NIGHT, I. Rin [ebook reader with highlight function TXT] 📗

afraid of his son’s life; the more Swein  has not fulfilled his destiny yet. That is why he decided to marry him as soon as possible. However, I personally have great doubts about Swein’s desire to marry!”

 

“Why?”

 

“Well, first, the king is too young, and secondly, I did not really notice that Swein was in love with someone.”

 

“For all that, he didn’t resist; he is at the ball, ready to choose the wife!”

 

“Hmm ... you do not know his father! If you had such a father, you wouldn’t have dared to do anything against his wish.”

 

The corridor ran into a spiral staircase.

 

“Is this the North Tower?” asked Angelica.

 

“It is!” Edward nodded.

 

He first stepped forward and helped Lica to climb the stairs. At the top of the tower was a spacious room decorated as the study. There was a massive wooden table, carved chair and lots of shelves full of books. A chandelier with lots of candles was hanging from the ceiling and many doors leading to the balconies.

 

“I am wondering on which balcony Swein’s father is now?!” the girl said softly.

 

“The best way to know it is to go to one of the balcony and see!” said the Prince.

 

He went to the nearest open door. Angelica paused for a mo-ment, and then went to the opposite balcony. She came out of the open door and the big bright moon in the sky immediately caught her eyes.

 

 “Oh, how beautiful!” the girl said.

 

“I absolutely agree with you!” she heard a thick voice.

 

Lica jumped and turned around. The balcony, where she was standing, was a semicircular. Not far from the girl in a comfortable chair an elderly... not clear who was sitting! He did not look like those goblins, who Angelica met before. However, he also was different from people by the color of his skin and unusual face.

 

“Do you like looking at the night sky?” the creature asked Angelica.

 

“Yes, especially at the moon!” Lica nodded.

 

“Oh! I can stare at the moon for hours!”

 

Angelica carefully looked into the stranger’s face and realized that it was Swein’s father. The same eyes, the same curl of the lips! At this moment, a little worried Prince Edward came in.

 

“Oh, you are here!” he said, seeing the girl. “I thought I had lost you!”

 

“Your lady, Prince, finds it wonderful to look at the moon!” Swein’s father said.

 

“Your Majesty! I’m sorry, I did not see you!” The Prince Night bowed.

 

“It doesn’t matter! When we are young, we don’t notice a lot of things!”

 

King’s father stood up and walked to Edward. Now Lica could see better how well-build and tall Swein’s father was.

 

“Now I see, Swein looks after his father,” thought Angelica.

 

Meanwhile, the Goblin shook the Prince’s hand and said:

 

“I am very glad that you came to our party! I think Swein would be delighted to see his friends too! By the way, Prince, you have not introduced me to your beautiful companion yet.”

 

“This is Angelica!” Edward said.

 

“You are charming!” said the King father.

 

He approached the girl and kissed her hand.

 

“Thanks for the compliment, Your Majesty!” Lica bowed. “I have come to you from the witch Margo. She asked me to tell you that, unfortunately, she couldn’t be at the ball today. Her brother came to visit her. They haven’t seen each other for ages.”

 

“Oh, Margo, Margo!” the Goblin sighed. “She is always busy! It’s a pity...”

 

Swein’s father thought a little then said:

 

“Well, I invite you to walk down the hall and join our guests, I think my son will be glad to say you hello!”

 

The father king went out and started down the spiral staircase. “I thought he was very severe, but in fact he was kind and gen-tle,” Angelica whispered in the ear of Edward, nodding at the goblin. “The first appearance can be deceptive!” the Prince smiled.

 

“Believe me, I’ve known Swein’s father for many years.” Edward and Lica were following the King’s father.

The brides’ ball

 

 

As they coming closer, the music got louder.

 

“Tell me, when the ball started and how many brides came?” Angelica asked the goblin and checked herself.

 

She did not know whether it is polite to ask such questions to the kings, and how they react on it?! But the father of Swein smiled and replied:

 

“The ball is already in full swing. What about the brides, I can tell you... I have invited all worthy girls from all the neighboring kingdoms. I am sure that Swein will choose a bride from them.

 

“And what if he does not want to get married?” Lica put her foot in the mouth again.

 

King’s father looked at her so that Angelica got cold feet. “In this case,” said the Goblin slowly, “we’ll have a man conversation.”

 

Now Angelica realized what Prince Edward had meant when he said: ‘the first appearance is deceptive’. Swein’s father, Prince and Lica went out of the tower, down the hall and came to the ballroom.

 

“Can I get some rest and smooth my ruffled feathers?” gently asked the girl. “I do not want to go out to the guests tired. The road here was long.”

 

“It’s all right!” said the goblin. “My servants will take you to a room where you can have a rest.”

 

He clapped his hands a few times and a familiar, quick gob-lin- servant ran up to him.

 

“Take this lady to one of the guest rooms!” ordered the King’s father.

 

The servant nodded and made a gesture to follow him.

 

“I’ll be waiting for you on the balcony that goes around the ball room,” said Edward.

 

Lica nodded. She quickly turned around and went after the servant. He led her into the spacious apartment where she could find everything what girls need. Angelica politely thanked the servant and sent him off. First, she took off her shoes with pleasure walking barefoot on the floor. Then she went to the mirror and looked at herself critically. Finally, she was pleased with her reflection; her hair was perfect, the skin looked pale and aristocratic.

 

“Thank you, Margo, for the diadem!” said the girl loudly. She sat down in the large armchair, closed her eyes and tried to relax. But different thoughts were running in her mind. “Well…” Lica thought “…with such father Swein just has to choose a bride today! What if he chooses me? Will I say yes or no? If I say yes, then I will humiliate Edward, and if no - then I’ll lose Swein forever! I don’t want it to happen!”

 

Angelica was sitting and thinking for another ten minutes, then suddenly she decided:

 

“First I should meet with the Goblins’ King and then we will see!” She rose from the armchair, put her shoes, which were already annoying her, on and slightly limping went out of the room. In the corridor Lica pulled herself together, smiled and went to look for Edward.

 

Servants pointed her the way to the second floor balcony and she almost immediately found Edward sitting on the sofa and drinking something tasty.

 

“I recommend you to try this strawberry smoothie!” said the Prince. “It’s very refreshing!”

 

“Later!” Angelica said. “And now, I think it’s time to say hello to our friend, Swein. After all, his father must have already informed him of our arrival!”

 

“I don’t think so,” the Prince Night smiled.

 

“In any case, let’s go!”

 

Prince Edward and Lica came out of the soft box towards the stairs leading to the hall. The guests were dancing in the ballroom. Suddenly Angelica noticed a dancing couple. A blonde, well-built man in a maroon dress was circling in dance with a blonde, long-haired young woman in a gorgeous pale lilac dress. Lica looked closer and recognized Swein in the young man!

 

“Wait, Prince!” she stopped Edward. “Don’t you think that young man in the maroon is our friend - Swein?”

 

She pointed to the center of the hall. For some time Prince Night was looked at the dancing couple, and then said:

 

“You are right, it’s him! But who is he dancing with? That’s a lovely lady!”

 

The needle of jealousy stung Angelica in the heart. She could not understand who she was more jealous - Swein or Edward...

 

“Let’s watch them from here!” proposed Lica. “Maybe we can find out who is the King’s partner.”

 

Edward agreed and smiled.

 

One dance changed to another, one tune then another melo-dy, but the Goblins’ King persistently invited to dance the same girl in a purple dress.

 

“This is already beginning to intrigue me!” the Prince Night laughed. “What a mysterious stranger turned our friend’s head?”

 

Angelica couldn’t see the girl’s face better as she almost did not stand still. At some point, it seemed that her face was terribly familiar to her. She narrowed her eyes, leaned forward, and finally recognized her... it was Prince Edward’s former fiancée!

 

“Bah!” the girl whispered. “The Goblins’ King didn’t lose his time at the ball of the princess!”

 

“Did you say anything?” asked Edward.

 

 “I have a surprise for you!” said Lica. “I know who Swein’s partner is - your ex-bride!”

 

A smile slowly slid off Prince’s face.

 

“It’s impossible...” he said quietly.

 

“Why not?” Angelica smiled. “You broke up with the prin-cess; she is beautiful and rich! Isn’t she a good bride for Swein?”

 

“No!” said Edward. “Not she!”

 

“But why?”

 

“Yes, because she’s... she’s... They do not fit one another!” the Prince sighed.

 

“Well, well,” Lica thought to herself, “I think Edward is not so indifferent to his exgirlfriend! On the other hand now it’s my advantage...”

 

Oddly enough, but at this moment she was more worried about losing Swein than being jealous of the Prince.

 

“Prince, let’s go down to the ballroom and greet the Goblins’ King!” Angelica said.

 

Edward nodded, gave the girl his hand and they walked down the stairs. At this time another dance had just ended, the music stopped, and Swein held his lovely partner to the sofa. The Goblins’ King and the Princess sat down to have some rest.

 

At the same moment, the double doors opened and Prince Edward with Angelica arm-in-arm entered the hall. This bright couple immediately attracted everybody’s attention. Lica looked around the room and noticed that only she was wearing such a bright green dress. Ladies whispered, looking at her admiringly and gentlemen sighed.

 

“The Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Night with his com-panion - Angelica!” announced a court servant.

 

Everyone applauded and began to bow to Edward. Seeing his friends, Swein stood up and went to meet them.

 

“Edward! It’s ages since we last met!” he cried, hugging the Prince, then stepped back and said:

 

“Gosh, I am so glad to see you! So, are you all right?!”

 

Then Swein went up to Angelica and kissed her hand. He said nothing, but in his eyes, she saw how exited he was. Then the king  made a sign to the goblin musicians, and the music started again.

 

Guests started dancing.

 

“We were watching you from the balcony, Your Majesty!” Lica smiled. “You were waltzing so nice! Maybe you should introduce us to your partner.”

 

Swein looked into Angelica’s eyes, smiled and turning to the sofa called:

 

“Veronica, come to us, please!”

 

The beauty rose from the sofa and smiling, came to Edward and Lica. Indeed, it was the ex-fiancée of Prince. There was an awkward pause.

 

“Veronica!” the Prince Night stammered. “I did not expect to see you here! You look wonderful!”

 

He kissed the girl’s hand.

 

“So, do you, Edward! This dark tan suits you so much!” “Where we were, the sun was burning unmercifully!” the  Prince confused.

 

The Princess