Unconquered Sun

by Philipp Bogachev

  - Why it … - Prinze was frightened outright - at him old fears concerning transformation into rabbits began to come to life again.

  The fairy swept with laughter and familiarly tapped it on the shoulder.

  - Be not afraid, I will not turn you into a rabbit! Simply … - here her face suddenly became serious, there was some sad, a look - released. - Generally, it is the biggest problem at fairies. We are the most lonely beings on light! - and eyes of its steel slightly damp. It quickly stepped aside and leaned a hand against a pine trunk, having turned an eye somewhere afar, for the river.

  - I do not understand … - Prinze murmured, puzzly making a helpless gesture. - You - such beautiful, such clever, such powerful …

  - … both such unfortunate and lonely! - sadly the Fairy sighed. - You think, it is easy for us, to fairies to find to itself suitable couple? - bitterly she smiled, turning around to Prinze.

  - I understand. Our men almost nobody neither to read, nor are not able to write. They definitely do not suit you, - Prinze spoke. - And at you what, there are no?

  - It is secret. It is dangerous to people to stick the nose in affairs of fairies, and that you will be left without nose! - having sharply changed tone, again the Fairy playfully derisively told and clicked fingers on a tip of his long nose, and then quickly went further, any more without turning around.

  9.

  However after this episode of the relation between them were sharply changed. The fairy became more open and, as if to tell it, available, gentle, and Prinze … The prince began to notice that he cannot do without Fairy any more.

  And behind a dining table, and behind game in checkers, and during long walks, everywhere and everywhere Prinze was pursued by invincible desire to look at the Fairy, to admire it. It long could not tear off a look from her silky golden hair glowing even in the dark, transparent and deep as the mountain lake of eyes, harmonous lines of the body which is hardly covered with a dress. And when the Fairy began to sing on a lute, already not only eyes, but also thoughts of Prinze with delight ran towards to voluntary slavery. From luscious and sweet sounds of its magic lute and a voice Prinze lost any ability to see something, except those images which were cast by the song. To it languid walks on the shady avenue lit only with stars, a silvery lunar path and splash of sleepy fish in a whirlpool seemed. He as if in reality heard enthusiastic trills of a night nightingale, penetrating whisper of a cane at a backwater …

  And after a while Prinze with surprise noticed that he already is not in a small pink room, and there - in the night wood or at the river - and walks hand in hand with the Fairy or sits together with it in silence of a moonlight night. As in reality he heard splash of waves, the remote singing of night birds, inhaled the stupefying aroma of hair of the Fairy, felt heat of her hands on the palms … - exactly as a moment ago about it the Beautiful Fairy sang. Dreams and reality indissolubly intertwined with each other and the farther, the that knot which, appear, not in forces any person on light was to untangle was more closely and more strong tied.

  And what to tell of how quickly and as unexpectedly the Fairy changed the wonderful dresses! For the same evening - or day? (The prince plainly did not know as songs began even in the afternoon, and came to an end in the dead of night) - it reincarnated several times. Every time it were really magic dresses - all weaved out of gold solar or silvery lunar beams which were poured by all flowers of a rainbow. Each new dress cast over Prinze absolutely different moods and a state of mind - for euphoric pleasure to light thoughtfulness and pensiveness. And when the Fairy began to dance …

  The prince himself did not understand what happens to him where reality and where the dreams cast by the hostess of this wood, but all this definitely was pleasant to it. He all life dreamed to appear in the fairy tale and when, at last, got to it, he did not want to come back in such boring and the gray "real world" at all.

  There was only one "but". Really, Prinze already finally recovered so plaster and bandages were removed from him, and therefore formally there is any more no reason left to remain on a visit with the Fairy. Position of the Prince in her house became ambiguous …

  - I so am grateful to you for everything, the Beautiful Fairy! You so helped me, saved to me life, cured me so I am your debtor forever - and would like to remain your friend forever! - somehow Prince Fee at dinner told.

  - Hey, Prinze, and it that else for news? Why it on "you"? What for thanks such? You what, was going to leave perhaps? - with insult the Fairy inflated sponges.

  The prince hesitated.

  - You understand, the Fairy, me, of course, it is good with you, but I so zagostitsya at you, inconveniently somehow …

  - Nonsenses are what! - the Fairy threw up the hands. - And I want to hear nothing! Where you will go, a miracle in feathers? You all the same any have no memory!

  - I will show a medallion in the village, maybe, will prompt …

  The fairy has a snack was a sponge from disappointment, but in a moment already melodiously burst out laughing:

  - Oh! And I yours incidentally dropped a medallion to the river, together with a ringlet! You sorry, Prinze, I, however, did not want … - and right there reddened with shame, all know that fairies are not able to lie.

  - How?! Same … memory! As you could! Yes what you afford! - and, having ridiculously thrown up the hands, ran out from the house …

  The prince was not shown at the Fairy the whole day at home, even did not come for a dinner. He felt offended up to the soul depth: its last communication with the past was so unscrupulously, is torn so roughly off!

  But when there ascended the moon and lit with the silvery shine the hilly coast, Prinze felt that he is not one.

  - Forgive me, Kind Prinze, I specially destroyed them … - is guilty having sighed, the Fairy spoke. - Even not in the river … I melted them and made of them … Generally, made other things. You forgive! Such we, fairies: if we strongly want something, we will achieve the in any way …

  - And our girls so do not behave! - Prinze spoke with insult, looking somewhere afar, there, where the moonlight, being reflected from a water smooth surface, was scattered by myriads of silvery sparks.

  - Beautifully, truth? - a languid voice the Fairy whispered.

  - Yes, it is beautiful …

  - And why you do not want to remain with me still? To you it is bad here?

  - Is not present … - Prinze with astonishment answered, having looked at it. - Simply … inconveniently somehow …

  - Yes throw you! Too to me, "inconveniently"! With you it is interesting to me. You are not such as all other people. To them all to eat, drink - kind you will not hear the word … And you - fairy tales tell me, love the wood … It is direct as we, fairies! You our warehouse, understand, and you not incidentally appeared in we wash to the wood … You understand it? - And the Fairy again as then, in a pine grove, stridently looked to it in eyes, and again Prinze not in forces was to take away the look. Suddenly it seemed to it that on the place of eyes of the Fairy some black wells which all attracted it stronger and stronger were formed. The black chasm closed the embraces, and Prinze remained her captive forever.

  10.

  And next morning, when Prinze woke up, he found the Animals standing waiting for his awakening in the bed. The kitten held in the pads a fine wreath from eternal and live fragrant snow-white roses, the Puppy - the silver-white tunic embroidered by golden roses and a gold belt, and Oslenok - a small pink box with wedding rings. All three Zverenk were dressed in the same tunics with corbels up to a waist. Oslenok it is important, with understanding of the high mission assigned to it took a step forward, efficiently corrected points on a nose and a little bit a snuffling voice spoke:

  - Your Highness, Kind Prinze! Under laws of our country, the one to whom the fairy allowed to kiss herself from now on has to become her lawful spouse forever. Here we, her faithful servants, are ready to accompany you on meeting of Community of fairies where the ceremony already prepares. Th
e fairy waits for you, oh, Happy Prinze!

  Prinze did not manage to think that happens to him as the Kitten and the Puppy dressed it in a beautiful dress, put on a wreath the head and moved on a lawn at the house.

  The magnificent balloon from pink silk was already harnessed by couple of beautiful white-headed griffins. Prinze and Animals should have entered a basket and to cut a rope which held a sphere on the earth as it right there soared up up. And then the magic winged animals directed by the Kitten pulled it for themselves.

  How many flight lasted, Prinze did not know. He was too bewitched by contemplation of beauty of the sky, he flew in the balloon for the first time to lives! The sky was transparent-blue, under legs cotton wool fluffy clouds curled white as, and far the bright red rising sun in the east seemed.

  At last, on one of pink islands, seemed ahead, he noticed a round structure of the same color, enormous by the sizes, something like stadium with stands. All stands were filled as a beehive - the bees, identical as if the made to one measure of the same material, winged beauties. They sat and with curiosity waited for Prinze, not so often fairies marry, and especially for whom - for the person! Ways of fairies and people nowadays infrequently meet …

  At last, the Kitten unhooked reins, and griffins departed further, on the affairs, and the balloon stiffened over stadium. A simple spell - and air in a cylinder began to cool down. A sphere, gradually losing height, landed directly on the stadium arena covered with the pink sand sparkling, sparkling in beams of a rising sun.

  In the center of the arena there were three chairs, also pink color made of some strange porous, live, breathing material. On them three most important fairies majestically sat. They looked same young, as well as all others, but eyes on their passionless, motionless as stone sculptures, persons, radiated such wisdom which could collect only for the uncountable millennia of life. They were dressed in purple tunics, hoops on their heads were from pure gold, but not from silver, as at the others, and stones on hoops - ruby-red.

  - Prikloni knee, oh, Happy Prinze! - it is hardly heard whispered on an ear to Prince Kotenok. - Before you - the Triad of Perfect, Eternal Keepers of the Order and Tselestiya's Prosperity whom all fairies call "Triune Knowledge" because though their Three, but they are eternally uniform - even in thoughts - in the aspiration to create good to the whole world!

  The prince submissively fell by one knee and, having removed a wreath, bent the head before Triune Knowledge, and all three Knowledge at the same time nodded in reply. Then the voice of the Second of Them was distributed - and this voice was diveins in Prinze's ears. Majestic, passionless, imperious and - gentle and melodious at the same time.

  - Get up, the son human, and listen attentively. You are invited here, being convicted of the impudent offense made by you against one of absolutely young attendants of group of Keepers of the Limit. This offense - infringement of honor of the immortal fairy - is punished under our laws by death. Do you have what to tell in the justification?

  - I have! - firmly and fearlessly Prinze answered, having fearlessly looked fool in the face the Second of Three. - The beautiful Fairy saved to me life, and I fell in love with it. And now - do with me that want!

  The rumble of approval and admiration as noise of a surf swept on stands of huge stadium. But all three Knowledge at the same time raised the right hands and right there the silence, full silence set in.

  - Under the laws of Community, laws established from the beginning of the world and consecrated with the Creator, - it is passionless as though without noticing anything around, the Second of Three said, - you can keep the life only if the fairy whom you fearlessly concerned bails your life, both life and your death will belong from now on only to it.

  As soon as She spoke it as air pierced a melodious high pitched voice - a voice of the Beautiful Fairy well familiar to Prinze:

  - Your Knowledge, allow me to bail him. I fell in love with Kind Prinze and I allowed to kiss myself!

  And then Prinze saw how one of fairies got up and solemnly came downstairs to the arena. It differed from the sisters only in the fact that on it the same silver-white tunic was dressed, as well as on Prinze, and on the head there was the same wreath from eternal and live snow-white roses.

  The fairy, slowly, with advantage, approached the Throne, with awe bowed to Triune Knowledge and a confident movement took Prinze's hand in the, and Oslenok, having again inflated from importance, dexterously gave to the Fairy a small pink box with rings. The beautiful Fairy took one of rings and solemnly said:

  - From now on your life and death, oh, the person, in my hands, - and the ring in the face of the surprised Prinze suddenly turned into a small snake and at the same moment dexterously twisted a thin anonymous finger of the Fairy.

  - From now on yes never to stop my power over you, - and the second ring a snake crept on a hand, and then twisted Prinze's finger.

  And only after that the Beautiful Fairy embraced Prinze and touched pink as corals, lips to his lips, under joyful shouts and applause of thousands and thousands of fairies in the stands. Petals of eternal and live roses a rain fell down on the arena, marking commission of great sacrament, such nowadays rare in Skies, - sacraments Sacred Ouse. And then all three Knowledge at the same time upraised hands to heaven, and Prinze felt how the unknown exciting force fills his soul and a body from which at him the head right there began to spin, as from young wine.

  - It is force of the country of fairies Happy Prinze fills you, oh, - the familiar voice of the Kitten was heard. - Accept it and be blessed because mortal cannot concern fairies, and now you became one of us. Accept and make happy our madam as it became happy! - It were the last words which were distinctly remembered by Prinze. His head began to spin so if not careful pads of the Kitten and Puppy, he, probably, would fall.

  And everything was farther in some haze, a pink haze …

  The prince as through some fog saw a long-predlinny table in a pink trees grove, the petals covered with the poured all flowers of a rainbow. Vaguely remembered a never-ending stream of music, songs, dances and glorifications from which there was no anything left at it in the head. He with something was treated and given to drink, something was told, but that - he did not remember. He even saw hardly …

  Remembered only the Beautiful Fairy sitting on the right, its blue as the eye sky, tenderly and gently looking at it. It all shone with happiness.

  Yes, still there was a dance … He danced with the Fairy. Her hair and a neck smelled honey so delicious, and her hand were such soft and gentle that it was even terrible to Prinze to touch it. And the Fairy laughed and laughed and all the time told something to it. They were turned in dance, and it seemed to Prinze that they even departed somewhere, but where and as - he already did not remember at all …

  11.

  The prince woke up in a former small hut of the Fairy at the river. His head was clear, and in a breast the feeling of inexpressible pleasure burned. At first he thought that all being with it - only a fine dream. He even wanted to close once again eyes and to fall asleep again to appear in this wonderful fairy tale. But here someone's thin handle touched Prinze's hair and gently stroked him on the head. He right there turned and saw the Beautiful Fairy. She lay nearby and looked at it so gently and so tenderly as though it was her native child.

  - My dear Prinze, at last we together … - its melodious soft voice was distributed. - You do not even represent how long I waited for you! - and then passionately embraced him and strong nestled on him all the body.

  - Tell me, the Beautiful Fairy, and I was really going to be executed there, on the arena? - having a little been confused from caress, unusual still for it, Prinze told the first that came to its mind.

  - Well you, silly, are just ancient ritual of inclusion in our Community! - in a voice of the Fairy indulgence notes, as at the loving mother explaining something axiomatic to the dull baby sounded. - You had to die for the race and to become one of us. Differently you cannot take me in t
he wife, and me you - in husbands. Unless you do not understand it?

  - Yes … I understand now … - Prinze confusedly murmured. - And I then really thought that I will be killed now …

  The fairy raised the head and, having leaned against a cam, with curiosity glanced to it directly in eyes:

  - And you would go to it? Well … to death? - she asked, slightly with bated breath.

  - Without reflecting! - Prinze answered and kissed the Beautiful Fairy.

  _____________________________

  PART I. PAST GHOSTS.

  Chapter 1. Incident in the wood.

  1.

  That day Prinze woke up much later than usual. The matter is that already for five years it was awakened from a dream by the morning song of the Beautiful Fairy. In it it was sung about what wonderful the forthcoming day how many it is possible to make this day kind and remarkable promises to be. The fairy sang this song the high and gentle voice under sounds of a magic lute, touching thin and flexible fingers ringing strings from murmaid hair. Usually under these sounds all woke up at once - both Prinze, and Animals, and children, - without grumble and scandals, without whims and discontent because from this light and joyful song only one thought arose in the head - to rise somewhat quicker to try to make this world slightly better, than it was yesterday.

  But that morning all left absolutely differently. The prince for some reason woke up not from a song of the Fairy, as always, and from the bright sunlight arresting to it directly attention. Below, in a refectory, the ring of the moved ware and a melodious female voice was already heard. This is the Fairy who woke up, as well as all representatives of her sort, from the dawn, already set the table. With it it was helped by faithful Animals. The prince slightly envied the Fairy, he could not force to get up the same as she, from the dawn in any way.

  "And why to you? - the Fairy hit once question with a question, having playfully given a flick to him fingers. - You sleep, the sluggard, you are a person moreover and the man, and we, fairies, differently we cannot. The sun itself calls us, as well as birdies to sing to it of the anthem! Such is our nature …"