Tursed my worid upside down

They woke up around eight. Had breakfast at Pouoka's. Lilith was happy to see Klaus and talked to him more freely. She also freely expressed her dislike or rather jealousy towards Egor.

This time, Klaus took Egor with him to the meeting. After the prince introduced the young man as his partner and lover, the guy found it easier to communicate with Alexander.

He really was an interesting person and, if not for his open infatuation with Klaus, Egor would even respect him.

The prince quickly dealt with the first part of the plan, leaving Sasha to explain the rudeness of the "arrogant boy" in front of the highly respected doctors.

Skotsky was surprised by this way of solving the problem. Klaus gave him Sasha's number in case he needed to get medicine and returned to the underground city with Egor.

August was in a bad mood, but he had no time to show his indignation. He had just learned that the king was heading towards the estate.

"The time for receiving guests has already passed," Klaus noted, "this can only mean one thing. He wants to destroy me in this inconspicuous estate."

"And what do you intend to do?"

"This evening we must move out to meet him. The battle will not begin according to the original plan."

"You want to meet him halfway? But it will be difficult for us to reach the capital in this case. The king is always surrounded by only the best. A battle with him far from Anatodom will significantly weaken our army."

"We knew that we wouldn't reach our goal that easily. We were counting on troops that would hinder us."

"Klaus, we were counting on regular troops, and the closer to the capital, the more allies would join us. The king's personal army is not the kind of nuisance that can be ignored."

"And you suggest waiting for him here and letting everyone die on the spot?"

"No, but..."

"If you have any other ideas, I'd be happy to hear them. What did Gorald say?"

"He also assumed that you would do just that. But Klaus, even if we set out today, we'll meet him before the first allies join. Gorald has already ordered the army from the underground city to prepare. We'll be there almost simultaneously. I'm afraid we won't have enough strength even like that."

"I don't expect to kill him in the first battle, but I plan to drive him back to the capital. The further we advance, the harder it will be to resist him."

"This is a very risky plan and we haven't created enough anti-magic cloaks yet."

"We'll leave Pritik in the underground city. We'll transmit our location to him so that he can replenish his cloak supplies using his portals. August, what's the point of arguing now if you don't have a better plan? Give Gorald my order."

"Yes, Yours..."

"Don't start, I'm not in the mood."

August left, and Klaus turned to Egor.

"Now about you..."

"I'll go with you."

"No, you'll stay in the underground city."

"I'll go with you."

"You will only get in the way and distract me. Understand, I will not be able to fight at full strength if I have to worry about your safety."

"You promised that you would not leave me alone again."

"Egor, this is a completely different situation. It will definitely be more dangerous for you on the battlefield than in the underground city."

"I remember that before the kidnapping you said the same thing about the estate."

It was a dirty trick, and Egor knew it. He appealed to the prince's sense of guilt and saw how Klaus's face twisted after these words. But this was the only way to make the future king take Egor with him.

The guy understood that he would be of little use and did not plan to participate in the battles. He would sit out with the escort, who were responsible for food, halts and other things important for a person's life.

These people, along with the carts, will sit out in a kind of underground bunker. It was August's idea, and he had already trained himself to create such. Thanks to new inventions, there will be no problems with the air supply either. Such a shelter will easily protect everyone underground for up to a day.

He told Klaus so, but hid the main motive for his desire to accompany the prince.

***

Egor went down to the empty corridor of the underground floor. Klaus said that no one had lived in this wing before except for the witch. Everyone was afraid of her. Now, when only those slaves who decided to continue working here themselves and some from the underground city had moved in, remained in the estate. When Augustus made sure that their living conditions were improved, this old woman remained in her old room. No one wanted to move into this wing either.

The young man had heard many frightening things about the witch Mrs. Minami, and he was a little afraid to meet her alone, but she was the one who helped him. Brod said that it was her potions that allowed him to restore his internal and external injuries after the violence so quickly and efficiently. He had put off his trip for a long time, but today he finally plucked up his courage.

In the evening they will go to an important battle. Father and son will meet on the battlefield for power. Egor believed in Klaus's victory, but still... The man who kept the whole country in fear... Everything could end not as well as he would have liked, and if Egor was destined to die tomorrow, he would want this old woman to hear his gratitude.

"Excuse me, may I come in?" the young man asked, knocking and slightly opening the door.

"Come in, boy. I don't often see guests."

"Sorry if I'm disturbing you..."

"Lately I haven't had as much work as before," the woman smiled. "Did you want something? Did the potions not help?"

"No, no, everything is fine. Actually, that's why I came. I wanted to thank you personally for your help. If it weren't for you..."

"I've been practicing medicine all my life. I can't do anything else. If my mistress is not here, I will help her son and his relatives."

"If you want anything..."

"I'm already old and I'm surprised that I'm still alive. It's too late for me to wish for anything, but I'd like to ask you something."

"What?"

"About Pouoka. Do you know a woman with that name? She's about the same age as me now."

"That's my grandmother's name."

"I see," the woman said thoughtfully. "I'm glad she survived after all."

"Do you know my grandmother?" Egor was surprised.

"It was so long ago..."

"Tell me. I know that she's from this world, but she never talked about her past."

"I heard that His Highness traveled to another world and brought a friend from there. Or a loved one?"

"That's the second one," Egor blushed.

"It will be hard for you," the witch sighed, "he needs heirs, he'll have to get married, and you'll remain in the past."

"I'm not worried about that, at least not now. Tell me about your grandmother, please."

"You look a lot like her when she was young. Pouoka is my younger sister. We are from a low-born family. She discovered her abilities at the age of nine, but we managed to hide it for almost ten years. Until she got married and became pregnant. She decided to confide in her husband, and he, in turn, told his family. Hiding mages has always been a grave crime, and his family was scared. She had just given birth to a son when the army descended on the village," the old woman looked off into the distance, as if she was trying to return to those times.

Egor waited patiently for the continuation, but did not dare ask questions.

"They didn't plan to re-test magical abilities. They just took everyone, and killed those who resisted. Pouoka's husband tried to save her. She managed to escape from the village with the baby in her arms. She didn't even have time to name him."

"My father's name was Constantine."

"A beautiful name," the woman smiled. "I was taken into slavery then. I worked in the king's estate for several years, until one of the higher slaves noticed my talents as a healer. He sent me for training. So I received the second slave circle and went to work in the infirmary, and when Lady Minami appeared in the palace, I became her personal healer and received my third circle and the highest rank."

"So, you delivered the queen's baby?"

"Yes, I remember when His Highness Klaus was born, how Mrs. Minami cried when he was taken away. More than twenty years later, history repeated itself. I held her second son in my arms again, and she cried when he was taken away. He named him Bakari. The name was all he left the poor lady and then her mind went completely clouded."

"So she began to lose it even before she gave birth to her second child?"

"She was not herself already from the first years of her life here, but it did not manifest itself often. Usually, after visits from His Majesty. At first, he visited her often. Then I invented this potion, which helped you too."

"You mean to say..."

"Yes. She hated him. After she learned so many painful truths about him. But he still took his toll, despite the harm he caused her. Then he came less and less, and in the last ten years he came only once or twice, when he conceived Bakari and when he took him."

"It's all so sad. I mean, my grandmother's story, yours, Klaus's mother."

"In Isorobia, this is all normal. Tell me, how is your grandmother? And what kind of world is this?"

"Okay, but since you are my grandmother too, I would like to know your real name."

"Nina. My name is Nina."

Egor was no longer afraid of this woman. He had long ago realized that these people had different concepts of cruelty and injustice than he did. Every day he understood them better and now he could not condemn the woman for what she had done these years. He did not want to specify the reasons, now it was no longer important.

He sat down more comfortably and began his long story about Pouoka's life. More precisely, about the part of her life that he knew.