Authors: Maya Shepherd
For a moment Daphne seemed to think their offer, but then shook his head firmly. She handed the black witch the reel and began to pace from the many cages. In what Agnes liked the prince who transformed? He was braver than a lion, stronger than a bear and smarter than a fox. Hogan caught her attention and she stopped in front of. Inside there is a snow-white swan, who was more beautiful than any animal that Daphne had seen previously was. The prince was the most beautiful man she could imagine. "I choose this cage!" She decided, and opened the door. The Swan suggested excitedly with his wings and leaped for Daphne on the ground. She knelt down before him and pursed her lips. When her mouth touched the orange beak of the swan, a sharp pain shot through her body. She narrowed her eyes and pressed her hands to her chest to protect her heart froze at that moment to stone.
The black witch but walked with a satisfied smile past Daphne and forced the swan back into his cage. It was not Lean.
When Daphne had not yet returned from the castle the next morning, decided the other girls that the next should try their luck. Medea was about to take to the golden spinning wheel under the castle windows space, but she held Heera concerned by the arm. "What if you do not return like Daphne? Let me go with you! "
Medea broke gently her sister's hand. "I have to try my luck alone."
"But I've promised our parents to take care of you. If something happens to you, I could never forgive me! "
Medea smiled indulgently. "I am not alone, my friend, the lark will accompany me," she said cheerfully, and the birds began to chirp like to confirm. "You like the more courageous of us to be both, but we have and something needs of your courage put the same parents also in me."
"That would mean that something lies dormant from your singing talent in me. So far, however, only the milk was sour, when I tried to sing, "Heera replied with a wry grin.
"Trust me," Medea said. "It's important for me to try it alone. Lean to Dear! "
"Lean ove to l!" Heera agreed and hugged her younger sister. Medea pulled away and se assisted by itself with the spinning wheel under the windows of the castle, where the day before Daphne had caught the attention of the Witch. It was not long, because the black witch showed again and shouted, "What do you want for your golden spinning wheel have"
"Wed it for gold or for money, it is my bargain" Medea said.
"What are you going to have it, if it is not you bargain for gold or money?" Asked the witch huskily. "Ask what you want!"
"Let Prince Lean freely, then I will give you the spinning wheel," Medea said.
"Come in and we want to negotiate about your condition," said the witch, after the thorns withdrew from the castle gate, leaving Medea happen. In court she was troubled deeply when she saw the many petrified girl. In one of them, next to a rose bush from which all life had departed, she realized Daphne and she was at once anxious and afraid.
The black witch occurred in the graceful shape of Agnes from her castle. When she noticed Medea’s fear, she said: "Give me the golden spinning wheel and I'll spare their fate."
"Have you done the same with Prince Lean?", Asked instead Medea and pressed the spinning wheel close to her.
"No, the sight would annoy me only every day anew. He and his parents have only excluded me and finally even tricked when they asked me a check that I could not solve. Any other would have failed in my place as well! "
"I would not have a mother and her child stolen", disagreed Medea and threw Agnes ago: "You have never played by fair means and it bothers you that you saw through Lean"
"Of all things you throw in front of me to cheat?" Agnes laughed spitefully. "Medea Nightingale says the Prince because of your little magic helper? Without your lark you were already in the first test failed! "
Medea froze. How did Agnes knew the help of her bird?
The black witch strode toward them and stood directly in front of her. Her black, soulless eyes seemed Medea formally to illuminate. "Do not worry, your secret is safe with me!"
The suddenly so friendly tone of her voice frightened Medea even more and more scary back before Agnes. This reached out to the Lark, who was sitting on the shoulder of the girl and hid under her long hair. Startled beat Medea hand the witch continued. "You can have the spinning wheel, but my lark you do not get!"
"And although I may give you the prince?" Agnes offered.
Medea froze - with this offer would not have expected. Just the thought of her beloved, always faithful friend leave with the black witch, her shattered heart.
"Do what she calls" pushes the lark without hesitation, but Medea shook his head. "No!"
"No?"
"No, I would not swap for my lark. You wanted me the prince for the Golden Spinning Wheel pass, now stick to your word, if you have even a shred of honor in you! "
Agnes smiled triumphantly. "What would the prince probably say if he knew that you prefer a bird to him?"
"The prince would not blame me because the lark was a gift from him, and she is my dearest, I have. What should I do to get back Lean? "
"It was not until the spinning wheel," said the black witch and stretched out her hand demanding. Medea gave her hesitantly golden object and once the door swung open to the interior of the castle. In it there was light smooth running. Thousands of cages with wondrous animals were there. They stood on the floor, hanging on the ceiling or covered the steps that led to the upper floor. All they gave excited noises. Howling, hissing and scratching on the floor of the cages.
"A lot of pretty boys are in my possession," the black witch said proudly, who had again assumed its proper shape. "One of them is the prince, but to decide which it is the sole responsibility of you. But be warned, just a kiss of true love can break the spell and you have only one chance. If you choose the wrong person, you will suffer the same fate as Daphne. You would in my garden of eternal virgins make a good impression. "
So many animals! How should Medea among them ever recognize Lean? She hoped the Council of the lark, but the witch seemed to read her mind, for she said, "Your bird cannot help you this time. But Counsel quietly with him. His choice is not his real as your own. "
Medea looked scary to the lark that had flown at her hand. "Unfortunately, the black witch's right, my beauty," she chirped sadly. "Also I like the prince among the animals do not recognize."
Medea desperately climbed the stairs to the upper floor. Louder cages bordered their way: Crown, arctic hares and even a lion. They also discovered the golden-maned horse and Firebird that Agnes had to have stolen her. Thus, the black witch she had ever wanted to kill. Would it succeed this time?
"What shall I do?" She complained of the lark.
"Listen to your heart, that's the only advice I can give you. The witch has the appearance of the Prince may have changed, but his soul is still the same. Attempts to find his eyes where an animal. "
Medea strode to the cages along and finally stopped in front of a small cage that dangled from the ceiling. It was a lark, not dissimilar from those of its own.
"You bring me luck, since I know you, the prince may bring me the same luck." Marriage could raise their objections lark, she touched with her slender fingers the cool metal of the cage and opened the door. The lark flew at once familiar at her open palm.
"Look at how friendly it is!", Exclaimed Medea pleased. "This can be none other than the Prince!"
She kissed the lark and immediately felt that they could have no worse lie. Her heart contracted and stopped beating, while her whole body turned to stone - and their beloved lark that never left even in death by her side and was petrified with her. Two hearts, two lives and two souls were trapped under the stone - joined together for eternity.
Outside the castle sat Heera’s heart for a fraction of a second. Together with Erina and Xenia she sat on the beach in a cave to protect themselves from the cold. The night was already drawn up and Fog was wafting over the island. Heera sensed that her sister had to have happened to something terrible. She avoided any color from her face and a single tear rolled her cheek.
"What did you do?" Asked Erina concerned.
"I feel that Medea will not return to us," Heera said desperately.
"Now only remains the gold apple, to save the life of the prince and the other girls. Now everything depends on you, Erina, "Xenia whispered in the darkness of night. "I do not envy you for it."
Erina began frantically shaking. "I'm afraid to fail!"
"You cannot let the fear " Heera said, putting the petite girl with fiery red hair arm around the narrow shoulders. "I trust you!"
Erina shook his head. "But I do not trust myself!" She looked pleadingly at Heera. "You go in my place! I trust you more than me. "
Heera was surprised by her request. "If that's what you want, I'll go for you. But are you really sure? "
"You're Heera, the Fearless, no one would be better suited for this task than you. Whatever the witch has thought Devilish, you will see through it!" Said Erina conviction.
Heera occurred the next morning under the windows of the castle and began to play with the golden apple. They threw him into the air and caught it again. After a short time a window and opened the black witch looked out. "What do you want for your golden apple?"
"Neither gold nor for money, he is my bargain", Heera, as previously had already done it, and Medea Daphne replied.
"What are you going to have it, if it is not you bargain for gold or money?"
"Let me in your castle and we can talk about," Heera replied defiantly. Without hesitation let the black witch the thorns from the door disappear, so Heera could enter. She expected a garden, in which instead of trees and plants were statues. All young girls with frightened faces. She was startled when she saw them her beloved sister in a together with their loyal lark. At this moment the witch came in the form of Agnes from the lock.
"Tragic," she purred. "She died in love for the prince."
Heera balled her hands into fists furiously. They would be gone off to the witch prefer, but that would also not returned her Medea. She pressed her lips tightly together and was unable to bring out even a sound, but Agnes said, unmoved on.
"Give me the gold apple and I will raise up your sister back to life. You both could freely leave from my castle, it I give you my word. "
"Your word is worthless!" Protested Heera. "If I give you the apple, you're going to turn me into stone, just like you did with everyone else."
"I have all left the choice. You could have gone, but they would rather die than return without her beloved home. But I think you're smarter than the girls in front of you. So be wise, take your sister and go. "
"Medea would hate me all my life, if I would force her to give up the Prince," replied Heera, but was thinking even painful to Lean. He had earned it just as Medea, yet Daphne or one of the other girls, to be imprisoned in the witch. She had Queen Niobe given their word that they would do their best to rescue the Prince. The whole kingdom Chóraleio placed his hopes on them. Erinas belief in them was so unshakable that they trusted her more than herself. She would not disappoint all these people by now chose the easiest path and her sister rescued. It had to be possible not only to Medea, but also lean and to save everyone else. Part of the black witch was human and every human being had a vulnerability.
"If you do not want the life of your sister, then what do you want for the golden apple? Perhaps the prince? "
"What do I have to to get him?"
"Follow me," Agnes said, and walked into the castle by a large, old wooden door, which creaked loudly as it swung open as if by magic. Heera was surprised by the sight of her presented itself. The whole castle was full of cages in which the witch held captive animals - imagine those that Heera saw every day in the forest and those that they would not have dared in their wildest dreams. A horse with golden mane and a Firebird, the sight of which was more beautiful than anything Heera had ever seen.
"In my castle are seven thousand cages. In each of them there is a young man. One of them is the Prince. "
"I suppose you will not betray me, have animal in which you turned him," growled Heera, whereupon Agnes smiled spitefully.
"Where then would the difficulty?" She sneered. "You only have one chance. If you opt for an animal, you have to kiss it, to break the spell. "She leaned closer to Heera. Although she had the appearance of Agnes, Heera could smell the rot that was in her breath and shuddered. "Heera, you're different than the other girls. You do not care your appearance, and you take no mince words. You are torn and braver than any man. I like that and I would really regret if you did as a stone statue in my garden, so I advise you not to be so silly and try to find the prince of all these animals. "
"Do you fear me about?", Asked Heera challenging. Agnes burst into peals of laughter. "I'm afraid neither you nor any other man. It's just a well-intentioned advice, because there is a reason why you will never be able to free the prince. "
"What would that be?"
"Even if you should see the prince in one of the seven thousand cages, your kiss would not save him."
"Why not?"
"There must be no ordinary kiss, it must be true love kiss. Only the girl who loves the Prince wholeheartedly, it can also free. Are you that girl? "
Heera froze. When she had broken up with her sister to choose from, she had the prince despised. He was in her eyes an arrogant, narcissistic and spoiled pretty boy, the suffering in his kingdom did not care. That is the impression they had been forced to revise. He could stand up for other people, was quick-witted and could even laugh at himself. Each other they would probably already on the road, if not ended up in prison, in what they all had done. But Lean had fought for them. He had tried to look behind their facade and he had succeeded. She did not know what he saw in her, but for her it had become a true friend. But would be enough to break the curse that? Was friendship really all that she felt for him? Previously, she had banned the idea of love. She wanted to be a queen and even fewer wanted to snatch her sister the man in front of the nose. But what if the love was now the only thing that could save Lean?