章節 23: At Elsa’s

Edward's servant quickly prepared the black horse. The bag with the dress he tied to the saddle. Lica said goodbye to him and quite easily climbed on her horse.

"You are a good rider!" Henry said.

She smiled and waved her hand goodbye. Then she rode out of the castle courtyard.

Angelica spurred her horse and raced on the road, lit by moonlight. The wind was blowing in her face but she did not notice it. She rushed forward and only the dust flew out of the horse hooves.

Lica did not know how much time had passed but suddenly she saw the walls of the Goblins' City. The same guards let her go inside, without saying a word. Angelica went along the narrow streets and turned into the alley, where Elsa lived.

She came to her house and jumped off the horse. The door was closed and Lica started knocking at it. But nobody answered for a long time then a young goblin girl opened the door.

"Who do you want?" she asked.

"Me? Elsa!" Angelica said confidently.

"Ah my mother has not been back yet. She is still working," the girl replied.

"At the witch?" Lica asked.

The girl nodded. She stared at Lica and suddenly said:

"And I remember you; you have spent the night in our house once. Come in! Have a cup of tea!"

Angelica didn't know why but she came in to Elsa's house...

The Goblin girl seated Lica at the table and quickly began to lay it. She took two cups, put some donuts on the plate and went out somewhere. A few minutes later she was back with a kettle, which was spreading wonderful aroma of herbs all around. The Goblin girl poured some tea her and the girl and sat down opposite Lica.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Lica... Angelica!" Lica corrected herself. "And you?"

"Leya. Do you work with my mother for the witch?"

"Not really. Shall we say… your mother helps me with something."

"She's so kind," she smiled. "She always helps everyone."

"Tell me, how often she comes home?"

"Usually she spends at the witch 72 hours and then for 24 hours she is at home. But this time she is not here for a long time."

"It's probably because of me and the Prince," Angelica thought and said aloud:

"Your Mom is wonderful. She told me so much about your people and your King - Swein..."

"Oh, Swein!" Goblin girl sighed. "He was so handsome that you had not even dreamed of. He was like a man and had to return our people to normal life in the light of the sun. We had hoped that if we didn't, then at least our children would be ordinary people like our ancestors... But that damn Wizard killed him! Although..."

And the goblin girl looked at Lica and stopped.

"What "although"?" she asked.

"It's not my secret and I will not tell you," Leya said sharply. "Anyway you have to go!"

She put her tea cup on the table and stood up.

"My dear Leya," Lica said quickly. "I know that you do not know me at all and you have the right not to trust me but listen to what I am going to tell you now! I have been in the Land of your ancestors and seen myself the dead Wizard. Now the future of your people depends on someone who can complete the mission, entrusted on the King Swein. That's why, dear Leya, if you know anything that can help, please, tell me!"

Leya was thinking. Then she slowly sat down on her chair and said quietly:

"All right. I saw that my mother had let you into our home. Anyway she would never have trusted a bad man... Listen! All the Goblins were at the funeral of King Swein. But my mother was in the front row. She saw the witch coming to the coffin. After that the palace guards dispelled all Goblins to their homes. However, my mother was there until the end of the ceremony. She told me that the witch had done some obscure rituals over the body then she had smeared it with a viscous liquid and poured something with the color of blood into Swein's mouth. Then the King's body had been buried in the tomb. My mother wanted to go home but the witch suddenly asked her to work with her. My Mom decided that it was because she had seen all the witch's rituals and she decided to keep her close. As it turned out, she was right; as soon as my mother started working, the witch made her word of honor that no one would ever know about that. That's my secret."

"That's interesting..." Angelica said. "What has the witch done with the body of Swein?"

Leya stood up, bent low over the table and whispered to Lica's face:

"My mom said that the witch had embalmed his body."

After that the goblin girl flopped back into her chair and covered her face with hands.

"But, please, do not tell it anyone. The witch... she is sometimes very dangerous! I am worried of my mother and myself!"

"OK," the girl nodded. "I promise that no one will ever know about that! And now I really have to go! I was here a little more than I had expected. Thanks for tea!"

Lica went out of Elsa's house, sat on her horse and continued her way...