Simple Princess. Natalie Yacobson

came out of the ground.”

      “They were the skeletons of warriors who had fallen in a former battle.”

      “What old battle? We haven’t even started the first one yet.”

      “Do you think this is the first time kings have fought on this field?”

      “I don’t know,” Estella frowned.

      The damage inflicted on someone else’s army forced King of Ravelin to negotiate.

      “We haven’t raised the white flag yet, but we’d like to negotiate peacefully,” the counselor, who had approached Estella with the royal delegation, ingratiated. He seemed to think she was a witch, for he trembled shakily as he addressed her. She ought to tell him she hadn’t been conjuring, but she would have to denounce Reason in front of everyone. It would be indelicate.

      “You are, of course, the daughter of the Wizard King, and his spirit is clearly protecting you,” the Counselor said curtly. “But, think, what is it like for a woman to rule alone? You need a lively protector in the form of a royal consort.”

      “What did I tell you?” Reason clawed at Estella’s hair and pulled the strands tight. “Don’t dare to agree! Do you understand?”

      She couldn’t even nod, so hard he tugged at her curls.

      The King of Ravelin looked at her with admiration. He was an attractive young man, but the silver half-mask on his face frightened her away. It was the kind worn by victims of alchemical experiments who mutilated themselves. Knights are usually proud of their battle scars.

      “A dragon burned me,” the King said, catching her gaze perplexed as he removed the mask. He hadn’t done so in a long time, it seemed, because his counselor gasped in astonishment. Estella didn’t like the sight of the poisonous burn, either. It crossed the king’s eye and cheek, disfiguring the attractive face.

      “The dragon was small, the size of an elephant. Not the size for a dragon. But he broke into the palace to rob my treasury, and I got in his way.”

      “And now you wish to replenish your treasury at the expense of mine?” Estella merely repeated the words Reason whispered, but the King of Ravelin blushed to his ears.

      “I was only sure your father had cast a dragon upon me. Everyone knows he was, um, kin of dragons.”

      “This is an insult to my entire dynasty!” Estella echoed Reason again, copying not only the words but the stern tone this time. Even her own knights were afraid of her.

      “Forgive me, but there are rumors,” the king of Ravelin hesitated. He obviously felt insecure in the presence of the proud beauty. She contrary to the vicious gossip was also clever.

      “Rumor and truth are different things!” Estella struggled to hold the reins of her horse, which was never accustomed to the presence of Reason.

      “I assumed you, like many, wanted to make me a sort of marriage proposal, first defeating me in battle so that I would not refuse. You value your manhood so little that you think you can’t get a bride except by force?”

      “Actually…” The king of Ravelin shrank back to hide his embarrassment. “You had such a reputation… Well… I wouldn’t dream of asking you to marry me.”

      “Am I not beautiful?”

      He was embarrassed.

      “Or did hearing about how stupid I was make you reject me?”

      “Are you stupid?!”

      “More like cunning!“One of the advisors whispered. The king shushed them hastily.

      “You are very wise, my lady. Let us solve the war by marriage.”

      How quickly he changed his mind! But Reason did not let Estella decide for herself whether she wanted to marry or not. The answer it whispered, she repeated:

      “No, then you will get my treasury, and what will I get? Is it the absence of sincere love?”

      Reason reeled as the king began to swear to her the sincerity of his feelings.

      “Tell him about the secret of the king’s treasury. He will understand. Whisper one word.”

      “But it’s witchcraft,” Estella recoiled from Reason’s whisper, which burned her ear.

      “And so what is it?”

      “What if I whisper it myself and turn into a frog?”

      “Would I give you a bad advice?” He took offense.

      “Who knows?”

      “Don’t be too smart! Remember I am your reason. Take my advice!”

      The king was worried when he caught the princess muttering something to her. Perhaps he thought he had been too quick to deem her clever.

      She leaned so that her lips were close to the king’s ear.

      “Demonikum!” Obediently she whispered, repeating after Reason almost letter for letter. Probably not exactly accurate, but the word worked.

      The king seemed frightened.

      “Demonology of the Aluar’s treasures,” she obediently repeated after Reason. “The spirits are locked away! Hungry demons! Angry angels! The bestiary beside them! A devourer of gold in the treasury! All this waits at home!”

      The king recoiled from her as if her breath burned his ear like a dragon’s.

      Estella herself was frightened. She could not have had a dragon inside her.

      “I was in a hurry to fight you. But if you wish to flee from Aluar, my marriage proposal still stands. Will you leave with me now?”

      “How men are captivated by beauty!” Reason snorted. Estella almost repeated after him, but Reason’s claws hastily clamped her mouth shut.

      “That’s not for other people’s ears!”

      Then don’t say it! Estella was furious with him.

      “Tell him they’ll break free and fly after you if you leave! And they will tear his kingdom to shreds, and they will ride on the wreckage with a coven.”

      The words, prompted by Reason, were frightened as they would not be frightened of a dragon. By the way, the dragon he had summoned never showed up. But he was no longer needed. King Ravelin’s armies retreated like beaten dogs. They suffered casualties and surrendered. Thanks to Reason for everything. With such a counselor, there’s no need for a fighting dragon in war. It’s not without reason that they say the mind is the most important thing for a man. With intelligence will never be lost!

      A dragon from the dungeons

      The warriors had already fled, but the king was still reluctant to leave her side. He waited for her to decide in his favor. The thought of taking just one princess from an entire enchanted kingdom did not frighten him.

      By the way, Reason on her shoulder was very nervous and unraveled his claws.

      “Chase him away!” He insisted, squinting unkindly at the king.

      “How is it?”

      “I don’t care if you shoot him out of cannon!”

      Easy to say, hard to do! The king of Ravelin was somehow convinced that Estella had to be rescued. He even said he’d be willing to take her without a kingdom, and leave the kingdom to the evil spirits who inhabited it.

      “A bargain can be struck with the demons,” he explained, pointing to his own burnt face. “You just have to give them something, like a piece of your own skin, or a pint of blood, or in your case, your whole country. You are sweet to me even without a power. Come with me!”

      He