آتش

Chapter nine

The Fire

Rocford, Odet and Odile flew onto the tower of the castle. They changed back into people. Odile was weeping loudly. The wizard just laughed his evil laugh and said:

“Odile, now I know how to get you to marry me. If you don’t, I will kill the Prince, and you will watch him die.”

“Father, you do not have to kill Zigfried. He has already promised to marry me. He cannot break such a promise.”

“Neither of you has a heart. How can you ever expect to be happy if you know that someone does not love you? But you will see. Love is stronger than spells. You will never succeed in getting what you want.”

At this, they saw Zigfried coming towards the castle on his horse.

“We shall see which is stronger, love or hate!”

The wizard made a wall of fire appear in front of Zigfried. Zigfried could only think of Odile. He rode right through the fire without getting hurt.

Odile said triumphantly: “You see. I am right.”

As she ran from the wizard, he tried to block her way by making the doors close in front of her. But Odile just ran faster and escaped through each one.

The Prince saw Odile on the steps going up to the tower. He took her in his arms.

“Odile, I will never let you leave me again. Say that you will stay with me forever.”

“I will, I will! I love you Zigfried!”

The wizard appeared at the top of the steps. Odet was behind him.

“You will not escape death this time, Zigfried.”

The Prince took out his sword. Odile tried to stop him.

“Do not fight him, Zigfried. If he kills you, I will lose everyone I’ve ever loved.”

“You are right Odile. Zigfried is only a boy. He is no match for me. Now, come back to your room, and let this little boy go home to his mother.”

“Rocford, your words will not discourage me. I would kill you now, but I will give you one last chance to live. Let us leave in peace and never come near Odile again.”

“You really are a little boy if you think that you can harm me.”

Rocford raised his hand, and Odile flew through the air to where Odet stood. Zigfried ran at Rocford and tried to stab him with his sword. Rocford put his hand up. The sword touched it and turned into water. Without a sword, Zigfried attacked the wizard. Rocford threw Zigfried down the steps. He picked up a stick and turned it into a sword. He pointed it at Zigfried’s heart as he lay on the ground.

“Rocford! Don’t!”

“Say you will marry me Odile, and I will let him live.”

'’Don’t do it Odile! Don’t make yourself more unhappy just for me!”

The wizard prodded Zigfried with the sword.

“And you have promised to marry me, Zigfried. You said you would always love me.”

“I said that because I thought you were Odile. I would never marry you. I would rather die.”

Zigfried took the wizard’s sword and pushed it deep into his own heart.

“Zigfried, no!”

Something strange began to happen. The castle began to shake. Large stones fell from the ceiling, and Rocford and Odet were killed. Odile ran to Zigfried. She took the sword out of his heart and pulled his body out of the castle, before it fell to the ground.