"The chicken was living with a mother and her daughter," Agnes answered truthfully, without any sense of guilt.
"Did you leave the animal voluntarily?"
"No," she admitted, adding: "I know what I want and I know how I get it. What's wrong with that? "
The King's eyes formed in anger to narrow slits. He pointed an accusing finger at the chicken that ran cackling over the ground. "This chicken is all that remains of this poor woman. Without this chicken she and her daughter will die of starvation. How could you be so heartless to take them the most precious thing they had? "
Agnes shrugged. "You have each other. I have given them life, which is not more than enough? "
The court began indignant whispering. The King turned away from Agnes, when he could bear the sight no longer. Then the queen spoke. "You are as beautiful as any other chosen one, but you have a heart of stone. If any man will never be Queen of Chóraleio. Agnes, you'll still leave the castle! "
Agnes strode angrily toward the queen before Lean stood protectively between them and his mother.
The girl pointed an accusing finger at him. "Tell me what would I need to do in order to pass the exam? How could I bring the chicken to my king, without stealing from the family? Why have you asked me a check, I would never be able to fulfil? Did you want to get rid of me so? "
Lean stood in front of her. "You would have passed the test if you were returned empty-handed. A true queen puts the welfare of their people above their own. Your job was not to prove it courage, but compassion. You failed! "
Agnes looked at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. Suddenly the anger drained from her look and her lips began to tremble. Tears ran down her cheeks and she threw herself head bowed in front of him on his knees. "Forgive me, my lord!"
Lean gave her his hand. "You do not have to kneel in front of me. You've achieved a lot, can be proud of what you and I am pleased that you realize your mistake. Now return to your family back! "
Agnes stood up and looked at him pleadingly. "Would you do me the honor to take me out of the castle?"
He nodded without hesitation and offered her his arm. "Certainly, you still need something from your room?"
"No, I have everything with me," said Agnes and linked arms with him. They left the throne room.
Agnes' hand was cold on Lean's arm. Despite her tears and her sobs he could feel no pity for her. He had been expected to be lodged with the first two tests, in which it came to their helpfulness demonstrated, would fail. It was still inexplicable to him as she had these may exist. "What did the bird calls with the red eyes of yours?" He asked now curious, as they walked through the castle gate.
She smiled. "Nothing."
"Nothing?" He echoed surprised. "But everyone has a gift. Medea has her voice, Daphne her blond curls, Xenia their dance, Erina their undying hope and their courage Heera. What is your talent? "
Agnes turned to him and put her cold finger to his lips. "Pssst!"
The prince was silent and looked at her confused in the dark eyes. Something seemed to move in them. Almost like a top. He could not look away, as was captured by the play of colors of red and black.
"My dear Prince, the only thing, I possess is my malice. Your mother was right when she accused me of having a heart of stone. I have you condemned to a life without love many years ago, but you were so stupid to think that you could bypass the curse, if you could only find the right bride. "
Lean heard her words, but he could not move. His whole body was frozen like stone. He could not even shrug their eyelids twitch.
Her cold hand stroked his cheek and suddenly the flawless features of her face changed to a ghastly grimace. Her eyes were turning scarlet and out of her mouth grew long, sharp teeth. On her fingers were sharp claws and her skin grew bristles. The sight of her burned in his head like a nightmare. "My dear prince, I willkiss you now and you will stay with me forever," she croaked with a dark voice that seemed to come straight from hell. She leaned over to him and lean felt her moist lips touched his lips. A pain shot through his heart and ran like poison through his body. He could not see anything and was caught in deep, cold darkness.
The king, the queen and the whole court had with its windows all have to look at, but when they realized who was really Agnes, any help came too late. As the royal guard reached the castle gate, the black witch along with Lean had already disappeared. What remained was only a small pile of ashes that was blown by the wind in all directions.
Niobe sank to his knees and burst into tears. It was as if someone had ripped her heart out of my chest. She loved her son more than anything in the world. Egeas tried to comfort her, though his heart as hard as their weighed. Both wept for her beloved son. The whole court burst into tears because she had lost her handsome prince. The chosen girls began to sob violently. Only Heera’s eyes remained dry. They cared about the prince as anyone else, but she knew that a sea of tears could not save him.
Suddenly the Queen jumped up and rushed to the fearless girl. She went to her knees and her hands clung to the hem of Heera’s dress. "I'm begging you, bring me back my son!"
Heera more scared away from her. "I do not know if I can."
"You'll Heera, called the Fearless, who if not you should manage to free the prince? I will reward you richly with gold! Your family, it is for nothing! "
Heera took the hands of the Queen in her own and pulled the trembling woman to her feet. "I'll try my best, but not for the sake of gold, but to save the prince," she promised Niobe. King Egeas put comforting arms around his wife and looked at Heera’s sincere face. "Thou shalt not have to fight alone against the witch. The Royal Guard is to accompany you and your obey orders, "he decided.
"Also, we will support you!" Yanis and Silas called out at the same time.
"I'm not against a witch, but maybe my magic can you also be of use," Amphion said.
Medea, Erina, Daphne and Xenia also stepped forward. "The prince is our priority. We have already proven our mettle and now want to feel free, if it comes, to save his life also. "
On the same day the group left and they would come back when they had the prince found.
The castle of the Black Witch was
East of the sun
And to the west of the moon.
The way there was a Soul
Never and never be found
14
Heera rode ahead on the mare who had entrusted her already to their common hunting trip the prince. Right next to her Amphion went on his horse. Behind them followed Leans loyal friends Silas and Yanis, then the elect and the rearguard was the royal guard arrived. All relied on Heera’s instinct, while this did not even know where to start looking. The Kingdom was big and there were countries where they did not even know anything. Agnes could have fled with the prince in every direction and maybe it would never succeed in finding Lean.
"Oh, Amphion, you're a magician, you do not know a piece of advice, where we will find the E Hesten the black witch?""I can give you any advice as a magician, but a well as a scholar. The castle of the black witch lies East of the Sun and West of the Moon, but the way there we found never ever. "
Heera was not ready to give up and so they wandered many, many hours, until at last they came to a great mountain. Before Berg sat an old woman playing with a gold apple. The group asked the woman if she knew the way to the black witch whose castle lay East of the Sun and West of the Moon.
"What do you want from the witch?" The woman asked.
"She has the Prince kidnapped by Chóraleio" said Erina. "We want to free him."
"Are you perhaps those chosen girl, of whom he will marry one?"
"Yes, we have those girls," Erina, Medea, Daphne and Xenia answered in unison.
"My children, I do not know anything about the black witch, except that she lives in a castle, which lies East of the Sun and West of the Moon. And then, you probably never reach. But rides on to my neighbor, maybe they can give you information. And here, tak
e the gold apple, maybe you can use that yet. "She handed Erina sparkling apple that these carefully packed in her bag.
The group was again on the move and rode a long, long time. The snow they enveloped, so their hoofprints were no longer visible after only minutes. Finally they came to a hill in front of the sat an old woman with a golden reel.
"Can you tell us the way to a castle, which is located East of the Sun and West of the Moon?" Asked Daphne.
The woman said the same thing as her neighbor: she knew nothing of the castle, as it lay east of the sun and west of the moon. "And then," she said, "it is probably never. But moves on to my next neighbor, maybe they can give you information. "In the end they gave Daphne a golden reel, because it could be them useful.
The companions rode back a long, long time. The snow was blowing into their faces and let her lips tremble like a leaf. Finally she again came to a great mountain, before sitting an old woman, spinning on a golden spinning wheel. As Medea asked again after the black witch and after the castle which lay east of the sun and west of the moon. It was exactly like the other two times.
"Are you perhaps these chosen girls, of which the prince will marry?"
"Yes, we are these girls," Erina, Medea, Daphne, and Xenia answered in unison.
But this woman did not know of this way than the other two already.
"Yes, East of the Sun and West of the Moon is the castle, I know," she said. "But then, you probably never reach. But riding to the east wind and ask him. Perhaps it is well known there and you can go blow. " Last the woman gave Medea a golden spinning wheel ."Pehaps it may be useful to you," she said.
The Royal Guard, the chosen girl, Silas, Yanis, the magician Amphion and Heera now rode for many hours. It took a long time until they finally arrived at the east wind. And now they asked the East Wind if he could show them the way to the black witch.
Oh yes, by the witch he had heard speak well, said the East Wind, and of the castle as well, but the way there he did not know because he had never blown away. "But if you want, then I'll take you to my brother, the West Wind, perhaps he knows more because he is stronger than me. Increases only on my back, then I command you to go there. "
So did the Companions, including horses and now it was even surprising. The snow fell short of them and the sweet smell of spring they embraced. When they arrived at the West Wind, said the East Wind, he shall bring the girls chosen by the Prince of Chóraleio. They were looking for him, because the black witch had kidnapped him. Now he had to come here to slide it to hear if the West Wind knew where her castle deck.
"No," said the West Wind to the group, "as far as I've never flown. But if you want, I'll take you to the south wind, which is stronger than the two of us together and have traveled far and wide. Maybe he can give you information. Swings you on my back, then I bear towards you. "
They did, and now they were flying defective in the south wind. With every mile it was warmer, so that they were sweating in their thick cloaks. When they arrived, asked the West Wind if the south wind cannot point the way to the castle of the black witch.
"I traveled far in my life," said the South Wind, "but so far I've never even flown. But if you want, I command you to my brother, the North Wind. It is the oldest and strongest of us all. If he does not know where the castle is located, is in the world no one who can help you. Climb on my back, then I bear towards you. "
The companions climbed on the back of the south wind, and flew away, it just so rushed and roared. In no time they had arrived at the North Wind. But it was so cold and impetuous that he had them from afar against snow and ice blew. It was chilly, as one of them experienced it ever before.
"What do you want?" He cried, as soon as he saw them, so they ran a cold shiver down my spine.
"You do not blow us so bad," said the South Wind. "It is I, the south wind. And these are the girls who want to marry the prince, who was kidnapped by the black witch. They want to ask you if you've ever been in her castle and you can show the way; because they want to find the prince to like. "
"Oh yes, I already know where the castle is located," said the North Wind. "I have flown once an aspen leaf there, but since I was so tired that I could no longer blow for many days. I do not take all of them, only five have on my back seat. "
. The Fellowship decided that the four chosen ones together Heera should continue the journey When they communicated their decision to the north wind, called this: "If you are not afraid of me, I will take on my back and try to see if I you can blow out. "
The girls said they wanted to and would have the castle when it let to make in any way, and they have no fear, even if it should even go so bad.
"Well, then you must stay here," said the North Wind. "If we want to get there tomorrow, we must have the whole day ahead of us. Uses the night to you to say goodbye to your friends, who knows if they'll ever see her. "
The Royal Guard flowed immediately into the surrounding forest to collect wood for a fire, as they had gathered there, Amphion inflamed this with a simple hand gesture and a few magical words. The flames spread rapidly, and lit up the darkness of the night. When everyone had gathered around the fire, Amphion conjured to a few sticks a bread dough, you could roast in the heat. In addition to a full-bodied wine, he turned from water. Medea saw them not only to admiringly. Your little lark had huddled in her hand and fell asleep. Lost in thought, she stroked her soft feathers and put curious crooked his head as Amphion settled a few feet away from her. He noticed her gaze and blushed immediately what Medea made her smile.
"I'll miss you, Amphion," she said to him, which he blinked surprised them. "I assumed so far, you do not even knew that I exist at all," he muttered, before he could stop himself.
"How could not I know you?" Medea replied blankly. "Quite Chóraleio knows Amphion, the magician of the royal family. If you could accompany us to the castle of the black witch, we would have neither hunger nor cold. With you by our side no risk would be too great. "
Amphion sighed, lowered his eyes and shook his head sadly. "If I had such a great magician, I would have noticed, who is Agnes in truth. But she has just deceived me like any other. "
He did Medea sorry and so she moved a little closer to him. "Do not grieve! No one could have guessed what malice is behind its pretty facade. You must have cheated in all tests. Not in life, I believe that she has freely swept the three dwarfs in the forest, the back door of snow. "
Heera heard the words of her sister and also shuddered. She remembered how the Witch of the East, she had warned that one of the elect would play wrong and would not be who they say they are. She had even considered that she might have meant her sister. For this idea she now felt ashamed.
"You have passed all tests," Amphion said approvingly to Medea, but they saw him timidly to the other girls.
"Unfortunately, I'm not the only one. Erina and Xenia have also passed all tests. "
"But I know that you really like Lean" Amphion whispered confidentially. "He could hardly stop raving after day with you."
Medea looked at him both curious and excited. "Really?"
"As I'm a magician!"
"It was the best day of my life," confessed Medea. "But I was not sure if it was the same prince. When I wanted to kiss him goodbye, he is literally fled from me. "
"I'm sure he would have liked to kiss you, but he is cursed. Just a few days after his birth he was occupied by the black witch with a curse. She told him in advance that a kiss would bring him one day to disaster and the True Love's Kiss could save him. Your warning has come true by she kissed him. Who knows what became of him? "
"I swear on my life that I'll do anything to save Lean. So Agnes may simply not get through! "In Medea's delicate features, a determination was reflected as never before. Even the lark in her lap ß winced and briefly raised his head.
"I believe in you, Medea! More than any other, "confided Amphion.
Medea gave him a shy smile that made his ears to glow. "Why?
What sets me apart from the other girls? "
He looked shyly at his hands as he spoke. "I saw you and knew at once that you're the right thing to do for him. But actually it was not your looks, but your voice more. You touched my heart. "
Medea put her hand on the blue sleeve of his Velvet garment. "Thank you, Amphion! For your sake I will now go to sleep with a smile. It seems to me as if we already know for a lifetime. "
Early the next morning the north wind woke the girls. The Royal Guard, Silas, Yanis and Amphion remained with the horses, on the south wind they would return after Chóraleio. The north wind blew but on himself and made himself so big and thick that it was quite terrible. Then it went at a speed through the air there, as if they were equal to reach the end of the world. Everywhere among them raced such a storm that uprooted forests and houses were torn. When she rushed out across the sea, the ships failed to hundreds. On and on it went so far as to's no human being can imagine. Still they flew out over the sea, but gradually the north wind was tired. And he was becoming weaker and weaker. Finally, he could no longer continue almost. He sank down and down ever deeper. Most recently, he was flying so low that it hit the waves on the heels.
"Are you afraid?" Asked the Northwind .
"No, not yet," they cried out.
Now they were also not far from the land, and the north wind had just as much force that he could deposed the girl on the beach under the windows of the castle, which was East of the Sun and West of the Moon. It was a barren and lonely place. Here no animal and no plant grew lived, only a dark mist hung over the entire country. Bald briars wrapped around the whole castle, so impossible to get through was evident.
The next morning, the girls took counsel how it should now go. They had the Golden apples, the golden reel and the golden spinning wheel. With these three items they wanted to attract the attention of greedy witch. However, they were five, so that two of them would get nothing. They therefore decided to let you decide the fate. Erina had five of matches with him. Three of them made her long, but two of them broke up. Then they all hid in their hand and let each elect pull one of them. The girl who went the long timbers should ever get one of the objects to be so to gain access to the castle. The other two were on the beach to wait for others.
Fairytale chosen Page 16