you know I can’t stand the sight of blood. I’m starting to feel nauseous.
– I insist on your presence. You have to grow up. Moreover, the Inquisitors have their own methods – they do not shed blood.
On the Square of Majesty stood two inquisitors in long black robes. And Lisa was standing there. Nermall almost rushed to the center of the circle designated by the crowd, but Henry held him by the sleeve.
– Look. There’s nothing you can do here!
Nermall stood there, unable to move. One of the anti-mages raised his hand up.
– Illigulus, spirit of Justice, evaluate the guilt of this woman. If she is a witch and uses illegal magic, punish her according to what she deserves.
Lightning flashed from above, and Lisa caught fire.
– I told you she was a witch!
Nermall lost consciousness at that moment. He opened his eyes already inside the castle.
– Father, why did you do this? You set it all up, right?
– How could I set up illegal magic?
– It’s all you! I know you found a way. Why, father? For what?
– For your own good. This witch is not your match. You know that you already have a fiancée.
– I don’t love her!
– No one forces you to love. If you don’t fall in love, you can look for love on the side. But you must marry her.
Henry drank and squandered almost his entire fortune at cards. When the time came to transfer the inheritance to his son, he found the simplest way to rehabilitate himself – he promised one of Beelzuvik’s Advisors a son, in exchange for a good monetary reward. But things didn’t go as planned. Nermall ran away from home that night. He jumped into the sea, wanting to end his life. But he was picked up by pirates. A few days later he returned to his father’s house. Nermall wanted to kill his father. But he found an old beggar who, having drunk, stretched out his hand to live another day. Fate punished his father, so Nermall spared the man.
But Lisa’s face sometimes appeared in his dreams. She smiled. And in the end she always died.
The old man closed his eyes.
– Nermall! – he heard a familiar voice.
Chapter 7. Prophet
As soon as the sun appeared on the horizon, Nermall was already pushing his comrades aside.
– Sleep well, sleepyheads! So sleep through life!
– Old man, you slept through your youth, give us a rest too! – Duncan muttered. But he got out of bed. Lewis and Still decided to take a walk around the village. The road is long, you won’t rest until evening. And as long as it’s not too hot, you can go for a walk.
– Okay, but you won’t be long! – said Nermall.
The young men walked along the narrow streets. The locals looked unfriendly at the strangers. They are dressed like a traveler, so few people recognize Still as a prince.
People were gathering in the square. A gray-haired man is tied with ropes to a post. The haystack under him is growing larger.
– What’s happened? – Still asked one of the passers-by. -What crime did he commit?
– Damn him! Calling for trouble again. We told him – throw away your books, but he is stubborn, no matter what! He writes and writes. These writers are nothing but trouble! It’s either a matter, I understand, a farmer, or, perhaps, a blacksmith. Well, at worst, a soldier – they are more useful than scribblers. They put letters into words that ordinary people cannot understand. The nobles read it, but the peasants will not end up in trouble.
– So what happened after all? Should we be executed for books? Is this a crime?
– Are you taught to read and write?
Still nodded. The stranger handed him a small volume covered in calligraphic handwriting.
– Here, take it, read it for yourself, and you’ll understand.
Still began to read.
***
«They are coming. Can you hear that rumble? It is their horses that trample our land. And the lights are not fireflies, there is nothing good about them. These are torches with which they will set fire to houses. This time they gathered a small detachment. They won’t burn the village to the ground. They will rape, several men will be killed – those who are the most obstinate, who do not want to watch how a stranger saddles his wives. This time they are going to collect tribute. They do not need other people’s lives, only bread and flocks. They know that you can’t take gold from the villagers. But they are patient. This time they won’t come for long. Then they will come again. And the third time they will burn the village to the ground.
Can you hear that crackling sound? It’s the branches breaking under their feet. They have no need to hide. They are not afraid. They know that the king does not care about the outskirts. The king will not send troops to protect us. He doesn’t care.
Do you see the lights of the torches? So you caught their first arrival. Then there will be another one. But know that you won’t survive their third visit. Run. They are coming!»
***
– And what didn’t you like about this story? Yes, he writes strange stories, but the writer shouldn’t be burned for it! – Steele was indignant.
– I didn’t like it that a week later a gang from Lorraine showed up!
Still and Lewis looked at each other.
– They came at dawn. Everyone has a torch in their hand. Aliens burned several of our houses. They killed Will the blacksmith and abused his daughter. The bandits stole our horses. This freak – he was always writing something. That’s why he’s a clerk! He took advantage of the fact that there are no more people among us who are trained to read and write. I bet he brought trouble to our village before. So yesterday they caught him writing. But this time nothing will work out for the damned Zeymond brat! We’ll burn it. Let the soul of Pisarev burn in the inferno until the end of the human race!
Still and Lewis were carried away by the stranger’s story that they did not notice how one of the peasants was already carrying a torch.
– Stop! You mustn’t kill him! – Still shouted.
– Stranger, do you want to take a place next to him? – said the one with the torch.
– Stop, immediately!
– Who are you, a tramp, to order the headman?
– My name is Stillom, and I am the crown prince of King Dinor! – Still raised his hand, and a gold ring glittered on it. Some of the peasants sank to the ground reverently. But the elder looked with an unkind
