Madame Miladydi fell on her knees before the king, not daring to speak, nor to raise her head.

Louis was not as angry as Madame Milady thought - he knew very well that when governing a country as large as France, and even wanting to expand his original territory, the ruler must have a choice, and the island of Gayola was the one who was abandoned - during the conquest of Flanders and the Netherlands, the king did not think about the matter of the island of Gayola except for the wizards of the island of Gayora, and even the Duke of Cologna, although he was taken by Louis, was also because he was the Duke of Cologna, not a wizard of the inner world- Louis taught him as if he were teaching the Dauphin, hoping that he would not be confined to the island of Gayora, but would be able to see beyond.

And Marie Mancini had no fewer enemies than Louis, and she wasn't the kind of woman who was keen on power. But he was stubborn and violent by nature, so much so that in the process of conquering the island of Gayola, he did many almost irreparable things, and while Madame Miladydi was still in Gayola, the wizards under the command of Milady could have an advantage in numbers and strength with the wizards of the Mancini family, but at this celebratory banquet, the Duke and Duchess of Cologna, as well as Milady, had to be present to ensure their place in the hearts of the people, so that they could still be the mouthpiece and hands of the king after leaving Paris and Versailles.

The problem is that just a few days of blank space have been seized by Mancini's opponents.

The wizards of the great families, who were not stupid enough to confront the king directly, only seized the walls of the cornerstones that were first controlled by the council and then by the Mancini family - Louis remembered the walls built with the souls of wizards, and they used the "keys"- That is, magic has changed the selection scope of the cornerstone wall, narrowing it down to the point where the wizards of the Mancini family, as well as their supporters, and even those who are still outside, that is, those who serve the king, cannot pass, and the wizards inside cannot leave, just like Delon and others said with hatred, there are not many wizards on the island of Gayora, and they can hold on for five or even ten years with the materials they have hoarded before.

The problem was that the Duke of Cologna was already twelve years old, and in two or three years the king would have to find a marriage contract for him, and although the king could canonize him in Flanders or some part of the Netherlands, it would have no effect on Louis's strategy for Naples – in Louis's plan, the island of Gayola, though small, would be a good base and springboard for Sicily and Naples – given that the Kingdom of Sicily and Naples still belonged to Carlos II of Spain......

Just as the French had actually bribed the Genoese to use Corsica as a transit point when they attacked Rome, France wanted to seize Naples and Sicily at the tip of the Italian boot, or pass through Switzerland, the Holy Roman Empire, Milan, Tuscany, ...... Either Sardinia or Sicily as a foothold, so the unknown island of Gayora, located between Sardinia and Sicily, was very important, and Louis was ready for it - for the past few years he had been drawing manpower from Gayola for this purpose, and when there was only an empty shell left in the world of Gayola, he set out to drive out all the unstoppable families and replace them with his own eldest son and army.

When the time comes, it will depend on his will whether he will attack Sicily and Naples directly, or pose a threat to Sardinia (belonging to Archduke Leopold I of Austria) with a backhand.

Louis was even considering buying the cardinal, or even the pope, now in exchange for proof of Bourbon ownership of Naples and Sicily. This is all a few years later, and he doesn't have high requirements for Gayora, because Louis also knows very well that his efforts on Gayola are not even as good as Flanders, and above Flanders is the Netherlands, and above the Netherlands is France, and he has too many things to consider, but- The resurgence of the remnants did cause him a little trouble, and the wizards' inner world was not limited to Gayola, and Louis's approach to the inner world was considered by some wizards to be a good time for a revival of witchcraft, like Merlin assisting King Arthur, who could also assist Louis XIV, or their king, while others considered it deviant, like Agnelli and other families, who thought it was absurd for wizards to grovel to mortals who had nothing to do with magic.

According to the information gathered by Madame Miledi, Gayola Island has indeed become a place where wizards, monks, and other inhabitants of the world have gathered, and they are all quietly waiting for the result.

Therefore, if the island of Gayola is once again closed up by the wizards, not only will the Naples-Sicilian strategy be shelved or even abandoned, but even the inner world, which Louis has almost in his hands, will once again flee from the king, the high wall between wizards and mortals will be rebuilt, and the contempt of wizards for mortals will inevitably reach another peak, and France, or any king, will have to endure these gifted extraordinary people, these "things" that seem to be located in another world even in the court , not a courtier, not a people, not even a kind.

All of Louis's previous plans and plans came to naught.

"I can't blame you, Lady Milady. The king said, and there was not much in his tone that was contrary to his intentions, and Miledi stood up at his signal, "I can almost say that I have mortgaged half of France in order to get the Netherlands, and among them are you, and you have no time to take care of the affairs of the island of Gayola, have I ever paid attention to it, I can only say that the opportunity of these wizards is too good, in fact, I am ready to propose to the daughter of the Grand Duke of Tuscany—for the sake of my eldest son, Luciano, and at the same time to do a clean-up of the island of Gayola," He said lightly, and Madame Milady, who knew the king's methods well, one might even say too well.

"It will only take a few days," said Louis, almost a little childishly, "and when I have cleared all the eyeliner of Versailles and Paris, I will prepare the Duchess to do it with you," the king's fingers tapped a few times on the armrest of the chair, "and now I can no longer let Marie Mancini out of my sight." ”

"Your Majesty," said Madame Miledi, could not help but "it may be a conspiracy. ”

"Whatever it is," said the king, still calmly, "I cannot let anyone who has hurt my child go away, for whatever reason, especially since little Luciano may be cursed once again for being his mother, Madame Milady, it is not a thing to be able to say 'fluke', my child almost died, under his mother's wand— He could die on the battlefield, or die of old age, even if it was because of a duel, but I would never allow it to happen again, and I don't want people to mention him and say that it was a son who was killed by his mother, which is a great shame and a great sorrow. ”

"So," continued the king, "I will now hand over to you the island of Gayola and the Duke of Colonna. ”

"I can know the Duchess of Colonna......"

"Shall I still let Luciano watch his father kill his mother? No, ma'am, in a few days we will have a funeral for the Duchess of Colonna, but Marie Mancini will be imprisoned forever. ”

——————

Marie Mancini wept, cried, and cursed, but since the king himself had come and spoken to her alone for some time, she had at last calmed, "I am willing to accept any punishment," said Madame de Milady, when she went to see her, "I have hurt my love, and I love me, and," she smiled, a bitter smile, "this is not the first time, nor the last." ”

"Do you believe her? Your Majesty. Elarius, who was standing in another room, but could clearly hear the voice of the next room because of the brass pipes buried, asked.

"I don't believe it," Louis said, "and neither does she." ”

"You're always so ruthless. Ilarius sighed that he had a face that was not easy to raise his guard, and that the years had passed, and that the corners of his eyes had fine lines, but that he was all the more amiable, and only the monks and clergy around him knew how mad and insidious the Grand Inquisitor was—that he was a sharp blade hidden under the king's cloak, and that he had done no less bad things for His Majesty than the Count d'Artagnan or Madame de Milady.

Louis looked at him reproachfully, "Are you ready?" he asked, and the Marquis de Lois bent down deeply, for the Duke of Cologna, who was very few present, personally sent a document to the King, which stated that there was a criminal of high status who was to be transferred from the prison on the island of Sainte-Marguerite to the Bastille, and the King glanced at the date of imprisonment, which turned out to be ten years ago, and the Marquis of Lois noticed that "these can be confused...... "These can be confused," he did not know what to call the prisoner inside, so he said vaguely: "The identity." ”

"You're doing a great job. The king said that not only had the date of imprisonment changed, but also the gender.

"So let's get started. Elarius said.

Marie Mancini was a witch, and a powerful and experienced witch, who had experienced more than ordinary women, so she was imprisoned as a man, which was more suitable for her, and in any case, there was always a contempt and pity for women—Elelius took a box from the monk behind him and opened it in front of the king, "What is this?" asked Louis.

"Mask of a fool. Elarius said, "I thought I would not be useful in your court." He elaborated that the silver-plated helmet-like mask was intended by the Inquisition against witches or wizards who had committed great sinners and even performed heinous witchcraft, but could not be executed because of their surnames and titles, and that it was inscribed with a spell that could be used to restrain the evil power that would cause a splitting headache for imprisoned wizards who wanted to escape by magic or harm others.

"Do you know who was the last one to use this? Your Majesty, Countess Nadasti of Budapest, Hungary, at least six hundred and fifty maidens were victimized by her witchcraft, but she was only sentenced to eternal imprisonment in her castle," said Elarius, "and nothing else?" asked the king.

"This is the best. Elelius replied, "There is no face, no distinction between man and woman." ”

Louis groaned and picked it up, only to realize that it was as light as a velvet mask, and so did the touch, and he glanced at Elarius. "Aristocrats. "It even allows food, sunlight, and water to pass through without obstructing vision, and the person who wears it doesn't get in the way except that it's a little ugly." ”

————

At the request of the Duchess of Cologna, the king accompanied her through this painful ritual - she must have been filled with fear when she transformed from a sorcerer to a mortal - by this time she had changed her men's attire, and Elalli, with the help of two monks, gently put the fool's mask over Marie's head, which, as Elarius said, did not hinder her except the ugliness, and that Mary could speak, listen to music, take water and food, and breathe well—as the king felt when he put his hand on the mask.

The Bastille was a former military fortress and once a palace, and like the Tower of London, it could have the comforts of an ensuite, and the king watched as Mary walked up and down the drawing-room, bedroom, and study, contemplating the place where he might spend the rest of his life, "Except to leave here, and little Luciano, any request you may have will be met." He said, "I will also send you a portrait of him every year." ”

Mary paused, and as Louie was about to turn away, she rushed up and hugged him tightly from behind, but before Louis could react, she let go of her hand and stepped back until she was under the window, and as soon as she spoke, the king noticed that her voice had changed, and now she sounded like a calm man.

"If you pass under this window," said an unfamiliar voice, "please remember to look up, and don't let her think that you have forgotten her." ”

"I will never forget you. Louis said that he was not lying, that he would always remember Marie Mancini.

As soon as they left, the door to the cell was slammed shut—a cell no less furnished than Mary's room at Versailles, smiling, then weeping—she never thought she would end up like this, but when it came, she was more at peace than pain and sorrow.

Louis made the decision, and she could finally say goodbye to the things that had tormented her for twelve years - whether it was love or unwillingness.

————

When the Duke of Cologna woke up and did not see his mother, he had a sense of foreboding, and when Louis came to him and shook his hand without saying a word, the young duke could not hold back his tears.