18

It was hot in the village, just insanely hot, but it's so good to be back in the forest again!

It's cool and nice here, the forest is like a home for Wentworth.

Yes, the forest is his home, he's a beast, a real beast!

— Can't I be worthy of this crown?— suddenly Wentfort asks a question and the rain begins, as if a harbinger of trouble.

— Don't... This is a bad crown... It destroys those who should not touch it, own it...— the bag clinked and the crown called Wentfort with its enticing brilliance.

This brilliance left a hot spot in his mind...

***

They came across a boy along the way.

His name was Victor, his beautiful wavy black hair fell over his shoulders. He was very beautiful, like a girl, with his flawless lips and long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.

He was also a wolf, and when Rody brought the crown into the light of God, the guy touched the crown and it responded with a faint shine.

Wentworth felt that anger, it was burning... Burned! Yes, he was burning alive with anger!

Rody won't need him now... Obviously.

He doesn't talk to Wentworth that much anymore, they don't chat at night anymore.

Wentfort recently noticed patients in the area. A strange, but very fast disease.

Everyone is bleeding, dying in puddles, in purple puddles. If Victor is infected with this disease, then Wentworth will not have any hindrances in life.

— I'm happy for you.—Wentfort said to Victor.— I bought wine for this occasion, do you want?

— No, thanks, I don't drink wine. Only water or milk.— said the guy.— But it's still very nice.—

— You've never shown me what you are. Well, I wanted to say what a wolf you are. I want to see so much.—Wentworth sips from his mug.— Yes, this jug failed! If you had bought it, everything would have been better.—

— Tonight, when we leave here. I hope you haven't changed your mind about taking me with you? I'm awfully far from home...— stunningly beautiful eyes turned red.

Wentworth felt that anger being carried away somewhere.

He touched the shiny black hair and began to stroke it tenderly. The black silk floating between her fingers was mesmerizing.

Wentworth gave himself up to it completely, as if the whole world depended on his strokes right now.

— Don't... Don't be so mean...— Victor suddenly says softly.

Everything is interrupted by the fact that Rodi starts coughing again.

***

It seems they will never reach the place that Rody talks about so often. Sometimes it seems to Wentforth that all this is fiction or just the delirium of a mentally ill person. Maybe it will turn out in the end that there is nothing in fact ...

— What is this residence that you talk about so often?—Wentfort asks, polishing his sword.

They got hold of cold steel quite recently, just a couple of days ago, and the thought that each of them could now defend themselves was very pleasing.

It already seemed that everything was fine and would go like this, but still jealousy sometimes gnawed at Wentworth's ardent heart.

Very often he still thought that he would be left alone ...

— Rodi, do you want a pie? I would buy it for you if you want.—Wentforth suddenly says.— I have enough money for cleaning the stable.—

— If there are extra coins, you better take care of them. You need to save extra money, if anything, they can save your life, remember this. And we'll make a pie in the evening, the hostess of the inn allowed us to use the leftovers after dinner for a couple of pennies.— Rody carefully cleaned his cup with a piece of bread.— We were lucky with this place, the food is delicious.—

— Not really lucky, they don't serve wine here. And I really wanted a drink.— Wentworth is trying to pretend that he is fooling around, so that somehow the mood can be relieved.

— Here.—taking out some kind of battered wineskin, Rody poured water out of the mugs through the window and slowly began to pour the odorous liquid.

— Pour me one too.—Victor suddenly became animated.— I can't always be on the sidelines.—

— Are you sure?—Rody looked at him in surprise.— All right. Then don't say I didn't warn you...—

The wine is hot. The blood boils from this.

But Wentworth did not feel that he was getting drunk. Stray sparks raced from the legs, from the ends of the hair and ran to the heart.

Having crossed the glasses with Victor, he freezes, a new portion of wine is naughty in his head.

Entering the room after Victor, Wentfort froze only for a second. Alcohol made everything spin before my eyes.

— I feel bad...—Victor suddenly said softly.

— Can I get you some water? Or something else?— Wentfort removes soft shiny black hair from snow-white skin.

— Lie down with me if you're not afraid... Wentworth...— the guy covered Karsten's hands with his own, feeling hugs from behind.— How old are you?—

— Oh, what questions you started asking, my king...— Karsten pushes his hair away from his neck, kisses his perfectly beautiful skin.— How I like to touch you... You smell like flowers.—

— Don't shirk!—Victor's thin long fingers began stroking the wide palms of the wild wolf.

— I'm twenty—seven, if I haven't lost count... Yes, twenty-seven... How old are you, you little drunk?—

Victor pauses, then says quietly:

— I'm fifteen, and my sister Frida is about the same age as you now... Or a little less... She lives in strange places with a loved one with whom she ran away from the north...—

***

Victor Gustavsson. Now it's King Viktor Gustavsson.

Previously, Wentworth had not bothered to hear, parse, and memorize full names.

Somewhere in my mind it was Gustavsson...

— Wentwotrth!—Victor woke him up, his incredibly joyful eyes were shining.—I just earned twenty coins!—

— How?—head hurt like Wentworth was between a rock and a hard place.

— I was walking, and one man saw me and wanted to draw me...— the lips touch the cheek.— He gave me so much for the drawing! Wentworth, can I get you a drink? —

— That would be nice... And you're so noisy...—

Victor ran away laughing.

His laughter could be heard for some time.

Wentworth sat up in bed. Head hurt so much that it was impossible to describe. Something was constantly knocking inside.

— Do you hear the ringing?—Wentfort asked Rody as he entered.

— It seems to me that I am... I hope this is not what I thought at all.—The tone of Rody's voice became lower.

— It seems to me that I have some kind of feeling. Here, in the heart.—Wentworth slapped his chest.—I can't even find the right words. It warms me like the sun.—

—You must be in love with our king, Wentworth... I'm not religious, but I think love is beautiful and holy everywhere. Do not torment and do not show perversions... Let this love be pure..—

Victor ran in. He shone like the sun in the dawn rays.

Wentworth smiled.

***

An attack of pain rolled over Victor when they were approaching a small fortress.

— Quiet, baby, quiet...— Rody hugged the guy.— Wentfort, ring the bell quickly, they will unlock the gate! —

— What do you need?— hearing the ringing, a man appeared on the wall.

— We're taking the king! Open up!— Rody held up Victor's hand with a crown.

The gates began to slowly diverge in different directions.

— From time to time you will have to do something obscene.—Wentworth said in Victor's ear.—I know a lot of things you're going to learn...—

— Have you not been fed, sir?—The old man who came out asked Victor.

Victor stared at him uncomprehendingly, and Rody answered for him:

— We waited for everything to be as usual ...—

***

— Will the meal be raw meat?—Victor asked, puzzled.

Rody put some kind of amulet on his neck and placed the dish in front of the king. The crown was already resting on the black hair.

— Now taste the non-human food...—

Victor's teeth bite like a trap, the smell of iron, so strong, is standing here.

The eyes turned yellow.

Wentworth couldn't hide a smile of admiration. Tears welled up in her eyes.

— Glory to the king!—everyone shouted.— Glory to the king! Glory to the king!—

It seemed that joy was everywhere here.

Wentfort saw a sparkle in Victor's eyes, but did not understand the meaning ...

***

Victor's eyes began to lose their color more and more often.

Wentworth heard him howl and for a second he was scared.

— Did you see? Victor was rude to me today!— an indignant Rody came into Wentworth's room.— He wants to arrange a genocide of vampires and introduced a slave law today! —

Wentfort hugged his friend.

— You're turning gray.. All sorts of kings have their hacks. Victor will realize his mistakes later, you just give him time...Karsten said. His hands reached for the cups and jug by themselves.— Will you have a drink? —

— No, I don't want to... I have such good news!—Rody said.— I'm getting married soon! An

unpleasant feeling prickled in Wentworth's chest.

— I'm happy for you.— he whispered, burying his face in gray hair.

— I think I hear jealousy in your voice... It makes me a little sad that you're still so lonely... Haven't you met a decent person? No matter who it is, any love is beautiful...— Rody removed his friend's disheveled hair from his face.

— They seem to be alive...—Wentworth said softly.— Look.—

A little confused, Karsten removes a bright colorful ribbon from her hair.

The hair seemed to curl a little. No, they didn't even curl.

They were moving, writhing like snakes.

— A little scary...—Rody said softly.

— Yes, I consider myself scary... The most important adviser to the king, who was in love with him to the point of unconsciousness... —