Two large glowing eyes stared at him and blinked. Radogor flinched, but didn"t look away. The creature, that was sitting on a branch of the ancient oak, stretching right on the window sill of his office, sat motionless. The man continued to stare at the bird as if studying it, unable to look away.
- Relax, Counselor, this is the usual owl, - said the black-haired girl appearing in the doorway.
- Madam sorceress, welcome, - bowed First Counselor of the King.
- Radogor, - cocked her head girl. - Let's get right to the point.
- Do you want an apple liquor or something stronger? No? - Radogor cleared his throat and spat on the straw. - There is such a thing... our King, he... how would I say it softer... he is a fool, stubborn ram, that's who he is!
- Advisor, - enchantress reproachfully smiled. - If The fate was kind to you until this day, after these words about King, there can be a problem with it.
- This sucker got it into his head that he was destined to break The Redan army. And doesn"t want to listen to anybody. He says, "I will sit on my throne, and on my shoulders will be a red flag of Redany as a trophy". He gathered to go to war with Novigrad just after the celebration of the Solstice.
Moreover, they say in Redany, that there"s a rumor about future far and Visimir gathers an army. I feel the smell of our roasted asses over a mile already. Now he wants you, Madame sorceress, to show him his future, to tell where it is better to put the cavalry and archers, where it"s better for him: to stay behind or he would have to go at the forefront with the rest of the army.
- Apparently, madness in king"s families is absorbed with mother's milk, - black-haired girl gave him a hum of disapproval. - Firstly, I can"t predict the future, and secondly, who told him all about those crazy stories about a throne room?
- Back there on the streets was one limping woman, she was telling all kinds of nonsense. People didn"t pay attention to her. Once she just grabbed the king"s sleeve and suddenly started to scream: "I see you! You"re our rescuer. You will beat the Redan army! " And other rubbish. Damn it! We just established our commercial relationships with neighbors, - old man sighed.
- I see, so no one has seen that limped lady since then?
- No, - Radogor looked down, staying silent for a minute. - It is meant for him to stay at home and warm up his skinny ass by the fireplace, maximum to go hunt boars or girls and that"s it!
- So what do you suggest, Radogor?
- Since he called for you himself, madam, tell something about fate, scare him. So that snot in a boots doesn"t stick a nose in a military business without counseling first.
- Is a payment appropriate?
- If you please, - First Counselor threw up a bag of gold coins in his hand.
2.
The monarch was fourteen. Slawomir was sitting, lounging on a carved high chair.
- Your Highness - bowed the girl.
- Finally, - King nodded, answering the greeting, and waved his hand, ordering the guards to leave. - Did Radogor tell why I called you? You can start. Do you need something for the ritual? I heard the frogs' legs are very popular in magician community.
- Your Highness, may I ask, why are you so sure that your prediction is correct?
- I feel it, I have it written in my blood to become the great monarch, - He rose with arms on his sides, hitching up a chin, - besides everyone know, that predictions from Aglaya always come true.
- It is interesting, - magician smiled. - You are afraid, even now you are not confident in your words, but thirst of glory doesn"t give you rest, therefore you have called me - to dispel doubts.
- I have no doubts at all. I simply wish to know, what tactics of attack will be the most successful and whom will be better to conquer after Redania. The magician pulled out of a bag two identical thin bottle filled with a transparent liquid.
- Would you like to confirm that prediction of yours right now? One flask contains fatal poison and another - just water. In fact, nothing threatens you, so?
Slawomir hesitated for a moment, then quickly grabbed the left bottle, opened it and drank the contents in one gulp. There was a silence. For a while they just looked at each other, suddenly the king laughed.
- I knew it!
The black-haired girl was surprised, but didn"t show it.
- Then look, - she waved her hand, whispering a spell and creating an illusion, filling it with her memories.
The throne room disappeared, the only thing that stayed was a high chair with Slawomir in it and sorceress, who was standing behind him. The air was filled with the ringing of metal, the screams of the wounded and fighting men, the sharp smell of blood and burning wood. Around them the city was on fire. Down the street, bearded dwarf dragged a woman by her hair, it seems, she was unconscious. A knight in a horned helmet jumped towards him and slashed with one strong hit. The bearded man had time to raise up his sword. Steel rang on steel. The impact strength swung back the attacking man. This second was enough to dwarf plunged his sword into knight"s forearm between the plates. He jumped from above, knocking off his victim"s feet, pulled the helmet"s horn with a powerful jerk of his hand in the armor and plunge a sword in the man"s throat. A fountain of blood splattered on the pavement, mixing with ash. The winner took the woman's long blond hair, and continued his way.
Meanwhile the king took Redanian"s red flag stained with blood from the ground, waved with it, as if welcoming all who was fighting, and placed it on his shoulders.
Suddenly the illusion vanished. Sorceress brushed away the nonexistent tear and looked at Slavomír, expecting to see fear, sympathy or anger, but his eyes were sparkling with fire.
- Is that what will going to be? I"m looking forward to destroy these barbarians!
- This war is stupid. Even if you manage to subdue Redania, is it thousands of human lives worth it? And the economy? The war will take all the gold. Why destroy the peace when there is no threat to you?
- No threats and it won"t going to be, because I will win all the neighbors. I'm the Great, the Greatest king!
- A lot of innocent people will die, women and children, hundreds and thousands ...
- They all are collateral damage, their lives are worthless. Someone has to die so that chosen could rule!
- I repeat. This is unwise. Hunger, diseases...
- Shut up! I told you to show me the future, not to whine. Or you want your head being impaled on a pike!? - Slawomir switched his voice to a falsetto and stamped his foot.
- I'm sorry, - sorceress bowed. - For you, your majesty, - she handed him a cup with wine.
- For Slawomir the Great, - the king took a mouthful gulp from a bowl. A moment after that he has begun to clap his eyelashes in amazement, fell down and his eyes became glassy. The girl waved her hand and illusion has disappeared. She took away an empty flask from a hand of the monarch.
- Someone should die ... Visimir doesn"t want this war to begin too.
The stream of fresh air from the open window has begun to whirl yellow with black feather around the room, lowering it to a floor, to a lonely figure of king.