I peered at him , hesitating to put my glass, which still had red fluid at the bottom of it is still splashing red liquid, slightly swinging it, hiding the trembling of my fingers

– But I'll give you a gift, Your Majesty, is not a sign of attention? And I'll go on a trip in the surroundings of your subjects, not earlier than three months (for such a serious journey must be prepared).

– For some reason, it seems to me that you most curious result of the experiment and the ability to obtain funding from the treasury of the empire, not my response to the presentation of a gift and a possible pleasure from it.

We stood in a duel views. Overall, the Heir is correct in his accusations. I’m not seriously considering it as a possible husband (though if you add a couple of glasses and leave the lighting like this. Like now.)

I need Artifacts more to survive really , but i can not to admit .

When silence lingered, the Heir said:

– Well, let's proceed as follows. An artifact money will be allocated. To make a travel decision, you have to prepare more detailed information: which lands you would like to visit , which establishments and we will return to the discussion in two weeks. The second condition, you have to prepare me a gift. But one that will target it to me. So you told something about the socks ?

– Yes, Your Majesty, but you and without them hot, and I knit bad. But well, the conditions are accepted. From me description of where and why, and a gift like socks. I will go? Outside the window was dark, we probably time for dinner.

– Yes you are right. But I need to work, and will eat in office. I said goodbye, but in the dining room did not go, asked to file into the room. And what to present? This thought occupied my mind all the time remaining before bedtime

In the morning I took out a notebook, which Elegelika presented me to practice (my days so full of events and thoughts that i didn't start study the alphabet , but I firmly promised that allocated for a class a couple of hours tomorrow). I need a notebook today to simply distribute the options.

So I divided sheet of notebook to two columns for possible gifts and for commenting in the second:

1. Bake a cake // I do not know how to look like a furnace here

2. Knitting, sewing / i'm bad in it

3. Sing // I can play a little guitar, but whether there is such a tool here.

4. Portrait // possible, but it would be a caricature, and it can be offended.

5. Maybe there is a souvenir? Shirt and socks, brandy, cup, certificate …// no, he is not an ordinally man

6. I need to see what theatrical productions are going on, maybe buy tickets?

I feel like before February 23, and all seems silly and trivial, but because turning the leaf started to draw Dragon with flowers in their teeth before the tower with the princess. It at least distract from the sprawling thoughts.

After drawing a leaf from a notebook, i made an envelope from a blank sheet and drew a dragon with a kitten on it. And maybe the envelope would never have made it to the addressee, but at that point, I got a knock.

The young man (his name was Richard, I recently asked, accompanies me every day, and was silent all the time) went to my room. He nodded, but when he saw, the envelope in my hands stretched out his hands, asking to whom to send.

– Do not worry, it's for the heir, I'll find a way to send – I mumbled.

But Richard did not give up and took envelope – I will I'll send it through the Secretary of His Majesty, while you have breakfast. I will be glad to help you.

And I had no choice how to give him my letter, stupid to retreat. Nevertheless, no signature. Maybe he wouldn't guess? And, if he guess, would forgive me this little prank?

That evening, I received an answer to that question. On the table beside the bed, lay a living rose, and under it the envelope, inside picture: Tower Princess, to the tower of the charge of stairs, and the stairs down happy and fat dragon, in the teeth it holds a rescued sad kitten.

But before messages with the kitten was still far off, the morning just begun. And the first thing I went to the library. I asked for some book about the musical instruments of the peoples of the empire, only necessarily with images of those very instruments. So, what tools we had two thousand years ago? Flute, harp … Could they have also come to the creation of the guitar.

I scroll through the entire book, but an identical instrument did not found.

There were so many variations as familiar to me, similar, and completely unknown. But we also have a variety of strings, but the sound of balalaika, for example, is quite different from the guitar, which means I have to look in the music store (maybe I will be lucky to find something suitable by the sound.)

Putting aside the book, I started to study the alphabet. I had one version of the alphabet from Elegelica and a second version from the wizard. I found the pictures with the letters (you know, as we do for children over the letter «A» painted apple), copied to his notebook and put the transcription of the usual Russian letters. So I can slowly begin to learn to read. But not today. It's time to go on a visit. So I can slowly begin to learn to read. But not today. It's time to go on a visit Rosalind.

Chambers Rosalind combined the emerald velvet canopy, swamp green sofa upholstery, dark wallpaper in the small green flower, brown, heavy curtains and furniture made of wood (not easy and graceful , but rather massive) bed wide high-backed cabinet with heavy doors and dressing table with wide mirror.

Rosalind sat me down on the couch and poured tea in a cup of the most delicate china.

– How’s Nadine’s mom’s health? – I asked – Postpone she the play?

– No, the play was written long ago. Nadine only edits and rewrites details on roles. She promised to finish before the end of the month. We’ll start rehearsals in July. She was, by the way, very happy your desire to insure one of the participants in case something happens.

– By the way, I thought I could rehearse with everyone one by one reading with the opponent to be able to navigate in the text and suggest from behind the scenes, so to speak be prompter.

– Great idea, we’ll give you a copy of the play and we’ll try. Let's start with me.

– As with the male roles? Some of the servants, or disguised themselves of our participants?

– You don’t know Nadine very well – she said Rosalind with a smile. Some roles will play our escorts. The protagonists be played by the stars of the capital theater.

– Will they come to us or are we going out to rehearse at the theater?

– On Tuesdays we to them, on Thursdays they are to us. 10 rehearsals is too short, but they have a tight schedule of rehearsals and performances, so again, your help will be invaluable.

– I can’t wait to read play and start rehearsing.. And costumes, decorations?

– Some costumes and ready sets will be provided by the theater, the rest will be financed by the emperor.

– I’m a little sorry I turned down a part. – I smiled back. Besides the fact that I really wanted to take part in the rehearsals, I think it is also an opportunity to learn the writing faster.– Rosalind, I wanted to ask you for help. See, I know too little about the real world. I made that point to the emperor, and now I have to map out the itinerary and give as much detail as possible. He promised to look it up and give me an answer. I need help with the map. You do know more about what worth to visit.

Rosalind was thinking. I did not expect that such a simple request could cause a range of emotions and deep thoughts.