章節 69: The choice
A few minutes later the Prince and the young King went back in to the hall. Swein invited Veronica to dance and Angelica stayed with the Prince face-to-face.
"Edward," said the girl, "it's not my business, but the Princess is still in love with you!"
"I've noticed it either," said Prince Night.
"And what are you going to do now?"
"I do not know yet..."
Suddenly, the music stopped and the father of the goblins' king appeared in front of the throne.
"Attention, please!" he said. "My son would like to say something!"
The guests applauded and Swein came to the throne. He turned to the guests and said loudly:
"My dear friends! It's not a secret that my father organized this ball so that I could choose a future wife! At first, I was dead set against it. Now I realized that my father was right! I can say more, today, at the ball, I did meet a girl I would like to make a proposal of marriage..."
With these words, the King of goblins went down the hall towards Angelica. The girl's heart sank. Swein came to Lica, smiled and... walked past. Then he took the hand of Veronica, who was among the guests, led her to the throne and said:
"Princess Veronica, I am asking you to be my wife!"
Veronica blushed, smiled and said softly:
"Yes!"
The audience chirruped. Everybody was shouting: 'Hurray!' Swein's father shed tears, came up and hugged his son. Then he pulled away from him and said loudly:
"I would like you to consider this day as the engagement of Princess Veronica and my son! The date of the wedding day will be announced later!"
"Happiness, the King of goblins! Happiness, the Princess Veronica!" everybody was shouting.
There were only two people who weren't so happy enough - Angelica and Edward.
When Swein was asking the princess to be his wife, Lica felt as if a ton of bricks hit her on the head. After Veronica said: 'Yes', in addition to the bricks she felt as if somebody poured a bucket of cold water on her. Angelica looked at Prince and realized that he was feeling the same...
"Edward, it's not our party!" laughed the girl.
"Yes, you are right," the Prince nodded grimly. "Excuse me, Angelica, I need to be alone for a while and think!"
With these words, the Prince Night left the room. Lica also did not want to see as the guests were congratulating the Goblins' King and the Princess. The girl went into the corridor and following the familiar her way went to the North Tower.
She was walking slowly until she reached the spiral stairs. Angelica went up to the balcony, where she had met with Swein's father before. Nobody was there. The cool night air set her mind at rest a little. She sat down in a chair, took off shoes irritating her and began to look at the stars. The mysterious trees were rustling scales quietly in the royal park. And Lica did not notice that she fell asleep...
She woke up because somebody was kindly covering her with blanket. She opened her eyes and saw... the Goblins' King!
"Swein!" exclaimed Lica.
She began to rub her eyes and blink but the young king did not disappear.
"Yes, it's me!" the goblin grinned. "Did you expect to see someone else?"
"No... I just went out to get some air and didn't notice how I fell asleep. I thought that you were just a dream!"
"Wow! Am I your dream?!" Swein laughed.
"Stop it!" Angelica pulled him down. "What are you doing here? You should be with your bride, shouldn't you?!"
"My future wife is sleeping. I went up to the tower to get some air. Sometimes my father falls asleep in this chair and I come to cover him with blanket. But I have found you here this time!"
"Swein," suddenly she asked, "do you really love the Princess?"
"Why do you care about it?" quirked the Goblins' King. "The main thing is that I'm going to marry her!"
"You can't do that!" exclaimed Lica.
She put on her shoes, pulled off the blanket and stood up.
"Have you ever wondered that you can hurt her?"
"How many people do you hurt?"
Swein grinned and leaned on the balcony railing.
"But what about love?" quietly murmured Angelica.
"Love? What is love to you? Suffering, excruciation, jealousy?"
The Goblin King turned and stared at the girl.
"Thank you, I'm sick of it!"
"Swein, are you angry with me?" said Lica. "Why? May be because you are still jealous of me to Edward, aren't you?"
"Jealous?" laughed the young King. "You are too selfish!"
"What?" she cried getting furious. "I am selfish?! What are you getting at? You know, Swein, you are the same clown as you used to be!"
"Oh, really? Let me ask you, how many men have you had an affair during your journey? I think Prince Edward knows not about all of them!"
He deeply hurt her. Angelica broke feeling severely injured. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, not to lash out with her fists on the Goblin. Then she said slowly:
"Yes, I like handsome young men. Sometimes I even flirt with them, but nothing serious, including Edward... Do you remember, before I left you had asked me not to forget you, and I swear I was always thinking about you! I was rushing to Margo to know about you, and found out about your engagement... I was silly when I said: 'I love you'!"
"Do you love me?" asked the Goblins' King strictly. "Then prove it!"
He slowly began to unbutton his coat.
"You are not going to take off your clothes, aren't you?!" cried the girl. "I won't prove you anything!"
Swein grinned and took off his coat; he was only in a shirt and trousers. Laughing, he began to unbutton his shirt.
"What are you doing?" Angelica cried. "Get dressed, immediately! I do not want a male striptease!"
At this point, the Goblins' King took off his shirt.
"I've had enough!" Lica said firmly. "I'm leaving!"
She went to the balcony door.
"I don't let you go!" Swein said sharply.
He caught her up in two steps, grabbed her arm and pulled her closely. Angelica tried to escape but couldn't... The young King whispered in her ear:
"You're damn beautiful woman and I am losing my head when I see you! I cannot stand it anymore I want you! Here and now!"
Swein leaned over and kissed her passionately on the lips. Lica was straggling in his arms and shouting:
"Let me go immediately! I will call the guards!"
"I am sorry!" said the goblin. "But I am the King here! So you can continue shouting as much as you want!"
"You'd better let me go!" Angelica hissed through clenched teeth.
"You are nice with others but why not with me?"
These words are so touched the girl that it gave her strength...
By some miracle, she twisted and bit Swein on the neck. Not expecting this, the Goblin squealed and lost his hold. Lica turned to the King and with all her might hit him on the face. Swein stumbled and fell into the chair. Angelica came up and gave him another slap.
"Now you can call the guards! You are the King here!" the girl said sarcastically. "But first, I'll tell you! Nobody will make me love by force! Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Your Majesty! Now I have to leave you. My congratulations on your engagement!"
Lica sent a kiss to the Goblins' King and went to the door. After a few steps, she stopped, turned around and added:
"One more... forget that I told you: 'I love you'!"
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