NIGHT by I. Rin (fantasy books to read .TXT) 📖

my wardrobe, you and Prince can choose any dress or costume that you like. Of course, the choice is not very big, but it is better than yours is.”

 

“Thank you!” said Lica.

 

“Angelica,” Prince turned to the girl, “can you choose a suit for me, something to your taste, while I, Huron and Margo will continue to discuss the plan of fighting with the evil.”

 

“But what if you do not like it?”

 

“I trust you!” Edward smiled.

 

Having finished dinner, Prince, witch and her brother went out of the room; Angelica called Elsa and helped her to clear the table. Then the girl asked her:

 

“Elsa, Margo told me to choose ball costumes for Edward and me in her wardrobe.”

 

“Well, let’s go! You have little time; Madam has a lot of clothes!”

 

The maid took the candle and led Lica along the corridor to the fork, which was behind the bathroom, and the girl had never noticed it before. There the goblin woman turned left. Lica saw another corridor with rooms. Elsa came in the first one. It was quite spacious room with lots of wardrobes. The Goblin woman passed the walls with torches. She set them on fire, and in a moment, the room was brightly lit. Angelica looked with horror at the huge wardrobes and said:

 

“Elsa, I won’t be able to see all of them even for one week. Please help me!”

 

“I’ll help you,” the maid nodded.

 

She began to walk and open the wardrobes doors choosing something for Lica.

 

“Wait, wait,” the girl interrupted her. “First of all let’s choose something for Edward and then for me.”

 

Elsa came to the wardrobe in the far corner and opened it. “I think this ivory, velvet costume will suit the prince’s black hair perfectly!” the goblin woman said.

 

Angelica agreed with Elsa.

 

“Now for you!” she said.

 

She began to offer her dresses of various colors and styles.

 

“Has Margo got a dark blue dress?” asked Lica.

 

“Yes, she has,” nodded the goblin woman, “but do you really think I’d let you go to the ball, where our King will choose a bride, in such a macabre dress? No, no way! You have to shine and to be better than all other girls there!”

 

Elsa continued to get dresses out of the wardrobes.

 

“Here it is!” she exclaimed. “That’s exactly what you need!” The Goblin woman took from the depth of the paunchy wardrobe an airy, emerald dress.

 

“What?” Angelica amazed. “Green? Never in my life have I worn green! This is not my color!”

 

“Firstly, it is not green it is emerald!” the maid noticed. “And secondly, I can guarantee you that this dress will suit you great! I am not Elsa If I am wrong! Come on, try it on!”

 

Resisting for a long time, Lica at last put the emerald dress on. “Wow!” the goblin woman exclaimed delightedly. “Well, how is it?” She pulled out a large mirror and held it to the girl. Lica looked at herself and did believe her eyes. In the reflection, she saw a slim and graceful beauty. Her brown hair perfectly goes on with the color of the dress. Strange, but for some reason her eyes also became emerald green.

 

“I do look great,” she whispered.

 

“Now we’ll choose shoes, do your hair and you can go to the ball!” Elsa went somewhere behind the cupboard and pulled out a  pair of emerald high-heeled shoes.

 

“Here you are!” she turned to Lica.

 

The girl put on the shoes and winced slightly.

 

“They are a little tight,” she admitted.

 

“You’ll have to bear, anyway there are no other ones,” the goblin woman sighed. “Now, let’s think what I can do with your hair.”

 

The maid sat the girl in a chair, put the mirror in front of her and began casting over her head. They didn’t notice how evening came.

 

“Girls, where are you?” there was a voice of Margo from the corridor, and the witch went to the dressing room.

 

“Wow! You look amazing!” she said, looking at Angelica. “I think a diadem will be perfect with your new hairstyle. Wait a minute!” The witch quickly went out and came back with an exquisite diadem in her hands. She put it on Lica’s hair and said:

 

“Now, everything is perfect! Elsa, take the suit of Prince Edward, please!”

 

The Goblin woman took the outfit, which they had chosen with Angelica, and walked away.

 

“Judging by your appearance,” Margo smiled, turning to the girl, “you are very serious about Swein. Well, I wish you good luck!”

 

Lica flushed and nodded.

 

“Okay, I will leave you for a while. Come to the hall in about fifteen minutes.”

 

The witch went out of the room. Angelica sat down staring at herself in the mirror. Then she rose and headed to the exit.

 

When Lica came out of the cave, everybody was there. Prince Edward in his ivory waistcoat looked great. He looked at Lica and froze in amazement.

 

“Angelica...” he only managed to say. “Later,” Margo smiled, “you have to go!”

 

“But my hair,” Lica said plaintively, “the wind will mess it up.”

 

“My diadem is magic!” the witch smiled. “No matter how fast you are riding, your hair will stay ideal!”

 

“Thank you!” the girl said sincerely.

 

Prince Night helped her up into the saddle, and then jumped on his horse. Soon the two riders were galloping in the light of the bright moon towards the city of goblins.

Part 10. At Swein’s Palace

 

The road to the city of goblins seemed endless to Angelica. Prince Edward was always trying to talk to her, but she was off in a dream world and answered at random. At last they saw the walls of the city in front. The riders went through the gates into the city. The Prince slightly overrode the girl and said:

 

“You have probably never been in the palace, have you, Angelica?! So follow me, because you may get lost here.”

 

Edward pulled the reins, and his horse rushed forward. Lica fol-lowed him. The girl had been in the city of goblins many times, when she went to Margo, but she couldn’t imagine how huge it was! Many streets and alleys were scattering in different directions. Tall, odd buildings like fabulous monsters were hanging over them. It was even surprising that these houses didn’t fall - so strange they were. There weren’t many trees in the city, only low bushes. However there and here you could meet stone sculptures and monuments. Angelica was tirelessly turning her head and looking around in amazement at all that weird architecture. Seeing her expression, Prince Night smiled and asked:

 

“Something is surprising you?”

 

“Yes! All of them!” replied the girl. “These houses! They are five and eight-cornered. I am wondering how they don’t fall, they are not well balanced? Why there are very little trees? And why are so many statues?”

 

“Don’t you remember, Angelica, the goblins, in fact, live underground? They came from the caves. The years of living underground not only changed their appearance, but also left a definite mark on their culture and architecture. By the way, it’s worth to say that the goblins are skilled builders! They can build a house that is on all human laws simply must be destroyed, but if they do it, it will stand firm. Moreover, their homes are able to withstand not only the disasters, but also quite powerful volleys of cannon. What about the trees, I think you have already guessed... The trees do not grow underground!”

 

And Edward laughed.

 

At this minute, the riders went to the wide square. In the middle, there was an amazing fountain. A few streets were running from the square in different directions.

 

“I have never thought that the city of goblins is so big!” said Lica. “Oh, yes!” the Prince nodded. “It’s huge! Sometimes I am afraid to get lost in the endless maze of its streets too.”

 

“Tell me, Prince, a royal palace is also something like eight-cornered strange thing?”

 

“No!” the Prince laughed. “Swein is very close to the people both externally and internally. He built the palace of his own taste. By the way, around the palace there is a park, although the goblins became estranged from any vegetation.”

 

The riders turned into the next lane and came into a wide street, at the end of which Lica saw a lovely monumental building.

 

“Here is the palace!” Edward said.

 

Angelica spurred her horse in delight. In fact, she couldn’t wait to see the Goblins’ King.

 

No matter how our heroes were in a hurry but the ball had already begun. Lica and Prince Edward arrived at the magnificent fence surrounding the royal park. Strange trees, the names of which Lica didn’t know, grew here. Instead of leaves, the tree branches were covered with something like a multicolored scales. They were iridescent in the moonlight, giving the impression that thousands of small rainbows illuminated the road to the palace. Between the trees here and there, you could see flowerbeds. ‘Night Beauties’ of various sizes and colors saturated the air with their wonderful aroma. Next was a cascade of fountains on each side of which were rising carved, ivied alcoves.

 

“God, how beautiful!” Angelica gasped.

 

“Yes, Swein has a good taste!” agreed the Prince.

 

Our heroes passed the park and came to the amazing palace. A marble staircase led up to the high oak doors. Guards were standing at each step. They were fierce-looking goblins with a strange weapon in their hands. Angelica and Prince Edward dismounted and immediately a small goblin-servant ran up fawning and buzzing around them.

 

“Your Highness! We are so glad, that you have honored us with your presence!” he babbled. “Let me escort you and your charming lady to the palace!”

 

“Oh, no thank you!” the Prince Night said firmly. “We don’t need help. You’d better tell me, my dear, where the king and his father are now?”

 

“His Majesty is welcoming guests in the main hall. His father is on the balcony of the North Tower.”

 

“Excellent!” Edward said. “Then I suggest you to visit the father of the king first!”

 

He offered his hand to Angelica, and beautiful couple stepped the stairs to the palace. Prince Night and Lica came into a huge mirrored lobby and she saw how wonderful they look together with Edward. Loud music was heard from the massive door. Angelica staring at her in the mirror hesitated.

 

“What’s the matter?” asked Edward. “I do not know,” shrugged Lica. “Then let’s go!”

 

He pulled the girl’s hand, and they went into the wide doors opened by two goblin-lackeys. Bright lights blinded Angelica. She had already been at the balls for many times, but never seen such a splendor anywhere. It seemed to her that all the walls, furniture and everything in the hall was made of diamonds, emeralds, rubies and other precious stones. Along the walls and among the columns were placed sofas and chairs where ladies and courteous gentlemen were sitting and talking to each other. In the center of the room a lot of couples were dancing. Lica’s heart was pounding. The girl tried to see Swein among the dancers, but couldn’t...

 

“Now we are coming out of the hall into the northern corri-dor and going up the tower,” whispered the Prince in her ear.

 

He led Angelica along the walls and suddenly they turned somewhere. Our heroes now were in a long corridor with many guards by the walls.

 

“The guards are everywhere here!” Lica remarked quietly. “Swein’s father is very