He didn’t believe his eyes. How could that happen? For how many decades had he seen himself as a gray, slightly hunched, clawed man? But did he really look like this or was it just the way he took himself? How did others see him?</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
Absolutely weakened Koschei sank into a chair, which his housemates were able to move close by the mirror. He was peering at his hands, and the others were watching him expectantly. </p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– I don’t know whether you will please to hear it or not, dear Koschei, but nobody has sent me to you. I’m afraid, I got here by pure chance...</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
The broom was casually waltzing around the owner’s armchair, attracting everybody’s attention. Hope couldn’t drag her gaze away from such a hard worker. She wondered if that was an enchanted girl. Or are they all enchanted?</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– Do I look like a villain who would imprison a living soul in an object? – Koschei raised his head up and lowered it back thoughtfully right away. In truth, what could she think about him, if for decades he had seen himself only as a monster?</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
Hope realized that she was thinking aloud, but she couldn’t make up the way to correct this unfortunate oversight so fast.</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
Eventually, the girl hit everyone with the words she didn’t expect to hear herself.</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– I don’t believe that people are born evil, – she claimed. – And you don’t look like an evil person. After all, if the fairy-tales were true, I would be in a dungeon now. And where are all the beautiful and clever fairytale princesses, that were languishing in bonds? – she looked inquisitively into Koschei's eyes, trying to comprehend his behavior. – There you go! Something just isn't sitting right… – the girl thoughtfully tapped the floor with a small slipper, whipping up a layer of dust, and then sneezed. The broom and the scoop, joined by the mops and basins of water, rushed at once to clear the floor of dirt and dust, pushing the girl to the mirror. – What did you do with those beauties? – Hope demanded.</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– I did nothing! – Koschei resented and everyone was surprised to see how his hair shortened and darkened magically, forming a full head of beautiful, thick chestnut curls. – They were bored with their betrothed princes, which sometimes turned out to be not only Ivans, but also fool. So they came to me for advice. And when their knights in armor showed up, we played out the kidnapping. This way they were relieved by their princes. And that’s when Gorynych and I, – Koschei smiled bitterly, – had to fight these ardent gallants back. Indeed, I couldn’t tell them that the ladies were against such attention! I mean, it might wreck somebody's life – and the wounded soul never heals easily.</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
For some reason, the way he said this restored Hope's image of the beauty on one of Koschei’s canvases. Who was she to him? Was she one of those princesses who were in flight from the betrothed? And where did all these fussy ladies disappear then?</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– Wow… – everybody whispered admiringly. Hope was surprised with such a turn of the story. And others were surprised to notice that as soon as Koshei revealed the truth that he never told anybody, his eyelashes turned darker to match his new hair. </p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
Hope kept wondering why it had happened. If Koschei’s immortal, than it wasn’t time that dyed his hair and eyelashes? What then? ..</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– Could you tell me, – Hope said thoughtfully, – those rooms that I haven’t seen… The princesses lived there?</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– Well, they hardly ever lived here, – Koschei answered simply.</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– Then where did they live? – the girl kept asking. – Or do you keep there your winner’s trophies?</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– Trophies?! – Koshei asked surprisingly, and Gorynych sniffed in the doorway.</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– Right! You said that the knights rushed to you on their faithful horses to recapture the betrotheds. You are stronger, you have magic, so you were the winner ...</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– It's a ridiculous conclusion. It's me who was the defeated. They left with a fair assurance that I lost the battle.</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– And what about the beauties?</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– They fell in love with the winners. It’s a natural selection. Women always choose the strongest. And the strong often pretend to be weak. There is some wisdom in it.</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– But you were rescuing them! – Hope resented with all her heart without even noticing that she began speaking less formally with the elder, that was hardly admissible.</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– Oblivion is the fate of anyone who does something for others… – Koschei smiled ironically, shifting his thoughtful gaze at his faithful friend and going deeper into his distant memories. Gorynych nodded his heads in agreement. Hope looked at him. </p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
– Just imagine, – Gorynych drawled contentedly, enjoying the newly gained guest’s attention. – I’m flying around the territory…</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0cm;">
Hope smiled, noting with the corner of her eye that Koshchei stopped noticing everyone around, so preoccupied he was with his thoughts. A deep wrinkle arose on his forehead – the evidence of his wisdom, talent and past troubles.</p>
