“I love Lis. If you take Arel, I want to stay with Lis. And I will be a faithful wife. And give birth to children if I can. Am I doing whatever is necessary? You let Dony go and she made her life well. You told me then: “She did everything that needs to be done.” I didn't understand these words, now I understand. Am I doing whatever it takes?”

“But what about the salvation of your brother?”

“It was probably a stupid idea. Like a lot of stupid ideas and actions before. But I will gladly try to persuade him more. He just lived a little and doesn’t understand anything. For him, perhaps, the throne and power, love is an empty phrase. I will explain to him that this is important to us if he wants us to be happy.”

“He loved Rosa.”

“And?”

“And? And sent her away. To the Upper World. In order not to get her.”

“And he wanted to send me too, persuaded me to run, but I am not Rosa. And I am not sixteen years old, but almost thirty, and this is my last chance, and I want a husband, and I want a husband-king. And I want to look my father in the eye with pride so that he understands that I am not at all the wayward idiot he thinks I am. I want to achieve something! What's the use if I leave? To vegetate somewhere in Komra? What should I do there? Praying for the salvation of your soul? Maybe a little later, when I become an old woman and I have absolutely nothing to do. Moreover, I have not done anything terrible! Is what I decided is stupid? Or bad?”

“This is very good,” Nikto smiled.

“Now!” Karina jumped up. “Wait a minute, I'll bring you something.”

She ran out of the room and quickly returned, holding a small box in her hands:

“The courier brought it from the village for my name.”

“What is it?”

“A parcel from my father.”

“And what does he write to you?”

“Nothing. There was money. I gave more than half to this witch for the ceremony. Excuse me.”

“This is your money, Karina, don’t report to me.”

“Yes. But here's one more thing, and I'm sure this is for you.”

Karina pushed the box towards him: it contained a ring with a blue stone and a mask.

Nikto seemed to be sincerely happy:

“My mask! Is he giving it back to me?”

“I think yes.”

“And the ring? Is it just me, or does your father want to make up?”

“Yes. He wants peace. And me too. Forgive me.”

“I have nothing to forgive you!”

“For this stupid ceremony. I will do whatever you need. I swear! I will correct my mistakes!”

“You do everything. You are smart. Everything is good,” and Nikto handed her a glass of red wine.

Arel wanted to punish Karina, tie her to a post and whip her with a whip, just as he regularly did with servants. But Nikto ordered not to touch her. For the time being.

Chapter two. News from Vil

Prince Arel looked doubtfully at the plump stack of sheets.

Lis went down into the living room and, seeing the papers in Arel's hands, asked skeptically:

“Has Vil sent a book?”

Arel put aside the message:

“I won't read this,” he said firmly.

“I won't either,” replied Lis. “My tongue has not yet fully healed, and it is difficult for me to speak, let alone read such voluminous texts aloud. Or maybe he's loading you with accounting again? I see there are some numbers.”

“It looks like he sent a full report,” Arel said in confusion.

“That’s what happens when one makes a fool pray to the gods!” Lis grinned.

“Here Vil managed to white a whole book, but there is still no news from the idiot Tol!” Arel said indignantly. “He’s definitely an idiot!”

“Well, don't you know Tol? He will send his report, I'm sure,” Lis reassured him.

“Come on, I'll try to read it,” volunteered Karina, seeing that none of her friends were eager to do this.