Fairytale chosen (12 page)

The flower was the same size as Heera and had petals, which shone in all colors of the rainbow. Their leaves were as soft as velvet.

Heera paused and the flower asked: "Where are you from, where are you going? Never has a human foot enter this country. "

"They call me Heera, the Fearless. I come from far away and have sailed my boat across the sea. Seeking the Witch of the East. "

"The witch rules over this country, but what do you want from her?"

Heera told her of what had happened at the castle and how she had met the bird a second time.

"The apples of the island have you saved your life," exclaimed the flower. "Had you not had the bird you had eaten, with skin, hair and all bones." Heera wanted to thank you for the advice, but the flower began to weep bitterly.

"What have you, love flower?", She asked Heera scared. "Tell me how I can comfort you."

"I'm hungry. Give me one of your juicy apples ", asked the flower. "The rest, however, depositories as a treasure, they will continue to help you in times of need. A result of the rising sun in the east. There you will find the witch. "

Heera gave the flower a particularly large and red-cheeked apple before she went on.

The floor was always stony and led her up into the mountains. Soon no tree and no bush grew far and wide was only rock. Cold the wind blew. Around Heera was a fluttering and whirring as she stands under a waterfall. Her legs ached more than ever, but she went on to her a boulder blocking the way. Right and left sudden precipice, there was no progress. All of a sudden, however, she discovered a small door in the rock. Was written in golden letters above the door:

Who knows the words

and the fear does not know,

Join a.

Heera remembered the song that the big bird had sung with her red eyes and began to sing softly:

"I know the words

and feel no fear.

The wind blows and the rain runs.

The fire is burning and the water flows.

Give me back the gifts. "

No sooner had she sung the verses, the door opened and Heera went into the rock. She went into a cave, where it was so quiet that she could hear the stones whisper. In the middle of the cave was a beautiful woman. She shone like the setting sun, as if her body made of pure gold. Heera fell in front of her on his knees. "Say. Are you the Witch of the East? "

"Yes, I am, Heera. I have my eyes and ears everywhere and have watched you on your journey. You are truly fearless. I want to reward you for your courage. What would you like most? Endless beauty? A kingdom? The heart of a prince? I can meet you every need. "

"I am not come to you because of me, but because I want to ask you the gifts of the other girls. That's all what I want. "

"Your wish shall be fulfilled," said the witch and clapped her hands loudly, so that the stones were trembling. "But tell me one yet, why did you not for you desired?"

"Would you give me beauty that I did not get placed in the cradle, it would not be me. Would you give me a kingdom that I have not built with his own hands, it would not be mine. Would you give me the heart of a prince who does not love me for sake of me, it would not be mine. I am my own fortune. "

"If I may bestow you with neither beauty nor with wealth or love, so I will give you at least one piece of advice along the way. The Kingdom of Chóraleio stands before great calamity. Twelve girls fight to the prince's heart, but one is not who she claims to be. When she reveals her true colors, it will already be too late. "

"My thanks, witch. But how shall I know the wrong girl among the many? "

"Neither your eyes nor your ears will be of use to you, listen to the sound of your heart. Only the heart alone can distinguish good from evil. "

Heera impressed  herself on the words and went on her way back. The Witch of the East had their feet enchanted so that she could run faster than any animal.

She walked towards the evening sun, sailed over the sea and wandered through foreign countries. The wild animals and demons, she met, she gave of her apples, so they did nothing. Already the next morning covered snowflakes on her head, and she returned with prior brag in the castle back. There she was already waiting for the happy girl, whom they had brought their gifts. Xenia danced around them, hilarious than ever before and Daphne joined them in their arms, so that her blond curls tickled Heera’s face. Medea kissed her on the forehead. "I'm glad that nothing happened to you."

Prince Lean gave her a happy smile and Heera found that it actually was happy to see him again. When she had left, she had despised him and was filled with anger. But every day this was less to become after seven days there was nothing left of her anger. King Egeas announced: "Heera that Fearless is back and has passed their test." The whole court applauded her.

Not the power of the bear is crucial

but the
courage of the lion

and the
intelligence of the fox
.

A
lthough Heera had been away only a week after her return seemed nothing like before. When she entered the breakfast room, the other girls asked her while Medea sat apart from the other end of the table. They did not even look at. Heera’s gaze involuntarily to the panel with the rankings, but they had not been changed. Part of her wanted to immediately put to her sister, but another part was curious to know what had happened. In addition, Medea had earned a small damper. Before their journey, they had not only ignored Heera, but begged to disappear. If she had listened to her, she could now not to put her. Who knows, maybe that's why she kept even just distance to the other? Maybe she still could not bear that Heera still belonged to the elect and their failed exam even had great opportunities, one lap to get ahead. So Heera took place between Daphne and Erina. The girl you were still all grateful that she had brought back their gifts and they behaved very accommodating.

"Have you already tried the almond tarts?" Phoebe piped up from the opposite side of the table. "Delicious!"

Daphne was still trusting and stroked Heera even hair. "It's as soft as velvet," she announced. That was too much for Heera and she pulled away with defensive hands her touch. "What's going on here?", She asks indignantly . "I understand that you are looking forward, to get back your gifts. That's what I liked to do and would do it again at any time, but that does not need to do of you as if we were suddenly girlfriends ", she pointed the other rightly suspicious. They dodged guiltily away from her.

"We wanted to be nice," said Xenia defended meekly.

Heera looked pointedly toward her sister while she asked quietly, "Why Medea no longer sits with you?"

Daphne wrinkled snapped the nose. "You concealed something to us."

Heera wrinkled forehead irritated. Medea could rarely keep a secret that she was now hiding something, it seemed hard to believe. "How do you get it?"

"I have noticed that at night in her room she is talking to someone " whispered Xenia, being denser bent in the middle of the table.

"And as we have addressed it, it has everything denied," Phoebe added. Especially with these two girls Medea had well understood before Heera’s travel.

"Perhaps you have questioned  her," Heera tried to defend their sister.

"I also speak on the night after that part," admitted Erina. Heera studied her delicate, pale face. She liked the girl and trusted her. It seemed unlikely that Erina would lie to them. But as unlikely she felt it too, that Medea could have a secret from her.

"Maybe they used an evil spell to win over the Prince," Daphne whispered suddenly in the round. "It has passed every test."

Heera shivered at the thought of the warning words of the Witch of the East. But it was about her sister. She did not listen in her heart to know that Medea was good. "This is not proof," Heera said firmly. "Erina and Agnes have also passed both tests."

While Erina was red around the nose, Agnes shrugged unimpressed with her shoulders and said: "If you ask me, you're just jealous. Even if she has a secret that she has signed a contract, which would oblige them to tell you everything. A woman without secrets is boring. "She got up and stalked out of the room.

"Imaginary goat" Daphne hissed after her upset.

"It is impossible that Medea uses a spell," said Heera clear. "She's my little sister and I know them better than anyone else."

"Then listen to the night itself! Your room is right next to her, "Daphne told them to bite. But Heera shook his head. "I trust my sister! If she says she has not spoken to anyone, this is so and not otherwise. "

She pushed back her chair to sit down to Medea, but they had already left. Just then entered Prince Lean the hall, like almost every morning. In the past week he had each spent a day with Phoebe and with Xenia. Both raved highly of him, but both kept a low profile as to whether there had been a kiss.

"Good morning, ladies," Lean greeted her as usual.

"Good morning, Prince Lean", piped back the nine remaining elect.

"Every day that you dwell in my castle, I am honored," he smiled, one after another to. It was funny to see him again for Heera. She had the feeling that something had changed between them. She could not identify what it was.

"Nevertheless, the selection draws to a close," he continued. "After Heera has successfully returned from their examination yesterday, I would ask this afternoon Celestia, Acelya and Xenia to their exams."

The three named paled. Fear was written all over their face. "What must we do?" Xenia asked in a shaky voice. They all had Heera peppered with questions about their travel, but the king had forbidden her to talk about it. None of the girls should know about the test of another.

"I cannot tell you, but I can assure you that every test must be made as long as you wear your heart in the right place. You do not need the power of the bear, but the courage of the lion and the intelligence of the fox. I wish each of you good luck for their examination. "

"What if we fail?" Acelya asked anxiously, although she already knew the answer.

"Those who fail divorce, from the choice of" Lean said quietly. It gave no indication whether he regretted that or whether it occurred to him located. But it had been clear from the outset that only three girls would reach the next round and only one would win his heart at the end. Had he been a favorite among them and their failure would regret the way he had regrets that Heera had the test fails with the strawberries?

In the afternoon, Celestia, Xenia and Acelya left the castle. All three went in different directions, while the other chosen girls watched from the windows. None of them knew what the three had to do or when they would return. Would your test done within a few hours or it would take days like Heera?

"I cannot understand why the prince requires us to master tasks that would create little man," said Daphne complained sullenly. "I thought he was looking for a bride and not his new bodyguard!"

"They test us to find out how serious our interest in the prince is," said Phoebe.

"I want to marry the prince, but I do not want to be eaten by some strange creature, only to catch my love to the test", disagreed with Daphne. "Dead I bring neither him nor anybody something."

"You can give up," her hit Agnes before grinning.

"That’s your wish!" Snapped Daphne.

"I'd do anything to win the prince's heart," Medea said suddenly. She stood somewhat apart from the other girls, looking at any individuals now challenging eyes.

"Not only you," countered Phoibe and met her gaze.

"I have nothing to lose," said Erina with the same seriousness. For not the selection was a game, even if the motives were perhaps different. Medea was about love, Erina for their lives and Daphne ... This did not as accurate. Heera did not even know why they even stayed longer. It was not only because of Medea. Her sister said barely a word with her. But it was not because of the prince or of the crown. Could she be just curious? Your standing before any more tests and she was certain that the prince would in any case decide not end for them. Maybe he underestimated even their fighting spirit and admired her for her courage, but she was no queen, not even a bride.

For a moment there was silence, then Daphne spoke again, as if nothing had happened.

"What they need to do well?"

"Maybe they have to fight against the Hydra of the South", mused Phoebe, what Daphne paled. "The nine-headed snake?"

"Or the queen asked for the golden apples of the Hesperus" Erina whispered anxiously.

"You are all scaredy cat m! None of you is worthy to be the wife of the prince, "Agnes announced condescending and stalked out of the room.

"Pride goeth before a fall," hissed her Daphne gradually puzzled continue with the other girls, while Heera looked out the window and faded out the conversation. Thick snowflakes fell from the sky. Traces of the three chosen been gone, as if it had never existed. She thought of her family who was sitting many miles away from the castle in her little hut on fire, while the cold wind blew through the cracks in the wood. However, this year they were warmed by the hope that two of her daughters had the chance to change their lives forever. How she wished she could invite her mother for just one day in the castle. Or Elena. With her little sister she would even enjoy the opulent feasts. Her eyes were wide with amazement and she would be on the big dance floor in a circle turning like a true princess.

From their desire packed Heera stood beside Medea.

"I wish Elena could be with us," she said trusts.

Medea looked at her in surprise and smiled for a brief moment before they became serious again. "They would give us two steal the show."

Heera’s own smile faded from her face also. "Is that what you reproach me?"

"Not until you steal  the show and at the end of the prince."

"Look around," Heera hissed angrily and pointed at Daphne, Phoebe and Erina. "I'm the last person you should be afraid of you. Any other would be a better queen than me. Any other would want it more than I do! "