Раненая лань

Глава XII

Of course, Lucifer agreed to Godfrid's terms. He gave his consent through the guards, and then returned to the cell where he had been placed yesterday. This room is in the servants ' wing, so it's not very well equipped. But Lucifer was not used to being naughty – he had to sleep on cold ground, so any bed would be much better. But before he had time to think about today's busy day, there was a polite knock on the door and asked to take a room in the other wing. It is much larger, more spacious, the bed is softer, the wardrobe is larger. The Windows looked out directly onto the square where the Royal guard was lined up every day."I'm very glad you agreed, Lucifer," godfrid said, smiling as he came to visit a relative the next day. Yes, we haven't seen each other in fifteen years, but the most important thing is that you are home again! Lucifer smiled politely. Creople had never been and would never be his home. He didn't feel safe anywhere, not even in his native black earth, where Aiden ruled. But when these lands go to the rightful heir, he will return the order that reigned under the rule of Lucifer's parents ."I'm not the only one to be happy about. I am very glad that Princess Inessa has been found and is well, " Lucifer said, smiling.Only a blind man would have missed the flash of fury on the king's face. Godfrid did not like the reminder of his daughter. Lucifer wondered what had happened."Inessa would have been fine as it was. A mean girl who doesn't think about how much effort we all put into her. The only thing that she can do is to be capricious and indignant. She escaped from the castle and hid in a Vulture's Nest for two days. What was she thinking? She has everything a fifteen-year-old girl dreams of, but she keeps finding reasons to piss me off. Poor Zarai, if she had known what was happening to her daughter, she wouldn't have been able to stand it. Lucifer drew conclusions from what he heard. And he did not like these conclusions very much. Godfrid doesn't like Inessa. He needs it only in order to provide the Union with Katona. Perhaps, if these two States unite, it will be possible to defeat Haystar in the war. And the only condition under which this is possible is Inessa's marriage. Few people will give up blood ties with the ancestors of the elves. But Lucifer didn't believe all this nonsense. He should have that blood, but he didn't feel special. Old legends are not always true, no one has proven that elves existed. And even if they did exist, no one knew if they shared children with humans. Everything is based on guesses and assumptions, but godfrid is so proud of his elven origin, weaving it wherever possible, that now many people believe it."I have heard that Inessa is promised to the Prince of Keptun," Lucifer said carefully, " but you can make an Alliance with Haystar. You can marry Inessa to Alvarez. He will benefit from this marriage. Then we can avoid war. Why do we need so many victims?"Sometimes violence is the best way to show people that they are wrong," Godfried said. I don't want others to look at me and think I'm forgiving. Haystar must be punished. And you can help me punish him. Lucifer did not share godfrid's opinion, but he did not try to change The king's mind. It won't work anyway. The power had affected this man too much. As once influenced and Queen Adele. And godfrid , like James, was very much like her. So he wasn't too surprised when he heard the king's response. Godfrid rarely removed the crown from his head, and apparently fancied himself almost a God. This scared Lucifer . What could be worse than a narcissist is the king?-Okay, I know, Lucifer did not look for trouble."I plan to go hunting next week. A deer was surrounded for me. I'd love you to come with me. -I don't like hunting, trying to get out Lucifer ."That's not a request. I will need you. Godfrid nodded good-bye and left the room, only pausing in the doorway on the way out and saying, " very soon I will call a meeting of the Sejm. Up to this point, you are free to do what you want, but without leaving the vicinity of the city. Aiden put too big a bounty on your head.The ban on leaving the city did not surprise, but Lucifer did not like it . In Creople, everyone knew who they were and where they came from. He didn't want to see disapproving looks, didn't want to hear whispers of discontent behind his back. He wanted to let himself relax. Lucifer had not often been able to afford to go to bars where he could get drunk and find a woman for the night who didn't look at him with such disapproval. Now he could spend all night at least, but godfrid forbade even putting his nose out of the castle gates.A very strange feeling came over Lucifer . He never rested as much as he needed. And now he has time that he can spend usefully for himself. For twenty years, he hasn't been able to sleep as much as he wants, go where he wants, eat as much as he wants. All his life, people decided everything for him, and now he has a chance to manage his own life. But how? Lucifer was taken aback. He didn't know what to do. There's nothing to do in the room, and there will probably be a lot of rumors going around outside that he doesn't want to hear. But it's better to do something on the street than to sit and die of boredom in a dusty room.First of all, he decided to visit the market square, which was full of people every weekend. He didn't have much money, and most of his savings went into the stable boy's pocket. Lucifer had just agreed to work for Godfrid, and they hadn't talked about paying yet. Therefore, today he goes to the market just to see what has changed.Trays full of apples, pears, and plums were always first. Near the entrance, Lucifer smelled fresh fruit and vegetables. My heart warmed with pleasant memories of running to the square with Yulai after training. Then there were shops with fish, meat and sweets. Few people can afford to buy sweets that have always been very expensive. You can always see children admiring beautiful lollipops of various shapes and sizes, marmalade of different flavors and nuts in a multi-colored glaze. It is not clear how this happened, but right behind the sweets Department was a dark, gloomy alley where various potions were sold. By law, no one had the right to openly sell potions of category C or higher. But everyone knew that in this place, any wealthy person can buy a couple of bottles of living death. Lucifer had always been terrified of this alley , and now he didn't even want to see those grim counters. Today, he wanted to devote a walk and a simple rest. But, unfortunately, this could not be done.Of course, the market had expanded in fifteen years, and at first Lucifer was confused. Now they sold not only products, but also simple things - thread, fabric, and even a Shoe repair shop. But the atmosphere itself has not changed - the same serenity and calm.People didn't even look at Lucifer . Everyone was not up to it. Mostly, there were only women in the square, their heads covered with headscarves from the sun. Children bounced under their feet, now and then interfering with the adults. Lucifer felt the same way he did when he was on the training field. Right now, Lucifer felt homesick for this place. He would give anything to go back and run away from training here with Yulai and Bashar. His thoughts returned to his dead companions, and he tried to distract himself. He didn't really want to be sad right now.However, his attention was distracted by the crowd. There were always a lot of people on the streets on Sundays, but now there were too many of them in one place. Lucifer immediately sensed that something was wrong. Something strange, or even scary, is happening. Watching the crowd from afar, Lucifer tried to move cautiously behind it. Soon they left the market and moved towards the embankment of the square. Men, women, and children whistled, cackled, and threw things at the center of their group. Lucifer could not understand what was going on, and he knew that it was dangerous to get involved in this crowd. There were more and more people, shouting like madmen, pushing and trying to break through to the center. As soon as they reached the embankment, where there was much more space, Lucifer realized what was happening and was horrified.He had seen people kill innocent girls before. Being sure of the existence of witches, they saw every girl with a distinctive appearance as an evil force. Witches did exist, but they would never allow humans to capture them. These creatures could destroy entire villages with a snap of their fingers, let alone kill a handful of people. Real witches are too smart and strong, people will never be able to catch any of them. But the people of distant villages never thought about it. They saw a threat in everything that was different from their usual way of life. They did terrible things to protect themselves and their family. Lucifer remembered how a five-year-old Golden-haired girl with different eyes was thrown to hungry wild dogs that were bred for meat and skin. The child's screams and growls were heard throughout the village for several minutes. People felt relieved, it seemed that there was no sound more pleasant than the screams of a dying five-year-old girl. Lucifer couldn't stand it. He cried that night. He had never taken such a liberty before, but he couldn't stand it. The girl's face kept coming back to me, laughing carelessly with other children on the street, and then the image was replaced by heart-rending screams. The people in the village slept better, knowing that the witch was dead and no one else could harm them. Only two people didn't sleep a wink that night:Lucifer and the girl's mother.Now, about a hundred people were standing on the embankment of the square and thirsting for blood. Lucifer was never able to see this unfortunate woman, who was so unlucky to be born either too beautiful or too ugly. He could only hear people shouting: "Witch!", "Kill the b***h" and other insults. Lucifer pushed his way through the crowd, pushing people aside and ignoring their screams. He refused to believe that people in Creople were capable of killing innocent people. What happens in the far corners of the Kingdom should not happen in the heart of it. People here aren't that stupid... But the faces of the townspeople said otherwise. They wanted to see a brutal murder. They wanted blood. And they will get it.The only hope for ending this absurdity was the soldiers patrolling the streets. But no one came up and tried to find out why everyone was here. Lucifer decided to approach the two guards, who were watching without interest."I'm sorry, but is it normal for people to gather here in such numbers?" Lucifer asked ."A witch is being executed here," only one answered."But it's not a witch!" - Lucifer was finally able to catch a glimpse of the frightened face of the dark haired girls that were not less than four terrified guards.On a wooden stage near the water stood the king's Herald in a polished and starched blue suit. In his hands he held a scroll with the Royal seal. As soon as Lucifer saw the Royal seal on the paper, he thought that there was some mistake. It can't be that the king himself gave permission for this whole circus.- Look, can you just get out of here and not cause any problems? Lucifer was no longer listening to the guards. His heart sank. The Golden-haired girl with multicolored eyes was still standing in front of my eyes. Then there was nothing he could do. Nor can it now.Four guards roughly placed a girl who couldn't have been more than fifteen on the stage. There was an ugly birthmark on half of her right cheek, but even with it, she was beautiful. The girl raised her tear-stained eyes to the crowd, where they looked at her only with condemnation and hatred.-By order of the king... "a witch is being sentenced to death for setting fire to four merchant wagons and killing six guards who guard them. In addition, she is accused of burning villages Lingel, the Dead lands. The Sejm passed a just punishment for this act - death. The king approved this punishment.Lucifer did not hear the rest of the text. The crowd cheered and threw stubs and rotten vegetables at the poor girl. Lucifer strode toward the stage, but the guards caught him by the arms."You'd better go, Monsieur, I'm afraid you'll have to stand next to the witch," one of them said. Lucifer pulled his hand away. He was well aware that he could pay with his life if he tried to interfere with the Royal "justice". He felt angry. Godfrid is no different from his abusive mother.When the bag was thrown over the poor dark-haired girl, Lucifer heard it again - a cry of despair. It was heartbreaking to watch, but the man didn't leave. He knew better than to see it, that he didn't want to witness a murder, but he couldn't move. As if in slow motion, he saw the girl's leg tied to a rock, as she struggled as she was picked up and carried to the water. The closer she was brought to the rail, the louder she screamed and the more enthusiastic the people hooted. Despair swept over Lucifer's head. He can't just stand there and watch an unjust punishment happen before his eyes. But it is impossible to save the girl. A whole square of people gathered here, who came to watch the death of the culprit of all their troubles. Many of them do not even think that if this girl was a real witch, she would have demolished the entire square brick by brick.The small body hidden behind the bag fell into the water. And at that moment, the crowd literally exploded. Lucifer's ears filled with cheers. He looked around, studying the people around him. There were also children who huddled fearfully against their mothers, teenagers who imitated adults. For all these people, killing this girl is a real celebration. Lucifer began to feel sick. He hurried away, casually pushing people in his way. My head was spinning and I could taste bile in my mouth. He threw up in a nearby alley. His ears were ringing, and he could still hear the screams of people who had already become quieter. And how often do such events take place? How long will Godfried support killing people for fun?It was ten minutes before Lucifer found the strength to rise. The ringing in my ears was gone, and I could still taste the bile in my mouth. But it wasn't his physical condition that bothered the man now. He knew that he would have nightmares tonight. He would never forget the heart-rending screams and screams of the entire crowd until the day he died. How long would it take for them to stop coming to him in his dreams? How long does it take for him to stop feeling depressed? I couldn't help but remember how he had killed women, men, teenagers, old people, and children. These guards, like himself, only follow the instructions of their superiors. Lucifer didn't remember returning to the castle. He only remembered falling into his room and immediately falling on the bed. Another death on his conscience. He knew in his mind that there was nothing he could do to help her, this pretty girl. But at the same time, he knew he was guilty. Lucifer killed and tried not to think about the fact that these are real people who are often innocent of anything. However, it wasn't every night that Lucifer could sleep soundly and not think about it. It was about the same feeling now. Guilt that seems to eat away at you from the inside. Lucifer hoped to doze off, but he couldn't. Anger was building inside him, and he wanted very much to talk to Godfrid about it. He didn't know how the king would react to his request to talk, but he knew it was necessary. The sooner the better.But Lucifer couldn't do that now. The only thing he could do was wait. Wait and try not to think about what happened. We need to unwind. And Lucifer knew what would help him.As a Punisher, he didn't have time to think too much. He was often too tired to worry about anything. And now he needs to be just as tired. And physical activity will help him in this. When your whole body aches and you are ready to fall at any second, you do not think that something terrible has happened. Therefore, physical training was the ideal option. But now there is training on the training field, and you will not be able to train properly.Moreover, the Lucifer sword was never returned. The old, heavy, and inconvenient blade should have been changed long ago, but it was still not possible. Now is the perfect moment. But there is no money to buy a sword. Not even enough for a rusty stick. It remains to wait for a conversation with Godfried, which will allow you to purchase weapons. Lucifer knew a place in the castle that few people know about. This is an old abandoned square near The vulture's Nest. People didn't like this place and were afraid of it.  Lucifer himself felt uncomfortable there, because he believed in the existence of evil spirits. But choosing between a society of people or Evil, which is fast asleep, in this situation, he will choose the latter. According to the wizard, Lucifer's soul is black and will feel better around Evil.Dried-up rose bushes and last year's leaves greeted Lucifer with a dull rustle. Even the weather itself has deteriorated - instead of the sun that shone an hour ago, gray clouds appeared in the sky. It was so quiet that Lucifer could hear his own footsteps on the pavement. All he had to do was find the place where he had been sitting with Yulai all the time. Lucifer clearly remembered the two of them hiding here from Bashar and ADO. And no one could find them until they came out of their hiding place.To feel safe and at home again, Lucifer had to squeeze into their old nest. Previously, these were dense bushes that hid the boys from prying eyes. Now they were dried thorns, breaking with a dull c***k under Lucifer's weight . Now it took up all the space, although before it could have held three boys. He wished he could stop comparing the past with the present, but it was too difficult. Love for Yulai - all that made Lucifer laugh, Wake up in the morning, feel alive and needed at least someone. Only now did the man begin to understand the terrible truth-Yulai Sadar is dead. Is dead. The first tear fell on the dead leaves. Black thunderclouds were closing in on the castle, and it would rain heavily in half an hour. But Lucifer didn't want to say goodbye to the past. He sat and remembered every happy moment of his childhood, and the tears ran down his cheeks and fell on the asphalt. This is wrong. People like Yulai shouldn't die. His hand went to the pocket where Lucifer wore the ring. He got it from his mother, who wore it before meeting his father. This ring had only one magical ability - to adjust to the size. Therefore, Lucifer could wear this ring with black jade, but never put it on. It was the only reminder of his parents, and he didn't want to think about them when he killed other people. He is sure that they were always close to him, but after each murder they moved further and further away. They definitely didn't see their son as he really is. And that's the worst part. Lucifer sat looking into the depths of the stone. It glistened in the rays of the sun going behind the clouds, and in the light it shimmered so beautifully that the man involuntarily forgot everything he had thought about earlier. But as soon as the sun disappeared completely, there was movement inside the stone. Just for a moment, big light brown eyes peering fearfully through the stone. Lucifer blinked in surprise, and the vision faded, but it remained in his memory for a long time.