The road to harbor

Soon our heroes came to the cave. The sorcerer had been waiting them at the entrance.

"Don't you know what happened to my daughter?" he asked. "She had run away in tears, without telling me anything."

"Where to?" Lica asked.

"Towards the farm."

"Isa, stay here!" she whispered. "I'll try to talk to her."

She walked along the path over the mountain and came to the fence. The sorcerer's stepdaughter was sitting on a large stone and crying.

"Leila!" Angelica called her. "You got hold of the wrong end of the stick!"

"Get out!" the girl shouted. "I've seen everything! You wanted to introduce me to Isa, and now you kiss him! You are a snake!"

"Take it easy!" Lica said firmly. "Do not blame me; Isa likes me. But he's not my husband, and not even the groom. Moreover, tomorrow I am leaving with your father. Perhaps it is going to be a long trip. Isa will stay here with you and help you about the house. So do not be a fool, dry your tears and become as desired and beautiful as flowers in May. Be a little more relaxed, and Isa won't be able to resist and stay with you forever!"

Leila calmed down and looked at Angelica.

"Is that true?" she asked quietly.

"Absolutely!" Lica nodded.

"And you do not love him, do you?"

"At this moment, I do not love anyone. I am thinking about other more important things."

"Thank you!" Leila said sincerely.

She stood up and hugged Angelica.

"Now go and calm your father down!" Lica said.

Leila smiled and ran to the cave.

"Why me?" Angelica said loudly, staring at the goats.

They amicably bleated in reply.

In the evening Leila laid slap-up table in the cave.

"This is a farewell dinner," she said.

"I will have dinner just in case," Lica noticed, "if Leila stays with us."

The sorcerer's daughter balked for a long time but then they persuaded her and lifting the veil she sat at the table, looking down. Isa was looking at the girl with keen interest. It was obvious that he liked her. After the dinner, Angelica came into Edward's room.

"Prince," she said, "tomorrow at dawn we are leaving to look for the Holy Grail. You are staying here in care of Leila and Isa."

"What?" exclaimed the Prince. "Isa is not traveling with you? Who will protect you?"

"I can take care of myself. And the sorcerer is proficient with the sword. I wish you to get better soon!"

The Prince took the girl's hand and kissed it gently.

"Promise me," he said, "that you will be very, very careful!"

"I promise," Lica nodded.

She leaned over and kissed Edward on his cheek.

"Good night!" whispered the girl and left the Prince's room.

Early in the morning, before the daylight Leila woke Angelica up.

"Get up! My father is waiting for you!" she said.

Lica went out of the cave and saw that the horses had been already saddled and Isa was holding them. The sorcerer had been already sitting in the saddle.

"We have to go!" the gray-haired man said briefly. "Otherwise, the ship will set off without us!"

"I'm ready!" she nodded.

She walked over to her horse, and Isa helped her up into the saddle.

"Goodbye, Isa!" Lica turned to the young man. "Thank you so much for everything!"

She leaned over and hugged him.

"Don't forget me," Isa whispered in her ear.

The sorcerer pulled the reins and first went ahead on the path. The girl followed him. She waved Leila, who was staying at the entrance of the cave...

About an hour the riders were riding in silence, beating their way through the mountains. Suddenly the mountains opened out and a wide valley appeared in front of our heroes.

"Now it will be much easier," said the sorcerer. "We'll have to get the harbor in two hours if everything goes well."

And he spurred his horse. Lica also put her horse into a gallop. In a few minutes she rode down the sorcerer and asked him:

"What is your name? Margo didn't tell me!"

The man grinned

"If you need to know, my name is Huron!"

"Thank you! It is strange to travel together without knowing each other's names."

The sorcerer said nothing and they continued their way in silence. Soon the sky lightened and the sun rose. In the rays of the sun Angelica saw something looked like a village far away.

"What is it?" she pointed to the houses.

"It's the starting point of our trip!" Huron said. "The harbor is there."

The riders pretty quickly got to the village and went to the harbor. There were a lot of large and small boats, but the ship was only one.

"Follow me!" the sorcerer turned to the girl, jumping down.

Lica obeyed. The gray-haired man walked toward the ship, leading the horse behind him.

"Hey!" he shouted to the seaman, who was standing on the desk. "Call your captain, immediately!"

"The captain is in the cabin! If you need him, board the ship!" answered the sailor.

"Hold my horse," Huron said to Angelica.

The girl took the reins, and the sorcerer quickly boarded the ship. Ten minutes later he appeared on the deck with a young man. They were talking about something lively. Then Huron went to Lica took his horse, and said:

"They take us! Hurry up; they are going to put off right now!"

"But what about our horses?" asked Angelica.

"The saloon-keeper will look after them until we come back!"

Our heroes quickly took animals and tied them in a shed near saloon. Huron gave the owner a few coins. Then Lica and the sorcerer boarded the ship. At the same moment seamen heaved the anchor, the sails swelled out, and the ship moved out of the harbor into the sea.

"Let me introduce myself," suddenly Angelica heard a voice.

She looked around and saw a tall, handsome young man. He had long blond hair tied back in a ponytail, and cheerful blue eyes.

"I am the captain - Julien!" the man said.

"Of course, how could I forget to introduce you?" exclaimed Huron. "Julien, this is Angelica!"

The Captain kissed Lica's hand and said:

"I have not seen such a beautiful girl for a long time!"

"This is not surprising," she smiled, "you are always sailing!"

Julien rated Angelica's joke and laughed.

"And you're a witty young lady!" he said.

"Yes, sometimes," Lica retorted.

"Well," continued the captain, "let me invite you to dinner, it is going to be fun! And now excuse me, but I have to commence my duties."

He walked away from the sorcerer and Lica to his sailors.

"Tell me, Huron," said Angelica, "how long we need to sail to the island?"

"Not long. Tomorrow at dawn we'll be there!"

"Great. I do not like dusting!"