.

 

“Angelica, you torture me,” the Prince sighed. “I have never wanted one as you. Be my woman, please!”

 

“Arthur, I am losing my head when I am with you. But you forget about my fiancées. And I cannot be false with them. Give me a little more time!”

 

“This defeats me,” whispered the Vampire and strained her in his arms again.

 

He passionately stuck her lips, and his hands started to undo button on her blouse.

 

“You are tempting me! Don’t you think that you have come to my room and I let you go?” he said quickly.

 

Then Angelica felt strange metamorphosis inside her. Suddenly she wasn’t a weak and naive girl but experienced sensual woman. Passion had muddled her. She jumped from the window sill, grabbed Arthur’s hand and pulled him. The shocked Prince did not even resist. Lica took him to bed and pushed. Arthur fell on the pillows, staring in amazement at the girl. And Angelica climbed on top of him and pressed his hands to the bed. Then she began to kiss him passionately - on the lips, neck, chest, lower and lower... The Prince groaned and leaned toward the girl. And then the cold sobering thought literally pierced her brain...

 

“What am I doing?” she thought. “I will lose both Edward and Swein!”

 

But to refuse Arthur Angelica also did not want to...

 

And it was incredibly difficult for her to pull herself together. She quickly pulled away from the Prince, jumped out of the bed and went to the window. Blood had pounded in her temples, heart was beating quickly.

 

The Lord of the Vampires came up to her, put his arm around her shoulders and buried his face in her long hair.

 

“You go to hell if you continue goofing on me! That’s where we’ll meet!”

 

She turned to Arthur and whispered:

 

“I’ll go crazy! But ... there’s something I need to decide before I become yours. You’ve been waiting so long, Prince, please, wait some more. I beg you!”

 

“Strange ... I would say “no” to any other woman. But with you I feel like a confused boy. I’m losing my head and you are turning me round your finger. I cannot refuse you. But I do not know what I will do, if you choose another man!”

 

And Arthur began kissing Lica again.

 

“Prince, Prince!” cried the girl, feeling his body tenses. “We are going to have a hard day, and I haven’t slept yet. Let me get some rest!”

 

“My bed is at your disposal!”

 

“But...”

 

“Do not worry! If I give my word, I will wait for your deci-sion, and will not hurt you.”

 

“Excellent! Maybe next to you I will not have nightmares.” Angelica slipped from the Prince’s embrace and jumped into the bed. Arthur laughed.

 

“But you are going to sit there on the windowsill,” said Lica. “Otherwise, I will beat with my pillow!”

 

“Agreed,” the Prince smiled.

 

The girl put her hand under the soft pillow and soon fell asleep.

The Prince’s requirement

 

Lica woke up because a fresh breeze was cooling a skin on her ear. The girl opened her eyes and looked around. She saw Arthur beside her, leaning on a pillow and slowly blowing on her.

 

“Prince?” Angelica surprised. “What are you doing?”

 

“I’m trying to wake you up. But you enjoyed a balmy sleep so much that I would not risk just call you. It’s time to meet with your friends.”

“Okay,” nodded Lica. “I am ready, so we can go right now.”

 

“Would you like to have breakfast?”

 

“Oh, no! Yesterday I ate so much that I wouldn’t be hungry for a long time.”

 

“Well, let’s go downstairs. Our horses are waiting for us!” Angelica got up, shook the hair and went after Arthur. While they were coming, the Prince gave final instructions  to his servants. In the yard he helped Lica to climb on the horse, and after that jumped on his horse.

 

“Well, come on!” he said, and pulled the reins.

 

The riders left the yard and raced toward Sleepy Lake. The Vampire’s Prince’s face became cold again. Angelica felt as if all that happened in Arthur’s room at night was only her dream! Suddenly the girl’s horse neighed and she heard neighing ahead.

 

“They have been already waiting for us,” said the Prince. Indeed, soon they saw the silhouettes of two riders under a tall spreading tree. Shortly afterwards Angelica and Arthur came up to them. It was Swein and Edward.

 

“Hello, Prince, and thank you for having saved my soul from the Well of Oppression,” said Prince Night.

 

“Do not thank me, but my lovely companion,” the Lord of Vampires said coldly.

 

“Of course,” Edward smiled.

 

He came closer to the girl and said:

 

“And thank you, my lovely Angelica!”

 

With these words, the Prince kissed Lica’s hand. Arthur’s eyes glared unkindly and Swein only screwed his face into a smile.

 

“Prince, I think we are not here to exchange pleasantries,” the Vampire said coldly.

 

“Yes, Prince! The circumstances are such that we are forced to ask your help. I think Angelica has already put you in the swing of things, and it is not necessary to explain you everything in details.”

 

“Of course!” the Vampire nodded. “But you and the Goblins’ King haven’t known yet where I and Angelica had been. We went into the Well of Oppression, to find the answer for the question - how to get the evil back into the abyss? The result was very disappointing... Our armies can fight with the evil in the form of monsters endlessly, but we will never over-come them. In order to lock the evil spirits in the abyss, you need to find the sorcerer who will agree to seal the way from the other world into ours with his soul. He must be a pagan, capable to control the elements. Usual people here are helpless in this case.”

 

“We didn’t know that,” Swein said slowly.

 

“Yes...” the Prince Edward said. “It significantly changes our plans. We have already been ready to attack and were only waiting for your decision, Prince.”

 

“I will agree to join your army, if only you find a sorcerer! Otherwise, I see no reason to settle my men hash.”

 

“Gentlemen, I’m sorry, that I am chopping into men’s con-versation,” loudly said Angelica, “but I can see only one way out

 

– we should first go to Margo!” Men looked at each other.

“But Margo is not a pagan!” said Swein.

 

“Wait, she is right,” said Edward. “The main thing is that Margo is the witch. Who, if not her, knows all the sorcerers?”

“Margo?” the Vampires’ Prince Surprised. “Are you talking  about the witch who lives on the other side of the kingdom?”

“Yes, we are, Prince!” Angelica smiled. “She has known you as well and told me a lot of good things about you.”

The Lord looked at Lica and grinned.

 

“Well, gentlemen! We need to make a decision!” the Prince Edward said. “Prince, why don’t we go all together to the witch right now?”

“No, save me from that,” the Vampire smiled. “We have al-ready met once, and we had a little misunderstanding. So ride to the witch without me. And I will go back to the castle to prepare for the war. When you find the sorcerer and specify the war date, send me a messenger. I will join your army. Just hurry up! The old evil will not wait long.”

 

“Of course, Prince. It is in our common interest,” said Edward. “We are leaving immediately.”

 

“Prince, I’ll go with you! I need to talk to Margo!” Lica said quickly.

 

The Vampires’ Prince approached the girl, kissed her hand and said quietly:

 

“Goodbye, Angelica! I hope you will not forget about our conversation?”

 

“No!” the girl promised him.

 

The Vampire said goodbye to the Goblins’ King and Prince Edward, turned his horse and rode away.

 

“If it is not a secret, what conversation?” asked Swein riding closer.

 

“And that’s really personal!” Lica retorted.

 

“I see you are too independent,” continued speaking maliciously Swein. “Did not even afraid to go out of the cave at night...”

 

The girl blushed, but said nothing.

 

“Okay, Swein, enough!” the Prince Edward laughed. “And you, Angelica, I want to say that we were worried about you, when you suddenly disappeared from Margo’s house.”

 

“I had a reason, Prince,” said Lica and stared at Swein.

 

He did not look away. So they looked at each other for a long time. She could not understand what now prevails in her heart for Swein - love or hatred?!

 

“Stop it!” the Prince Night said loudly. “We do not have time for sorting your relationships out now. Swein, show us the way to Margo!”

 

The Goblins’ King nodded and silently turned his horse. He rode along the Sleepy Lake and Prince with the girl followed him. Edward caught up with Lica and remarked:

 

“We are lucky! Swein has found a new enchanted path that will lead us straight into the mountains. And the cave of the sorcerer is at hand.”

 

“Brilliant! Frankly, I’m awfully tired these days, especially the trip into the Well of Oppression.”

 

“But why did you go there? Didn’t the Lord stop you?”

 

“On the contrary, he insisted that I followed him. The fact is that there is Hell Valley in the Well.”

 

“Oh yes, I remember this place!” the Prince smiled. “It’s the most wonderful place in the whole of the Underworld. There you can meet the Viatores.”

“Do you know about them?” Angelica amazed.

 

“Of course! After all, I have spent a lot of time in the Well... Unfortunately; the Viatores do not contact with the restless souls.”

“And neither do they with heartless creatures, like the Prince of Vampires,” said Lica. “That is why the Prince insisted on my presence there.”

“Are you saying you have talked to the Viatore?” the Prince Night surprised.

Swein heard Edward and Angelica’s conversation and slightly slowed his horse.

“I tried to persuade them to help us.”

 

“I have also heard about the Viatores,” chimed in the Goblins’ King. “They said to watch the play between good and evil and never interfere.”

“That’s true,” Lica agreed. “But I managed to convince one of them that now the superiority on the side of the evil. He promised to come to the battlefield and balance our forces.”

“Wow!” even more astonished the Prince. “I just admire your intelligence and courage!”

He approached Lica and kissed her hand again. At this time, a thick fog enveloped the riders.

“We are in the enchanted path,” said Swein.

 

For some time they were riding in silence. Soon the fog got dissipating and the riders came to the mountains.

“Excellent!” Edward exclaimed. “It looks like the path has not changed its direction yet, and we are exactly where we need.”

 

“Yes,” the Goblins’ King nodded. “We only need to go down and around this mountain.”

He dismounted and took the horse by the bridle.

 

“Angelica, get down!” Swein grinned. “You cannot ride here.”

 

Edward and Lica got down from horses and also walked leading their horses. The slope was quite steep. Horses were neighing and setting their hooves against. Here and there small stones were rolling down. Finally, the Goblins’ King showed them out to a narrow footpath. They were going much easier now and the animals calmed down a bit. Our heroes were rounded the mountain and came straight to the cave of the sorcerer.

 

Accident

 

 

“Hooray!” Angelica exclaimed. “I’m so glad that we have come at last! Actually, I’d rather have some hot tea now... and sit in an armchair. I’m so tired of horses, mountains and all this stuff.”

 

“Shall I help you!” Edward gave her his hand. “I think Margo has already known that we came.”

 

It was so; at the entrance Elsa has been waiting for them, she rushed to meet them and embrace the girl.

 

“You’re alive,” she continuously repeated. “I am so happy for you! I thought you wouldn’t come back from the vampires!”

 

The witch came out to them. She also held her arms out and pressed her to heart.

 

“You’re  devil’s  own  luck,  my  dear!”  she  said  smiling.

 

“Welcome back! Well, let’s go! Dinner is ready!” Margo said to all.

 

“I need to go to the bathroom; can you wait me for five min-utes, please?” the girl asked the witch. “Only watch the men to stay here with you until I come out.”

 

“Okay,” the witch laughed. “Why is that or it has already happened before?”

 

“Just in case...” Angelica jumped the line.

 

She quickly had a bath. Then went to the hall and joined them.

 

“So, tell me!” the hostess of the cave asked our heroes. “If the Prince of Vampires has agreed to help you?”

“Yes, he has promised,” Prince Edward answered. “But we have some problems! Could you tell, Angelica?”

“I and the Prince of Vampires went down into the Well of Oppression,” Lica started her story, “and have found that in order to overcome the evil; we need to find the sorcerer who will agree to seal the entrance to the underworld with his soul. Moreover, he must be a pagan sorcerer and be able to control the four elements...”

 

“And the Prince agrees to join us only if we find this sorcer-er,” added Swein.

“That’s why we came to you, dear Margo! Because who, if not you must know all the sorcerers and witches!” Edward finished.

 

Margo was staring at the ceiling in silence. Then she rose and began walking thoughtfully across the room. Finally, she said:

“I must leave you for a short time. While you may finish your dinner!”

The witch came out of the hall; Angelica, Swein and Edward continued eating. Elsa was an excellent cook. And Lica had never seen so many delicious dishes before.

At dinner, the girl was quietly watching the Prince and the King. Edward was smiling and open, but Swein avoided eye contact with Lica and did not even try to start talking to her. Angelica felt guilty.

 

“It was my fault,” mentally she blamed herself. “If I hadn’t left the stiletto, Swein would not have found it and blackmailed me later. He was just scared that I would meet the Prince Edward so easily, that is why he had decided to pick up the knife from me. And at night I came to his room myself! I seduced him! I must be owned he was at his best...”

 

In the end the girl so much rubbed herself in that she decided to talk to the Goblins’ King and say sorry. Meanwhile Prince Night raised his glass of wine and said:

“I have a toast!”

 

He looked at Lica and said:

 

“My dear Angelica! I want to raise my glass to you! To your wit, beauty and courage! I am happy that fate has given me chance to meet with you and I will never forget the ball, when I first kissed you!”

 

Swein choked over when he heard that, apologized and quickly left the room. Lica took wine with Edward and drank a couple of wonderful tots.

 

“Edward,” she said after a pause. “I’m also very glad that I have met you. Thank fate that I have known about the Kingdom of Night! For all the adventures and events that have happened to me here, and I hope will happen in future!”

 

The Prince rose from the table, came to the girl and impulsively kissed her.

 

“Angelica, if you knew how much I missed you! Every day, every moment, I was thinking about you. I have wanted to talk to you about our future...” he said passionately.

 

Lica slipped from the table, dodging Prince Edward. “Prince,” she murmured, “in my mind it is not the best time to discuss our future! First, we are not alone, and secondly, we have more important thing right now- we have to win the evil! And after that we will be able to talk about the future.”

 

“Well, I see...” the Prince Night said.

 

At that moment the witch came into the hall.

 

“Where is Swein?” she asked. “I have left you for a while and you are not together. Or didn’t you like my dinner?”

 

“We did!” exclaimed Lica. “Elsa, you have surpassed your-self! I had never eaten such delicious dishes before!”

 

“Dinner was very good,” praised her Edward. “Swein had choked a little and apparently decided to walk.”

 

“In any case, I need you all here now!”

 

“Then I’ll go and look for Swein!” the Prince said.

 

“No, Edward, I must talk to you. And, Angelica, could you find the Goblins’ King, please!”

 

She nodded and, with a sigh of relief, left the hall.

 

In the first room she met Elsa.

 

“Elsa, the witch asked me to find the Goblins’ King. Have you seen him?”

 

“Yes, I have! He swept past me and ran out of the cave. He looked shot and killed! Is anything wrong?”

 

“I don’t know,” answered the girl. “I’ll find the King and ask him!”

 

“Shall I go with you?”

 

“No, thank you! I know this place very well!”

 

And Angelica resolutely left the cave. It was a beautiful night. The sky was cloudless. The full moon lit up all around, and the stars were jolly twinkling.

 

Lica looked around, but couldn’t see Swein anywhere. She went to the tree where their horses were, and found that the Goblins’ King’s horse wasn’t there.

 

Without hesitation, she untied her horse, leaped into the saddle and rode toward the city of goblins. She raced down the road like a wind.

 

After some time she saw Swein’s damaged crypt in front. Suddenly the girl’s horse lifted its face, sniffed and whinnied. And soon another neighing was heard afar.

 

“So that’s the man my horse always reacts!” Lica grinned, remembering her horse was neighing when she and the Vampires’ Prince were approaching the King of Goblins last time. “My horse can feel the horse of Swein!”

 

And the girl turned to the ruins of the crypt. From afar Lica noticed his horse tied to the fence. Angelica jumped to the ground and tied her horse there.

 

Lica gently passed under the archway into the tumble - down tomb. Gently jumping from stone to stone, she finally made her way into the room. When she was here last time, she did not notice all this chaos. Now she could see that the tomb remained almost untouched. Only a big slab had crushed the coffin where the King’s body had been before. However, Angelica was more surprised see-ing that the wall with the portrait of a young man wasn’t harmed at all. Painted Swein was looking at her with his big mysterious eyes. Lica was admiring his beauty.

 

“Are you admiring the mess that you have done here?” sud-denly she heard a familiar voice behind her.

 

When the girl’s eyes adjusted to the darkness a little, and only then could she see the Goblins’ King, sitting on a large stone opposite the wreck.

 

“How did you find me?” he asked coldly.

 

“Intuition!” said Lica. “Honestly, I wanted to talk to you, Swein! I must apologize for my behavior last time.”

 

“Oh, quit playing games!” the Goblins’ King exclaimed irritably.

 

He shook his head and leaned against the wall.

 

“I do not know how I could fall into your trap! From the beginning it was clear who you were!”

 

Angelica flushed with indignation.

 

“Well who am I?” she said angrily.

 

“You are? Courtesan!” said the Goblins’ King pointedly. “You kissed Edward, and me, and perhaps, with the Prince of Vampires! Or maybe you’ve slept with him last night? I’m sorry for Edward! He cannot see your ‘true colours’!”

 

He stood up and walked slowly to Lica, smiling maliciously.

 

Blood rushed to the girl’s head.

 

“Ah, the ‘true colours’,” choking with indignation, she said, “ah, ‘courtesan’!”

 

She stepped forward and fetched a slap across his face.

 

Wicked spark flashed in Swein’s eyes.

 

“Never, you will never do it again!” he said sharply. “If you were not a girl, I would give you back!”

 

“So, that’s what you’re up to!” Angelica hit at Swein again. The Goblins’ King caught her hand. They stood facing each other and gazing into each other’s eyes. Swein was nervous-ly biting his lips. Suddenly Lica somehow twisted and struck Swein’s shoulder.

 

“I thought you were an ordinary cad!” she shouted. “But you have overstepped the bounds of decency! You have insulted me, not knowing anything you are throwing mud on me. I cannot stand it anymore. I challenge you to a duel with swords!”

 

“Duel! Perfect!” said Swein. “I’ll kill you here in my crypt, and then I’ll build a new headstone, next to my old one. Although you do not deserve that! Here you are!”

 

And the Goblins’ King threw a sword to the girl. Lica caught it and was ready to fight. Swein burst of laughing.

 

“Don’t be ridiculous!” he said.

 

“You are a stupid fool!” Lica said quietly. “You judge by ap-pearance and do not go into the essence.”

 

She stepped forward and struck her sword to the sword of the King.

 

“Oh,” Swein grinned. “And where have I mistaken?”

 

He parried and lunged at the girl. Angelica dodged the blade as she was taught at school of fencing.

 

“Wow!” the Goblins’ King was surprised. “Have you really learned anything?”

 

“And not only that,” the girl said shortly.

 

She quickly jumped from stone to stone and struck a blow on Swein coat, cutting it from the waist to shoulder. Swein kindled.

 

“It’s the luck of the draw!” he said. “You are a lady and I gave you a head start!”

 

He lunged toward Lica and struck on her left hand. It started bleeding.

 

“Well, you have had enough?” the Goblins’ King laughed. “Beg me, and I may take pity and won’t kill you!”

 

“Fortunately, I’m not a lefty!” Angelica retorted.

 

Ignoring the blood, she continued fighting.

 

“Well, you are stronger than I thought!” Swein was genuinely surprised. “Okay, you asked for it! I’ll kill you!”

 

And he again threw himself on the girl.

 

Lica began jumping from rock to rock, barely managing to dodge the King’s sword. At one moment she was able to make a well-directed attack and wounded the Goblin’s shoulder.

 

“This is for a courtesan!” she said.

 

Swein contrived and knocked the sword out of the girl’s hands. Angelica now was weaponless against the King.

 

“I do not kill defenseless!” said Swein.

 

 He jumped from stone to stone to get the fallen sword how then something unexpected happened. A huge chunk of the dilapidated walls fell covering the Goblins’ King...

“Swein!” cried Angelica hysterically. “It cannot be true, Swein!”

She rushed to the stone and began to drag it away. She couldn’t understand how but she managed to do it. Goblin was lying next to the fallen sword, heaped with plaster. Long blonde hair was mussed covering his face.

 

“Swein, what have you done, Swein!” Lica sobbed. “What a fool you are if you couldn’t see how much I love you!”

She brushed the hair from his face, and put her ear to his chest to hear his heart beating or not?

“Hooray!” cried the girl. “He is alive! He is alive! I will help him!” And she gave him a kiss of life. A few minutes later the

 

Goblins’ King took a deep breath, coughed and opened his eyes. “What are you doing?” he asked in surprise, trying to move

away from Lica.

 

However, it wasn’t so easy. He groaned again and fell down to the floor.

“Don’t move, I beg you,” said the girl. “You must have broken something!”

“Yes... I even can guess - what! First- my leg and second - a left rib... are you crying?”

Angelica turned and quietly dried her eyes.

 

“Well, if you are such a quick-witted,” she said, “stay here and wait unless I take your horse closer and help you to get on it.”

“Why are you doing that?” the Goblin’ King laughed. “Only five minutes ago you were ready to kill me!”

“I didn’t, but you did want to kill me!” the girl retorted. “And I was just going to teach a jumped-up young man.”

“Help me up,” asked Swein.

 

Lica leaned over him and girdled Swein’s waist. His face crumpled with pain but he said nothing. Then, with Lica’s help, the Goblin sat up on a nearby stone.

 

“Thank you,” he nodded. “But you did not answer me, why you were crying?”

 

Angelica was angry.

 

“Swein!” she said sharply. “How do you think I should feel if I was absolutely sure that that wall has hammered you out into a pancake? You are the only link of goblins with the outside world! You have not finished your mission yet! And what would have happened to them if you had died because of me! I would never forgive myself!”

 

“Is that all?” muttered the Goblins’ King. “And I have heard that you love me, haven’t I? And you called me a fool...”

 

“Well, you weren’t unconscious, were you?” Lica gasped. She was confused and did not know what to say. Swein smiled.

 

“Hoot!” Angelica cried and ran at him with her fists.

 

“Well where is your broken rib?” she cried. “I’ll break you another one!”

 

Goblin grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him. It looked that it wasn’t easy for him. He grew pale; drops of sweat had come out on his high forehead.

 

“Why are you so bad-tempered?” he whispered and kissed her passionately.

 

Then he pulled back and bit his lip in pain. Angelica realized that Swein felt very bad.

 

“Wait,” she said shortly.

 

The girl immediately went out of the tomb and ran to the fence to Swein’s horse. Then she led it through the ruins to the, sitting on the stone, young man, and said:

 

“Swein, hang on me and try to climb into the saddle.”

 

The Goblin nodded, threw his hands over Lica’s waist and stood up. Then he carefully climbed into the saddle, although it was a great effort for him.

 

“Now hold on!” the girl said, and led the horse by the bridle to the exit from the ruins of the crypt.

 

Swein was silent, but Angelica guessed that he was very bad. The Goblin’s King was pale, the sweat rolled down his face, and his eyes closed time to time.

 

“Offer it up,” Lica whispered to her. “I nearly killed you and I will save you!”

 

When they got to the fence, she untied her horse, sat in the saddle and said:

 

“Swein, only hold on! I will ride horses.”

 

The King nodded. Angelica went forward, leading Swein’s horse behind.

 

On the road she spurred her horse and they raced in the light of the bright moon towards the cave of the witch. Lica was constantly looking back, fearing that the King would get worse or he would fall down. But he kept a stiff upper lip. Only when they were at the foot of the mountains, Swein lied down throwing his arms around the horse’s neck.

 

“Darling, wait a little more,” the girl said quietly to herself. Soon she saw Margo, Elsa and Edward running towards

 

them.

Part 7. Margo’s plan

 

 

“Gosh!” Margo exclaimed. “What happened? What happened to Swein?”

 

“He’s been injured,” said Lica, jumping to the ground. “The wall in the crypt came upon him. His leg and rib have been broken.” “My poor boy!” the witch gasped. “Edward, Elsa, help me to get him to the cave. I will examine him immediately!”

 

The Prince Night and the maid rushed to help Swein; Angelica took horses and tied them to a tree. Five minutes later, the Goblins’ King had been taken to his room. The witch and Elsa stayed with him, and Prince went to Lica.

 

“What happened?” he turned to the girl. “You only had to find Swein but you disappeared for a few hours! What happened to the King?”

 

“I had found him in the crypt,” Angelica said wearily. “We had just started talking, as the wall went upon the King. I thought he was killed, but fortunately, Swein was alive. And then as soon as possible, I tried to take him here - to Margo’s. That’s my story.”

 

“But you have been injured too. You are covered with blood!” “Don’t be so tragic about it! I need to wash my face…”

 

The girl went to the bathroom. She washed and tidied herself. When Angelica came back into the room, the witch had been waiting for her. Edward was not there.

 

“Sit down,” Margo pointed. “We need to talk.” The girl obediently sat down on the sofa.

 

“Tell me what really happened to you? Have you got into hot water?”

 

“No,” Angelica shook her head. “It was an accident.”

“Edward has told me your story. But I was not born yesterday,  and I can distinguish fact from fiction ... For example, I can see the difference between the sword wound and the wounds left by the falling stone. The Goblins’ King has two sword wounds, one is on the shoulder and the second is from the shoulder to the waist. Stones do not leave such marks, my dear! And what is on your left hand, as I see it is not just a bruise, it’s a cut.”

 

Lica flushed, and hid her hand behind her back.

 

“I’ll tell you what,” Margo smiled, “stop playing the idiot and tell me the truth! The Prince has left for several hours. I sent him and Elsa to the city of goblins to bring some medicine. And now we have time to talk. And I may as well to heal your hand.”

 

The witch rose and left the room. Then she came back with a cloth soaked with some awfully smelly liquid and put it on the girl’s hand. It was so painful that Angelica jumped. But gradually the pain passed off and the wound stopped bleeding.

 

Margo sat down in the chair opposite Lica and looked at her intently. The girl looked down and said:

 

“First, tell me, how is Swein?”

 

“He is much better. I have stopped his wounds bleeding, put the bandage and gave him a painkiller. So now he is going to sleep at least until tomorrow!”

 

“Oh, as weight off my mind,” Angelica smiled. “And what about the cut on my hand, so you’re right. Swein was jealous of me to Prince Edward and the Lord of Vampires and insulted me and then I demanded satisfaction.”

 

“Did you? A duel?” the witch laughed. “Yeah... you are a devil in a skirt! But I did warn you that it is time to make a choice. Don’t lead men a dance for a long time, they never forgive you.”

 

“Yes, I’d love to, but I can’t! All of them are equally dear to me, each of them has something that the others haven’t, and they  seem to complement each other. First I went mad with love for Prince Edward, then I lost my mind because of Swein, and yesterday I nearly became the mistress of the Prince of Vampires. Maybe something’s wrong with me?”

 

Margo was thinking...

 

“No, you are all right,” finally she said slowly. “Just a little thing; with whole your fragile appearance you have a male character. You love freedom and want to make a choice yourself. In other words, you want to be equal with men, and it is quite difficult, my dear! Today Swein has nearly died. If that happened, the whole na-tion of goblins would have lost the only chance to live with a normal life. I beg you, be more tolerant!”

 

“Margo, I am so terribly sorry!” the girl burst of crying. “I’ll try to be wiser in the future.”

 

“Oh!” the witch surprised. “I thought you couldn’t cry, ‘the Iron Lady’!”

 

“And when the Prince is going to recover?” Lica asked weepingly.

 

“I guess in a month or half, no less. But I think it is a good thing.”

 

“Why?”

 

“You know, I was striking the problem that we need a sorcer-er, who can seal the entrance to the abyss with his soul. And then I remembered my cousin. A long time ago my uncle kicked him out of the house because he practiced with the pagan deities, spells and rituals a lot. However, I heard that my cousin did not stop it. He has gone out of our country and now lives somewhere in the mountains; he became a great pagan sorcerer. He can control the elements, and perhaps he will be able to bring the old evil to his heel. Anyway, I don’t know any other candidates. So... I want to ask you, Swein and Edward to find my cousin and convince him to help us. But in view of recent events, I realized that you cannot go together. Edward and Swein may fall out because of you. So it is a good thing that the Goblins’ King will stay here and has a rest. He is going to be safer here! But you, Angelica, and Edward will go to look for my cousin. Of course, you can ask me, why Edward won’t go alone? But I can say that if you were able to convince the Prince of Vampires to join the campaign against the evil, I hope you would persuade my cousin either. But I don’t think that Swein or Edward is good at being diplomats.”

 

“You are massaging my ego, thank you,” she blushed. “I will definitely go with Edward and try to persuade your cousin to help the Kingdom of Night.”

 

“You are a real soldier in your heart, Angelica! I always be-lieve in you!” Margo came to her and hugged Lica.

 

Then she pulled back and said:

 

“Now get some sleep. Tomorrow you are going to have a difficult day.”

 

The witch came out of the hall, and the girl put her feet up on the sofa as usual and fell asleep.

 

She woke up because someone was shaking her shoulder.

 

Lica opened her eyes and saw Elsa.

 

“How long have I been sleeping?” asked the girl.

 

“Almost ten hours!” the Goblin woman nodded. “And now Madam wishes to talk to you and Edward.”

 

“Is the Prince here?” Angelica asked.

 

“We have come together,” said Elsa.

 

Lica got up, shook her head a little to cause hair up, and said:

 

“Well, I’m ready! Can you tell Madam?”

 

The maid went out, and five minutes later the Prince and Margo entered the room.

 

“Did you sleep well?” the witch smiled, turning to Angelica. “This is good! Because I told you that your day was not going to be easy.”

 

She turned to Edward and invited him to sit down. Then she went up to Lica and sat down on the sofa.

 

“Prince,” Margo said. “I have already talked to Angelica about my cousin - a sorcerer. And now I want to ask you to go with Lica and found him! Only he is capable to cope with the old evil! Well, are you ready to set off such a dangerous journey?”

 

“Of course, if the Kingdom is in danger!” said Edward, not hesitating for a second.

 

“I never doubted you, Prince,” the witch smiled. “If so, you’d better go now, because in a few days I expect the hurricane season and the desert that is just around the mountains would be almost impassable.”

 

“And where does the sorcerer live?” the Night Prince asked. “I’m not sure. But when my uncle drove him out of the house, my cousin crossed the mountains and settled somewhere in the Heathen land.”

 

“It’s something like ‘to go somewhere - I do not know where and get something - I do not know what!’” Lica grinned.

 

“Not really... The desert is not really uninhabited. The nomadic tribes live there. Some of them are peaceful. But you of course you can meet violent ones. I hope you will be lucky! These people may know where the sorcerer lives now. As far as I know, they sometimes ask him for help.”

 

“Margo, may I ask you,” the girl appealed to the witch. “The fact is that before, when I was delayed in the Kingdom of Night, Henry using some magic could slow down time in my world. Now I totally depend on you. If I disappear for a long time, my parents will start looking for me and what about my study. Can you help me?”

 

“Naturally!” exclaimed the witch. “No matter how much time you have spent here, nobody at home will notice your absence!”

 

“Now I am relieved,” said Lica, “and we can start our journey.”

 

“Well, I am going to prepare the horses!” the Prince Edward said.

 

When he left the room, Margo came to Angelica and handed her a necklace of coins.

 

“Here you are!” she said. “My cousin once gave it to me. When he sees it, he will immediately understand who you are.”

 

“Thank you!” the girl said.

 

She put on the necklace around her neck and said:

 

“Can I see Swein before I leave?”

 

The witch nodded. Angelica immediately went into the corri-dor and came into the Goblins’ King’s room.

In quest of the sorcerer

 

 

Swein was lying on high pillows with the Book of Destiny on his knees. His shirt was open, so Lica could see that the King’s chest was tightly bound up with a white cloth.

 

“Does it hurt?” Lica asked quietly, pointing to the bandage. “So-so,” smiled Swein. “I have never expected that you will come to say goodbye before leaving.”

“Do you know about our journey?”

“Yes, Margo told me.”

 

“We need to find a sorcerer, or we won’t be able to win the evil,” the girl said slowly.

 

“It is very dangerous task! And this accident!” exclaimed the King.

 

He furiously fisted on the bed and lay back helplessly.

 

“I’m not even able to be with you and protect you...” he muttered. Angelica came closer and sat on the edge of the bed. She

 

palmed through his hair and whispered:

 

“Easy, Swein! You will get better soon and other adventure is waiting for us.”

 

King caught her hand and put it on his lips.

 

“I’m afraid you’ll forget me,” he said quietly. “You are going with Edward and he is a worthy rival.”

 

“Enough!” the girl stopped him. “I have known Edward for a long time so long that if I had wanted to, it would have already happened; I would have become either his mistress or fiancée.”

 

“That’s true!” laughed the Goblins’ King. “And what stops you, Angelica?”

 

“I cannot answer your question right now, Swein, because I cannot sort myself out. Perhaps this journey will give me the opportunity to think about it.”

 

The girl looked at the King. Candlelight fell on his face, and at that moment he was so lovely that Lica’s heart ached. She closed in and kissed Swein. The Goblins’ King could control his emotions, gasped and said:

 

“Please, promise me that you won’t forget me.”

 

“I swear!” the girl smiled. “Well, I have to go! Or if I stay more, I won’t go anywhere.”

 

She was about to rise, but Swein pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. Then pushed her, smiled, and said:

 

“No, you are not a randy, you are even worse! You are the energy vampire! Go, or I will not let you go.”

 

Lica flushed, but said nothing. She quickly turned around and left the Goblins’ King’s room...

 

Coming out of the cave, she saw that Elsa is binding a basket with food to the saddle of her horse and Margo is giving final instructions to Edward. Angelica mounted her horse and said:

 

“Well, I’m ready! What about you, Prince?” Edward turned around and nodded.

 

“Just be very careful!” the witch warned them once again. “Do not come across with the militant tribes! And one thing, Angelica, Swein asked me to give you this sword. It’s his sword, but now he is ill, so he believes that it is going to be of use in your journey.”

 

Margo handed the sword of Goblins’ King to the girl.

 

“Thank you!” said Lica. “And now it’s time!”

 

She tugged the reins and sent the horse into the mountains. The Prince Night followed her. They rode along the path on which last time Swein had led them to Margo’s cave.

 

“Angelica, what happened?” asked Edward. “You don’t look yourself.”

 

“I am okay,” said the girl. “Tell me, Edward, you know the way through the mountains?”

 

“Approximately,” Prince smiled. “My servants carry on trade with the neighboring nomadic tribes. We sell them food, clothes, gold, and they give us weapons, spices and precious stones. So I can show you the way. But one little thing this way is difficult for horses.” “It’s not a problem!” Lica noticed. “We can light off horses.” The path was going up all the time. At some point, Edward outstripped her and said that now they had to turn a bit from the previous route. They were riding for another two hours. Their horses began to stumble and stones were rolling out of their hooves.

 

“We have to walk now,” said the Prince Night. “It’s difficult for horses to climb the steep slope.”

 

Angelica nodded and jumped to the ground, and our heroes continued their way on foot. Horses snorted and refused to go. It was a great effort to drag them ahead. This had slowed them down and exhausting.

 

“I think we have to spend the night in the mountains,” Edward said. “I didn’t imagine that the road would be so difficult!” After a few hours, when our heroes were almost dead on their feet, Lica suddenly saw the cave.

 

“Look, Edward!” she exclaimed. “Here is the place where we can have a rest!”

 

“Excellent,” said the Prince, “or I am dropping with fatigue.” Travelers turned to the cave and tied their horses to the near-by bush.

 

“Wait a minute here,” said the Prince Night. “I have to check if there are no animals or poisonous snakes inside.”

 

He broke the branches of bushes wrapped them with oakum, which he had in his travel bag, and made a torch. Then he lit it, took his sword and went into the cave. Five minutes later Edward came out and shouted:

 

“It is not a cave; it is just a hole in the rock. But it’s better for us, because I have not found any snakes or animals; and they won’t be able to climb here outside. Come in and make yourself comfortable, and I am going to find some wood for the fire and a spring to water our horses.”

 

Tired girl went into the cave, which was quite bright lit with the torch, stuck into a crack between the stones. It was dry and spacious.

 

“Great place!” Angelica told herself.

 

And she began to clean the cave from rubbles, which were ev-erywhere around. Soon it was clean, flat place where they could have a rest. Lica came out and took some dry grass to make something looked like beds. When the Prince came, he didn’t recognize this place; he was very surprised that in such short time the girl managed to transform the cave. Edward brought some twigs and dry branches.

 

“I think that will be enough for a fire,” he said.

 

Angelica made a fireplace from the stones, put the wood and laid the fire. Soon the fire was burning brightly in the cave.

 

“You have hands of gold, Angelica!” said the Prince. “Who taught you?”

 

“We usually go hiking with the class,” the girl admitted.

 

“What?” Edward did not understand.

 

“Well, it’s such a kind of “picnic”,” Lica smiled.

 

“I see...” said the Prince Night slowly. “Okay, I am going to water the horses; I saw a spring near here.”

 

“Come back soon, and we will have dinner.” “Sure!”

 

The Prince Edward went out of the cave, and Angelica began to get some food out of the basket. Later, when the Prince came back they had dinner together.

 

“I do not know about you,” Lica turned to Edward, “but I want to sleep. I hope you don’t mind if I have a nap?”

 

“Of course!” the Prince Night nodded. “Go to bed and I will be your guard.”

 

He didn’t have to beg her for a long time. She immediately lay down on the dry grass and fell asleep. Four hours later Angelica woke up. She looked around the cave and saw that the fire was burning as well, and the Prince was sitting at the entrance, leaning back the stone...

 

“Edward, now it’s your turn to sleep,” said Lica. “Lie down, I will guard you now.”

 

“I don’t mind,” Edward smiled. “Frankly saying, I am very tired. But you have to promise me if any danger is you will wake me up immediately!”

 

“Do not doubt,” assured the girl. “I’m not fond of dealing with problems alone.”

 

The Prince Night went into the cave and lay down on the grass, and Angelica took the post of guard at the entrance. So she was sitting for two hours doing nothing, then she decided to warm her up. The girl came out of the cave and looked up at the starry sky. Suddenly some stones rolled down from the mountain.

 

Lica jumped aside and hid behind the nearest ledge. She tried to see what happened, but it was so dark that she could see nothing. However, the feeling that someone was watching them didn’t leave her. Angelica returned to her post at the entrance looking forward to when the Prince Edward woke up. Another three hours later the Prince finally opened his eyes and said:

 

“Good morning, Angelica!”

 

“Good morning!” she grinned. “Especially funny it sounds in the Kingdom of Night, where it is no sun!”

 

“Don’t laugh! Behind the mountains, in the desert, the day will change the night again, as usual,” said Edward, getting up.

 

“Prince,” Lica called Edward. “I suppose, no, I’m pretty sure that at night someone was near the cave. The stones rolled from the nearby rock.”

 

“You never know...” the Prince Night shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe animals.”

 

“No...” Angelica shook her head. “I distinctly felt that some-one was watching us.”

 

“Well, let’s wait and see! Sooner or later our night visitor will come,” Edward said.

 

He came out of the cave, checked the horses; Lica put the food into the basket and went after him. Soon our heroes moved on.

 

“The road here is much better,” the girl said.

 

“Probably, it is quite often used,” said the Prince.

 

After two hours the mountains suddenly ended. And the wide bottomless pit stretched in front of the travelers, after which it was possible to distinguish the dunes.

 

“And what we are going to do now?” asked Angelica.

 

“Look, over there - the bridge!” said Edward.

 

Riders came closer. Indeed, the wide hanging bridge was drawn through the gulf; it was quite wide even for horses to pass on it.

 

“The bridge is unstable!” the girl said. “If we take horses with us, we will risk falling into the abyss.”

 

“However without horses we won’t pass the desert!” the Prince retorted. “We’ll lead the horses by the bridle, one by one. I am first.”

 

He boldly entered the bridge and pulled his horse. He snort-ed, trying to stretch their hooves, but the Prince Night dragged him on wobbly boards. So, step by step, he overcame a terrible bridge. The Prince tied his horse on the other side of the abyss and went back to take Lica’s horse.

 

“Go ahead!” he told the girl.

 

Angelica went over the bridge, trying not to look down. At this moment, a strong gust of wind blew. The bridge swayed. Lica crashed to her knees and clutched the rails.

 

“It’s good that you are not on the bridge!” she told Edward. Finally she jumped on the other side and looked back. The

 

Prince was following her horse and safely transformed her. “Thank God!” the girl cried. “All’s well that ends well!” “Everything has just started,” said the Prince. “Look!”

 

The Prince Night pointed to the desert, and now Angelica real-ized what a hard way they had to challenge! Everywhere was only sand.

 

“Where are we going?” Lica asked.

 

“First we are going straight, and then we’ll see.” The travelers took their horses and went ahead.

The Desert

 

 

The orange sun limb appeared in the horizon.

 

“It’s Sun?” the girl was surprised.

 

“Yes, I have told you that it is regular place with day and night; however, it is not good for us. Daytime in the desert is such scorching that you can easily get a heat stroke.”

 

“I think it is morning now,” said Angelica. “But the sun is strange color; it’s orange!”

 

“It’s bad,” Edward said grimly. “It means the beginning of wind season, remember Margo told about it.”

 

“What are we going to do?” Lica was confused.

 

“Go on!” the Prince smiled.

 

And he pulled the reins. Riders raced across the sands to-ward the orange sun. They were riding for a few hours, but nothing changed. They saw only sand dunes around.

 

“Our horses are tired and thirsty,” said Edward. “We need to find an oasis.”

 

“Do you think that we can find an oasis in this place?” she asked incredulously.

 

“Yes, we can, because people live here. We need to find them! Wait here!”

 

And the Prince Night sent his horse forward and climbed the highest dune.

 

“Angelica!” he shouted. “The storm is coming! We must go back right now!”

 

The girl noticed how a swirling wind stream appeared be-hind the dune.

 

The Prince immediately turned his horse motioning Lica to follow him. The girl pulled the reins and let the horse into a gallop. However, the storm was approaching faster and faster. Soon their horses were snorting and gasping from the sand which was in their noses and eyes.

 

“Maybe we should look for shelter here?” Angelica shouted. At this point, they heard some screams and thirty riders came out of the sandy hill. All the people were dressed in long vests and turbans, which completely covered their heads and faces. Only  their eyes peeked out of their strange hats.

 

The Prince pulled up his horse, turned to Lica and said:

 

“It’s a bad luck! This is a warlike tribe! We are going back - into a storm! They will not dare to follow us!”

 

Edward turned his horse, grabbed Angelica’s horse bridle and rushed away.

 

But nomads apparently decided not to lose their prey. With loud shouts and cries, they rushed after them. The storm was feeding ... Five minutes later one couldn’t see what was just a few meters away. The Prince Night spurred his horse trying to keep Lica’s also.

 

 For a moment he accidentally dropped Lica’s horse’s reins and a frightened animal shrank aside.

 

“Edward!” cried the girl.

 

But the wind stifled her scream. Angelica’s horse broke into a gallop. The girl couldn’t stay in the saddle and at full galloping fell into the sand. The hit was so strong that Lica fainted for a few minutes. The sand layer upon layer was covering the girl’s body.

 

When Angelica woke up and opened her eyes, she did not understand where she was. She was in a tent on a colorful soft mattress, and there was nobody around. Lica got up, looking around. At this moment a tall man in a long white vest and turban came into the tent. His face was completely hidden, but his eyes were young and solicitous.

 

“I am Isa!” he introduced himself. “I am your translator. Our hakim liked you and tomorrow you are going to be his woman!”

 

“Anything to make it tougher,” she thought, and asked aloud:

 

“And where is your hakim?”

 

“He has gone to find your companion.”

 

“Well, thank God, Edward was not caught!” Lica was happy.

 

“And you are here to watch me, aren’t you?” she asked.

 

“Yes, you are right!” the man said calmly.

 

She realized that until now she is not in danger, and became a little more courageous.

 

“Tell me, Isa,” she turned to the stranger, “your hakim doesn’t have a woman?”

 

“He does have eight wives, you will be the ninth!”

 

“Calm down!” tried to think about it the girl. “I cannot be in harem because I will never break away! I have to pluck the fruits when the hakim isn’t here and try to escape!”

 

“Are you married, Isa?” Angelica asked the man.

 

“No, I am a warrior!”

 

“If you were a simple warrior, you would not know my lan-guage, would you? As I see very few people in your tribe can speak my language.”

 

It seemed to Lica that the man looked at her with interest. “You are asking too many questions,” Isa said coldly. “I am going outside, if you need something, I’ll be near the tent - call me!”

 

He turned around and went out.

 

“D’oh!” cursed Lica. “It’s unlikely to run away right now. This ‘warrior’ will overtake me at one stroke and then secure me. Then – welcome to harem! And for sure he is not alone here. I must think carefully!”

Nervously, she was coming up and down the tent.

 

“I need to touch a string in his heart and take off his guard,” said the girl to herself. “He maybe be touched and let me go!”

 

However, the image of the man in a vest and turban was frightening her. A couple of hours passed. The door of the tent opened and Isa came in. He was carrying a flatbread, with a bunch of grapes, plums and raisins on it.

 

“Oh! Snack!” exclaimed Angelica, grinning.

 

“What?” Isa didn’t understand her.

 

“Forget about it! Have you brought it for me?” “Yes, it’s for you!”

 

“Then I have to ask you! I’m not used to eat alone. Please, join me!” “I am not allowed to do that!”

 

“Then, when I am your hakim’s wife, I will complain him that you do not obey!”

 

The man was taken aback and had lost his tongue. A few minutes later, he said:

 

“I always obey my master!”

 

“And what if I try to convince him that you are snake and deserter!” Lica remarked acidly.

 

“Well... you will go far!” Isa said grimly.

 

“So it’s better to be friends than enemies,” the girl smiled. “Sit down, please!”

 

Man put the bread on a small low table and squatted beside.

 

Angelica sat opposite him.

 

“Help yourself, Isa!” she pointed to food.

 

“It’s not allowed!”

 

“Again?” she smiled. “What if the food is poisoned?”

 

The eyes of the man in a vest flashed, but then he removed a strip of cloth covering his face, and reeled it into his turban. Now Lica could see a handsome, young man with almond-shaped black eyes and dark skin. He took a grape and put it into his mouth.

 

 “You see, the food is not poisoned!” he said.

 

The girl was staring at the young man. Isa got embarrassed and blushed.

 

“You are really handsome young man indeed, Isa!” finally, uttered Lica.

 

“Do not say such things!” asked the young man. “If the hakim knows, he does not like it!”

 

“How does he know?” asked the girl. “Did you tell him?” She took a few grapes and put them in to her mouth.

 

“Tell me, how did you learn my language?” Lica asked him. “I have been outside the mountains,” briefly replied the

 

young man.

 

“Wow, how interesting! And, so have I; I came from the mountains!”

 

“I know. We haven’t got such... such...”

 

The young man got embarrassed and went silent.

 

“What?” asked him the girl.

 

“Such beautiful girl...” Isa said quietly.

 

“My name is Angelica!” smiled the captive. “Why did you come to our country?”

 

“It’s a long story! We’re looking for a sorcerer who can con-trol the elements.”

 

“What for?”

 

“In the Kingdom of Night, the old evil broke from bonds. It can destroy the whole kingdom! And Margo said that in order to stop it, we must find a sorcerer.”

 

The girl did not finish.

 

“Margo?” Isa raised his one eyebrow.

 

“Do you know her?” Lica asked.

 

The young man did not say anything.

 

“You’re so mysterious, Isa,” said Angelica. “You are always silent and blushing.”

 

Young man got embarrassed again.

 

“I think I have to go!” he said.

 

She realized that if that guy leaves, she will never be free. “Oh,” she said. “I feel dizzy! Isa, could you bring me some water!”

 

And Lica fell unconscious on the carpet next to the table. The scared man ran out of the tent and a minute later back with a big bowl of water in his hands. He rushed to Angelica, lifted her head and began to pour water into her mouth. The girl opened her eyes and slightly raising on her elbow, cuddled to Isa’s chest.

 

“Thank you!” she whispered. “You have saved my life!” “How are you?” Isa said solicitously.

 

“I do not know, something wrong with my heart, I guess. Listen, it is beating loudly!”

 

She took his hand and put it to her chest. The young man bit his lip and tried to pull his hand away, but Lica didn’t let it.

 

“Can you hear that?” she asked. “Do not leave me alone, Isa! I don’t want to die! And your hakim will never forgive you, if something bad happens to me!”

 

The young man did not know what to say. He nodded, look-ing into Angelica’s eyes.

 

“Are you getting better?” finally he muttered.

 

“A little,” she whispered.

 

She sat down next to Isa, holding his hand.

 

“Isa,” she said slowly. “I do not want to become a woman of your hakim. He has enough wives! Besides, he is probably old and ugly!”

 

“He is a great warrior!”

 

“In love is not important who is a great warrior! In love the main thing is how much you attract each other!”

 

And Lica touched his cheek. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

 

“What are you doing?” he said quietly. “I would be killed if anyone ever found out what I had done!”

 

“You didn’t do anything,” Angelica smiled. “I did...”

 

She moved closer to the young man and took his turban off.

 

Black curly hair tumbled down his shoulders.

 

“What a good-looking man you are, Isa!” whispered the girl, pulling him and kissing him passionately. The man couldn’t stem anymore. He completely gave up to Lica. Suddenly they heard shouts and hooting from afar.

Chance for survival

 

 

Isa sprang to his feet, put his turban on, straightened his clothes and ran out of the tent.

 

“Damn!” she murmured. “What a bummer! I will probably have to marry him!”

 

She sat down on the color poof waiting.

 

After some time two men and Isa came in to the tent, their faces were hidden under the cloth turbans. One of them, who were standing in front, said something in a strange language.

 

“My Hakim said that you should clear yourself before he touched you!” the young man translated. “Now you will go through ceremony with our shaman, and tonight you will become a woman of our lord.”

 

Lica was looking at Isa with horror, but the young man avoid-ed looking at her. Then Isa and Hakim came out of the tent, and a man in a bright turban started to walk around the girl muttering something. He took a bowl of water, whispered something in her, and began to slush it over Angelica. Apparently, the ceremony was over, because “shaman” left the tent. Lica was desperate and did not know what to do.

 

In the evening the tent curtain opened and a forty-year- old, fat and ugly man came in. A wide scar went across his face.

 

He smiled and went to Angelica. She decided to die hard. Angelica stepped away from the man, but he suddenly lanced, knocking over the low table on the way and breaking a bowl stand-ing on it. Then he seized Lica with both hands and threw her onto the carpet. Angelica tried to resist, but the forces were unequal. Hakim began greedily kissing the girl. With disgust Lica started grabbing everything that came to hand, and throwing in the man’s face. Suddenly her hand found the large piece of bowl in which Isa had brought her water. Angelica took the splinter and with all her might forced it into the eye of the rapist. The Hakim wheezed and fell lifeless on the carpet.

 

 At this point Isa with a dagger in his hand burst into the tent.

 

He rushed to his Hakim, but realized that he had been already dead.

 

“God, I have killed man!” Lica could only say.

 

She was shocked. Isa helped her up and said:

 

“We must escape! Now! We have no time, Angelica. If anyone finds out, they’ll kill us!”

 

He took Lica’s hand and, unseen, they slipped out of the tent. There were a dozen other tents around. A little further, around large fire, there were people in robes, loudly laughing at something. Isa took Lica some back-way and soon they disappeared behind the dunes. There a pair of horses was waiting for our heroes. The girl stared at the young man.

 

“I have prepared the escape,” explained Isa, “but was a little late, sorry!”

 

Then he helped Angelica to climb into the saddle, and jumped on his horse. The riders pulled the reins and raced away from the camp of the nomads. When they were quite far away, Lica asked:

 

“Isa, tell me why you decided to help me?”

 

“I liked you,” the man said truly. “Besides, you know Margo, and this woman means a lot to me!”

 

“How interesting!” Angelica exclaimed. “Tell me!”

 

“Not here and not now! Night is coming, and we cannot stay in the desert! It is dangerous!”

 

“Why?”

 

“There are many sand snakes in the desert. They discreetly hide under the sand then get to the lost traveler and swallow him.”

 

“And what are we going to do?” asked Lica, shivering. “There is a shelter near here. My father has built it. There we can stay for a night! And in the morning we can continue our way!” “And what’s about a chase? The Hakim’s people will not find us, will they?”

 

“They are afraid of Sand Snakes either!” Isa smiled.

 

It was quite dark. Suddenly the young man exclaimed:

 

“Over there!”

 

And spurred his horse… Ten minutes later, the riders arrived at the little oasis. It was a round meadow with three palms and a  closed well between them. Isa dismounted, opened the well and gave water their horses. Then he closed the well and said:

 

“Another fifteen minutes, and we’ll be there!”

 

“I thought that we would stay here,” sadly murmured Angelica.

 

“Oasis is too noticeable place to stay,” said the young man. “But we will leave our horses here; otherwise they will become the prey of the Sand Snakes! We will go on foot.”

 

Isa tied the horses to a palm tree in the center of the oasis, and our heroes were off again. The stars appeared in the sky, when, finally, the young man shouted:

 

“We’re here!”

 

Lica looked around. In the light of the moon she could see only single dunes. Here and there the dry thorns and some snags poked out of the sand.

 

“I can see nothing!” the girl said.

 

The young man walked up to one of the snags and began to rake the sand around it. After some time, Angelica saw a trapdoor with the ring in the middle. The man pulled the ring and lifted the cover up.

 

“Come on!” he said and first went down into the trapdoor. After a few minutes Lica saw the fire at the bottom and boldly  followed her companion. When she went down the wooden stairs, she saw quite spacious room there. All its walls, floor and even the ceiling were covered with wooden planks. In the middle of the room there was a small table with the small burning lamp on it and two tiny chairs. The bag of biscuits and a large bottle of water were in the corner of the room. A thick layer of dry grass was banked near the wall.

 

“Please, sit down!” Isa smiled. “Not Sultan’s chambers, but it is better than spending the night under the open sky.”

 

He climbed the wooden stairs and closed the trapdoor.

 

“Won’t we stifle?” Angelica worried.

 

“Do not worry, I have some vents here,” the young man said, pointing to a long dry hollow snag, going outside.

 

“And what about snakes, won’t they go through it?” asked the girl again.

 

 “Sand Snakes? No! They are too big. And little ones don’t worry me; my dagger is always with me!” Isa laughed.

 

He took off his vest, turban and stayed in a shirt and baggy pants. Only now did Angelica notice that not the young man was good-looking, but also well built. She sat down on the straw.

 

“What a nice room, Isa!” she smiled.

 

“My father has built it,” said the young man. “And not did it save his life but now it came in handy to me. Angelica, do you want to eat? The water here is always fresh; I change it myself and the biscuits are nice too.”

 

“Okay, I’ll try your biscuits!” Lica laughed.

 

Isa pulled two bowls behind the bottle and poured some water. Then he took out some biscuits and put them on the table.

 

“Help yourself!” said the young man.

 

“Frankly saying, after all what has happened today, I feel ter-rible,” she shivered. “And it would be nice to have some food now!” She took a couple of dry biscuits, soaked them in the water and started to eat. The young man was watching her with a smile. “Isa,” Angelica turned to him, “tell me about yourself. How do you know Margo? And why did you save me?”

 

The young man thought a little then said:

 

“I was born in the family of a rich merchant. My parents loved each other and me too. But one day a grief came to our family. My mother was very ill. We invited many doctors, but she was getting worse and worse. Father left his business because he had to stay close to my mother. We had sold all goods and didn’t have any money. Doctors stopped coming to my mother. And then someone told me that over the mountains in the Kingdom of Night, a great sorceress Margo lived, and that she could heal my mother. Without saying anything to my father, I set off a dangerous journey. I walked many days and nights until I reached the cave of the sorceress. But I could not tell her why I came because I did not know the language. Margo, using magic, taught me the language in just a few days. And I was able to explain the reason for my coming. The witch immediately made a healing potion and sent me home. I was as quick as I could and finally reached my home. My Mom was dying. But I gave her a potion, that Margo made, and she was getting better soon. Less than in six months my mother was healed.”

 

“Where are your parents now?”

 

“When I was sixteen years old, my father gave me to serve our Hakim. I had to leave my family for a long time. For several years I lived in the palace and they didn’t allow me to leave. But finally I was given a homing device. When I came back home I did not recognize it! All what I saw was only ruins. The neighbors told me that one night robbers attacked my parents and killed them. Nobody could tell me about it because I was very far away. That’s how I lost my family.”

 

“It’s a pity,” Angelica muttered. “Why did you save me? Having done that, you put in jeopardy your career and life as well!”

“I have never met such a beautiful and open girl before,” said  Isa. “And after your kiss I ever lost my head.”

 

He sat down on the straw, and said quietly:

 

“Angelica, can I ask you a question? Your companion – someone who you were in the desert with – is he your husband or fiancé?” “Neither one nor the other!” honestly said the girl. “And now you tell me, please! Did the Hakim’s people catch my companion in the desert?”

“No,” Isa shook his head. “But there is another danger. He may die if he is attacked by Sand Snakes.”

 

“Snakes, snakes... Well, if you are so afraid of them, tell me what they look like?”

 

“They are horrible creatures! They move under the sand and although they are several meters long, it is very difficult to see them among the dunes. Sand Snakes are nocturnal animals, so at the day time it is safe in the desert. But to stay there for a night, I would not recommend to anyone.”

 

“Are you saying that snakes can eat Edward?” exclaimed Lica.

 

Isa nodded.

 

“So, what’s to be done?” the girl said nervously.

 

“Nothing. At night we never find your friend, and can be-come the pray of the snakes ourselves. Therefore, we have to wait until morning.”

 

Angelica nodded.

 

“Isa, I’m awfully tired! Can I get some sleep?”

 

“Of course.”

 

The guy got out of straw and sat down on a low chair.

 

“No, that’s not the way it works!” Lica noticed. “I will sleep, and you won’t! Lie down next to me. But I should warn you – I feel cranky and bad today, so if you are going to accost me, I’ll kill you.”

 

“I do not doubt!” Isa laughed.

 

Lica lay down on the straw. The young man blew out the little lamp and lay down next to her. Soon there was quite colder in the room. The girl did not notice that she huddled up to the man and fell asleep in his arms.

 

Angelica suddenly woke up at night. She heard a weird sound behind a wooden wall... as if someone huge crawled past touching the wooden walls.

 

“The Snakes!” guessed Lica and moved even closer to the young man.

 

Isa enjoyed his balmy sleep, and she could feel his breath in her hair. Soon the sound was off.

 

A little later, through the invisible gap in the trapdoor a beam of sun light fell to the floor. Isa woke up. He buried his nose into Angelica’s long hair and kissed her neck. She turned and hugged him. The young man looked at her with his black almond-shaped eyes and began kissing her neck. Lica suddenly came to her senses.

 

“Isa! Stop, Isa!” she tried to stop him.

 

But he seemed not to hear it. His lips were going down - to the girl’s breast. And then they heard a strange sound again.

 

“Isa!” Angelica whispered. “There is someone behind the wall!”

 

The guy listened and said quietly:

 

“Snakes!”

 

“But it’s morning!” Lica murmured.

 

“They have smelled us and don’t leave. We need to go out of here - to the sun!”

 

Before he could say these words, something huge hit the wall. Breaking the boards on the wall a huge snake’s head appeared in front of our heroes. The girl screamed. Isa grabbed his knife from the table and curved sword and slashed the snake. She hissed and arched into a bow, ready to attack.

 

“Angelica, run!” shouted the man. “Go upstairs!”

 

Lica rushed to the stairs and climbed out very quickly. The snake lunged, but the young man jumped aside and cut her head. The animal began to fight in agony, crushing everything in the room. Isa, even having no time to take his things, ran to the stairs and climbed out. At this point, the shelter collapsed and buried the monster.

 

“Isa!” she cried and ran to the young man. “I thought you had died!”

 

“I am all right,” said Isa, kissing Angelica. “But now it’s time to get out of here. Snakes never attack alone!”

 

He took her arm and they quickly ran towards the oasis.

 

Fortunately, no one was following them. Soon Lica saw their horses.

 

“Hooray! They are all right! Our horses are safe!” she ex-claimed.

 

Five minutes later, our heroes climbed into the saddle and raced away from the oasis.

 

“Isa, I have to find my companion - Prince Edward!” Angelica said. The young man nodded. Having overcome several dunes, Isa said: “Here you and Prince were yesterday.”

 

The girl looked around, but couldn’t recognize this place. “How do you know?” she asked. “Sand doesn’t retain traces!” “I grew up in the desert,” the young man grinned. “We must go to the east now.”

 

And he turned towards the rising sun. A few hours, our heroes were riding through the desert. Suddenly Isa stopped and pointed ahead:

 

“Look!” he turned to Angelica. “I can see something there!” Lica looked narrowly ahead and did see something powdery with sand. She immediately spurred her horse and rode to the strange object. When she came closer, she saw that it was partially eaten body of Prince Edward’s horse.

 

“Oh, God!” cried the girl. “It was Prince’s horse!”

 

The young man dismounted and examined the dead animal. “Look!” he pointed to the bites on horse’s skin. “It looks like snake’s teeth marks! I told you.”

 

“Have Edward died?”

 

“I do not know. If he met the snakes, then may be! They can swallow a man in one piece, so it is likely that we never find his body.” “No!” the girl burst into tears. “Isa, dear, we must look for him! The Prince may have escaped!”

 

The young man mounted his horse, and our heroes contin-ued their way.

After another couple of hours Angelica saw something that plunged her into shock. Between two high dunes she saw chipped pieces of two huge snakes’ bodies. The head of each monster was almost the girl’s size. The sand was red with blood.

 

“Your friend knows how many beans make five!” Isa noticed. “It’s a rare thing when someone can win the battle with two Sand Snakes!”

 

The ray of hope that Prince was still alive settled in Lica’s heart. Riders went on. But suddenly, behind the next dune, Angelica saw the Prince Night’s sword.

“Isa,” she cried. “This is Edward’s sword! Something happened to him! He would have never left his sword!”

The girl jumped from her horse, ran to the sword and raised it. It was covered with blood.

“No!” Lica cried again.

 

She sat down on the sand covering face with her ​hands.

 

Isa dismounted, came to the girl and sat next to her.

 

“Don’t cry!” he said. “Your companion was a brave warrior!”

Getting to know the sorcerer

 

 

Angelica was choking with tears. The young man hugged her stroking her hair.

“Take it easy!” he said again. “Now you should think about yourself! You said you had been searching for the sorcerer.

 

I heard about him… a few times our Hakim sent his servants to him. The sorcerer lives in the east, near the sea. We’re going the right way.”

 

“Yes, you’re right,” Lica sobbed. “I must complete the mis-sion! Prince Edward really wanted it and always believed in the success. Thank you, Isa!”

 

The girl hugged the man, then got to her feet and went to her horse. In five minutes the riders raced on. The sun was so scorching that it seemed as if sand was melting under the horses’ hooves.

 

“There is another oasis,” said Isa. “We need some rest and give the animals some water!”

 

Lica nodded, and our heroes turned their horses to the visible rising palm trees ahead. They were happy to cool ‘life blood”, water their horses and had a little rest in the shade of the trees.

 

“We have to get to the sorcerer until midnight,” said the young man. “We need to hurry!”

 

He helped Angelica to sit on the horse and jumped on his horse...

 

A few hours of riding through the endless dunes had been exhausting the girl. She couldn’t see anything around except one blinding sun! Her face and hands were burned, her lips baked with heat. Suddenly, the young man stopped and said:

 

“I can hear the noise of the sea!”

 

Lica listened, but heard absolutely nothing, except the rustle of sand crumbling under their horses’ hooves. But her companion was right. Soon they saw a blue ribbon of the sea on the horizon.

 

“Hooray!” cried the girl. “The sea!”

 

“Save yourself,” smiled Isa. “We are pretty far away yet!” After some time the riders approached the blue lagoon. “How beautiful!” Lica gasped. “But it is impossible to live  here even for a sorcerer! There is nothing except the sea and sand!”

 

“I know that if you go to the north from this place, along the coast, you can reach the mountains that surround the desert.”

 

“Then let’s go!”

 

The sun was sloping to the west, when our heroes saw the mountain. The huge rocks towered above the yellow sand dunes, and some rocks looked as if they hung over the sea coast.

 

“I do not know if we can find the sorcerer, but at least we are safe from the Sand Snakes here,” said Isa.

They reached the foot of the mountains, when the nightfall was in.

“We must stay here for a night!” the young man said. “Our horses are tired, and so are we. In addition, in the darkness we won’t find anything.”

“Then we have to climb a little higher, so we are not seen from the dunes!” said Angelica.

“You are right!” nodded her companion.

 

They dismounted and led the horses by the reins around a low cliff. Behind the rock they saw a small round meadow covered with wilted vegetation. A pure spring was running through the stones. The girl and the young man immediately slaked their thirst and gave water the animals.

 

“Here we can peg out!” Isa offered. “At least, we are near the water!”

Lica agreed. While Isa was taking care of horses, the girl picked up some dry sticks and grass and made something like bed.

“Probably, it will be cold,” she said.

 

“I’ll warm you!” Isa smiled.

 

He found nearby some bushy trees with fruits looked like wild apples, and brought some to Angelica.

“Sorry, there is no other food,” the young man said. “You know, I’m very tired today! Let’s have some sleep!”

The young man lay down on the sticks and grass, and a minute later he fell asleep. The girl washed the wild apples and looking at the stars started her dinner. Fruits were quite sour, but if you consider that Lica hadn’t had normal food for two days, they seemed very tasty to her. After dinner the girl stayed up a little, but in some time sleep descended upon her eyes. She snuck under Isa’s arm, cuddling to him and warmed by his body, fell asleep.

In the morning Angelica was woken up by some strange sound. She opened her eyes and saw a gray-haired man in front of her face. Lica gasped and got up. Isa also woke up. He grabbed his knife, but Lica stopped him.

 

“Hello!” she turned to the old man. “We are looking for a sorcerer. Do you know where he lives?”

The old man was looking at Lica and her companion with interest and after a pause replied:

“I do... I am a sorcerer!”

 

“Oh, how nice!” the girl was happy. “Your sister – Margo sent us to you. Here is the necklace she gave me to make you sure that I’m not ling you!”

With these words, the girl took off her necklace of coins and handed it to the man. He carefully examined it and nodded:

 

“Yes, this is the necklace I gave my sister for her birthday! Come with me!”

He turned and walked quickly up the fall. Isa and Lica took the horses by the bridle and followed the sorcerer. Fifteen minutes later they arrived at a flat area in front of the cave.

“You can bind your horses there!” the sorcerer pointed somewhere aside.

Isa nodded and led the horses to the place the old man had pointed.

“Here!” the sorcerer waved to Angelica.

 

They came into the wide cave with the huge main hall and several corridors scattering in every direction.

“It looks like Margo’s!” she thought.

 

The only difference was the witch’s luxurious furniture, but her cousin confined himself to conventional wooden chairs, table and shelves.

“Sit down!” the gray-haired man said. “Tell me! How is my sister doing?”

 

“She’s fine! She longs for you…”

 

“Well... She was the only one who took my side, when my father kicked me out of the house! But you’re here not to send greetings from Margo, aren’t you?”

 

“You are right!” Angelica nodded. “My visit to you is very important! And your sister assured us that only you could help.”

 

And she told the old man the Kingdom of Night story.

 

“...and when the Goblins’ King killed the sorcerer,” she said, “the old evil spirits were released from the abyss. The entrance there had been sealed by his soul. And now, in order to bring the evil back we need to find a man who knows the pagan rites and is able to control the elements.”

 

“And do you mean me as that man!” the sorcerer smiled. “Well, Margo could remember only you as a man who knows

 

about pagan cult as much as you do,” said Lica slowly.

 

“But why should I sacrifice my immortal soul? Can you give me at least one good reason?”

 

Having confused Angelica did not know what to say...

Prince is alive!

At this point Isa came in to the cave and said:

 

“Sorry, I have heard your conversation, and what about the reason, I can explain you... The reason is your power! Boundless, immense power! The dead sorcerer was right to deal with these evil spirits.”

 

The gray-haired man seemed to be buried in thoughts.

 

“What’s your name?” he asked the young man.

 

“Isa!”

 

“You are speaking sense, Isa, although you are still too young. But I cannot drop everything. I have put my heart into this cave. I have a pupil, I teach her sorcery. How can I leave her here alone?”

“But if you don’t go, first the primitive evil will destroy the Kingdom of Night and then you!” Lica exclaimed.

“No, what may!” the old man shook his head.

 

“So it was a try to catch the wind in a net!” Angelica cried. “And Prince Edward gave his life for nothing!”

“Wait!” the sorcerer said. “Prince Edward?”

 

“Prince Edward is my friend from the Kingdom of Night, who went with me to find you. But Sand Snakes attacked and killed him! I have seen the Prince’s dead horse and his sword in the desert.”

 

“Get over it! The Prince is alive!” the gray-haired man said. “Really?”

Amazement made her dumb.

 

“Yesterday my pupil came to me and said that she had seen in the magic crystal ball the young man killed two Sand Snakes and now he was unconscious. I went there and did find the young man. He was wounded, but alive! I brought him here!”

 

“God!” Angelica delighted. “The Prince is alive! Edward is alive! Is he here?”

She jumped up from the chair, ready to rush to the Prince. “Easy!” said the sorcerer. “Although the Prince is alive, he is still unconscious. My assistant is with him now.” The gray-haired man stood up and called: “Leila!”

A few minutes later a girl appeared from one of the corridor. She was wearing a hijab, completely hiding her body and face. Lica could see only her big, black, attentive eyes.

“Leila, how is a young man, who we have found, feeling now?” “He is much better!” she replied quietly. “I think he will revive soon.”

 

“Leila, we have guests today! Please, prepare us dinner!” The girl made a bow.

“I’ll help you!” Lica suggested.

 

 Leila made a gesture to Angelica, showing her to follow. The girls passing the corridor went down to the pantry. Leila took some cheese, milk, bread from the rough wooden shelves and gave them all to Lica.

 

“Here you are,” she said.

 

Angelica took the food and laid the table.

 

“But where did you get cheese and milk?” she asked the sorcerer.

 

“Leila keeps a few goats,” said the man.

 

“Frankly saying, I’m starving!” the girl admitted.

 

Leila came to the room with cooked beans and roasted meat.

 

“Today we have a royal dinner!” Isa smiled.

 

Leila snapped her eyes at him and then looked down. Angelica immediately put her finger on that the girl liked handsome Isa.

 

“Sit down at the table!” the sorcerer invited the guests. “Leila, and you, please, sit down!”

 

“No,” the girl shook her head. “I’m not hungry!”

 

“She doesn’t want to, because of unknown man here,” said the owner of the cave. “Well, help yourself!”

 

He did not have to beg them twice. They were so exhausted during these two days that dying of hunger. Half an hour later our travelers had a good feed and Leila began to clean the table. Angelica again volunteered to help her. Girls took leftovers to the pantry and then Leila picked up dirty dishes, went outside to wash them. Lica went with her. Rounding the rock, the girls came to a wonderful meadow. A small river was running across the meadow and behind the fence in the corner a few goats were grassing.

 

“Is it your farm?” Angelica pointed to the animals.

 

“Mine!”

 

“You go! How do you manage to have time for everything? I mean to keep farming and to learn quackery!”

 

“I’m used to it,” the girl replied.

 

She began washing the dishes, but it was plain that doing washing up in her hijab was terribly uncomfortable.

 

“Take it off!” Lica proposed. “There are no men, only me and I am a girl!”

 

“Well, what if your man comes here?” Leila asked cautiously.

 

“Actually, he’s not my man,” Angelica said seriously. “Do you like him?”

 

“Over the left!” embarrassed the girl.

 

She lifted her veil. Lica also began to help her with the dishes, quietly looking at Leila. That was a real eastern beauty with black eyebrows, long eyelashes, almond-shaped eyes and bright lips.

 

“Leila,” Angelica said softly. “If you want, I can introduce you to my friend! By the way, his name is Isa.”

 

“Isa...” said the girl in a singing voice, “what a beautiful name!”

 

But quickly came to her senses:

 

“What are you saying? It is not right!”

 

“But you did like him; I saw it with half an eye!” continued Lica. “That doesn’t matter! I am an honest girl and never get with

a man first!”

 

“Do you have parents?” asked Angelica.

 

“No,” Leila shook her head. “They were killed when I was little, and the neighbors gave me to the sorcerer. He is nice. He is like my father. And he teaches me everything he knows!”

 

“That’s good,” Lica smiled.

 

The girls finished with the dishes and went back to the cave. Near the entrance barechested Isa was brushing the horses. Leila embarrassed, took the bowls from Angelica and went into the cave. Lica came to the young man and told him quietly:

 

“You know, Leila, the sorcerer’s assistant, likes you very much. By the way, she is his stepdaughter!”

 

“So what,” Isa grinned. “I’ve already met you and other wom-en are not interested me anymore!”

 

“She is very beautiful!” Angelica said slowly. “Very, very beautiful!”

 

 The young man grinned again, but Lica noticed that her words had sunk into his soul. At this point, Leila ran out of the cave, crying:

 

“The injured young man came to life!”

 

Angelica immediately rushed after her. She led her through the corridors into a small room where she saw Edward on the narrow bed. In the light of a small lamp he was pale, but he was looking at Lica with tranquil gaze.

 

“God! God!” the girl wailed. “Edward!”

 

She could not say anything more, just flew into the Prince’s arms and began kissing him.

 

“Angelica, you’re alive!” the Prince exclaimed happily. “I am so happy! I was looking for you, but these huge snakes put me off!” “It’s okay, Edward,” Lica said through tears. “Now everything  will be okay!”

 

Leila thought that it is embarrassing to be with them at this moment, quickly left the room.

 

“But what happened to you?” the Prince Night asked the girl. “Oh! It’s a very long story! I’ll tell you later! Not now, you are

 

still too weak to listen to long stories…”

Part 8. The sorcerer’s decision

 

 

All day Angelica was looking after the wounded Prince. She was feeding him and giving him herbs that Leila brought. In the evening Edward felt much better, although he was still pretty weak to get up himself.

“And here is your sword!” Lica said, entering the Prince Night’s room.

 

“Wow!” he exclaimed. “You have no idea, Angelica, what a gift you have prepared for me! Since my father gave it to me, never in my life have I parted with my sword. As if the hand of God helped you to find it in the desert and bring here!”

 

The girl came up and put the weapon on a small table, stand-ing next to the Prince’s bed.

 

“But, Angelica!” Edward continued. “You promised to tell me what had happened to you after the storm in the desert.”

 

“Okay,” - agreed Lica, sitting on the edge of his bed. “Listen!” And she told him about all the adventures that had fell to her share: about Isa, and how the young man helped her to escape from the camp of nomads, and how the Sand Snakes attacked them, and then how they found Edward’s sword in the desert and how the sorcerer found them sleeping in the mountains...

 

“And here we are,” Angelica finished her story. “Prince, I was absolutely sure that you were dead. What a great happiness to know that you are alive!”

 

 At this point, the sorcerer entered the Prince’s room.

 

“You are both here!” he muttered. “Excellent! I need to talk to you.”

 

He came closer and sat down on the low chair.

 

“I’ve been thinking hard about your offer and made a deci-sion! I’ll go with you to the Kingdom of Night and take part in the battle against the evil.”

 

“Hooray!” Angelica screamed and ran to hug the gray-haired man.

 

“Wait,” he said, pushing the girl. “Listen until the end first!” Lica sat on the edge of the bed again.

 

“So,” continued the sorcerer, “I must give my soul to seal the entrance into the abyss. But I have only one soul and I do not want to lose it completely and to get to the hell after death! So I need something in return for it...”

 

“Say what, don’t spin it out!” cried the girl. “I need to drink water from the Holy Grail!” Angelica thought, then shook her head and remarked:

 

“But this is only a legend. In fact, there is no any Holy Grail!” The owner of the cave looked at the girl: “The Holy Grail does exist!”

 

He stood up and paced the room nervously then suddenly stopped:

 

“For all my life I have been looking for it. And I have found out that it is not so far away from here; it is on a small island with impenetrable forests and high mountains. On one of the mountains the Knights of the Temple had hidden the magic bowl. I’ve been on the island myself, but the bloodthirsty savages that kill anyone who sets foot on their land, live there. Luckily, I wasn’t killed. Another problem is that The Holy Grail is located in the Subtle World and ordinary mortals can’t see it. Only the man with the clean, open and innocent soul can see it! So, if you helped me to find this magical bowl and drink from it, I would become immortal and be easily able to part with my soul in order to save your kingdom.”

 

“Of course!” exclaimed the Prince. “As soon as my wounds skin over, we immediately will go for the Holy Grail!”

 

“No,” the sorcerer shook his head. “You are going to be ill more than a week. And time is precious! Tomorrow at dawn a ship is leaving and its captain owed me. Angelica, we will go together and you will help me to find the bowl!”

 

Had been confused she looked at Prince Edward, not know-ing what to answer.

 

“Are you crazy?” Edward said. “The girl, alone, on an island where she can be killed! Never!”

 

“Listen, first of all she is going with me! Second, if we don’t go now, you’ll never know when the next ship is! Ships in our harbor are extremely rare. Consequently, I will never find the Holy Grail and I will never become immortal and cannot take part in your mission. It rests with you to decide!”

 

With these words the owner of the cave left the room.

 

“My goodness!” Edward said irritatingly. “And what is worse that I am absolutely powerless to do anything!”

 

“Easy, Prince,” said Lica after a pause. “If so, I will have to go to this island!”

 

“No!” the Prince Night said firmly. “I do not want to lose you!”

 

“We have no choice!” retorted the girl. “I promise you I will be very careful! And Isa will go with me. You should have some rest, Edward; I’ll talk to the sorcerer again.”

 

Lica left the cave and saw the gray-haired man talking to Leila about something.

 

“I have been looking for you!” Angelica called.

 

The sorcerer looked around, then let his stepdaughter go and went to the girl.

 

“I am listening!” he said curtly.

 

“I will go with you,” said Lica. “But if it is possible can Isa go with us?”

 

“No! I cannot leave Leila alone. Your friend is too weak to protect her. A lot of enemy tribes are around! So you have to convince Isa to stay here unless we come back.”

 

“God!” she whispered. “But who will protect us in our ad-venture?”

 

 “I am proficient with sword,” grinned the old man. “And I think you can face the music too!?”

 

Lica nodded.

 

“That’s good!” the sorcerer smiled. “So, go and talk to Isa, while I am making preparations for our journey.”

 

The gray-haired man disappeared in the cave, and Angelica went to look for Isa. Suddenly Leila called her.

 

“If you are looking for your friend,” she said, “early in the morning he went hunting.”

 

“Where did he go?” asked Lica.

 

“Along that path, behind that rock!” pointed the sorcerer’s assistant.

 

“Thank you!” she nodded and went in that direction.

 

She went down the path and came to a wonderful meadow. Thick green grass and flowers were everywhere and clean spring was running through the rocks. Angelica was kneeling down to drink when she heard the sound of hooves. She looked up and saw Isa on his horse. Three dead pheasants were tied to his saddle.

 

“Angelica!” he shouted. “I’m so glad to see you!” The young man dismounted and ran to the girl.

 

“I missed you so much!” he whispered, giving her a hug. “Isa, we need to talk,” said Angelica, slightly pulling him away.

 

“What happened? You look serious.”

 

“Let’s sit down,” she suggested, entailing him.

 

Our heroes sat down on a fallen tree, which was near the small spring.

 

“Isa...” Lica started. “It just happened that I have to go with the sorcerer in order to find a very important thing.”

 

“I’ll go with you!”

 

“I’d love to, but you cannot!” she shook her head. “Leila and my wounded friend - Prince Edward are here in the cave. They need help and protection. You know how dangerous neighborhood with nomads is.”

 

“Prince… Edward... !” Isa said between his teeth. “Since he woke up, you have held on like a limpet to him!”

 

 “Isa!?” Angelica had a fit. “He’s my friend!” “Friend? And what about me?”

 

“You?” the girl blushed. “You’re my friend too!”

 

“I thought I had been more than a friend!” said the young man.

 

“Isa, dear, don’t get me wrong! Now nothing is more important for me than my mission is. The most important thing is to take

 

the sorcerer to the Kingdom of Night! Nothing else matters! Now I’m looking neither for love nor for a future husband.

 

“Is that true?” the young man’s eyes narrowed.

 

“Absolutely!” Lica nodded.

 

Isa picked off a grass and began to chew it thinking. Then he threw it away and said:

 

“Okay! I’ll stay here and watch Leila and... Prince. However, I will be very worried about you. Where are you going?”

 

“The sorcerer didn’t say exactly,” Angelica tried to duck the answer. “The only thing I know is that we need to sail on the ship there.”

 

“Sail...” murmured the young man. “How long?” “I do not know!”

 

“How can I let you go with a stranger and when you know nothing?” Isa boiled over. “I am going to him now to ask everything!” Nervously he kicked a stone lying under his foot. It rolled back and fell into the stream.

 

“Isa, please, calm down,” Lica tried to persuade him. “The sorcerer is not bad! He will stand by me, I swear!”

 

Angelica moved closer and began striking his hair. He turned to her, girdled her wais and gently kissed her. At this point Leila appeared on the meadow. She was carrying a water jug. Seeing Lica and Isa’s kiss the girl broke out, threw the jug and ran away. The jug broke into many pieces. Isa looked around having heard the noise.

 

“What was that?” he asked.

 

“Not what, but who?” Angelica noticed. “It was Leila - the sorcerer’s daughter! She likes you, and she probably was jealous, seeing us together.”

 

“Oh, women!” the young man laughed.

 

“Come on!” said the girl lugging him off.

 

Taking the horse by the bridle Isa followed Angelica.

The road to harbor

 

 

Soon our heroes came to the cave. The sorcerer had been waiting them at the entrance.

“Don’t you know what happened to my daughter?” he asked. “She had run away in tears, without telling me anything.”

“Where to?” Lica asked.

 

“Towards the farm.”

 

“Isa, stay here!” she whispered. “I’ll try to talk to her.”

 

She walked along the path over the mountain and came to the fence. The sorcerer’s stepdaughter was sitting on a large stone and crying.

“Leila!” Angelica called her. “You got hold of the wrong end of the stick!”

“Get out!” the girl shouted. “I’ve seen everything! You wanted to introduce me to Isa, and now you kiss him! You are a snake!”

“Take it easy!” Lica said firmly. “Do not blame me; Isa likes me. But he’s not my husband, and not even the groom. Moreover, tomorrow I am leaving with your father. Perhaps it is going to be a long trip. Isa will stay here with you and help you about the house. So do not be a fool, dry your tears and become as desired and beautiful as flowers in May. Be a little more relaxed, and Isa won’t be able to resist and stay with you forever!”

 

Leila calmed down and looked at Angelica.

 

“Is that true?” she asked quietly.

 

“Absolutely!” Lica nodded.

 

“And you do not love him, do you?”

 

“At this moment, I do not love anyone. I am thinking about other more important things.”

“Thank you!” Leila said sincerely.

 

She stood up and hugged Angelica.

 

“Now go and calm your father down!” Lica said.

 

Leila smiled and ran to the cave.

 

“Why me?” Angelica said loudly, staring at the goats.

 

They amicably bleated in reply.

 

In the evening Leila laid slap-up table in the cave.

 

“This is a farewell dinner,” she said.

 

“I will have dinner just in case,” Lica noticed, “if Leila stays with us.”

 

The sorcerer’s daughter balked for a long time but then they persuaded her and lifting the veil she sat at the table, looking down. Isa was looking at the girl with keen interest. It was obvious that he liked her. After the dinner, Angelica came into Edward’s room.

 

“Prince,” she said, “tomorrow at dawn we are leaving to look for the Holy Grail. You are staying here in care of Leila and Isa.”

 

“What?” exclaimed the Prince. “Isa is not traveling with you? Who will protect you?”

 

“I can take care of myself. And the sorcerer is proficient with the sword. I wish you to get better soon!”

 

The Prince took the girl’s hand and kissed it gently. “Promise me,” he said, “that you will be very, very careful!”

“I promise,” Lica nodded.

 

She leaned over and kissed Edward on his cheek.

 

“Good night!” whispered the girl and left the Prince’s room.

 

Early in the morning, before the daylight Leila woke Angelica up.

 

“Get up! My father is waiting for you!” she said.

 

Lica went out of the cave and saw that the horses had been already saddled and Isa was holding them. The sorcerer had been already sitting in the saddle.

 

“We have to go!” the gray-haired man said briefly. “Otherwise, the ship will set off without us!”

 

“I’m ready!” she nodded.

 

She walked over to her horse, and Isa helped her up into the saddle. “Goodbye, Isa!” Lica turned to the young man. “Thank you

so much for everything!”

 

She leaned over and hugged him.

 

“Don’t forget me,” Isa whispered in her ear.

 

The sorcerer pulled the reins and first went ahead on the path. The girl followed him. She waved Leila, who was staying at the entrance of the cave...

 

About an hour the riders were riding in silence, beating their way through the mountains. Suddenly the mountains opened out and a wide valley appeared in front of our heroes.

 

“Now it will be much easier,” said the sorcerer. “We’ll have to get the harbor in two hours if everything goes well.”

 

And he spurred his horse. Lica also put her horse into a gallop. In a few minutes she rode down the sorcerer and asked him:

 

“What is your name? Margo didn’t tell me!” The man grinned

 

“If you need to know, my name is Huron!”

 

“Thank you! It is strange to travel together without knowing each other’s names.”

 

The sorcerer said nothing and they continued their way in silence. Soon the sky lightened and the sun rose. In the rays of the sun Angelica saw something looked like a village far away.

 

“What is it?” she pointed to the houses.

 

“It’s the starting point of our trip!” Huron said. “The harbor is there.”

 

The riders pretty quickly got to the village and went to the harbor. There were a lot of large and small boats, but the ship was only one.

 

“Follow me!” the sorcerer turned to the girl, jumping down. Lica obeyed. The gray-haired man walked toward the ship, leading the horse behind him.

 

“Hey!” he shouted to the seaman, who was standing on the desk. “Call your captain, immediately!”

 

“The captain is in the cabin! If you need him, board the ship!” answered the sailor.

 

“Hold my horse,” Huron said to Angelica.

 

The girl took the reins, and the sorcerer quickly boarded the ship. Ten minutes later he appeared on the deck with a young man. They were talking about something lively. Then Huron went to Lica took his horse, and said:

 

“They take us! Hurry up; they are going to put off right now!” “But what about our horses?” asked Angelica.

“The saloon-keeper will look after them until we come back!” Our heroes quickly took animals and tied them in a shed near saloon. Huron gave the owner a few coins. Then Lica and the

sorcerer boarded the ship. At the same moment seamen heaved the anchor, the sails swelled out, and the ship moved out of the harbor into the sea.

“Let me introduce myself,” suddenly Angelica heard a voice. She looked around and saw a tall, handsome young man. He had long blond hair tied back in a ponytail, and cheerful blue eyes.

“I am the captain - Julien!” the man said.

 

“Of course, how could I forget to introduce you?” exclaimed Huron. “Julien, this is Angelica!”

The Captain kissed Lica’s hand and said:

 

“I have not seen such a beautiful girl for a long time!”

 

“This is not surprising,” she smiled, “you are always sailing!” Julien rated Angelica’s joke and laughed. “And you’re a witty young lady!” he said.

“Yes, sometimes,” Lica retorted.

 

“Well,” continued the captain, “let me invite you to dinner, it is going to be fun! And now excuse me, but I have to commence my duties.”

He walked away from the sorcerer and Lica to his sailors. “Tell me, Huron,” said Angelica, “how long we need to sail

to the island?”

 

“Not long. Tomorrow at dawn we’ll be there!”

“Great. I do not like dusting!”

 

The Holy Grail

 In the evening, our heroes were in the captain’s cabin. He raised his glass of wine and said:

“I have a toast to our meeting!”

 

Lica took a gulp and asked:

 

“Where are you going, Captain?”

 

“I am in trade,” said Julien. “We bought crabs from the vil-lagers and deliver them to the customers. But the purpose of your visit to the island is a mystery to me!”

 

“There is no mystery,” mumbled Huron. “I and Angelica want to visit this island as tourists. Is it strange?”

 

“But there are lots of other islands, which are safer and more picturesque places than this island,” said the captain.

 

“No we are interested in this island!” said the sorcerer cagily. “But I must warn you,” said Julien, “the ship will wait for you

 

no more than one day. You know, we are very busy!”

“Good!” Huron nodded.

 

“Captain,” Lica tried to shunt the conversation on another topic, “your dinner is perfect!”

 

“Oh, yes!” Julien agreed. “I have an excellent cook!”

 

The second half of the dinner was pretty monotonous. The Captain was profuse in compliments and she tried to keep the conversation going. Huron with glum face was silent.

 

The next morning, as soon as the sun rose, the sorcerer woke Lica:

 

“Get up; we are coming to the island!”

 

The girl dressed up and went to the deck. Julien was there too looking through a telescope.

 

“Good morning!” Angelica said.

 

“Oh, Angelica!” said the captain slowly, putting his telescope away. “Good morning! You are so charming!”

 

He kissed her hand.

 

“Tell me,” continued Julien, “what are you going to do on this godforsaken piece of land? This place is very dangerous!”

 

“We have to go through a magic ceremony,” Lica got off the hook. “And it can be done only on this island.”

 

“But do you know about the wild men there, and if they catch you, they’ll kill you! And even worse, they’ll eat you!”

 

“I hope everything will be alright!” stuttered the girl.

 

“You know that…” the captain said “…magic is my weakness! I suppose I will go with you.”

 

“Thank you!” Angelica was delighted.

 

Actually, she was relieved to know that she was going there with somebody else, but not with only the old sorcerer.

 

“The Earth!” shouted the sailor on the pylon. “The island!” “Go to the lagoon!” the captain gave orders. “Drop the anchor! Prepare boats!”

 

The sorcerer appeared on the deck. His eyes were flaring.

 

“At last,” he whispered.

 

“Huron,” the girl called him. “The captain wishes to go to the island with us!”

 

“What? Are you crazy?” the sorcerer unexpectedly lost control of his senses. “We’re not going for a walk!”

 

“That’s why I want Julien to go with us. It will be safer with him!” Lica retorted.

 

Huron looked at her, but then said:

 

“Okay, he will go, but do not let him poke his nose into my business!”

 

“You’ll tell him!” Angelica dogmatized.

 

Meanwhile, the ship rounded the island and dropped the anchor in the beautiful blue lagoon. Standing on the desk Lica was staring at the marvelous scenery.

 

“How beautiful!” she murmured.

 

“Beauty is but skin deep!” the captain said unexpectedly behind the girl and grinned. “In the nice, green jungle bloodthirsty savage tribes are hiding. God preserve us of meeting with them! I hope your sword is not only a pretty thing for you?”

 

“I have already used it,” embarrassed the girl.

 

“Already? Do you think you are ready for this dangerous walk?” Julien chuckled again. “Come on, the boat is waiting for us!” He offered Angelica his hand and helped her down into the boat. Huron was already there.

 

“If we don’t come back until the sunset, sail to the customer! In this case the second officer will mind the store,” Julien gave the order. “Row to the island!”

 

Two sailors were sitting in a boat with oars. They imme-diately began to row, and pretty soon the boat nuzzled into the sandy shore.

 

“You will stay here!” the captain turned to the sailors. “And we are walking around the island!”

 

Huron ran ashore and pointed ahead to the mountain. “I think we must go there!”

 

“But there are only bare rocks!” Angelica exclaimed.

 

“They are just what we need!” said the sorcerer.

 

And he first went into the shade of the thick trees. The girl and the captain followed him. Julien was armed with a pair of pistols and had a flask of water. Our heroes went into the jungle, and soon trees surrounded them everywhere.

 

“Huron, we’d better use a compass?” the captain suggested him.

 

“My nose is better than any of the compasses,” retorted the sorcerer. “I can smell where to go!”

 

Through thick and thin he was going forward confidently. Suddenly our travelers heard a crack aside. As if someone accidentally stepped on a dry branch. The sorcerer immediately tensed up and raised his hand.

 

“Be quiet!” he whispered. “It looks like we’re not alone here!” Before he could even pronounce it, a few centimeters from Lica’s head an arrow swept and stuck in a tree.

 

“Run!” Julien shouted and pushed the girl to the bush.

 

They ran as fast as they could. Branches lashed their faces, lops scrambled clothes. Suddenly Lica’s foot slid down, and she went heels over head into a ravine, the captain slid down topsy-turvy next.

 

“Shhh,” he tried to be as quite as he could. “I think we have shaken off them!”

 

“Yes, but where is Huron?” the frightened girl said. “Without him our mission is ill-omened!”

 

“Do not worry about him!” Julien said. “He has worked with worse.”

 

As if to prove his words the sorcerer’s voice came from above: “My friends, I’m not so young, to chase at you as a deer!”

“Huron!” Angelica exclaimed.

“I’m so glad that you’re alive!” “I am gladder!” the sorcerer smiled. He went down into the ravine and said:

 

“I have news: bad and very bad!”

 

“What happened?” asked Lica.

 

“The first is - in the jungle, we have run into ambush of one of the wild men tribes and now they know that we are on the island! The second one is - running away I have lost the tube with blood of my adopted daughter - Leila, and now without it I cannot perform the ceremony.”

 

“Why is Leila’s blood?” asked the girl.

 

“Do you remember I said that the only pure and sinless soul could see in the Subtle World? My daughter is a virgin; I could perform the ceremony with her blood and call you by her name. Then you would have been able to see invisible things!”

 

“But I’m a virgin, too,” said Lica a little embarrassed.

“Really?!” Huron exclaimed happily. “Then we have chance!

 

We have to hurry! Maybe we can get there before the wild men tribes.” He grabbed her hand trying to climb up the ravine. Julien barely kept up with them. After a while, our heroes came to the foot of the mountains.

 

“We are going there!” the sorcerer pointed up.

 

The travelers immediately began to climb the steep slope. As soon as they disappeared over the stones, they heard peoples’ cries below. Apparently, the wild men were looking for them.

 

“Don’t stop!” Huron warned them. “They won’t follow us in the mountains. This is forbidden territory for them, something like a “taboo”!”

 

“Why?” asked Angelica.

 

“It is believed that the Land of the Dead is in the mountains. So they all are terrified to go there.”

 

Huron took Julien and Lica on a broad plateau.

 

“Great place!” he said. “Here, I will do a little magic ritual. Julien, I ask you to take a defensive position behind the stones to make sure that none of the savages had come through here!”

 

“But you have said that they were terrified this place and wouldn’t follow us...” the captain started to speak.

 

“Yes, but you can’t be too careful!” said the sorcerer firmly.

 

Julien agreed and went over the cliff.

In Subtle World

 

 

“Well, let’s start, time is precious!” exclaimed Huron.

 

He immediately brought some wood and lit a fire. Then he pulled a sharp dagger out of his belt and began to circle around the fire with it, shouting strange phrases. Soon the sorcerer went into ecstasy and seemed not to notice anything around. He was spinning round and round on the spot and suddenly fell down. Angelica ran to him.

 

“Huron, what happened?” she murmured. “Are you okay?” Suddenly Huron up on one elbow and held the dagger to Lica. “Take it,” he said. “Cut your wrist and lick your own blood. If

 

you are really clean, you will see the unseen!”

 

The girl took the dagger and gently scratched herself on the wrist. The scarlet blood had come out. Angelica licked it with her tongue feeling the salty taste in the mouth. Suddenly she felt dizzy. The girl closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them, couldn’t recognize the surrounding landscape. There were mountains, but they were quite different from those which Lica had seen before.

 

“Wow!” cried the girl. “What is it?”

 

“You’re in the Subtle World,” she heard Huron’s voice. “Look around! You should see some hints that will help you to find the Holy Grail.”

 

Angelica saw over all around. At this moment, something had flashed in front of her.

 

“There!” Lica pointed ahead. “There’s something!” “Come on!” said the sorcerer. He took her hand and said:

 

“I will hold you, and you lead me to the Holy Grail!” Angelica nodded and walked forward. Suddenly she stepped on the path.

 

“I am on the path,” said Lica.

 

“Excellent!” Huron said with optimism. “Walk over it!”

 

The girl went on the path, which began to wind among the rocks. Here and there on the rocks she could see strange signs.

 

“I can see some signs,” Angelica said. “Crosses and em-blems...”

 

“These are the symbols of the Knights Templar. We are on the right path!”

 

Lica was turning left then right but ... suddenly the path ended. “The path has ended up!” the girl said. “What am I going to

 

do next?”

 

“Look around, if there are other signs?”

 

Angelica looked around but did not see anything unusual.

 

“No hints anymore!” she turned to Huron.

 

“Have I been wrong!” exclaimed the sorcerer. “It’s impossible! I have spent years of my life looking for the hidden bowl! Maybe there is some kind of a cave or a hole where you could put a magic bowl?”

 

“No!” she shook her head.

 

And then she saw that the sunlight is falling on the earth in an unusual way, as if through a sieve.

 

“It’s interesting!” she said quietly. “What does it mean?” Lica looked up and saw a huge rock over her head. Oddly enough, but the sunlight was not detained by this rock, it went through, as if the rock was consisted of a billion small holes.

 

“How curious!” surprised the girl.

 

“What, what can you see?” asked her the sorcerer.

 

“I don’t know yet. This rock is quite strange!”

 

“Look closely, maybe the Grail was hidden there?”

 

Angelica pulled her hand out of the sorcerer’s clinging fingers and began to climb to the strange rock. In a moment she was on the edge of the cliff above the abyss.

 

“Look out!” Huron shouted. “You can fall down!”

 

But Lica could not hear him anymore. She began to touch the stone. It was absolutely unharmed, without any holes big or small. Moreover, it seemed round if looked closer. Holding on to the rounded edge, she moved around the stone. In a moment she went on a small ledge and saw a spring flowing from the stone. And then she saw a really fascinating scene. The rock was not a rock! It  was a huge, giant bowl made of solid stone, as if it was embedded into the rock. And the spring was flowing from this bowl.

 

“I can see it!” Angelica cried. “I can see the bowl!” “Where?” exclaimed the sorcerer.

 

After a couple of minutes he was standing next to her and looked at the stone.

 

“Where is the Grail? Is it there on the rock?”

 

“No! The Rock itself is the Holy Grail! We were looking for a small bowl, but in fact the Holy Grail is a giant bowl! The light coming through it - it’s a divine light of Grail! Drink, Huron. This spring is what you are looking for!”

 

“It’s impossible,” the sorcerer whispered.

 

He started muttering magic words, then approached the sacred stream, got some water with his hands and took a few sips. Lica did not understand what happened next. There was some deafening sound, everything was shrouded in mist. And when it cleared, Huron and the girl were standing near the fire, which Huron had lit recently.

 

“What happened?” Angelica surprised. “Where have all been gone?”

 

“The Knights of the Temple put a spell on it. I drank from the holy spring, so the Grail disappeared and now it will be hidden somewhere else!”

 

Indeed, instead of the huge rock there was a hole.

 

Julien ran out into the upland. He was holding a sword, his clothes was torn and soaked with blood.

 

“I do not know what happened with you here,” he said, “but the savages went on the offensive. I cannot hold them back anymore, they are innumerable!”

 

“We must get out of here!” shouted the sorcerer. “Now we have a shorter way to the sea!”

 

And he pointed to the hole in the mountain. They were lucky because as soon as our heroes ran, about twenty wild men appeared on the upland, shouting and hooting, with spears and bows they were ready to attack.

 

“Julien! Save the girl!” Huron shouted. “I’ll hold them!” “But...”

 

“No “buts”!” the sorcerer barked.

 

He pushed the captain and Lica, and turned face to the chasers whispering spells. Suddenly heavy clouds with lightning and thunder appeared in the sky. The wild men afraid of boisterous weather retreated.

 

Julien and Lica went to the shore and rushed towards the boat. The sailors saw them and stood up confusedly, not knowing what to do.

 

“Take the oars!” shouted the captain to them.

 

The sailors immediately sat down getting ready to row. Huron followed Julien and Angelica. When they all were in the boat it sailed away from the shore. Five minutes later, when our heroes were quite far away from the jungle the savages ran to the shore. Threatening with their spears they shouted something angrily.

 

The sun had not been down yet, but the captain, Angelica and the sorcerer already were on the deck of the ship.

 

“I hope your trip wasn’t a bad idea, was it?” Julien asked. “Yeah, it was okay!” Lica smiled. “But how do we go back now?” “It’s easy! Now you are sailing with us, in the port you will

 

change the ship, or wait for us, and we’ll go back together.” “We have little time!” said the sorcerer.

 

“So do we!” the captain grinned.

 

The sails filled with wind and the ship sailed in trouble-free way...

“The Black Patrick”

 

 

In the port, the sailors immediately got into gear discharging delivered crabs. The crabs were so good that the customer arranged one more purchase.

 

“Lucky you!” said smiling Julien, referring to Angelica. “You won’t have to find another ship we are sailing back – for another shipment of crabs!”

 

 “Excellent!” the girl said happily.

 

Two days later, after finishing their work in the port and preparing the ship, the travelers set off back.

 

The first few days everything went like clockwork. The sun was shining; the wind was blowing, filling the sails. Lica used to love standing on the deck and musing upon a distant scene. The captain often made her a company. He told the girl about his adventures at sea.

 

“Julien, can you tell me how you met Huron?” asked Angelica. “Oh! It’s a fascinating story,” said the captain. “At that time my father was the captain of this ship. One day we shipped out, carrying on board some tons of rice. I do not know may be the rice was a bait or not, but a terrible monster rose from the sea depths and put its tentacles around our ship trying to drown it. When the monster failed, it started to drag us back and forth across the sea, trying to overturn the ship. My father was a brave man. He ordered to charge cannons and shot the monster. After the third or fourth try, the sea creature finally got their tentacles out of our ship. Only one last tentacle was holding over the stern. My father armed with a sword and went down the ropes to chop it. He succeeded! However, the sea monster, mad with pain, spat some yellow dirt at my father. Since that day, something strange had been happening to him; his bones became soft, his head stretched, and he was out of breath. I had to put him in a bath with seawater. I didn’t know how to help my father. And then one of the sailors told me about a sorcerer named Huron. I immediately took him to my father. Huron looked at my poor father and concluded that the seawater significantly changed the closest to me person. ‘I’ll heal him, but it is going to take a long time!’ said the sorcerer.

 

I agreed and left my father in at Huron’s. To say the truth, I had no hope. Since that day I have become the captain of this ship and sailed. I had to fulfill my father’s obligations. I was sailing for about six months. Then I went back to Huron. Could you imagine my surprise when I saw my father save and sound! I promised the sorcerer that I would be in debt to the grave. Although my father was healthy, he refused to sail any more. ‘I’ve had just about enough of transformations,’ he said. Since then, he has lived on his own farm and I have continued our family seamanship.”

 

“How interesting!” exclaimed Lica. “Once again, your story has proved that Huron is a real magician. I’m very glad to hear that!” “The ship is on the right of the board!” suddenly shouted the sailor on the mast.

 

Julien looked through his glass. Suddenly his face turned to troublous.

 

“Pirates!” he shouted. “Prepare the cannons immediately!”

“Captain, that is ‘Black Patrick!’” a sailor shouted again. “It’s a problem,” Julien said slowly.

“Why?” asked Angelica.

 

“Dozens of sunken ships and hundreds of people’s lives are under his belt. Meeting him for a merchant ship is the same as a suicide!”

 

“But Huron is with us!” cried the girl. “He can help us!”

“You are right,” the captain nodded.

 

He immediately rushed down to the sorcerer’s cabin. A minute later Huron was on the deck reading spells.

 

“I’m calling the storm!” he said. “Of course, it is dangerous for our ship, but we will be able to avoid the pirates.”

 

He began to cry out to the sky and the wind, and soon the sky became gray. Meanwhile, the pirate ship was rapidly approaching to them. It was so close that they could distinguish the black flag with a skull on the mast and screaming figures of sailors on the deck.

 

“They are too quickly!” Julien cried. “Another twenty minutes and they will catch up with us!”

 

“No, they won’t!” smiled the sorcerer.

 

He raised his hands and began to make some circular move-ments. Suddenly a huge swirl appeared ahead.

 

“Captain, take the steering-wheel!” shouted Huron. “We are going to have some shaking!”

 

Julien rushed to help the sailor, who was at the wheel. The ship was shuddering from the high waves. Angelica looked back and saw that the same was happening with the pirate ship. The sorcerer continued moving with his hands harsher and harsher, and huge waves covered both ships.

 

“Angelica,” the captain shouted barely holding the helm, “get down to the cabin, quickly!”

 

The girl had already realized that to stay on the deck was extremely dangerous. Clinging to the side, she began moving toward the stern. Only two steps and she would be save. Lica dropped the rubbing piece and stepped forward. It was at this time the pirates shot at the merchant vessel. Julien sharply twisted the wheel. The ship lay on the left side, and a huge wave hit it with the top. Angelica screamed, but it was too late. The girl was washed away in the sea. She choked with water and passed out...

 

When Lica awoke, she was in a bed in someone’s cabin. The girl jumped up looking around. A table with maps and a compass was next to the bed. A black piano was standing nearby. Angelica went to it and noticed a medallion on the lid. The girl opened it. She saw a portrait of a handsome, dark-haired, young man inside. The young man had big green eyes and angular features.

 

“God, where am I?” Angelica began to whisper with horror. She put the medallion back and tried to see something in the window, but saw nothing except waves. At this time, she heard somebody’s footsteps and a tall young man entered the room. He wasn’t handsome. An ugly scar pockmarked his face, his long black hair with dirty greasy strands were hanging down his shoulders. Thin lips curled into a cold smile. But his eyes ... His green eyes were huge! Lica could swear that this man and the young man in the medallion were the same person!

 

“Good afternoon, lady!” the man sneered. “It was a bad idea to walk on the deck in storm! You see, what can happen!”

 

“Hello!” Angelica said softly. “Thank you! You saved my life!” “This is the custom of the sea – to pull those who are over board in a storm!”

 

“Thank you anyway!”

 

“You are welcome! Now I am wondering what I will do with you?” “Can you take me to the port,” Lica murmured hopefully.

“Holy Fool!” the man laughed. “Do you have any idea where you are now?”

 

“I can guess,” the girl nodded.

 

 “Well, well! You are on board of the ‘Black Patrick’, the pirate ship! And I’m the captain!”

 

“Patrick?”

 

“That’s right!”

 

The man made a playful nod.

 

“Who are you? And what did you do on board of the merchant ship?”

 

“My friends and I were sailing to the mountains that were on that side of the sea.”

 

“To the wild place? Why?”

 

“Somebody had to meet me there.”

 

“That sounds strange...” Patrick said, lifting his left eyebrow. “You’ve got me intrigued! But I have one prejudice. I am definitely sure that the woman on the ship is for bad luck! Therefore, I’ll drop you off at the nearest island we pass and there you will do what you want!”

 

“But Captain!” Lica exclaimed. “I hope you are a gentleman and never leave a girl alone on the island! I can die there!”

 

“I am a Pirate! And I do not care about your future. Anyway, you should be grateful to me for what I did not put you at the worry of my pirates!”

 

“I am grateful,” Angelica sobbed. “But please, do not leave me to fend for myself!”

 

“Oh, God!” Patrick said loudly. “I’m not here to calm you down!”

 

He turned and walked quickly out of the cabin, slamming the door. Now she was no longer constrained, burst of tears.

 

“Well,” she wailed, “I haven’t completed the mission, and he is going to leave me on a deserted piece of land where I will die of hunger and thirst!”

 

Having a good weep, Lica went to the piano, opened the lid and ran her finger over the keys. She was not a professional musician, but four classes of music school gave her the way for action. Angelica sat down on a chair and began to play soft, melancholic melody. She played more and more confident. The keys were groaning under her fingers, as if they were telling the girl’s sad story. Lica did not notice how the cabin door opened and Patrick went into the room with surprise and delight. Imperceptibly the captain closed the door. The girl finished playing, closed the piano and leaned on it thinking.

Patrick’s story

 

 

A few minutes later, she heard a knock on the cabin door, and then a smiling sailor went into. He was short and stout, but his face was very kind. Angelica was even surprised to see such a charming man on the pirate ship.

 

“Sorry, the captain ordered to set the table!” he said. “Today he wants to dine with you.”

 

And the sailor quickly put all unnecessary things off and brought some delicious food and drinks.

 

“Wait,” Lica hailed the sailor. “Your captain! He is a quite strange man... as if he has some secrets!”

 

“Oh!” the young man laughed. “Our captain has many secrets! At least one is that he is a lord.”

 

Suddenly the sailor realized that he blundered out too much. He quickly left the room. Frankly saying, Angelica was terribly hungry, but she did not dare to touch the food. The girl was patiently waiting Patrick.

 

Finally, the captain came, but she could hardly recognize him now. He was wearing clean clothes and smelled fresh. Beautiful black hair was curling down his shoulders. Even his scar didn’t seem so awful to Lica now.

 

“What was the cause of these changes, Captain?” Angelica surprised honestly.

 

“I cannot afford myself to be untidy in company of such a beautiful young lady!” Patrick grinned.

 

He sat opposite the girl and looked at her. Only now did Lica see how deep Patrick’s green eyes were. They were no longer cold, rather, very, very sad.

 

“You are hungry, aren’t you?” said the captain. “Please, help yourself!”

 

He poured her some red wine and pulled a bowl of fruit. “You are right, I am very hungry,” Angelica agreed. “And it smells so good!”

 

“Today my cook did his best!” said Patrick. “You know there are some moments in life when only delicious food can bring real pleasure! By the way, you know my name but I still do not know yours!”

 

“Angelica!”

 

“Nice name!”

 

The Captain gave Lica grilled fish.

 

“You play the piano very well,” Patrick noticed.

 

“Not very well!” the girl embarrassed. “So, so...”

 

“Do not be shy!” the captain smiled. “But you are very sad; your music speaks for you!”

 

“Why do I have to be happy?” asked Angelica. “May be because you are going to leave me on the desert island?”

 

The Captain broke, but caught himself.

 

“You have to understand,” he said. “This is not a yacht for pleasure. A woman on the pirate ship is a problem primarily for herself!”

 

“But why won’t you take me to the port?”

 

“Are you kidding me? There we will be caught and hanged by the authorities!”

 

Lica was silent. Her appetite was gone. She was staring at the table.

 

“Why do you stop eating?” Patrick asked.

 

“I don’t want to, thank you.”

 

“Do not be silly, eat! Maybe this is the last good dinner in your life.”

 

“And what about the death wish?” she asked.

 

“Speak!” the captain nodded.

 

“Could you leave me, please, tomorrow morning. I would not like to spend the night on a desert island.”

 

 “Agreed!” Patrick grinned. “One night in your presence on the ship, I think I will be able to stand! Then I have a wish... Play something else!”

 

Angelica did not want to do it, but she was afraid to argue with the captain. The girl came to the instrument, sat behind it and began to play “Requiem” by Mozart. She sometimes fakes, her fingers fell the wrong way but she continued to play. When she finished, the last chords were still in the air, Patrick came and kissed her hand.

 

“Bravo!” he said sincerely. “I have never heard such wonderful music!”

 

“Why do you have the piano here?” asked the girl. “My bride gave it to me as a present. But...” Suddenly the captain stopped and paused.

 

“Captain,” quietly said Angelica, “I have seen your medallion. On the photo, you look completely different, more honest and open. Tell me about your life, anyway tomorrow I will leave and we never meet again!”

 

“Then promise me that you’ll eat something!” Patrick smiled. He gave Lica his hand and led her to the table. The girl took a glass of wine and prepared to listen.

 

“To begin with, I was born in a very rich and noble family,” the captain began. “My parents didn’t grudge any money for me. I got the best education in our city. When I grew up, my mother and father would like to marry me to a girl from a noble family. Every month my mom organized balls, which attracted all the young damsels from wealthy families. At first I was amused, then pall, and then I got so fed up with them that using any opportunity I tried to avoid going to the balls. Once I escaped from my parents in the port. Not to be bored, I went to the tavern, where I heard beautiful music. On a small stage there was a piano, and a young beautiful girl was playing a sad melody. I was flabbergasted! The piano in the tavern and a commoner could play it - it was beyond my compre-hension. Nevertheless, I stayed to listen the tune to the end. When she finished, she stood up and shouted the saloonkeeper: ‘Thank you, Gregory! I will come again tomorrow at the same time!’ Tavern keeper smiled and waved the young girl. Now I could see her better. Big black eyes seemed to be able to incinerate anyone. Red lips, thin chiseled nose... She could outshine the most exquisite beautiful ladies. She ran past me and her long, jet-black hair touched my hand. I realized that I was gone. My heart was beating quickly and I had never felt anything like that to anyone before. I went to the saloonkeeper, throwing him a gold coin I asked him: ‘Who is this young lady?’ ‘Oh, young gentleman, you’d better to look at someone else!’ whispered the saloonkeeper. ‘She is Mary – the daughter of Old Jack! He doted on her. He gave her as the best education as no one else dreamed about. She can play several musical instruments, speaks five languages. Moreover, she can sail better than her father can and she is good at fighting!’ I had heard from my father about Old Jack. There was no pirate more crafty, cunning and elusive than he was. He easily plundered ships and escaped the punishment easily. He had so much money that any king could envy his wealth. And that day I knew that he also had a beautiful daughter!

 

Since that day every night, I came to the tavern to see and listen to Mary. At first, she ignored me, but then she got used to me. One day having finished playing, she came and sat next to me. ‘Do you like music?’ she asked. ‘Yes, especially when you are playing,’ I said. ‘Aren’t you afraid of my father?’ she smiled. ‘Not at all!’ ‘Then come to us today for dinner!’ Mary said, and laughed.

 

I did not say anything to my parents. In the evening, I went to the tavern. Mary had been already waiting for me. She was as lovely as never!

 

Taking my hand, she led me past the low little houses to a small shack. It was quite clean and comfortable. Dimly burning lamp. In the dim light, I saw a gloomy elderly man at the table. He had long gray hair and an earring in one ear.

‘Sit down,’ he nodded to me on the bench.

I sat down, not knowing what to expect from the old pirate.

‘Mary told me that you were in the tavern every day because of her. So, I’ll be brief! If your intentions are serious - you are welcome! Otherwise – I’ll kill you! Actually, I am against your friendship, but my daughter’s word is law for me!’

With these words, the old sea dog pulled his daughter and kissed her.

‘I love your  daughter!’ I blurted out. ‘And I ask for her hand!’

‘I don’t mind,’ Mary’s father muttered. ‘But you are rich and the rich usually avoid doing business with us. So think it over all again and in a week come with your final decision!’

 

I left their house after midnight. Mary went to see me off. She gently held my hand, and I couldn’t control myself and kissed her. She dragged me to the barn, where we made love until dawn. And in the morning I came home. I told my parents that I loved Mary and wanted to marry her. Having known that, my mom had a stroke. The doctor said that we shouldn’t bother her, otherwise she would die. Father locked me in my room and didn’t let me go out. However, a week later I managed to get out of the house and, unno-ticed by anyone, I went to Mary. Coming closer I did not recognize her house. There were traces of struggle everywhere ... The fence was broken, the door was demolished. There was no one inside. I rushed to the saloonkeeper. He told me that after I devoted my parents to my plans about marriage, my father appealed to the authorities, and they had taken a raid on a seaside village. Old Jack and his daughter managed to escape, but where they were hiding - the saloonkeeper did not know. Completely squeezed out, I went out of the tavern and suddenly heard a familiar voice:

‘Darling, I knew you would come!’ It was Mary. I was over the moon with joy! I rushed to hug and kiss her.

‘I have no time, my dear!’ the girl interrupted me. ‘The King has issued an order to clear the village from pirates. All caught will be hanged! They have already executed some of us; my father is worried very much. He does not know that I’m here - with you!’

‘You do not have to hide!’ I tried to convince her. ‘You did not commit anything! You did not rob or drown ships!’

‘Yes, but my father has so much gold that any person, especially the king would like to own it! If they catch me, they will put the bite on him to know his secret. So it’s better to hide. At parting, I would like to give you my piano. You can take it whenever you want. I have already warned Gregory. And remember, I will always love you!’

 

Mary gave me a kiss and I lost my head in despair, offered to accompany her to the ship. We were walking holding hands, and the moon had risen high in the sky. Old Jack saw us from the deck and shouted: ‘Mary, immediately, on the board! We have had enough problems with this boy!’

 

But I couldn’t unhand her. Finally, she kissed me again and went up the stairs. Old Jack immediately gave the command, and the ship went to the sea. The next day I heard the terrible news... The Royal Ships captured the ship of Old Jack. Realizing that inevitable would happen with him and Mary, he killed his daughter. They tortured Old Jack for a long time but he didn’t tell his secret - where he had hidden his priceless wealth. The Pirate was brought to the village and hanged at the square in the public; his ship was left in the harbor for some time.

 

When I heard this, my whole world collapsed overnight. I swore that I would become a pirate and never return in the world in which I lived before. With help of faithful people, I arranged escape of several pirates from the team of Old Jack, who had been waiting punishment in prison. At night we secretly slipped on the pirate ship and stole it from the harbor. So I became a captain. In memory of Mary, I took her piano out of the tavern, and now it is always with me. I even learned to play that melody, which my Mary was playing when we first met.”

 

With these words, the captain Patrick rose and walked to the piano and played a very sad but nice melody. Angelica imagined a young girl, who died very young and burst into tears...

 

Patrick finished playing, stood up, closed the lid and left the room. Lica quietly followed him and saw that he was standing near the ship’s board looking into the distance.

 

 

St. Mary’s island

 

The girl went back to the room, sat down at the piano and started playing. She played one tune after another, without stopping for a minute. Lica knew that now it was the best thing she could do. Patrick returned half an hour later and said:

 

“Wouldn’t you like to dance with me, dear Angelica?”

 

“Of course,” she nodded. “But how we dance without music? Who will play the piano?”

 

“No one! We will count and dance without music!” the Captain smiled.

 

He gave his hand to Lica and they circled counting in waltz: ‘One, two, three… one, two, three…’ Angelica looked at Patrick’s green eyes and he wasn’t a pirate now, but a gentle, courteous and handsome young man. She was sincerely sorry for him, but she did not know how to help him. So she just resigned herself to power of dance.

 

“Thank you!” the captain said and suddenly stopped. “Last time I danced at my mother’s balls.”

 

He led her to a chair and kissed her hand:

 

“Now go to bed! Tomorrow it is going to be a difficult day.”

 

“Sure!” sadly noticed Lica.

 

Patrick turned and left the cabin. For some time Angelica sat looking through the dark window, but then went to bed. ‘Tomorrow is a new day,’ she whispered. Soon she fell asleep.

 

In the morning, she woke up because of a sunbeam jumping on her eyes. Lica got up and tiptoed went out of the cabin to the deck. But before she could step on the deck, she heard voices: the first belonged to Patrick and the other was unfamiliar.

 

“Captain, you promised that we would leave the girl on the first piece of land!” the unknown voice said. “However, she has been here for one day. We have sailed past the hundreds of islands, but you have not kept your promise yet.”

 

“First mate, do not forget! I am the Captain here! And I make the decisions!” Patrick retorted.

 

“Yeah, but you know the crew are not happy with it! A woman on the ship will bring troubles! They are nearly to rebel!”

 

“I know that, the first mate. Today we’ll leave her at St. Mary’s island.”

 

“Are you crazy? This is a sure way to the gallows! The government ships are there! Isn’t it easier to feed her to the sharks?”

 

Angelica shivered.

 

“That would be too easy!” the captain grinned. “And now, do your duties!”

 

The first mate cursed and Lica quickly crept back into the captain’s cabin and sat down at the table, as if she didn’t come out anywhere. A few minutes later Patrick knocked on the door and entered the room.

 

“Good morning!” he said. “I hope the dusting didn’t disturb you?”

 

“I am all right,” she smiled. “Is it time?”

 

“Yes, there is going to be a large island soon. There’s a harbor, with hundreds of ships. I think you’ll find a ship which will take home!”

 

“But perhaps it is dangerous for you?”

 

“You are the biggest problem for me!” the captain grinned.

“Thank you!” Lica said sincerely. “Patrick, you are a real gentleman!”

 

“You will say thank you, when you get to the port! And now, please, play me something at parting!”

 

Angelica sat down at the piano and began to play everything that she ever played in her life. Patrick was listening to her attentively. Sometimes he seemed to be far away in his thoughts. Suddenly somebody knocked on the door and a tall, thin man entered the cabin.

 

“Captain, we sail up to St. Mary’s! Once again, I want to warn you that to close to the island - is death!”

 

Lica immediately recognized the voice of the first mate, who talked to Patrick a few minutes ago.

 

“Okay!” the captain nodded. “I will be on the deck in a minute!”

 

The first mate looked at Angelica with undisguised hatred, and left the cabin.

 

“What a terrible person,” she murmured.

 

“I know!” Patrick grinned. “But he is a brave pirate; no one equals him in the battle!”

 

“Someday, he’ll kill you!”

 

“I know that. And try to keep the situation under control. Now listen to me, Angelica. The island, which we are sailing up, is under the government protection. The royal court is in the harbor, so we won’t be able to come close. Our ship will be on a sufficiently large distance from the land, but I will give you a boat. I hope you know how to oar?”

 

“Of course!” Lica nodded.

 

“The earth!” somebody shouted from the deck.

 

“Saint Mary!” “Well, go!” said Patrick.

 

The girl looked at his face again and a wave of tenderness and gratitude had hit her.

 

“Thank you for everything!” Lica whispered and kissed the young man.

 

“Please, don’t be so sentimental!” said the captain, pulling her slightly away.

 

Then suddenly he leaned himself to the girl and kissed her passionately.

 

“Captain, the island ho!” they heard the voice of the first mate.

 

“Let’s go!” Patrick said sharply, pushing Angelica.

 

He turned and walked quickly out of the cabin. The girl had no choice as to follow him. On the deck, the sailors were scurrying. Having seen Lica, they began to sneer and say biting remarks:

 

“Maybe we will have some fun, dear?”

“What sexy forms!”

 

“Did our captain fuck you? Maybe now is our turn?” Angelica stubbornly pretended not to hear them. Patrick gave the order to prepare the boat. Finally, the boat was lowered into the water. The Captain personally helped her down and said:

 

“I wish we had met not now and not in such situation. At another time and in another place it would be different!”

 

Lica so desired to kiss this young man, but the snide faces of pirates, dangling from the ship restrained her. Patrick kissed the girl’s hand and climbed to the ship; she waved him and took up the oars. ‘Black Patrick’ moved into the seaway...

 

Angelica was rowing for about an hour, and finally, her boat nuzzled a sandy shore. A few minutes later a strange, fat man in a waistcoat and military hat ran to her and exclaimed:

 

“Young lady, where did you come from?”

 

“I was sailing on a merchant ship, when suddenly a storm broke out, and I was blown away at sea,” said Lica.

 

“But the boat? It is a sign of the “Black Patrick” on it! Where did you get it?”

 

“Boat?” the girl hesitated. “Ah, the boat... When I was washed into the sea a pirate ship was chasing behind us. The storm was so strong! Maybe this boat is from their ship. Only thanks to this boat I could survive.”

 

“Yes, of course!” said the fat man quite intrigued.

“And don’t you take me to the harbor?” asked Angelica. “I’ll request the pleasure!”

 

And the fat man held the girl to a beautiful lagoon, with a lot of ships. She examined them all, but saw no one resembling the ship of Julien. Then Lica asked captains to find out if anyone is sailing into the desert. On this day, she had no luck. No ship was going there.

 

“What will I do?” Angelica said sadly to herself. “I have no money, no food and no ship.”

 

To pass the time, she went to the tavern, which was not far from the harbor.

 

“Could you give me some food?” she asked the saloonkeeper. “I’ll help you to wash the dishes in return.”

 

The saloonkeeper critically looked at her and nodded.

 

“Go to my wife Martha, she will tell you what to do!” he snapped.

 

Angelica came to his wife. She was a big, tough woman.

 

“Well, what happened?” she asked Lica sharply.

 

“I was blown away from the ship in a storm,” she murmured. “Now I have to be here until I find a ship, which is moving in the same direction.”

 

“Where?” asked the woman.

 

“To the desert!”

 

“Ha ha ha!” the woman laughed. “Then it is only one every six months!”

 

“It’s impossible!” Angelica said.

 

She went pit-a-pat and sat down on the floor.

 

“Well! Come on!” exclaimed the hostess. “You’re lucky that you met me! I will not let you starve to death. You will wash the dishes, clean the tavern and give drinks to the customers.”

 

“Okay!” Lica nodded.

 

“And now, you should eat something!”

 

She gave Lica a fried chicken breast and some rice.

 

“Thank you!” said the girl.

 

Immediately after the meal, she started work. They had many customers. Almost all of them were rude men, who met Angelica on ‘Hurrah!’ Each of them tries to grab or pinch her. But Lica as she could evade it...

Unexpected meeting

 

 

Two weeks had passed since she started working at the tavern. The saloonkeeper’s business had been prospered with Lica’s help, what made him kinder and now he began to take her differently. And his wife became Angelica’s best friend. Under the mask of a rude woman hid very sensitive lady. Lica told the saloonkeeper’s wife about her adventures and she really wanted to help the girl. Martha went to the harbor everyday to ask her friends if the next ship was leaving to the desert. One day she came home not alone but with a blond young man.

 

“Julien!” Angelica exclaimed. “God, Julien! How did you get  here?”

 

“She is asking me?” the young man laughed. “I was looking for you! But how did you get here?”

 

“I see you have a lot to talk,” said Martha. “I am leaving you alone; I need to help my husband!”

 

“Let’s go outside!” Julien suggested. “And talk there!”

 

Lica gladly accepted. She told the man about all the events that had happened to her during that time.

 

“...and the captain of pirates gave me the boat. And I am here on the island. Not to starve, I had to work in the tavern!” the girl finished her story.

 

“And you are a brave girl!” the captain admired sincerely. “I was definitely sure that you died in the sea. But Huron insisted on searching all the islands around. Not finding you anywhere, the sorcerer spent some magical rite and said that he saw you save and sound on a big island. Only two big islands were nearby. We spent a few days looking for you on the first island, and then came here - to the St. Mary. As soon as we went on shore, we heard rumors that a young beautiful girl worked in the tavern. Then I bumped into the saloonkeeper’s wife, who was asking captains, if their ships were going to the desert. That’s how I found you!”

 

“I am so happy!” Angelica cried and rushed to hug Julien. “What a hot rush!” the captain smiled. “And now we have to go, Huron is waiting for us!”

 

“Wait, Julien! I need to say goodbye to the tavern owners.” Lica ran into the tavern thanking the saloonkeeper and his wife.

 

“You brought me good luck,” said the owner. “So if you ever need a job, I’m always happy to take you!”

 

“Take care of yourself!” said his wife, Martha. “I think that your adventures have just begun!”

 

She hugged Angelica and even shed a few tears in the end.

 

Lica ran out of the tavern and shouted to Julien:

 

“That’s it! I am completely free and ready to sail right now!” The captain smiled and went towards the harbor. The girl followed him. Twenty minutes later, Angelica ran up to the deck of the ship, where Huron was waiting for them.

 

“Well, did you have a good time?” the sorcerer smiled.

 

“If only did you know how glad I am to see you all!” cried the girl.

 

“We are setting off today!” said Julien. “We have already lost too much time. I hope they won’t cancel the order.”

 

He gave some commands to the sailors and they ran on the deck obeying them.

 

“Let’s go into the cabin!” Huron said to Lica. “Tell me what happened to you!”

 

Angelica went down with the sorcerer into the captain’s cab-in and retold her story again.

 

“It’s amazing that Patrick didn’t feed you to the sharks,” Huron mused when she finished her story. “Apparently, you were born under a lucky star!”

 

“I do not know...” handed Lica. “It seemed to me that Patrick was unhappy man with a very kind heart.”

 

“Hmm...” grumbled the sorcerer. “This ‘unhappy person with a very kind heart’ ruined more than one hundred lives. All well that ends well. Now the main thing! When we get back to my cave, you have to perform another mission.”

 

“Mission? What mission?” surprised the girl.

 

“I need you to persuade your friend Isa to stay with Leila as long as we win the evil. If everything goes well, I will either go back to my cave or take away Leila with me - to a new home. Until then, I need to know that my daughter is safe.”

 

“And what if everything goes wrong?” Lica asked quietly. “You know people saying: ‘It’s no use crying for the moon!’

 

Don’t think about it now.”

 

“Okay,” Angelica nodded. “I’ll try to convince Isa, though I cannot guarantee anything. He is his own man!”

 

“You can do it if you really want!” Huron said firmly.

 

At this point Julien came in to the cabin.

 

“We are ready,” he said. “We are sailing in half an hour!” The sun was shining brightly in the sky. The wind filled the sails of the ship, and the ship with our heroes left the harbor. The ship held a course to the east, to the fishing village where the captain had to buy crabs.

 

Lica was standing on the deck, basking her face in fresh breeze, and thanking God that he pulled her out of fire. Oddly enough, but she was thinking about Patrick.

 

Despite the fact that Huron spoke very harshly about him, it seemed to the girl that the young man was just a victim of circum-stances rather than a real robber. Angelica remembered his green eyes and that hot kiss Patrick gave her farewell.

 

 

Part 9. The farewell dinner

 

 

The ship was going under full sail. Angelica did not notice how time flew.

 

“The earth!” suddenly shouted the sailor from the mast. “Angelica, come here!” Julien called her from the command bridge.

 

Lica quickly ran upstairs.

 

“Look! Don’t you remember it?” the captain smiled. Angelica looked through the telescope ahead and in the outline she recognized the island, where they had landed with Huron and Julien.

 

“That is the island where we first landed!” she exclaimed. “That’s right!” the captain nodded. “This means that our swimming is coming to the end. Tomorrow at dawn, we will be there.”

 

“I cannot believe it!” said the girl honestly. “All of these ad-ventures knocked me sideways so much that I even don’t know who I am and why am here!”

 

“Come on!” Julien chuckled. “You do know! The only bad thing about it is that I will be shorn of your company soon.”

 

“Tell me, Julien,” Angelica turned to the captain. “Do you have a girlfriend? And have you ever been in love?”

 

“In love?” Julien thought. “Yeah, I guess! But it was a long time ago. I liked one girl who was my neighbor. I think she liked me  too. But then the story with my father happened and I had to take his place and continue our business. And I haven’t seen this girl anymore... I guess she got married.”

 

“Have you tried to look for her?”

 

“No!”

 

“Then you have to find her to dot your ‘i’s’ and cross your ‘t’s’ in this story. What if she is still waiting and loves you?”

 

“Fat chance... So many years have passed.”

 

“Julien, promise me that you’ll find that girl!” said Lica passionately.

 

The captain looked at her and said slowly:

 

“Okay, I’ll try! Although I am sure that you cannot step into the same river twice!”

 

“You should try,” Angelica said softly.

 

“Why are we talking only about me!” suddenly Julien interrupted the conversation. “Tell me who is in your heart!”

 

“Oh, if I knew exactly...” Lica sighed. “You know, captain, I am very amorous, one day I like one man and the other day another!”

 

“So fall in love with me!” Julien smiled.

 

“Get away!” laughed the girl. “But to be honest I like you too. I treat you like my older brother...”

 

“What a pity!” the captain grinned. “But maybe one day you will change your mind!”

 

“I do not know, maybe...” Angelica replied evasively.

 

The seagulls appeared above the ship sails.

 

“We are very close to the island!” Julien said. “Would you like to walk there again?”

 

“Oh no, I am fold!” waved Lica. “One time was enough.”

 

“Well, your wish is the low for me!” the captain said. “Excuse me; I need to do my job. There are so tricky reefs, that my sailors are likely to lose control without my help.”

 

He kissed the girl’s hand and went to the helm.

 

Angelica put her face against the fresh breeze, and again old memories had haunted her mind. She remembered ‘Black Patrick’ and its captain. A sad melody that Patrick played for her sounded in her head. She was badly sick in heart. Lica closed her eyes and  remembered his beautiful green eyes. Suddenly the girl had very strong feeling to be with Patrick in his cabin again.

 

“What is happening with me?” Lica surprised. “Am I in love?” She tried to think of other men, but only thoughts about Patrick came to her mind. Angelica ran into the cabin, found a piece of paper and ink, and immediately began to write...

 

To: the Captain of ‘Black Patrick’

 

From: Angelica...

 

I want to jump

 

Into pool of your eyes...

 

I want your love -

 

So sexy and nice!

 

But only fate

 

Takes away from your lips;

 

And I’m afraid

 

It tips me the winks!

 

But I hope we’ll meet

 

And destroy this pain...

 

And you know indeed

 

You have burned my brain!

 

Previously, she had never written poems, but now the feelings overwhelmed her and she wanted to express them somehow. Finished writing, Lica rolled paper, ran to the cook’s cabin and asked him to give her an empty rum bottle. Then she stuffed paper inside the bottle, carefully closed and threw it far out to the sea.

 

“It is unlikely that this message will reach Patrick, but at least I tried to do something!” said Angelica to herself.

 

A little later Julien came to the girl.

 

“I would like to invite you today for a farewell dinner,” he said. “Because only God knows if we meet again or not?”

 

“With pleasure!” Lica nodded. “I will tell Huron.”

 

“He has already known.”

 

In the evening high feeding was set in the captain’s cabin.

 

There were a variety of food and drinks.

 

“My cook tried his best!” Julien said.

 

“Hmm... He has hands of gold!” agreed to Huron. “Angelica, help yourself! In my cave, we cannot afford such luxury!”

 

“But where did you get the fruits?” surprised the girl. “We are in the open sea!”

 

“My cook bought them on the island of St. Mary and laid them down for this occasion!”

 

“He’s just a magician!”

 

Angelica took the largest apple and sat down at the table.

 

“Tomorrow we will arrive in the harbor,” the captain started  the conversation. “Tell me, Huron, what you are going to do next?”

 

“Next?” said the sorcerer making a pause. “Next aim is to fight the evil!”

 

“It sounds too pathetic!”

 

“And, nevertheless, it’s true!” Lica supported Huron. “Really? Well, then tell me about it some more!” asked Julien, hiding a smile.

 

“The fact is,” Angelica said, “that the evil spirits were released in the Kingdom of Night. Now they pose a threat to the kingdom and not only to it. They can materialize in the form of any evil crea-tures and monsters, but our main aim is not to kill these evil creatures because they will recreate again but drive the spirits back into the abyss. I have explained you our mission in two words, captain.”

 

Julien was thinking...

 

“And what exactly are you, girl, doing in such a dangerous journey?” finally, he said.

 

“She plays the role of the first violin!” Huron grinned. “Or rather without her we couldn’t do anything!”

 

“Angelica!” exclaimed the captain. “You can die!”

 

“I know,” shrugged Lica, “but I have to. After all, the fate of so many people depends on me!”

 

“Am I too bold to understand the meaning of life?” muttered Julien. “Instead of having fun on the balls and doing housework, women began to take part in war!”

 

“One girl is different from another!” remarked the sorcerer. “Most of them like balls as just you said.”

 

“I admire you even more!” said Julien enthusiastically, referring to Angelica. “But I’ll say again, stay away from the battlefield!”

 

“Well, that’s enough about business!” exclaimed Lica. “Let’s dance, captain. I can see there is something looking like a gramophone.”

“Oh, yes!” Julien smiled. “My father gave it to me when he  came back from the long voyage.”

Last night on the ship

 

 

The captain came to the table and twiddled the gramophone handle. Unclear melody sounded from the trumpet. However, it was possible to recognize the waltz melody.

 

“Thank you for dinner,” said Huron. “I am going to my room, because I want to get some good sleep before tomorrow.”

 

The sorcerer rose from the table and walked out of the cap-tain’s cabin.

 

“Let’s dance!” Julien smiled to Angelica.

 

He gave her his hand and they swirled in waltz. Lica closed her eyes and imagined herself dancing with Patrick. She was so beautiful that the captain could not resist and cuddled her. He kissed her on the lips, and Angelica, succumbing to her feelings, hugged Julien’s neck. But suddenly she remembered the malicious face of Swein and his words: ‘You are a courtesan!’ Lica immediately pushed the captain and said:

 

“Sorry, Captain, I shouldn’t have done that!”

 

“I should ask for excuse!” Julien said and stepped toward Angelica.

 

“No, no, no!” she said firmly. “It’s wrong! Because we hardly know each other.”

 

“But, Angelica...”

 

“No “buts”! Thank you for a wonderful dinner, captain!” Lica resolutely turned and walked out of the cabin... The night seemed too long. She felt herself guilty.

 

“Why did I do that?” she thought. “Swein was right! I’m too lightheaded! I am flirting one, then the other. But, on the other hand, I only seventeen! And I want to fall in love, flirt, live! Well, if marry, so what? Four walls, a husband and children? My husband will ban me everything! And you have to obey him? No, I don’t want that! I want adventure. I want the wind into my face and a man nearby, who would accept my freedom-cantankerous charac-ter! Then maybe I get married... if nobody restricts my freedom!”

 

Angelica was thinking almost all night. She fell asleep only before down, exhausted by her own thoughts. She did not hear, that a sailor on the mast shouted: ‘The earth!’ She did not feel that the ship entered the harbor and dropped the anchor. Huron idly tried to wake her up. Lica was sleeping like a log.

 

The girl woke up because someone was touching her hand.

 

She opened her eyes and saw that it was Julien.

 

“Are we in the harbor?” she asked, trying to wake up completely.

 

“Yes, for several hours,” the captain smiled. “But you were fast asleep and we could not wake you up.”

 

“Sorry,” muttered Angelica, “I fell asleep in the morning.” “Never mind, I’m rather glad! You gave me a few hours pleasure to watch you while you were asleep. It was wonderful!” Lica embarrassed, snatched her hands and got up. “Tell me, captain, where Huron is?”

 

“He is in the tavern, checking the horses you have left before the journey. The animals have already fed, saddled and been waiting for you!”

“Well, then it’s time to say goodbye!”

 

Angelica came to the captain and gave him her hand. “Julien, I want to tell that I will never forget you and you will  be always my best friend!”

 

The captain smiled, shook her hand, then suddenly leaned over and kissed her palm.

 

“Angelica,” he said, “it was the first time in my life I have met a girl like you! You are strong, bold, beautiful and sincere... I hope that our meeting is not the last! Perhaps in the future you will change your mind and I will be not only your friend or brother, but also a man!”

 

Again, Lica wanted to embrace this honorable man, but she forced herself to hold back.

 

“Thank you for everything!” only she could say.

 

“Let’s go to Huron until he finally loses patience!” Julien chuckled.

 

He took the girl on the deck and then down the gangplank Angelica came down from the ship. The sorcerer was talking to a fat man but noticing Lica, immediately interrupted the conversation and went towards her.

 

“At last!” he cried. “We are setting off immediately! Because of you, we’ve lost a few hours.”

 

“Let’s go!” she nodded.

 

Huron brought horses, and Lica jumped into the saddle. Honestly, she was tired of the sea and was pleased to be on land again. Angelica looked at Julien’s ship and saw the captain standing on the deck. She waved her hand and sent ‘a kiss’. Julien pretended that he had caught something in the air, and then pressed it to his heart. The girl felt a pang in her heart again, and not to crack up, she turned and pulled the reins. The riders went away from the village...

Difficult conversation

 

 

Our heroes were riding for about two hours, until finally, they saw mountains ahead.

 

“Well, we’re almost at home!” Huron said.

 

“Yes, but we have to go through the rocks!” Lica noticed.

 

They spurred their horses, and soon came to the mountains.

 

Then they had to go along the narrow path way between the huge boulders. Soon the riders saw a familiar rock. Angelica’s heart started pounding. The sorcerer first rounded stones and came to his cave.

 

“Father, father!” they heard a cheer Leila’s voice.

 

The girl ran out of the cave and fell on Huron’s neck. To the surprise of Angelica, her face was open. Only a small scarf covered her hair.

 

“Hello, Leila!” shouted Lica. “And where are the men? Where is Isa? How is Edward?”

 

“Hello!” the girl smiled to Angelica. “Edward is all right, he has recovered. Now he is hunting with Isa. We did not expect you would arrive today!”

 

“Maybe it’s better!” Lica smiled. “At least, I have time to freshen me up before they return.”

 

The girl jumped from the saddle to the ground.

 

“Well, you may gossip a little,” said Huron, “and I need some time to be alone to think.”

 

And the sorcerer went into the cave.

 

“Leila, dear, can you tell me where I can have a shower here?” asked Angelica.

 

“Of course!” she nodded. “There is a hot spring near here, let’s go!”

 

“And can you borrow me some clean clothes? Mine is dirty.” “I will bring you clothes and towel. Wait a little!”

 

The sorcerer’s daughter disappeared in the cave but a few minutes later, she went out with clean clothes and towels.

 

“Here you are!” she turned to Angelica, giving her clothes. “Maybe it won’t suit you, but until your clothes dries, you can wear it.”

 

Then she waved her hand and said:

 

“Follow me!”

 

Leila quickly ran somewhere in the nearby rock. Then she climbed like a cat on a huge boulder and shouted:

 

“Come here! The hot spring is behind this stone.”

 

Lica was very tired, but the desire to wash off the road dust prevailed. The girl climbed onto the boulder and saw a small lake with lovely green grass on the bank.

 

“How nice!” Angelica admired.

 

She threw the clothes on the grass, went to the lake and touched the water with her hand. The water was warm, as if it was specially heated.

 

“Well, have a bath and I’ll go!” Leila said. “You can use these stones to wash your clothes. They are soapy!”

 

She gave her a pair of white rounded pebbles. Then Huron’s daughter turned ready to leave.

 

“Leila, wait!” Angelica called her. “We have not seen with you for almost a month. Tell me about you and Isa!”

 

The girl blushed and said quietly:

 

“I’ll tell you if only you swear that you won’t tell my father!”

 

“I promise!” Lica nodded.

 

“We... I... To make the long story short, we are like husband and wife,” Leila whispered.

 

“So it’s wonderful!” Angelica exclaimed. “I’m very happy for you! But why do not you want to tell your father?”

 

“According to our tradition a girl cannot be intimate with a man before marriage. My father will kill me! Or he will kill Isa!”

 

“Do not be afraid, he won’t! And tell Isa to propose to you!”

 

“This is the problem...” Leila said sadly. “I think he does not want to marry me!”

 

“How do you know?”

 

“I asked him! But he said that it is not the time! I think he loves you!”

 

“Bosh!” exclaimed Lica. “He can’t love me! After he was with you!”

 

“He is a man! He can. According to our traditions, men can have as many wives as they want.”

 

“No, that’s not good enough!” Angelica said firmly. “And you, Leila, I think, won’t want to have competitors. It’s not your character! I will tell you a little secret... Your father insists that I will persuade Isa to stay here with you as long as we carry out our mission.”

 

“It would be good!” Leila was delighted.

 

“That’s what I am going to do tonight,” promised Lica. “Okay, I’ll go! And you have a bath!”

 

Leila quickly climbed on a boulder and disappeared behind it...

 

Angelica took off her clothes and went to the small lake. The water was so nice that she screeched splashed into it. She was  swimming and enjoying the peace and quiet. Suddenly a small stone rolled down the boulder. It seemed to Lica that somebody was watching her. She carefully looked around, but saw nothing suspicious. The girl dived and then she heard a loud splash nearby. Angelica surfaced and saw Isa beside her! He was naked. Strong muscles played under his dark skin, spray droplets sparkled in the sun in his jet-black hair.

 

“Isa!” exclaimed the astonished girl.

 

“It’s me, my love!”

 

“Are you crazy? I am undressed! Do not look at me!”

 

The guy laughed, turned away and swam a little away from Angelica. Lica quickly went out of the water and put on the clothes, Leila had given her. It was an awkward long dress. However, it was clean, and now it was the most important thing for the girl.

 

“How did you find me?” she asked Isa.

 

“I heard from afar the neighing of your horse. I left Edward to stalk pheasants, and rushed bypass path here. You weren’t near the cave, so I decided to look around.”

 

“You’re a real hunter!” Angelica smiled. “You can turn! But if you are going to talk to me, then you have to get dressed!”

 

The young man swam to the shore, and Lica defiantly turned away.

 

“Okay, I’m ready!” finally she heard his voice.

 

She turned and saw that the man had only flimsy trousers. Water droplets were glistening on his broad shoulders and thick black hair.

 

“What clothes are you wearing?” Isa asked with a smile. “Leila gave it to me!”

 

“Ha ha ha!” the man laughed. “This is the national dress of our women but you put it on backwards!”

 

He was trilling with laughter so much that Angelica also burst of laughing with him. Calmed down, Isa said:

 

“Angelica, honey, I’m so glad you’re finally back!”

 

He rushed to the girl and held her tightly to his chest.

 

“I’m crazy about you!” he whispered.

 

“Isa, dear,” Lica said, trying to pull away from the passionate man. “Many things have changed while we are away!”

 

“What have changed?” he was surprised.

 

“Isa!” Angelica said firmly. “Leila told me about you and her.” Isa’s face instantly became very serious. He let Lica from his hands and sat down on the grass.

 

“Yes, it’s true!” he said slowly. “But you need to understand that sometimes a man needs a woman! It does not mean anything! I do not love her!”

 

“Yes, but she loves you! And it’s much worse! Remember, she is the daughter of the sorcerer and his pupil.”

 

Isa put his head in his hands and whispered:

 

“I know. I thought about it. The sorcerer will never forgive us!”

 

The man looked at Lica and said:

 

“Let’s run away!? Let’s go to the world’s end where no one can find us!”

 

She shook her head and said:

 

“No, Isa, I haven’t completed my mission yet! I, the sorcerer and Edward have to go to the Kingdom of Night.”

 

“And what about me?”

 

“You’ll have to stay here with Leila!” “Never!”

 

“But you are not indifferent to her; otherwise you would not be with her! I don’t believe, that you can leave this poor girl alone here, can’t you, Isa?”

 

“But you have bound me hand and foot!”

 

“It’s not forever! The sorcerer promises to take Leila as soon as we win!”

 

“And if you lose?”

 

“Then Leila will become a full-fledged mistress here and you’ll have to decide what to do next!”

 

“No, I cannot leave you!”

 

Angelica went and sat next to the man.

 

“Isa,” she said quietly. “Do you love me?”

 

The young man nodded and pulled her to him.

 

“You are the most precious thing in the world for me!” he said. “Then you should stay with Leila, for our sake! Otherwise, everything goes upside down... And I cannot complete the mission.”

 

“But...”

 

“Isa, you need to stay alone and think. I know that you will understand me!”

 

Lica quickly leaned over to the young man and kissed him on the lips.

 

“Now go!” she said, pushing him away. “We do not need that somebody has seen us together!”

 

“Okay,” nodded Isa. “I am leaving! But it does not mean that I’ll throw you out of my heart.”

 

The young man stood up and, without looking back, disap-peared behind the boulder.

Friends again

 

Angelica decided to wait a while before she came back to the cave. She washed her clothes, and spread it on hot stones. Then she lay down on the grass and began to look at the clouds. She didn’t notice how two hours passed. Her clothes nearly dried up, and Lica changed her clothes. All the other things she carefully folded to bring them back to Leila.

 

Approaching the cave, Angelica saw two riders. It was Isa and Edward. The Prince had changed in some way. First Lica could not understand what happened to him, but then realized that Edward had sunburned. In the Kingdom of Night where never sunlight, the Prince’s skin was white as milk. Now he was quite brown and looked like a real macho. The riders dismounted.

 

“Edward!” cried the girl. “I’m so glad that you have recovered!” “Angelica?!” the Prince Night surprised. “What a joy!”

 

He threw the reins and ran to the girl. Lica put the things in her hands on the grass, and hung with a squeal on his neck. Edward hugged and spun Angelica.

 

 “I can’t believe it,” he whispered.

 

Neither Prince nor Lica notice what an evil light shone in Isa’s eyes. The young man took the reins of both horses and took them away. At this time, Huron came out of the cave and exclaimed:

 

“Greetings, Prince Edward! Leila has already prepared dinner. So wash hands and sat at the table! We have a lot to talk about. Angelica, could you invite Isa, please.

 

“Welcome back!” Edward exclaimed, referring to the sorcerer. “A few minutes later I’ll join you!”

 

The Prince kissed Lica’s hand and went to the spring. The girl ran to the rock to call Isa. She saw him tying the horses to a tree.

 

“Isa!” Angelica called him. “Dinner is ready!”

 

“So, you love him, don’t you?” the young man said quietly, without turning around.

 

“Who? Prince?” repeated Lica. “Honestly, I do not know. But he is very dear to me!”

 

“And me?”

 

Isa turned to the girl and looked straight into her eyes. “You are also very dear to me!” “And who is more?”

 

“Do not torture me, Isa!” said Lica. “I’m terribly confused. Do not make me chose right now!”

 

“What can I do? To watch in silence you hug and kiss another man? For me it is like a sharp knife in the heart!”

 

Angelica felt terribly ashamed. She came over and hugged the young man‘s shoulders.

 

“Forgive me, Isa!” she whispered. “One thing I can tell you for sure, I’m not going to marry the Prince.”

 

“It looks like a beacon of hope!” the young man smiled. “Honestly, Edward is a nice guy, and I wouldn’t like to quarrel with him!”

“And what about Leila?” asked Lica. “She is not a bad girl too. In addition, she loves you, and you, as I understand it, was her first man. She is unlikely to share you with me.”

 

“Let’s not talk about it right now!” asked Isa.

 

He pulled the girl and kissed her. At this time, they heard  voice:

 

“Isa, Angelica! Where are you? Dinner is ready!”

 

Leila looked behind the boulder. She saw them kissing. Huron’s daughter broke, said something through her teeth, turned and ran away.

 

“What have you done?” Lica exclaimed, pushing Isa away. “You’ve just ruined everything! Now she’ll tell everything to the sorcerer and he will refuse to go with us, the evil will destroy the Kingdom of Night and then others!”

 

The girl hid her face in her hands and burst into tears. “Take it easy!” the young man said quietly. “I have spoiled  everything, and I will put it right!”

 

He stroked Lica’s hair, smiled and said:

 

“In any case, no matter what happens, remember - I love you!” Saying that, Isa ran after Leila. Angelica calmed down a bit

 

and came to the cave. Edward and Huron were at the table.

 

“Where have you all gone?” asked the sorcerer. “First Isa, then you went to look for him and disappeared too and then Leila followed you and never returned! Magic!”

 

Huron burst of laughing.

 

“Sit down, Angelica!” Prince Edward smiled. “Today, Leila did her best. Dinner is just superb!”

 

She sat at the table, but her appetite had completely gone. “While you were looking for Isa,” proceeded to tell Prince Night. “Huron told me about your adventures and we began to discuss further details of our campaign. So, you have arrived just on time!”

 

“And what did you decide?” asked Lica quite indifferently.

 

“We go to the Kingdom of Night immediately! Just give you a little time to have rest!”

 

“I’m not tired,” she shook her head. “We can go right now!”

 

“Tell me, have you talked to your friend Isa about what I had  asked you?” Huron said.

 

“Yes!” Lica nodded.

 

“And what was his answer?”

 

“I do not know yet,” truly said Angelica. “But I’m afraid that...”

 

Lica did not finish when Isa entered the cave with Leila. More accurately, the man first entered and then Leila, who was dragged by Isa. She resisted, trying to break free and run away.

 

“At last!” exclaimed the sorcerer. “We have been waiting for you!”

 

“Just a second!” Isa raised his hand. “I came here to ask for your daughter’s hand!”

 

“Goodness me!” surprised Huron.

 

“Father, do not believe him!” cried the girl. “He does it on purpose!”

 

She wanted something more to say but Isa interrupted her and continued:

 

“Since your left, we have lived with your daughter, as husband and wife. Now, when you returned, I would like to ask for her hand in order to avoid the shame that can affect your family and your name.”

 

“Leila, my daughter!” said the sorcerer. “Is it true?”

 

The girl burst into tears and buried her face in her hands. “What a shame!” Huron gasped. “How could you do that?” Leila sobbed much louder. Through sobs she said quietly: “I love him, father!”

 

“Shame on my gray head!” exclaimed the sorcerer.

 

“Wait,” suddenly chimed in Edward. “Well, it’s not shame! Everything is fairly! He doesn’t refuse to marry your daughter!”

 

Huron rose, walked slowly to Isa, staring into his eyes and said:

 

“Well, you are the honest man! Wherefore I’ll give you my daughter and now you’ll take care of her.”

 

Then the sorcerer looked at Leila and said:

 

“Wipe your tears, shameless! Luckily, this man didn’t abandon or got rid of you as a needless thing! And let’s count today’s dinner as a wedding one, because we have very little. Sit down at the table, Isa! Welcome to our family!”

 

Huron hugged the young man and took him to the table. Leila glared at Angelica but said nothing. She began to take care of men, giving them the one dish and then another.

 

“Wow!” Edward said in surprise. “Who would have thought that I am at the wedding party today?”

 

He raised a wooden cup of wine and said:

 

“I want to make a toast for the happiness and love of these two young and nice people. Let them always be lucky!”

 

The Prince drank wine and Lica looked at Isa and saw him sitting blacker-than-black. She realized that the man did it only to help her to complete the mission. Angelica wished to talk to Isa right now but Leila had her eyes on him.

 

“Well, if everything turned out so,” said the sorcerer, “then I can go with an easy mind. Now I do not have to worry about my daughter, because her husband will take care of her. And tomorrow with the first rays of the sun we are going to the Kingdom of Night.”

 

They were dining for some time but soon Huron said to Angelica and Edward need some rest to gain strength before tomorrow’s trip. He asked Leila to prepare their beds and went to his room.

 

The sorcerer’s daughter prepared a bed for Lica. The girl tried to speak to Leila, but she silently left the room. Angelica decided that the best way out of this situation is just go to bed. However, a vague sense of anxiety did not leave her. The girl did take off her dress and went to bed in clothes, putting, just in case, a sword by her side. Fatigue took its toll, and soon Lica fell asleep...

 

She dreamed of going in a very high grass, which clotting in her legs. Angelica tried to free herself, but suddenly felt that some-one was following her. The girl looked closer and saw two bright yellow eyes burning among green grass. Lica bent lower and noticed a large wild cat, who was preparing to pounce on her. Angelica screamed and woke up. The candle almost burnt, but even in the dim light she saw Leila with a dagger in her hand ready to attack.

 

“Damn!” only managed to say Lica.

 

As soon as she rolled off the bed down, Leila daggered the pillow. Angelica grabbed the sword and knocked the dagger out of her hands. But she with a vicious hiss again got at her. Lica ducked as she had been taught in aikido, and struck Leila with her sword hilt. When she fell down, she sat down on top of her and put the sword blade to her throat.

 

 “If you move, I’ll kill you!” Angelica said quietly.

 

“Kill!” Leila said through her teeth. “You won’t get my Isa!”

 

“Silly woman!” said Lica. “He did marry you!”

 

“He did it to make my father go with you, I know. He loves you!”

 

“So, listen! Now I’ll take the sword, and you will not make any sudden movements, okay? Then we will sit down and talk. Agreed?”

 

Leila nodded. Angelica stood up slowly, just in case holding the sword at the ready. Then she took and hid the dagger that was lying nearby.

 

“Listen to me, Leila,” Lica said. “If you kill me, Isa will never forgive you. I know his character! Besides, you will upset Prince Edward and your father’s apple-cart. It can also bring you harm. I propose a compromise... You hate me, well and good. Just let me get out of here to the Kingdom of Night, and Isa will stay with you!”

 

“But he loves you! I saw how he was looking at you! And how gently he kissed you! He never looked at me as he did at you.”

 

Leila sat on the floor and sobbed.

 

“Come on! If I’m there, and he is here with you, he will forget me and all his attention will switch to you. Of course, you should try to conquer him! Well, are we friends again?”

 

The sorcerer’s daughter rose slowly, wiped away tears and said:

 

“Well, that’s true! Have it your way! Friends!”

 

She held out her hand to Angelica, and the girls shook hands. “I’ll be patient a little more,” promised Leila, “but in the  future if you get in my way, I’ll kill you, so no offence!”

 

“I’ll try!” Lica smiled.

 

“Just give me my dagger! This is the gift from my father!” Angelica took it out of her belt and handed to the girl. “Well, good night!” Leila said.

 

She walked into the corridor but at the door, she stopped, turned and said:

 

“You are a brave girl! You can stand up for yourself!” Saying that the sorcerer’s daughter had gone.

Departure

 

Lica went back to bed, but she couldn’t sleep. Different thoughts were running in her head. The girl got up and quietly left the cave. The sky was getting light.

 

“A day is breaking soon!” Angelica said aloud. “So, no use to go to bed.”

 

“You have already got up?!” she heard the voice of the sorcerer behind. “That’s good, because we have to set off as soon as possible. It’s better to leave early in the morning and try to move as far as possible because during the day it’s too hot in the desert. But I think it’s unnecessary to tell you that! Edward and Isa are preparing horses.”

 

“Good morning!” they heard Leila’s voice. “Father, I have put some food for you.”

 

“Excellent,” said Huron. “Give the basket with food to Isa and tell him to tie it to one of the saddles.”

 

She nodded and ran along the path. A few minutes later Lica saw Prince Edward and Isa, leading the horses. The sorcerer’s daughter was walking after them.

 

“Horses are ready!” Isa said.

 

“Good morning, Angelica!” Edward smiled. “I hope you’re ready for a journey?”

 

“I am always ready!” grinned Lica

 

“Well, we should say good-bye!” Huron said, referring to Leila. He came to her daughter and hugged her tightly. Then turned

 

to Isa and said:

 

“Isa, now you are the head of the family. I believe you and I hope that you will stand by my daughter! Goodbye!”

 

Huron came up and hugged the young man. After that, he jumped into the saddle so easy that one could hardly say that he was an old man. The Prince and Isa shook hands and Edward sat on his horse. Angelica came to Leila, hugged her and whispered in her ear:

 

“Good-bye, my friend! Be happy! May be you should put a spell on him.”

 

Lica looked down at Isa.

 

“Good-bye!” quietly said Leila. “Thank you for everything. I am not going to put spell on him; people say sick children are born if you put spell on a man. I hope everything will be fine without magic!”

 

“Then may I kiss him on the cheek at parting?” Angelica asked quietly.

 

Leila nodded.

 

Isa was holding Lica’s horse and patiently waiting the girls saying goodbye. Finally, he saw Angelica was going toward him. The girl went to the young man, kissed him on the cheek and said:

 

“Thanks for everything, Isa! I will never forget you!”

 

“I hope so! And remember what I said to you that time near the mountain was absolute truth!”

 

He helped Lica to climb into the saddle, and three riders went away from the cave. Leila waved them with a handkerchief and Isa sadly looked at Angelica. Lica felt unbearable pain in her heart, but she calmed herself down, thinking that Leila was a nice girl and Isa would be happy with her.

 

It was a long journey. First, our heroes got out of the mountains and then they were riding through the yellow sands of the desert.

 

“How do you think Huron,” suddenly asked Edward, “will we be able to cross the desert before nightfall?”

 

“I don’t think so...” grimly said the sorcerer. “But I know a peaceful nomadic tribe here. We can stay at night with them!”

 

“It would be nice! I don’t want to meet with sandy Snakes again,” the Prince smiled.

 

“We are lucky, the season of winds has already finished,” said Huron, “so we should try to ride as far as possible today!”

 

And the riders continued their way. The sun was slowly ris-ing in the horizon, shining more and more dunes. Soon it became really hot.

 

“We’d rather swathe our heads with cloth,” said the sorcerer. “It will be easier to stand the scorching heat.”

 

Our heroes stopped. Huron made them something like a turban on the heads. After that, it was really easier to ride. For the half of the day our riders were going without stops, but finally, exhausted horses began to stumble.

 

“There is an oasis near here. We need to go there and give our horses a rest!” briefly said the sorcerer.

 

He turned slightly to the left, and soon a few palm trees ap-peared on the horizon. It was a small green island in the middle of the desert.

 

Reaching it, Angelica with pleasure fell down under the shadow of the trees. Prince Edward and Huron opened the well and watered the horses. It was exhausting heat.

 

“We’ll have a rest no more than one hour,” warned the sorcerer. “Otherwise, we risk not getting the camp of nomads until the dark time.”

 

Lica didn’t want to go anywhere. Moreover, she did not even want to move, but she couldn’t say no to Huron. Edward took a basket with provision Leila gave them, and gave some food to Angelica.

 

“You look tired!” he said. “You certainly need to eat something!”

 

“Prince, I am not hungry!” she tried to talk back, but Prince Night insisted that she ate some bread and drank some herbal tea. After that, Lica felt much better.

 

“Tell me, Huron,” Edward turned to the sorcerer, “what about the camp of nomads? The desert is quite dangerous place to stay for a night!”

 

“You are right. It is dangerous. But there are some stony places in the desert. Apparently, before there the mountains were. The indigenous people know where these areas are and stay there for a night. Sandy Snakes cannot break through the stones, so they usually do not go there. Furthermore, snakes, like all other animals, are terrified of fire and nomads usually build fire around their camp...”

 

“But where they get firewood?” Angelica surprised. “Only sand is everywhere!”

 

“You’re wrong!” Huron grinned. “There are many different plants and shrubs in the desert. You need to know where they grow. In addition, on the outskirts of the desert there is a huge field of coal, which they use to start fire.”

 

 “By the way,” Edward chimed in, “don’t you think that it’s time to go?”

 

“Yes,” nodded the sorcerer, “we’ve been here longer than we’d scheduled.”

 

Our heroes quickly gathered the provisions, mounted the horses and went on. After resting the animals galloping more quickly and the sun did not seem to be so scorching. The riders were going without stops. The sun was climbing to the zenith.

 

“The camp of nomads must be near!” said Huron. “One more hour and we are there.”

The night in the desert

 

However, neither in one hour nor in two they found the camp of nomads.

 

“Have I gone the wrong way?” muttered the sorcerer to him-self. “In any case, the sun is down and we have to find a shelter for a night.”

 

He looked around, saw a high dune nearby and climbed it. “I do not understand,” he shouted from the top. “Their camp  should have been somewhere here, but it isn’t!” “What are we going to do?” asked him Lica.

 

“Look for a shelter!” Huron said. “Over there, I can see something looks like oasis. Let’s go there! Perhaps we will be able to get there before nightfall.”

 

And riders immediately rode to the oasis. It was nightfall, but the small group has already reached two old dry palm trees among some brushes. The sorcerer jumped to the ground and began to rake the sand with his hands.

 

“I have two news,” he said grimly, “good and bad.”

 

“So tell now, don’t prolong the agony!” Angelica exclaimed.

 

 “The soil here is stony - this is a good new...”

 

“And the bad one?” asked Edward.

 

“Oasis is too small to protect our horses and us.”

 

“Well, we will keep the watch,” said Prince Night. “We do not have time to go somewhere else.”

 

The Prince dismounted and helped Lica down from the saddle. “You are right,” Huron nodded. “Then go to sleep while I am on duty. Then I’ll wake Angelica and then she will wake you,  Edward.”

 

The Prince agreed. He was too tired to argue with the sorcerer. However, first he found an old well and gave water to horses.

 

“The water was sluggish. It seems that people used this well many years ago,” Edward said.

 

After that, he watered the animals and tied them to the palm tree, next to the well. Angelica and Prince settled down near the horses, Huron took up a position near the thorns. Just in case, he took a flint and put it next to him. His duty passed without any problems. Then he woke Lica, and went to sleep. She sat next to a bush staring into the darkness. It was quite cold.

 

“Strange,” Lica thought, “why is that in the desert so hot during the day and so cold at night?”

 

She looked at the sky and saw the moon. In the dark, only stars twinkled. The time was passing very slowly. Finally, the bright moon had risen. It became lighter. Soon Angelica duty came to the end. She rose and went to wake Prince Edward.

 

“Prince, it’s your turn to be on duty!” she said softly, shaking Edward’s shoulder.

 

Prince sat up, rubbed his eyes and said:

 

“I am getting up!”

 

At this time, from the side our travelers had arrived, there was a distinctive sound of pouring sand.

 

“Well,” whispered Lica, “I’ve already heard this sound! Snakes!”

 

She shook the sorcerer’s shoulder and when he opened his eyes, she put her finger to her lips and pointed to the dunes. Huron immediately understood everything. The horses snorted and began laughing and dancing on the spot. Prince Edward, Angelica and Huron drew their swords staying around the horses.

 

“Do not move!” warned them the sorcerer. “To attack us here, snakes will crawl out. That means they will be more vulnerable than in the desert, where they can immediately hide in the sand.”

 

At this point, something very big rose of the dune. First Lica could not understand what it was. But when she saw a long neck with a huge head the girl panicked.

 

“Ready,” said Huron, “the snake is going to attack!”

 

But the huge head continued rising over the land. The snake began to sway from side to side, uttering terrible hiss and suddenly swooped down. Prince Edward and Angelica jumped aside and the sorcerer struck the snake with the sword on its neck with all his might. The monster’s head flew off and a huge body began to squirm and convulse. At the same moment on the other side of the oasis, another monster appeared on the surface. It lunged forward and bit one of the horses. The animal fell on the ground pounding pain in convulsions. Prince Night immediately jumped to the snake and with one stroke of his sword slashed it in half. But that did not stop the monsters. Here and there, from all sides of the oasis new monsters appeared from the sand. Horses whinnied trying to tear the reins. The wounded mare was rolling on the ground and grunting.

 

“Things look black!” exclaimed Prince Night. “Too many of them!”

 

Two snakes at once stepped off on Edward and he cut them with his sword. Huron was fighting with very big one, which size was almost half more than any others. The snake, which attacked Angelica, was so aquatic that it was impossible to approach it closer. The Prince cut off one head, but then two others immediately took her place attacking him.

 

“Fire!” shouted the sorcerer. “We need a fire! Move! I left the flint near the thorns!”

 

A huge snake knocked the sword out of Huron’s hands and grabbed him with its tail. It began to squeeze him with its body and the sorcerer screamed in pain.

 

“Hurry up!” Angelica told herself. “Hurry up!”

 

The girl injured the agile snake, and while it was distracted for a moment, Lica quickly slipped between snake writhing bodies and crawled to the bush. The flint was on the ground. Angelica quickly struck a stone on stone, and the sparks fell on dry thorn. It instantly flashed like a torch. A second later, the fire spread to neighboring bushes all around the oasis. The girl took a burning branch and poked it into the huge monster. It terribly hissed and released the sorcerer.

 

Lica rushed on. She waved with the burning branch in front of the snakes and they began to crawl away. Prince Edward realized that fire helped, also grabbed a burning branch and waved it in front of the monsters, and while the fire distracted them, the Prince cut off their heads. After a few minutes recovering, Huron also joined them. He also began to cut snakes. Oasis was in fire. Last survived monsters hid in the sand. A streak of light appeared in the sky.

 

“Sunrise!” Angelica cried. “We need a little more time and we will win!”

 

The sun was rising pretty quickly and soon it was possible to see the battlefield. More than a dozen dead Sand Snakes were everywhere around the oasis. Black charred bushes were still smoking and our heroes, tired but happy sat leaning on the wall of the well.

 

“We’re alive!” enthusiastically said Lica. “What a mercy!” “Yes, but one horse is dead!” Edward said, pointing to the animal.

 

“Don’t worry, Angelica can go with me and then with you,” the sorcerer said, referring to the Prince.

 

“Huron, I was sure you died!” the Prince said. “I do not un-derstand how you managed to survive after the Sand Snake’s hold and then continue the fight?”

 

“Have you forgotten, Prince, I have drunk from the Holy Grail, and now only the Templars will be able to take my life. For others I am immortal!”

 

“Angelica, have you drunk from the Grail?” asked Edward. “No, frankly saying I didn’t think about it. In any case, I would not have time, because the Holy Grail disappeared as soon as Huron touched it.”

 

 “The Templars strictly monitor their halidom,” the sorcerer grinned. “They put the Bowl at another place.”

 

“Well, then, Angelica, you should be more careful!” The Prince Night pointed to the dead snakes.

 

“I’ll try!” she smiled. “It’s time to go. I do not want to spend another night in the desert.”

News about Swein

 

 

Our heroes began to pack their things. The dead horse was Huron’s. The sorcerer took his things and tied them to the saddle of the Prince’s horse. After he took some water from the well, the riders set off. Angelica was with Prince Edward, and Huron was riding her horse.

 

“Hmm...” the sorcerer said grimly. “Now do I understand why this oasis was abandoned. Apparently, there is a Sand Snakes den nearby.”

 

The morning was cool, and the horses ran quite briskly. After a few hours of traveling, they saw the mountains on the horizon.

 

“Look,” Edward pointed, “I think we must go there!”

 

“We have to find the bridge!” noticed Lica.

 

The mountains seemed to be very close, but our travelers still didn’t reach them. On their way, a couple of times they had to stop in oases, and they met the peaceful nomads, who regaled them with camel milk. Only when the sun was going down, they finally reached the foot of the mountains.

 

“I think the bridge should be somewhere there,” said Prince Edward. “Here the mountains are completely different.”

 

“Well, I think you know better,” said Huron. “To be honest, I have not been in the Kingdom of Night for a long time, so I can be wrong.”

 

The riders went forward. Soon the mountains finished and a deep abyss appeared in front of them.

 

“I know this place!” exclaimed Angelica. “The bridge is over there!” The girl clapped her hands happily. Indeed, after half an hour they saw a hanging bridge. Prince Edward and the sorcerer dismounted and held the horses over the bridge by the bridle and Lica followed them. It became dark.

 

“Night,” the girl said.

 

“Angelica, have you forgotten, there is always night in my kingdom!” Edward smiled. “By the way, the cave where we spent the night, when we had gone to look for Huron, is near here. Let’s stay in it. In addition, there is a wonderful spring nearby.”

 

“Show the way, Prince!” the sorcerer agreed. “We all need to relax after a terrible night with snakes.”

 

Now Prince Night felt very confident. He took Lica and Huron to the cave by familiar paths. If before Angelica and Edward had had to climb up all the time, now their route was downhill; so the trip took less time. However, in some places our heroes had to walk and lead the horses, but overall their way was quite easy. Soon they saw the cave in the moon light.

 

“Look!” the girl said happily. “We’re almost at home!” “I think our torch is still there,” said Prince Night.

 

He took the flint, went into the cave and lit the torch, left in a split. The cave became light and comfortable.

 

“You are welcome!” Edward said. “I will give water the hors-es. I slept longer than you last night.”

 

Huron immediately lay down on bed from dry grass Lica had made last time, and went to sleep. The girl brought some more dry grass to the cave and made another bed. The Prince went back in some time. He tied the horses near the cave and said:

 

“Go to sleep, Angelica, I will watch you!”

 

She agreed fixing herself in the bed from the dry grass. Its odor calmed her and Angelica fell asleep.

 

In the morning, Lica woke up because Huron was shaking her shoulder.

 

“Angelica, get up!” he said. “We need to have breakfast and hit the road.”

 

“Okay,” nodded the girl.

 

Our heroes had some food, which Leila had given them.

 

Then, Prince prepared horses and they set off.

 

“I am wondering,” said Lica, “the moon in the desert was completely different but here it is so big and round!”

 

“We’re in the Kingdom of Night!” Edward said.

 

Again the travelers ware going down the hill. Although sometimes they had to go on foot, they moved very quickly.

 

“I recognize this place!” Angelica exclaimed suddenly. “Margo’s cave is over there!”

 

“Where?” Huron asked impatiently.

 

“Here it is!” pointed Lica.

 

At this moment, the witch ran out of the cave crying:

 

“Huron?!”

 

She ran towards them.

 

“Margaret, my dear!” whispered the sorcerer, and jumping out of the saddle, hurried to his sister.

 

They embraced each other.

 

“Angelica, Edward!” Margo exclaimed. “Why are you freezing like statues?! Come inside! Today we will have a party!”

 

Elsa came out of the cave. She hugged Angelica with tears. “What a long time I haven’t seen you!” muttered the goblin woman.

 

The Prince Night dismounted holding the horses by the bri-dle and smiling. Elsa assured the Prince that she would take care of the horses, and Lica with Prince entered the cave.

 

“May I first go to the bathroom?” asked Angelica. “I awfully want to have a bath!”

 

“Of course!” Margo waved. “Clean clothes and a towel are there.”

 

The girl ran down the corridor. She knew that the room of Swein was there. Lica immediately went in but no one was there.

 

“May be Swein is away on business,” decided Angelica. “In any case, you need to have a bath first.”

 

 And she went to the bathroom. Having filled the bath with warm water, she got with pleasure inside. Finished, she changed the dress and went out into the hall. She was so charming, that Prince Edward said with admiration:

 

“You look larruping!”

 

“Thank you!” Angelica embarrassed. “The bathroom is free, Prince!”

 

Edward nodded and went to wash. Margo could not stop talking to her brother. Lica sat on the sofa for a while she was waiting for Swein but he did not appear. Then she went to the small hall where Elsa was busy with dinner and asked her:

 

“Elsa, how’s the King of Goblins?”

 

“Well!” Elsa smiled. “He’s fine! After your departure, he was ill for some time. Then his father came and took him to the palace. His father was furious about his hell-bent adventure. He decided that it is time Swein married; he thought that after marriage he would calm down and stop being immature. To do that the King’s father decided to hold the ball in order to find a bride for Swein.”

 

Angelica’s heart stopped beating.

 

“And?” she asked quietly. “Has he found the bride?”

 

“Not yet,” the goblin woman shook her head. “The ball is tomorrow! Today they are welcoming guests in their palace. Swein’s father is sure that his son needs a woman, not goblin girl, that is why he has invited princesses of all over the neighboring states.”

 

“Thank God!” whispered Lica.

 

“What?” asked her Elsa.

 

“Nothing!” the girl shook her head. “Let me help you to lay the table!”

 

The Goblin woman and Angelica quickly laid the festive table, and soon Edward, Margo and Angelica were sitting together in anticipation of the feast. After some time, Huron joined them too after having bath.

“Well, my dear!” Margo said, raising a glass of wine... “I am extremely happy that you were able to find and took my brother here. Now, together, we can win the evil from the abyss. Success is to our efforts!”

 

The witch drank wine and laughed happily.

 

 “Tell me, Margo, where our friend Swein has gone?” asked Edward.

 

“Oh, that’s a long story!” Margo smiled. “His father arrived after you had left and almost forcibly took the boy to the palace. He was very angry with Swein and grimly determined to marry him. For one month the goblins have been preparing for the grand ball, Swein has to choose a bride there. By the way, the ball is tomorrow, and I think the Goblins’ King will be glad if you, Edward, and you, Angelica, visit him in the palace.

 

“Down from a mall, straight to the ball,” said Lica under her breath. “It would be nice!” the Prince smiled. “Angelica, have not you noticed that wherever we turn up, there is a wedding party? Maybe this is a sign.”

 

The girl pretended not to understand Edwards’s hint.

 

“Whose wedding party?” the witch was interested.

 

“Well!” exclaimed Prince Night. “Huron’s daughter got married to a friend of Angelica.”

 

“Do you have children?” Margo looked at her brother with surprise.

 

“She is my adopted daughter and pupil,” Huron corrected the Prince.

 

“More and more surprises, my brother!” the witch smiled.

 

Then she turned to Angelica and Edward:

 

“Well, so what? Are you going to the ball? The king is your friend, isn’t he?”

 

Prince Night looked at Lica. The girl thought for a moment and nodded.

 

“Of course!” she said. “I want to congratulate Swein and his future wife personally!”

 

“Well, perfect,” said Margo. “And Huron and I will have time to discuss the situation in our kingdom and look through some magic books.” “Excuse me!” said Angelica “Can I go to bed a little earlier today? I would like to have rest I am exhausted.”

 

“Of course!” the witch nodded. “But you usually sleep here, and now the room is busy. You know what, I’ll ask Elsa to prepare Swein’s room for you. It is free now. Don’t you mind?”

 

 The girl agreed.

 

“Well, good night!” Margo smiled.

 

Angelica wished good dreams to Huron and the Prince, and went to the room of the Goblins’ King.

Run-up for the Ball

 

After a few minutes, Elsa came to the girl’s room. She made her a bed, fired up the hearth and, wishing Lica good night, left the room.

 

The girl was lying up and thinking. She remembered the pale face of wounded Swein, his long blond hair, and a feeling of melancholy invaded her...

 

“What’s the story?” Angelica was boiled. “You leave the young man for a second, as he is immediately married to another girl!”

 

The girl was badly hurt.

 

“I think it’s wrong!” she said aloud aggrievedly. “It’s disgusting! I... I’ll show you what is what!”

 

“Are you talking to yourself?” suddenly she heard Margo’s voice. “I was in the storeroom and heard you mumbling something!” “Margo!” Lica exclaimed. “Margo, how could you do that?!”

 

“What do you mean?” the witch did not understand her. “Swein, of course!”

 

“Oh...” Margo smiled. “You know, I think you would also rage if Prince Edward or Prince or Vampires married. It’s offensive, isn’t it? Your pride has been injured?! Do you remember I told you to make your choice?! There are so many other young and beautiful girls!”

 

Angelica sat down on the bed and murmured:

 

“But what if I cannot choose one? They are all very dear to me.” “Then they will go away, one by one, and you will stay alone!” Lica angrily slammed her fist on the bed.

 

“I do not want this to happen,” she said through clenched teeth.

 

The witch smiled and sat in the chair by the fireplace.

 

“I know,” she said quietly. “It is nice to be the best of the bests in the hearts of so many worthy men, but you cannot always keep them by your side. Sooner or later they will get tired of the eternal expectation. Listen to me – you should make your choice as soon as possible among those who are still with you, and what about Swein - let him go. You are like fire and water, you don’t suit one another.”

 

“Thanks for your advice!” Angelica said grimly. “I’ll think about it!”

 

“Well, sweet dreams!”

 

With these words, Margo rose and left the room. Lica fell back on the pillows staring at the ceiling. The candle flame was flickering and strange shadows were dancing on the walls. The girl was looking at them and did not notice that she fell asleep.

 

Angelica woke up late. It was lunchtime. The girl went out of her room and saw Elsa laying on the table.

 

“Did you sleep well?” smiled the goblin woman.

 

“Yes. I was really tired after the journey,” honestly said Lica. “Where is everybody?”

 

“Prince Edward was with the horses in the morning, while madam and her brother were reading the magic books. Then he joined them, and they began to discuss something in the madam’s room. Then Margo told me to lay the table.”

 

At that moment, Huron Margo and Edward came in the hall.

 

“Good morning!” the witch smiled, turning to Angelica.

 

“You look great!” added Prince Night.

 

Huron nodded to the girl and sat down at the table first.

 

“Thank you, Elsa!” Margo said. “You are free for now!”

 

The Goblin woman went out of the room, and our heroes started dining.

 

“Did you have a good rest?” the witch asked Lica solicitously.

 

“Yes, I did,” nodded the girl.

 

“Excellent, because you and Edward are going to stay up all night at the Goblin King’s ball. By the way, I also should be there, but my plans have changed. I must stay in the cave and help Huron to find the right spells in the magic books to fight with the evil spirits.”

 

“Yes, I won’t be able to cope with all these books alone,” said Huron. “Edward insists on the battle as soon as possible.”

 

Prince Night nodded and said:

 

“I think that immediately after the ball, I will talk with Swein and then go to my castle, to start preparations for the battle. You will have to inform the Prince of Vampires about the beginning of war.” “We will discuss it later,” interrupted him Margo. “So, Angelica, I beg you to apologize to Swein’s father for me and tell him that I cannot be at the ball because my brother, who I have not  seen for many years, came to visit me.”

 

“Okay,” said Lica.

 

“Now about the clothes...” said the witch. “In my wardrobe, you and Prince can choose any dress or costume that you like. Of course, the choice is not very big, but it is better than yours is.”

 

“Thank you!” said Lica.

 

“Angelica,” Prince turned to the girl, “can you choose a suit for me, something to your taste, while I, Huron and Margo will continue to discuss the plan of fighting with the evil.”

 

“But what if you do not like it?”

 

“I trust you!” Edward smiled.

 

Having finished dinner, Prince, witch and her brother went out of the room; Angelica called Elsa and helped her to clear the table. Then the girl asked her:

 

“Elsa, Margo told me to choose ball costumes for Edward and me in her wardrobe.”

 

“Well, let’s go! You have little time; Madam has a lot of clothes!”

 

The maid took the candle and led Lica along the corridor to the fork, which was behind the bathroom, and the girl had never noticed it before. There the goblin woman turned left. Lica saw another corridor with rooms. Elsa came in the first one. It was quite spacious room with lots of wardrobes. The Goblin woman passed the walls with torches. She set them on fire, and in a moment, the room was brightly lit. Angelica looked with horror at the huge wardrobes and said:

 

“Elsa, I won’t be able to see all of them even for one week. Please help me!”

 

“I’ll help you,” the maid nodded.

 

She began to walk and open the wardrobes doors choosing something for Lica.

 

“Wait, wait,” the girl interrupted her. “First of all let’s choose something for Edward and then for me.”

 

Elsa came to the wardrobe in the far corner and opened it. “I think this ivory, velvet costume will suit the prince’s black hair perfectly!” the goblin woman said.

 

Angelica agreed with Elsa.

 

“Now for you!” she said.

 

She began to offer her dresses of various colors and styles.

 

“Has Margo got a dark blue dress?” asked Lica.

 

“Yes, she has,” nodded the goblin woman, “but do you really think I’d let you go to the ball, where our King will choose a bride, in such a macabre dress? No, no way! You have to shine and to be better than all other girls there!”

 

Elsa continued to get dresses out of the wardrobes.

 

“Here it is!” she exclaimed. “That’s exactly what you need!” The Goblin woman took from the depth of the paunchy wardrobe an airy, emerald dress.

 

“What?” Angelica amazed. “Green? Never in my life have I worn green! This is not my color!”

 

“Firstly, it is not green it is emerald!” the maid noticed. “And secondly, I can guarantee you that this dress will suit you great! I am not Elsa If I am wrong! Come on, try it on!”

 

Resisting for a long time, Lica at last put the emerald dress on. “Wow!” the goblin woman exclaimed delightedly. “Well, how is it?” She pulled out a large mirror and held it to the girl. Lica looked at herself and did believe her eyes. In the reflection, she saw a slim and graceful beauty. Her brown hair perfectly goes on with the color of the dress. Strange, but for some reason her eyes also became emerald green.

 

“I do look great,” she whispered.

 

“Now we’ll choose shoes, do your hair and you can go to the ball!” Elsa went somewhere behind the cupboard and pulled out a  pair of emerald high-heeled shoes.

 

“Here you are!” she turned to Lica.

 

The girl put on the shoes and winced slightly.

 

“They are a little tight,” she admitted.

 

“You’ll have to bear, anyway there are no other ones,” the goblin woman sighed. “Now, let’s think what I can do with your hair.”

 

The maid sat the girl in a chair, put the mirror in front of her and began casting over her head. They didn’t notice how evening came.

 

“Girls, where are you?” there was a voice of Margo from the corridor, and the witch went to the dressing room.

 

“Wow! You look amazing!” she said, looking at Angelica. “I think a diadem will be perfect with your new hairstyle. Wait a minute!” The witch quickly went out and came back with an exquisite diadem in her hands. She put it on Lica’s hair and said:

 

“Now, everything is perfect! Elsa, take the suit of Prince Edward, please!”

 

The Goblin woman took the outfit, which they had chosen with Angelica, and walked away.

 

“Judging by your appearance,” Margo smiled, turning to the girl, “you are very serious about Swein. Well, I wish you good luck!”

 

Lica flushed and nodded.

 

“Okay, I will leave you for a while. Come to the hall in about fifteen minutes.”

 

The witch went out of the room. Angelica sat down staring at herself in the mirror. Then she rose and headed to the exit.

 

When Lica came out of the cave, everybody was there. Prince Edward in his ivory waistcoat looked great. He looked at Lica and froze in amazement.

 

“Angelica...” he only managed to say. “Later,” Margo smiled, “you have to go!”

 

“But my hair,” Lica said plaintively, “the wind will mess it up.”

 

“My diadem is magic!” the witch smiled. “No matter how fast you are riding, your hair will stay ideal!”

 

“Thank you!” the girl said sincerely.

 

Prince Night helped her up into the saddle, and then jumped on his horse. Soon the two riders were galloping in the light of the bright moon towards the city of goblins.

Part 10. At Swein’s Palace

 

The road to the city of goblins seemed endless to Angelica. Prince Edward was always trying to talk to her, but she was off in a dream world and answered at random. At last they saw the walls of the city in front. The riders went through the gates into the city. The Prince slightly overrode the girl and said:

 

“You have probably never been in the palace, have you, Angelica?! So follow me, because you may get lost here.”

 

Edward pulled the reins, and his horse rushed forward. Lica fol-lowed him. The girl had been in the city of goblins many times, when she went to Margo, but she couldn’t imagine how huge it was! Many streets and alleys were scattering in different directions. Tall, odd buildings like fabulous monsters were hanging over them. It was even surprising that these houses didn’t fall - so strange they were. There weren’t many trees in the city, only low bushes. However there and here you could meet stone sculptures and monuments. Angelica was tirelessly turning her head and looking around in amazement at all that weird architecture. Seeing her expression, Prince Night smiled and asked:

 

“Something is surprising you?”

 

“Yes! All of them!” replied the girl. “These houses! They are five and eight-cornered. I am wondering how they don’t fall, they are not well balanced? Why there are very little trees? And why are so many statues?”

 

“Don’t you remember, Angelica, the goblins, in fact, live underground? They came from the caves. The years of living underground not only changed their appearance, but also left a definite mark on their culture and architecture. By the way, it’s worth to say that the goblins are skilled builders! They can build a house that is on all human laws simply must be destroyed, but if they do it, it will stand firm. Moreover, their homes are able to withstand not only the disasters, but also quite powerful volleys of cannon. What about the trees, I think you have already guessed... The trees do not grow underground!”

 

And Edward laughed.

 

At this minute, the riders went to the wide square. In the middle, there was an amazing fountain. A few streets were running from the square in different directions.

 

“I have never thought that the city of goblins is so big!” said Lica. “Oh, yes!” the Prince nodded. “It’s huge! Sometimes I am afraid to get lost in the endless maze of its streets too.”

 

“Tell me, Prince, a royal palace is also something like eight-cornered strange thing?”

 

“No!” the Prince laughed. “Swein is very close to the people both externally and internally. He built the palace of his own taste. By the way, around the palace there is a park, although the goblins became estranged from any vegetation.”

 

The riders turned into the next lane and came into a wide street, at the end of which Lica saw a lovely monumental building.

 

“Here is the palace!” Edward said.

 

Angelica spurred her horse in delight. In fact, she couldn’t wait to see the Goblins’ King.

 

No matter how our heroes were in a hurry but the ball had already begun. Lica and Prince Edward arrived at the magnificent fence surrounding the royal park. Strange trees, the names of which Lica didn’t know, grew here. Instead of leaves, the tree branches were covered with something like a multicolored scales. They were iridescent in the moonlight, giving the impression that thousands of small rainbows illuminated the road to the palace. Between the trees here and there, you could see flowerbeds. ‘Night Beauties’ of various sizes and colors saturated the air with their wonderful aroma. Next was a cascade of fountains on each side of which were rising carved, ivied alcoves.

 

“God, how beautiful!” Angelica gasped.

 

“Yes, Swein has a good taste!” agreed the Prince.

 

Our heroes passed the park and came to the amazing palace. A marble staircase led up to the high oak doors. Guards were standing at each step. They were fierce-looking goblins with a strange weapon in their hands. Angelica and Prince Edward dismounted and immediately a small goblin-servant ran up fawning and buzzing around them.

 

“Your Highness! We are so glad, that you have honored us with your presence!” he babbled. “Let me escort you and your charming lady to the palace!”

 

“Oh, no thank you!” the Prince Night said firmly. “We don’t need help. You’d better tell me, my dear, where the king and his father are now?”

 

“His Majesty is welcoming guests in the main hall. His father is on the balcony of the North Tower.”

 

“Excellent!” Edward said. “Then I suggest you to visit the father of the king first!”

 

He offered his hand to Angelica, and beautiful couple stepped the stairs to the palace. Prince Night and Lica came into a huge mirrored lobby and she saw how wonderful they look together with Edward. Loud music was heard from the massive door. Angelica staring at her in the mirror hesitated.

 

“What’s the matter?” asked Edward. “I do not know,” shrugged Lica. “Then let’s go!”

 

He pulled the girl’s hand, and they went into the wide doors opened by two goblin-lackeys. Bright lights blinded Angelica. She had already been at the balls for many times, but never seen such a splendor anywhere. It seemed to her that all the walls, furniture and everything in the hall was made of diamonds, emeralds, rubies and other precious stones. Along the walls and among the columns were placed sofas and chairs where ladies and courteous gentlemen were sitting and talking to each other. In the center of the room a lot of couples were dancing. Lica’s heart was pounding. The girl tried to see Swein among the dancers, but couldn’t...

 

“Now we are coming out of the hall into the northern corri-dor and going up the tower,” whispered the Prince in her ear.

 

He led Angelica along the walls and suddenly they turned somewhere. Our heroes now were in a long corridor with many guards by the walls.

 

“The guards are everywhere here!” Lica remarked quietly. “Swein’s father is very afraid of his son’s life; the more Swein  has not fulfilled his destiny yet. That is why he decided to marry him as soon as possible. However, I personally have great doubts about Swein’s desire to marry!”

 

“Why?”

 

“Well, first, the king is too young, and secondly, I did not really notice that Swein was in love with someone.”

 

“For all that, he didn’t resist; he is at the ball, ready to choose the wife!”

 

“Hmm ... you do not know his father! If you had such a father, you wouldn’t have dared to do anything against his wish.”

 

The corridor ran into a spiral staircase.

 

“Is this the North Tower?” asked Angelica.

 

“It is!” Edward nodded.

 

He first stepped forward and helped Lica to climb the stairs. At the top of the tower was a spacious room decorated as the study. There was a massive wooden table, carved chair and lots of shelves full of books. A chandelier with lots of candles was hanging from the ceiling and many doors leading to the balconies.

 

“I am wondering on which balcony Swein’s father is now?!” the girl said softly.

 

“The best way to know it is to go to one of the balcony and see!” said the Prince.

 

He went to the nearest open door. Angelica paused for a mo-ment, and then went to the opposite balcony. She came out of the open door and the big bright moon in the sky immediately caught her eyes.

 

 “Oh, how beautiful!” the girl said.

 

“I absolutely agree with you!” she heard a thick voice.

 

Lica jumped and turned around. The balcony, where she was standing, was a semicircular. Not far from the girl in a comfortable chair an elderly... not clear who was sitting! He did not look like those goblins, who Angelica met before. However, he also was different from people by the color of his skin and unusual face.

 

“Do you like looking at the night sky?” the creature asked Angelica.

 

“Yes, especially at the moon!” Lica nodded.

 

“Oh! I can stare at the moon for hours!”

 

Angelica carefully looked into the stranger’s face and realized that it was Swein’s father. The same eyes, the same curl of the lips! At this moment, a little worried Prince Edward came in.

 

“Oh, you are here!” he said, seeing the girl. “I thought I had lost you!”

 

“Your lady, Prince, finds it wonderful to look at the moon!” Swein’s father said.

 

“Your Majesty! I’m sorry, I did not see you!” The Prince Night bowed.

 

“It doesn’t matter! When we are young, we don’t notice a lot of things!”

 

King’s father stood up and walked to Edward. Now Lica could see better how well-build and tall Swein’s father was.

 

“Now I see, Swein looks after his father,” thought Angelica.

 

Meanwhile, the Goblin shook the Prince’s hand and said:

 

“I am very glad that you came to our party! I think Swein would be delighted to see his friends too! By the way, Prince, you have not introduced me to your beautiful companion yet.”

 

“This is Angelica!” Edward said.

 

“You are charming!” said the King father.

 

He approached the girl and kissed her hand.

 

“Thanks for the compliment, Your Majesty!” Lica bowed. “I have come to you from the witch Margo. She asked me to tell you that, unfortunately, she couldn’t be at the ball today. Her brother came to visit her. They haven’t seen each other for ages.”

 

“Oh, Margo, Margo!” the Goblin sighed. “She is always busy! It’s a pity...”

 

Swein’s father thought a little then said:

 

“Well, I invite you to walk down the hall and join our guests, I think my son will be glad to say you hello!”

 

The father king went out and started down the spiral staircase. “I thought he was very severe, but in fact he was kind and gen-tle,” Angelica whispered in the ear of Edward, nodding at the goblin. “The first appearance can be deceptive!” the Prince smiled.

 

“Believe me, I’ve known Swein’s father for many years.” Edward and Lica were following the King’s father.

The brides’ ball

 

 

As they coming closer, the music got louder.

 

“Tell me, when the ball started and how many brides came?” Angelica asked the goblin and checked herself.

 

She did not know whether it is polite to ask such questions to the kings, and how they react on it?! But the father of Swein smiled and replied:

 

“The ball is already in full swing. What about the brides, I can tell you... I have invited all worthy girls from all the neighboring kingdoms. I am sure that Swein will choose a bride from them.

 

“And what if he does not want to get married?” Lica put her foot in the mouth again.

 

King’s father looked at her so that Angelica got cold feet. “In this case,” said the Goblin slowly, “we’ll have a man conversation.”

 

Now Angelica realized what Prince Edward had meant when he said: ‘the first appearance is deceptive’. Swein’s father, Prince and Lica went out of the tower, down the hall and came to the ballroom.

 

“Can I get some rest and smooth my ruffled feathers?” gently asked the girl. “I do not want to go out to the guests tired. The road here was long.”

 

“It’s all right!” said the goblin. “My servants will take you to a room where you can have a rest.”

 

He clapped his hands a few times and a familiar, quick gob-lin- servant ran up to him.

 

“Take this lady to one of the guest rooms!” ordered the King’s father.

 

The servant nodded and made a gesture to follow him.

 

“I’ll be waiting for you on the balcony that goes around the ball room,” said Edward.

 

Lica nodded. She quickly turned around and went after the servant. He led her into the spacious apartment where she could find everything what girls need. Angelica politely thanked the servant and sent him off. First, she took off her shoes with pleasure walking barefoot on the floor. Then she went to the mirror and looked at herself critically. Finally, she was pleased with her reflection; her hair was perfect, the skin looked pale and aristocratic.

 

“Thank you, Margo, for the diadem!” said the girl loudly. She sat down in the large armchair, closed her eyes and tried to relax. But different thoughts were running in her mind. “Well…” Lica thought “…with such father Swein just has to choose a bride today! What if he chooses me? Will I say yes or no? If I say yes, then I will humiliate Edward, and if no - then I’ll lose Swein forever! I don’t want it to happen!”

 

Angelica was sitting and thinking for another ten minutes, then suddenly she decided:

 

“First I should meet with the Goblins’ King and then we will see!” She rose from the armchair, put her shoes, which were already annoying her, on and slightly limping went out of the room. In the corridor Lica pulled herself together, smiled and went to look for Edward.

 

Servants pointed her the way to the second floor balcony and she almost immediately found Edward sitting on the sofa and drinking something tasty.

 

“I recommend you to try this strawberry smoothie!” said the Prince. “It’s very refreshing!”

 

“Later!” Angelica said. “And now, I think it’s time to say hello to our friend, Swein. After all, his father must have already informed him of our arrival!”

 

“I don’t think so,” the Prince Night smiled.

 

“In any case, let’s go!”

 

Prince Edward and Lica came out of the soft box towards the stairs leading to the hall. The guests were dancing in the ballroom. Suddenly Angelica noticed a dancing couple. A blonde, well-built man in a maroon dress was circling in dance with a blonde, long-haired young woman in a gorgeous pale lilac dress. Lica looked closer and recognized Swein in the young man!

 

“Wait, Prince!” she stopped Edward. “Don’t you think that young man in the maroon is our friend - Swein?”

 

She pointed to the center of the hall. For some time Prince Night was looked at the dancing couple, and then said:

 

“You are right, it’s him! But who is he dancing with? That’s a lovely lady!”

 

The needle of jealousy stung Angelica in the heart. She could not understand who she was more jealous - Swein or Edward...

 

“Let’s watch them from here!” proposed Lica. “Maybe we can find out who is the King’s partner.”

 

Edward agreed and smiled.

 

One dance changed to another, one tune then another melo-dy, but the Goblins’ King persistently invited to dance the same girl in a purple dress.

 

“This is already beginning to intrigue me!” the Prince Night laughed. “What a mysterious stranger turned our friend’s head?”

 

Angelica couldn’t see the girl’s face better as she almost did not stand still. At some point, it seemed that her face was terribly familiar to her. She narrowed her eyes, leaned forward, and finally recognized her... it was Prince Edward’s former fiancée!

 

“Bah!” the girl whispered. “The Goblins’ King didn’t lose his time at the ball of the princess!”

 

“Did you say anything?” asked Edward.

 

 “I have a surprise for you!” said Lica. “I know who Swein’s partner is - your ex-bride!”

 

A smile slowly slid off Prince’s face.

 

“It’s impossible...” he said quietly.

 

“Why not?” Angelica smiled. “You broke up with the prin-cess; she is beautiful and rich! Isn’t she a good bride for Swein?”

 

“No!” said Edward. “Not she!”

 

“But why?”

 

“Yes, because she’s... she’s... They do not fit one another!” the Prince sighed.

 

“Well, well,” Lica thought to herself, “I think Edward is not so indifferent to his exgirlfriend! On the other hand now it’s my advantage...”

 

Oddly enough, but at this moment she was more worried about losing Swein than being jealous of the Prince.

 

“Prince, let’s go down to the ballroom and greet the Goblins’ King!” Angelica said.

 

Edward nodded, gave the girl his hand and they walked down the stairs. At this time another dance had just ended, the music stopped, and Swein held his lovely partner to the sofa. The Goblins’ King and the Princess sat down to have some rest.

 

At the same moment, the double doors opened and Prince Edward with Angelica arm-in-arm entered the hall. This bright couple immediately attracted everybody’s attention. Lica looked around the room and noticed that only she was wearing such a bright green dress. Ladies whispered, looking at her admiringly and gentlemen sighed.

 

“The Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Night with his com-panion - Angelica!” announced a court servant.

 

Everyone applauded and began to bow to Edward. Seeing his friends, Swein stood up and went to meet them.

 

“Edward! It’s ages since we last met!” he cried, hugging the Prince, then stepped back and said:

 

“Gosh, I am so glad to see you! So, are you all right?!”

 

Then Swein went up to Angelica and kissed her hand. He said nothing, but in his eyes, she saw how exited he was. Then the king  made a sign to the goblin musicians, and the music started again.

 

Guests started dancing.

 

“We were watching you from the balcony, Your Majesty!” Lica smiled. “You were waltzing so nice! Maybe you should introduce us to your partner.”

 

Swein looked into Angelica’s eyes, smiled and turning to the sofa called:

 

“Veronica, come to us, please!”

 

The beauty rose from the sofa and smiling, came to Edward and Lica. Indeed, it was the ex-fiancée of Prince. There was an awkward pause.

 

“Veronica!” the Prince Night stammered. “I did not expect to see you here! You look wonderful!”

 

He kissed the girl’s hand.

 

“So, do you, Edward! This dark tan suits you so much!” “Where we were, the sun was burning unmercifully!” the  Prince confused.

 

The Princess nodded to Angelica and said:

 

“Good evening, Angelica! I see it has become a good tradition to meet at the balls!”

 

“Hello, Your Highness! I’m glad to see you again!”

 

Lica leaned over and whispered to Swein:

 

“I think Prince Edward and Princess Veronica have something to talk about!”

 

The Goblins’ King smiled and turned to Edward:

 

“Can I invite your lady to a dance?”

 

“Of course!” said Prince Night. “I dare to invite your companion!”

 

Swein nodded and led Angelica to the center of the hall. Edward and Veronica came behind them. Wonderful music played and couples got whirling in a waltz. Lica was expecting anything: reproaches, ridicule, questioning from the Goblins’ King... - but he was silent. Moreover, during the dance, he generally tried not to look at her, was helpful and cold.

 

“Why are you silent?” Angelica finally started first.

 

“I have nothing to say,” Swein snapped out.

 

“But you did not even ask me about our trip!”

 

“I think Edward will tell me everything later.”

 

“And you did not ask about me!”

 

“But why? I’m young, but not stupid! Everything became so clear when you came in with Prince arm-in-arm.”

 

“What? What is clear to you?”

 

She wanted something else to say, but at this moment the music stopped, Swein took her hand and led her to the sofa. A minute later, the Princess and Prince joined them. Prince Edward and the Goblins’ King apologized to the girls and left the hall.

 

“Oh, Angelica!” cried the Princess. “What a wonderful evening! You know - Swein... he is just wonderful! I have just met him today and had the impression that I know him for all my life! He knows everything about me! He knows all my habits and preferences; he knows my story, know about that ball when you and Prince Edward had visited me. Just amazing! He is so gallant and handsome! Your friend is just charming!”

 

Veronica grabbed Lica’s hand and continued:

 

“Angelica, I think we are good friends, because we have experienced so many events together! Now I really want to share with you something very important to me! You do not think me too intrusive, do you?”

 

“No, of course not!” said Lica.

 

“The Goblins’ King seems to feel something to me! He, with-out exaggeration, doesn’t leave me in a minute! What do you think? Am I right?”

 

Angelica’s heart died within her. But she tried to pull herself together. Then she smiled and said:

 

“The war will tell!”

 

“What?” the princess did not understand her.

 

“I wanted to say that very soon you would see! The ball is in full swing and to the end of it Swein must choose a bride. Anyway, his father thinks so!”

 

“What if he chooses me?” Veronica blushed. “What do you think Angelica? Should I accept his proposal?”

 

“You decide,” snapped the girl. “If you have already completely forgotten Prince Edward, then...”

 

“The fact of the matter is that I still love Edward. And the last time you visited me in my kingdom, he let me know that he still loved me...”

 

“Oh, Swein, you are Casanova!” irritably thought to herself Angelica and said aloud:

 

“You see, maybe you shouldn’t run away with it and think more carefully?”

 

“I’m confused,” sadly said the Princess.

 

“Me too...” thought Lica.

 

The choice

 

 

A few minutes later the Prince and the young King went back in to the hall. Swein invited Veronica to dance and Angelica stayed with the Prince face-to-face.

 

“Edward,” said the girl, “it’s not my business, but the Princess is still in love with you!”

 

“I’ve noticed it either,” said Prince Night. “And what are you going to do now?” “I do not know yet...”

 

Suddenly, the music stopped and the father of the goblins’ king appeared in front of the throne.

 

“Attention, please!” he said. “My son would like to say something!”

 

The guests applauded and Swein came to the throne. He turned to the guests and said loudly:

 

“My dear friends! It’s not a secret that my father organized this ball so that I could choose a future wife! At first, I was dead set against it. Now I realized that my father was right! I can say more, today, at the ball, I did meet a girl I would like to make a proposal of marriage...”

With these words, the King of goblins went down the hall towards Angelica. The girl’s heart sank. Swein came to Lica, smiled and... walked past. Then he took the hand of Veronica, who was among the guests, led her to the throne and said:

 

“Princess Veronica, I am asking you to be my wife!”

 

Veronica blushed, smiled and said softly:

 

“Yes!”

 

The audience chirruped. Everybody was shouting: ‘Hurray!’ Swein’s father shed tears, came up and hugged his son. Then he pulled away from him and said loudly:

“I would like you to consider this day as the engagement of Princess Veronica and my son! The date of the wedding day will be announced later!”

“Happiness, the King of goblins! Happiness, the Princess Veronica!” everybody was shouting.

There were only two people who weren’t so happy enough - Angelica and Edward.

When Swein was asking the princess to be his wife, Lica felt as if a ton of bricks hit her on the head. After Veronica said: ‘Yes’, in addition to the bricks she felt as if somebody poured a bucket of cold water on her. Angelica looked at Prince and realized that he was feeling the same...

 

“Edward, it’s not our party!” laughed the girl.

 

“Yes, you are right,” the Prince nodded grimly. “Excuse me, Angelica, I need to be alone for a while and think!”

With these words, the Prince Night left the room. Lica also did not want to see as the guests were congratulating the Goblins’ King and the Princess. The girl went into the corridor and following the familiar her way went to the North Tower.

 

She was walking slowly until she reached the spiral stairs. Angelica went up to the balcony, where she had met with Swein’s father before. Nobody was there. The cool night air set her mind at rest a little. She sat down in a chair, took off shoes irritating her and began to look at the stars. The mysterious trees were rustling scales quietly in the royal park. And Lica did not notice that she fell asleep...

 

She woke up because somebody was kindly covering her with blanket. She opened her eyes and saw... the Goblins’ King!

 

“Swein!” exclaimed Lica.

 

She began to rub her eyes and blink but the young king did not disappear.

 

“Yes, it’s me!” the goblin grinned. “Did you expect to see someone else?”

 

“No... I just went out to get some air and didn’t notice how I fell asleep. I thought that you were just a dream!”

 

“Wow! Am I your dream?!” Swein laughed.

 

“Stop it!” Angelica pulled him down. “What are you doing here? You should be with your bride, shouldn’t you?!”

 

“My future wife is sleeping. I went up to the tower to get some air. Sometimes my father falls asleep in this chair and I come to cover him with blanket. But I have found you here this time!”

 

“Swein,” suddenly she asked, “do you really love the Princess?”

 

“Why do you care about it?” quirked the Goblins’ King. “The main thing is that I’m going to marry her!”

 

“You can’t do that!” exclaimed Lica.

 

She put on her shoes, pulled off the blanket and stood up. “Have you ever wondered that you can hurt her?”

 

“How many people do you hurt?”

 

Swein grinned and leaned on the balcony railing.

 

“But what about love?” quietly murmured Angelica.

 

“Love? What is love to you? Suffering, excruciation, jealousy?” The Goblin King turned and stared at the girl. “Thank you, I’m sick of it!”

 

“Swein, are you angry with me?” said Lica. “Why? May be because you are still jealous of me to Edward, aren’t you?”

 

“Jealous?” laughed the young King. “You are too selfish!”

 

“What?” she cried getting furious. “I am selfish?! What are you getting at? You know, Swein, you are the same clown as you used to be!”

 

“Oh, really? Let me ask you, how many men have you had an affair during your journey? I think Prince Edward knows not about all of them!”

He deeply hurt her. Angelica broke feeling severely injured. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, not to lash out with her fists on the Goblin. Then she said slowly:

“Yes, I like handsome young men. Sometimes I even flirt with them, but nothing serious, including Edward... Do you remember, be-fore I left you had asked me not to forget you, and I swear I was always thinking about you! I was rushing to Margo to know about you, and found out about your engagement... I was silly when I said: ‘I love you’!”

 

“Do you love me?” asked the Goblins’ King strictly. “Then prove it!”

He slowly began to unbutton his coat.

 

“You are not going to take off your clothes, aren’t you?!” cried the girl. “I won’t prove you anything!”

Swein grinned and took off his coat; he was only in a shirt and trousers. Laughing, he began to unbutton his shirt.

“What are you doing?” Angelica cried. “Get dressed, immediately! I do not want a male striptease!”

At this point, the Goblins’ King took off his shirt.

“I’ve had enough!” Lica said firmly. “I’m leaving!” She went to the balcony door.

“I don’t let you go!” Swein said sharply.

 

He caught her up in two steps, grabbed her arm and pulled her closely. Angelica tried to escape but couldn’t... The young King whispered in her ear:

“You’re damn beautiful woman and I am losing my head when I see you! I cannot stand it anymore I want you! Here and now!”

Swein leaned over and kissed her passionately on the lips.

 

Lica was straggling in his arms and shouting:

 

“Let me go immediately! I will call the guards!”

 

“I am sorry!” said the goblin. “But I am the King here! So you can continue shouting as much as you want!”

 

“You’d better let me go!” Angelica hissed through clenched teeth.

 

“You are nice with others but why not with me?”

 

These words are so touched the girl that it gave her strength...

 

By some miracle, she twisted and bit Swein on the neck. Not expecting this, the Goblin squealed and lost his hold. Lica turned to the King and with all her might hit him on the face. Swein stumbled and fell into the chair. Angelica came up and gave him another slap.

 

“Now you can call the guards! You are the King here!” the girl said sarcastically. “But first, I’ll tell you! Nobody will make me love by force! Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Your Majesty! Now I have to leave you. My congratulations on your engagement!”

 

Lica sent a kiss to the Goblins’ King and went to the door.

 

After a few steps, she stopped, turned around and added:

 

“One more... forget that I told you: ‘I love you’!”

The war preparations

 

 

The girl quickly went down the stairs into the corridor and went out of the palace.

 

“Hey, servants!” shouted Angelica. “Bring my horse up, immediately! I’m leaving!”

 

The goblins were hovering around Angelica because they had seen that the girl came with Prince Edward and he was a highly reputable in the Kingdom of Night. A minute later a small lackey brought her horse by the bridle. Lica got in the saddle and said:

 

“Tell the Prince Edward, that due to certain circumstances I had to go to the witch Margo urgently. And give on my behalf apologize to father of His Majesty, as I was not able to do it personally.”

 

With these words, Angelica pulled the reins and rode along the curves streets of the Goblins City towards the mountains.

 

The girl was wandering through the narrow streets for a long time, when finally a goblin showed her the way outside. Lica was riding on the road in the moonlight and a storm of hard feelings was deep inside her.

 

“Why did he do this?” Angelica thought. “I was sincere with him! Why he didn’t believe me?! Why he made suffer four people - himself, me, the prince and the princess!”

 

She had a terrible headache from all these thoughts. She did not remember how she got to the cave of the witch. Elsa was waiting her at the entrance.

 

“Angelica, you look so sad!” exclaimed the goblin woman. “What happened? Where is Prince Edward?”

 

“I am all right,” Lica brushed. “I’m very tired and want to sleep! Please, take my horse.”

 

Elsa took the reins, and Angelica went to the hall, where she used to sleep. Neither the witch nor her brother was there, so she took a pillow and lay down on the sofa. After five minutes, she fell asleep.

 

Lica woke up because someone was shaking her shoulder.

 

She opened her eyes and saw Margo, bending over her.

 

“Angelica, wake up! You have been sleeping for about ten hours. I can’t wait anymore, tell me everything! Why were you back so soon? Why you didn’t tell us that you came back?”

 

“Oh, Margo! I felt terrible yesterday!” Lica said honestly. “What’s the matter? What happened?”

 

She sat down on the sofa, remembering the conversation with Swein; she buried her face in hands and burst into tears.

 

“You were right, Margo!” said Angelica sobbing. “My fans are running away from me like cockroaches.”

 

“So, take it easy! Drink water and then tell me everything!” said the witch.

 

She walked to the table, took a glass of water and gave it to Lica. The girl took a couple of sips, put the glass on the table and calming down a little, said:

 

 “The Goblins’ King has chosen his future wife! Ironically, she is the former fiancée of the prince, for whom Edward sacrificed his soul, getting a potion. Moreover, the Prince Night, apparently, still loves his ex-girlfriend. At the end, I was left with nothing!

 

Angelica burst into tears again.

 

“Take it easy!” Margo patted her on the shoulder. “It’s life! Remember, I warned you.”

 

“But how could he do that!” exclaimed Lica.

 

“Who? The Prince or the King?”

 

“Both of them!” Angelica burst into tears.

 

“Well, my dear, I’m sorry! But male harems do not exist yet!” laughed the witch.

 

Then she hugged her and said:

 

“Enough, calm down! Get them both out of your mind!” “I really want to... But how?”

 

“How? How you can swallow your pride? I think you can! You have one more - the Prince of Vampires!”

 

“Very funny!”

 

Margo became serious and said:

 

“Honestly, another problem worries me now – the war! Huron and I were reading magic books for all night. Only in the Book of Destiny, could we find the spells that would help us to fight against the evil. We have never used them and we do not know how effective they are! Therefore, I want to aware you that the battle will be deadly dangerous for everybody who takes part.”

 

“But what’s about Swein? He has to stay alive in order to fulfill his destiny!”

 

“Exactly! That’s what I was thinking about...”

 

“Maybe we will try to convince the King not to take part in the war personally?!”

 

“It is impossible! You know Swein! I have better idea... We will go with them and keep an eye on him!”

 

Angelica nearly choked of surprise.

 

“And how do you imagine that?” she asked with a hoarse voice. “Swein, could you give me your sword or you will cut yourself! Swein, stay away from the monsters, they can bite you!”

 

 The witch laughed again.

 

“Well, come on, don’t turn geese into swans!” she said. “You will be a side of the battle and Swein, I think, will be with you, remember he was eager to protect you last time when you and Prince were going to look for Huron. He won’t be able to let you to be in danger!”

 

“I think after the ball, not only will he avoid being with me, but he won’t want to see me again.”

“What happened after the ball?”

 

“Well,” shrugged Lica her shoulders, “if to make a long story short – we parted like ships that pass in the night!”

The witch carefully looked at her and said:

 

“Actually, the Goblins’ King belongs to the type of those men who never gives up. I am sure that you are down now but not out. Well, what do you think of my idea to go to the battle?” “Good as I have no choice,” the girl sighed.

 

“You always knew how to make the right decisions!” Margo smiled.

“When am I leaving?”

 

“Take your time! First, we will wait to hear from Swein and Edward then send a messenger to the Prince of vampires and only after that we will start the war.”

“We? Are you going with us?”

 

“Of course, I am! I cannot let you go without me! This is because the Night Kingdom is in danger!”

“You are right,” nodded Angelica. “And who will go to the Prince of Vampires?”

“Huron! He is immortal, vampires won’t hurt him; and why are you asking, did you want to go?”

“No! I’d rather ask to send someone else, or I will do some-thing stupid and then regret about it for all my life.”

“Good girl!”

 

“Margo, I would like put on my hiking clothes and give you the dress and tiara back. Thank you very much for everything!”

“Elsa will help you,” said the witch, and clapped her hands.

 

A minute later the goblin woman appeared in the hall.

 

Madam asked her to help the girl to change clothes and the maid took Lica with her. They came into the dressing room where Elsa lit candles and helped Angelica to take the ball gown off. Then she put on her own clothes, sighed and said:

 

“Thank you, Elsa! The dress chosen by you, had a raving success, but not me.”

“Forget about it, let’s have dinner,” smiled the goblin woman. They went out into the hall and the maid started setting the table. They spent the whole day in household chores and waiting in vain. No news from Swein or Prince Night.

 

“What happened?” Lica was worried.

 

“Calm down, the night is yet but young!” Margo grinned. “The men should discuss everything carefully!”

However, neither today nor the next day there was news.

 

Only a few days later a messenger from Swein came.

 

“In two days, the army of the Goblins’ King is going to meet the army of the Prince Edward. His Majesty asked me to tell you that the two armies will be waiting for the Prince of Vampires at the arrangement place,” said the messenger.

 

“It means that Huron has to set off today,” muttered the witch. She thanked the messenger and immediately began preparations for the march. Huron, who these days almost never left Margo’s room, also began to get ready for the journey. He took a large backpack and began to put there strange, in the opinion of Angelica, things. He put some powders, rocks, plants, bottles and many other odd things.

 

“Why did you take so many of them?” asked the girl, pointing to the bag.

“The spells against the old evil are very complex,” said the sorcerer. “There are three stages to seal the evil in the abyss forever! With the last spell, I will put the seal on the gates connecting this and the other side with my soul. That is why I have to take so many things with me!”

 

For a few hours, Huron was walking up and down the cave, checking everything. Finally, he took his bag and said:

 

“Well, I am ready to go to the Prince of Vampires. Wish me luck, and I will meet you at the arrangement place in three days.”

 

Margo hugged her brother, Angelica wished Huron Godspeed with all her heart. The sorcerer went out of the cave, mounted his horse and started out.

 

Three days passed quickly. On the fourth day, Margo ordered Elsa to ride horses. She took her hiking bag, came to Lica’s room and said:

 

“Get ready, we are leaving in an hour!”

 

The girl immediately put on her hiking clothes, took the sword, Swein gave her, and walked out of the cave. The witch was already sitting in the saddle.

 

“Hurry up!” Margo said. “If we want to get to the exact en-chanted path, we need to hurry!”

 

Angelica nodded and climbed into the saddle. The witch pulled the reins and rushed forward. Lica followed her. They were going for a long time as Margo suddenly turned off the road.

 

“But the last time the path leading to the Ghosts’ Fields wasn’t here!” cried the girl.

 

“Now they are constantly changing their position. Therefore, we must be on the lookout not to get lost!”

 

Suddenly a thick fog enveloped them. The witch put a finger to her lips, indicating Angelica to be silent. The girl nodded.

 

They were going forward, not sure where the enchanted path was leading them, but suddenly the fog began to dissipate and they heard the neighing of horses in front. Lica and Margo were in a valley, covered with tall grass. A lot of people were a far. Some of them were on horseback, some on foot...

 

“It looks like we got to the right place!” the witch was relieved. “We are on the Ghosts’ Fields, but only from the other side of the Sleepy Lake. This is the army ahead.”

 

“Then we need to go to the opposite side of the field. The meeting place is there!” Angelica said.

 

The rider spurred their horses and let them into a gallop to get their as soon as possible.

The beginning of the battle

 

When they came closer, Lica was very surprised to see a large number of soldiers. There were people and goblins all together... The vampires were a little further. Lica had never attended a military exercise, the more she had never taken part in a large scale battle. She knew about war from movies. Therefore, everything that was happening now seemed unreal to the girl. She looked at the war-riors’ weapons with interest. All of them, without exception, had swords; some of them also had bows and arrows, the goblins had something looked like a stick or a club, studded with spikes. The vampires had long pikes and spears tied to their horses’ saddles.

 

Shortly ahead they saw the familiar spreading tree, under which Angelica immediately recognized the silhouettes of the Goblins’ King, the Prince of Vampires and the Prince Night. They were standing there, holding the reins of their horses and talking about something.

 

“We’re almost there!” she said to the witch. “But I can’t see your brother.”

 

At this point, a man on a horseback went out from the mountains side.

 

“Look,” Margo pointed at him. “Here is Huron!”

 

It so happened that our heroes and the sorcerer came to the arranged place at the same time from different sides.

 

Prince Night and Vampires’ Prince helped the girl and the witch to get down. They kissed their hands in turn. The Goblins’ King also came up and kissed only Margo’s hand. He just slightly bowed to Angelica. The girl pretended not to notice this and all the others were so busy that did not pay any attention to it. Huron dismounted and immediately got down to the plan:

 

“The situation in the mountains is much worse than I thought. Some unknown bastards are everywhere in the valley and for the ritual I have to get inside the cave. Margo, I need your help, otherwise I will not be able to keep everything under control.”

 

“No problem, Huron!” said Edward. “We’ll get your back. What will we do next?”

 

“The ceremony of sealing the evil forces back into the abyss consists of three stages,” said the sorcerer. “On the first step we’ll unlock the barrier; Margo has put to withhold the evil in one place and so it cannot to spread throughout the Kingdom of Night. After the barrier unlocks all creatures and reptiles begin to overreach and the task of the army is not to give them to do that. On the second stage, I will open the gates into the abyss. I do not know what might happen after this, but it is likely that forces that are even more powerful may try to sneak into this world. At this stage, the troops of the Prince and the Goblins’ King had better step back, giving the opportunity to vampires give the battle, because it will be not only the physical, but also the energy confrontation. I do not think people or goblins will be able to stop them... On the third stage, I will call the elements - water, fire and air to help me. With their help, I will try to get the evil back into the deep, and sealed its gates with my soul. It is if things shape up in our favor.”

 

“What if not?” asked Lica.

 

“If not the advantage will be on the side of the evil. Then you will play it off the cuff! Is everybody agree with this strategy?”

 

Swein, Edward and Arthur nodded.

 

“Now, I ask you to give my sister and me a small group of sol-diers, so that we can get to the caves and the soldiers will get our backs.” Prince Night jumped into the saddle and immediately went to his army. Huron, the Prince of Vampires and the Goblins’ King

 

also got in the saddles and were ready for further actions. Angelica was expecting a sight or breath from Swein, but he  was cold and indifferent to her. However, Arthur came closer to the girl and said:

 

“Angelica, I beg you, no matter what happens, stay away from the mountains! You’d better go back to the Sleepy Lake and wait for us there.” Lica nodded. She couldn’t believe that it was a reality. It seemed to her that it was just a long dream.

 

Half an hour later Edward returned with a small group of warriors on the horses.

 

“These people will accompany and cover you if you need help!” he turned to Huron and Margo. “Our armies will appear immediately after you, be ready to fight. Therefore, I ask you, Prince, and you, Swein, go back to your troops and take command.”

 

Then the Goblins’ King got into conversation:

 

“I suggest the army of vampires to refrain from taking action. People and goblins can prevent all attacks of living monsters, while vampires should join the battle when ordinary creatures will be replaced by energy beings.”

 

“I agree with Swein,” Edward nodded.

 

“I don’t mind, gentlemen!” Arthur said.

 

He jerked the reins and went to his army. The Goblins’ King and the Prince Night also went back to their troops. The small cavalry group, led by Huron and Margo, galloped towards the mountains. The united army moved immediately behind them. The horde of people, goblins and vampires were walking and riding past Angelica. At last, she did realize that everything happening here was the reality. She panicked.

 

“What if they all die?!” she thought with horror. “Then I’ll never see Swein or Arthur or Edward or Margo or Huron!?”

 

Lica did not know what to do. She remembered the words of the Vampire to stay away from the mountains and go to the Sleepy Lake but the girl was just not able to do that.

 

“I cannot leave my friends!” she decided.

 

So, when the last troops passed, Angelica went after the army. She was riding in a distance, so as not to attract anybody’s attention. It seems that everyone was so busy thinking about the battle that no one noticed her.

 

When the first rock appeared ahead, she tied her horse to a bush growing nearby and climbed to the top. The moon was shining brightly and everything was as plain as the nose on your face. What she saw plunged her into shock. Where before there was a flat place, now everywhere were only ravines. On the right, she saw a deep abyss, which she had never seen before. A wide valley at the entrance to the cave was cluttered with huge boulders among which horrible crea-tures were crawling. Some of them were like huge dinosaurs, which the girl saw in the books on zoology. Others were very different from all the beasts on the earth. The whole space was teeming with rotting bodies of these horrible creatures. Apparently, the severe fights were the usual thing there. The entrance in to the valley was closed by two rocks, and our heroine was now on one of them.

 

When she saw all this horror and smelled this entire stench, she felt bad. She felt dizzy and a lump in the throat. At this point, at the bottom of the mountain, at the mouth of the valley, she heard clatter and a small cavalry group began to break through to the cave entrance.

 

The riders went among the rocks by the shortest route. All the creatures crawling among the rocks heard the sound of hooves and began to surround the warriors. The soldiers drew their swords and began to repel the attacks of the hideous monsters. Huron and Margo shot a way out and sent their horses on. Apparently, that it was very angered the creeping reptiles. They became more aggressive. The warriors were fighting bravely, but the advantage wasn’t on their side.

 

At this point, Prince Night and the Goblins’ King gave a sign to the armies - to go into the valley! People and Goblins came simultaneously from two flanks and immediately began to fight with the monsters. The monsters didn’t expect such a dirty trick and confused retreated to the mountains, while the sorcerer and his sister could get to the cave save and sound. Angelica saw that they dismounted, untied the bag with magic things from the saddle and disappeared in the dark cave.

 

“The huge spiders are also there!” she whispered, biting her lips.

 

‘The second stage’

 

 

Meanwhile, the troops of Edward and Swein were attacking dinosaurs. The soldiers were fighting desperately and soon it became clear that the united army was winning.

 

“Thank God! Thank God!” Angelica was whispering.

 

The bastards tried to break out of the valley but apparently, something was holding them. They were lashing among the rocks, jumping over the ravines but could not leave the territory, sur-rounded by the mountains. Suddenly something happened...

 

There was a buzz, and the earth shook. Immediately after that, a few monsters escaped of the valley on the road leading to the Ghosts’ fields.

 

“The barrier, they have unlocked the barrier!” Lica shouted from the top.

 

Nobody heard her, but without this warning, Prince Night and the Goblins’ King had already known that the first step was done and now nothing held the predators in the valley.

 

“It means that Margo and Huron were able to trick the spiders and got to the right place in the caves,” Angelica said to herself. “They must have already started the ritual.”

 

The troops of people and goblins regrouped. Now they had to move beyond the valley to prevent the predators of getting into the Night Kingdom from the side of the mountains. Archers were climbing on the huge boulders and with their sharp arrows getting the fastest monsters.

 

Suddenly, the ground beneath the feet of the soldiers shook again. Some of them even could not keep on their feet and fell down. Here and there through the cracks in the earth more and more monster were coming outside. Some were worse than others. Making a terrible roar they as mad pounced on the people and goblins. Huge spiders went out of the cave stabbing their jaws into the soldiers’ bodies and sucked their blood. The army was suffering heavily and they had to retreat.

 

Lica was terribly nervous. She tried to see Swein or Edward but couldn’t find them in the crowd.

 

There were more and more monsters. Angelica looked with horror at what was happening. She looked back at the army of vampires behind and couldn’t understand why they were standing still. The mountains were shaking. Large stones and boulders were rolling down. A huge crack ran from the cave to the deep abyss. In a moment all monsters were frozen and then howled terribly.

 

The Earth shrank and a thick yellow fog began to come out of the abyss.

 

“The second stage!” cried Lica. “This is the second stage! Go back!” But the soldiers beneath could not hear her because of the swords clashing, howling monsters and groaning wounded war-riors. The girl jumped up on a huge boulder at the very top of the  mountain waving her arms and shouting:

 

“Go back! Retreat immediately!”

 

Having realized that they didn’t hear her, Angelica ran down the mountain to the army of vampires. She was running down the hill and shouting with all her voice:

 

“Hurry up! The second stage! Arthur, it’s the second stage!” The Prince of Vampires noticed coming down girl and instantly understood what the phrase: ‘The second stage!’ meant.

 

He immediately ordered his army to attack and the vampires drew their swords and rushed into the valley.

 

“What have I done?” horrified Lica. “I did not say that the fog rises from the abyss! If they go directly to the cave, they may not notice it. What then?!”

 

Angelica ran to her horse, which was neighing and lunging on the leash. The girl untied it and climbed into the saddle. She tugged at the reins and followed the vampires.

 

“Arthur!” Lica cried. “Ride to the abyss! To the abyss!”

 

She caught up with them almost at the entrance to the valley. “Go to the abyss!” she cried, pointing the opposite to the cave

 

direction.

 

The Prince of Vampires stopped his horse and looked there. The yellow fog was getting thicker and rising higher and higher.

 

“To the right flank!” Arthur briefly commanded his soldiers. They turned their horses and rushed to the abyss. At this moment, the fog split apart and something black and dense appeared from it, it was similar to human size inkblot. Then another one and then more and more... The reptiles and creatures didn’t notice the soldiers anymore, began to rush through the valley in horror. The ‘blots’ slowly rose. The scene was absolutely spectacular…

 

One of them swooped down on a lizard and in a second sucked it up. Only the skin and bones of the monster fell down on the earth. Everything was balled up.

People and goblins were mad with fear. They were running away from the cave. It was rather the flight than retreat. The men were running past Angelica, throwing swords away and screaming in terror.

 

Now she noticed Prince Edward and King Swein. They were trying to keep the army and give orders, but in this situation, no one listened to them. The ‘blots’ began to swoop down one after the other on the screaming people and goblins sucking them one by one.

 

“Stop!” exclaimed the Prince of Vampires. “They can feel your fear and kill those who energetically open for them!”

The Vampires came down on the ‘blots’ cutting them down.

 

From the vampires’ swords, they shrank and fell apart.

 

“They have different weapon,” Angelica guessed. “They can kill not only the physical body!”

Meanwhile, the goblins and people army quickly retreated beyond the valley. The Prince Night and Swein were still among the boulders, fighting with huge lizards.

“Go back!” Lica shouted to them. “Your weapon is powerless against the monsters of the abyss!”

Suddenly they heard a whistling sound and a huge crater grew up from the yellow fog. It was rising higher and getting wider. Suddenly the translucent creatures appeared out of the crater and furiously attacked the vampires. Two riders from Arthur’s army fell to the ground with a groan... and vanished.

 

“These things can quickly absorb our energy!” shouted the Prince of Vampires. “If the sorcerers don’t hurry up with the third stage, we won’t be able to hold out longer!”

“What happened to Margo and Huron?” Angelica was think-ing nervously. “Why don’t they start the third stage?”

A few more vampires fell down from their horses and disappeared.

To the sorcerers!

 

 

“I have to find the sorcerer and the witch immediately!” decided the girl.

 

She pulled her sword out, struck the horse with a whip and rushed towards the cave.

 

“Where are you going? Are you crazy!” she heard someone cried behind.

 

But Lica did not even turn her head. She saw only one goal in front - the entrance to the cave. Her horse was neighing and jumping from side to side. But Angelica was holding the reins tight. Suddenly a huge shadow rushed to the girl. Horrible stench hit her in the nose. Lica looked around and saw how something terrible was coming straight towards her. This ‘something’ fell on its hind legs getting ready to jump.

 

“Oh dear!” Angelica cried.

 

Almost automatically, she swung her sword and slashed at the monster. It roared and limping fell to the ground... but other monster had already followed the dead one.

 

“Faster! Faster!” the girl commanded to herself.

 

But it was too late to break through to the cave. The creepy-crawlies had circled her. Lica stopped the horse and put her sword forward. Suddenly, she heard a voice behind:

 

“Oh, well, how can you be so stupid?”

 

Angelica looked around and saw... Swein. He was on his horse holding a drawn sword in his hand.

 

“What are you doing here?” cried the girl.

 

“That’s what I would like to ask you first!” retorted the Goblins’ King.

 

He began to approach Lica slowly. At this point, one of the reptiles flicked his tail and tried to knock the girl out of the saddle. Angelica managed to react in time and dodged her horse from a terrible hit. This infuriated the predators and they almost at once rushed to Lica and Swein. The girl screamed but began to reflect the monsters’ blows. A little further, the Goblins’ King was fighting with the monsters. Three of the six creatures were already dead and then something distracted the predators. They looked up and then ran away from Angelica and Swein.

 

“Hurry up!” cried the Goblins’ King. “Otherwise, we will die!”

 

He hit Lica’s horse with whip and spurred his horse. A min-ute later, two riders were galloping to the cave. The girl did not have time to realize what had happened but now the more important thing was to find the sorcerers.

 

A few minutes later, our heroes jumped down from their horses at the entrance to the cave. Swein almost pulled Angelica out of the saddle and towed her into a dark embrasure.

“Hurry up!” he whispered. “We have to find Huron and Margo!”

“What? What happened there?” Lica murmured.

 

“Run, I’ll tell you later!”

 

The Goblins’ King was dragging the girl through the dark corridors. Angelica could see absolutely nothing, but Swein was navigating in the dark like a cat.

“Why is it so quiet?” he said. “There should be spiders! Why is it so quiet?!”

Our heroes ran through several corridors, and finally went into a wide one leading to the abyss. At the end of it they could see the light.

 

“What is there?” the girl pointed forward.

 

“Hush!” whispered the Goblins’ King.

 

Lica and Swein carefully made their way forward. The light was getting brighter. But the picture they saw there, threw them into the horror...

At the end of the corridor near the wall, Margo was laying motionlessly. They couldn’t understand whether she was alive or not. At the edge of the abyss, there were the remains of the tentacles and bodies of chopped monsters. There was terrible stench everywhere. Huron wasn’t anywhere.

 

Lica knelt down and crawled to the witch. She grabbed Margo’s hands trying to drag her down the corridor. A minute later, Swein came to help her and together they brought the witch into the darkness. Suddenly Margo moaned.

 

“Hush, hush!” whispered Lica. “These are we - Angelica and Swein! What happened to you? Where is your brother? Why didn’t you complete the ritual?”

 

“Angelica,” whispered the witch, “listen to me! We have finished the second stage, and now the gates into the abyss are open. But the monsters escaped from there, dragged Huron down! We have to finish the ritual! But without my brother it is impossible! Only his soul can seal the gates. Find him, or it will be too late!”

 

With these words, Margo fainted.

 

“Oh God!” the girl wailed. “We are both mortal and to go into the abyss is the same as to commit the suicide!”

 

Swein was sitting silent. Then he looked at her and said firmly:

 

“We have to finish the ritual! The life of the people depends on us! I’m going!”

 

“Me too!” they heard a voice from the darkness of the corridor. After a few seconds, Prince Edward came to our heroes. “Prince!” cried the girl. “How did you get here?!”

 

“How can I trust you such a serious matter?” the prince smiled. “Besides, unlike you, I picked up something with me.”

 

Edward showed them the rope that was wrapped around his waist. “And you, Angelica, stay here and keep an eye on Margo,” ordered the Prince Night. “Otherwise, spiders will eat her. Swein,  do you agree?!”

 

The Goblins’ King nodded and said:

 

“We have to hurry! The Prince of Vampires won’t be able to withstand the onslaught of monsters too long.”

 

And the men headed towards the abyss.

 

“Wait!” exclaimed Lica.

 

She rushed to the Prince and the King and hugged them both.

 

“Be careful!” she whispered through tears.

 

Edward ran his hand through her hair and smiled. Swein kissed her hand. After that, the prince and the king left. Lica went back to Margo.

 

“Water...” whispered the witch.

 

“Damn!” cursed the girl. “I have nothing with me in what I could get water!”

 

Then she remembered that the people in the desert used their clothes to collect rainwater. They just spread it during the rain and then twisted into the vessel and get water.

 

“Margo, dear, wait a little!” Angelica muttered. “I’ll bring the water!”

 

The girl dragged her closer to the wall and put quite weigh stones around.

 

“If a spider wanted to walk down the corridor, he would hardly notice her,” Lica was talking to herself.

 

Then she took the sword in her right hand and went back down the corridor by feel. She remembered that somewhere near must be a room with a creek ... There she first met the bride of Prince Edward, when she and Henry were running from the vile web. Indeed, shortly ahead she heard the sound of bubbling water. Angelica could see absolutely nothing, but she felt as if the walls of the corridor widened and it became easier to breathe.”

 

“I am in the room with a creek!” she guessed.

 

She got on her knees crawling forward and feeling everything with her hands. Suddenly her hand became wet.

 

“Hooray! Water!” whispered Lica in delight.

 

She pulled the sleeves of her shirt and ripped them. Then she soaked them in water and crawled back.

 

“Why is it so quiet?” she was thinking on the way. “This silence scares me!”

 

Lica got to Margo and twisted water into her mouth. “Thank you,” said the witch quietly, coming to life. “Angelica, listen to me! Only you will be able to finish the ritual!” “Margo, you are crazy, I’m not Huron!”

 

“Angelica, without your help Swein and Edward will die in the abyss. They’re energetically powerless against the monsters of the other world!”

 

“And me? What can I do?”

 

“You must hold a ceremony and open the third stage!”

 

“To call the elements?” horrified Lica. “But I’m not a witch, I cannot...”

 

“Don’t interrupt me! It’s hard to speak!”

 

Margo took a few deep breaths and continued:

 

“We had prepared everything for the ritual. At the edge of the abyss there is a pentagram, the spell is written there. You have to get closer to it and insert the crystal ball, which my brother and I had brought, in the center of it. The bag with the crystal must be somewhere there - among the rocks! Then you have to stand up in the center of the pentagram, and read the spell then put some of your blood on the crystal. Thus, you will call the element of air, fire and water.”

 

“What to do then? I do not know how to control them,” she murmured.

 

“It does not matter. You should call them or we all will die!” Angelica nodded. She tried to pull herself together and headed for the abyss. A strange glow was coming from the abyss and illuminating everything around.

 

“At least I can see everything!” the girl calmed herself down. She walked to the end of the corridor and began to look for the pentagram on the floor. On the left – in the wall where was the laboratory of the old sorcerer, on the floor she saw a big picture. It was a circle with an inverted star inside. In the center of the star was deepening, probably for the crystal. There was a long Latin inscription on the rim of the circle.

 

“God!” Angelica gasped. “I do not know Latin! And where the bag with the crystal is?!”

 

She began walking among the rocks, trying to find the sor-cerers’ things. At this time, the light coming out of the abyss began to pulse. She suddenly felt terribly cold, and heard a terrible roar.

 

“God help me!” the girl wailed. “Where is this stupid bag?!”

 

She repeatedly sought through all the stones but couldn’t find the sorcerer’s bag. Suddenly she had an idea.

 

“Margo said that Huron had been dragged into the abyss,” Lica began to think. “The bag might have fallen down! I have to go down immediately and look for it there!”

 

Angelica remembered that near the bottom there was a small ledge leading to the hiding place where the Book of Destiny was. The girl came close to the cliff on the left, sat on the edge of the abyss and looked down. The hiding place was still there.

 

Lica did not think how she was going to climb out and jumped on that stone island...

Part 11. The ritual

 

 

Glaring light was streaming from the abyss. Angelica cau-tiously came to the edge of the ledge and looked down. She couldn’t see the bottom but just next to her she noticed another ledge, a bit smaller than one she was standing on.

 

“Well, I have to remember the skills of a young tourist,” whispered Lica.

 

She calculated the distance to the lower ledge, then stepped back a little and jumped... she landed exactly in the center of the small ledge. Angelica looked down again but did not see other ledges. However, the walls of the abyss here were quite prominent. The walls were with cracks and crevices and stones were butting out from the rock everywhere.

 

“Perhaps I’ll be able to go down here,” the girl decided. “I had more challenging routes in competitions on climbing, hadn’t I?”

 

Lica looked carefully and began to go below. She put her foot on the quite large stone and caught hold a deep crevice in the wall. The girl was finding more and more new footings moving nonstop to the bottom of the abyss. The lower she went, the more clearly she heard strange and at the same time horrible sounds. They sounded like a roar of a wounded animal or a noise of the storm or a crack of the stones. The air was filled with the sickening smell of blood. The girl started to feel dizzy but she tried to pull herself together.

 

Angelica looked down, the bottom was quite close and she could see pieces of monsters’ chopped tentacles and bodies.

 

“It looks like Edward and Swein have already been here,” thought Lica.

 

She tried to look for a clean place below to jump. But jumped, she got into a bloody mess with her left foot.

 

“Yak! Damn!” cursed Angelica, trying to shake blood clots off her sneaker.

 

Then she looked around. The piles of bloody remains exud-ing the stench were everywhere.

 

“Where will I look for the magic crystal?” terrified the girl. “This dirt is everything here!”

 

She was jumping over the bodies parts, trying to see anything resembling the sorcerer’s bag among them. Suddenly she heard a mournful howl ahead.

 

“What’s next?” said Lica through clenched teeth. “God, blind me if any monster decided to walk here!”

 

As if to answer to her the soil under the girl quaked. Lica couldn’t keep her feet and fell down. Suddenly she noticed a gray object, stuck between the stones. Angelica immediately scrabbled closer to it and saw that it was Huron’s bag; it was in the deep crevice. She tried to pull it out, but couldn’t. At this minute, the soil quaked again and she heard such a terrible roar that it took her breath away.

 

“It looks like this monster is coming here,” the girl whispered to herself. “I must hurry up!”

 

She held on to the bag again and shook it trying to take it out of the stones. But nothing helped. The soil quaked again and it seemed to the girl that the light in the abyss wasn’t as bright as before.

 

“I think it’s time to make off!” said Angelica. “But the crystal?” She thought for a moment, then waved her hand and said: “Huron and Margo, forgive me, but I cannot save all your things! I need only the crystal.”

 

Holding the bag on one side she put the other hand into the split and felt the bag rope. Lica gently tugged at the one end and when the rope was untied, she put her hand into the bag as deeply  as she could. The girl was very afraid that if the crystal rolled out to the crevice then she would never get it, so she was very careful with the things in the bag. There were some plants, bottles and stones. Which of these stones was the crystal - Lica did not know. So she took a few stones in a handful and pulled them out. The girl carefully examined her prey but concluded that the crystal was not among them. She remembered the deepening in the pentagram. It was much bigger than all these stones. Therefore, Angelica decided to get into the bag again.

 

Again there was a terrible howl and something huge and dark seemed far ahead. She couldn’t clearly see what was it but Lica decided to hurry.

 

She put her hand into the bag again. Now first she decided to touch all the stones inside. She was gently touching them with her fingers but all of them weren’t what she needed. Some of them were too stretched; others angular and the other were too small for the pentagram. Then, in the corner, Angelica felt for another stone. As soon as she touched it with her fingers, she felt it as the electric shock. Lica slowly began to pull it out and then it was another earthquake and the cleft, holding the bag started moving and getting wider. The cleft was expanding rapidly. The magical items were falling out of the bag. The stone, which Lica was trying to get, also tumbled down into the abyss. With some incredible effort Lica managed to drop the bag a side and fell to the edge of the cleft she stretched her hand. The stone jumped, hit the rock and fell right into Angelica’s hand.

 

The girl knew immediately that it is exactly what she needed. Absolutely smooth, black crystal was sparkling in her hand. It had some strange energy because Lica was feeling tingling in her fingers.

 

“Now to the top!” commanded the girl to herself.

 

She stood up and suddenly noticed the rope, which she hadn’t seen before.

 

“Apparently, the Prince and the Goblins’ King used it,” de-cided Angelica.

 

She hid the stone in her pullover sleeve, because it was too big for her jeans pocket, and quickly began to climb up the rope. The rocks were shaking.

 

“The monster must be very close,” Lica thought. “I have to finish the ritual!”

The girl could not remember how she got out of the abyss. She quickly found the pentagram, pulled the crystal out of her sleeve and inserted it in the center. Then she removed the sword from its sheath and slightly cut her hand. Red blood came out. Angelica bent over the black stone and a few drops of blood fell on the stone. Then she tried to read aloud the Latin words. Alas, but nothing happened.

 

“Margo! I need Margo’s help!” she cried desperately. “I do not know Latin!”

She ran into the dark corridor - where she left the wounded witch. After a few minutes, Lica got to her but Margo was unconscious.

“Margo, dear,” cried the girl, “wake up, please?! Without you, we will die! The Kingdom will die! Margo, wake up, please!”

Suddenly the witch moaned.

 

“Angelica,” she whispered, “have you found the crystal?” “Yes! I have set it in the pentagram, dripped my blood and

read a spell! But nothing happened. I do not know Latin!”

 

“God, how I could miss it!” Margo muttered. “You have to help me to get to the pentagram!”

The witch tried to get up but lost consciousness again. Lica bit her lower lip and started to raise Margo. She was quite heavy for the girl, but Angelica knew that the great thing was to get the witch to the pentagram. She made an effort and hoisted the woman on her back and then slowly, step by step, she was moving toward the abyss. The ground under her feet was quaking. She could hear a terrible growl from the abyss.

 

“Probably, the monster is very close,” flashed through her mind.

 

The girl felt incredibly scary, but she continued going stub-bornly. Suddenly Margo woke up and began to push off your feet, helping Lica to move. The way to the pentagram seemed eternal but, finally, Lica and Margo reached the edge of the abyss.

 

“Take me to the center of the pentagram and stand next to me,” the witch said firmly.

 

Angelica did that.

 

She helped the witch to sit near the crystal. Margo took all her strength and started to read as loudly as she could in Latin. At this point, out of the abyss a huge horrible head on a long neck ap-peared. It had no eyes, but Lica could see the curve hideous mouth, surrounded by many nasty tentacles. When Lica saw the monster, she screamed:

 

“Margo, hurry up, read the spell! Otherwise, we will be someone’s lunch!”

 

The witch began reading the magic words more quickly. However, the monster was not going to wait for the end of the ritual. He sniffed the air and began to lean towards the pentagram. Then a tentacle from his mouth began to lengthen towards Angelica. The girl took out her sword and prepared to repel the attack. Meanwhile, Margo finished reading the last words.

 

Suddenly, they heard a loud hum in the cave. The ground was quaking so that it was impossible to stay on feet. Lica and Margot fell down on the floor of the cave.

 

“Try to be inside the pentagram,” the witch exclaimed, turning to the girl. “Only that can protect us from the violence of the elements!”

 

Angelica wanted to ask about the elements, but couldn’t, because at this point a huge stream of water flooded in the corridor of the cave. It easily washed away the monster, which was reaching its tentacles to the girl, and pulled him back into the abyss. The Monster was roaring and growling awfully, but could not do anything with such a power. Oddly enough, but the water skirted the pentagram, where were Lica and Margo.

 

“Hooray!” Angelica cried. “The elements work!”

 

“No joy in advance,” the witch pulled her down. “If my brother doesn’t come in time, the elements will destroy not only the monsters, but also us, and all the Night Kingdom, and then... the Earth! Only Huron can control them! Only my brother is able to lock the evil up in the abyss of his soul!”

 

As if to support Margo’s words, all the rocks started moving. The stones were rolling from everywhere. Some of them fell so close to our heroes that the vibrations almost thrown them out of the pentagram.

 

“Hold on! Do not come out of the line!” cried the witch. “Or nothing will save you!”

 

Lica with all her might tried to stay inside the pentagram.

 

But time after time it was more and more difficult.

 

 

‘The third stage’

 

 

After the stone fall there was a terrible whirlwind. He was whistling so loudly, that it must have been heard on the other side of the Kingdom. From that terrible noise, Margo and Angelica had ear bleeding. The hurricane easily picked up parts of the huge boulders and rocks, twisted into a funnel and dragged them into the abyss. Suddenly the ground around the pentagram began to crumble. Lica screamed but the witch was absolutely calm.

 

“Everything is going right,” she whispered. “The last element is fire! It must come from the volcano.”

 

“The volcano?!” cried the girl. “We will die! What did Arthur, Edward and Swein fight for?! What did the soldiers give their lives for?!”

 

At this moment, the ceiling above them opened up and they could see the starry sky illuminated with red flares. The rocks were falling down about their ears and suddenly an earth cone began to rise out of the abyss.

 

“The volcano!” pointed Margo.

 

Meanwhile, the stone arches surrounding the witch and the girl finally collapsed and the valley spread with bodies of people and monsters appeared in front of them.

 

“Gosh!” Angelica muttered. “How terrible!”

 

She tried to see the army of fighting vampires, but alas, nothing could be seen!

 

“Look!” Margo exclaimed.

 

The girl turned around and saw that the earth cone was growing right in front of them. It was getting higher and higher and soon almost reached the night sky. Suddenly, they heard terrible screams and growls in the valley again and as if from nowhere new hordes of monsters appeared.

 

“Why don’t the elements work on them?” Lica asked, point-ing to the monsters.

 

“The elements work but the gates between this and oth-er world are open. Apparently, the evil decided to intensify its strength,” said the witch.

 

Wild creatures ran up to the wounded but still alive soldiers and tore them into pieces. Heartrending cries were everywhere.

 

“I can’t stand that!” exclaimed Angelica. “I cannot sit here and watch those people die! I have to do something!”

 

“We cannot do anything. Only Huron will help!”

 

“Then I’ll go and find him!”

 

“You are crazy! Swein and Edward left and never returned. Do you think that you are stronger than they are?”

 

“You are right. I am... crazy!”

 

With these words, the girl went out of the pentagram and ran up the rising earth cone.

 

“Come back, stupid girl!” Margo cried in the direction of her. “This volcano is going to erupt!”

 

But Lica did not hear her. She was going on climbing; how-ever, she didn’t understand what for. She was obsessed. The girl was not looking around. Her still small voice told her to go ahead to the top of the volcano!

 

Lica did not notice how much time passed before the moment when the mountain beneath her feet stopped growing. The soil wasn’t quaking anymore and it was much easier to climb. However, her nose caught some nasty smell.

 

“It smells as sulfur!” she figured out. “The volcano must be ready to erupt...”

 

But this terrible guess didn’t stop her. As if some unknown force made her continue going up. The temperature was rising. Soon Angelica started sweating from the unbearable heat and choking on the smell of sulfur.

 

The girl pulled herself together and finally climbed to the top. It was no more than ten meters up to the crater. A huge cloud of 

poison gas was hanging above it. Lica realized that she was going to choke on smoke.

 

“What a stupid death!” she cried. “Heaven, can you hear me?! I do not know why I came here, apparently for a stupid death!”

 

Angelica flopped to the ground and burst into tears...

 

“First - Huron, then - Edward and Swein, then - Arthur! Now it is my turn then – Margo!” wailed Lica. “What for? To fail miserably our mission...”

Then she heard a buzzing sound. The girl looked around and saw ‘black blots’ against the red glow were approaching her.

“I guess I won’t have time to choke,” she grinned. “They will kill me before that!”

However, she stood up, pulled out her sword and prepared to repel the vile creatures.

At this moment, the dark sky of the Night Kingdom suddenly brightened, as if a long-awaited dawn came. ‘Blots’ slightly slowed down...

“We’ve been watching your battle for a long time,” suddenly Angelica heard a thundering voice in her head, “and came to the conclusion that the balance of powers, in fact, is unequal.”

 

Not expecting that Lica false stepped and nearly fell down. She looked up and saw a few pale pink huge clouds in the sky that were gradually taking the human bodies shape.

“The Viatores!” exclaimed the girl not believing her eyes. “Oh God, what a blessing! You have come!”

“Do not remember the name of the Lord thy God in vain!” the voice boomed. “We saw from the beginning the odds were on the evil side. Now, when the gates are open, the situation is getting worse and worse every minute. In addition, the elements are raging everywhere. We cannot allow the Apocalypse happens and so we made a decision...”

 

“What decision?!” Angelica cried.

 

“We need the sorcerer...”

 

“Yes, but a monster took him somewhere!” “It is not so important...”

 

 “But only Huron can control the elements and seal the gates with his soul!”

The Viatores were silent.

 

“Hey!” - screamed Lica. “Tell me, what I will do!”

 

However, they didn’t tell anything and turned into clouds again. The sky gradually became dark... The ‘blots’ continued approaching to Angelica.

“Bastards!” the girl exclaimed in the hearts, shaking her fist at the sky. “Traitors! Damn you all!”

She put her hand with the sword forward, and then... some-thing strange happened. Her hand holding the sword, suddenly thickened and now looked like more male than female. Some strange processes were happening in all her body. For a few seconds Lica fell out of reality and when she came to senses, she realized that now she was not Angelica - a student of the Linguistic course but Huron - the great magician, capable to control the elements with one his finger.

 

“Ha, ha, ha!” the girl laughed with a hoarse male voice. “Well, now I am ready to fight!”

For some reason, now she knew exactly what to do...

 

The ‘black blots’ were very close now and one of them swooped down - to Lica. The girl took her hand with a sword to the side and put forward her left hand. Then she said aloud some strange word, the meaning of which she didn’t know, and the fiery rays went out of her left hand. They literally incinerated the ‘blob’, and it was scattered with ghoulish heartrending shriek. The second was about to fly away, but it was caught up with deadly lightning either.

 

Finished with monsters, Angelica came even closer to the crater of the volcano and began to draw a huge pentagram with the sword on the ground. As if her hands knew exactly what to do. They were drawing magical symbols and ritual signs, writing the ritual words. When the pentagram was ready, Lica threw a sword, stood in its center, spread her arms and lifted her head to the sky. Very loudly and clearly, she began saying a spell on unknown to her language...

 

At this moment, swirls appeared in the valley, they were growing bigger turning into terrible tornadoes. They were engulfing everything on their way and gradually moving to the volcano.

 

“Amen!” cried the girl, and the wind disappeared in a fiery crater.

 

Angelica continued reading the spell...

 

After the tornadoes, as if out of nowhere the streams of water flooded the valley. They picked up and carried everything that left after the tornadoes: the dead and wounded; the rotting remains of bodies; monsters, which were powerless against the violence of water.

 

“Amen!” she finished the second part of the spell and water flows rushed to the crater.

 

They began to disappear in it one after another. A loud hiss-ing was heard from the crater and glowing water vapor billowed into the sky. The air was filled with the pungent smell of sulfur. With every second, it was more and more difficult to breath. Lica gathered all her will in a fist and proceeded saying the spell.

 

The ground under her quaked and an unpleasant hum came from the volcano. The cloud over the muzzle started to grow rapidly and thick ash fell down on the ground. Red-hot pieces of the rock were falling everywhere.

 

“Amen!” cried the girl.

 

Volcano quaked and erupted with the flows of lava, down the slopes - into the valley. They reached the opposite side of it and began to flow into the gorge, from which the ‘black blots’ had come. Nightmarish screams filled all the space.

 

With a wild grin, Angelica was watching the horror hap-pening around. She was not scared at all; on the contrary, she was enjoying her strength and power. The Pentagram protected her from the hot vapor, magma and ash and Lica was able to continue the ritual...

 

She waited until the lava flows reached the valley. Then she drew another magical symbol in the center of the pentagram and kneeled down. She started to read a new spell. With every word, volcano and the mountains quaked more and more. The fire flows rushed back to the crater. When the last lava flow disappeared, Lica closed her eyes and said slowly:

 

“Amen...”

 

At the same minute, a lightning from the sky struck Angelica. The girl did not even have time to scream. She fell off the edge of the earth. Then a light substance separated from Lica’s body, flew to the crater of the volcano and came into it.

 

The meeting with the Devil

 

 

“One, two, three, four...” Angelica was counting clouds drifting over her head.

 

They were so different - each had its bizarre shape. The girl watched with interest as they were changing their shape. One of the clouds slowed his pace and turned into an unusual figure. It was a man on a horseback.

 

“Nice!” admired Lica. “The rider looks like real!”

 

Suddenly, the figure turned to the girl and said:

 

“Angelica, take your time! You are too early here! Go back!” “Early, here?” the girl did not understand. “Where am I?” Looking around she was trying to identify the place where

 

she was. Everything around was green. Lots and lots of grass, bushes and even trees. However, strangely enough she could not hear any sound: no chirping crickets, no birds singing or humming flies.

 

“Where am I?” she couldn’t understand.

 

She looked up and saw a bright, pink sky. Vague feeling that, she had already been here, crept into her soul. Lica turned to the cloud-rider and startled... She saw the Prince of... Vampires in front of her!

 

“Arthur?” the girl gasped. “You have scared me! Where are we?” “Don’t you remember this place?” asked the Prince.

 

“Well... something familiar. Something that I’ve already seen in my life!”

 

 “That’s right, in your lifetime ...” the vampire said grimly. “Wait!” exclaimed Angelica. “Isn’t it the place where I was waiting for you while you were going to your lord - Devil?!” The Prince of Vampires nodded.

 

“The Hell Valleys!” the girl guessed. “But what are we doing here?”

 

“You have sinned, Angelica. You have been accused in witch-craft and now punished. Even I cannot ease your fate!”

 

The Prince of Vampires nervously was walking back and forth...

 

“Why? Why did you give your soul?” finally he asked. “My soul?” amazed the girl. “What?!”

 

She looked around again and then suddenly remembered...

 

Lica remembered herself standing on the volcano top and saying the spell. Then she saw herself from the outside - a gray-haired, old man standing at the vents with fiery lava and stretching his hands to the sky. Then a lightning strike and... emptiness!

 

“Honestly, I don’t remember anything!” said Angelica with a frightened voice. “The last thing I remember was the lightning strike.” “This lightning knocked your soul out,” Arthur said slowly.

 

“The magical rite was planned for Huron not for you. Even in his body, you were an ordinary mortal girl.”

 

“Are you saying I am dead?!” horrified Lica.

 

The Prince of Vampire nodded.

 

“Moreover, you have sinned! Now your future fate is in Devil’s hands... Come with me, Angelica!”

 

Trying not to look into her eyes, the Prince gave her his hand. Angelica, hardly breathing, gave Arthur her hand. The Prince easily pulled her and suddenly Lica hovered! They were flying over the Hell Valleys and the girl looked at the bizarre clouds for the last time.

 

“Goodbye, Viatores!” she exclaimed.

 

Then something whistled in Lica’s ears and slides of her own life flashed in front of her eyes... Here when she was a little girl - had a fight with a neighbor boy because he had taken her ball. Then a kindergarten, school, friends and the dearest person - her mother...

 

“Mommy,” sobbed Angelica, “she will never know where I have gone!”

 

Meanwhile, the flashing scenes from her life had slowed down and she saw a bright, orange spot of light.

 

“The light at the end of the tunnel!” Lica grinned.

 

“No, it’s just the beginning of the tunnel,” said Arthur. “These are the gates to the underground residence of my Lord!”

 

Indeed, the “orange spot” was the entrance to a very long, twisted corridor. Wondering in it, our heroes came in a huge underground hall. It was fabulous; everything there was grand and monumental: the walls made of gems were playing with all colors of the rainbow; Angelica could not help admiring its beauty.

 

A little further, there was a very big throne. It seemed to Lica that it was made of gold. The throne was so huge that she had to lift her head to look at it. Its arms and legs were made in the shape of human bones, its back was framed with gold skulls and eye sockets were inserted with large diamonds and emeralds.

 

The Vampires’ Prince released her hand and stepped a little back. A minute later, a gust of wind flashed in the hall. The Prince bowed in obeisance. Angelica looked at Arthur and when she turned back to the throne, it had been already occupied.

 

Lica had read about the “evil spirits” many times, watched horror movies and that’s why she had some idea of how the host of Hell had to look. The girl expected to see anyone - from the horned monster, spewing fire to imposing man with a haughty smile and cold eyes. However, who she saw was not matched to any of these images!

 

A lovely, bright angel was sitting on the throne! Anyway, Angelica thought that angels looked so. He was dressed in a long, white robe. He has long, straight, blond hair and beautiful white wings, on which red blood was flowing down. She couldn’t see his face because of the glow that made girl’s eyes began to water. Angelica blinked a few times and froze waiting. The Angel was silent but suddenly Lica heard voices in her head...

 

“Why did you bring her to me, Prince? I need the energy of living souls, and this is a soulless body!”

 

“I do not know why she is in the Hell Valleys, so I thought you would decide her future!”

 

Angel raised his hand and a thin ray of light out of his hand struck the wall of the hall. The wall turned into a big screen and as if it was a TV Lica could see the last shots of her life...

She saw how she was climbing the volcano... Her body was changed and transformed into Huron’s... She was drawing the pentagram and reading spells... The lightning stroke Lica and her soul flew away...

 

Angel was thinking. For a while, there was complete silence and then voices again.

“You have thrown me into a dilemma, Prince! On the one hand, this girl is a sinner and certainly deserves punishment. On the other hand, she is our savior! Without her, the evil would get up to us. Who knows, maybe the whole earth would have been destroyed...”

 

“I am looking forward to your justice, my Lord!”

 

“…In any case, she has been already punished. A body with-out soul is not viable and very soon it will disappear...”

“That’s why I am asking you for mercy! It’s in your power, my lord, to give her the opportunity to live without a soul!”

“To make her undead?”

 

“Yes, my Lord!”

 

“You have surprised me, Prince! Why are you so worried about this ordinary mortal girl?”

“She is our savior!”

 

“Oh, yeah, you are right...”

 

Angel fell to thinking again. Lica was feeling edgy.

 

“What does it mean” will disappear?” she thought. “Will I dis-appear forever?! What does it mean, ‘to make undead’? I do not want to become a goblin, zombie or brownie! If so, it is better to disappear!” “I made the decision,” she heard a voice of the Lord in her head. “I’ll make her undead for three days. In three days she has to return her immortal soul. In three days time my spell will end, and  if she does not find her soul, she will disappear.”

 

With these words, the Angel stood up and the bright light waves came out of him. One of them covered Lica of the head and she flew away somewhere. She was wildly twisted and rotated; Angelica felt so bad, that she thought - a little more and she will disappear. She closed her eyes and then something suddenly strongly shook her. The girl cringed. Then she felt it again.

In search of Huron

 

 

When Lica opened her eyes, she saw the face of the Vampire Prince. He was shaking her by the shoulders and saying:

 

“Angelica, wake up, Angelica!”

 

“Arthur...” she whispered. “You’re alive! What a blessing! I’m alive! Well then, there were no hell and that... beautiful Angel!”

 

“Devil!” the Prince corrected her.

 

“So, I was just rambling about it!?” Lica said looking at him with hope.

 

“Alas,” Arthur said grimly. “It was true! Now we have very little time, Angelica, we have to replace you with the sorcerer.”

 

She sat up and looked around. Everything was in fire; the air was ingrained with sulfur. Lica and Prince were near the volcano vent, which, however, stopped erupting. On the one side from there a deep gulf stretched and on the other they could see the valley. Oddly enough, but there was no sign of any wounded warriors or any dead monsters. Everything was absolutely clean, as if there was no battle.

 

“Am I undead?” she asked with horror.

 

The Prince nodded.

 

“But why then I can see, hear and feel?”

 

“Can you feel the heat coming from the volcano?” asked Arthur.

 

“No,” Angelica said with surprise.

 

“And what’s about pain? Are you feeling anything? I mean, you have been stroke with lightning!”

 

“No,” said Lica even more surprised.

 

“That’s because you are actually dead. A body without soul cannot adequately perceive the information, so it quickly degrades and dies.”

 

“But how did you know that it was I? I was in Huron’s body!” “You forget my dear, that I can see perfectly in both the material and the subtle world. That’s why when I saw your soul was flying from Huron’s body, I understood everything and decided to take you to my Lord. Otherwise, we would have been here.”

 

It seemed to Angelica that she couldn’t feel the earth under her feet.

 

“What a nightmare!” she murmured. “And who am I now? A zombie?”

 

“Zombies cannot think. But you can! To tell the truth, you’re lucky! My lord made you​ a witch.

 

“Witch? Does it mean I can do magic now?”

 

“You can do magic, conduct ceremonies, perform rituals and so on.”

 

“But I...” started saying Lica.

 

“There’s a time and a place for everything,” interrupted her Arthur. “And now we’d better hurry up! We must find real Huron.” “We? Why do you help me? Your life is in danger... You have already done a lot for me!”

 

The Prince of Vampires stared into her eyes and said:

 

“Maybe I’m doing the most stupid thing now but for some reason I’d love to. Come on!”

 

He gave her his hand and helped Angelica up.

 

“Volcano vent is a portal into the other world,” continued Arthur, “however not the most comfortable, because too hot!” There is another way - through the gorge. I think we should go there.

 

“I agree!” Lica nodded. “Remember, Margo said a monster dragged Huron into the abyss.”

 

Then Lica remembered the witch and exclaimed:

 

“Ah! I completely forgot about Margo! She is there alone...  wounded and unconscious! We must help her!” Angelica ran down the slope of the volcano. “Wait!” the Prince of Vampires tried to stop her.

 

But Lica was running like a wind, not hearing him. Even from the distance, she noticed that place where the pentagram was. At its center was motionlessly lying the woman.

“Margo!” cried the girl. “I am coming!”

 

She ran to the witch and examined her carefully. Dried blood on her head and clothes caused for serious concern. Lica immediately put her ear to the woman’s chest and listened. Her heart was beating, although very slowly.

 

“What is to do?” Angelica panicked.

 

Then her mind as if turned off itself. The girl calmly stood up and pulled out the crystal from the center of the pentagram. Then she put it on Margo’s chest, fell next to her and began to mutter some strange spell. At this point, the Prince of Vampires ran to her but then stopped, decided not to disturb Lica of the ritual. Angelica put the crystal ball on the witch’s forehead and proceeded saying magic words. Suddenly Margo moaned and opened her eyes.

 

“Angelica?!” she said in surprise. “What are you doing?” “She has just brought you back to life,” noticed the Prince of Vampires.

 

The witch put the crystal off her forehead and sat up. “Arthur!” she exclaimed. “You’re alive! And there are no

monsters! So that means, you have found my brother and he closed the gates into the abyss! We have done it!”

“Not really!” the Prince shook his head.

 

Angelica came to herself, blinked, trying to figure out what’s going on.

“What do you mean?” Margo asked. “By the way, where is Huron? Where are Swein and Edward?”

“They are not here,” said Arthur.

 

“Then who sealed the portal?”

 

“Angelica,” calmly said the Prince. “She has sacrificed her soul. Now we have very little time to find your brother, Margo. Otherwise, she will just disappear.”

 

Margo stared at Lica.

 

“Why? Why did you do that?” she murmured. “You’re not a witch and not even a heathen! Although after you returned me to life, I am starting to doubt everything.”

 

“It’s not me!” the girl shook her head. “The Viatores gave me the body and mind of Huron for some time. That’s why I was able to close the door to the other world. For that I paid the price of my soul. Now I need to find your brother as soon as possible to replace my soul with his. He is immortal but I am not!”

 

“Then we have to hurry!” firmly declared the witch. “Excuse me, Margo, but you are not going with us,” said Angelica straight away. “I know your help would be very in place but you are mortal, so you’d better stay out of the abyss.”

 

“Angelica is right,” said the Prince of Vampires. “You are alive; it is worth more for us than you are dead.”

 

“All right,” Margo nodded. “I’ll stay here and wait for you. But if you’re not back in two days, I will follow you.”

 

Lica embraced the witch then turned to Arthur and said:

 

“Well, let’s go, my fearless knight!”

 

The Vampires’ Prince took the girl’s hand and they headed to the abyss. The light was still flowing from it. However, it wasn’t as bright as before. The caved rocks and boulders made their way much easier. Very soon, they reached the bottom of the gorge.

 

“Where will we go now?” asked Arthur.

 

“I think, to the right! All those terrible monsters came from there.”

 

“Okay, to the right!” the Prince nodded.

 

He was jumping from rock to rock, helping the girl sometimes when it was very difficult. The gorge was twisted, became wide and narrow. Now, at one of the turns our heroes saw a strange picture. In front, they saw a white pulsating haze. It covered a whole gorge and made it impossible to move on.

 

“What is it?” Angelica did not understand.

 

“It looks like we got one of the entrances into the abyss,” said the Prince of Vampires. “This is the portal!”

 

“And what must we do now?”

 

“You should use your new magical skills,” Arthur chuck-led. “Otherwise, we won’t get inside!”

 

“But I...”

 

“Turn off your mind and feel it! My Lord turned you into a witch for a reason! He gave you a chance and you are always in doubt!”

 

“Well,” Lica agreed, “I’ll try!”

 

She went to the haze and held out her hand. Suddenly, something pricked her palm. Angelica gasped and pulled her hand away. However, it was enough to make the girl switched. She suddenly realized what she had to do.

 

“Here there is a piece of my soul,” said Lica, “so, it won’t be a problem to get inside the portal. But you, Arthur, will have to stay here, because if I open the gate for you, the monsters will be able to escape into our world again.”

 

“In any case, you will have to open these gates to get Huron here. In addition, if Swein and Edward are alive, they will also need to go through the portal.”

 

“I hope that they are all alive. I will open the gates but only on the way back! So the evil will have less chance to enter our world. Sorry, Arthur, you will stay here.”

 

The Vampires’ Prince wasn’t happy about it but couldn’t do anything.

The Great Divide

 

 

Angelica took out her sword, came to the haze and began saying magic words, which she didn’t understand herself. Then she cut her hand and splattered with blood at the center of a misty substance.

 

At that moment, something whistled and a long white cylinder came out of the haze and sucked the girl like a vacuum cleaner.

 

Lica was gone with something. Gradually the flight slowed and she found herself in a strange place. She was standing next to the same white haze in the gorge, but there was nothing around. Angelica was in empty space. Not letting the sword from his hand, she tried to take a few steps forward, but couldn’t even move.

 

“What the hell!” exclaimed Lica.

 

She tried again and suddenly turned upside down. However, nothing changed. Even her long hair wasn’t going up and as usual was falling on her shoulders.

 

“It’s strange!” the girl said. “There is no gravity. But I can breath and that’s good! So, where am I?”

 

She wanted to reach out the haze and moved her hand with the sword towards it. At the same moment, she was thrown in the opposite direction.

 

“Wow!” Angelica smiled. “So, now I know how to move here!” And she began waving her hands to move forward. Soon, this tactic had its effect and she came to a large, circular stone floating in the air.

 

Immediately she was pulled to the stone, like to a magnet and she sprawled on its surface. With great effort, she could look up and see a scabbard of Prince Edward’s sword.

 

“This means, the Prince and the King of Goblins were here,” the girl thought happily. “I’m on the right way!”

 

She tried to stand up and break away from the stone. In the end, though with difficulty, she succeeded. Angelica again was ‘float-ing’ in space. Suddenly, she felt that she was in the water. However, she couldn’t see anything around but Lica felt wet and cold.

 

“What is going on here!” she said through the clenched teeth. She moved her hands more quickly and soon got out of the  invisible lake.

 

“The old, ancient evil,” repeated Angelica to herself. “Arthur said that this evil appeared long before the devil came down. Consequently, it was so long time ago that may be the Earth didn’t exist yet! Most likely, there was only a ‘starter’, which later turned  into our world. That’s why the invisible waters, and magnets… This begs the question – how will I find my friends in this emptiness?!” Her thoughts were interrupted with very sharp, unpleasant sound coming from somewhere in front. The girl hurried to go there. After a while, something looked like a huge spider web appeared in front of her eyes. Its size was almost half of all this space. On one of its strands, head down, Prince Edward was wrapped in a cocoon. It looked like he was unconscious.

 

“Edward!” exclaimed Lica and hurried to the Prince.

 

She cut the net threads with her sword. Oddly enough, the Prince did not fall, he continued soaring in the air. Angelica released Prince from the web, and then leaned against his chest and listened - if his heart was beating... Edward groaned and opened his eyes.

 

“Angelica?” he muttered. “I guess I am dead and you are just a dream.”

 

“No,” smiled the girl. “I am dead not you!”

 

“But how did you get here?” Edward asked, finally came to senses.

 

“I am looking for Huron! You and Swein did not come back!”

“Poor Swein!” the Prince sighed. “He and Huron were sucked with some giant swirl, although he almost freed the sorcerer from

 

the vile creature tentacles...”

 

“Stop, stop, stop!” the girl interrupted Edward. “Could you tell a little bit more from this point, please? What a creature and what a swirl?”

 

“Oh, yes!” the Prince smiled. “Of course, you do not know anything!”

 

And he began his story...

 

“When we went down into the gorge,” said Edward, “there was thousands of evil spirits. The King and I did a big job to make a way to the Great Divide. However, we pretty soon got to the portal. We expected to see there anything but what we saw shocked us...”

 

“You saw nothing?!” Lica grinned.

 

“That’s right! Nothing!” the Prince Night nodded. “We were confused, where all these monsters appeared from and where Huron  could be? Swein supposed that we were at the origins of our world creation. That time the Earth didn’t exist yet. There was air, some material objects but they were still imperfect. We had the impression that someone invisible as if conducting experiments, created objects or new forms of life. By the way, we found some evidence of our assumption. As if out of ‘nowhere’ unusual, floating in space, cones, stone-like geometric shapes began to appear, strange trees were growing on them. As soon as we approached them, they immediately changed their form, turning into giant balls. Soon, many islands with thorny plants and huge lizards appeared in the air. They also disappeared after sometime... We were going to explore the largest of these ‘islands’, when suddenly a little twist appeared, gradually turning into tornado. We were lucky - we were at the safe distance from the distortion of energy bands, but we could perfectly see how this swirl was getting bigger, sucked a few islands and disappeared. We were horrified, looked at each other realizing that only a miracle helped us to avoid terrible death. At this moment, we heard terrifying screams. We moved there. I didn’t say ‘walked’, because our movement could not be called ‘walking’. Rather, we were floating somewhere... Soon we saw the other island afar. We could see that some awful creatures were living there. One of them looked like a giant octopus clutching something in its tentacles. This ‘something’ was screaming and making that sounds we had heard before. ‘We have found him!’ said the Goblins’ King. ‘It looks like Huron is screaming!’ When I looked closer, I recognized the sorcerer. Oddly enough, but the monster did not eat him. It looked like the monster was playing with him as with the toy. Sometimes it squeezed Huron and he started screaming. Then the monster loosen his grip giving the sorcerer to breath, then squeezed him again. We immediately rushed to rescue him. I knew that Huron was immortal, but we had to pull him out of this world as soon as possible, so that he could complete the ritual. When we reached the island, the gravity immediately drew us to the ground what surprising us a lot. Swein drawing his sword out rushed to attack the monsters, I followed him. We fought like mad and soon many dead bodies were everywhere around us. However, to our surprise, the number of creatures did not decrease, but on the contrary – was  getting bigger. As if someone was having fun to watch our desperate battle and giving us more and more enemies. Realizing that, Swein made a decision. ‘I will help Huron! Get my back!’ the Goblins’ King shouted to me. ‘And then we must get out of here as soon as possible!’ He ran to the ‘octopus’ and began to cut its tentacles. Suddenly the space above us was in motion. A little twist turning into the swirl appeared again. I rushed to Swein to help him, but at this time a huge reptile spat at me. His saliva turned into a spider web and I help-lessly hung over. I saw how a tornado sucked Huron, Swein and the island with monsters and then disappeared. I lost consciousness and regained only when you freed me. The end...”

 

“No!” Angelica said firmly. “Because of all this mess, I have lost my soul. In fact, I am dead, zombie, who has just three days to find the sorcerer. Believe me; to do this I will do everything possible and impossible. Edward, I am not going to force you to follow me, but I must go on!”

 

“Angelica, you hurt my feelings! We have suffered a lot to-gether and now you are saying such things! Do you think that I can leave you alone? If we have to go, let’s go! Come on!”

 

And Edward first moved on. Lica followed him.

 

“Edward,” the girl turned to the Prince, “what do you think about the swirls that sucked everything?”

 

“I do not know, but I wouldn’t like to be near them!”

 

“I just wanted to offer you to take risk. Because we can endlessly wandering here in space but if we got to the swirl, we might be able to find Swein and Huron. Of course, I am not sure.”

 

“But we do not know what it is! What if it is something like a ‘devourer of reality’! What then? We won’t be able to save anybody and we will die!”

 

“Maybe you’re right but then for me there is no difference. If I do not find the sorcerer, in three days time I will die anyway. That’s why I will try to get into the swirl, and you Prince, will stay here and wait for me. If I don’t come out, for example, in three or four hours, you should go back to the portal and try to get through it; then say to the Prince of Vampires and Margo, that we are all dead and they shouldn’t wait for us anymore!”

 

“Are you crazy!? I do not even want to hear about it!” “I’ll do it anyway...”

 

At this time, slightly ahead of our heroes the space began to condense and soon a slight twist appeared ahead.

 

“Well, I am going!” exclaimed Lica.

 

Prince Night tried to hold her but she was moving so fast that very soon reached the border of the swirl.

 

“Edward, do not try to follow me!” she cried, turning to him. “I’m immortal, or, on the contrary, I am already dead. But you should save your soul! Go back to the kingdom and put everything in order! Good-bye!”

 

The ‘twist’ widened and turned into the tornado. The girl even couldn’t say ‘oh’ when the swirl with a squish sucked her inside.

 

“Angelica!” the Prince shouted running after her.

 

But it was too late. The space suddenly rolled up and the swirl disappeared.

 

“What have you done?!” whispered Edward.

‘The departure point’

 

 

 

Time stopped... Angelica woke up and looked around. She was in a strange place. All around her was red. She could feel the salty taste of blood in the mouth. There was enough light. She tried to move but couldn’t. In fact, she could circle around in the same place, but couldn’t go, or ‘float’ on. Something was holding her. As if she was in a large soft cocoon, from which it was impossible to get out.

 

“Damn, where am I?” the girl said in the hearts.

 

And then she heard someone was saying...

 

“I think we have caught all of them,” said the soft insinuating voice.

 

“No, there’s one more, but I don’t think it will be a big problem to catch him.”

 

“Excellent! So many mistakes are in one day. The creator will not forgive us!”

 

“What will we do with them? Maybe we will send them into oblivion?!”

 

“Have you forgotten that they were born and exist somewhere in time and space and if we do that, the future will be changed.”

 

“Then what do you suggest?”

 

“I think we should bring them back to their departure point.” “So easy?!”

 

“The ingenious is always simple!” “And what if they come here again?”

 

“I don’t think so... They want to close the portal, which we inadvertently left open.”

 

“Well, let’s hurry up!”

 

After that, Angelica did not hear anything. She was spun again and gone somewhere...

 

She did not know how much time passed but when she woke up, she saw herself near the ‘white haze’ in the gorge. Next to her were unconscious Huron, Swein and Edward. Angelica tried to sit up. She heard the sound of approaching footsteps and soon the Prince of Vampires and Margo ran to our heroes.

 

“Angelica, you’re alive!” Arthur cried and ran with open arms to the girl.

 

“I haven’t died yet!” laughed Lica. “Easy, Prince, you will choke me off!”

 

Meanwhile, Margo was examining Huron, Swein and Edward.

 

“It’s strange,” finally said the witch. “Angelica has woken up but they are still paralyzed.”

 

“Margo, I am undead!” the girl said, pulling away from the Prince of Vampires. “Apparently, this affected my ‘resurrection’.”

 

“Maybe you are right,” the witch nodded.

 

“Tell me, how much time has passed since I went to look for Huron?” Lica turned to the Prince of Vampires.

 

“A little more than two days as you went into the portal,” said Arthur.

“I have very little time,” said Angelica. “Margo can you help your brother to wake up more quickly?”

“I’ll try!” promised the witch. “And you will help me! Remember you are also a witch!”

“Tell what to do!”

 

“We are going to carry out the ritual of resurrection.” Margo started to clear the place for a pentagram. Arthur and Lica helped her. Then the witch drew a large five-pointed star with some magic words on its rays and asked the Prince of Vampires to put Huron, Swein and Edward inside the star. She came inside herself and asked Angelica to join her.

 

“Now, just repeat after me,” Margo asked the girl.

 

She raised her hands to the sky and began saying the spell. Lica did the same. The witch spoke louder and louder and finally she snapped something in Latin. To her surprise, Angelica realized that Margo said the word ‘resurrection’.

 

“No,” said the girl, “it’s wrong! They are not dead! Not ‘resur-rection’, we should say ‘return’!”

And Angelica again read the spell, replacing the word ‘resur-rection’ on ‘return’... Surprised Margo couldn’t say a word. She just stood near, silently staring at the girl. At this moment, Huron woke up, then – Swein and Edward.

 

“You are really good witch!” the witch said gloating at Lica.

 

“Yes but it won’t help me,” Angelica smiled.

 

The Prince of Vampires helped Huron up and Lica rushed to the Prince and hugged him.

“Edward, you were sucked by the space tornado either, weren’t you?” asked the girl.

“Yes, just after you,” the Prince smiled.

 

Lica then turned to Swein and gave him a hug. The Goblins’ King looked at her coldly and turned to Edward:

“Prince, she is your girlfriend, isn’t she? Why has she stuck to me?”

 

“Swein, what is wrong with you?” Angelica surprised. “Don’t you recognize me?”

“Why must I recognize you?”

 

The Prince of Vampires burst of laughing.

 

“Memory is a strange thing,” he said.

 

“Swein you are kidding me again?!” the girl exclaimed in the hearts.

“Who are you?!” the Goblins’ King said nervously, trying to escape from grasp.

“Wait,” said Margo.

 

The witch came to Swein and asked:

 

“Do you remember who you are? Do you remember me?” “Margo, are you making fun of me?” the Goblins’ King chuckled. “Of course, I remember who I am! I remember you, Edward, your brother and the Prince of Vampires. But I have no idea who this illmannered girl is. If she is the Prince’s girlfriend, I feel sorry for him! Her manners are awful!”

 

“Swein, keep a watch on tongue!” Edward exclaimed, taking out his sword.

“Enough!” the witch gasped. “Prince, calm down! We have ‘resurrected’ you not for then you will kill each other.”

She thought for a moment, and then said:

 

“In any case, first we have to return Angelica’s soul, complete the ritual and seal the portal... And then we’ll sort out with Swein’s memory.”

“I agree,” nodded Huron. “This girl has suffered enough!” “Then it’s time to leave the gorge,” said the Prince of Vampires. Everybody agreed and went back. The witch Margo was going with Swein. They were walking in front of all and the woman was trying to find out what he remembered and what didn’t. She knew that Swein remembered everything except the facts related to Angelica. He remembered even the rite Margo conducted to return his soul back. But it seemed to him that the witch did everything herself and there were no other girls in the crypt that day...

 

Huron and the Prince Night were coming behind them. Edward told Margo’s brother about all events happened with him after the monster had dragged the sorcerer into the abyss. Not forgetting about the details, he told about Angelica’s adventures - how Lica sealed the portal with her soul; how she became undead and that now she had very little time to save her life... Angelica and the Prince of Vampires – Arthur were walking behind all of them.

 

“How do you feel?” the Prince asked the girl.

 

“If I had a soul, then I would say that I have heavy heart,” smiled Lica, “but in fact... I am fine!”

 

“Hold on me!” Arthur offered his help.

 

She nodded and took the Prince’s arm.

 

“Tell me about the Goblins’ King,” suddenly asked Vampire. “We were very close before,” sincerely confessed Angelica,  “and now I don’t know!”

 

“Were you friends?”

 

“Something is like that...” the girl ducked the question.

 

“I have heard that the King was going to get married as soon as he came back home.”

 

“Whatever!” waved Lica.

 

She wasn’t sincere with Arthur. In fact, she was very upset that Swein had completely forgotten her. However, in the depths of her heart Angelica cherished the hope that everything would have its order, and the Goblins’ King would remember her.

 

“You’re lying!” suddenly Arthur said. “I can see how Swein is dear to you and how you are upset about that! Although I cannot understand your relationship… because the Goblins’ King is going to marry another girl.

 

“Yes, he is marrying another woman,” said Lica, “but I am offended because he forgot all our adventures. Believe me we had a lot of ‘fun’ together! Now he’s looking at me as if I am a stranger and still manages to be rude!”

 

The Prince Vampire grinned and said:

 

“Well, if only it was true!”

 

He was silent for a moment and then said:

 

“You can try to remind him of something you have shared in the past. I mean something very bright, which people usually call  shock. Believe me, even with memory loss such kind of events are impossible to forget!”

 

“I will try to follow your advice but not now,” Angelica smiled, “first I have to return my soul.”

 

“You are not happy to be undead!?” the Vampire laughed.

 

“No, it’s okay but strange!” the girl said.

 

Then she wickedly looked at the Prince and remarked:

 

“Why are we talking about me? Tell me, how did you manage to escape the death? I was sure you were dead!”

 

“I am amazed myself that I am still alive,” the Prince of Vampires grinned. “The majority of my soldiers died.”

 

“It’s a pity,” muttered Lica. “I’m so sorry! But I did not know that...” “It’s okay,” said Arthur, “now I will have to fill the ranks of vampires. I need the army! I am not the Prince without the army!”

 

“You will turn people into vampires!?”

 

“I have to! Angelica, I don’t want to talk about it. I think it will upset you a lot.”

 

Lica agreed with the Prince. Meanwhile, our heroes ap-proached the pile of boulders and rock fragments, which they could use to go up.

 

“Come on!” Margo exclaimed. “It is the easiest way out of the abyss. Moreover, the volcano is very close here!”

 

Margo and Swein were first, Huron followed them. Edward got a little behind to help Angelica but the Prince Vampire assured him that he was able to take care of the girl himself...

New ritual

 

 When our heroes went out of the abyss, the sky of the Night Kingdom was clear, no red glow or flaming. The temperature was normal and there was peace and quiet in the valley.

 

“Could you imagine,” said Lica, “just recently the valley looked like hell!”

 

“Hell is different, my dear!” Arthur chuckled.

 

“Angelica,” Huron turned to the girl, “Prince Edward told me about your misfortune and that is why we’d better hurry up to conduct the ceremony. If something terrible happen to you, I will never forgive myself! Therefore, I ask everybody to climb the volcano to finish the ritual.”

 

“Huron, dear!” Margo said. “We are too tired of the battle and the road. May be only Lica and you will go up?”

 

“My sister, you forget something!” said the sorcerer. “As soon as I call the soul of Angelica and return it into her body, the gates of the underworld will open for some time, until I seal them again. During this time monsters and energetic creatures will be able to break through into our world. That’s why I need your help.”

 

“Of course!” exclaimed Prince Night. “I think a couple of monsters are unlikely to scare us after such a tremendous battle!”

 

“I’ll go with you,” Swein talked up.

 

“Then let’s go!” exclaimed Huron.

 

And he first started to climb the slope of the volcano...

 

A few more hours passed before our heroes had reached the crater. Here Margo’s brother found the pentagram and exclaimed:

 

“I swear by all the elements! If I was not in the other world, I would be sure that this magic pentagram was created by me!”

 

He read all the spells written on the rays of the star and corrected something. At this point Lica felt dizzy. She firmly grasped the Prince of Vampires hand but losing consciousness fell to the ground...

 

“What happened?” Edward shouted. “It’s early, she still has time?! Why has Angelica fainted?”

 

“You know, near the geopathic zones the clock may show the wrong time,” said Huron. “That’s why I insisted on the immediate completion of the ritual! Arthur, take her and bring here inside the pentagram!”

 

The Vampire easily picked her up and carried to Huron.

 

Meanwhile, the sorcerer turned to Swein and the Prince Night:

 

“You, gentlemen, have to stand near the volcano vent and be ready to meet monsters, because as soon as I open the portal, they will be able to get here.”

 

Edward and the Goblins’ King nodded and went closer to the vents. Arthur also joined them. Huron started reading magic spells...

 

Angelica was again in a lovely room with a high throne where a sad Angel of Light was sitting as before. Lica heard melodious voice in her head again:

 

“Look! As soon as the last grain of sand falls to the bottom of this hourglass, you will disappear!”

 

Suddenly, a large hourglass appeared in Angel’s hand, the sand was falling so fast that the girl was terrified.

 

“Is it possible to slow down the time?” she asked gently. “Yes... But then you have to give me ... your soul!” “But I do not have it!”

 

“Now you don’t have it! If I slow down time, the sorcerer will be able to return it to you.”

 

“And what’s then? I will be Devil’s servant!?”

 

Angel laughed loudly. If Angelica was the usual lively girl, this thunderous laughter probably would kill her. Now she was just deafened and it finished in a minute.

 

“How ridiculous these human biases,” again she heard a voice. “You will live a normal life, may be even happier than other people will. Just one thing when you die, you will lose the possibility to reincarnate. That’s it!”

 

“Even when I was sucked with the crater into the other world,” softly said Angelica, “even then they didn’t take my soul away and sent me into oblivion! They just returned me to the departure point. But here I have to choose... It’s not fair! I saved this world for all people – as well as for you! I did not ask for anything in return and did not seek for benefits! If now my soul is at the stake, I’ll tell you that I will never give it to you, because it is My Own soul!”

 

“You were in the Great Divide!?” the Angel surprised. “And returned?! Well, I must listen to His opinion.”

 

“Whose opinion?” did not understand the girl.

 

But the host of Hell wasn’t listening to her anymore. Slowly, he rose from his throne holding out his hands with the hourglass forward.

 

Angel was so huge that Lica had to lift her head up high to see what was happening. The Angel opened his wings and scarlet drops of blood were drumming on the floor. Dazzling light was flowing from his white clothes; it was so bright that Angelica’s eyes became wet of tears. The Angel started saying something musically, referring to the sky...

 

The girl blinked and looked at the hourglass. At this moment, the last grain of sand was falling down... The host of the Hell squeezed the clock so that the glass cracked and all the sand crumbled on the floor. Large splinters stuck in Angel’s palms and blood dripped from thick cuts...

 

Lica felt something nasty in her body. She looked at her hand.

 

It became translucent and her fingers began to disappear.

 

“What’s going on!” cried the girl. “I am disappearing!”

 

The drops of Angel’s blood, fallen on the floor, suddenly turned into grains of sand. There were lots of them. The host of Hell flapped his wings and all sand from the floor rose into the air, spinning around went... into the large hourglass, which now was completely unharmed! The girl’s hand came back and became consistent.

 

“You... You gave me more time!” Angelica cried happily. “Thank you very much!”

 

“WE gave you time!” Angel said pointedly. “However next time I won’t be so kind! Now go away - do not bother me!”

 

“With great pleasure!” said Lica released.

 

She turned around not knowing where she should go. Then something whirled her and she flew away from that place...

 

“Amen!” exclaimed Huron, ending saying the spell. Suddenly, from the volcano vent separated a translucent substance that floating to Angelica’s body and then smoothly went into it.

 

Something happened and in a minute, she moaned and opened her eyes.

 

“My dear brother, you are well done!” Margo noticed. “We have finished the first part of the ritual! Now we have to seal the portal with your soul. Hurry up, every second is precious.”

 

The witch hadn’t finish saying that yet, as from the crater vile tentacles appeared and two or three ‘black blobs’ floating into the air.

 

“Gentlemen, action!” the Vampires’ Prince said with a cold voice, turning to the Prince and the King of the Goblins. “The monster with tentacles is yours and ‘energy monsters’ are mine!”

 

Edward and Swein nodded and immediately rushed to attack. Arthur tried to distract the ‘blots’.

 

“Huron, hurry up,” whispered the witch. “Close the portal immediately!”

 

Margo’s brother stepped aside and drew on the ground another magical symbol. Then he dropped to his knees and began saying magic words.

 

Meanwhile, the King and the Prince Night managed to kill one monster, but from the crater of the volcano more and more creatures were going out. The Prince of Vampires wresting down with ‘black blots’ rushed to help Edward and Swein. Angelica came to herself and sat up...

 

The sorcerer went on saying the magic words and then from all sides of the earth leaden clouds were coming to the volcano. Following thunder and lightning...

 

“Amen!” shouted Huron and one of the lightning struck him on the body.

 

Margo’s brother fell down and separated from his body translucent substance floated toward the volcano mouth. The Vampire finished with all predators attacking him and now he was quietly watching Edward Swein killing their monsters. Huron soul was descending into the volcano.

 

“Well, everything has finished!” Arthur grinned putting his sword into the sheath.

 

He turned back to the vent and went to Angelica to help her up. It was at this point when from yet uncovered portal a huge tongue or tentacle tilted out and almost less that in a second took the Prince of Vampires pulling him to the abyss. Arthur could not draw his sword because his hands were tightly held to the body.

 

“Prince!” Lica cried.

 

Swein and Edward immediately rushed to help but they were too far away. Huron was lying unconscious and Margo froze like a statue. Lica realized that the witch was in shock! Angelica has es-timated the distance to the tentacle whipped out her sword, which once Swein had given her and ran to Arthur.

“Angelica, don’t come here!” shouted the Prince of Vampires. “Do not go near! We have just saved your soul!”

 

 But she seemed to not hear him. She boldly rushed forward and slashed the disgusting arm. Tentacle immediately released Arthur and shriveled. The chopped cuts were bleeding with something black. But the monster decided not to give up getting its arms out one after another. Now the Prince of Vampires was on alert. He sheltered the girl with his back chopping the tentacles on the right and left. The Goblins’ King and the Prince Night also arrived to help. Now together it was very easy to kill the monster. By this time, Huron’s soul had tightly closed and sealed the gates into the portal.

 

“Angelica!” said the Prince of Vampires. “You startled me so much, that I can’t choose the words to say thank you. What courage, what temper! If not you, then I would die. You saved my life!”

 

“You were a good teacher!” smiled the girl. “Now, at least, we’re even!”

Swein and Edward looked at Lica with interest. However, Arthur had perfectly understood what she was saying about.

“Thank you!” said the Prince.

 

He came up and kissed Angelica’s hand. Meanwhile, Margo came to herself and hurried to help her brother. She gave him a kiss of life and in a few minutes, Huron woke out of trance.

“Hmm...” he muttered. “Now, I know what it means to ‘lose soul’. Even for me, it was incredibly difficult. I can imagine how hard it was for a young girl to seal the portal!”

“I am fine!” Lica smiled.

 

Then she hesitated and quietly added:

 

“I hope I am fine...”

 

“Well!” exclaimed the witch. “Congratulations! Hooray for all of us, hooray!”

“We’ve done it!” cried Angelica.

 

She suddenly burst into tears.

 

“Come on, Angelica!” the Prince Vampire smiled. “It’s all over now!”

 

“I know,” sobbed Lica, “but it’s so touching.”

 

“Don’t worry, let her cry!” said Huron. “She will feel better after that! She had too many troubles recently.”

Arthur hugged the girl and said:

 

“Well, gentlemen, it’s time we went back home to our normal life!”

“Go home!” Margo nodded.

 

Edward gave the witch his hand and our heroes went away from that terrible place...

Farewell

 

 

When they reached the valley, the moon rose high over their heads brightly shining the recent battlefield. Now nothing told that recently the bloody battle took place here. Just terrible chaos around! “I should come back here to sort out the mess,” muttered Huron.

 

“Why are you thinking about it now?” asked the witch.

 

“I like this place and would love to live here.” “But you can live with me!”

“No, thank you! Two wizards in one cave - it’s like two cooks in one kitchen,” the sorcerer laughed. “The last sorcerer arranged everything here for normal life. I just need to restore everything! And I’d better to live near the abyss... You never know what may happen?!”

 

“Well, you decide!” Margo said. “In any case, you are always welcome in my house!”

Our heroes reached the cliffs surrounding the valley and came out. In the fields - here and there - were small horse and foot troops of soldiers - all that remained after this terrible war. The vampires were standing a side. As soon as the soldiers saw their leaders alive, they met them with joyful hooray.

 

The vampires immediately gave a saddled horse to their master. Arthur came up and shook hands with Swein, Edward and Huron, then climbed into the saddle and said:

 

“Gentlemen, it was nice to deal with you, even though you are not vampires! Now I must leave you, I have a lot of work to do at home!”

Then the main Vampire came to Lica and said:

 

“Angelica, if you wish - my castle is always at your disposal!” “Thank you, Prince!” the girl said sincerely. “I need to be alone for a while to recover and think.”

 

“All right,” the Vampire nodded. “But I keep my offer open! I’ll always be glad to see you in my castle!”

 

With these words, the prince of vampires turned his horse and rode away. A few minutes later, the vampires disappeared in the Ghosts Fields.

 

Prince Night and the Goblins’ King ordered their soldiers to line up. Only now, had they realized what enormous losses suffered their united army.

 

“How many widows and orphans have appeared in the kingdom!” said Edward in the hearts.

 

“You can make their life better, it’s in your hands,” said Angelica.

 

“You’re right!” the Prince Night nodded. “That’s what I am going to do as soon as I return to my castle.”

 

“We also suffered casualties,” said Swein. “We’ll have a lot to do before our life will go down to normal.”

 

“And what about your wedding, Swein?” asked Margo.

 

“I think it will have to be postponed for a while. I hope Veronica will understand and support me.”

 

At this point two people breathed a sigh of relief. It was Edward and Lica.

 

“Then, young people, I ask you to do what you have to!” the witch said to the Goblins’ King and the Prince Night. “While Huron, Angelica and I are going to my cave to have some rest. We had several Blue Mondays in a row!”

 

Prince Edward and King Swein kissed Margo and Angelica’s hands and went to their soldiers. A few minutes later, they returned with three horses.

 

“Now, I will not worry that you have to travel on foot!” said the Prince Night.

 

“Thank you, Prince!” exclaimed Huron and Margo at the same time.

 

Angelica just came up and hugged the Prince. “Thanks for everything, Edward!” she whispered. Edward smiled and said:

 

“You are marvelous, Angelica!”

 

Swein, who was watching them sideways, suddenly came to the girl and said:

 

“Despite the fact that your manners are capable of improve-ment, I must admit that you are very brave girl!”

 

Hearing these words, the Prince Night and Lica burst of laughing. The Goblins’ King did not understand anything, but smiled too. After that, Edward and Swein took up their troops, while Margo, Angelica and Huron mounting their horses went back - to the cave of the witch...

 

Lica didn’t remember the way back, it was as if she was sleep-ing. She came out of it only when they came to the cave. The first thing the witch did was a grand gala dinner, at which her brother announced that he was going to his daughter - Leila to discuss their future place of living.

 

“I’ll do what my daughter says,” said Huron. “If she and her husband want to move here, I will not mind. But if they would like to stay in our previous home - well, she is a big girl now, she will decide herself!”

 

“You need a good rest!” Margo noticed. “Elsa has already prepared your room.”

 

“Wonderful!” said the sorcerer. “Then, with the permission of the ladies, I am taking a bow!”

 

Huron stood up and left the hall. The witch and the girl stayed alone.

 

“Angelica, what’s wrong?” asked Margo. “You look so sad!” “I’m tired,” said Lica.

 

“I think there is something else,” suggested the witch. “You are very upset because of Swein!”

 

“Maybe,” said the girl.

 

 “Well... That’s not right!” Margo said firmly. “You definitely need to go home, sleep to get away from all the dark thoughts. When you have a good rest then come to me. We’ll talk about everything!” “Thank you!” Angelica smiled. “I think loneliness is just  what I need right now!”

 

“Then don’t hesitate! Go!”

 

“But I did not say goodbye to Huron and Elsa.” “I’ll do it for you.”

 

With these words, the witch got up, took out the stiletto and handed it to the girl. Lica took the blade and tears glistened in her eyes.

 

“Thank you very much for everything, Margo!” she said sincerely. “Goodbye!”

 

“Bye!” the witch smiled. “Thank you!”

 

She helped Angelica up on the table waiting until the girl inserted the knife between the wooden frame and mirror glass. When the mirror dimmed, Lica looked around and then at Margo again.

 

“I hope we’ll see you soon!” she whispered.

 

“We definitely will!” the witch nodded.

 

The girl stepped into the mirror not forgetting to remove the stiletto...

 

Angelica jumped into her room, which was reflected in the mirror. She quickly hid the blade in her deck, slipped off her dirty clothes and carefully looked out of the bedroom door. Her parents were not at home.

 

“Well, it’s good!” Lica was glad. “I won’t have to explain anything.” She took a shower and with great pleasure went to bed.

 

“So, what’s to be done?” Angelica was thinking. “What to do with Swein?”

 

But she was so tired that she just waved her hand and said loudly:

 

“I’ll think about it tomorrow!”

 

She fell asleep...

 

The following days Lica was deliberately banishing the thought about the Night Kingdom. She soaked herself in the study and daily routine, hoping that it would help her to forget the Goblins’ King. She even went to Discos with her friend Svetlana, although previously she was not very fond of it. However, all those boys who Angelica knew just went to no comparison with any of her friends from the fairy world.

 

So one week passed in painful meditations. One Friday night the girl, saying that she awfully tired, went to bed earlier. But she couldn’t sleep. Tumbling in bed for a long time she finally fell asleep and had a strange dream...

 

She saw two birds - white dove and a black raven on the windowsill in her bedroom. The dove was clanging and raven was croaking and glancing at her so tricky with its black eyes. Lica decided to feed the birds. She went into the kitchen, took some white bread, crumbled it in her hands and brought in handful. The Dove and the Raven froze waiting - who Angelica would feed first? The girl paused in thought, then shared the crumbs equally and gave to the birds. The birds rushed to the food and at the same time touched Lica’s hands. Then something even more amazing happened... the hand that was touched by the dove turned into a snow-white wing, and the hand touched by the raven - into black wing! A minute later Angelica halved and turned into two birds - dove and crow. With horror, they were looking at each other, realizing that a minute ago they were unity. A moment later, the dove fluttered and flew away. The pigeon followed her. The crow also joined the raven. Two black birds circled over Lica’s house and then flew away either...

 

The girl woke up. Her heart was pounding, something flashed in front of her eyes and Angelica did not realize at once that she wasn’t alone in the room!

 

When she finally woke up, she saw someone’s silhouette in the armchair. The girl nearly screamed in horror but suddenly a familiar voice said gently:

 

“Angelica, don’t be afraid! I know that my visit was a com-plete surprise for you, but keep calm!”

 

“Margo...” the girl gasped. “Margo, you have scared me!” The witch was laughing. Lica got up and lit a night lamp.

 

Now she could see her night guest. It was Margo indeed. She was sitting in the chair and smiling. Finally, the witch said:

 

“I doubted that you would go back to the Night Kingdom soon, so I came for you!”

 

(Dear readers! I will be very grateful for your comments, "likes" and reposts. Recommend this great saga "Night" to your friends! Sincerely yours, Irene)

Impressum

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 08.07.2018

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