章節 19: The witch's plan

When Swein and Lica reached the cave of the witch, they dismounted and rushed inside. They met Elsa in the first room. She was glad and hugged the girl. The Prince puzzled by what he had seen as if he was here for the first time. A minute later Madam came to our heroes and took them into the big hall.

"Sit down. I see you are tired of the way," the witch said softly. "Shall I offer you a drink?"

She went out of the room, leaving Swein and Angelica, who were sitting in the soft armchairs, for a short time. Soon, Madam came back with two glasses.

"Please!" she offered.

Lica took her glass and made a couple of sips. It was a delicious drink made of some herbs. The Prince drank it in one gulp. Suddenly he lost consciousness and fell on his chair back. The glass fell from his hand and rolled across the floor.

"Have you poisoned him?!" the stunned girl exclaimed.

"Of course not! What do you think of me?" the witch smiled. "I just saw that the Prince had almost turned into the vampire. And it can be dangerous to both of us. So I have simply put him to sleep."

"But you had promised to help him!"

"And I haven't denied this fact. But in this situation, simple herbs and drugs will not be enough. To make the cure drink I need the blood of a real vampire. The rule is "fight fire with fire.""

"Where are you going to take the blood of a vampire?" Angelica asked.

The witch laughed.

"Not I but you will bring the vampire's blood!"

"Me?"

The girl's eyes were widened in surprise.

"But they will kill or eat me! Or first they drink my blood and then eat..." Lica spoke haltingly.

"This is if you're an ordinary person. And I'll infect you by the Prince's blood and you will also become the vampire. And they will not touch you. The process of mutation is very long as you have probably noticed in case of the Prince. But your blood will not be human and that will open you the way to the vampires. It will be the full moon tomorrow; which means that they are organizing the ball. Every full moon vampires come together in the castle of their Prince and Lord. And you are going to this ball, allure a vampire and take his blood. The blood you will put here!"

The witch gave a small glassy bottle to Angelica.

"And then," she continued, "you'll get back to me with the blood and I will make a healing drink for the Prince and for you. Well, what do you think of my plan?"

"Great!" the girl said, looking at the small bottle in her hands.

"Then we'd better not postpone it!" The witch said loudly.

She took a small knife from the table and made a cut on the Prince's hand. The Prince's blood was thick almost black. The witch stained the knife with the Prince's blood and then with this knife she made a cut on Lica's hand.

"Well," the woman said satisfied. "Now you are infected. It will begin in a few hours. And when you get the vampires' castle, you won't be mortal any more. Elsa will lead you by enchanted paths and you will be in the Ghosts Fields very soon. And then the vampire's blood and your intuition will lead you to the castle. But you cannot go to the ball in such horrible clothes! Now let's find something better for you!"

The witch came out of the room and soon back with a sumptuous scarlet dress and matching scarlet shoes.

"Well, I have found!" the hostess of the cave announced happily. "It is vampires' favorite color - the color of red blood! Get changed!"

"How many different dresses I have worn for the balls," Angelica thought.

She changed clothes quickly and the witch clapped her hands with delight.

"Charming! Charming!" she said. "You will have great success! Just do not forget about your mission and bring me the blood of a vampire."

Lica nodded wearily. She hid the bottle into the dress sleeve and, just in case, put the dirk, which Swein had given her, under the corset. Then she came out of the cave. Elsa had been already waiting for her, holding the reins of the horse. She helped Angelica to mount and sat on a thin nag herself.

"Come on, we must hurry," Elsa said. "The enchanted paths often change their direction."

And two riders sped away from the cave. After a couple of hours Lica saw Swein's tomb.

"We need to turn," the goblin woman said confidently.

She turned her nag and Angelica followed her. Suddenly a thick fog cloaked them but witch's maid wasn't worried about it. She moved forward. Soon they were in the wide field. The mist drifted down and now it was just above the ground.

"These are the Ghosts Fields," Elsa whispered. "Now you'll go alone. It's too dangerous for me to stay here."

Lica nodded and said goodbye to her. The woman turned her horse back and ... disappeared.

"Perhaps, she went away by enchanted path," she decided.

She looked up at the sky. The Moon was shining brightly high above the mist. Angelica, not knowing why, turned his horse and ran toward the Moon. On the right and on the left from her there were some whitish figures and silhouettes but she did not look at them. Somewhere back there was a long howl but Lica did not even look round. She, like possessed with something, raced ahead.

Suddenly she saw very tall walls of the castle.

"It's the Castle of Vampires," she guessed.

She went along the wall and soon saw the opened gate. Some tall skinny men were standing near them. Angelica was a bit nervous but then pulled herself together, made a stone face and went into the yard of the castle. The men looked at the horsewoman and Lica realized that she hadn't been mistaken in her thoughts.

Those men's faces were so pale and their eyes were shining so that it was impossible to make a mistake: they were vampires!

The girl jumped off the horse and tied it to the tree, growing in the yard. Then she marched arrogantly to the main entrance of the castle, went up the stairs and pushed the carved wooden door.