"I'm afraid you should ever worry about going to wear what dress you to the ball," Lean teased triumphantly.
Marriage, Heera it could meet something, sit Silas for them. "I would not be so hasty, Lean. Not Do you remember your first shot? "
"I'm a natural," the prince sneered, laughing.
Silas and Yanis exchanged amused glances before Silas said. "A natural talent that has instead of the target of the king shot the crown of the head"
Heera looked at him in horror, but Lean waved casually from. "Everything planned out."
"What I want to say is that you have as opposed to our princes for your first shot really good beat you bloody" Silas praised them. "Is it really the first time that you hold a crossbow?"
Heera nodded and said nothing about the fact that she was better in dealing with the bow and arrow for that.
"Let us choose a slightly more exciting goal," the Prince demanded belligerently and walked through the woods. The group followed him. They reached a nearby shore. "Too bad we do not have a dog with us," Lean said regretfully and turned with a mischievous look to Amphion. This also began to grin. Almost imperceptibly he muttered a few words, gesturing on Yanis. After a moment, there was a barking, brown hound in front of them. Lean laughed enthusiastically while Yanis confused turned in a circle. Silas and Heera also began to laugh when the dog trying to catch its tail.
"Yanis, out!" Smirked Lean. The dog paused and cocked his head before he was an unwilling growl from him.
"Be a good dog and blow us the ducks from the pond," he urged his new four-legged friend. Yanis sniffing held his nose in the direction of the lake, before loss piled barking.
Hastily put Silas, Lean and Heera their crossbows ready to fire at. First came a loud chatter from the reeds, then scored the first birds in the sky. Already the first bolt of Silas met and a duck fell swoop to the ground. A short time later also met Lean and Heera their goal. They hurried to the spot on the had to be dropped to the ground animals. All three ducks were dead.
"What happens to them?" Asked Heera, as she pulled the pin out of the lifeless body.
"Landen probably in saucepan. Duck there with us in abundance, I prefer rather have a juicy leg of wild boar, "Lean said indifferently. In the villages there were usually only once a week to eat meat, if at all. The common people were not allowed to hunt in the forest. Heera had not been kept in mind, but who would now go for her family on the hunt? Her father was busy all day trying to buy the small field and neither Elena nor her mother were proficient with the bow.
"May I bring my family the ducks?" Heera asked hesitantly. It was hard, lean to ask for anything. He should not see how much she missed her parents and her sister.
Lean looked curiously her face before he apologetically pouted. "You can, as long as you are in the selection, not visit your family," he said. Heera naturally knew about it, but a part of her had hoped that Lean does not abide by the rules and would make an exception for her.
"Our farm is not far from here," setting them again and felt her longing away rolled like a wave over them.
"I'll even bring your parents all the animals we kill today," promised Lean conciliatory. Compassion in his eyes. Heera wanted to like to see their parents themselves, but the idea, like the prince himself would stand in front of her little sister, she brought yet to smile. Elena would probably even more pleased about the visit of the Prince as the visit Heera’s. Your mother would be hectic emphasize the hair out of her face and a young girl blush when they bowed to Lean. You'd probably for months to talk about nothing but the visit of the Prince and praise him to the skies.
"Thanks," she said timidly and fought back the lump in her throat. She felt Lean looked at her, when he said: "It's best to begin directly tomorrow to practice for the opening dance." She heard the cheeky grin in his voice and shook his head violently. "I have met my goal!", lifted and held to prove the duck up.
"Amphion, my charming friend, help us," writhed Lean to the wizard who winced frightened, as if he had slept with his eyes open. "What shall I do?"
"Put us up at the moon, so we can shoot him from heaven."
Amphion pulled a coin out of his sleeve and threw them high, while he whispered:
"Get up the firmament,
On the night that you shine."
The coin disappeared and in its place was in the sky next to the delicate contours of the winter sun to recognize second ball. But this was beaming brighter than the sun and sparkled like gems only it could.
Heera held her hand over her eyes to be dazzled.
"The one of us who shoots the moon from the sky, won the bet," Lean said, putting on his crossbow. "Silas, be so kind and count for us."
Hastily put Heera themselves to their weapon.
"3 ..."
The false moon blinded so much that she could hardly see anything.
"2 ..."
She would never reach their destination.
"1 ..."
She closed her eyes ...
"Go!"
... and shot without aiming. They relied on their sense.
When she opened her eyes again, the second moon disappeared from the sky. For a warm glow could be seen deep in the forest between the trees. Lean it seemed as surprised as you. "One of us has probably taken," he exclaimed, and began to start running.
"How do we know who owns the bolt?" Asked Heera while they ran after him.
"My have a golden tip", he said, was slower. Only a few steps away from them, lay on the snow-covered forest floor, the coin that shone like a star that had fallen from the sky at dusk.
Reverently they came closer. Through the middle of the coin stuck a pin, while a second with golden lace was directly next to it. Jubilant to Heera rushed to the coin and lifted them up, and their bolts s in the air. "I won," she said with a broad grin. She watched Lean and expected the defeat in his face to see, but instead he stared at her in disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost. She dropped the bolt, while the lights of the coin burned up. "What is?"
He carefully looked at her face, as if seeing it for the first time. A cool wind blew through them and Lean took a step toward her. He looked into her eyes, as if he had discovered something in them what he had lost long ago.
"I know you," he muttered suddenly bemused.
Heera was quite warm, as she understood what he was getting. She backed away from him.
"You are the boy from the forest," Lean said. "The boy who shot the duck from the sky and then ran in front of me is."
She still remembered well in those autumn morning. It had given her a lot of fun, round out the arrogant prince and his entourage at the nose.
"I did not expect to meet so early in the morning at someone," she defended herself.
"Why did not you join me to recognize where? "
"It is forbidden to hunt in the forest."
Excited grabbed Lean into the pocket of his robes. He was the same one he had worn that day a few weeks ago. His fingers closed around the metal of the compass. He should have been cold from the cold, but instead he was warm in his hand. He had forgotten him all the weeks. He pulled out a small device and looked at the dial. The needle pointed directly to Heera, as if it were the direction which he must follow. He fumbled on the embossing on the back:
Follow the path of your heart.
Yanis accompanied Heera back to the castle, while Lean was broken up with Silas and Amphion to fulfill his promise. He can be explained by Heera how he could find the small courtyard of her parents. They lived outside the next village, but when there Lean asked for directions, the inhabitants knew immediately, from whom he was talking. Bauer Theo seemed to be a righteous man and his wife was firmly integrated in the village society. But in the highest terms, people raved about the daughters of the family. She knew n that Heera and Medea were in choosing. Everyone praised Medea's voice, but when they spoke of Heera, twinkled her eyes when she would talk about her own daughter. Everyone knew how to report a situation, had in the
Heera helped him. She had chased robbers, stolen animals and objects recaptured and so many old widow made the house winterized. Lean wished that his mother could hear all these wonderful words about Heera, maybe they would change their minds about it then. Sure did not correspond to the image that they had of a queen, but she was brave, selfless and kind. The only problem Lean saw that it was not interested in the crown. She hated the confinement and the rules of the castle outright. The only reason she had ever come and why she stayed, her sister was. If he decided against Medea, Heera would go undoubtedly also because he did not fool himself.
Although the village was already out of sight, and the dawn came up, they found it hard to find the house of the farmer Theo. It was more a cabin, on which bordered a small barn. In the windows of the appearance of fire out of the room could be seen. Lean, Amphion and Silas tied their horses in front of house fixed, but before any of them could knock, the door opened and a middle-aged woman with long blonde hair opened came out. She fell formally before the prince to his knees and exclaimed, "What an honor"
It was followed by a little girl with blond curly hair. She bowed next to her mother, but squinting curiously at the visitors up. Finally, the landlord came out of the room. His face was wrinkled and hunched his attitude. He seemed to have a back problem, but he wanted to go to his knees in front of the Prince, but this stopped him.
"That's not necessary," Lean assured him friendly and turned to the girl and the woman. "Please is on!" They got up both with beaming faces.
"What gives us the honor?" Asked Theo Bauer.
"I hope so, it's an enjoyable occasion," his wife added worriedly. "Heera will have yet done anything?"
"But no," laughed Lean. "Quite the contrary! Your daughters are both charming. I'll have a hard time making a decision. "
Lean could see the chest of his father swelled with pride and his attitude was something straight. The mother smiled broadly, remembering Lean here to Medea. Although distinguished their hair color, they looked alike. Both were graceful and radiated an inner warmth. Even at the age her mother was a beauty, so Lean not help came to wonder if she had then applied for his father.
Lean spanned from the saddle of his horse the bag with the three shot ducks and handed them to the farmers. When he looked in the bag, his face brightened. He looked questioningly at the Prince.
"A gift for your daughter Heera. She is a real natural talent in the hunt, "praised Lean.
While entering the mother and father blushed, the little girl said excitedly: "Heera is a crack shot. It supplies the whole village with meat! "
The mother hit her youngest hastily hand over her mouth and started to giggle nervously. "Do not listen to her, Prince. You must have been dreaming. "
Lean realized that these people were afraid of him. Heera had hunted in the forest, even though it was forbidden to the people. They believed that he would punish them if he, like, But how, if not through illegal hunting, did you ever get the meat? The prices of the authorized hunters of the king were high. For some people, probably too high. Spontaneous met Lean a decision.
"Do not worry! I will tomorrow adopt a new law that allows every citizen of Chóraleio to hunt on one day a week in the woods. Heera has innocent of any crime. "
Parents breathed visibly, setting off her tense posture.
"Prince Lean, would you do us the honor of stopping off at our humble office?" Asked the mother-friendly. It was dusk, but did Lean, what an honor it meant for these people when he entered her hut. He could not refuse the offer and so he said. "It would be my pleasure"
Together with his friends he joined the small hut, which consisted of only one room. There was a fireplace in which blazed a warm fire, a small kitchenette, a table and five chairs, and a large bed, in front of it lay on the floor three mats, where apparently the children slept. It was a strange feeling to be in the home, where Heera and Medea had grown up and had spent her life. It no longer surprised him that it was hard for Heera to settle in the castle. This cabin seemed a totally different world to belong. She was tiny and the furniture was old. In this modest place to live and still nothing shone Lean had never seen a cozier place. In every fiber of the house love seemed to put that linked this family together.
Theo Bauer moved the prince a chair at the table back. "Please, have a seat!"
Lean followed his request and sat down with Amphion and Silas at the table. The wood of the chairs creaked under their weight. The father and the mother sat down with them, while the little girl water heated by the fireplace.
"How are my daughters, Prince Lean?" Asked Theo. Lean did not escape the worry in his voice. He knew his daughters better than anyone else and had to know that Heera never could feel at home in a castle.
"Medea is an excellent dancer. The whole court has been so used to it that no one wants to let go more, "said Lean. The mother suggested pleased hands on her cheeks. "In this room, I have taught her to dance, you can imagine that?" She laughed proudly.
But the father did not let up. "And Heera?"
"She always says what she thinks. Not everyone can handle it. But I guess it all the more "Lean answered honestly. Now a smile appeared on his father's face. "That's my girl!" He had the same attentive green eyes as his eldest daughter. In his almost gray hair some brown streaks were visible. Heera came all the way to him.
The youngest put cups on the table and poured out steaming tea. "Do you know how we have called the horse and the cow that you have given us?" She asked Lean with the familiarity, who held only children. The mother punished immediately with a look that made the girl blush in shame. She quickly added, "My lord."
Lean started laughing. Although Heera no longer a child was by far, she had taken from the beginning the right to say 'sina'. This he had her always felt closer than the others, even though they had almost just quarreled.
"Keep me quiet!" He urged the girl to smile. "I'm already used to from your sisters."
"I have not taught them!" Said the mother defended immediately. "So I do not know Medea."
"I have asked me to address so formally no longer, the other has himself given permission to one of your daughters," grinned Lean. He did not have parents tell which was which meant. He overcame the girl. "What did you call the two animals?"
"I have the horse and the cow Lean Heera called because both gifts from you to Heera are," the girl told proudly, whereupon Lean began to laugh again. That would have her eldest sister liked. She herself had proposed to name the horse after him. His mother had been outraged, as seemed apparently to be ashamed Heera’s own mother.
"What you have given Medea?" Asked the little curious.
"She has a lark desired, with which they can sing a duet."
"Oh, how I would love that once heard," she sighed wistfully. "Can you my sisters I greet you when you're back in the castle?"
"Of course!" Promised Lean.
A friendly word can move mountains.
Who of a pure heart,
The brakes no boundaries
12
Medea went through the woods. The snow-covered floor crunched with every step. Thick snowflakes fell on the blue fabric of her cloak. The little lark sitting on her shoulder and snuggled close with her soft feathers on her neck.
"Are you cold , my faithful friend?" Asked the girl for the third time since they had set out.
"Mir is warmer than it was ever before me" the bird assured her.
"I do not know how long we've been on the road and how long our journey will take. The way it seems to me for hours equal. Trees on the left, trees on the right. How will I ever find the kingdom of King Aphron? "
"Do not despair and let you rest from your heart. When Phoebe has his castle found you too cannot miss it, "said the lark her too well. Medea aching feet, but she did not dare to complain and ran on until the darkness came up and the wind blew so cold her face that her lips trembled. They left the forest behind their backs and reached the middle of the night a stone wall.
The lark said, "This is the limit of Chóraleio. Behind this wall is the kingdom of the king Aphrons. Well, Medea Nightingale, climb the steep wall. Behind you will find a beautiful garden, in which it is never winter. There is a tree that bears golden apples should get the Phoibe for the Queen. If you have found Phoebe, get with it over the wall, but holds nothing to the garden! "
"Love lark, you will not accompany me?" Medea asked anxiously.
"I cannot enter the realm of the foreign king and will therefore wait for you here. Make haste quickly! "
The steep wall was overgrown with ivy, so Medea old took to the vines H and could climb up. Almost from the moment she arrived on the other side, she felt warm sunshine in her back, although it was deepest night. The moon shone this wondrous place to warm at night as the sun in the day. Peacock in the splendid colors of the rainbow strutted over the soft grass. The Bushes contributed juicy berries and flowers grew in the most beautiful colors. In the middle of the garden stood the mentioned tree with the golden apples. Phoebe sat doing well in a golden chair including but when she recognized Medea, surprised joyfully. The two girls hugged each other easier. Their dispute was forgotten.
"What are you doing here? I thought I was forgotten for all time. "
"The prince has sent me to look for you. Come, flee with me! "
Phoebe looked around hesitantly. "But look but just how beautiful it is here! There is a tree, whose fruit never rot and a stream whose water tastes sweet as grape juice. "
Medea remembered the warning of its lark and shook his head. "We are allowed to touch nothing."
"Why not? What should happen already? "Asked Phoebe. "Certainly you were long the road, come and eat something before we leave." She noticed Medea's hesitation. "Only an apple."
"What if King Aphron noticed us?"
"He is a nice king and would not like girl like us do starve," promised Phoebe and held out her arms for the golden apples from above them. The fruits were as big as a fist, leaving Medea mouth water converge, so that they also to a stretched from them. As soon as they touched the golden apple came the guards from all sides came over, took the girls captured and brought them unto their lord, the king Aphron.
Fairytale chosen Page 13