Fairytale chosen

by Maya Shepherd

  No river too deep,

  No mountain too high

  for

  Love wage.

  11

  Phoebe and Daphne were gone a full three days to Erina suddenly in a hurry pounded Heera’s door.

  "Daphne is back!" She shouted excitedly and ran on to give the other chosen ones also know. Heera bustled during which the window and peered at the road leading to the castle: There Daphne went into curved posture. Her once pink coat hung in thin shreds from her shoulders. The blonde curls were tousled and scratches that littered her body were to see themselves from a distance. What terrible fate could have happened to the girl?

  Just like any other Heera stormed out of her room in the direction of the throne room. Even Prince Lean and his parents had already been informed about Daphne's return and waited impatiently for their arrival as well as the candidates.

  A few minutes later entered the elect, accompanied by Silas, who was running toward her and she is now based, the hall. A healer rushed at once, who examined her wounds. Daphne, however, shook him off and stumbled on wobbly legs against the prince. Her once flawless face was covered with a festering rash. She looked scary. As she stood in front of Lean, fell out of her hand a golden ball, which rolled across the floor. The girl collapsed, while the queen sang a round of applause.

  "Daphne has passed her test!" She exclaimed aloud. The court joined in the applause with while Lean helped the healers to patch up Daphne. She was passed out, but a blissful smile on her lips.

  Heera was shocked by the sight of the otherwise self-confident and quick-witted competitor. When the applause was quieter, she wondered aloud, "What happened to her?"

  Daphne seemed barely perceptible, but Niobe answered her question. "The elect, it is forbidden to talk about their trials."

  Heera pointed accusingly at Daphne. "It is hardly littered conscious and wounds. Have you brought about in mortal danger? "

  "It is not about to win the heart of a farmer, but of a prince," replied the queen. "His future bride must be willing to bring his victim. I myself know what I mean. "

  Niobe turned her back on her and pushed her long dark hair aside so that her neck was exposed. A large jagged scar withdrew it. "I myself had to make in order to become queen of a Infernal."

  An awesome amazement went through the crowd. Neither Heera nor her parents had known what would be expected in the examinations of them, but they would not have expected that it is dangerous - would be - perilous.

  "What about Phoebe?" Asked now Xenia scary. "She will also return soon?"

  "Regrettably, Phoebe their examination is not passed," Lean said. He did not even dare going to look even one of the elect in the eyes.

  "Where is she?" Heera asked indignantly.

  For a moment there was silence. At this moment Lean looked beseechingly to his parents, but his mother shook her head vigorously. "More must neither you nor otherwise ... " she straightened imperiously to Heera, but Lean his mother was applied to the word" No! "

  She paused and looked at him with big eyes. "No?"

  "No! We must not remain silent about it. It is because of me she was taken as a prisoner and therefore it is also my job to rescue her." A scary murmur went through the audience.

  "That's impossible!", Now came forward also King Egeas decided to speak. "You are my successor, and are committed to your people. I will not allow you embark in danger! Not that! "

  "Who she is being held captive?" demanded Heera learn, glaring furiously while the queen. How could she be abandoned to their fate, the girl simply? Niobe was neither kind nor warm, but cold in Heera’s eyes and calculating. But she was surprised that Lean turned against them.

  "Phoibes examination was to bring me a golden apple from the garden of King Aphron. In an attempt to steal it, but she was caught. Since then Aphron holds as he caught her, "said the prince.

  "I'm going to free her," yelled Heera announced without hesitation. She feared no king.

  "No," contradicted her Egeas. "You've already made your check behind you. Let one of the other girls to try their luck! The next test will be to free Phoebe. All the elect who have completed any examination may, come forward! "

  Erina, Medea and Agnes stood before the king. While Erina and Medea were trembling with fear, Agnes held her head proudly erect. "I volunteer," she announced, she went to the king and turned his attention instead to the other two girls. No matter which of them would he choose Heera could hardly rest with worry. Medea was her sister, as well as Erina had grown her in the short time the heart.

  The king raised his arm and pointed the finger at Medea. "I have chosen thee, to accomplish this task!"

  Medea nodded, but the fear was written all over her face. When Phoebe testing had not been able to master, so Medea would also fail like her. Heera stood protectively on the side of her sister. "Good king, please let me accompany my sister!" She said and bowed even humbly before him.

  "No, this is the test of your sister!" He said in a firm voice. "Pray for them and wish them luck TRANS-shrouded, but you cannot do more."

  Medea looked with view, pale face and trembling lips to her sister. Her eyes conjured Heera, not to rebel against the king's command. "I'll do my best," she said with a gentle voice.

  "You will leave at once! My guards will equip you with everything you need for the journey, "the king decided.

  Medea was discharged while Heera could not do anything else than her sister look up desperately. Her eyes met Lean, who seemed also in custody, but Heera wish him the hell. Should anything happen to Medea, she would make him responsible.

  Medea returned sobbing back to her room. She was trembling all over, so that the lark began immediately concerned to call: "Dearest Medea, why are you crying so bitterly that I break the little heart?"

  "The king sent me for testing. I shall liberate Phoibe from captivity of King Aphron. How should I do that if she's already failed? I know nothing about fighting, "the girl complained sadly.

  "Do not cry! Take me with you on your trip and I want to help you this time, "said the lark.

  "You're just a little bird, how will you help me? I could not bear to lose you. "

  "I promise you, you'll never lose me! Trust me and let me out of the cage. "

  Medea hesitated, but finally took the bird and opened the golden door of the cage. Immediately the lark flew out and sat down on the girl's shoulder. "Hide me under your cloak so that no one noticed me before we did not leave the castle," the Lark and Medea asked did as he was her. Together they journeyed.

  Heera sat on her bed and had her hands clenched into fists in her lap. It was hard to be patient while her sister perhaps already passed in the forest and would never reach the realm of the foreign king. She had her father promised to give to her little sister cried all night, and in her later to follow Medea. Only the pleading look in her sister stopped them. Medea wanted to try and Heera could not interfere, not again.

  There was a knock at her door. "Come in," cried Heera and counted on the sensitive Erina, who had come to comfort her courage and to comfort them. Instead, the prince stood in front of her. Their anger flared up again and she turned him defiantly opposed.

  He raised his hands soothingly, as if he were facing a wild animal near. "I know you're mad at me, but be you sure I'm as much to Medea concern as you."

  "I'm her sister and know her already their whole life. You, however, know nothing about it! "She snapped at him. "Are you just came to express your condolences to me, as if she were already dead?"

  "Medea will not die! I know that, "he protested immediately and took a step toward her, but Heera backed away. "It was not until you kiss them and then you put them in mortal danger. If that's your kind ... "

  He interrupted her vigorously: "I have not kissed!"

  Heera stared at him in disbelief. Medea had reconciled with her again, why would she lie to Heera? But her heart felt Lean. She looked into his warm eyes for a sign of a lie, but it was as if she could loo
k deep into his soul. He was not lying. Medea was the one who had lied to their own sister's face. But Heera’s concern for her was too great to be angry or hurt, instead she furrowed brow blankly. "Why did not you kiss?" Medea had been elated and happy after day with him. Everyone liked her sister, the prince could not this go differently. He himself had said that he would have to worry about it.

  A slight smile passed over Leans lips when he said: "First you make me reproaches, because you think that I would have kissed Medea prior to testing and now you make me reproaches, because I did not do it. You will probably always remain a mystery to me! "

  Heera was in no mood for jokes and glared at him. "You cannot just answer my question? Why did not you kiss? They not like it? You'd be the first man to whom it would go like this. "

  "I like her very much," confessed Lean. "But I want to be sure that she is the one before I kiss. I do not want to give her false hopes."The curse he left unmentioned.

  Heera looked at him incredulously. So she had not expected.

  Lean ran uncertainly through his hair. "What is it? Do you take me now for cheesy? "

  "No, I'm just surprised," she admitted.

  "About what?"

  "In you there is more Prince than I thought."

  He laughed. "Is that good or bad?"

  Heera a laugh could not help also. "Good." The prince had proved in their eyes as empathetic. He took into account the feelings of the girls and did not play with them like marbles. They even doubted that she would ever kiss someone, but if so, it should be someone whom she loved with all my heart. The first kiss was something special.

  "I did not come to argue with you, but to distract you," Lean said conciliatory.

  "There is nothing to distract me from my sister!" claimed Heera without him to listen at all.

  "Listen to me first!" He demanded angrily. "I will now spend the day in the woods with hunting. Would you like to join me? "

  The offer sounded tempting but Heera yet crossed his arms over his chest petulantly. To accept his offer and, if possible to enjoy the day even, it seemed like a betrayal of Medea, who may was in mortal danger. "No, thank you."

  Lean glared angrily. "What should I do to make you come with me? Should I go on my knees and beg you? "

  "An attempt would be worth it," she grinned, but when the prince actually made as if to go on the floor in front of her, she stopped him by both shoulders. "All right, I appreciate your involvement."

  "So you come with?" Grinned Lean what Heera nodded reluctantly.

  Heera’s heart pounded against her ribs when she left her room in saddlebags. She was worried about her sister, but also felt a certain nervousness that since their nightly conversation sparked the prince always with her when she met him alone.

  More relieved she was when she realized when entering the castle courtyard, that she would not alone have to spend the day with him. While Lean proudly sat on his white horse, holding the reins of a black mare impatient in his hands, waited with him his faithful companion Silas and Yanis, and the young wizard Amphion, who was unhappy in his saddle. Heera let her gaze guiltily slide over the men.

  "Forgive me for being late," she said to all appealed.

  "For a beautiful woman, we like to wait", flattered her Yanis what Heera blushed. She was used to get it neither compliments nor to be called beautiful.

  "Do not apologize to us, but when the horse had to be because of you that the legs into the belly," Lean teased cheeky. Heera took the reins from him, but did not know how they should now mount the horse. She had never ridden and the stirrup it appeared too high to be able to pull up it can. When she tried it yet, the horse ran off, so that she stumbled and just could catch even without falling. Lean burst into loud laughter. "What's going on, courageous Heera, you will not finish with a horse?" He teased. Heera gave him an angry look and tried again. But as soon as Lean moved even one step forward on his white horse, also Heera’s horse moving. She put after the second unsuccessful attempt angry hands on his hips and looked up at Lean. "Get quiet fun of me because I have never ridden. I'm gonna laugh when hunting for it because there is no goal that I cannot meet, "she countered triumphantly.

  "I doubt if you cannot even manage to climb a harmless horse there," Lean said cheekily. "How about if we make a wager of it?"

  "All right," Heera agreed without hesitation.

  "If I win, you're going to the prom the opening dance commit with me," Lean said, amused. He apparently knew very well that Heera had two left feet when it came to dancing.

  "And if I win?" She asked defiantly, for she had no doubt that she would beat him. In the hunt you could do no kidding, let alone a prince.

  "Then you may take of like to see something, no matter what!"

  "Agreed," she gave him her hand to seal the bet. His grip was firm, while ne was skin was surprisingly soft. Heera’s was strewn of callosities and hard skin and cornea..

  "Amphion, would you help her on the horse now, please?" Lean asked his magicians. As Heera tried this time, it was as they would push someone from the bottom up was. Amphion winked at her kindly.

  They rode out of the courtyard, through the city. The citizens were all awesome aside when they passed them. Some bowed humbly, others cheered them on. All eyed Heera curiously. Some of them knew they already n all their lives by trade, she had all too often operated with them, yet she could not stop being amazed when Heera now on the noble horse in a soft coat and loose hair sitting . They seemed to have actually changed. Although she felt nothing about it, she could see in particular in the eyes of a how to read in a book. The children ran laughing and yelling after them as far as the city limits.

  As the forest came into view, Heera caught up to Lean and joined beside him at the head of her little hunt train.

  "Did you not feel guilty?" She asked him provocatively.

  He rolled his eyes. "You have my father, the king, heard. It's my job to protect my people. I cannot help Phoebe. "

  "You should not have sent them so they must be in danger!", Contradicted him Heera. "Should not protect his bride a prince? Should not a prince against dragons fight? You send your bride before instead. "

  Lean lifted amused his right eyebrow. "When did you get so old-fashioned? I want a bride who cannot be deterred by dragons. Your should not way too long, no river too deep and no mountain is too high when it comes to save the ones she loves. A queen must not only pretty to look at her husband's side, but can vouch for her people. "

  Heera felt he would now propose their own words. She herself always claimed but that women were men equal. Why then stir about it now on that the King of the elect did not expect anything else than if it were a marrying his daughter and not his son? Would twelve young men to fight for the hand of a princess, no one would be surprised that was expected of them in the tests to put their courage to the test.

  Lean leaned on his white horse slightly in their direction. A cheeky grin on his lips. "What's going on? Are you speechless? "

  He laughed smugly and gave his horse. Heera however, fell back. It seemed to her as if she had lost a game and it was a bad loser. But she would get her revenge, not later than the hunt.

  Amphion, who also kept his distance to the other, rode beside her. "Do not worry about your sister," he said empathetic.

  Heera blushed. In fact, she had barely thought of Medea, since they had left the castle behind. However, "I think all the time about it," she claimed. She could not and did not want to admit that they actually enjoyed the ride so far. It was certainly not the prince, but the silence of the forest. Everything was covered by a thick layer of snow and it could be heard in addition to the clatter of their horses only from and to the cracking of the branches that broke under the snow load.

  As Amphion said, left his breath a cloud in the air. "Why you trust her so little? You, Xenia and Daphne have your tests also passed. One might think that you'd think you're better than that. "

  Angrily she looked at his face, but he sm
iled at her steadfastly, what you took the wind out of the sails. You could be angry at anyone who saw it so honestly and sincerely. "I'm not better, but I am different than the other girls," she tried to explain, without sounding conceited.

  "In what way?"

  "The others are all as beautiful as I am fearless."

  "I do not think you're fearless," he replied seriously, and added with a smile: ". Besides, you're certainly not ugly"

  Heera grinned, but did not elaborate on their appearance a. "There is not something I fear. No man, no animal and no magic. "

  "That may be, and yet you are afraid of something."

  Heera furrowed brow blankly. What was he getting at? "What would that be?"

  "You are afraid of love."

  Heera wanted to laugh and deny everything, but no sound came from her throat. Her heart began to beat so wildly, as if it wanted to report to speak for themselves. She had her chance to contradict Amphion missed.

  The horses were tied up under a large oak tree, while the hunting party ventured into the undergrowth. It was already afternoon and the sun was shining on the horizon in a deep orange. The first animals would now venture out of their hiding places. Lean handed Heera a crossbow. Suspiciously she looked at the device. She was therefore just as unfamiliar as the riding in a saddle. He showed her surprisingly helpful and patient as they had to keep the gun properly and how they lodged the bolts. The weight of the crossbow was good in her hand.

  "What should I aim?" She asked Lean challenging. He looked around, as Yanis suggested: "How about there to start with the arms of the king in the tree behind?" He pointed with an outstretched arm into the woods. Small metal crest marked the hunting ground. One was seen in about ten meters.

  "At first I, then you" chose Lean and lifted the crossbow. He aimed his bolt and hit exactly in the center of the emblem, which showed a man holding a red apple in her hand. The apple had been split.

  An appreciative murmur went through the round.

  "Now you," the prince grinned cheekily.

  Heera raised the gun and pointed as they usually did with her bow. Still, she jerked from the shock, the crossbow triggered when shot, together. Her bolt struck just wide of the coat of arms in the tree.