Hello my precious!

Hope you like this new and long chapter !

The chapter's name is "Felsenstadt" simply. Of the name of our charming city lining the royal palace. ^^

Chapter 7 :

Felsenstadt

The journey lasted whole week. One week of journey, on a rented horse, breaking only to eat, drink or sleep.
Inns followed one another bordants the roads of their friendly look, their fireplace exhaling a thick smoke of comforting and nourishing stew. The itinerant marchants in their chariote accosted the travelers to try them of miles silky shawls. Preminger resisted of numerous times to the appeal of the treasures that the life had never revealed him... He remembered himself the words of Mr Hendrick on the temptation and moved back his horse... But the eyes, places farther, still shone, covetous in front of the memory of the wealth exposed in front of him.

So he didn't resist the acquisition of shoes of a newer leather, which cost him nevertheless almost half of his money. Not that those that he had taken were used but... How could he refuse? The trader was certainly right: who hoped for a big fate badly put? And appear in front of the ambassador dressed in clothes of poverty, it not wasn't question.
Erwin spurred on his horse before succumbing to another object and took back his road.
The treasures of the nature in which the kingdom abounded spread out under the amazed eyes, but he didn't take time to contemplate them. Only his objective remained engraved in the eyes, as one oasis, a paradise.

Nevertheless, he had never seen the mountain where in the books which he read formerly and this prospect filled him of a kind of solemn fear. Was it so colossal as we described it in books? Was it the image that happened a stony Titan, motionless and unchanging in spite of years and the adversity?
The mountain... This big mystery...

When he perceived the moutain finally, the one who welcomed in her, at the same time, the city and the royal palace, a kind of dizziness grasped him. Even if he looked from above at the one that he was dedicated to climb, the scale of the task and the effort which waited for him seemed to him impressive.

However he got involved to some more experimented travelers, lying on the purpose of his arrival, and began the ascent in the steep paths by their side. Impressed by his dialect, they objected nothing and integrated him into the team the time of the ascent. Some more curious seemed to be interested in the contents of his moneyy, but he was skillful enough to discourage them.
It was fatigued that he reached the village, two days later.. After long days of ride, climb the mountain, the view of the castle seemed to him a brilliant mirage, the sun making sparkle its pink walls.

Pink walls. Curious choice... But highly extravagant and the choice rained him for it.. And he contemplated with emotion the whole palace, its walls up to towers, up to main path which seemed to invite him. If it had had only this immense iron door, and not two guards who assured the security, maybe Erwin would be introduced there. What could seemed an illusion surrounded him so much with its friendly aura that he's been mad with desire to rest against the trunk of one of the trees in the touchy foliages and to be allowed rock by the pleasant noise of the flowing fountain of the most crystal clear water that he never contemplated. He remained pensive a moment to admire it, regretting not being able to enter and quenching his thirst by the clear water of the fountain...

His throat dried out more, to imagine the beverage flow into its mouth although nobody of raised well wouldn't have made it! To drink to a fountain, as vulgar one peasant, now, he became ridiculous! He pinched lips, reprimanding inside on the lowness of his needs and resumed the road patiently towards the village. Felsenstadt tightened him its arms, why to keep waiting her?

Especially as the sun already hurled its beams far in the horizon of the valley... And the night idea which would soon follow itself reminded to Erwin that he had still no place where to spend at night... And maybe not enough money to assure with certainty more than a week of accommodation.

He looked for an inn, for a place where to spend at night, when the fate led him where it was originally supposed to go: a small placard announced proudly " Master Lupin, tutor and erudite ".

A shiver traveled Erwin Preminger. He felt as when young he accompanied his father in his thefts: it was a mixture of embarrassment and excitement. A good feeling. The memory to have lied to Mr Hendrick got involved in the pride to have aimed at a higher post. And suddenly an idea occurred to him: why he wouldn't go to inquire about the ambassador at the tutor, that is what would be a funny joke! At least, in this sense, he wouldn't have lied by assuring to go to the tutor.
He pushed the door and found himself in front of a small cheerful sir who wiped quietly his office of a wet rag. The man raised the head towards him, a pleasant smile on the face.
- ''Excuse me for moving. Master Lupin, I presume?'' Erwin asked in making a light respectful salute.
- ''Exactly... That do I may for you, my boy?'' Asked for the tutor by scrutinizing his so strong interlocutor as Preminger was almost worried about it...
And if this man had had some memory finally? And if he remembered him as the small apprentice of the bookseller Hendrick? His prodigious capacities would have very well been able to draw Master Lupin's attention..

The fear of being unmasked and denounced to Mr Hendrick invades him but he cloistered her firmly in a portion of his spirit. "He doesn't know you. You just seem like to him a polite and distinguished young man.''
- ''I'm called Preminger. Please, excuse me but I just arrive in town and I have to go at the bedside of ambassador Reddington. Could you indicate to me where to find him? ''
- ''Of course. He lives in the Solitaire street, close to the fountain in three streets... But he risks not to open you at the present time. Present you tomorrow and thus set one night of rest... The ascent of the mountain is exhausting, you will better win to appear tomorrow having revived around a good meal and in a good bed. Have you enough money? Is it necessary to help out to you? ''

And already, the man lowered the head, ferreting about in a drawer in search of a sum of money. Erwin Preminger remained hesitating.. Some money, he had it obviously, Mr Hendrick had crossed him some economies.. He would have of to shake the head, to thank and to go away, such as Mr Hendrick would have liked that he behaves. He was going to make it, yes. He was going to assure that, no, he didn't need it. Then, he wondered almost to get on to answer:
- ''Oh! Which fate. It's because I have, regrettably, only an coin on me. The preceding innkeeper shamefully robbed me... And say that my firends had warned me, but I always tend not to believe the fatal words... We make me moreover this reproach be too gullible. Are we thus in a century when to believe that the Man is good and where he has so much morality as makes us be thought of as gullible? To believe in the kindness thus makes of me a naïve man?''

He was embarrassed himself of the ease with which the words came to him... And say that at first, he had only wanted be indicated the closest inn, but which fly had pricked him ? It says... It was true that this city would require doubtless more money. And then after all, it wasn't its fault if Master Lupin was open-handed and a gullible spirit, maybe had too much money.
- ''My poor man and friendly young person. Keep your good heart all your life.''
The man took out of a drawer of the office a leather purse which made Erwin's eyes shine... But he enough had self-control even to sketch a gesture of backward movement.

"Mr Hendrick would n't... But father would have accepted. ". Who to follow? "Follow your heart, my boy ". He emitted a low protest, but enough low to hope not to convince M Lupin.
-''Oh no.. No charity.. I...''
- ''You look like to me a fair man... Hold, that will allow you to hold two weeks if you are careful, that will leave the time to you to summon a new sum of money at your home.''
Erwin Preminger answered in mixture of refusal, thanks of sadness, embarrassment, but left with the purse under the arm, the red cheeks but nevertheless a smile quivering on the face.

He had never wondered why in itself tutor's job didn't interest him, he knew perfectly well him and to see Master Lupin had finished convincing him.. These people were only books in the hands of their pupils: they were useful but didn't exist without them. Yet Erwin Preminger wanted to exist. He considered that it was a duty to him even: if he had been torn away from the poverty, torn away from the death itself, it couldn't be to serve, but to shine. The life wanted to fill him of its benefactions. And then who really wanted to teach ignorant children? It wasn't certainly become tutor who would allow whoever to obtain a prestigious post to the palace! No, his intelligence wouldn't be wasted. Who would commit seriously a tutor of the low districts to teach the palace?
And then... Seriously: such a naivety!
According to his steps, the embarrassment which he felt towards Master Lupin disappeared totally, giving way to a certain mockery.
"I didn't force him to give me that. He had only to be less stupid. I would have never given so much money, he is necessary to be crazy." In the end, he laughed at it almost. Laughed at his audacity, laughed at the credulity of the tutor and at the madness of Mr Hendrick. "How was he seriously able to advise me to work with this man? Years later, I would have been as crazy as he. ''

" The inn of the Black Horse " had welcomed him and it was necessary to admit that even if he hadn't set his heart on the most expensive establishment, this one brought all the comfort for which he could wish to begin with a clean chamber and white sheets.. And a big mirror. He crossed his fine index on the frame of sculptured wood, looking pensive his own reflection.
" And now, what will you do, my dear Preminger ?''
He knew exactly why he had arrived there, but for the first time he had the feeling maybe caused by his real first sudden solitude to have maybe acts on impulse..
The truth was that he had no precise plan, only a purpose...

And he really ignored how he would succeed in reaching the ambassador, because he would reach there it was only a question of time, - he was out of the question for him to recover in question but... What was going to be the way and especially how long it he was going to take? How to convince the ambassador to take him as attending and finally in the long term how get to the Court ?

It was necessary out of the question to appear in front of the ambassador before being sure to have the satisfactory look and the knowledges which were imperative. That is why he had spent the first day to get acquainted with the village, to stroll: he had discovered shops, vast streets filled with an unstable and colorful crowd, winding alleys where it was better not to venture alone, the numerous stony buildings, the fountain of loose stones which decorated the heart of the city, the ravines which lined her...

He had inhaled the soul of this milling countered by listening to the dialects and the shouts, perceived his heart in the singing of the numerous minstrels of passage.. He rediscovered the life and unknown faces which furnished her, always fickle but present.

The pleasure to give them his name during some shopping and to smile with the indulgence of a friendly sovereign to his subjects, when they answered that they didn't know him. " A day will come " his smile seemed to say whereas he went away with indifference of their lives which didn't interest him.
He tried to go to some events while keeping the distance which becomes to the distinguished people. Anyway get involved in the plebs wasn't for him... He had too much look.
He hadn't walked without noticing any feminine looks stop on him to detail him and he had voluntarily slowed down the step to allow them to do it.

Love was something of foreign to Erwin Preminger of whom he was wary as of the plague, Sophia would have been able in time to inspire it to him, but he had left his village and chooses of his ambition.. It says nothing prevented him from taking advantage, anyway he had fastened never really that to him even.
A fear dominated however and it was a thing of which he had never dreamed previously and which was suddenly imperative upon him: he knew nothing about the protocol...
" But you are beautiful my dear... The distinction is naturally in you " his proud reflection seemed to answer him by sketching a sophisticated pout. "You don't see? No noble of passage at M Hendrick had a physical appearance so advantageous... "

Certainly. But an advantageous physical appearance was of no use if the look didn't follow, it Erwin Preminger was completely conscious of it. But he had never possessed the boorish looks of the peasants...
And his spotless smile became more marked in the stoneware of his reflections.

He went out of his chamber, went down the stairs of wood and sent a sign of head to the innkeeper Odile Fitz, who sent back to him a cheerful exclamation.
- ''Oh here you are, my beautiful young man... I hope that that will not disappoint you, this evening it's a pot roast which I concocted you!''
He wanted to answer her that " which I concocted you " wasn't a correct expression and that he wanted only a caviar and of salmon delicately seasoned, instead of that, his words took a tone of the most enthusiastic:

- ''How could disappoint me to you, my dear Odile? Here is one puts gustative of the most promising.''
He lent only an ear distracted in the streams of word which the innkeeper dispensed him while going to the table which was reserved for him.. The ceaseless babbling of the woman bothered him but it was necessary out of the question to lose the profound admiration that she had carried him automatically as soon as she had looked at him. After all she hadn't agreed to lower him the price of his room at the inn ?
- ''Sir will be willing to admit me that he is a noble when it will leave, eh? ''
The face of Preminger taken an expression wrongly wrathful which let show through nevertheless the pleasure that he had to hear such a declaration:
- ''Let us see, Odile, you dare to begin again to hold such words then we agreed to close this subject!'' he declared in whispering of a sad air.
The woman put hands on her hips of a derisive air.
- ''Can well say what you will want, my handsome boy, but I don't believe it, not me !... There has things which deceive not, and Odile knows what she says ! Look at this look... A so beautiful young man so distinguished, so courteous...''
- ''You are really too pleasant..''
- ''Yeah... It's a pity I hadn't a daughter, only a son, otherwise would have married well her with you and thinks me that she wouldn't have said : ''no'','' exclaimed by laughing Odile while filling the glass of wine.

He began laughing also at a laughter which meant: "never even if your daughter was worth all the gold of the world... Marry a manageress, grotesque idea! "
He had a brief blow of eye at the clientele which composed the establishment: three men whom he suspected of belonging to the caste of the traders and the couple of lovers whose young woman had been lady's companion of a countess had told him Odile by presenting him with a collusive wink.

-"Thinks me that the young man and she ran away... Ah love, what a noble heart wouldn't make do for the youth ?... Although you are better of your person... You go to break many heart, my beautiful friend... But I like thinking that it will be in spite of you.''
He plunged his fork into his plate, dreamer.

The pot roast was really good, it was necessary to agree on it, and then sometimes he wondered why he was so much fussy: had he already had the opportunity to taste a such puts regularly before? No. Although M Hendrick had ways more than correct, the province where he lived was only rarely supplied with such dishes.
- ''Accursed be Reddington!'' A voice suddenly exclaimed.

Preminger quivered and his golden eyes fixed the individual who had just expressed himself. It was an old young man about about twenty year, the rich and fine clothes, the powder hair, and the soft face although that contracted in a grimace of anger... He was preceded by a man of a style almost identical to his.
-'' My dear Ulrich... I advise you to moderate your words... This man doesn't release us of the look.''
He didn't indicate Erwin Preminger but one of the supposed marchants who ate near both men.
- ''This ambassador's imbecile received me as the last one of the scoundrels! When I think that Father had painted me a flattering portrait of this stupid idiot...''
The young man-Ulrich- shouted, and Preminger listened to...

-'' Your diverse notes don't please him ?'' Asked for the other one with an indifferent voice.
- ''If only I had been able to maintain him on this subject! This man is so conceited that a word not he no more so that he made me send back even before having then telling them to him...''
- ''I'm afraid that your chances evaporate. You cannot become any more his successor.''
The called Ulrich took out furious a pad of his bag and put it noisily on the table.

-"There is everything inside this pas !... All my notes, all the countries where I visited... Things which he would have liked knowing "

- ''And an other one will listen to you... Now, speaks less loudly otherwise the innkeeper will put outside us while I have already settled chambers.''
Preminger thought that Ulrich would resist but he got damaged in a furious silence whereas his companion began telling the things that he had discovered in the city...
The pot roast was certainly going to cool but Preminger would have been incapable for swallowing it the slightest narrow-minded... The eyes had settled on the leather pad which Ulrich had left on the table...

Unable to eat, he leaves the table to get back his chamber where he lengthened on his bed without undressing... His eyes open but haunted eyes.
He thought again about the conversation which he had surprised and in the pad...
Was it the wine which managed his spirit towards this obsessional vision? Nevertheless his efforts, his thoughts returned towards the pad, indefatigably. He couldn't get rid of it. The imagination worked and made him discover in dream the important information.

-"There is everything inside this pad !... All my notes, all the countries where I visited... Things which he would have liked knowing " had said Ulrich...

It was exactly what was lacking Erwin Preminger to convince Reddington. But he didn't have time to travel countries by risking his fortune to return the ambassador the gossip about which the ambassador was crazy.
And he didn't need to make it, if he had this pad in carried by hand.
" I have only to seize this object and it's done ".
A part of his consciousness objected him that it was bad. A bad form for become a great man... But it was only a tiny part of him, the majority of sound to be had consciously joined well the lessons that his father had inculcated in him formerly.. And the memories of their common misdeeds had never created the slightest remorse in him...

When he had discussed it with Mr Hendrick, he had seen to what extent his protector had made every effort to try to take away him from these thefts... But he had remained hermetic in the arguments of the bookseller.
On the contrary, crossed the fear of the childhood and a kind of moral consideration, he had gradually liked deceiving the passers-by by playing on smiles or tears knowing that during this time his father took care with skinning them... For him, they were idiots or gullible, and he thought again about it often moved. Hadn't the instinct returned to Master Lupin moreover? Yes...steal was a part of him. He had learnt to like being able to him who ensued from this act, from manipulations which it was necessary to create to reach there. And if under the leadership of M Hendrick, he would never have ventured to make it, now, he was free.
Why would he have of turn away from the only luck which offered itself to him? Ulrich had been lucky and he had wasted her. Why couldn't he try?
" And you will make a better use than this imbecile.. "

The inn had restarted in two floors and his chamber was on the 1st floor... It was thus logical that both gentlemen pass in front of his chamber to join theirs which according to his calculations, could be only in his floor...

It thus remained the door to wait for the noise of their step in the staircase and went out while they passed in front of his door..
He pretended to go down the stairs, then went back up on tiptoe discreetly. Both hadn't paid attention on his actions and shook hands cordially before locking itself respectively into their chamber.
Preminger had seen enough it...

He turned heels openly and taken out, not without complaining to Odile that he didn't find one of his books...

After this one guaranteed him that she would do her best to find the book, was taken the direction of shops
He just had then to wait...

He spent the day to the tailor to buy a more sophisticated costum, bit itself the lip by hearing the price, then passed at the shoemaker's to heighten his shoes. If there was well a thing which he regretted in his delicious constitution, it was really his size. He had inherited from the size of Preminger..

When the sun disappeared on the horizon, he got back to the inn and a look in tables finished giving him to smile...

" Good appetite, my dear friends.. "
The quiet and almost impatient spirit, he went up then directly to the floor and picked the lock all at once of wrist by means of a knife... Simple, effective. He thanked his Father for having been a good model on the subject while watching to leave the half-opened door then went to the suitcase...
He opened it, searching first and foremost the small compartments and, smiled to his ingenuity when he put the hand on the pad. He buries the small object then in his vest, then searched the rest of the affairs. Quietly.

His heart got into a panic only by the excitement.
The adventure amused him even more than formerly. There was something extremely pleasant... Maybe the proof of his superiority? Yes, maybe...
He put in his pocket a purse filled with gold then took a book. He closed the door behind him, then penetrated into the akin chamber before joining finally his. He quickly dressed but with clothes more him looked for present of Sophia- for to give the illusion of a more elaborate toilet then he got down again..The satisfaction dominated his soul and distelled in his spirit a new confidence. The meeting with Reddington didn't frighten him anymore, on the contrary, he thought of it swaggering, and a smile made the corner of his mouth quiver.

He would go from the next day, he decided with insurance of the winners, almost pressed to be faced with the man who helds his fate between his hand.

''Well! Now, to us two, my dear Reddington."

Then, this chapter pleased you?
A small explanation on the "whys and wherefores" of the choice of the name of "Felsenstadt": that means " the city of loose stones " in German.
Why? Because seen the number of Germanic first names in this Barbie movie(Anneliese, Erika, Julian, Dominick, Guenevieve) I placed the storyin a Germanic country.
I didn't really decide on whom(, by problem of historic coherence ^^ but if we pass besides, that would doubtless be Austria. What explains why all the characters have a first name and a Germanic name.

For Preminger's acts in this chapter... I wanted that we see very quickly his very unscrupulous nature.
In a sense, he doesn't badly think of acting and he still has some good sides but that doesn't prevent him from rotting slowly from the inside... Terrible, no? My sweet wig wearing biscuit eater !

For your reviews:

LavernaG: already you see that Mr Hendrick is always present in the consciousness of our small Preminger;) I suppose that the advance of our "hero" (can we call him like it?) towards the one that he is in the movie continues. Thank for your amazing reviews !

Turquisea: oh THANK YOU! A lot of "thank you!" You put me in your favorite Stories and authors? I am very flattering *salue my public !* (And I was able to read your stories, you are also very talented) I understand that you are sad that Preminger becomes a bad man alone, maybe that it's the worst fates, no? Because he isn't really conscious of it... Oh I have the impression to be extremely cruel with him! But In the end, he has no same psychology as the usual villains, thus I wanted that his reason for turning to the evil is also different as what we usually see (treason, vengeance, his lover died etc)

Thanks to others, PrincessGeekelle and readers of the shadow (wow, that sounds disaster, not?)
I have a great deal of pleasure to translate you this story really!
Thus in the following chapter: is Erwin Preminger going be caught? Is he going to meet Reddington? What will be the outcome of their interview?

The next chapter will be shorter, but he will be important.

I soon see you!

Looove !

Esmee-Lynn