Читать бесплатно онлайн книгу автора  Immortals. Twin princesses, Ella and Elle. Black Wings of the Night

Sergey Solovyov

Contents

Trouble and twins never come alone.

PROLOGUE

— Well, Atey, then go?

And Immortal showed his teeth in a cheerful, frontal grin. The evening was not bad, and the day is good, so the knight did not tire. The interlocutor, in response, only led with his shoulder, disagreeing. No, not that I would be tired. I wanted, to be honest, another…

— What, you say, Tivda… You see, it’s dark, and the fog has already fallen on this thicket. Will you allow, perhaps, to put on your wings? It hurts the hunt in the case to check this game… I only heard about this in fairy tales

— You yourself remember, knight, the last words of the Dead Princess… You can’t show yourself to us. After all, we promised Alma, — reminded another, Atey.

This hero was pososanitsa, more often than others. The article stood out among these warriors.

— Don’t worry, Kashchey. What do you think, will the Brothers wake you up and take your wife out of the shelter? — tongue-in-cheek Sana also grinned, — will the glorious woman not stand before your brothers-in-arms?

— You, here, glory, and the mind is sharp, but…

— What, and beautiful very? — Waking up, said Immortal.

Vataga heard this, laughed amicably, even Tivda, unable to restrain herself, slapped his knees. And he himself loved to joke, and appreciated the sharp word, in time and to the place turned by others. Kaschei smiled at the Slavic woman, looked with pleasure at his sweet face. No, the girl was pretty, but not for this there was fame about her throughout Siberia. And as about the incomparable archer, who did not give a miss from the heroic bow and half a mile.

And another would be wonderful, of course, for an ordinary person. Not a single dog was near these hunters. And the fact that the conversation was in pitch darkness, under the huge branches of century-old pines, throwing black shadows to the ground. What was the blackness of any night for the Immortals, who saw everything in the dark, better than in the light of the Sun!

— Okay Atey… We will fly before dawn, persuaded, but we will bypass Oum, Sargat and the Fortress with forests. We have nothing to catch the eyes of mortals. It will be bad if Mara is offended, but the Sisters will send us.

— Okay, scare us, Tivda, — whispered Kurei, — we honor the Contract, and we are in order. That’s it, getting ready!

And eight knights and poles, dropping bags on the ground, took out of the luggage the most expensive thing they had with them, in this wilderness. These were wings, still precious Acasta work, obtained by the restless Tivda. Kashchey himself, lovingly smoothing the suspension belts, quickly put on his wings, outweighing the bag with the load on his chest. He slowly walked around the rest of the brothers, looked to see if everything was fine, adjusted the belts on Tia’s shoulders.

“You can’t rush here. This post-frame can dig into the shoulder. There are no trifles in the preparation, — and smoothed the belt and shoulder of the girl.

To tell the truth, the rest of the Immortals disliked the oldest of them, looked after him. Although, this knight was wiser than each of the vatagi, even smarter than Atey himself.

— Thank you, Kashchey, — the Slavnitsa quietly said, having examined the correctly laid belts on her chest.

— What is there… Well, everything, in the sky!

Tivda stood on a hill, spread his arms to the sides, checking the mounts, then folded his wings at the sides, and jumped from his seat, immediately, five fathoms high, and waved his powerful wings very powerfully three times, marking out small branches on the ground at once. He immediately twinned a big circle, turned over in the air like a swimmer in a river, and rose higher, disappearing into impenetrable cold fog.

A cold drop of moisture treacherously fell behind Kurey’s scruff, and he squinted.

— That’s how it is, — muttered the magician, — I can’t get used to everything.

But, immediately jumped, immediately waving his wings strongly. And he almost put it on a huge pine, but the clever Immortal was able to dodge, and rose higher, passing a dangerous level. Other Immortals followed him, like huge geese-swans following their leader.

Tivda looked back, noticed that everyone was flying in a single formation, behind him. Nobody lags behind, keep order. Then, read the whole day, quarreled with each other, and here, at once, everyone fell silent. After all, it is no wonder to see and feel this. Kashchey himself, as if born anew, was so good for him here in the heavenly heights. But, and not to forget about the matter, and the leader again looked at his own people, figured out the direction.

Their heavenly wedge stretched to the South-East, leaving the Great Ob on the right. They walked quickly, hoping to pass open places while it was dark, and a thick and dense fog hung above the ground. Mortals could not see them, as this Chosen One hoped, moreover, still taken by Elena the Beautiful herself.

Kashchey looked now without stopping, to the East, where the Eternal Sky itself was poured with the forerunner of Light, the new bright birth of Solsebog. At first, the entire horizon turned pink, the paint reflected on the chain of low clouds. White light lamb, driven by the wind, seemed to be overwhelmed with shame, for the fact that they were only present at this sacrament. But, the color of the clouds quickly gave way to gold, like hot gold becoming red.

“We must go down!” Tivda shouted, dawns!

It was necessary to decide faster. And then, soon the fog will go away, and although the places here are not crowded, the shepherds with their herds were not rare guests here. But he did not want them to be noticed, but the news of that spread throughout the lands. It could have turned out that way, and not that it would have been good, as Kashchey immediately estimated… Such a fuss will begin, but he got into alterations before, and did not want it anymore. I immediately recalled how he himself hung with his ribs on a stake, even his teeth turned down…

— There, look! Strangers attacked our trading vataga! Curey shouted, pointing to his comrades.

— Where? Atey did not understand, flying closer.

And Kashchey made a U-turn, everyone got up, and shouted:

— Look to the left, in the clearing…

“What are we doing, Tivda?” Sana asked.

The oldest noticed how rows of strangers were approaching a number of carts that protected only a few giants with bows and arrows in their hands. There were a hundred enemies, or even more. The merchants were doing bad, the oohs were bad…

— Down, we beat them only with wings, we kill everyone! Kashchei shouted — I hope Mara will forgive us, — he said in a whisper.

He was now declining quickly, so that he already laid his ears. And the wind whistled, and the belts holding the wings simply dug into the chest, preparing to burst. The Immortal was saved by great skill… And then Tivda was able to hit the wings so that their copper upholstery immediately cut in half a dozen strangers, and the black feathers at once became red from the blood of evil finders. A wild howl filled the forest. Tivda did not hesitate, and was already on the ground, began to chop the wings of the rest. Strangers tried to throw darts at him, but where can mortals compete in battle with the Immortals? No copper tip even touched his clothes.

— Right, left, go around them! Don’t let anyone leave! Kashchey shouted wildly and terribly, rubbing his teeth evil, like an evil bear.

He rushed forward, and chopped with his wings, not allowing the enemies to come to their senses, severed arms, legs, and heads fell to the ground. Tivda was covered in blood from head to toe. Here, he was able to abruptly stop the blow, noticing Sana nearby. She dived under the open wing of the fallen, and shook her head condemningly

“Very fast,” she whispered slowly and quietly.

And a bloody drop fell on her forehead, painting the pearl pendant scarlet. Slavnitsa just froze with anger, and blushed. Kashchey took a couple of steps back, and spread his hands to the sides: “Sorry, they say… Not to blame.” True, here he already calmly exhaled and looked around, lowering and folding his wings, dropping blood and dirt from them. It seems to have been done, and took a couple of minutes, no more.

Everything, all strangers were killed, or writhed, chopped and dying, tried to climb, or crawl to the forest, sliding along the smooth, like ice, bloody grass. Salit and Atey walked around the field, swearing field, and with klevets in their hands. White wings, folded behind, dragged along the ground. The lower edge, covered with feathers, became simply blood-red from blood.

“Better look,” said Atey, “no one should leave…

— Yes, I see! Salit answered, throwing the clove from his right hand to his left.

Vityaz did not even shy away from such hard and evil work, looked at both, and occasionally bent down to finish off everyone still alive. There was no mercy for anyone. Here, not only the eyes helped, but also a sensitive sense of smell, which made it possible to understand who is still alive and longs to hide from them. Kashchey walked along the edge of the clearing, examining the dense, in places broken off just during the battle, hazel bushes. This is not to say that I smelled something, but it just seemed that I heard some kind of rustle. Very, very quiet. The immortal is used to trusting himself, took a couple of inaudible steps so as not to scare off the prey, bent down, and grabbed a stirring bundle wrapped in felt in bushes. He pulled it out at once, and pulled it out from under the lower branches, as if he had dusted off the stuck garbage as usual.

— What is it, Tivda? Sana shouted, who did not understand what had happened, whom did she catch?

But then the little handles were shod, as if they had caught the knight’s neck, and the piercing blue eyes of a little girl looked at him, pressing her lower lip with excitement.

— Everything is fine, little, — the hero quietly said.

And the Hanza, simple drovers, were already approaching Tivda, and ahead of everyone, the merchant was in a hurry, with a staff in his hands. The man sometimes stumbled, wiped his red and sweaty face with his sleeve with excitement and fear.

— Oh thank you, knights, saved us, — he began a simple speech, looking around the winged army, — here, take, as a gift… — and held out a leather cat, — do not think bad, from a pure heart! And I, the merchant Rast Gorazdovich, live near the Fortress, in the estate, near the Proni river. You will be in those places, come to visit, I will be glad. With the goods, we go to Sargat. And here, they ran into an ambush, it would be bad, if not your help…

— It just so happened, Rast Gorazdovich. Keep quiet about us that you met in these places. This is the case, — Tivda said quietly, but significantly, — otherwise I will come to you at night, and then do not be offended, I will solve everyone…

— Who doesn’t know you, Kashchey the Immortal? — and the merchant bowed low, — I will be silent. So no one has seen you, just read a hundred and twenty years…

Rast noticed other Immortals, but here he preferred not to utter a word at all. For everyone knows that: “Silence is gold.”

— And here’s another… — continued Tivda, — I found a child, a girl. Who was in your wagon train with your family?

— I remember… Yesterday, the young people nailed to me… But, the clothes were without family signs, I don’t know whose family. And yes, the young woman had two children in her arms, for sure… Rust recounted.

And then he closed his eyes, but made a sign, bending his fingers, making secret hustles that drove away evil spirits. And Tivda himself remembered the customs that the Magi of Gemini did not hurt. Sometimes they demanded to give one of these children to another village, so as not to anger the spirits. And these, apparently, decided to leave the village themselves. And strange of course, yes, that’s how it happened…

— Okay, merchant, thanks for the news. But it’s time for us to say goodbye, “Tivda said loudly,” but don’t forget what you promised me, otherwise I will make you remember your words.”

The merchant here again grabbed the handkerchief, began to rub his forehead as if he wanted to wipe to blood.

— Here, Tivda, take the bag, — Tia suddenly said, — otherwise the girl will fall. What can you even call it?

Kashchei thought only for a moment, then a mischievous smile lit up his face, and he replied:

— Since I myself found a child near the tree, so be it. I won’t leave it, I’ll take it with me. And I have already chosen a name, I will call Ella!

— For this, or what, the name of the drug? Tia laughed, pointing to the tree trunk.

— Exactly.

Kashchey answered so, and lied. He chose the nickname of the find by the name of his mistress, Elena the Beautiful herself. Only, I could not say this to anyone. I decided that it was not worth it, and my soul became heavy and dreary.

In the meantime, the Oldest was fitting a bag with a girl on his chest, the Brothers managed to collect the most valuable from the broken bodies. Atey spoke thoughtfully, noticing surprise in the eyes of the merchant:

— Do not disappear good! And then, we change all the necessary trifles for gold and furs.

And the brothers continued their sad craft. But, a full bag of suitable differences turned out. Salit took this bag, without thinking, calmly hung it around his neck.

— That’s it, you have to fly away! Tivda said calmly, looking over the others.

He jumped high up, spread his wings, and rose higher, twenty fathoms, as the merchant Rast himself decided. Well, and after him the other Immortals took to the sky. This flock, having made a circle over the clearing, stretched to the Southeast, to the White Mountains, as Rast Gorazdovich joyfully understood.

***

They flew back already, and each with a load. Of course, what are the extra three pounds for the Immortal? Almost nothing. But, with this weight of precious jade, they got a little slower. I had to sit on the ground more often, wait out the bright time of the day. And now, at the next parking lot, the Slavs started a fire, but they began to cook a good stew from a Belarusian woman caught in the river. Atey da Salit, with his bare hands, on an argument, took a pair of large fish in cold water. And Kurei, as the smartest, made a fire.

Well, Sana and Tiya, having cleaned, and chopped into large slices, put the fish in a cauldron, cook. There was also a bit of barley cereals, and good herbs for seasoning, also scored Kurei.

— Your daughter, Ella, was completely weaned, Tivda. That’s right, it will go to you, you are with us — Kashchey, — piqued comrade tongued Tia.

The oldest looked at the girl’s pink cheeks, perky blue eyes, and, in general, was pleased with himself.

— Yes, it seems to eat. So, now…, — he said.

True, the girl sitting on a stump, and chatting with her feet, ate only sweet raspberries collected in the forest. She did not even pay attention to the crackers and smoked meat lying next to her, in a bowl. Tivda got hooked nearby, trying to feed the child. But, she only smiled, but pushed his hand away when he tried to put meat in her mouth. Vityaz only sighed heavily, looking at the girl. Indeed, she now seemed very thin, in her gray shirt. He looked at the girl again, sighed heavily, as if he had decided for himself. Kashchei waited until the Spruce had eaten the berries, and put it in his breast bag.

“I’ll be back soon! he shouted to his brothers, and took to the sky.

Ella habitually settled in a bag, and gawked at the forest rushing under them. She did not close her eyes, was not afraid, only screamed softly with delight. Well, Tivda, noticed a large estate, as if hiding among the trees, and went down there, hiding behind the tyn.

young pines. He checked the smoothness of the logs, ran his palm over them. And the gates, beautiful, carved, cool. Well, and Spruce only gawked from her shelter, but modestly kept quiet. True, she could not resist, immediately tried a tree with her palm, but now she pulled back the handle, as if burned, and looked at the knight.

“I know the witch lives here. But, she’s kind… he muttered almost calmly.

Kashchey listened everything, but sniffed, trying to make out who else could be in the estate. I didn’t want to show myself to strangers, I took it. Finally he decided, and at once, in one jump he jumped over the fence designed for mortal people, but not for the Immortals.

He looked around and went to the carved porch of the house. But, then the door opened, and a woman came out to meet, about thirty in appearance, in elegant clothes, but without tribal and generic embroidery. She was good herself, you just can’t take your eyes off. A cute face, with barely peeping freckles, blue eyes, full lips, and blonde hair not covered with a cape, were braided in a tight braid. She held the dog resting on her collar. He definitely did not want to be here nearby, pulled his nose, sniffing to the guest. And he could not calm down.

— And, Kashchey, you came to me… And I kept thinking, you will come, you will not come. I’ve long sensed you.

— Hello to you, Gaida, — and the knight bowed his belt, — so I came with a request… If you can’t drive!

“Yes, I see already,” she chuckled, “Glad I came.” Come into the house. I’m exhausting the bath for now, and she walked past, leaving the door open.

Well, Tivda sat down on the blockage, and took off his wings from the back. He also released little Spruce from her shelter, took the girl out of a leather bag and put her on a bench. And the dog immediately came to meet her, poking his nose into her shirt, and she was vividly interested in dog ears. Then, two forest cats came up, see who came here? They walked nearby, and lay down next to the girl. Soon the owner of the estate returned.

— Well, Ella? Let’s go to the bathhouse, — Gaida said calmly and quietly, taking the girl in her arms, — you need to wash yourself out of the way. And you sit still, — said the hostess Tivde.

Ella nothing, did not shout, behaved calmly. She looked back at Kashchei, and did not break out of the wrong hands. Well, the knight, while he slowly checked the luggage, was satisfied with himself. It seems that everything was as it should, so far…

About an hour later, the woman returned to the house, with Ella wrapped like a doll in a gray cloth, so that only her pink nose stuck out. The witch entered the house, beckoning the cats after her. They followed her orders. It seems to be slowly so, with high tails, and then just running. The woman returned back with a basket containing linen and towels.

— Well, Vityaz… Now your turn. The bath is exhausted, let’s go. Leave your goodness here in the canopy.

“All right,” he replied, and smiled.

In fact, do not go with weapons and luggage to the bathhouse? He left in the canopy not only a club and a dagger, but also a travel cloak. He hung wooden wedges on the straps driven into the wall. And I also checked if it was exactly hanging. He lacked reproaches for all sorts of nonsense…

— Why are you there, Vityaz? Let’s go, otherwise the water will cool down. Or is it already used to washing only with dew in your forests?

— And the dew is good. if only the eternal gatekeeper in the Royal Palace Oum did not put.

— At least help to convey the basket, — said the woman, smiling.

Well, the knight took of course. It was necessary to help. And he didn’t even feel all this weight. And the bathhouse looked quite usually. Yes, what there, after all, he built it, dragged the logs himself, and folded the furnace. Now he calmly opened the door, let the owner of the estate forward, and put the basket on the bench. It was beautiful here, cozy, elegant wicker mats laid out, nice to sit down. There was enough light that got through small windows covered with pieces of mica in a typesetting frame.

— Well, undress. Or will you wash in boots? — a completely unexpected question was filled in.

— I quickly — and Tivda began to take off his clothes.

Occasionally I looked at Gaida herself undressing. She took off her frilly skirt, cape, then came the turn of the embroidered shirt, in two movements, bent down, took off her shoes. And she remained sitting, braiding her hair. She did it slowly, saw how he admired her. The woman’s beautiful, full breasts just glanced. She stretched her hips, strong slender legs in front of her, played a little with muscles. Tivda saw how dexterous fingers remove hair, as a woman took off temporal rings, earrings. He felt that he got hot, I thought it was true that because of the hot steam room, here, behind the wall.

— Help me take off the necklace, otherwise it got tangled in my hair, she asked.

Shouldn’t a knight help a woman? Tivda jumped up, moved closer, she turned her back. The floral scent, complex and inviting, was felt side by side. On the neck, under thin, satin skin, a vein was beating. Drawings adorned her back and shoulders. He removed his hair, and slowly untangled his hair, carefully removed the gold chain with discs, and decorated with gems. True, he could not tear himself away from the other, those gems, as if burning on beautiful roundness, so beckoning his gaze. Then she quickly turned, looking first into his eyes, then the woman lowered her gaze below.

— Why immediately to the steam room? — the witch spoke slowly and a little hoarse, — I see you tired of the road… And I will help you… You can do something else… — and she just dug into his lips with her own.

Tivda felt the touch of her body to her, stroked the smooth skin on the back of the beauty, felt the strength of her buttocks, the pliable softness of her breasts. They slowly sank to the bench, without ceasing to touch each other. Kashchei’s love fervor did not fade away for a long time, but there was time for a steam room.

The bath at Gaida turned out to be noble, hot and spiritual. And there was expensive soap, not just ash or sand.

— I cook myself, — the witch boasted, soaping her back with a washcloth, — with flowers… Do you feel how good?

— Exactly… — Tivda said relaxed, and clapped a birch broom on the back, and then, and a little lower.

“What’s gone wrong?” Come on, now do it for me too…

And the woman lay down on the shelf. Porridge at once doused her with warm water from a linden gang, and began to rub with urine from the very heels to the neck. Then a steamed birch broom went into business, and then, again, soap. The water smelling of floral soap was mercilessly washed away, and the witch turned over on her back, looking mischievously at Kashchei.

— I already thought, suddenly I disliked, — the witch said loudly, — or you’re tired, I’m tired here with me…

— I must remember that the Immortals do not know fatigue…

He quickly kissed her lips again, and attracted her. And Tivda hugged her, began to shower with quick kisses. When finally, he was a little flushed, pulled away, Gaida quickly kissed him on the cheek, ran sharp marigolds on the back of the knight, attracting attention:

— So that’s what, div… Leave the girl with me. Here she will be better than a receptionist in Gandvik. Think about it. I know the words that Elena the Beautiful said: “There is no place for Immortals among Mortals.”

— You need to look… Spread the bones on it, Hyde. As the Gods say, so be it.

— Where did you get it? I see that it’s not yours? — she said, wiping off the tattooed body of the knight with a towel — did you find something? So her twin sister remained. I noticed an acorn-sized birthmark on Yeli’s right forearm. You took one of the two, knight, broke the family, separated the sisters.

— Fight was, picked it up in bushes. There were no parents nearby, — he made excuses, — Do not leave the girl?

Really… And before his eyes again stood the picture of that day, that quick fight. And I could not remember noticing a Hanza family with children. And he, it turns out, separated the twins? It turned out badly, as Immortal thought…

— Blimey… — the witch continued to speak quietly, with a smile, — Surprised, right word… Fallen, and saved the child? ‘she chuckled.

— That’s how it happened… — and Kashchey sighed, and rubbed his right side, — I, here, hung on a bronze stake read, fifty years… And Alma saved, was not afraid of death, did not ask for anything in return… Since then I have given the Covenant, I do not leave anyone without help…

— It’s a pity, I didn’t know before, — and the witch stroked his cheek, and then kissed him, — okay, we must dress and go to the house. And then it’s time for us to dine.

Tivda dressed himself and helped the hostess. He watched her adjust her clothes in front of the copper mirror. Finally, they went back, the witch first, and the knight a little behind and from the side, as if looking after the beauty. Rose she on the high porch, opened the door, pulling at the carved, skillfully worked, ring.

— Come in or something, dear guest… said the woman, and bowed to him according to custom.

— Thank you, mistress — and the diva bowed his head back, took off his hat and went inside.

It was dark in the canopy, and Tivda did not distinguish this, he saw it in the dark, no worse than another in the light of the sun. And Gaida lit an oil lamp from smolders in a copper vessel of hemp rope, and went up the steep stairs to the upper room, to the living room. Here, on the bench, Spruce sat and did not get bored with the cats. I definitely didn’t get bored — I frolicked, and fluffy animals took care of her, didn’t scratch, didn’t bite. But they were not allowed to leave either.

— Sit at the table, — said Gaida, defending herself to Ella, — everything is ready.

She nodded in a completely adult way, and sat on the bench at the table. The witch opened a large box, and took out a carved box. Slowly, slowly put this thing, like a big treasure, on a wide table. She prepared and laid an embroidered towel. Finally, she took out a suede bag from the box, shook it three times, but shook her head and put it back.

— No, it won’t be okay, — the witch said to herself, — Listen to me, Ella… — I turned to the girl, — At all, take the bag, and shake, shake well. Here, wisely, you have to do, there is no need to rush…

The girl did what the witch demanded. I didn’t argue, I just looked around at Kashchei, apparently, I was already expecting bad things for myself. Gaida closed her eyes, began to swing on the bench, quietly humming something to herself. Then, for a long time she created hustles, beckoned. And Spruce put in front of her a bag with alchiks covered with runes.

I saw and more than once Tivda these signs, the oldest among the giants. But rarely they write, only sacred hymns. Runes are the connection of mortals with the Gods, so the Gods speak to people, giving strength to fortune-tellers. And those interpret what Veles says. After all, it was he, Elena’s brother, who gave people runo signs.

Well, Gaida opened her eyes, and began to take out three bones at a time, and put them on a towel. I finished three counts, only then I dared to breathe. Three times three, the most sacred volshba. Tivda knew it.

The witch began to read, in holy verse:

— The finder should stay here…

Skills and strength to gain…

But in evil yes difficult hour

It’s time for her to fight…

Gaida quickly said this, immediately hid the bones in a bag, soaked her sweaty forehead with a handkerchief. I fed myself a full bucket of kvass, and instantly drained it.

— Like this… Heard the will? Deal with it… And she will be fourteen years old, I will send a girl to Alatyr, to gain intelligence. And here I will teach you everything I know. Okay, and now you need to eat. Is everything ready! I sensed yesterday that guests should be expected!

And she began to lay out treats on the table. Pies, spiritual baked meat, barley porridge generously flavored with onions. In the middle was a large reaper with apple brew, just giving off a wonderful smell. For Eli, Gaida finely cut the meat and put it in a small area, arming the girl with a comfortable spoon. She began to eat, smiled slyly, looking at the witch and diva, cheerfully chatting her legs. In general, she was completely happy and calm.

Tivda, felt hungry, and paid tribute to both meat and excellent pies, did not disregard porridge. I drank an apple drink, felt that I was full. He got up, stroked the girl’s shoulder, and calmly said:

— Well, Ella, I gotta go. And you, stay with Gaida…

But here the usually calm girl frowned, and clung to the sleeve of the knight’s jacket, so tightly, and unexpectedly said, almost shouted:

“Where are you going?” I’m with you!

Immortal is directly stunned. He looked at the child, as if recognizing him anew.

“You can’t talk. She was silent all the way, — the knight said quietly.

“I didn’t want to and didn’t say,” the girl stubbornly said, “but here you are leaving me.” And my parents left me! Nobody wants me! she burst into tears.

The witch stroked the child on the head for a long time, calmed down, then kissed the pink cheek. The spruce still, buried, hugged the woman by the neck. Well, Tivda sighed with relief, and began to equip himself. Bag on the chest, dagger and clove to the belt, and wings behind the back, and everything was ready. On the porch came Gaida, with Spruce in her arms.

— Goodbye, witch! ‘he shouted, adjusting the luggage on his chest.

— See you, div! ‘the hostess replied.

And Ella also waved her little pen. Kashchei grinned, waved both of his wings, and jumped into the sky. A few flaps of the wings and he was already high. Then he made a circle over the estate, turned over a couple of times in the air, and flew to the river, where his brothers were already waiting for him.

PART 1 Krasa’s Apprentice — The Traveller

CHAPTER 1 A family living on the outskirts

An ordinary day on the estate and began as usual. The sun had just risen, rolled out from behind a distant forest in the east, and the villagers were all on their feet, in an important matter. There was nothing unusual, everything went according to the once and for all established routine. Who has a rope creaking at the well, the owners collect water in tubs, and who melts the stove, if not in the house, so in the summer kitchen, calculating housewives take up cooking, prepare food for their households. Men, they do their own thing. Some feed is given, or cows are driven to the village herd, where the shepherd Atmai is already tapping the whip on his red boot, waiting for all the cows and gobies to gather. The village was rich, which means that there were plenty of animals.

Radko drove his sheep out of the yard, from a large barn made of pine logs. He led this herd, as usual, an old goat, and his charges were quite obedient to him. Especially, with the help of a couple of master dogs, wisely and really, helping the owner. Sheep walked almost in formation, crowded together, sometimes bleated loudly. Their thick, but unstable herd, came out of the gate, to the outskirts. The goat, proudly carrying formidable horns on his head, led the wards from the village. And then, the herd itself knew the way, to the grazing that belonged to their village according to custom, and according to the Truth of Warta.

And Radko’s wife, Mlada, set about the dough that had been set since yesterday. She took off the towel from the tub, straightened the high-raised dough with her fingers.

— Look and learn, Elle, how good bread comes out. Now, the stove will trample, and let’s start putting loaves in the vent with you. And from the remaining good pies we bake. Have you already prepared the filling?

“So of course, Mother! said the girl, nodding her head, so that the tight braid swung.

The woman looked happily at her child. And then she got ugly as a beauty. High and fine, with a heavy, slightly reddish oblique. Yes, and the Sun blessed, generously showering the girl’s face with freckles.

— My clever… What did you do without you… Your brothers, Arpad da Zaley, of course, but there, in a community house, they disappear, instruct them.

— Why so? Could live with us. And we are better, and more fun.

“As is customary. And in two years, they will cut off their hair, and they will be able to acquire their own household. Zalya will help us like the youngest, but you, you go, and we will marry you.

“I don’t want to get married. Here, I study in the evenings with the mentor Dirka, an herbalist, as she will become. A good thing, and necessary. And then I saw a dream, mother, — and the girl looked into Mlada’s eyes, — her missing sister… She is alive, for sure… And where she is, so Elena the Beatiful did not indicate, I myself must find the missing…

— So we were looking, looking… — the woman whispered sadly, hanging her hands, — and Rasta Gorazdovich was asked if he had seen anything? Or himself, or his unots from the caravan. On that day, strangers attacked, and we rushed to run. And our wagon turned over, I pulled you out, my father dragged me… The wheels were lifted, the wagon was turned over, the bags were in place, but your sisters, no… So she disappeared… Radko and I are to blame, but what can we do? — and the woman cried, wiping her tears with her sleeve.

— Don’t, don’t cry… The main thing is that she is alive, for sure. And so, you see, and find a sister…

“Where are you going to find her?” All this happened far, behind Oum. And we are in Warth now. Read, with a thousand miles from those places, if not more… Well, we cried, let’s bake bread and pies, otherwise the hungry father will return from the field… But look, without Krasa, do not engage in witchcraft yourself, you will make yourself bad, but you will put trouble on us!

— Well, well, mother, — the girl answered a little frightened, taking up work.

Soon, two heavy baking sheets went to the furnace, heavily loaded with caravans. Around there was a smell incomparable, exciting, exciting, attractive, bread…

Even Zubok came running, the house keeper, waving his tail cheerfully. I lay down nearby, sticking out my red tongue, as if I wanted to ask: “What are you doing here, mistress? What is such a smell throughout the estate?”

Mlada smiled, pulled out fresh bones, put them in an old sherby bowl, and put them in front of the dog. He gratefully wagged his tail, and began to treat.

— Well, you can go to your Beauty. Come back in the evening, we’ll have dinner together, “Mlada said slowly.

— Thank you, Mother!

And the Christmas tree rushed to dress until the strict mother changed her mind. She took with her a suma woven from a bast, put bread in it on the road, and her favorite wooden cup, drink water.

CHAPTER 2 Witch’s Chambers

The tree walked quickly, but looked under her feet. And then, in bast shoes, you always need to walk carefully, otherwise you can pin your leg with a bitch. And it hurts, and it’s a shame, you need to look at your feet. And it was not far to go from their village, to the witch’s estate, only two miles. It is possible along the river, but back, against the current, I did not want to rest so hard with a pole, it’s easier, to walk on my own two. Indeed, it would be better to dry, but she did not have her own elk, only she had a secret, this handsome Faithful clicked. My father drove cattle on it to the pasture.

Well, the girl went like that, leaning on the staff. Sometimes, she removed thick branches from her face with a long stick, or, she rustled lying branches or bushes, trying to scare the snakes. She did not want to kill forest inhabitants, but she did not want to be bitten either. So it was already once that a viper bit her in the leg. Nothing, survived, although the ankle was swollen, and she saw such visions — words cannot describe, no one would have believed. She never told anyone. Why? If you say, mother and father will swear, they will not be released into the forest, so sit in the house, wool strands. No, the girl knew how, but she did not like such a thing. Dull hurts, slow, leisurely. But now, she snuck through the dense bushes of hazel, and ended up at the witch’s estate, decorated with cow skulls hanging on the stakes of a solid fence. I also noticed a dog running up to the gate and merrily twirling its tail. She opened it herself, hearing how much the willow hinges creaked, pulling the door to the entrance bars.

— Well, hello Druzhok, — the girl greeted, ruffling the wool on the head of a hefty dog, — here, to you, — and handed him a piece of bread.

He instantly swallowed, and without chewing, with dignity led the guest to the porch of the house, and even pushed him to the seedling with his nose. The tree smiled, straightened the hem, and knocked on the door.

“Come in already,” came a deaf voice outside the door.

The girl pulled on the door ring, opening the entrance. The loops, already old, from the lashes of wild grapes, creaked mercilessly, but the guest has long been accustomed to this. In the canopy, on the wall, a small lamp hung on the wall, slightly illuminating the dark room. Here, Elle hung up her travel cloak, but left her paws so as not to trample in the house. And she dressed wooden sandals lying here. A simple thing, from a board, but with two leather straps that support the foot. They dressed the same shoes in the bathhouse so as not to get burned.

— Here I am! said the girl loudly, going into the basement.

It was not dark, yet two windows let enough light through the frames, with copper bindings with pieces of mica. Here stood in the corner a stove, built of stones on clay mortar, and oak shelves on the walls, with pots and pots laid out on them, and bundles of herbs. The table was also not free. And his mistress was sitting at home, rubbing the potion in a stone mortar with a pestle.

— Good day, beauty! said the witch amiably.

“And to you, Krasa!

It is unclear who called the herbalist that name. She was chrome and humpback, with one hand shorter than the other. But, was trained by good mentors, and used her potions sick well, so many recovered. But, no one except Elle wanted to study with a witch, so the girl was her only student.

— Here, here and pies, and the hitches baked you. And with poppy seeds, and apples and honey. Try… — the herbalist said with a smile, putting a wooden bowl with a treat in front of the guest.

The girl did not refuse, tried delicious cookies, pleased the hostess. She knew that Kras was very happy with her, and she loves to pamper her student. Washed down with a tasty berry brew flavored with mint.

“It’s time to get down to business,” the witch said her usual saying.

And she began to show and tell the girl again about the secret power of herbs, how to treat them. Simple drugs, like crushed willow bark, or dried raspberries, suitable for removing heat. Lily of the valley and valerian root, well suited for a tired heart, an infusion of burdock, for the treatment of the liver. Honey and plantain leaf, for the treatment of cuts and wounds.

Behind the whole thing, a persistent knock on the door distracted both. The dog also barked, as if warning the hostess about those who had come. Krasa sighed with displeasure, rinsed her hands in the washbasin, wiped it with a clean rag, and went to open the door. The tree remained with the herbs, and kept order. I knew that Ryzhik, a domestic ferret, could drop in and arrange his order in the canopy, turning all the plates and pots upside down. Yes, actually, he was already here, instead of greeting, poking his nose into Elle’s leg. But the girl did not sleep either, quickly took him in her arms, distracting. And she released a ferret rushing around the yard, doing business, catching mice.

— Good day, Krasa, — said the visitor, — here, she brought her daughter, look, fly her, do mercy! And I, here, brought the hotel, — put the basket on the doorstep.

“Let him come, I’ll see,” the witch replied amiably.

— Stasya, come here, — the woman called the girl.

She approached reluctantly, frightened by the sight of a hunchback. And then, after all, they talked a lot about Beauty in the village, and Elle heard these stories.

That they say, it can jinx, and curse. And at night, they say, flies in the sky, on the floor. To be honest, Yolka then asked her mother to send her to witch training. I saw in a dream that it flies in the sky, looks down at forests, fields… True, it does not fly itself, but carries its winged knight. And then she herself wanted to rise into the sky, what if the witch teaches? Let not on the wings, but on the dais.

And Stasya came up, and Krasa sat down sick on a bench near the house, in the light. She beckoned to Elle with her finger, she was reluctant to take a couple of steps.

— So what do you say, girl? — the witch whispered, grabbing her student’s hand, — look how she taught you… Do not look with your head, but with your heart…

And now the witch’s voice was heavy, heavy, as if pulling along, dragging and dragging, twisting. The tree closed its eyes, trying to concentrate. She blinked several times, but, now, she caught that mood, the right state…

And I saw something else… Stasya’s sad, pale face, and a black strip of thick viscous fog on her chest. The student looked at the mentor, and whispered quietly:

— I see everything… She needs a breast collection. Drink this infusion, and also In three months everything will pass. But, it is impossible for her, it will be bad.

— That’s right… And let the infusion of willow bark drink for two weeks, — added the hunchback with a satisfied voice

— Thank you Krasa, and you Elle, — the woman bowed, — health to both of you!

The afflicted are gone. But, they left, others came. Here, Krasa herself was engaged in a festering cut at the owner of the family. And the Christmas tree only helped. The witch worked for a long time, and then, washing her hands in a trough, she said displeased:

— Here, it became bad as Alma left… And at least how strict was the Dead Princess, but so many sick were not with her. Mistress, it happened, will lay hands, and that’s it, man came to life, although he stood at the very gate of the Kingdom of Death…

“Well, didn’t Alma cure you?” — the girl did not understand, — did not descend, did she pass by?

“So I hit my back a year later, as Alma fell asleep,” Krasa answered sadly, “you see, I was unlucky,” and dabbed a bitter tear with a handkerchief, suddenly rolling off my eyelash.

— You look, and I will cure you… I can, make no mistake!

— You don’t say! — and Krasa covered Elle’s mouth with her palms, — Elena the Beautiful will hear more, may she give you full measure, and give you what you ask… What good was Alma? Read, as hunchbacked as I am, no happiness, no joy. Except, perhaps, the power of the great… Well, from that strength the Princess had

No good. So Elena served, consider, one hundred and fifty years… But, the warrior was, where before her Ilse the First-Called!

Elle listened to this, wide-eyed, and almost open her mouth. After all, Krasa said something completely different about the Dead Princess, unlike what the storyteller Gorazd hung from their village when he sang at feasts. Not stories about the exploits and long campaigns of the lady and her invincible army. And about how hard it was for the Princess to carry this burden, unbearable for anyone else. And she dragged it on herself, and for more than one year…

— Okay, stop being sad! Let’s go and eat some pies, but let’s get down to business again! — Kras returned her pupil from thought.

The girl immediately thought to lose heart. The tree nodded, and carried a heavy basket inside the house. The hunchback walked behind, sighed, and looked longingly at her student, and at her sick hands and feet.