«You showed an amazing valor,» said he with courtesy. «None of my people for any reward would have decided to approach the wild boar. And you defeated it alone.»
«No, my brother was with me,» I hurriedly objected.
Claude looked at me with displeasure.
«As you know, in our dynasty, the younger sons were always shy, milord,» he explained with cold courtesy. «I managed to get to the place of the battle, just that moment when Edwin beheaded the wild boar.
Such a lie from a calm and balanced Claude struck me. I almost dropped a glass of wine from the hands. To keep his impeccable reputation, he decided on a lie. The baron nodded restrained, thereby showing that he unconditionally believed him, and turned to me again.
«You are doubly bold, my prince. After all, my messenger must have explained to you which superstitions are common among the locals. You must be surprised that I sent for help to the court, but, as you can see, I myself am too old for such fun, like a winter hunting. In addition, at the courtyard there are fearless knights, you are a proof of that, and my people are afraid of everything that goes beyond their understanding. Perhaps most peasants are too afraid of this because of their illiteracy. Even the books in my library seem to them the work of magicians.»
«Do you have a library?» I asked. Talking about local superstitions began to scare me, because I remembered those creatures in the gorge and the statue.
«Oh, the rarest books are collected in my library. I have manuscripts written in the ancient languages, the works of philosophers and scientists,» wrinkled, but still very strong baron’s hand reached for a bundle of keys left on the table. «Do you enjoy reading books, your highness?»
«Honestly, I don’t know how to read very well,» after hesitation, I admitted and felt a thick paint poured my cheeks. I could not say such a wise and a steady senior that almost didn’t know the alphabet’s letters, but I practice a shooting and fencing every day. However, baron Raoul without words understood the reason for my embarrassment.
«Oh yes, the ability to fight with sword is valued above the diplomas,» he agreed. «In young years it was difficult for me to find time for enlightenment. I dare to notice, in military sciences you have surpassed your predecessors.»
«I assure you, another knight in my place would have done the same thing,» I looked around the empty places again.
«The guests went out, as soon as they found out about the wild boar,» the baron replied to an unexpressed question.
«And your heir?» I asked and myself was surprised at my audacity. Do I have the right to put in other people’s affairs, because I noticed that baron’s children are not in the castle.
«My son died a few years ago,» answered the baron. The intonation of his voice seemed to me strange.
«How did he die?» I immediately asked, but this time my question remained unanswered.
For the night, we were allocated the best apartments connected by adjacent doors. The idea that Claude sleeps behind the door, encouraged me. If it were not for the presence of a brother, then in this empty, an impregnable fortress I would feel like in a trap.
In the bedroom burned a few candles. The windows were pulled with heavy curtains, so the moonlight did not penetrate into the room. A jug and a glossy basin for washing stood next to the mirror. In the air was the heavy aroma of amber and some kind of incense. From such a strong mixing of the smells my head was spinning. Probably, only sorcerers can burn such fragrant oils and candles in their secret laboratories. I imagined the dungeon, many ancient books, magic things and curves mirrors. Young students of the warlocks mix poisons and potions, prepare magic elixirs and kneeling before books in precious salary before opening them. Voices coming out of emptiness are heard. Where does this vision come from. I stubbornly shook my head. This time my imagination was blown too much. Not undressing, I lay down on a narrow bed under thick, heavy canopy.
The magnificent folds of the matter were fastened on the ceiling and descended down, surrounding an uncomfortable bed like a tent. The bed could well be an old, hence the inconvenience. It seemed to me that I was sleeping on the stones, surrounded by a canopy of foliage. In the uneven light of the candles, I noticed a thin gold pattern, which stretched along the edges of the canopy like an ornament. It seems that many vintage letters and unusual characters are woven into the intricate patterns. I was literate enough to understand it. I have never had to see the inscriptions wounded on the material, but here they were, long and bizarre, like a magic spell.
I plunged into a shallow, disturbing sleep. When I woke up, the bedroom was immersed in the dark. I must have slept only a few hours. I closed my eyes again, but I could not get rid of the feeling that someone watches me from the darkness. I listened, no sound, silence and darkness became all thicker, and the danger was hidden under their cover. I felt someone’s unwanted presence in the bedroom. Suddenly, there was a fire, and I saw the baron.
«Let’s go, a beautiful prince, I have to show something to you,» said the baron. I obediently got up and went after him. We descended down the screw staircase. I did not even have time to capture the transshipment with the sword. The only weapon in the case of danger was a little instructed by pearl and mother-in-law dagger, which I always wore with me.
A black suit of the baron merged with darkness, and the elder face seemed just a mask silently hung in emptiness. I had to follow this silent ghost only in order to prove my courage. I added a step and soon stood with the baron, but I didn’t even decide to touch him, fearing that my hands do not fasten anything but emptiness. The candle’s light was becoming more dull and lifeless. Steps under the feet began to slide. I looked around and noticed that water drips from a low ceiling. Green moss pierced on the walls. We must have descended into the dungeon. I kept my hand over the wall so as not to fall, however, the baron moved surprisingly easily and cleverly, as if he was used to a long descent along a narrow slippery staircase.
Then we found themselves in a long corridor. I’m leaned about the wall and immediately pulled out my hand. The baron, having seen my confusion, immediately brought the candle closer to the wall. The dim flame snatched tiny drawings and symbols carved right on the stone. I looked at patterned letters, long bizarre inscriptions and small figures, even more elegant than those that the jeweler carries out on the female cameo. The image of a winged woman immediately attracted my attention.
«That genius, which made these inscriptions, believed in the legends about the fairies,» I said.
«No one knows how long the letters and numbers are carved on a stone. No sage can tell what it is written here. It is even possible that these are witchcraft’s symbols, and the walls themselves existed under the ground long before the building of the fortress.»
I heard some sound. Silent, patched steps. Someone invisible passed by me, someone laughed. Music female laughter was in my brain. I started choking, as if someone’s strong hand squeezed me throat.
«I ask you, take away from here. This is a bad place,» I prayed, but the baron did not listen to me.
«Do you not really feel that there is someone here!» I exclaimed.
«Everyone who first descends here, becomes bad,» the baron explained condescendingly. «But this corridor is not the worst. Let’s go further!»
My head began to spin and, nevertheless, I went ahead, risking in any moment to lose consciousness. What is it, a terrible dream? Some severity fell on me, as if the ancient walls were about to collapse and bury us both under their wreckage.