Unconquered Sun

by Philipp Bogachev

  But Prinze did not listen to it. He so was surprised their "zhivopodobnost" as it about itself(himself) christened their manner of behavior. Having forgotten the offense, with astonishment asked, indifferently:

  - Listen, the Invincible Sun and why in all these gardens you have no live birds and animals, live plants and a grass?

  - And why they to me? - right there the answer followed. - They are vile, carnal, dirty. Gold is perfect. My perfection does not suffer dirt near itself.

  - But why then to you gold?

  - Because I so want, clearly? Do not ask silly questions! - The prince felt strong heat in heart again, but only for a moment.

  - Look at it better, - suddenly, indifferently, quietly said the Voice, and invisible force pushed it back, in garden depth.

  There in a secluded shady bosk, too, however, gold, two huge gold statues of the Man and the Woman sat on huge (in three or four human growth) gold thrones. They were dressed in short gold tunics. From shoulders they were fallen by magnificent gold cloaks. The heads crowned royal diadems. They held hands and looked at each other with some voluptuous desire.

  - How to you?

  - Somewhere I already saw it, - Prinze told ingenuously, inspecting them from legs to the head.

  - The fool, these statues are made according to my sketch, nobody could think up them more! Unless you do not recognize them?

  The prince attentively looked... and to it for an instant it became bad. The woman in this composition was beautiful and perfectly familiar to it - it was the same full-faced zolotovolosy beauty with the gaping holes instead of eyes from which the sunlight streamed.

  But man...

  "Creator!" - suddenly reached Prinze. Same there was IT and - not it is at the same time.

  It seems, all features and figures, as at it. But look... strange if not to tell, terrible. The look was any HUMAN, repellent, but that in it was it, Prinze could not understand in any way.

  At last, he understood everything. Looking at itself, he had approximately the same feeling as though he saw himself the dead! It was Prinze, all features were its, but it was dead Prinze as an effigy of once live bird. On a face it had nothing live. Instead of it - some heartless mask. Such impression that at Gold Prinze the soul was absolutely burned, is burned heart, his love to the Beautiful Fairy is burned. It was NOT the person, but some heartless idol, an idol, the real Prinze's shadow any more …

  - Well as, it is pleasant to you? - again there was in consciousness an impatient voice of the Invincible Sun.

  - The best and cannot be presented, - Prinze lay. - But from where such similarity to me?

  - And - and - and - hectare - and-and! - metal hand bells rang out with the strengthened frequency. - Guessed? When I created the sketch, I did not think of it. But then, when saw you in a mirror, at once learned. By and large, only therefore you also survived, - as if by the way She ingenuously told. - Already then I estimated your sincere qualities …

  - It is destiny, Prinze, - at last, after some silence, She added. - You arrived on time to me, you even itself do not suspect as far as... However, everything is good in its season!

  5.

  Meanwhile the last beam of the dying sun went out behind the horizon.

  However the garden at the same time did not plunge into darkness. On the contrary, he became even more beautiful. Each tree, each leaflet, each flower suddenly from within lit up light inherent in it: gold trees - solar-yellow, silver leaves - lunar-silvery, flowers - sapphire-blue and ruby-red, a grass - emerald-green. It was really tremendous show!

  The prince remembered a New Year's Eve at once. New year is the most favourite holiday at fairies. For this holiday they light magic sparks too, decorate houses with illusions of trees, herbs and flowers, sing the songs devoted to New Year. This night usually go for a walk in the wood and there too decorate trees and a grass with sparks, light magic fire and at this fire arrange dances, with music and fireworks. But the culmination of a holiday are live fairy tales! By means of special spells to guests the bright shining illusions of fantastic heroes come and begin to show them the history. The prince with kids just adored this holiday. Especially - viewing of fairy tales. Usually it took both on knees and all of them three together watched the fantastic representation recovered by the Fairy …

  - As it is beautiful! - Prinze gasped and clapped. - It is direct as on New Year's Eve, not worse!

  - Tried, - said the Voice enough. - I already said to you that in a day they accumulate light, and then all night long it is radiated. You by the way notice nothing?

  The prince attentively looked round.

  - Monkeys ceased to squall, and parrots with birdies too …

  - Yes, I put in them the program to sleep at night, as at the presents. But now you are expected by a surprise …

  And it is right. After a while the most real night nightingales started singing, clatter of the real cicadas was distributed, and night moths by air began to fly. However, having looked narrowly, Prinze disappointedly sighed - nightingales, cicadas and moths were made of silver. He suddenly intolerably wanted to leave this artificial paradise. He was tired of all this dead magnificence, there was a wish to be alone.

  - Hey! We so did not agree! What did you skuksitsya again? I showed not all to you!

  The prince wearily smiled.

  - I just am a little bit tired, the Invincible Sun. I want to have a rest … I for the present the person, from flesh and blood, - and Prinze yawned as it is possible more widely.

  - Eh ty-y-y-y … And I was only adjusted to continue to play, and you … Well, we will go. So and to be, I will lay you, and I will show the most important to you tomorrow.

  With these words invisible force pushed him in a back again, and the path covered with gold dust softly began to sparkle in darkness.

  At last, having appeared in the room in which woke up in the morning, Prinze first of all went to a bath. Doors, as well as in the morning, were silently opened.

  When reception of a bathtub was ended, magic mirrors by itself almost went out. They radiated only the weakest soft golden light not to irritate eyes and not to prevent Prinze to fall asleep. On a chair the Prince found a golden silk pajamas in which immediately changed clothes.

  However Prinze should have lain down as he felt that on a bed there is someone else …

  - You what it, was going to sleep perhaps? - and in his head the ringing of gold hand bells was again distributed. The prince from disappointment nearly bit through to himself a lip - even in the room he is not one!

  Really, and what else he could expect? And in last night the Invincible Sun was here, read his mind and memoirs as the opened book, just he did not notice it in a dream.

  - Yes, the Invincible Sun, I already want to sleep. Unless you cannot leave me though for the night at rest? - could not hide Prinze's irritation.

  - I cannot. It is boring for me! - in its voice whimsical notes sounded. - I, unlike you, NEVER SLEEP!

  - Well and that I can do with it?

  - As that - not to sleep with me! You at me on a visit, you also have to entertain me!

  But Prinze turned to the Invincible Sun a back (he felt heat on the right side of a wide double bed) and muffled in a blanket. Hid the head under a pillow.

  But far from it! A hot touch as if whiff of the heated breeze in the desert, took place on a back from the neck basis to a belt.

  - E-hey! At-and-ints! Not spi-i-i-i! And well do not sleep - speak to you! Not spi-i-i! And I will tickle that to death! - the persistent voice and not less persistent touches to a back and shoulders was distributed. - You want, we will go, I will suit you a night dinner with the real candles, wine and music … Let's dance …

  - I want to sleep! - desperately Prinze in a blanket muffled, as if it could cover it from persuasive stickings of the hostess of the Gold Tower.

  - Well everything, you thrust! - and here Prinze felt that he begins to be tickled on all body as though couple of tens annoying murashy
began to run on skin.

  The prince violently laughed, twitching all over.

  - Stop-and-and! Stop-and-and! I am afraid of shchekotki-i-i-i!

  - And I know and I will tickle you until you tell that you will not sleep!

  - Not bud-at-at! Not bud-at-at-at! - and the tickling right there stopped.

  - Give, lay down back … here so … and I will tell you the fairy tale …

  The prince laid down and felt a light touch something air to the temples and ears. And the stream of thoughts and images began to spin in his head …

  … He saw the beautiful girl on a shop in a shadow of The Cherry Orchard. All space near a shop was covered with a carpet of the fallen-down gentle-pink petals. The girl sat and sang something to herself under a nose. It was really very beautiful and … is sad. It had a wonderful roundish face, almond-shaped celestial-blue eyes, chubby sponges and a little snub-nosed nose. On golden face skin freckles were seen. The most surprising it had her magnificent gold hair …

  The prince did not sustain and asked it:

  - Hey, why you are so sad, the beauty? Whether with your beauty to be such sad!

  She attentively looked at it and ceased to sing to herself under a nose. Only now Prinze noticed a small doll in her hands. His daughter had the same doll, she called it "sweetie". It was the doll-mladenchik in an infantile baby's undershirt with a pacifier in a mouth …

  - Hey, the beauty, and that it at you in hands? - again Prinze asked.

  - This is my sweetie, - the girl told.

  - Good … - Prinze approvingly told.

  - No, not good! - suddenly with crying the girl exclaimed. - Not good! It is not live! He does not cry! He does not eat and does not drink! He is a DEAD! - and in a hysterics threw "sweetie" deep into of a garden.

  The prince felt sorry for the girl. He sat down near it on a shop and took her by hand. It turned out such hot! As the metal subject which lay down on the hot summer sun.

  - Hey, do not cry … - Prinze whispered and wiped tear hands from its full cheeks. - Give, I with you will play! Here you will see, it will become better for you …

  - Give! - it is suddenly pleased the girl told, and her eyes lit up strange fire from which to Prinze it became a little bit terrible. - Only I will play with you, and you will be my SWEETIE, clear now?! -

  The girl's face became in the eyes prompt to be changed. From eyes the stream of a dazzling sunlight rushed. The person began to radiate light as the real solar disk. At Prinze eyes began to water and ached. He recoiled, but the girl promptly as the snake, threw the arms round it a neck - her hands were not in a maidenly way strong. She clasped it, pressed to a back of a shop and literally stuck the fiery lips into his lips. The prince felt weakness and flabbiness in all body again, acute sense of pleasure pierced each section of his body and he felt that he fails in some fiery chasm …

  Chapter 10. Secret Plan.

  1.

  The prince woke up because that sunshine of already highly risen sun prevented it to sleep. The prince wanted as he usually did it, to hide a face under a pillow, will turn away, but … could not! The body refused to obey him. The prince it is disturbing opened eyes, but even he could not turn a neck. All body was wadded, flabby, weak. Such impression that from his muscles someone exhausted all vital force. Yes in addition and the head hurt, thoughts were confused.

  - Well as you feel? - at the very same time the familiar metal Voice was heard in the head.

  - I … I … cannot … there are no forces … - hardly whispered Prinze's lips which almost are not moving, baked. Even this effort was given it with great difficulty because he did not faint hardly again. Not to hold more eyelids in forces opened, he closed eyes.

  - It is clear … - gloomy said the Voice. - It seems that I did not restrain yesterday and was overzealous …

  - How? - Prinze thought.

  - And you what, you remember nothing? - with astonishment She asked.

  The prince tried to remember. Everything that was before the Invincible Sun decided "to tell it the fairy tale", he remembered well. And then … Some continuous fiery haze which is breaking off interiors feeling of fiery pleasure, from which pomutnyalsya reason and … all was always on the mind. Blackness.

  - It is clear … - summed up the Invincible Sun even more gloomy. - You were weaker, than I thought. You had a thermal shock which caused loss of consciousness and partial loss of memory moreover and, apparently, partial paralysis of nervous system, atrophy of muscles and many other things … Proklyatye! I spoke to myself, stop, but could not … Well, nothing, we will quickly put you on legs, not late …

  The voice in Prinze's consciousness stopped, but it was even heavy to think to it. And as soon as he remained one, felt that his consciousness "leaves" somewhere. In the head some scraps of images - persons began to jump, objects, silhouettes - and it began to fail in some chasm again …

  … Out of which he was brought by sharp breast pain.

  The prince shuddered all over. He hardly opened eyes and saw directly over himself the white-bearded person with a big turned-up red nose, in round points and a white hat. White-bearded held in hand some thingummy reminding a poker in which nasal part something crackled.

  - The master, apparently, he regained consciousness … - the voice from where on the right, out of striking distances of eyes of Prinze as the head it could not turn was distributed.

  - I see, Nulf, I see … And it is good - to abuse an electroshock, remember, it is impossible - heart can not sustain, - having lifted up thick as sausage a finger, the bearded man instructively said. And then addressed Prinze. - Your Highness, how many fingers you see?

  The gray-bearded dwarf - and it was a dwarf, will not confuse their long broad beards and turned-up noses with anything - showed him three fingers. But Prinze for some reason saw nine at once.

  - Nine - whispered disobedient lips of Prinze.

  - It is clear … It is necessary to carry urgently it to laboratory, Nulf. How many it has temperature, measured?

  - Higher norms five times, almost like at a hot teapot - and sprinkled, but right there got it in the neck from gray-bearded. - A stretcher, quickly, it is necessary to carry it to laboratory urgently. Here not to laughter. If he dies, the Yellow Queen with you will make two new gold statues for the garden of us, understood?

  The answer did not follow. It was clear that the invisible interlocutor gray-bearded, most likely, only scaredly nodded. Hasty steps and a roar of the approaching cart were heard.

  - Hey, you, a piece of iron, and well quickly shift its Highness to the cart! Yes is accurater, and on the spare part I will sort that, vividly! - Nulf shouted.

  The prince felt how him it is careful as baby, took on hands and transferred to the cart. In a mirror he saw how the high gold golem undertook handles of the cart and carefully drove it along a corridor.

  In eyes at Prinze again all floated. He saw infinitely lasting mirror ceilings, walls, doors which as in a kaleidoscope changed the situation is constant, but from a type of all these jumping walls, ceilings and doors to it it became even worse, the head ached, and therefore he closed eyes and again plunged into darkness …

  … This time from darkness it was pulled out by the dazzling and bright light arresting directly attention. Someone's hands in the white elastic gloves reminding feina raised to it eyelids and with something shone in them.

  - Well as, Nulf? - the familiar voice was distributed.

  - The pupil is narrowed, it seems in consciousness, the master.

  - Z-218, give it in physiosolution, quickly!

  Again someone's strong hands lifted Prinze and shipped in some heat bath.

  It became at once better for the prince and so that he independently could open eyes and open lips and even to move the head a little.

  The prince looked round. It lay in the cylindrical bathroom filled with some muddy warm liquid reminding meat broth which resembled it that it boiled as soup on a plate. However, just could seem.
As soon noticed Prinze, actually liquid did not boil. Just in it there were many bubbles which under pressure of air from below emerge and thus mass all parts of a body. It was very pleasant to be in such bathroom. The prince blissfully stretched.

  - Nulf, well as?

  - It is much better for it, the master, began to move.

  - I said what will work! - triumphantly exclaimed gray-bearded which as saw Prinze, pottered at the table filled with test tubes and retorts. And near it the gold idol was motionless, probably, expecting further orders. - That is and - and - ak …, is seemingly ready …

  Gray-bearded, at last, poured out some mix with which conjured hitherto, in a long thin beaker and approached closely Prinze.

  - Well, your Highness, open the mouth, here so … so … ta-a-a-k … You see, you can! And now … crack! - and all! - the dwarf the fast movement poured in a mouth to Prinze in some bitter wish-wash. The prince has convulsively a fit of coughing and made a grimace. Burned a stomach as fire, but at the same time in the head sharply cleared up, and the body felt inflow of forces.

  - There now now quite another matter! Quite another matter! - enough the belobrody dwarf rubbed hands and Nulfa tapped on the shoulder. The young dwarf pupil at whom the beard only just began to grow was him. - It's in the bag, my dear. If this is so reacted, so my method was right. Nothing - we will put it on legs! Through couple of days will run as a gopher across the field!

  At this moment something was changed. The prince at first did not understand that.

  Both dwarfs suddenly sharply turned in other party and fell on knees, having inclined the heads, and the gold golem got up on a rack "quietly". Then already Prinze saw familiar reflection in a mirror which, of course, were everywhere, even in laboratory.

  - Well as he feels? - with alarm notes in a voice, the solar sorcerer asked.

  - Everything is all right, madam, everything is all right, - gray-bearded hasty began to chatter, without rising from knees. - Motive reflexes come back, reaction to light is normal. To steam of days in physiosolution - and we will pump up his muscles anew. Will run as a young deer, madam!