Run-up for the Ball

After a few minutes, Elsa came to the girl's room. She made her a bed, fired up the hearth and, wishing Lica good night, left the room.

The girl was lying up and thinking. She remembered the pale face of wounded Swein, his long blond hair, and a feeling of melancholy invaded her...

"What's the story?" Angelica was boiled. "You leave the young man for a second, as he is immediately married to another girl!"

The girl was badly hurt.

"I think it's wrong!" she said aloud aggrievedly. "It's disgusting! I... I'll show you what is what!"

"Are you talking to yourself?" suddenly she heard Margo's voice. "I was in the storeroom and heard you mumbling something!"

"Margo!" Lica exclaimed. "Margo, how could you do that?!"

"What do you mean?" the witch did not understand her.

"Swein, of course!"

"Oh..." Margo smiled. "You know, I think you would also rage if Prince Edward or Prince or Vampires married. It's offensive, isn't it? Your pride has been injured?! Do you remember I told you to make your choice?! There are so many other young and beautiful girls!"

Angelica sat down on the bed and murmured:

"But what if I cannot choose one? They are all very dear to me."

"Then they will go away, one by one, and you will stay alone!"

Lica angrily slammed her fist on the bed.

"I do not want this to happen," she said through clenched teeth.

The witch smiled and sat in the chair by the fireplace.

"I know," she said quietly. "It is nice to be the best of the bests in the hearts of so many worthy men, but you cannot always keep them by your side. Sooner or later they will get tired of the eternal expectation. Listen to me – you should make your choice as soon as possible among those who are still with you, and what about Swein - let him go. You are like fire and water, you don't suit one another."

"Thanks for your advice!" Angelica said grimly. "I'll think about it!"

"Well, sweet dreams!"

With these words, Margo rose and left the room. Lica fell back on the pillows staring at the ceiling. The candle flame was flickering and strange shadows were dancing on the walls. The girl was looking at them and did not notice that she fell asleep.

Angelica woke up late. It was lunchtime. The girl went out of her room and saw Elsa laying on the table.

"Did you sleep well?" smiled the goblin woman.

"Yes. I was really tired after the journey," honestly said Lica. "Where is everybody?"

"Prince Edward was with the horses in the morning, while madam and her brother were reading the magic books. Then he joined them, and they began to discuss something in the madam's room. Then Margo told me to lay the table."

At that moment, Huron Margo and Edward came in the hall.

"Good morning!" the witch smiled, turning to Angelica.

"You look great!" added Prince Night.

Huron nodded to the girl and sat down at the table first.

"Thank you, Elsa!" Margo said. "You are free for now!"

The Goblin woman went out of the room, and our heroes started dining.

"Did you have a good rest?" the witch asked Lica solicitously.

"Yes, I did," nodded the girl.

"Excellent, because you and Edward are going to stay up all night at the Goblin King's ball. By the way, I also should be there, but my plans have changed. I must stay in the cave and help Huron to find the right spells in the magic books to fight with the evil spirits."

"Yes, I won't be able to cope with all these books alone," said Huron. "Edward insists on the battle as soon as possible."

Prince Night nodded and said:

"I think that immediately after the ball, I will talk with Swein and then go to my castle, to start preparations for the battle. You will have to inform the Prince of Vampires about the beginning of war."

"We will discuss it later," interrupted him Margo. "So, Angelica, I beg you to apologize to Swein's father for me and tell him that I cannot be at the ball because my brother, who I have not seen for many years, came to visit me."

"Okay," said Lica.

"Now about the clothes..." said the witch. "In my wardrobe, you and Prince can choose any dress or costume that you like. Of course, the choice is not very big, but it is better than yours is."

"Thank you!" said Lica.

"Angelica," Prince turned to the girl, "can you choose a suit for me, something to your taste, while I, Huron and Margo will continue to discuss the plan of fighting with the evil."

"But what if you do not like it?"

"I trust you!" Edward smiled.

Having finished dinner, Prince, witch and her brother went out of the room; Angelica called Elsa and helped her to clear the table. Then the girl asked her:

"Elsa, Margo told me to choose ball costumes for Edward and me in her wardrobe."

"Well, let's go! You have little time; Madam has a lot of clothes!"

The maid took the candle and led Lica along the corridor to the fork, which was behind the bathroom, and the girl had never noticed it before. There the goblin woman turned left. Lica saw another corridor with rooms. Elsa came in the first one. It was quite spacious room with lots of wardrobes. The Goblin woman passed the walls with torches. She set them on fire, and in a moment, the room was brightly lit. Angelica looked with horror at the huge wardrobes and said:

"Elsa, I won't be able to see all of them even for one week. Please help me!"

"I'll help you," the maid nodded.

She began to walk and open the wardrobes doors choosing something for Lica.

"Wait, wait," the girl interrupted her. "First of all let's choose something for Edward and then for me."

Elsa came to the wardrobe in the far corner and opened it.

"I think this ivory, velvet costume will suit the prince's black hair perfectly!" the goblin woman said.

Angelica agreed with Elsa.

"Now for you!" she said.

She began to offer her dresses of various colors and styles.

"Has Margo got a dark blue dress?" asked Lica.

"Yes, she has," nodded the goblin woman, "but do you really think I'd let you go to the ball, where our King will choose a bride, in such a macabre dress? No, no way! You have to shine and to be better than all other girls there!"

Elsa continued to get dresses out of the wardrobes.

"Here it is!" she exclaimed. "That's exactly what you need!"

The Goblin woman took from the depth of the paunchy wardrobe an airy, emerald dress.

"What?" Angelica amazed. "Green? Never in my life have I worn green! This is not my color!"

"Firstly, it is not green it is emerald!" the maid noticed. "And secondly, I can guarantee you that this dress will suit you great! I am not Elsa If I am wrong! Come on, try it on!"

Resisting for a long time, Lica at last put the emerald dress on.

"Wow!" the goblin woman exclaimed delightedly. "Well, how is it?"

She pulled out a large mirror and held it to the girl. Lica looked at herself and did believe her eyes. In the reflection, she saw a slim and graceful beauty. Her brown hair perfectly goes on with the color of the dress. Strange, but for some reason her eyes also became emerald green.

"I do look great," she whispered.

"Now we'll choose shoes, do your hair and you can go to the ball!"

Elsa went somewhere behind the cupboard and pulled out a pair of emerald high-heeled shoes.

"Here you are!" she turned to Lica.

The girl put on the shoes and winced slightly.

"They are a little tight," she admitted.

"You'll have to bear, anyway there are no other ones," the goblin woman sighed. "Now, let's think what I can do with your hair."

The maid sat the girl in a chair, put the mirror in front of her and began casting over her head. They didn't notice how evening came.

"Girls, where are you?" there was a voice of Margo from the corridor, and the witch went to the dressing room.

"Wow! You look amazing!" she said, looking at Angelica. "I think a diadem will be perfect with your new hairstyle. Wait a minute!"

The witch quickly went out and came back with an exquisite diadem in her hands. She put it on Lica's hair and said:

"Now, everything is perfect! Elsa, take the suit of Prince Edward, please!"

The Goblin woman took the outfit, which they had chosen with Angelica, and walked away.

"Judging by your appearance," Margo smiled, turning to the girl, "you are very serious about Swein. Well, I wish you good luck!"

Lica flushed and nodded.

"Okay, I will leave you for a while. Come to the hall in about fifteen minutes."

The witch went out of the room. Angelica sat down staring at herself in the mirror. Then she rose and headed to the exit.

When Lica came out of the cave, everybody was there. Prince Edward in his ivory waistcoat looked great. He looked at Lica and froze in amazement.

"Angelica..." he only managed to say.

"Later," Margo smiled, "you have to go!"

"But my hair," Lica said plaintively, "the wind will mess it up."

"My diadem is magic!" the witch smiled. "No matter how fast you are riding, your hair will stay ideal!"

"Thank you!" the girl said sincerely.

Prince Night helped her up into the saddle, and then jumped on his horse. Soon the two riders were galloping in the light of the bright moon towards the city of goblins.