Cycle: Land of the Dragon. Selection: Choice or Destiny. Book One
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– Wait, Lord Emiren, the Emperor’s aide, he’s Nadine’s brother?
– Yes, an older, harmful and boring brother. He is very angry at her sister, for the decision to put the play in the Palace, but within the framework of selection cannot deny. – Rosalind’s smile became even brighter, and her back more straight- although he insists that it is a dishonour to the family.
– Can you be in the auditorium for participants not involved in the performance? And how to know the date and place? Will there be invitations?
– In the dining room there is a Board (it is now empty so you probably did not pay attention to it). As soon as the event is agreed with the emperor, it is displayed on the board. The names of the participants, the date, the place and the type are indicated. The type can be closed (private for the emperor), open (free entry for anyone) or on invitation. The number of questions in my head was increasing, but it was not possible to ask any questions, because the chaperon came and warned that the assistant was available and offered to meet now, he had a small window in the schedule. I apologized to Rosalind, offered to take another walk the day after tomorrow if she had the chance, and went to Lord Emiren.
Chapter 12. It’s hard to be a poor relative
The office of the assistant was as spacious as all rooms, with a round table with six chairs in the center, a wide working table near a window, opposite which stood two chairs. One of them invited me to sit down.
– Good afternoon, Catherine, what brings you to my office?
– I’d like to ask you a few questions, as you may have noticed, I don’t know the selection rules very well.
– Yes, of course – the Lord is conveniently located in his desk chair, folded his fingers into the lock, leaned the chin on it and focused on my face. (Freckles seems counts)
– The first question, how free are we to move? In the absence of the Prince, I would like to pay a visit to a relative, but I do not know if we can leave the castle, or invite guests, and should I call the carriage or it is provides by сastle?
– You are free to move, you can leave the castle for any number of days, the castle carriage will take you to the place and take you back at the specified time. All I ask is that you inform me of your departure. You can invite the guest to the castle only receive permission of heir, so try to meet friends or family in the city.
– Okay, well, in that case, I’ll be out half the day tomorrow, leaving at 8:00 a.m. the second question is to be honest a little awkward.
The Lord smiled only in the corners
– From what I understand participant may make a surprise – invite an actor or a magician, to make a gift to the heir… But what if the participant is limited in money resources? Perhaps you have a dedicated budget for such a case? – Paint the face flooded, eyes hidden in the floor, and my fingers gripped the tortured someone to me armrests. And Lord was silent for what seemed an eternity.
– The first applicants did receive money for clothing and jewellery. But over time, representatives of rich ancient houses started to participate in the contest, and no one had raised this issue before you. So we do this, you calculate how much money you need, and I’ll try to get the emperor to agree on the amount without going into the details of your surprise, I take it you’re planning a surprise?
– Thank you, I will draw up a cost estimate and will bring you. Can I go?
– Yes, if there are no more wishes. – Emiren looked very thoughtful, his gaze wandered distractedly across my body, but clearly his thoughts were far away.
– Thanks again
I backed against the door, realized that I look stupid, spun around 180 degrees and extremely fast pace, almost running toward the door.
Chapter 13
Why do I need money? According to legend, I am a distant relative of (the girl who took care me in the first day on this side of the portal and to whom the carriage takes me). As part of this legend, we turned to Vidon, and he was kind enough to help fulfill the dream of a girl from village – to include in the selection. He presented money to buy a few dresses That’s all. Guardianship or kinship with the magician would draw unnecessary attention to us, so I am a distant relative of the person (Elenelika just a man), who appear suddenly out of the blue with a dream: I want to be the princess.
But now due to the same verisimilitude, I can’t get money from Weedon, and to communicate need a reason. Feel 007 in a far-off kingdom. Do not want? So I did not dream.
When I reached the place, I released the driver and warned him to return by about four o'clock, and making sure that the coach slid a sufficient distance so as not to be detected i trudged to Weedon.
The Mage did not know of my desire to visit him, and was therefore disheartened and disturbed by my arrival.
The first question that came up was:
– What, you’ve already been kicked out? – he asked this question with no anger, but rather with surprise, but they let me in, they poured tea and prepared to listen.
– Look, it’s okay, no one’s kicked me out yet, but I need to talk to you.
– Yes, of course. How are you? How’s the relationship with the Heir? How’s the experience with the castle?
– I’m fine, the Emperor is out of town. The castle is a bit damp and a little gloomy, but not about that. I need to understand what means of communication you have here (while only the bracelet is mastered, press – comes the chaperone). I’ll try to explain what I’m used to in my home, and you tell me if you have something like that.
First of all, we have a building which is called the post office, it is possible to bring the letters, and they will be delivered after some time a person anywhere in the world.
– We do not have the post office but there are messengers, they will deliver a letter to the addressee and there is an artifact of exchange. Artifacts, if they are tuned to each other, open something similar to a small portal and you can to drop into it by a small object (letter or gift).
– And can I have a sheet and paper? I’ll write it down.
– Yes, of course
– We have a phone. A person in one city can talk to another or a group of people in another city with this device.
– We have a communication artifact, but you can talk at the same time with only one and you need to pre-arrange a code activating the connection, set up the artifact at the reception
– We have a number of digits instead of a code, which is injected into the phone’s memory. Can you redesign artifact so that several people can be connected at the same time?