Then you shall stay with me forever.
13
When the girls the next morning not realizing sat together at breakfast, not only walked Prince Lean, but also his mother Niobe space. Hastily they all rose and bowed to the Queen. They had become accustomed to the morning visit of the Prince, but the Queen made them all upset. Your assessment seemed to be many times more important than that of the prince, as if they would hold at the end of the strings in his hands, who decided between victory and defeat.
Also Heera felt near her a certain uneasiness, but they could not explain. It was unimportant whether the queen could suffer, as long as they had nothing to be guilty. Medea would have to deal with her as a future mother. Soon Heera would probably get no more often than once a year to face, even when her family moved into the castle after the wedding. You certainly would not participate in the court playing, but also continue to spend the day in nature. No one could ever prohibit her.
"Good morning, my dear ladies," the queen greeted them solemnly. However, the heat in her voice did not reach her eyes. Heera did not believe that Niobe was a bad person, but someone who had learned his feelings to conceal as behind a veil. Despite their hostility she judged the ruler of Chóraleio. She was a strong and righteous woman who wanted only the best for her family and her people always. In their eyes Heera was not the best choice for her son and at least at this point they were in agreement.
"Good morning, Queen Niobe. Good morning, Prince Lean, "the girls chorused.
Niobe walked toward Medea and patted her affectionately on the cheek. "Brave girl! You're not just pretty and talented, but also brave. You'd make a great queen, "she praised it, with the other chosen ones tried in vain to not to show her jealousy. Heera would have liked happy for her sister, but doubt gnawed at her. As it was Medea managed to pass your exam? She knew her sister too well to know that she was not able to beat in heavy snowfall alone through the forest. Medea had more than enough talent, but courage was not among them.
The queen walked by Medea continues to Erina, which had not been summoned alongside Agnes as only a test. Once Niobe held in front of her, gave any color from her cheeks. She looked so shocked and unhappy face that the queen grimaced sympathetically. She took the girl's hand between her own, slender fingers. "Love Erina, today to begin your test. But fear not, the king, Prince Lean and I believe in you! "She said to her courage. Lean stood on it next to his mother and smiled Erina also encouragingly.
"What should I do?" Piped up the petite girl with a high voice. Niobe and Lean they moved aside so the other girls noticed nothing of their conversation.
"You've already made your good heart and your honest intentions n proof, so should your exam consist in bringing me a rose. But there should be no ordinary rose but a golden rose, "said the Queen.
Erina stared in horror from her to the prince. "I've never seen a golden rose. Where should I start my search? "
"Let the woods behind you back and go from one city to another, maybe the residents will be able to help you," advised her lean without let on if he knew something. "I am convinced that you will find a way to fulfil the desire of my mother."
Erina nodded resolutely. "I'll give everything!"
She left the room to get changed in her room.
Heera was preoccupied with thoughts of Erina. They did not know what the girl expected, but if they could, they would have gone with her, to protect her from any danger. Erina had always been kind to her, and she had found in her a friend. When she looked in the castle garden from her window, she discovered there Lean, who sat alone on a bench and had buried his head sadly in his hands. The sight of him she thought, because he made a heartbreakingly desperate impression. Without hesitation, she threw herself on her cloak and hurried himself in the garden, hoping that none of the other girls her previously come.
A few weeks ago she had believed that the prince all the elect would not care, but she knew better by now. Sure made Lean is just about Erina like herself. When she came to stand before him, he looked surprised. Snowflakes had put on his brown hair that slowly melted by the warmth of his body. She did not wait for an invitation, but sat down right next to him.
"Erina so has a pure soul that no one would have the heart, hurt her," Heera tried to cheer the Prince.
"I do not doubt Erina, but me," replied Lean, however. "It seems to me every day more impossible to make a decision. Please Do not get me wrong, but a part of me almost hopes that Erina fails, because then there would be one person less, against which I had to choose. "
Heera did not know what to say. She herself was a chosen one, but seemed from the outset to be left out. It had always been clear that they would not get stuck as this round. "What about the rankings? You've got already made a decision, "she overcame , without sounding reproachful.
He shook his head. "The ranking is produced by the number of exams passed and the image of the girl on the farm. With my personal assessment, it has little to do. "
It was a while ago, that a ranking was published. Nevertheless Heera had no doubt that her sister had to be at least among the top three, just like Erina, provided they passed her test. So Lean remained the choice of Daphne, Xenia and Agnes. Where Agnes is only still had to prove.
"Who would you choose in my place?" He asked desperately Heera.
Heera smiled apologetically. "You can expect no objective answer from me. I am Medea's sister. "
"You are a chosen one yourself," said Lean. "What if I decide against you?"
Although Heera has always been assumed that it would come to this, the idea aroused uneasiness in her. She wanted the prince still not married, but she liked him and enjoyed spending time with him. "It does not matter what I or anyone else expected of you, what matters is what you yourself want."
"If I ever knew," he sighed.
"Listen to your heart," smiled Heera and nudged him familiar. "Whatever it tells you it cannot be wrong."
Erina went through the deep forest, while the sky thick snowflakes fell, but the cold did not mind, because she was already used to this. Incessantly she put one foot before the other. She did not know where to begin their search, but would follow the advice of the prince and long walk through the forest until she had reached the end.
But as it was already night, she was still caught between the tall trees. It was snowing heavily and the wind tore at her, so that he almost knocked over. But she was not afraid of the snow or the wind, but the wolves that they heard howling around. Perhaps they would pounce on her, tear her to pieces and even eat.
Suddenly she saw at the end of a long tree-lined avenue, a great light, as bright as the North Star in the sky.
She continued in this direction and soon she saw a brightly lit castle before her. She hastened to reach it, but to her surprise the farms were deserted.
Erina entered the interior, but also found there not a soul. In the great hall, however, flickered a warm fire and a richly filled food table was laid for one person. As rain and snow had soaked to the skin, she went to the fire to dry herself. She waited for a considerable time, but since it had beaten eleven o clock without the master of the house, or a servant appeared, she could not restrain her hunger for more: She took a roast chicken from the table and ate it up in a few bites. She also drank some sips of sweet grape juice. Then, emboldened, she left the room and walked through several large, beautifully furnished rooms. Finally she found a room where there was a bed ready, and there was past midnight, she decided to close the door and go to sleep.
It was for ten clock in the morning, as Erina awoke and to her surprise she found instead of her old, dirty clothes a clean robe. She looked out the window. The snow was gone and magnificent flower beds spread out in front of her, the enraptured her eyes.
"Certainly this is part of a good fairy castle," she said to herself, "that pity on me."
She returned to the main hall, where they had previously fed in the evening, and saw a table on which a steaming hot chocolate. "I thank you, de
ar Fairy," she said aloud, "that you had the kindness to think of my breakfast."
After she drank the hot chocolate, she went out to resume her search. As she came past a rosebush, whose petals had shone golden as the Queen wished for. She broke off a merry Rosenzweig.
At the same moment she heard a terrible noise and saw a horrible beast so to pounce on that she almost lost consciousness. "Ungrateful!" Cried the animal with a voice of thunder. "I've saved your life, I took you in my castle. And for that, you steal my roses, which I love more than anything in the world! You have to die to atone for this guilt. "
Erina threw himself frantically on my knees and pleaded with the animal: "Forgive me, sir, I thought, not to offend you when I plucked a rose. It was intended for the Queen of Chóraleio who asked me. If I bring her no golden rose, I cannot marry her son, the Prince Lean. "
"I'm not a sir , "replied the Beast," I am the Beast ! Courtesies are hated me! I want to say what one thinks. I want to forgive you if you want me to be forever at your service. "
She shook her head, weeping. "But what will become of the prince, whom I have given my heart?"
The beast snorted, but the tears of the girl softened it. "I'm an animal, but not heartless. Take the rose with you! As long as it blooms, you have time to win the prince's heart for you. Only when the last leaf falls to the ground and he has not answered your prayer, you have to come back to me. Then you shall stay with me forever. "
"It is easy for me to give you this promise, because if the prince decides against me, my life has no meaning anyway more" Erina said desperately. "But do not wait for me, because I would risk my life to win the prince for me."
The beast made her with the rose draw, but cherished the hope that it would be the pretty girl reunion with the fiery red hair soon.
Already at noon Erina returned to the Castle of Chóraleio and handed queen Niobe, the golden rose. But on the promise that they had been forced to give the beast, she spoke to no one.
Just in time for supper a new ranking was published.
Medea
Erina
Daphne
Xenia
Agnes
Once Medea saw this, she let out a joyous shout. You did not see that a name was missing on the list. A broad grin stretched across her entire face, her eyes shining and her cheeks turned pink. The resentment of the other girls could not harm it, to great was their joy at having emerged as the number one of the princes.
Heera however, stood silently in front of the blackboard and tried to classify the feeling that she felt going to be excreted. They had advised Lean to listen to his heart and his heart had apparently decided against it. It should you be indifferent, but it was not. She felt disappointment, how to wear in when one is betrayed by a friend.
Only then did her sister Medea and she realized that her name was missing from the list. Distraught she wrapped her arms around Heera. "You’ve failed me," she cried and pressed her face into the soft hair of her sister.
Heera hugged and tried to classify the emotions raging inside her. It was a long time no longer just about Medea, but what was it about then? Had they the ambition packed? Or they wanted in the UK make a difference? Or she liked Lean perhaps better than she admitted to herself? When she had accompanied her sister to choose from, they had run out of an arrogant pretty boy, the welfare of his people did not care. Instead, she had met a humorous young man who presented to the people its obligations over its own good. She enjoyed every single minute in his presence. He took it as it was and did not try to make her into a lady. Near him she did not have to be strong at home, where she always had her father's son to replace. In Lean she could be herself easily. Perhaps she had indeed found in him something like a friend. Would that be over now? What if he did not even decide at the end of Medea? Would she then completely lose contact with him if possible? It would then, as if it had never been their shared moments, while Heera had changed more than they ever thought possible. They had Heera shown her soft, vulnerable side. Amphion was absolutely right, it was not fruitless. She was afraid of love.
"Are you disappointed?" Suddenly asked a familiar voice and Heera blushed as she turned her gaze from the table and looked Lean in the warm, brown eyes, which he had inherited from his mother. Medea resigned from her and she looked behind Lean the curious faces of the other girls. Only in Erinas pretty eyes was regret.
"No," she replied without hesitation, and folded her arms across her chest protectively.
He seemed disappointed with their determination. "Are you going? A piece with me," he asked, stepping with her in the hallway, away from the eyes of the other.
"You cannot imagine how difficult this decision has been made to me. Without you I will miss something. "
Heera smiled at his despondency. How fortunate that he did not know how much she met his dismissal. "Why did you then decided against me?" She asked yet, but with a fitted, challenging grin, as he was accustomed from her there.
"You like me might not believe it but I did it for your sake. The castle is no place for you. It seemed every day more ago, when I'd thought you were trapped in a golden cage. "
Indeed Heera had often felt this way, but the moments with Lean it had been worth it, but that she could only now, when it was already too late to admit. "You're not so bad," she admitted, and added with a smile. "Maybe we could even be friends." Her expression was serious. "Assuming you're breaking my sister not the heart, because then I would have you break your every bone, unfortunately."
Lean laughed with relief. "I'll try," he promised. "My offer to hire you as a hunter, by the way is still. If you do not want to even be my bride, maybe I can at least bring you then to work for me. "
Heera looked at him thoughtfully. If she would work for him, she would not renounce their joint rides in the woods. Your family would be well cared for. Still, she hesitated with a pledge.
"Maybe I could learn something from you," Lean added with a mischievous grin and gave her a friendly punch with the shoulder.
"Maybe?" Heera teased with mock indignation. The prospect of being able to see Lean on, they cheered.
"Will you think about you?" Lean asked her. Whenever she talked, it seemed almost as if they would switch roles. He treated Heera as his equal. If he had wanted, he could have ordered her to serve him, but instead he was courting her. He would be a good king.
"I'll think about it", promised Heera, stood by her decision already. She would be foolish to refuse his offer.
"If there is something else that I could do for you, please let me know," Lean said. "Do not forget that you still have one wish for me."
Heera grinned at him. "I would never forget, but a request for a prince wins is not every day, so I'll think well, what I will redeem it."
"I already suspect B öses" he joked. "Please remember that I am a prince and not a magician. For a flying horse you have to you contact Amphion. "
"Who wants a winged horse? "Heera replied unimpressed and stretched Lean tongue out.
"You can be even stay the night and morning of a coach will brought back to your family," said Lean and Heera believed to recognize regret in his face. Was it him as hard to let it go as it almost broke her heart to leave him? She tried it thinking that it would soon again see her beloved parents and her little sister. She had sorely missed, but all she could think about was Lean.
The next morning, Agnes broke shortly after sunrise on to assess them. None of the other knew what was required of her, but she saw the girl with a raised head with pride left the castle. So far, Agnes had passed every test and no one doubted that they would also meet these successfully. Nevertheless, they did not seem to be in the favor of the prince. Something mysterious around them like a black fog.
As Heera wanted to take her home at noon, Agnes returned already back from their audit. Under her arm she carried a chicken like a trophy. In her eyes was a victory safer expression. Your quick return was so unexpected that Heera’s departure was postponed.
Erina was already fast, but at least she had been gone overnight. Agnes seemed to have not even used a few hours.
Heera and the elect were called to the throne room to find out the result of Agnes examination. She had been the last, and so the prince would have to make a decision within the next few days. Which four girls he would choose?
Lean strode toward Agnes, who was standing in her black cape with satisfied air before the throne.
"Agnes, my father asked you to bring him the goose that lays golden eggs," he said to the black-haired girl. "Have you it with you?"
Agnes handed him the beast with brown feathers. At first glance it looked ordinary, hardly that Lean it sat on the ground, it already laid a golden egg. The court applauded, but neither the prince nor his parents seemed pleased with Agnes. King Egeas raised his hand to bring the audience to rest. Immediately all fell silent and looked stretched between him and Agnes Lean back and forth. Egeas pushed himself from his throne and walked threateningly towards the elect. "Tell me, Agnes, what you had to do to get this chicken?"
She smiled at him without fear. "Dear King, I'm not allowed to speak!" She said, and taunted him with it because he had been the one who had forbidden the elect, to talk with others about their examination.
A lighter shade of red retired over the bearded face of the king. On Heera he had always acted as his wife good-natured, but now the same anger was reflected in his face as in Niobe who snapped indignantly for air.
"I, the king of Chóraleio, allow yourself to talk about your test!", Squirmed Egeas Agnes and stood in front of her. He was a tall man, though Agnes handed him to tip of nose. She was not intimidated by Egeas and challenging stretched towards him chin. None of those present understood what was going on there. Why was the royal family so angry at the chosen one? Had she not done exactly what he had asked of her?
"As you wish," whispered Agnes. "I found the chicken not far from here in a village!"
"It went there alone around or was it someone?" Asked Egeas with sharp tone on.
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