go to the tournament, and I will go away!»
Marianne watched in amazement as her brother hurried off like a schoolboy out of school. What should she do with Araminta now? Leave the girl in the company of two unimaginable creatures? To herself, Marianne had already called them both porcupines. One of them reached out to her with stubby twiggy fingers. Two proboscis-like noses sniffed the air.
«Madam has arrived!» A hoarse voice called out. «And in the kitchen they are making deer blood soup for us and other servants of her dusky majesty.»
Are they really picking up smells from the kitchen, which is in the basement below the tower? It is magic.
One of the creatures braided its limbs- twigs around Araminta’s blonde head.
«Her consciousness is far from here, a prisoner of the swamp fairies,» it determined.
«Could you heal her?» Marianne turned to them. She must be insane to put their opinion above that of the Court Physician.
«She can be put back on her feet, but not her consciousness,» the two husky voices answered in unison. «She will remain a weakling puppet forever.»
Marianne had the feeling that she was now in the forest, not in the palace, and the dry branches were crunching beneath her feet.
«Her soul would be carried away into the fairy swamp if she died,» the green creature squinted at the vial of elixir.
Marianne was dizzy with cryptic phrases. Better to leave these creatures alone. Let them figure out how to heal Araminta on their own.
Winged Swords
Medea Shai stood in the empty armory, gracefully spreading her patterned wings. The guards thought it best to leave as soon as she appeared here. Conrad was happy to see her again. Though she brought waves of darkness with her, to him she was like the black sun.
«I’ve been waiting for you!» He exclaimed from the threshold. «You took your time.»
«But I have sent gifts to all your subjects that will radically change the country.»
Conrad did not detect a note of guile in her tone. Medea Shai paced around the circular holder on which the rarest of weapons was laid out. Her dainty black-nailed fingers slid over the double-edged blades. She’d better not hurt herself!
«You collect swords from Menuel!» Medea Shai was delighted at the sight of his collection. Others were frightened by the hilts in the shape of wings, but she was fascinated by it.
«There are legends that such swords fly into the heart of the enemy, if you send them, even through the country, strongly wishing someone death,» Conrad remembered the fables of arms dealers. «Such a sword will find its prey and plunge into it.»
«It’s not a legend, it’s the truth,» the queen of the fairies interrupted him, almost harshly. «True, there is a spell you must first recite before you can send a sword to seek out your enemy. I can teach you…»
She was silent for a moment, and her brow furrowed in incomprehension. Her wings twitched nervously.
«But why should I teach you anything? You’re mortal, aren’t you? Not even a mundane elf! I always wanted to marry an elves’ king. No more, no less. And now I’ve changed my mind. I don’t believe it.»
She gently brushed a lock of hair from his forehead.
«You were so extraordinary. I didn’t expect a human to have the consciousness of an elf.»
«Was it all because of the armory? Has your opinion of me increased so much because I keep Menuel’s swords in my possession?»
«It’s not an arsenal, it’s a treasure trove.»
Medea Shai manipulated one of the swords in some way, and the steel notched wings flapped like they were alive. The sword hung in the air.
«Who do you want it to kill?» She asked him curtly.
At first Conrad didn’t even believe her.
«Do you mean it?»
«And yourself, what do you think?» Medea Shai flapped her wings sharply and knocked over the sword basket. They scattered across the floor. Their clanging sounded like the echo of a bloodbath.
«I don’t want to hurt anyone since I met you,» Conrad admitted.
Medea Shai frowned. The streams of gloom that flew from the tips of her wings grew thicker.
«It’s strange! I usually bring out the darkest qualities in even the nicest people,» she thought aloud.
«So it’s different with me.»
«But every king has at least one mortal enemy. You name it!»
Well, all right.
«It is King Meron of Arador.»
By naming the name Condor didn’t think he was signing his death warrant. The sword dashed through the open window of the armory and flew over the sleeping city like a big arrow.
«In an hour it will have done the job!» Medea Shai promised.
Her luxurious wings scuffed the walls of armoires and spears stacked in niches. Conrad was again afraid she would hurt herself. With wings like hers, it’s hard to walk around earthly apartments. There’s too little room, and she doesn’t want to fold her wings with a cape behind her back like her fairies do. She is, after all, a queen.
Condor noticed the dark-winged fairies circling above the tallest tower spire.
«They are my retinue,» Medea Shai explained.
«Don’t they want to fly into the castle?»
«They’re more at ease in the heights.»
Conrad didn’t insist. The fairies looked ominous. They seemed to be calling for a storm. Black storm clouds were gathering where they were dancing.
«Will you grace the royal tournament with your presence?» Conrad gestured to the queen of the fairies. Even though she is a magical guest, but we must observe the etiquette. But to enter through the windows instead of the doors, as Medea Shai had already done, was a clear violation of all the rules.
«That is unnecessary!» She shrugged. «I don’t like mortal tournaments. Magic tournaments are more fun.»
«But there aren’t any in Aluar.»
«We shall remedy that,» «Medea Shai levitated off the floor to catch up with Conrad and kissed him. The kiss of a fairies’ queen must make everyone lose their mind. Conrad momentarily forgot what he was about to say. Medea Shae’s lips tasted and smelled of the dark forest, pine and witch berries. Conrad was ready to forget everything and make love to the fairy right now in the armory, among the scattered weapons, regardless of the risk of severe injury. But there was a sharp whistle outside the window. It was the winged sword coming back. It flew back on its own, moving the notches of its hilt like
