Join the new world

-Lepi ste kao i uvek mlada damo!!Cini mi se sve lepsi kako vreme ide...Kao vino,svaki novi dan donosi sve vise lepote...

-A vi sto stariji mladi vojvodo sve laskaviji!!Kako vreme protice to je raznovrsniji vas zavodnicki arsenal!!

-Zar vam ja licim na zavodnika??

-Ma ne...Gde bi to vi bili...One gospodjice sa sprata sasvim slucajno gledaju u ovom pravcu ili mozda gledaju moju haljinu...Sigurna sam da bi svaka od njih rado skocila sa one terase samo kada bi znala da ce tako zavrsiti u vasem narucju...

Mladi vojvoda obori pogled,zatvori oci i sa vidljivom tugom odgovori...

-Moja princezo...Moje srce ne kuca,niti ce kucati ni za jednu od njih...

-Sto je moj najbolji vojvoda oborio pogled i gleda u plocice??Svidja mu se kako je poplocan moj dvor??

Pricu dvoje mladih prekinu kralj,vremesni vladar na cijem licu se vec uveliko oslikava koliki je teret bio na njegovim plecima...Svaka bora na njegovom licu oslikava borbu koju je vodio za ocuvanje svoje drzave!!

-Kakve mi dobre vesti donosis??-upita kralj!!

-Nazalost,vasa visosti,dobrih vesti nemam...Ali zeleo bih da to popricamo negde nasamo!!

-Naravno,predjimo u moje odaje!!

-A kada cemo moci da nastavimo nas razgovor?-umesa se princeza!!

-Cim to vas otac dozvoli,a nadam se da ce to biti sto pre!!-uz osmeh odgovori vojvoda!!

-Vi mladi stalno bi nesto pricali-umesa se kralj!!

Podjose prema kraljevim odajama,a maladi vitez jos par puta,krisom da niko ne primeti pogleda mladu princezu!!

-Kakve su to lose vesti?-upita kralj!!

-Varvari se uveliko priblizavaju nasoj juznoj granici!!Ni jedno kraljevstvo koje im se naslo na putu nije moglo da ih zaustavi!!Bojim se da smo im mi sledeca meta...

-Koliko ih ima?

-To vec niko ne zna...Sto je najgore stalno im se pridruzuju nove razbojnicke grupe a i siromasni seljaci koji nemaju nista i na taj nacin vide svoju mogucnost da dodju do necega!!

-Sta predlazes da uradimo?

-Ne znam...Sami mislim da ne mozemo nista!!Da pozovemo neko od okolnih kraljevstava pa da se zajedno suprostavimo je pametno ali nisam siguran da imamo toliko vremena!!Nisam pametan...

-Vec sam stupio u pregovore oko saveznistva sa kraljem Fridrihom i knezom Stefanom!!Obecali su pomoc u vojsci ali koko ti kazes ne znam da li ce stici na vreme!!

-Vec za par dana naselja na nasoj juznoj granici ce im biti na udaru!!A ona su skoro nezasticena i bice im lak plen...Jedina mogucnost je da kupimo vreme!!

-Kako??

-Da bi prosli ka severu moraju proci kroz Nirmanski klanac!!Dve,tri hiljade odlicnih ratnika bi par dana moglo da drzi veliku vojsku!!Za koliko dana treba da stignu Fridrihova i Stefanova vojska?

-Oko deset dana im treba!!

-Odlicno!!Tolikomoze da se drzi klanac!!

-Ko je toliko lud da ode u skoro sigurnu smrt??

-Ja...

-Ti si ludji nego sto sam mislio...A koju vojsku ces da povedes??

-Povescu svoju!!Njih najbolje poznajem i u njih verujem da se nece povuci sve dok im ne naredim...

-Nikola previse je rizicno!!Poginuces...

-Mozda ali drugog izbora nema!!


Dobro...Voleo bih kada bi moglo drugacije jer ne zelim da te izgubim!!

Posle par minuta cutanja kralj se nasmeja!!

-Ima i jedna dobra vest!!Stefan je poslao us glasnike i prosce!!Zeli da svog najstarijeg sina ozeni princezom Marinom!!

Ove reci poput strele pogodise vojvodu...

-Odlucio sam ako sve ovo prodje kako treba da je ti ispratis na Stefanov dvor!!

-Vasa vaolja je za mene zapovest!!Da li sam sada slobodan??

Nikola napusti dvor i uputi se ka kampu gde su bili smesteni njegovi ratnici!!Jahao je polako zadubljen u svojim razmisljanjima dok se u njegovom oku sijala suza...

Vec je cuo da je Stefan poslao prosce ali nada da ce Marinina ruka biti njegova ali razgovor sa kraljem je ubio svaku njegovu nadu...Ocekivao je da ce nagrada za sve njegove zasluge biti jedina koju je zeleo ali ocekivanja mu ostase neispunjena...

Po dolasku u kamp iskupio je svoje ratnike i obraca im se...

-Junaci,odlucio sam da uradim nemoguce ali mi treba jos ludaka koji ce me pratiti u toj ludosti!!Ima li neko kome se Nirmanski klanac cini zanimljivim da u njemu ostavi svoje kosti!!

-Vojvodo,da je bilo koji od nas iole pametan odavno bi te napusto i otisao negde da trazi neku mirniju sluzbu!!Mislim da ovde pametnog neces naci ali zato nas hrabrih ima na pretek!!

-E onda idemo svi pa ko pretekne pretekne!!Sigurno se necemo obrukati!!!

-NECEMOOOOO!!!ZIVEO VOJVODA NIKOLA!!!

Uzvikase svi!!

-Spremajte se,ujutru polazimo!!

Zavrsi svoj govor i udje u svoj sator!!

Vec se polako smracivalo kada se kod njega pojavi jedan stari monah!!

-Pomoz Bog oce Jovane!!

-Bog te blagoslovio sine!!Cuo sam da ides i sigurnu propast!!Zasto to cinis??

-Neko mora...I najbolje da to uradim ja!!

-Zasto bas ti??

-Oce koji ja razlog da zivim imam??Da zivim i da ratujem...Od maca su sigurno i poginuti,kao da je vazno da li ce to biti sada ili mozda sledece godine!!To je ono sto me ceka...

-Sve je to u Bozijim rukama sine moj!!Niko od nas ne odredjuje svoju sudbinu!!

-Da...

-Sta u stvari tebe muci??

-Stefan je isprosio Marinu za svoga sina...

-A jesi li ti rekao kralju da je volis??

-Nisam...Ona je princeza i treba da se uda za nekog vladara i zivi srecno...Ja sam niko...Neko ko ima svoju svrhu i kada te svrhe vise nema nema ni njega!!

-Ne krivi druge!!Trebao si da kazes kralju sta osecas!!!

-Ali nisam i necu...

-Ne mogu da te nateram na to!!Samo mogu da te posavetujem!!

-Kasno je za to oce Jovane!!Sada cu jos jednom da pokusam da sacuvam ovo nase malo kraljevstvo a posle toga sta bude!!

-Nikada se ne zna sta nas sutra ceka!!Mozda nas vec sutra saceka nagrada za ono veliko sto smo uradili!!

-Da...Nikada se ne zna!!!


Ujutru Nikola je postrojio svoju vojsku i poslednje pripreme za polazak su zavrsene!!!

-Hvala ti za sve sto si do sada cinio za nase kraljevstvo!!I hvala ti za ovo sto siguran sam niko ne bi uradio!!Koliko bih srecniji bio kada bih imao jos ratnika kao sto si ti...

-To je moja duznost vasa visosti!!I obaveza!!

-A mogu li ja sada da dobijem svojih pet minuta za razgovor??

Umesa se princeza u razgovor!!

-Vama sam uvek na raspolaganju princezo!!

-Zelim da pricamo nasamo!!

Odvojise se nekoliko metara i zastadose na obali reke!!

-Zasto ovo radis??-upita ga!!

-To je moja duznost!!

-Jos jednom te pitam zasto?

Nikola je cutao par minuta i onda odgovori!!

-Moje srce pripada onoj koju ne mog uda imam i koju nikada necu imati...Sve sto sam radio radio sam da bih uspeo da se izborim da budem dovoljno vredan da je dobijem ali nisam uspeo!!Ovo je moja poslednja borba!!Nisam uspeo da se izborim za njenu ljubav ali zato mogu da se izborim za njenu srecu!!To niko ne moze da mi zabrani!!I to je moja odluka!!

-Sta hoces da kazes?

-Hocu da kazem da te volim!!Isto onako kao sto sam te bas pored ove reke voleo dok smo bili deca!!Tako te volim bas no ovom mestu i sada!!Znam da si isprosena i da ces se udati za drugoga i zelim da budes srecna!!A da bi do te srece doslo moramo da zaustavimo neprijatelje jer ce nas unistiti!!I nas kao i tvog buduceg supruga!!Moja je odluka da dam svoj zivot za taj cilj i za tvoju srecu...I dacu ga s ljubavlju!!

-Zasto mi to nikada nisi rekao??

-Rekao sam ti sada...

Uplakana princeza ga je zaglila i kroz suze tiho progovori...

-Nemoj da pogines...Srecna mogu da budem samo ako ostanes ziv!!!

-Nemoj da places!!Cuvacu te uvek i bicu tvoj verni andjeo cuvar cak i kada me nema pored tebe!!Moram da idem sada!!

Polako je isao ka svojoj vojsci dok ga je ona ulakana pokretom pratila!!Nije mogla ni korak da napravi!!!

-IDEMO!!!DO POBEDE!!!

Kao grom prolomio se glas hrabrih ratnika koji su galopirali u smrt...Ili u pobedu!!!



NASTAVISE SE....

PS.Prica moze da ima srecan kraj ili tuzan....Na vama je da odlucite sta zelite da bude u nastavku!!

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Forbidden love

- You’re as beautiful as always young lady!! Seems to me you get more beautiful as time passes... As vine, every new day brings you more beauty...

- And you, the older, the more flattering young Duke?!! As time passes by the more various your seductive arsenal gets!!

- Do I look like a seducer??

- No... No way you are one... Those misses a couple of stories high just happen to be looking at this direction or perhaps they are looking at my dress... I’m sure that every one of them would gladly jump from that terrase if they knew they would land in your arms that way...

The young Duke averted his look, closed his eyes and with visible sorrow answers...

- My princess... My heart doesn’t beat, nor it ever will for anyone of them...

- Why did my best Duke avert his look and is looking at tiles?? Does he like how my castle is tiled??

The chatting of two young people was interupted by the King, an elder ruler whose face largely reflects the size of the burden that was on his shoulders... Every wrinkle on his face reflect the battles he fought for the preservation of his state!!

- Which good news do you bring me?? - asks the King!!

- Unfortunately, your highness, i haven’t got good news... But i would like to speak to you in private!!

- Of course, let us go to my chambers!!

- And when will we continue our chat? - the princess interferes!!

- As soon as your father allows, and I hope it will be as soon as possible!! - through laughter the Duke aswered!!

- The youth would like to chat all the time - the King interfered!!

The started walking towards the King’s chambers, and the young knight a few more times, stealthily so no one notices looked at the young princess!!

- What are these bad news? - the King asked!!

- Barbarians are approaching our southern border!! Not a single kingdom that they came across couldn’t stop them!! I’m afraid that we are their next target...

- How many of them?

- No one knows that... The worst part is that they’re are joined by new bandit groups and poor peasants that have nothing, and see their opportunity to aquire something!!

- What do you suggest we do?

- I don’t know... By our selves i think we can’t do anything!! To call for help from some of the surrounding kingdoms so that we stand together against them is smart, but I’m not sure that we have that much time!! I’m not smart...

- I already started negotiations about an alliance with king Friedrich and prince Stefan!! They promised help in arms, but as you say I don’t know if they will make it in time!!

- In a couple of days the settlements at the southern border will find themselves targeted!! And they’re are almost unprotected and will be easy prey... Our only option is that we buy them time!!

- How??

- If they wanna move north they have to pass through the Nirman col!! Two, three thousand of fine soldiers could hold a huge army for a couple of days there!! How much time is needed till Friedrich’s and Stefan’s army arrives?

- They need about ten days!!

- Excellent!! The col can be hold for that long!!

- Who is that insane to go into sure death??

- Me...

- You’re even crazier than I thought... And what army will you lead??

- I will lead my own!! I know them the best and I believe that they won’t retreat till I order order them to...

- Nikola it’s too risky!! You’ll get yourself killed...

- Perhaps, but there is no other choice!!

- All right... I wish there is another way, because I don’t want to lose you!!

After a few minutes of silence the King laughes!!

- There is one good news!! Stefan sent us messangers and proposers!! He would like that his oldest son to marries my princess Marina!!

These words as an arrow struck the Duke...

- I decided that if all this ends well you escort her to Stefan’s castle!!

- Your will is my command!! Am I free to go now??

Nikola left the castle and headed toward the camp where his soldiers have settled!! He rode slowly, in love, in his thoughts while a tear was shining in his eye...

He already heard that Stefan has sent proposers, but hoped that Marina’s hand in marriage will be his, but his conversation killed every hope... He expected that the reward for his accomplishments will be the one that he truly wanted, but his expectations weren’t fullfiled...

When he arrived at camp he gathered his soldiers and spoke to them...

- Heroes, i decided to do the imposible but I need a couple of insane men that will follow me in this madness!! Is there anyone that finds the Nirman col an interesting place to leave their bones to res!!

- Duke, if anyone of us was slightly smarter we would’ve left you long time ago and went to seek a more peacefull service!! I think that you won’t find anybody that is smart, but the the corageous are overflowing!!

- Well then all of us are going!! I’m sure we won’t shame ourselves!!

- WE WOOOON’T!!! LONG LIVE DUKE NIKOLA!!!

They all cheered!!

- Get ready, we leave at dawn!!

He ended his speach and went inside his tent!!

It was getting darker outside when an old monch came to him!!

- God helps you father Jovan!!

- God bless you sin!! I heard that you were going to certain doom!! Why are you doing this??

- Someone has too... And it’s best if I do!!

- But why you??

- Father, what reason for life do I have?? To live, and to fight... From sword i will die for sure, doesn’t matter will it be now or maybe next year!! That is what awaits me...

- It is all in God’s hands my son!! Nobody makes his own destiny!!

- Yeah...

- What bothers you??

- Stefan proposed to Marina to mary his son...

- And did you tell the King that you love her??

- No... She is a princess and she needs to marry a ruller and live happily... I am a nobody... A somebody who has his purpose and when that purpose is gone he is gone aswell!!

- Don’t blame others!! I should’ve told the King how you feel!!!

- But I didn’t and I won’t...

- I can’t force you to do it!! I can only give you advice!!

- It’s too late for that father Jovan!! I will now try to save our little kingdom, and after that who knows!!

- You never know what tommorow brings!! Maybe even tommorow will bring us rewards for the great things we’ve done!!

- Yes... You never know!!!

In the morning Nikola assembled his army and the last preparations before departure were done!!!

- Thank you for all the things you’ve done so far for our kingdom!! And thank you for this which I am certain nobody else would do!! How much happier I would be if I had more soldiers like you...

- It’s my duty your highnesss!! And an obligation!!

- And can I have my five minutes for conversating??

The princess interfered in the talk!!

- Always at your service my princess!!

- I would like that we speak in private!!

They walked a couple of meters and stopped at the bank of the river!!

- Why are you doing this?? - she asked him!!

- It is my duty!!

- I’ll ask you once more - Why are you doing this?

Nikola was silent for a couple of minutes and then answered!!

- My heart belongs to the one which I cannot have and never will have... All that I have done so far was so that I could manage to be worthy to get her, but I failed!! This is my last battle!! I failed to win over her love, but I won’t fail at winning her happines!! Nobody can forbid that to me!! And that is my decision!!

- What are you trying to say?

- I wanna say that I love you!! The same way I loved you by this river when we were children!! The same way I love you now at this place!! I know that you’re hand marriage is promised and you will marry someone else and I wish you to be happy!! And for that happines we need to stop the enemies because they will destroy us!! Us and your husband to be!! My decision is to give my life for that cause and for your happines... And I will give it with love!!

- Why didn’t you tell me this before??

- I tell you now...

The princess all in tears huged him and through tears spoke...

- Don’t get killed... I can be happy only if you stay alive!!

- Don’t cry!! I will guard you allways and be your faithfull guardian angel even when I’m not beside you!! I have to go now!!

He slowly walked to his troops while her teary look was following him!! She couldn’t make a single step!!

- ONWARD!! TO VICTORY!!

As thunder the roar of brave warriors broke through which were galloping into death... Or into victory!!!


WILL BE CONTINUED...

P.S. The story can have a happy or a sad ending... It’s up to you to decide what you want in the sequel!!

Prevod na engleski Darko Dulic!!Hvala Darko za prevod!!