The trip to the capital took five days. The first day passed without stopping until they reached the next town after Dert, which was called Vadei. Although it was still early, they decided to spend the night here, as there were no other cities further down the road that could be reached before nightfall.
After Vadea, towns and inns on the roadsides began to meet more often, and they could drive until late in the evening. Helena was worried about the cuirassiers staying at the same inn as her, and she was paying for their stay. We didn't travel much at this time of the year, so there were no problems with the placement of the group. Thanks to such attention, the soldiers tried to do their best to please the old aristocrat and her attractive daughter. Linda, for obvious reasons, attracted increased but hidden interest.
Dina's appearance pleasantly excited the royal warriors, especially considering that the girl was bored of sitting in the carriage, and on the second day of the journey she asked Helena for permission to ride. Linda dressed and undressed alone, combed her hair herself, and food was served to her in taverns. When she asked the Baroness about this, she could not explain anything, only mentioning the lacing on the dresses. Helena just laughed.
"What do you need?" She asked Dina: "You should be glad that there are no responsibilities, it's worse when there are a lot of them. The Baroness is supposed to have a maid, so you were accepted. And responsibilities will come, no doubt".
At the end of the fifth day of the journey, the sun, already at the horizon, hinted at the approach of the capital.
"How much longer will the journey take?" Linda asked, opening the carriage door a crack and turning to one of the cuirassiers: "Will we be in time for nightfall?"
"My Lady, we will definitely be able to make it" The soldier replied politely: "The road, almost straight, allows us to move quickly. According to preliminary calculations, we will light the candles in three to four hours and we will be in the Card".
"The gates to the upper city will remain open until later".
"And what is the upper city?" Linda asked Helena.
"Various historical sources mention the term "upper or old town", which indicates a certain part of the capital, fenced off from the rest of the territory by a fortress wall. As for the upper town, it was built about two centuries ago, after which it was gradually surrounded by housing developments outside its borders. Currently, the new part of the capital city is three times the size of the old one. The Royal Palace, noble palaces and mansions, as well as the prestigious metropolitan University are located in the uppermost city. The wealthiest and most influential merchant families are also allowed to live here. The rest of the residents of the capital inhabit the lower city, where all the necessary hotel yards and inns are located. If we don't make it before the gates close, we'll stay in one of them until morning".
"I should have looked for information about the capital in advance" Linda said with annoyance: "And there was enough time!"
"Why are you so worried?" Helena was surprised: "Over time, everything can be found out. I've only been to the capital twice, back when I was a little girl, and I don't remember much".
"What about the river nearby?"
"There is a river, its name is Sva. The lower town is located in one place near its shore, now a port has been built there".
"And where does this river flow to?"
"And where can it flow? Of course, in the sea! Is that not the case with you?"
"And what is the temperature in your water?"
"You weren't listening to me carefully" Helena replied: "I was talking about how the Kains got here. Our ancestors had the sea, we only read about it in old books. We've been swimming in it all year except winter. In winter, the water was cool and often raged".
"What else can you tell me?"
In my memory, which has accumulated over the years, a prominent place is occupied by the story of the mansion that belonged to my father's brother. Due to the absence of our possessions in the capital, each of our visits was accompanied by a stay in this house. I vividly remember how he took my sister and me through the boutiques, giving us gifts. In addition, we also visited various temples and took time to play with the children of the owner in their carefully landscaped park.
"And how strong were your relatives in magic?" The interlocutor asked.
"Not very strong. There were no magic masters in their family" I replied.
"So maybe they weren't affected by the wave of persecution?" After thinking about it, the interlocutor asked a question.
"Probably not" I said thoughtfully: "To this day, I do not know the reason why the priests of Mashun attacked the masters of magic. Maybe the problem was magic itself, which questioned their own power, or it was about the vast wealth accumulated by the families of the masters over the centuries. Perhaps there is some other reason that I do not suspect. However, in such cases, all family members to the last person, as well as their close relatives, are usually destroyed. However, my aunt was a relative of the then chancellor, so perhaps they miraculously survived. I mean, not them, but their children, and maybe even their grandchildren, since the cousins were older than me and my sister. We'll need to find out about them. If they're still alive, you can use it".
"How is the capital guarded if it doesn't have walls?" The interlocutor asked another question.
Numerous military camps are located near the Kard. Our cuirassiers are stationed there, while only the city guards are on duty in the city itself.
"Why is the king still unmarried?" Linda asked.
"To be honest, I don't know" Helena replied, and laughed: "If you believe the baron, then he does not have to experience a lack of female company - the favorites change almost every ten days. In this, he followed in the footsteps of his father, who was also a lover. Beware of him and do not let him get too close, otherwise the king may suddenly decide to bind himself to you not only with gold, but also with a bed. He doesn't ignore such beauties, and even if he falls in love, which I don't believe, you still won't be able to remain a queen for long. If the Queen does not have a child within five years, the marriage is considered dissolved".
"And what do they do with the former queen?" Linda asked.
"Why do anything with it?" Helena was surprised: "Women are not supposed to rule in our country. If the king has a son, then she can keep her title, but the regency council takes over the upbringing of the child until he comes of age".
"If I kill the king, who will take his place on the throne?" Linda asked.
"Let's try not to push the situation to the extreme. The prince is only fifteen years old, and many doubt his paternity of the old king. But there is no one to ask this question, because his mother was poisoned shortly after giving birth. The old king had three wives, and they all had a sad end. That's another reason not to interfere in the affairs of the queens".
"Okay, we've talked you into it. If he starts to bother, I'll take the image of a drill" Linda laughed.
"The smile couldn't escape me" Helena said: "He already has one in his palace. When I heard about it, I didn't believe it, but it turned out to be true".
"And what does she eat there?" Linda asked.
"They say that every two days she drinks rabbit blood. They drink not only human blood, but also animal blood" The interviewee replied.
The ride passed in silence. It quickly darkened outside the windows. Several times oncoming carriages crossed paths on the road, sometimes riders sped in both directions.
"In summer it is impossible to pass here because of the chariots and peasant carts" Helena said: "And now it's just bliss: We're on our way and no one's bothering us. Look, how many more are left? I'm very tired".
"Just a little bit left, my lady" The cuirassier replied to Linda's question: "Soon we will see the outpost and the first houses. Now we'll drive through the grove, then turn around and you'll see everything".
They were not stopped at the entrance. As soon as the commander presented the permit, certified by the Chancellor himself, the lowered barrier was immediately raised, and the assigned guard turned to the front. The streets on the outskirts of Kard were unplanned, so they drove in complete darkness, only barely illuminated by the flickering light from windows located on both sides of the road. Soon two-storey houses began to appear. Thirty minutes later, they reached the ancient city wall. The gate was open, and the guards standing there asked them to stop to check.
The sergeant in charge of the guard did not limit himself to just a ticket, he looked into both carriages, apologized to the ladies, and ordered them to let them through. After entering the city, they continued their short trip. The road was paved with paving stones by experienced hands, and the carriages easily glided along it without shaking. Oil lanterns were lit at every intersection.There was also a lot of light in the windows, which were not hidden by shutters. We stopped next to a low fence enclosing the garden, and a spacious one-story house, barely visible in the semi-darkness.
"Your Honor, well, we have arrived at your house!" The Chevalier proclaimed, opening the carriage door and helping the ladies to get out.
One of his subordinates had already knocked on the gate, trying to quickly attract the attention of the servants. A door slammed in the house, and footsteps could be heard approaching. An old servant came to the gate, carrying a burning lantern and a bunch of keys.
"Open up quickly, the owners are at the gate!" The Chevalier hurried him: "Hurry up, finally! The women are tired of the road".
"I'll open it now!" The servant quickly responded, squinting weakly from the light of the lantern and trying to find the right key: "Open the gate, or just the gate?"
"First the gate, and then the gate. We need to get the luggage out of the carriage".
"Then why did you get out of the carriage?" The servant muttered faintly.
"Try to hold out in this situation all day yourself!" The Chevalier yelled in annoyance upon hearing his indignation: "You shouldn't discuss the dignity of gentlemen, you better move on before I raise the bar of fascination!"
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The old man got scared and started moving faster. When the locks were opened, the carriages drove one by one through the open gate and along the gravel road towards the house. Some of the cuirassiers dismounted to help with their belongings, while the rest stayed outside with the horses. The women, with the exception of Dinah, who was riding, went to the house along the paved stone path, accompanied by the chevalier and a servant who followed next to them. Voices rang out in the house, doors slammed shut, and lamps lit up in the windows.
Things were unloaded and the cuirassiers had already left, and the tired travelers were fed a hastily prepared dinner and placed in their rooms, but Linda did not sleep at all. Once, in another life, Dad said that it was difficult for people to fall asleep in a new place. Maybe this was the reason or the wrong moment to reflect on the future. However, the girl was lying on a huge bed, with her hands folded behind her head, and could not fall asleep.
Tomorrow she would plunge headlong into the reality of this world, and the woman who replaced her father and mother would soon die, and she would be alone again. Is there at least one person in one of the worlds whom she could trust and call the closest and most beloved? She wasn't attracted to men. Despite her adult appearance, she was still a girl. And thank God for that! Linda was one hundred percent sure that she would not be in this world all her life. He had given her power, wealth, and position in society, but he was displeased with his alienness. Its possibilities can be used in the future, but not to live in it all the time.
She needs to meet Helena's expectations and pay off all her debts to her. The mentor refused to take revenge out of fear for Linda, but you can see with what inner pain she uttered these words and what it cost her. Therefore, you will need to find a chance and take revenge without putting your life in danger.
Linda didn't know how long she had been lying there. The room was dark, and the hands on her father's watch didn't want to light up in this world for some reason. Finally, fatigue took its toll, and she fell asleep, but in the morning she was woken up by the voice of her mentor.
"It's time to get up, sleeping beauty!" Helena said, opening the door to her bedroom a crack: "Breakfast has been ready for a long time, and the messenger from the college has already been here. Before the meeting with the king, we decided to test our skills. I do not know how they will do this if there are no other magicians in the kingdom, but be careful not to turn up your nose. I've given you all the wisdom I knew, but my knowledge is outdated. Magic may have changed over the years, pay attention to that. Besides, we need to order a court dress urgently. It is simply indecent to go to the king in traveling clothes, and you definitely cannot fit into your sister's dress, in front or behind. We have to acquire a lot and make a decision about the servants. I have already sent Hasd to the workshop to order a carriage with my coat of arms, buy horses and hire a coachman who will also take care of them. The fewer servants there are around, the better. Are you going to get up or not?"
Linda couldn't sleep last night: "I'm going to take a cold shower to wake up completely" She said: "Where's the water here? I didn't look around yesterday, and we walked almost in the dark".
"Come on, I'll show you and tell you about the servants. The house was bought for us from Count Dano. The old count died two years ago, and the young heir managed to spend most of his inheritance on games and entertainment during this time. In the end, he ran into debt and was faced with a choice: to sell this mansion or the ancestral property where the whole family lived. Despite his stupidity, he was smart enough to make the right choice. The Treasury repurchased his debts and demanded payment. Thus, we have this significant house with a garden in the city center. The servants came to us by inheritance. The old man who opened the gate was acting as a butler.
We don't need a butler, especially one like this, but he has lived all his life in Kard, knows the city well and is aware of all the local intrigues. Besides, he doesn't have anywhere to go. His name is Kirk. So far, I've decided to keep it and see how it comes in handy. But now we urgently need to get rid of the maid: a deceitful and treacherous girl. Under the young master, she cleaned, cooked, served the guests and talked to the other servants, who were more numerous at that time. There was another young lady, but I couldn't get into her, so she left in the morning, taking with her the silverware left by the count. But she left without dishes, but with a lot of bad words, which I punished her with. Here's a washbasin, and here's water if you need to top it up. Can I send Linda to help?"
"Why do I need Linda?" Linda muttered, washing her face with cold water: "Where are our things? I can't walk around with teeth like that, and there's a brush and toothpaste".
Don't forget to brush your teeth before going to the king tomorrow, and that's enough for the college. We don't have enough time for long preparations. Hurry up with breakfast, but don't overeat, and then get yourself cleaned up. I advise you to wear a riding suit to the trials.
"Do I have to bypass these magicians?"
"They will be able to get around both of us, and you in the first place, because of your young age. It will be more comfortable in your pants".
"Isn't it too provocative to be on the board in pants?"
"It's not very proper etiquette" Helena admitted: "But you can be allowed at the college, but not at the reception at the king's. You're such an individualist yourself, it doesn't really matter what you wear there".
Linda finished washing her face, ate a porridge without appetite, similar to pearl barley, which she did not like, and went to dress in a suit. When she finished combing her hair, a carriage with the coat of arms of the Marquises of Havre drove into the courtyard of the mansion.
"Beautiful horses, Mr. Gasd!" Helena praised the tall brown stallions pulling a luxurious carriage behind them: "And this is our coachman?"
"Fancor Barshe, at your service" The man on the box raised his hat.
"We need to leave this place urgently" Helena turned to Gasd: "You need to go to the cattle market and buy two high-class horses. Don't forget to get a suitable harness and order enough oats and hay for all the horses in the stable. Also find out from Kirk who you can buy products from. Haya will make an order. Tell Dina to be by Hai's side, as she will have a lot of work soon and she will need help, and the girl is just messing around right now".
When Helena finished giving instructions, she and Linda sat down on the soft and comfortable seats and ordered the coachman to go to the college. The trip took only twenty minutes. Linda looked curiously out of the carriage window. The glass distorted the image, but she opened the window anyway. The capital made a great impression on her during the daytime. She admired the cleanliness of the streets and the abundance of greenery. The houses looked beautiful and well maintained, completely different from other cities. There were few passers-by, mostly carriages, open carriages and horsemen moving through the streets.
"This is the old town" Helena replied in response to Linda's question about pedestrians: "Only servants walk here and that's on business. The owners should not walk, they can only walk around the surroundings of their estate or visit the nearest residents".
The carriage was parked near one of the two-storey houses in a small square. The coachman helped the women out of the carriage and they headed towards the large collegium building with a facade decorated with columns. Passing through the double doors, they found themselves in a spacious hall with a wide staircase to the second floor. A servant met them and led them to the door of the desired room.
"This way, please, my lady" The servant said, opening the door for the guests: "You are already expected".
The women entered the room without furniture, except for a few chairs. There were three large windows on the wall facing the facade, where magicians were sitting.
"We gathered right under the sun, and it shines right in our eyes" Linda thought, sitting down on a chair: "Okay, it's not scary".
"Greetings, my dear colleagues!" The man in the center said: "Sit down and let's start the test".
"Could you stand up at the greeting" Linda replied, looking around at the empty chairs.
She could sense the mood in the room, hostile and hostile. Deciding not to pretend and act boldly, she sauntered over to the chairs located at the opposite end of the room. Her gaze rested on the chair she had chosen, which turned out to be next to Helena.
"Sit down, Mother" Linda said to her mentor. Helena silently agreed and sat down.
"I'm ready for the test" The girl turned to the magicians, preparing for the beginning. There were five men in brown robes in the room.
"Are they really going to suggest that we wear such squalor?" A thought flashed through Linda's mind, but she decided to ignore it.
"It's nice to see confidence in your abilities from such a young lady" The wizard on the far right smiled: "Now you need to demonstrate your skills in practice. The tests are carried out the same way for everyone: we attack you, and you repel our attacks. If you can not only defend yourself, but also respond with your own punches, this action will be considered in your favor. Use all your knowledge and skills, except summoning demons and monsters. And yes, you are not allowed to perform rituals. Are you ready?"
"Yes" The girl replied, preparing for the test.
They started their attack strangely. It was as if a sudden gust of wind had swept over Linda, although there was not the slightest sign of air movement in the room. Even the specks of dust, smoothly illuminated by the rays of the sun, froze in place, despite the fact that the girl felt like a powerful hurricane swirling around her. She could barely stay on her feet, realizing that staying put was not an option. Images of jets of energy emanating from the opponents appeared in her mind, merging together to form a cone directed towards her.
Linda strengthened her defensive measures, and the gust of wind immediately weakened, but she had already lost sight of the enemy's actions. The magister was right when she said that in half a century you can discover something completely new. So, this new one discovered her today. And how to deal with it? Hiding in a defensive position was not her style, so she had to face the blow head-on!
The girl removed her protection and dealt a crushing blow to the magician, who was in the center of the room. At the same time, one of the legs of his chair broke, and the magician fell to the floor, hitting his head on his neighbor's chair. The wind had eased a little, and Linda took advantage of this moment to relax the necessary muscles of the evil magician, who was poking her confidence in her abilities everywhere. In order not to be shamed, he had to forget about the girl and focus on fighting with his insides. The other mages immediately strengthened their defenses, further weakening the attack.
With a grin on her face, Linda's next blow cooled the air near the windows so much that fumes rose from the magicians. By the complete cessation of the attack, they were spending all their strength protecting and keeping their bodies warm.
"And now, dear ones, I will bring you to the end!" The girl thought viciously, using her homemade design, which she had been working on for several days.
A bright, green light appeared in the center of the room, forming a pattern depicting the summoning of demons. A scaly creature appeared in front of the surprised wizards, which they instantly recognized as one of the most dangerous demons. According to all the manuals, it was categorically not recommended to deal with such creatures.
The demon looked at the stunned mages and contemptuously spat on the floor. The spit caused the floor to smoke, and the drawing holding the demon disappeared. The demon, wiping away a smile that resembled a tyrannosaurus rex from his face, headed towards the magicians. The sounds of falling chairs and frightened screams became the finale for our heroine.
"You surprised me with your performance!" The old sorcerer Lind expressed his emotions admiringly, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his cloak: "It was an illusion so perfect and thoughtful that we were completely deceived and could not immediately recognize the magic of darkness".
"Can you teach us?" The only one of the magicians who aroused his sympathy asked.
"I will teach you" Linda replied: "And can you teach me the spell that you used against me? I do not know this challenge".
"You can't know him" Smiled the magician, who aroused sympathy: "We were told that your mentor spent a lot of time away from people, and the "mental wind" was invented ten years ago. That's why it was used against you. We were interested to see how you would do. Of course, I'll show you this spell. Now, I think your colleagues will no longer have doubts about your skill, even if the five members of the Council failed to cope with you".
"We have not revealed even a small part of our capabilities!" Muttered a powerful wizard whose eyebrows reminded Linda of the Soviet Secretary General.
"In the same way, I'm just getting started!" She replied: "If there is a desire, we can continue. Only many of my spells can cause damage to the room. Isn't it a pity?"
"Of course, why not agree?" The sage reasoned, whose face almost showed amazement: "The main thing is that you managed to win. We will not put the real mentor to the test. Let me introduce myself. I am Ekar Denish, a sorcerer from the college and the director of the prestigious Royal School of Magic".
"Master Rinda The Wolf" Linda introduced herself: "My mentor is Master Helena Aquani".
She knew that in the world of wizards, it is not customary to name noble titles, only skill and strength are important here.
"The magician from the Yerber Darmin college" Bowed a handsome magician: "I also work as a teacher at the school".
"The magician from the college of Vag Darmin" The browed one drawled: "I haven't taught and I don't even think about it".
"So you're related?" Asked Linda.
"No" Yerber Replied: "Mr. Wag and I are related, but very distant".
The other two wizards also introduced themselves and quickly walked away, claiming that they had other important things to do.
"We're leaving too" Helena said, jumping up from her chair, which immediately took a place against the wall: "We arrived only yesterday and haven't had time to get used to it yet. There are many things that cannot be entrusted to servants. See you soon, gentlemen!"