Survive the throne

Chapter Three 11-2

- So I choose anyone?

I advise you to take a closer look. said the sorcerer. “You see, even though you sit on the throne, in fact, it is your chosen one who will become the king. You are a princess by blood, when you mix your blood during the ceremony, he will also become a king by blood.

"And then I won't be needed?" I asked.

Aril moved the tray to the low table in front of the bed and nodded.

That's why I say: choose carefully. Alicia could fall for a pretty face, you - I hope - will be smarter.

“So he must be smart, not too ugly, and at the same time not dream of slaughtering me after my wedding night?”

“It’s a condition that you come back when everything works out. If they kill you, Alicia will remain in your body, and you poof!

— Burst?

- Become a ghost. Aryl replied, spreading his arms. “So your goal is really to survive.

I put my head in my hands and almost groaned. Now I hated this Alicia. She covered her ass, and threw me into the heat.

- Hey! - then she looked up and saw that the sorcerer was getting up and clearly preparing to leave. - Where are you going?

“I have a job other than taking care of the princess.

"Did you say you'd help me?"

- Didn't I help? Ariel frowned. “I can’t hang around you all the time. But here... hold on.

He was all like that, well, like a clot of darkness in the midst of a bright day.

Uh-huh, I'm evil, I'm dark, I'm hoo!

I silently extended my hand, which Aril intercepted, twisted unceremoniously and ... put on the ring.

- Like decided to get ahead of the applicants for me? was all she could ask.

In response, they sent me a gloomy look, in which there was a lot of amber, and very little sympathy. I understand, I understand: with such an appearance it is necessary to think about conquering the world, to torture people and non-humans, and not mess around with a princess in a pink peignoir.

“Put it on your finger, Alice,” they told me. - As soon as you feel danger or fall into it, then clench your hand into a fist. And mentally call me.

Seems like I've seen this somewhere before. Only there it sounded: "Stand before me, like a leaf before grass." Is it the same topic here?

- And you will come? she asked while she looked at the ring.

The most simple, I would even say nondescript. So, light metal and ligature of an unfamiliar language. For me, a person who grew up in a world without magic, but with technology, it was difficult to understand how it works. Although, if you connect the logic ...

— That is, when I clench my fist and call you, you get something like vibrations that are transmitted through the ring? And do you hear them?

- I hear the call of my blood, which is in this ring.

I swallowed and thought that this sorcerer obviously had some kind of bloody fad. Vaughn also smiles so strangely. And pulls to check if everything is in order with my neck. But he's not a vampire, is he? They are pale and do not live during the day.

While I feverishly recalled the signs of a classic vampire, Aryl was already heading for the door.

- Stop! I called out to him. “So what am I supposed to do, sit here all day?” But what about the duties of a princess?

Now your main duty is to survive. I will come in the evening. Pretend to be sick.

— Maps. I remembered. - Take a map of the kingdom and the world with you. I need to learn where I am.

Honestly, there was interest in his eyes. Just for a moment. Then he disappeared under an amber glow.

- I'll bring it. - He answered shortly and left the bedroom, tightly closing the door behind him.

And now I feel very uncomfortable. Strange, like Aril I have known for several hours, but next to him the sense of danger was somewhat dulled. And then it suddenly raised its head and began to whine. I sat in bed, and it seemed to me that the evil faces of the killers were peeking out from behind the paintings, flowers, windows.

Okay, I'm mean too.

I didn't want to lie down, especially since I felt quite well. But it seems like it is necessary to portray a sick princess. Or maybe she has books here?

There were no books in the bedroom. But in an hour I discovered a whole collection of perfumes, a dressing room, where almost all the outfits were in delicate shades and with a huge amount of lace, plus jewelry. Beautiful, with bright stones. But there weren't enough of them. Twisting the necklace in my fingers, I suddenly thought: why did this Alicia decide to escape to another world, and did not try to look for allies in her own? Is everything so bad here? Or does she simply not recognize half-measures?

A knock on the door made me jump. And she almost clenched her hand into a fist, screaming mentally for help. Stopped at the very last moment. First you need to understand who is there.

The knock was repeated, and then the door opened slightly and one of the maids timidly entered the bedroom.

— Aisa, vir Lorits is trying to get to you.

Who?

I silently looked at the maid, and she looked at me. So, obviously will wait for my decision. You have to answer something.

“Well…let him in.” — said, finally.

Cats are torn, I urgently need to learn how to talk like a princess.

The maid nodded and swept away like a whirlwind. There was a whisper behind the door, and then a man entered the bedroom ... but no, a man burst in.

- Cute! His hoarse whisper sounded like a spy movie. - Are you okay?!

Cute? Well, things are taking an increasingly interesting turn. Nobody told me about my beloved.

Chapter Four

What theoretically can a princess do when she sees a strange man who addresses her as “beloved”? Damn, I didn't know. And so I decided to be silent, blink my eyes and, just in case, pull the blanket towards me. My first mistake: I didn’t think to pull off the knife or fork from breakfast. And how should I stab him if he climbs?

— Alicia? - my silence clearly disturbed this vir Lorits. Alicia, say something?

I thought and put my hand to my forehead while letting out a deep breath. That's in vain. A moment, and this strange type was already sitting in an armchair by my bed. And grabbed my fingers in his paws. Okay, he doesn’t have paws, but very aristocratic palms. So narrow and slender. It is immediately clear that he did not hammer nails or cut firewood. In the same Aril, I noted both calluses and scars on his hands. The life of a sorcerer is clearly much richer than that of a courtier.

But I don't like this vir Lorits. I trusted my intuition and trust. And if she says that something is wrong with a person, then most likely it is so.

- I feel terrible. I moaned.

So, Alice, improvise. Vir Loritsa's eyes run too much.

“There are rumors that they tried to poison you.

- I do not know. I spoke in a whisper and rolled my eyes in pain. I was told to lie down and recuperate. I don't want to see anyone.

- Of course of course. Lorits also switched to a whisper. “I am aware that the Black Sorcerer cured you, although it would be better if he called the healers. After all, his job is to defend the borders. I bribed the guards to get in to you, despite the sorcerer's prohibition.

So, we make a note: the guards can be bribed.

- I'm glad to see you.

She clenched her fingers a little, as if to say that everything is fine. But with all appearance depicting an unfortunate patient.

“I have been to our royal healer. meanwhile whispered Lorits. “He asked me to tell you that he made a strengthening potion. It will restore the body better than the spells of the Black Sorcerer. Old Zeib has always helped you and me. Do you remember? With the same potion that keeps you from getting pregnant.

Here I could not resist and coughed. However, one surprise after another. Our princess is not a virgin. But what about the virgin beauty, the first night, the sheet there and all that? Or is it irrelevant here?

In any case, I wasn't going to drink anything. But Lorits continued to push the vial into my hand. Made of thick glass, very cold. Inside splashed on the first impression of ordinary water. I looked at his face carefully. Pretty man. More precisely, such a well-groomed. And quite young, about twenty years old. Blond hair combed back, facial features soft, as if oiled. Cute ... still not a man, but a boy.

"Is this just a potion to give strength?" she asked, still in a weak voice.

“Yes, yes, that’s it, my love.

“You know,” I drawled, and I myself gently stroked his hand with many rings. “You too, dear Lorits, look too pale. And does not matter.

“I was worried about you. The sorcerer did not let anyone in, after that he also ordered to leave you alone.

You are just a hero.

Now, Alice, let's smile wider. Like this. I stretched my lips into a smile and said:

“Drink some potion too, Lorits. You, too, would do well to add strength.

Vir Loritz turned even more pale, I would say almost turned green.

Alicia, how can I?! This is your medicine. I want you to get back on your feet as soon as possible.

"But I won't like it if you're freaking out for me either." Shall we share the potion? After all, we love each other. I smiled broadly. You see, we take care of each other.

“But I am a man. And unlike you, not in bed. Have a drink, Alicia, and you will immediately feel how you feel better.

I silently swirled the bottle. Well, yes, it looks like water, only intuition howled softly from a sense of danger. On the other hand, if the boy is her lover, then maybe he really cares.

The cork gave a soft “bang” when I opened the vial. For obvious reasons, she didn’t sniff, but immediately put Loritsa under her nose. He recoiled, grimacing.

- Why don't you drink? She asked very affectionately.

“After you, Alicia. I'll do whatever you want.

- Drink! I suddenly yelled.

Well, tired of these curtsies.

Pei said! she added louder, and Lorits jumped up and backed away. But where is he! I spilled almost the entire contents of the vial onto the veer's clothes. And she squeezed the ring when Loritz yelled and began to rip off his camisole, embroidered with shiny threads.

“Aryl, urgently!”

I think I screamed so mentally that I even heard an echo in my head.

The sorcerer appeared colorfully. First, someone big sighed in the room, then the space trembled a little and a portal appeared in the center of the bedroom. Aril came out of it and the first thing he did was point his finger at Lorits. After the barking of the sorcerer in a language unfamiliar to me, vir Lorits fell to the floor and remained there. Occasionally he just whimpered and shook.

It was he who offered to drink. I told Ariel. - ... la-i-i!

Well, it's just that I seem to have pulled the sorcerer off either from the bath or from something more intimate. Since he came to my bedroom in only ... well, I don’t know, probably they were underpants. Or breeches. In any case, apart from thin knee-length pants, he was wearing nothing else.

In general, while Aryl studied the contents of the bottle, I sat and looked at it. Hmm, why is it considered that the sorcerer must be pale and frail? It seems that this particular sorcerer decided to destroy all stereotypes. A lean and obviously strong body, muscles traced with sculptural precision, dark skin and strange golden tattoos on the shoulders.

Ariel looked up at me. We studied each other in silence for a couple of seconds, after which the sorcerer turned to Lorits with a sigh and squatted down in front of him. The howls from the Vir intensified.

- Boo! Aril suddenly said, pretending to want to point his finger at Lorits.

The howls turned into squeaks.

- He's going to faint. I got worried. And we won't know anything.

“No one will faint until I give permission. So, they tried to slip the poison “Gentle Kiss” on you.

— Hmm. - with this interjection, I expressed my attitude to the name of the poison.

— Yes, I agree. Aryl nodded, continuing to look at Lorits while I, in turn, looked at the sorcerer's back. “The poison tastes sweet and light. An hour later, the insides begin to literally fall apart. And it sometimes goes on for days. There is no antidote. Well, it is considered not. In fact, you can eat a powder of one mineral within a minute after taking it and drink it with a bottle of wine. But only for the first minute.

“I mean, it was Lorits who was trying to kill me all this time.

The sorcerer slowly straightened up and kicked the unfortunate poisoner with his foot. He sighed again and closed his eyes.

- Can't he talk?

- No, I deprived him of the opportunity to utter even a word or a cry, well, I immobilized him.

Aryl, obviously not without pleasure, kicked Lorits again. And he said with a hint of bitterness:

“Under the old king, there were no such snobs and bastards in the palace. It's one of your cousin's buddies. I don't know, the princess has... weird taste.

— I would say terribly spoiled. I muttered. — Cousin? Look, we need to interrogate him.

- Great idea. Ariel approved. - Now we'll do everything.

Just try without blood.

- I will try my best.

The sorcerer's smile did not bode well as he took Lorits and stepped into the opened portal with him. I managed to see a piece of dark furniture through it. I think it was a bed, and on it - red linen. However, the aesthetic

I didn't want to smile myself. In less than a day, they tried to kill me three times. And miraculously managed to escape. What to expect next?