The water monster, however, decided that the poor prisoner was not worth his attention. And in the coastal villages there are still legends that watermen are fond of womens beauty! Apparently, if hes no ordinary water-boy, but the king of the sea himself, he wants nothing more or less than a princess.
Though, on reflection, its even good that he didnt like her. After all, the watermen drown their chosen ones. Whats better: drowning or burning? Fiona had an unenviable choice.
The firebrands hissed unhappily at the ceiling. The proximity of the water tsar displeased them. A shout of summoning came from above the castle towers:
«Seal!»
Ornella seemed to be shouting. Fiona was not mistaken in her hearing.
She kept hoping that the water king would come back and smashed the dungeon wall with a single blow of his powerful fist, but he went under the water slowly, as if descending a ladder. The last to disappear in the waves was his pointed crown, like a starfish of gold and coral. She wondered if she was dreaming. Theres no such thing as creatures with blue skin, shell ears, and a crown that grows right out of their heads.
It was easy to see if she was dreaming or not. The decapitated body in the royal robe would have been left on the beach. Except the bars were so narrow you couldnt look out through them. One could not see the shore. Only the sea and the thin edge of the surf are visible. The water seems to turn scarlet closer to the shore. Or maybe its the rays of sunset.
Curiosity leads to a dungeon and a fire
Fiona was awakened by the sound of quiet conversation. The talkers were unaware that she was already awake and watching from beneath half-closed lashes.
Ornella and one of her brothers came into the cell. They seemed like two evil ghosts in the glare of the orange glow cast by the fire fairies actively crawling on the walls and ceiling.
Fiona was used to the regular hiss of fire overhead, but the sound of Ornellas arrogant voice was disgusting. Who would have thought the sight of that silk-clad lady would make her sick.
«Fathers gone!» Ornella said. «I cannot, as the present Queen, go out and tell the people that the Sultanit does not have the strength to reach down and behead a supernatural murderer. Such a gesture would be seen as helplessness. I will be overthrown! Better to find the culprit, who is already known to the people as a witch. You know you cant get a sea fortune-teller.»
«But shes not a witch!»
«How would you know, Orvel! Youve never been able to read minds. Thats my talent. I agree that each of my brothers has their own special gift, but Im still the most gifted. That is why I will rule! Remember your place!»
«This you say to the eldest heir of the Sultanit?» Orvel was indignant.
«You gave me your place on the throne.»
«I had no choice,» he scowled.
«Yes, you did. And you have none now. I am the queen!»
«The death of my father at the hands of the water king seems to have been good for you. And everyone knows that the Sea King was your admirer. Maybe theyll think youre a witch.»
«Not unreasonably, as you know! But everyone also knows that I rejected the Sea King because of his not standard appearance and lack of gifts worthy of a Sultanits princess. Apparently hes already spent it all on the withered Occylvanian princess Lilothea, who he dragged off to the bottom, so theres no money left for new courtship.»
«Whats your point?» Orvels worried.
«That killing our father might be an act of revenge on the part of a spurned suitor. Its not a pretty story! I suppose someone might accuse me of provoking the wrath of the sea on the Sultanit by my intransigence. Wed better execute one witch and close the case. The people will be glad, and so will I.»
«And all your brothers wont! Shes perfect for us to close the circle.»
«And Im not good enough for you?»
«She has a special purpose,» Orvel said. «I just dont know what it is yet.»
«You must be mistaken!» Ornella barked back at him.
«Then were all wrong!»
«Thats why I rule, not you. All my brothers, unlike me, were not smart enough to be in charge of the country. And here I am, the first woman to pull the Sultans power. And you still contradict me!»
The firemen hissed angrily, sending up a shower of sparks.
«They report the watermen are watching us. A whole regiment of morgens under the windows,» Orwell translated the fire fairys tongue. «Soon theyll bring the worst of the storm.»
«And it is good! Executing a witch at a time like this will distract everyone. Ive already ordered a bonfire to be built in the square.»
«Execute such a pretty girl!» Orvel was indignant. «Give her to me!»
«Didnt you claw the last minion with your claws during love games?»
«Ive been more careful.»
«I wont let you do that to this one. I could catch and send some old gypsy fortune-teller instead of her to tonights bonfire. But that redheaded girls no good for your clawed amusement anyway. You cant have her!»
Ornella cares about her? Theres something fishy going on here. Fiona had trouble waking up to what was going on and who was running the country since the Kings death. But the word «bonfire» gave her a fright. She shuddered violently.
«Shes waking up!» Orvel determined. «Ill take her upstairs to my ex-fiancées quarters.»
«You swore you wouldnt take any more harlots.»
«This ones innocent. I can smell it.»
«Shes a witch,» Orvnella said stubbornly.
«No, she isnt. Theres something magical about her, but not witchy.»
«But shell burn at the stake as a witch!»
«Why dont you leave her to us?» Orvel was begging. «The room of the Crown Princes dead bride is still empty, and apparently it will be empty forever.»
«You dont want to marry a commoner, do you?»
«Well, no, of course not,» Orwell hesitated. «But she might amuse us.»
Fiona was frightened. For some reason she invariably associated amusement with scratches and claws and savage pain. Oh, why had she gone in the mountains? If she hadnt gone there, she wouldnt have ended up in a dungeon.
Ornella leaned over her and ran her fingers through her tangled hair.
«She is a redhead and she has no freckles!» For some reason Ornella was alarmed by this fact.
Yes, Fiona had no freckles. So what is of it? Redheads usually had them, but someone got away with it. You should be happy, not sad! Freckles and pimples were all skin blemishes. Fiona was glad she didnt have to cover her freckles with homemade flour whitewash, not enough for the market. Ornella, on the other hand, was even angry.
«Remember the prophecies about the redheaded beast who» She clutched at her brothers sleeve.
«Ch-ch-ch!» he glanced at Fiona, who couldnt stand it and opened her eyes.
«After a fire, memories turn to ashes too, so let her listen!» Ornella waved her ringed hand and straightened up stately.
«But it wouldnt hurt to put the plugs in!» Orvel remarked.
Fiona felt a blockage in her ears, but not for long. She couldnt hear anything at first. All she could see was Ornellas pursed lips opening aggressively, and her brother shaking his head negatively. Then fragments of phrase began to be heard again.
«What do you mean, you cant? You could! You have to learn better!»
«It is Sephora. She is a bad teacher and she is too flaming.»
«Shes the best, thats why shes fiery.»
Isnt that the firebrand theyre talking about? That one hissed in a web of fire, hovering over Ornellas head. A moment and her redheaded fingers reached for the crown on Ornellas head, causing the metal to glow. Ornella shuddered, and quickly stepped back into the shadows. Smoke billowed from her strands.
«You are thieves!» She hissed at the fire fairies. «Ill have you burned at the stake for disrespecting the Queen!»
The fairies merely laughed evilly.
«Then Ill drown you! Give you to the Morgens as tribute!»