rian

- Divorce?!

Who would have thought that such a weak-looking girl has so much strength, and even arrogance, to open the door to the office with a kick like that ...

Gathering all his patience, Rian put the royal message on the table.

“Yes, a divorce,” he answered quite calmly, although it seems that his calmness only enraged Elise even more. Her already reddened face even twisted. It seemed that she did not decide whether she should now rush at her interlocutor in an attempt to strangle her or still arrange another tantrum with crying and howling.

- What kind of divorce can we talk about ?! - her voice broke into a squeal, she even in her hearts kicked the leg of the chair that stood in her way. We've only been married for a month! So much effort just for me to be a duchess for just a month?! I want this title! I want you to always be at my disposal!

- Well, I can't help you with this, - with an imperturbable smile, Rian got up from the table to kick Eliza out the door himself, otherwise she would be crucified for so long. “And, for your information, I notified the high priest about the divorce a week ago, so tomorrow our marriage will already be declared invalid.

Eliza froze in the middle of the office, blinking her eyes.

“N..but, Ryan, why…?” Well, as expected, the change of strategy to wailing and tearful eyes. She would like to become an actress. Enemy theater. “Have you really stopped loving me? .. No, I understood that something was wrong, because it’s not by chance that you never even came to my bedroom for all this time, but…”

Interrupted:

- But now you will easily marry again, so you will still have everything.

Well, what if there really is in the world some lover of self-torture who is not friendly with the head, who, of his own free will, decides to marry Eliza. Here you really need to be either the last fool, unable to discern the rotten essence behind the beauty. Or those who want to ruin their lives completely and irrevocably.

Eliza's eyes narrowed in anger, her hands clenched into fists.

So you planned it all from the start? Married to me just for the sake of entering into inheritance rights?! Oh no, Ryan! Nothing will work for you! You won't get away from me anywhere! There will be no divorce!

“Fortunately, it’s definitely not up to you to decide,” Ryan eloquently pointed her to the door.

Throwing her head up so that even the massive earrings tinkled, Eliza flew out into the corridor in insult. And from there came a furious cry:

- Give me a carriage! Right now!

And then an ornate scolding against the slow-moving servants, accompanied by a loud clatter of heels.

Nothing, nothing, there is very little left to endure it. And so this month seemed the longest in my life. Tomorrow this ridiculous marriage will be dissolved, and certainly not soon there will be a desire to marry someone again. The bachelor life is too beautiful to let in such an obsessive hysterical something that will become an eyesore every day.

Returning to the table, Ryan picked up the message again. The golden monograms sparkled in the rays of the sun from the side of the window, and because of this the text itself looked even gloomier.

The king summons the best magicians of the capital... It is only said that the matter is extremely urgent and is connected with the Black Tower... But what is wrong with it? How many centuries it stands, and even abandoned. What is this, what is White - as unshakable evidence of how much in the world is constant and alien to change.

But why is there such a premonition that such changes are coming in his own life that it’s hard to imagine so far? ..

Elizabeth

If you don't like blondes, then you don't know how to cook them. Well, that is, you have not yet come across a worthy copy.

And now, sitting opposite Igor at the restaurant table, and trying not to pay attention to how disgusting the oysters look on the plate, I thought only about how wonderful life is.

- Toast! The blond of my dreams raised his glass of champagne. For our anniversary! Not the first, but, most importantly, not the last. And let someone say that three months is already a lot, but for me every day next to you is priceless.

So, away, the cockroaches of my head, whispering that about three months Igor once again rests only because it is high time to move on to bed adventures. Well, yes, it's time. Moreover, I love Igor. But maybe that's why it's scary? That physical intimacy will immediately ruin everything in our ideal relationship? ..

- I still remember that fateful day when we met, - putting down the glass, Igor covered my hand, lying on the table, with his own. “A happy accident, you can't say otherwise.

“But I think it was like a sign from above,” I smiled. “I still distinctly remember that sudden feeling that made me back away. Although it would seem that such a thing could be terrible, I was just going to get a job as a waitress. But at the very door I was stunned by a strange realization that I should not go in there. And after all, if I hadn’t listened, I wouldn’t have turned around, wouldn’t have gone back and met you around the next bend.

- Still, this is fate, you can’t say otherwise, - Igor slightly squeezed my hand with a smile.

And then he added, as if by the way:

- How do you look at getting married in the summer?

It’s good that I didn’t drink anything at that moment, otherwise I would have choked for sure right now!

Summer?! Is it in four months?.. Wedding?! But why?! We are so good!

But don't say it directly.

I tried to smile as casually as possible.

- This, of course, is a very tempting prospect, but still we can not rush, the whole life is ahead.

With a knowing smile, Igor sighed contritely.

- Oh, Lisa, do you like to "take your time" ...

Yes, yes, cockroaches in your head, you can squeak again that this is a thick hint.

- It still seems to me that marriage is such a serious matter - which for some reason already scares me - that here you still need to carefully weigh everything. No, don't think about it, I don't mind - although I'm just against it - it just sounded very unexpected. Sorry, I'll go away for a while - no, what are you, this is not an attempt to escape from the conversation.

“Come back soon,” even if Igor understood, he still didn’t show it.

Here is the man's endurance! No, really, if I were him, I wouldn't put up with me. A grown man with certain needs, and here I am, with a draft in my head that can only compete with a draft in my pockets. Or, as my kind older sister says, they say, you, Liza, have nothing at all except cuteness.

And now, having passed other tables and hiding in the ladies' room, I really tried again to understand what was wrong with me. After all, here he is - the man of dreams! Moreover, you don’t even need to catch up with him and beat him on the back of the head with a club, he himself is ready for anything, up to winding up in marriage chains. Only now ... why don't I want this myself?

Stopping in front of the mirror, looking at my own lost reflection against the background of the toilet stalls, I wanted to ask myself what the hell I'm breaking down at all. I will miss Igor because of my own cockroaches, and then in my old age, surrounded by only a flock of cats, I will remember what a fool I was at eighteen.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath. So so. Now I'm going back to Igor and...

The creaking of the door knocked me out of my thoughts. I immediately opened my eyes.

What?..

Standing at the door, and no, not the door to the ladies' room, but in general to God knows where, a middle-aged woman in a gray dress with a white apron, and a ridiculous cap on her head, gave out:

“Mistress Eliza, your father asks you to come down,” and immediately added with obvious timidity: “Perhaps, ahem, you should change your clothes?

Still in complete shock, I looked at my reflection. Yes, only the mirror was now in a massive gold frame. And although I myself remained in the green evening dress borrowed from my sister, only now there was an antique bedroom in the background. Yes, and… statues… Wait, these statues represent me? And the pictures on the walls are me too, only my hair is blond?..

No wonder I did not want to try these oysters! She must have been poisoned, fell into a coma, and now I'm imagining it all!

____

Dear readers, I am still deprived of the right to write comments, so please do not be offended that I do not answer.

Now shimmering streams were pouring in all directions, only further confirming my version with a sore head. But in the midst of all this unreality, a very gloomy-looking type suddenly appeared. And the age of indefinite, and all in the dark, and the look is so prickly, as if he always suspects everyone of everything. And everything would be fine, but the translucency of the stranger repelled even more.

I've been silent for now. He also did not speak right away, looked at me thoughtfully, as if expecting that I should definitely blurt out something now. But sorry, I was not given instructions on how to communicate with my own hallucinations.

- I'm on time, - even his voice turned out to be prickly, slightly creaking, like unlubricated hinges. - Otherwise, I see, you would definitely have broken firewood right now ... By the way, I will temporarily not give you the opportunity to speak here, otherwise, knowing your love for endless stupid questions, we would be stuck here for a long time.

And that's why I don't like him anymore?

- Let's be clear right away, - he began to pace, his hands behind his back, although, in fact, there was nowhere to walk here, after all, we remained suspended in the air. But the ghost was hardly embarrassed. - You're not crazy. You ended up in another world, and by my efforts. In your home, by the way, you would have died in a few moments: I don’t know the details, but there was something about a slippery floor, a blow to the head ... If you want, of course, we can return and look.

I immediately shook my head. What is most strange, from somewhere came the unshakable certainty that the unpleasant stranger was telling the truth. But if I really died ... then what should I do now? .. And why is it not so terrifying to me? .. Or is it just that my brain slows down for now, so that later awareness will collapse at once?

And he continued:

- There are many worlds, and there are many twins in them. And you, it turns out, just switched places with your doppelgänger here. Only, unlike you, she will survive there, yet it was not her death that awaited in a few moments. Well, for you, getting here is your only chance not to die. Well, then everything will depend on you yourself, - and he looked at me so skeptically, as if he had no doubt that I would definitely mess up something. “Don’t give out who you are here if you don’t want to please the local magicians for experiments. You will have to pretend to be your double for at least some time, but then you will already orient yourself according to the situation. So now your name is Eliza, a wealthy girl from high society. She got married a month ago, and tomorrow the divorce will be announced. Basically, you have no obligations. Settle yourself slowly in this world, observe secrecy.

No, this is the first time I see him, and he has the impression that he has known me for a long time. And the point is not only in his words, but in the attitude itself, as to a well-known person ...

Not being able to ask anything, I just pointed at him with my hand. But he already understood what I meant.

- I? Let's assume that I am your guardian angel, as they say in your world.

What did I do wrong that I got such a guardian angel?

But he didn't explain anything else. He waved his hand, and immediately I was again in the same room with statues and paintings.

- Madam? The maid looked at me expectantly. Apparently, my absence somewhere there remained unnoticed by her.

- Yes, you're right, I really should change my clothes, - I collected my thoughts.

Well, let's conduct, so to speak, reconnaissance in force. Let's see how this muddy ghost told the truth. And although the confidence that everything is so does not leave, it is better to verify this for yourself.

But if I'm stuck here for good, then what about Igor? ..

Either the ghost type messed up something, or ... I don’t even know. He also said that the divorce would be announced tomorrow, but they just took me to get a divorce right now. That's why Eliza's father said to go down. Or today the very fact of divorce, and tomorrow it will be blown into all the pipes?

I didn't ask anyway, although Eliza's parents turned out to be very nice people: the caring and sophisticated Lady Amiraya and the good-natured Lord Mavrus seemed to be worried about the upcoming event as if it were a real disaster.

For the rest, everything was quite good so far: a luxurious mansion, servants, high society outfits, however, not very comfortable - at least, the living conditions are very even.

Yes, but I still felt like I was cracked on the head with a dusty bag - complete disorientation both in space and in what was happening. My brain was just taking in the information and trying to digest it, and some part of me still doubted the reality of what was happening.

Winter also reigned in this world. At least through the window of the carriage floated the still snow-covered streets of an unfamiliar city, as if descended from old Christmas cards. And even though I was wearing a fur cape over my puffy dress, I still felt chills. But this is clearly from the nerves, and not from the cold.

I still need time. Just time to get used to the new reality. And before that, try very hard not to mess up anything. Already something, but the warning that awaits me in the event of the disclosure of my other world is clearly not an invention.

“My poor,” Lady Amiraya, who was sitting next to me, held my hand all the way, “you just don’t have a face ...

“But such a nice new hair color,” Lord Mavrus tried to at least somehow cheer up. - You're even more beautiful, - but then he added in his hearts: - No, well, how can you refuse such a clever and beautiful woman? I definitely don't understand!

- Honey, can you still tell me what happened to you? Lady Amiraya looked at me with such hope, as if I would make her happy, that everything was for fun. But, excuse me, I myself know even less than you ...

“We didn’t get along,” I shrugged.

In any case, this divorce only works for me. It's okay to pretend to be someone else's daughter - it's within your power. But pretending to be the wife of some left-wing man? ..

But, by the way, since there are doubles, then suddenly in this world a double of my Igor is wandering somewhere?

“Still, Ryan is such a worthy young man,” Lady Amiraya continued, “not just some windy bum who changes his mind ten times a day. And since he filed for divorce a month after the wedding, then something serious had definitely happened! Honey, maybe you offended him somehow? Did you say or do something wrong? You just need to apologize, talk heart to heart, because for sure this is just some kind of misunderstanding! Mavrus, - she turned a pleading look at her husband.

- I've arranged everything, - he nodded slowly, - don't worry.

The carriage had just stopped. It looks like we arrived at the local registry office. Well, it's time to take a look at Eliza's almost ex-husband, maybe not only for the first, but also for the last time.

‍​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‍