Сергей Стрельцов - Yester-times

ball-room.’

‘You must be more careful with signs of your power in future.’

‘My power is only to obey my father, and to avoid pleading for all little needs of modest girl who want a comfort of paternal understanding.’

‘Take this dress, Your Highness, I’ll help you to fasten its clasps, and we go to seek it.’

After mounting complicated attire on royal figure of Lavinia, they set forth to ball-room of castle. It had still kept traces of yesterday ball. Tables and chairs were covered with colorful ribbons. Pieces of meals and puddles of wines were on the floor. Instruments of musicians were left on the scene, beside them there sat Ririo the clown of king’s retinue. He was funny midget, with soft eyes, and brisk laughter, ready to outburst in every possible moment. Ririo turned his face to girls when heard them approaching.

‘Nice morning, Highness. What about the breakfast with me. I see nice apple on the floor— we can go in shares for it, if you please.’

‘God bless you fools. You can kiss my hand, poor Ririo, to apologize for improper behavior.’ Lavinia gave him her hand for kissing.

‘No matter how improper general politeness is, I am to obey.’ He blew his kiss to her hand not rising from his place. ‘I never knew that inviting to the restorative addressed to those who need it is felony in your eyes.’

‘Poor ugly, you know what I mean,’ princess said and sat down in her chair. ‘Do you know by the way where my diadem is?’

‘Every fool in the castle knows it.’

‘And would this every fool show me the way.’

‘The way is only to stand up and get here.’ Ririo showed her the diadem which was lying behind him.

‘Look, Nadine. I was right— gold will always find its way.’

‘What do you mean, Highness.’ Ririo said throwing to Lavinia her diadem.

‘We were discussing with Nadine super power of our days.’

‘And that mighty one was gold?’ Ririo asked askance.

‘How many wits are in this awkward head!’

‘Then I wish to propose little song, one of my latest. The ripe product of gift not to be compared with any in tough poetic business.’ Ririo said rubbing his sleepy eyes.

‘Then we are all the ear, Ririo. Sit down, Nadine, let him make the morning funny.’

Ririo took the lyre from scene, and after two or three skillful chords performed the next.

“I feel somewhere that I will die.

No matter how. No matter why.

But it is laughable to think

That death can peace and make and bring.

On tomb of mine will dance new folk

And name of mine will be small-talk.

And purse of mine- the laughing-stock,

With certain hearts will pay its joke.”

Lavinia shortly applauded and then, turning to go back, said to Ririo.

‘Good piece, my fool, you are deserved your apple on the floor.’

He smiled at her back and whispered.

‘God bless your heart, my princess.’

1.3

King Talantus was old warrior and had simple habits. He never permitted to his servant to make his modest face to blush. He served himself in all his needs. He loved to go hunting alone, to make light lunch from his game. He woke up always early, kept especially long morning prayers for about an hour and then usually went to the library where he was reading books about ancient kings and their kingdoms, about flood that effaced life on the Earth, about brave and honest man who saved human race from perdition in those terrible days, also he especially loved books about travels in distant lands he never saw, about food, animals and languages of those lands. He had tender heart and quick imagination and that opened to him the unseen and the mysterious.

He was clever ruler of his lands. People were not overtaxed, they had regular feasts, and education even among poorest wasn’t rare thing. The first care of king Talantus was weaker ones. He watched that the orphans, the aged, the ailing, and the poor had enough from his treasury. And in the midday he himself was visiting gates of his castle to give alms to beggars, and he knew almost all of them by the name.

When Delio the chief priest of his kingdom and Ririo the clown entered into his chamber that morning, king was still praying on his knees. When he heard them coming he asked them.

‘Pray with me, my friends, and would be Savior will show to-day his mercy to us.’

‘We willingly do what you wish. But what to pray about?’ Delio said.

‘I feel I have to die and very soon. But I want to see my only child happy.’

‘Then you should not indulge her, Your Majesty.’ Ririo chuckled.

‘No time for laughter, brothers. I am old. And I know that in very short time Lavinia will became the orphan. What I can do to protect her.’

‘Only way, I think, is to marry her off and do it quick.’

‘Oh, Delio. You see me through. But marry off to whom.’

Delio raised his hands.

‘Good heavens. You’re asking me to whom. The kings or heirs can only be contenders for her hand. Daughter of great king must became wife of great king, too.’

‘I think otherwise, Your Majesty.’

‘What do you think Ririo?’

‘She was educated by fool, namely me. She accustomed to my follies, of which main is poetic gift. She must marry poet. Great poet, for I was great fool.’

‘Thank you, brothers. Please, kneel down with me. And let’s pray to marry her off to great king who is in the same time the great poet. Must he be also the great fool, Ririo?’ King smiled.

‘Not necessarily. Poet is enough.’

In the midday dozen of silver trumpets sounded over central square of castle, where was situated the altar. King among priests and his faithful knights in something long but lively procession came out from doors of chamber of state counsel. King loved to hear advices from nearly everybody from beggars to his daughter. But especially he loved words of wisdom from Ririo and Delio. Delio was always serious when Ririo was always laughable from first word to last. Even in awful grieves Ririo had often found spot for mockery. And those who were ready to weep a moment ago with Ririo’s cracks had burst with roar of ha-ha and no one could hush them then. They were uncontrollable.

When procession stopped at the center of square between death-stone, where each sacrificed animal was to die, and altar, where it was to be burnt down for sake of God, king lifted his hands and said.

‘Be blessed those who in love for they are improving this world! Be blessed those who in war for they are fighting for peace! Be blessed the young and the old for they are alive! Be blessed cruel and merciful for they are humans! Be blessed all in all and each in each! Be blessed our God, The Savior, for He loves us though we are mean and sinful! Amen.’

He put his hand on the head of his biggest white ox, and led it to death-stone where according to his lifelong custom beheaded the animal with his sword in one stroke. Then king took body of ox on his shoulders and slowly brought it to the altar. When king Talantus was young it was pleasure to him to perform this with his strength and agility. But with years it was getting harder and harder to bring body of ripe ox to altar from death-stone. It always took twelve steps. But now everybody could see that face of Talantus was pale and covered with perspiration. King felt that his heart was beating weaker and weaker, he felt that he was about to die. But he would have never postponed this sacrifice for he vowed to God that he was going to do it for sake of Lavinia, his daughter. ‘She must be happy in her life,’ he thought. ‘She must be happy, even if I won’t see it. And she must meet her love, this king and poet boy.’ When he put body of ox on the altar he already knew that it was his last sacrifice in this life. He put on fire the wood under the ox with torch given by --">