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When she entered her chambers and collapsed on her bed, she clenched her eyelids tightly so as not to cry from helplessness, but suddenly her fingers fumbled for some parchment under her pillow, and, holding it up to the reddish light of the lamp, she read:

"Find the element that suppresses our power and destroy it. And when you do, kill everyone who gets in your way and return home.

We love you.

Burn this message.

Father and mother."

Sylvia dipped the parchment into the red flame and it burned, leaving behind only an unpleasant smoke.

The night passed sleeplessly. She sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the wall, unable to believe that what had happened had not been a dream… And how she wished she could wake up and know that the war with Kaldwind, Derek Merkswerd, what had happened to her parents and herself, had been nothing more than a nightmare.

In the morning, when it was still dark outside the window, Bergil entered the princess's chamber. He silently placed a golden tray of food and drink on the table.

Having completed the task assigned to him, Bergil went to the door.

– We leave at dawn! – He suddenly shouted and slammed the door loudly behind him.

Chapter 7

"Well, it wasn't a very pleasant morning," Sylvia's sleepy mind flashed. Despite her thoughts, she managed to fall asleep, but an uninvited visit from the bearded man jerked her out of her slumber. – I would have slept another hour. Or better two. I wonder if I'm going to have strange men barging into my chambers every day from now on. He didn't even knock! Barbarian!"

The princess was filled with indignation and did not notice how she found herself near the wooden closet. She remembered her hated fiance's words about not being allowed to take her favorite dresses and shoes to Kaldwind, but this time she didn't want to put up with such a stupid and insulting order, so she coldly gathered her clothes, shoes and jewelry into the large chests. When the job was done, Sylvia looked thoughtfully at the few dresses that didn't fit into the trunks and were left hanging in the closet: which one would be suitable for a long trip and not look so flashy? Yesterday Derek Merkswerd had made it clear that her dresses were similar in his eyes to those of courtesans. She had been annoyed by this fact, and in another situation she would have spoken out, but now Sylvia had to keep her mouth shut, because the demons closest to her were still in danger. But she was not going to be silent about this morning's intrusion: that hairy-rock Bergil had hurt her pride too much.

Putting on a dark blue dress with long sleeves and a relatively closed neckline, the Flammehav heiress twirled a little more in front of the mirror in an attempt to step so that the slit of the dress, rising to the white thigh, would be invisible, but her efforts were in vain. Sighing convulsively, Sylvia clenched her small fists and, assuming a casual look, looked out into the hallway to call the guards to carry her trunks downstairs, but met only derision. Trying to remain calm, the girl began to drag her heavy, overstuffed trunks toward the stairs on her own. The dirty, foul-smelling human warriors smiled derisively, watching her with interest, but the princess remained proud and dragged her trunks onward. Finally reaching the wide black stone staircase, the tired black-haired beauty collapsed right on the chests and, spreading her arms to the sides, called out loudly to her surroundings:

– Do none of you see that your future queen needs help?

– Of course, Your Majesty! You're so tired of carrying all this junk! – Bergil, who had suddenly appeared beside her, said with a sneer in his voice. – Though I dare ask… Has not my king made it clear to you that he does not wish to see these rags? Or are you trying your luck, future queen? – The grin on his face was more like a grin.

– I don't think I asked for your opinion. You're very wrong if you think I can't wear what I like. Those dresses…" Sylvia cut her off icily, but the sound of approaching footsteps behind her silenced her.

– Yes, you can't! – When she turned around, she saw Derek, and from his face she realized that he was clearly unhappy with her behavior.

– Perhaps you have forgotten, Your Majesty, that I am not a servant, but a princess, heir to the throne and your fiancee! And this scoundrel does not dare to mock me! – Sylvia flared up and pointed her finger at Bergil like a child.

The king's face turned crimson. In an instant he was seized with a real rage: his best friend and his demoness fiancee had put him in an awkward position, and his answer would determine how he would be treated by his warriors and his people.

"Couldn't that bear Bergil hold back? He would have laughed at her when no one could see! No, he should have done it in front of everyone! Will that brat of hell ever shut up? Her reminders that I'll have to marry her are getting in my throat!" – he thought.

The king remained silent and shifted his contemptuous gaze from Sylvia to Bergil and back again. There were already enough curious onlookers around them to anticipate that their lord would deal with the arrogance and insolence of this red-eyed demoness in a harsh and dignified manner.

– Remember forever, Sylvia: you have no right to behave like a capricious princess, because you still bear your title only because of my mercy. As for you, Bergil, aren't you the one who should be enforcing discipline? You've both disappointed me. Terribly disappointed. – The ice in Derek's voice made both the demoness and the head of the guard grow cold.

– I beg you, Your Majesty, let me take at least one chest with my belongings and at least one of my maids," she asked quietly but insistently, but Derek didn't seem to hear her:

– It's time to go: it's a long way home! – he announced loudly to his warriors. – King Lamar has provided us with a royal carriage and twenty of Flammehav's best horses. In addition, numerous wagons with provisions, water and wine are traveling with us! Well, anything else you wish to take away with you: jewelry, fabrics, and who knows what else, you will have to carry on your own, as the newly acquired horses already have one important task!

"Excellent! I'm sure he'll make me shake on the horse's back the whole way! – Sylvia thought wryly as she listened to her fiance's speeches, and only now noticed that the once glittering walls of the palace were disfigured by deep holes, and all the gold threads decorating them had disappeared. – Looters! How greedy are these monsters that they would not squander even so little!"

But she did not know that all of her parents' jewelry had also been looted and, hidden in dirty black pouches attached to the belts of dozens of human thieves, were ready to go to a foreign land. Sylvia's jewelry was unharmed only by the will of Derek, who had forbidden even to touch it.

– Soldiers of Kaldwind! Are you ready to march? To go home? – Derek asked loudly.

– Ready! Home at last! Oh, we'll get rich! – That was his answer.

– Then let's go! – Derek shouted triumphantly.