Between the lines is written in fire

An elf in the ambassador’s entourage

Flames ran between the lines.

«I love you! I hate you! I wait for you! I am your dragon.»

It was no longer a letter, but a short note by fire. It did not burst into flames, but lay on the carpet, only the lines burning. Then they were extinguished. The note became ashes.

Rosamunda thought the note a mockery. The dragon didn’t belong to her.

It was said that Queen Seraphina of the northern state had her own dragon, but Queen Rosamunda had no dragon of her own. It is except for the dragon in the letters. Maybe someone got wind of her desire to have her own dragon and is playing a joke on her? But who would want to do that and why?

«You should have a dragon of your own,» said Dandy, sensing the threat of war. «Or tame one that already flies over the towers and shines like the dawn.»

Instead, Rosamunda wrote poems about the dragon, but the lines were in ink, not fire. Only once did something out of the ordinary happen: Rosamunda was summoned by the voice of a fairy from the bookshelves, the queen dripped blood on a line, and several fiery lines appeared, as if a dragon had breathed on the paper.

«I am here! I am near! In your palace! At your back! I am yours! And so is the fire.»

The lines of fire, alas, burned too quickly. There’s no way to prove the existence of letters of fire. They could never be reassembled from the ashes.

Rosamunda was nervous. She even felt a dragon’s claw touch her shoulder. It felt like the dragon was at court, but the heralds only trumpeted some afterthought from a magical state.

«Come quickly! Otherwise we’ll all be in big trouble,» Dandy is all shaken up. He’s about to faint.

Rosamunda hurried into the throne room. The courtiers had gathered in a crowd. They were all expecting special ambassadors.

«Was it true that their empire was populated only by wizards?» Rosamunda sat on the throne in a ceremonial gown of silver brocade trimmed with sable. Dandy sat on the back of the throne and whispered his advice to her.

«It is also called the Magic Empire, or in the lingo, simply the Empire of Magic,» he said. «The emperor is very powerful. You’d have to seduce him, and you’d be in business.»

«Does he specialize in taming dragons?» Rosamunda was keenly interested.

«It is something like that…» Dandy was embarrassed for some reason.

«But the ambassadors have come to see me, not the Emperor.»

«Arrange with them to visit him.»

«I mean a trip,» Rosamunda wrinkled her nose. «I dream that I have many faces! Imagine that! And they’re all mine. Isn’t that funny?»

Dandy, who usually liked to joke, remained silent.

«There are faces! There are all beauties! I don’t know if they’re dead or alive. But in my dreams I change their faces like masquerade masks. It’s funny and scary.»

«Magic is fun and scary,» said Dandy. «You have to learn how to use it properly, so you don’t get hurt.»

«Should I ask the wizards ambassadors for advice?»

«First, give them the impression of a wise ruler. They’re not going to help someone with a pouty demeanor. They need something to interest them.»

«Will that be difficult?»

«Of course it’s difficult! They’re magicians! You can’t bribe them with mere coquetry,» Dandy even shrieked. «Maybe you should marry a dragon. He loves you very fiercely, judging by the intensity of his matchmaking.»

«It is no hotter than that! He’s got half the kingdom burning or smoking!»

«We must take action before the kingdom burns to the ground,» Dandy leaned close to Rosamunda’s ear, tugged a long curl with his claw, and wanted to whisper some dangerous advice, but the heralds had already sounded the horn to announce the arrival of the guests. A procession of smartly dressed cavaliers entered the throne room. Not a single lady among them, Rosamunda noted to herself. It was as if they had come for marriage. Or was it? She felt suddenly sick.

«They are afraid that I will take away the face of any lady they bring with them,» Rosamunda thought, guided by her dreams.

«You’re imagining things!»

«No, I don’t. I feel as if they were trembling before me. Or maybe they’re setting traps for me, like I’m setting traps for the dragon. What if singing doesn’t scare him away next time?»

«That’s why you have to make friends with the wizards,» Dandy snuck behind her shoulder. He climbed the back of the throne as nimbly as a monkey.

Rosamunda did not know how to drive him off. She wanted to hear the ambassadors, but Dandy was hissing in one ear and out the other.

«You’re making me unable to hear anything!»

Rosamunda tried to shoo him away, but Dandy clutched at her hair, almost falling over, causing her to shriek. The ambassadors were just opening their chests of fancy gifts. One of the ambassadors was dressed like an eastern wizard. All the others were in camisoles or doublets. All dressed so luxuriously as if they were of the same rank. So which one is the leader? It is the one who read the speech.

«Dandy, why is the Magic Empire called the Dragon Empire?» Rosamunda caught on to the fragments of the ambassador’s speech. «Do dragons live there?»

«It is just a figure of speech,» Dandy muttered. «It is a metaphor.»

«What if the dragon came to us from them?»

«Come on! You have a unicorn on your coat of arms too, but that doesn’t mean there are unicorns grazing in your kingdom.»

«I have roses and gold coins. They are also in the coat of arms.»

Dandy snorted disdainfully.

Rosamunda straightened the folds of a lush purple dress, woven at the hem and on the chest coats of arms. The ambassadors came up to kiss the queen’s hand. Rosamunda was surprised that they were all young, about the same age. Usually ambassadors were bearded middle-aged men. These ones were all young and handsome. Probably they were the sons of some powerful person. Maybe they’ve invented the elixir of youth. They’re magicians!

Rosamunda was much more attracted by the glitter of the treasures in their chests than by their looks. She stared so intently that she didn’t notice the young man who came last. She almost fell off the throne at the sight of him. That’s what it means to get an arrow in the heart! The sight of the handsome golden-haired boy made her feel as if she was scorched.

He looks like a living elf! But he’s an ambassador, and his name is the same as the emperor of the Dragon Empire. Edwin!

He must be the emperor’s namesake. The Emperor himself wouldn’t show up unannounced and wouldn’t go behind ambassadors’ backs.

For some reason, at the sight of Edwin and the ambassadors, Dandy hastily ducked behind the throne. No one could get him out of there with a sap. Only his eyes glittered from beneath the legs of the throne.

Edwin bowed. The sight of him burned worse than the fire, and her hand burned from his kiss. Rosamunda watched the red stain spread across her palm. It must have appeared so. Some creepy winged shadow flashed quickly in Edwin’s eyes and disappeared.

What a pity this young man was not a dragon! She wished he had asked her to marry him!

How unpleasant to be the object of a dragon’s desire when there are such handsome men around!

Rosamunda wanted to start a conversation with Edwin, but she didn’t know where to begin. Any words spoken to him would sound like flirting. Edwin himself was silent for some reason and dared not speak to her first.

And Dandy had disappeared. He would tell her how to behave now. For some reason her knees shake at the sight of Edwin, and all her thoughts scatter from her mind. Is this what love at first sight is like?

«I must give you a gift from the Emperor,» Edwin suddenly pulled a rose out of the void like a magician. Rosamunda gasped in delight. The rose was unusual. There are no such roses in the royal garden. How could the Queen of Dauran be impressed by ordinary roses? A special magical flower was needed to surprise her. And that’s exactly what she’s been presented with. The bright orange rose was ablaze with yellow fire around the edges. In an instant, it was all fire. Only the stem remained green. The courtiers gasped in amazement, but Rosamunda did not dare to take it in her hands.

«Hold it by the stem, and it will not burn you,» Edwin advised. For some reason he avoided looking Rosamunda in the eye. Was he ashamed of her, or did he not like her? Or maybe the eerie shadow she saw in his eyes wasn’t a hallucination.

«Is that all you know how to do?» Rosamunda teased him. «A dragon could make me a rose like that with a single breath. I expected more from a wizard.»

In fact, she was delighted by the tortured flower, but it was unpleasant that Edwin paid her no compliments. Even the gift he gave her was not from himself, but from his emperor.

For some reason, at the mention of the dragon, Edwin flinched like a stung man. Had she insulted him? But what did he have to do with a dragon attacking Dauran? It was not he who had attacked.

Edwin shook his golden curls, whispered something, and a miniature rainbow appeared in the palm of his hand. A moment later, the rainbow flew out the window, stretched over the castle, and illuminated everything with a multi-tonal glow, leaving a handful of rainbow stones in the palm of Edwin’s hand.

Rosamunda knew that rainbow stones were considered the most valuable of all gems, for they could only be obtained from elves and fairies. And fairies and elves are notoriously difficult to bargain with. They will not want money in payment, but some magical condition. But Edwin got the rainbow stones instantly. Or rather, he conjured them. And he is an expert!

Rosamunda applauded and then realized that she might have insulted him. After all, he is not a magician, but a real wizard.

Edwin expressed no offense. He poured the stones into Rosamunda’s palm, and kept only one stone, shaped like a peach pit. He rubbed it in his fingers and then threw it into the center of the hall. The stone immediately embedded itself in the marble floor, and suddenly there was a cracking sound. It was the floorboards cracking. Roots that looked like dryad’s fingers sprouted from them. A tree sprouted from the roots. It instantly grew to the ceiling of the throne room, covered with twigs and leaves. Ripe fruit formed on its branches: either peaches or magic fruits with iridescent shiny peels.

«My throne room has been turned into a garden,» Rosamunda said whimsically.

«If you eat one peach, you will forget any sadness for a long time,» Edwin said.

Even the colorful birds flew away from the tree.

Rosamunda twirled a flaming rose in her fingers. Its petals were even hot.

«Would you like more gifts from my emperor?» Edwin asked.

«So all these miracles are gifts from your suzerain and not from you?» Rosamunda flared up.

Edwin silently unfolded a fan made of fire in front of her. All the plates, except the handle, were blazing.

«It is a blazing fan!»

He is mocking! Laughing at the queen who was attacked by a dragon! That’s why the gifts are all fire!

«It’s quite chilly in Dauran. A little fire wouldn’t hurt,» Edwin gave his gift.

«It is curious thing!» Rosamunda praised, accepting the fan. Maybe the ambassadors don’t know about the dragon, but just want to be helpful.

«How long will you stay?» She was more worried about whether Edwin would leave right away. Somehow she didn’t want to lose sight of him.

«We have been invited to participate in a tournament,» said one of the group of ambassadors.

«It is a tournament in honor of the solstice!» Rosamunda remembered. «It’s still a couple weeks away.»

«If we’re in the way, we can leave and be back by the day of the tournament,» Edwin said.

«You are joking! How can you get there and back so quickly? The borders of Dauran alone are over a week away.»

«Distance doesn’t matter to wizards,» Edwin replied cryptically. «You can fly around the world in one night.»

«Then teach me how to do it!»

«It is in any time, Your Majesty,» he stroked the signet ring on his little finger. «I can take you on a tour of the starry heavens, the clouds, the rainbow bridges.»

Now that was a bit like flirting! Rosamunda’s cheeks flushed. Curious, was it flirting a courtesy? Or did Edwin really like her?»

Edwin gave another shake of his unruly golden curls, which made Rosamunda faint. The ambassador was slender but strong, broad-shouldered, tall and handsome as a summer elf. Curious, who was he by title? Dressed sumptuously, like the son of a duke or marquis. His camisole glistens with precious stones, his sword has a gilded hilt, and the lace of his collar is like a frosty pattern.

«Put the ambassadors in the best quarters,» Rosamunda said.

If it were her will, she would have put Edwin in her bedroom. But stop! She’s not a libertine! Why were such perverse thoughts? Is he bewitching her? He’s a sorcerer! He can do anything. But Edwin did not impose his company on her, but hurried away. It was a pity he wasn’t as clingy as the dragon. You can’t get rid of a dragon that easily. Rosamunda looked warily up at the sky, where a magical rainbow was shining. She wondered if the dragon’s fire would shimmer across it again.

It was as if Dandy had been frightened by the ambassadors and now he wouldn’t come out from under his throne. Rosamunda tried to reach him, but he hid behind her skirts and clawed at them.

«What’s the matter with you?» She whispered.

«The ambassador’s name is Edwin.»

«What is of it?»

«I don’t like people with that name, especially wizards.»

«Is it because their emperor is also called Edwin?»

«It’s not a good name,» Dandy gritted his teeth in fear. «Bad people use it. They are dangerous people! They are treacherous…»

Dandy’s teeth chattered as if he were freezing to death, and all around him were fiery things.

«But Edwin is polite and very handsome.»

«The dragon is beautiful too, but when it dies by fire, you can’t escape it.»

That’s what he said. So the danger comes from beautifully dressed people and from dragons with beautiful golden scales. It is not without reason that they say beauty is dangerous.

Rosamunda sighed languidly after Edwin.

«It’s a pity he’s not a king and can’t ask me to marry him.»

But the dragon did. The dragon wasn’t a king either, but there was no escape from his matchmaking.

Fire-breathing suitor

Another letter was waiting in the king’s bedchamber. It wasn’t lying on the table or windowsill as usual, but hanging in the air. The scroll unfolded itself as Rosamunda approached it. The letter, of course, was from the same crazy suitor who signed himself «your dragon.» Except that his madness was now worth doubting. There was indeed a dragon over Dauran. And he was indeed a passionate admirer of the queen, dreaming of getting her either as a wife or as a dinner. She wondered what love means to a dragon? Suddenly to love in his mind is the same as to burn and eat. The dragon is probably a savage. But how can a savage write such abstruse letters? Did it have the help of wizards?

Rosamunda sighed:

«How tiresome is to have a dragon worshipper!»

The scroll flamed dangerously at the end. Sparks erupted, brightening the dark bedroom. There were several lines of fire in the letter this time. The letters were burning, but they didn’t lose their shape. How much magic do you have to have to make fiery letters on parchment? Or did it only require the breath of a dragon?

Rosamunda read:

«I await your decision! You are treacherous, but I can forgive you. Your appearance has changed, but I still see the same old you under your new face. You are still dear to me. Seeing you on the throne makes me feel as if a rare jewel has escaped from my treasury and I must bring it back to the dragon’s cave. You are like a valuable necklace or crown that I long to put back into my treasury. You are mine, but you are playing on your own. I give you a chance to continue the game. I wait. I have fiery breath and long claws. I am a predator. I’m used to stalking prey and attacking, but I wait you out like a cat waiting for a mouse. I like to play with you, but if I get angry, your perfect new body will be nothing but bloody scraps. Don’t make me angry! I’m out of control when I’m angry. I didn’t torch your entire kingdom, and I really wanted to. I could have taken you out of that blazing castle alone. And I need you alone. All your retinue and dowry can be sacrificed. Rose! Fleur! Bianca! Patricia! Giselle! Portia! Flora! Violet! Rosalinda and Rosabella! You have so many names! It’s hard not to get confused. You yourself remember all those whose faces you wore like masks. I recognize you by your eyes. Do you recognize yourself when you look in the mirror? What if one day you want to look like a handsome young man instead of a girl?

I often tear with my claws young men whom I suspect to be my rivals and drink their blood. One day for infidelity I will grab you too, carry you in my claws to the top of the highest mountain and maybe kill you. Orit is maybe not. It’s up to you. You have the advantage of beauty. Beauty makes women so forgiving. I’m a dragon, but I’m not blind. If you beg my forgiveness, I can spare you. Be my wife and no one else’s but mine. Is that so much to ask of you? All I need is your devotion.

A dragon is in love with you and is loyal to you.»

Rosamunda almost burned herself when she finished reading the letter, because the parchment began to burn right under her fingers. A few fiery lines instantly consumed the entire text.

How quickly dragon letters burned! If she’d had a chance to reread the letter a few times, she probably would have understood a little more. Everything in the letter was too convoluted and mysterious. It’s as if the dragon admirer is not addressing her, but some multifaceted sorceress. His revelations are too complicated. If only the wizards of the Magic Empire could look at the letter! Would Edwin be able to recover the letter from the ashes deposited on the carpet?

It’s worth asking him. It would be another chance to see it.

«I’ve given in to the dragon!» Rosamunda complained, tugging at a tourniquet of blue-black hair twisted with pearl threads. Maybe if she took off her jewelry, she wouldn’t attract the dragon so much. She’s wearing tons of gems! No wonder why the dragon would be attracted to her. The hem of her dress is embroidered with tiny rubies and emeralds, there’s a heavy crown on her head, and there are more bracelets, necklaces, and rings than one can count. We should take it all off and put it in a chest. But then she wouldn’t be considered an elegant queen. Only an old royal widow can dress modestly. One gold hoop in her hair is enough for her. A young queen without jewelry would be considered naked. That’s court etiquette. The more expensive your clothes are, the more powerful are you..

Rosamunda sighed again. She was a slave to convention. If the dragon hadn’t turned his watchful eye on her, she would never have thought about how hard it was to be queen.

«Hi! Dandy!» Rosamunda called out, hoping her supernatural advisor was hiding under the bed, but Dandy was nowhere to be found. Had he gotten so cold feet in front of a delegation of wizards from the Magic Empire that he had decided to sneak back to the Underworld? Though Dandy had a bad temper and a sharp tongue, Rosamunda had grown accustomed to him and was even beginning to long for him.

The colorful tapestry on the wall suddenly twitched. The figures of the fairies on it changed their poses and leaned toward each other. A whisper sounded from the threads of the tapestry:

«She is a poor thing! She doesn’t know what she’s in danger of!»

«And what threatens her?»

«He will punish her for her infidelity, and choose one of us for her throne.»

«Is it one of the fairies?»

«It is either a fairy or a peri or a nymph or a naiad. He has so many choices! And he has no use for a mortal girl!»

As Rosamunda moved closer to the tapestry, the voices fell silent. The figures of the fairies froze again. They were depicting the scene of a unicorn hunt. Rosamunda felt uneasy. After all, the unicorn is the symbol of Dauran. It is part of the coat of arms. To harm a unicorn is to defy the queen. The fairies not only hunted unicorns, but also tamed them by tying their horns with ribbons. Where could such a tapestry have come from in the castle? It was as if it hinted that Dauran was finished. The dragon would burn the place down and fairies would frolic in the ashes.

Dandy appeared suddenly, as if from under the floor. Rosamunda almost fell over in surprise. He suddenly jumped out from under her feet like a devil out of a snuffbox.

«Send the ambassadors away!» He demanded. «They’re no good here!»

«Are you crazy? If we send them away, who can protect us from the dragon?»

«They’re on his side.»

«I don’t believe it. You just didn’t like Edwin because I liked him.»

«I wouldn’t recommend falling for the first person you meet. You never know what’s behind their pretty face.»

Rosamunda let Dandy’s sneer pass over her ears. He would probably like to court her, but he’s not tall enough, so he’s angry with normal men.

«Say, could the dragon be attracted to my jewelry? Maybe if I took them off or replaced them with fake stones, the dragon would leave me alone. I’ve heard that dragons are attracted to gold and stones.»

«Try putting your jewelry on a lady who looks like you. Maybe the dragon will mistake her for you and drag her away,» Dandy smirked. «It’s mean, but there’s no choice. The country can’t exist without a queen, and it can do without one or two ladies. Besides, the dragon himself is already kidnapping and killing girls from the outskirts of Dauran. They’re all brunettes with curly hair, just like you. He’s got this obsession with girls who look like you.»

«Maybe he’s crazy.»

«It is a mad dragon!» Dandy whistled. «Well, then you’ll have to get smart and put him on a chain. That’s what you do with crazy people.»

«And how do I do that?»

«Lure him in and seduce him. He seems to respond to your singing. Sing him something beautiful and put a chain on him.»

«That’s a great idea! All I have to do is get a skilled blacksmith to forge a chain that the dragon won’t break, and then I can start seducing him with song,» Rosamunda fell asleep hopeful. She dreamed that she had put the dragon on the chain, and when she returned to it, she found a young man with the appearance of a golden-haired elf asleep on the chain. And where had the dragon gone? Why was the elf on the chain instead? The elf was asleep. Rosamunda laid his head in her lap and burned herself. His breath was fire.