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— Nothing, I’ll beg for Agna’s service. I will not be a burden. Many people already go to me for treatment, and people bring me good — some fish, some mushrooms, and some honey. Sometimes even grain was given. But, Skara, — she said to the snake curled up on her neck, — there is little grain, everyone takes care of it.
Indeed, there was no one to talk to on the road. Only pines, birches and ate. But it’s too early to talk to her with trees, although Alma still hoped to beg her father to send her to Alatyr Island in two years, with other Chosen Ones of all Gant tribes.
In the meantime, she sadly trampled fresh snow into the trail with her felt boots. She shook the branch, at the same time pouring a whole bunch of snow by her collar, and began to shake off awkwardly.
— Judging by the trees, it seems that she has come… — the girl whispered to her linguistic interlocutor.
No. there was a language, and even some kind of red, bifurcated, only her favorite could not speak, at least humanly. But it was necessary to go and go, and the path was not close. She was noticing the road. Here are the familiar pines, with lightning-burned pinnacles. Alma even perked up, it was still cold, and the soldier stopped warming as it should. And there was still a mile or more to go. But then a branch crunched under her foot, and she lost her balance, falling face down into the snow. She turned over on her side, pulled her leg towards her.
The foot ached, and it took time to heal. There was one way out — here, not far away was an abandoned bear den. Carefully stepping on a sore leg, Alma went to a noticeable place.
She worked quickly, spreading snow and branches, and fortunately the entrance to the den opened.
— Well, Skara, I’ll be like a bear, — whispered the snake, and crawled inside, not forgetting about the sled with luggage.
Inside it was cozy and warm, although the smell was heavy, bearish. The girl nimbly threw off felt boots and onuchi, and felt the swollen place with her hands. It is much more difficult to treat herself than others, and she was very tired, and immediately fell asleep, just pulling on felt boots. She woke up because next to her, warmed up, lay two huge forest cats, moreover, loudly purring into her ear. One still managed to touch her nose with his tail, and the other licked his cheek, saying hello. But it seems it was still dark, and Alma fell asleep again.
It dawned, the wanderer got out, pulled out the skids. There was food, divided honestly: bread and honey, Skara — half of the boiled egg, cats — got fish, half of each. Breakfast was over, the pets rested — one on her neck, the rest at her knees.
— Well, what? Will you take me to Agna’s estate?
Since no one entered into an argument with her, the frames in the skids were also suitable for cats. Nothing, the fluffy assistants dragged quickly. True, it was not easy to manage with a wayward brotherhood. The animals managed to fight in the frames, Alma then suffered, dismantled the belts. But, then the cats cheerfully ran, and even faster, seeing the shelter of the witch. At the gate, apparently, Agna herself was waiting for her, holding Serk’s collar. The dog was eager for the wagon, to greet Alma. But the cats did not understand what was the matter, and without thinking to be scared, having fluffed up to the point of impossibility and lifting their tails, they dragged the sled. Both gathered honestly to fight the dog. The girl had to get off. Alma sat down next to the cats, and looking into their yellow eyes, began to say:
“You can’t hurt anyone here. Who lives here, no people, no birds, no dogs. Nobody.
— Well, did you tell them everything? They are smart, they understand everything. Let them come to my yard too, student, — said the woman.
The skids were now driving slowly, the cats even let the dog sniff itself, even poke its nose, but they themselves, however, did not forget to do it either. That girl jumped off the sled, oohed and remained standing, waiting for Agna to come. Then the girl bowed to her belt, and said the words learned by heart:
— I came to you, if you don’t drive.
“Stay if you wish.
“You just don’t give me to Iye. I’m tired there at all, there is no urine.
— Will Father return? Res will come for you. You know yourself.
“No, I’m not coming home. Enough, — the girl stubbornly pursed her lip, — and Goody will certainly send me to Alatyr. And you ask for me, Agna. I also want to pass the art.
“I’ll try. You will grow up until two years will pass and in your fourteen you will go to the halls of the chosen. And rest, go, how many things are waiting for you.
***
Alma did a lot, and there was enough housework, but there was no anger or fatigue. No one shouted at her anymore, even the cats from the yard did not think to expel. But they did not let down either — they did not touch the domestic animals, they did not offend anyone. They loved to sit under the roof of the barn. Mice were caught, so much so that now they have become a rarity here. Well, Agna’s elk, Tito, is a strong animal, much taller than a girl, and obeyed the guest like Serko, a dog.
But for sure, according to Agna, two days later, Iya arrived with the foreman of their village, Gudey. He was a prominent and stately man. For the sake of such an occasion, he put on a high hat, a white sheepskin coat, and took his favorite carved staff. The stepmother, on the contrary, dressed like an orphan, an old sheepskin coat, a gray knitted handkerchief, as if a really bitter widower had arrived. Agna bowed to the house of guests, sat down at the table. The house was rich. Meat, fish, and three types of salted mushrooms, bread and berry kvass. The foreman sat at the head of the table, saw, to Alma brings devices and dishes. I tried everything, praised.
— Thanks for the bread, for the salt. So we ask you to return the child, the daughter of my brother, Res, home to her mother by law.
“This is how she learns from me,” the witch led the conversation, “everyone from the village comes to me, but it’s not easy. Then I offered the girl to live with me for now, as an assistant. I did not force her and did not deny her. Ask yourself.
“Alma,” Gooday asked, “you want to, and you’ll come home. I stayed and that’s enough.
The girl was to become an adult, and it was stupid to show resentment. Really. it was given to her with difficulty. But she knew that if she began to remember the evil that her stepmother had arranged for her, no one would believe the girl’s words. Strict stepmother means reasonable, caring. And Alma began to talk about her mentor:
— Here it is easier to learn skills. I already fly people. She helped many, but always under the supervision of a mentor. And so you have to lose how much time until I come to Agna’s estate. It’s hard, especially in winter.
— Yes, but they miss Fit and Vita. They feel bad without a sister, — Iya tried to remind the foreman, — and what will I tell her husband, Res?
“It’s not easy. But really, I’ve heard a lot about Alma’s skill. For all relatives, the village is better if she learns, but we will have our own Chosen One. Although, it would be better if you, Agna spread the bones on her. Then everything will be truer.
“You know, Goody, you can’t do that until she’s sixteen.
— Well, — agreed the foreman, — Everything turned out kindly, I see. Let the student live with you, and then we will send her to Alatyr. I’m glad? the foreman asked Alma.
The girl sat with her face flushed with pride, and only nodded back, agreeing.
The guests left, but the hosts stayed. Agna approached Alma, corrected her rare curls, and praised the girl:
— Well done. Do not put your anger in your eyes, but show pain. You will soon understand yourself. Not all people are good, you know better than me.
— Yes, I know…
Bear holiday
The time of the Bear holiday, Komoeditsy, was approaching. Again, the best hunters went to the forest to get a forest owner.
Well, the time for spring and fun and weddings has come to the forests. Alma’s cats also went to marry. One night, the girl just fell off the bench after hearing something terrifying. Alma heard a heartbreaking cat howl from the forest. With such intricate trills and howls.
“Why, are you listening?” — smiling, asked Agna, — your cats are nimble… There will be many kittens.
— Well, they are fast, affectionate…
The witch laughed, and wrapped herself in a scarf better, poured a fragrant infusion from the zhban into a wooden ladle. The girl drank a little drink and calmed down slightly. She sat down again and went to bed.
But the festive week has begun, and Alma woke up to unusual smells that filled the house. Gela, Zia and Mila were already raving about the hilltops, wearing birch bark masks on their faces. The student got up from the bench, still feeling tired after yesterday’s hard day, two healings. Staggering a little, she went down to the basement, where she washed, then dressed, and joined the mistress of the house in preparing a treat. True, now you can’t take part in bright processions, and not sit at tables spread out under apple trees with ritual food…
— Agna, but what are people getting married for? Alma asked, thinking about it.
— So for love for each other, together everything is better than one, — the witch answered without looking up from the rolling pin, rolling out the dough, — and so it is commanded — husband and wife.
— Why don’t you get married again?
“I’m not alone. Three daughters, and you live with me. There is no time to be bored. And the husband was, only he drowned.
— it’s not clear… Ilsa was gone for a long time. She loves to meet comedians with us. And she didn’t send anyone from her deck…
— Here I agree, — the witch said to the pupil, as an adult, — and there is no messenger. No matter how bad it is.
— And why something? — and Alma’s eyes are like scallops.
— You know that Ella herself left, and all power on Ilsa left. And Ilsa for Ella the Dead Princess became. And Ilsa could leave…
— But how… — the girl laughed nervously, — she could not leave us herself, Not according to the Covenant.
— Let’s see… Come on, master pretzels. And then the stove warmed up.
Alma nodded, and began to further lay ready-made kalachi and pretzels and sprinkle them with poppy seeds. She did it herself, and looked at herself. If her father had seen it now, I suppose he would have praised it.
But here. Agna herself began to send delicious zags to the throat of the oven. It went quickly, and now it was necessary to wait two hours. Porridge and meat were cooked for a long time.
— Father asked about you, Alma, go home. I saw him at bargaining. Sad for you very much.
The girl quickly looked at the mentor, tightening her lower lip, but only shook her head negatively. Agna just sighed, and again took out a rope weave and handed it to the girl.
— Here, repeat my message.
Alma took a ball, and began to quickly knit knots, checking with the sample. Finally, it was ready, and she gave the lesson to the witch. She began to read:
— I made a message — “You will go to the right — you will find good luck.” And you tied the knots like this:" You will go to the right — you will find a wife.” Not bad either, but you made a mistake in two signs. We will repeat over and over again.
Alma tried, knitted and loosened knots until Agna nodded her head contentedly and kissed the girl on the forehead. The student smiled rather. After all, everything was quite good, and no one else harassed her, haunting her with nagging and threats.
But they sang pies, and meat and pearl barley porridge froze in the oven. And they had a holiday, no worse than in the village. They lifted the dishes upstairs, placed them on the table, and called Gela, Zia and Mila. The kids sat down at the table, and their mother asked them after reading the saying:
— Goose-goose?
— Ga-Ga-Ga! they answered with a laugh, and began to knock the boats on the table.
“Do you want to eat?”
— Yes, yes, yes!
And they moved plates of porridge and meat. After all, the word “Gant” meant “Goose,” Goose was a sacred animal, farn — a vahana tribe of northerners. Agna and Alma, laughing, also started eating. It was such a beautiful and bright day! Well, in fact, the porridge was a success and the meat with grains and lingonberries were also great.
But then, screams and ritual songs rang out, demanding the owners of the estate. The dog barked loudly. The witch and her pupil looked at each other. It was necessary to meet guests, especially on such a holiday.
***
Three men bounced, danced and growled at the gates, dressed up in hides and masks depicting bears. They dragged a skid with gifts covered with burlap. It was strange, because these guests in masks demand gifts from the owners, and not vice versa!
— Call, — and Agna bowed to the guests belt, touching the ground.
Alma also repeated behind her, trying to keep up with her mentor with neither skill nor reason. Mummers went into the yard, bowed themselves. Then one of them, and not the tallest and stately one, took off his mask, quickly approached Alma, grabbed her and threw her into the air. The girl laughed, as in childhood. The guest then wrapped the young healer in an embrace.
— Father, — she just whispered, tightly hugging the long-awaited guest.
— Alma… Grew so and so. Soon you will go out as a bride,: Res also laughed, — I just brought the grooms here so that they would not go ten times.
Two of Resa’s companions took off their masks, turning out of the bears as prigozhy fellows.
“This is Nadar,” the man called one, “and this is Yalin, our strongman and wrestler. He is also yalin in the melons of our magician, Vinal. And he is a good hunter to Nadar, and that on the horn, that on the horn plays so that you hear.
Alma looked at both. Nadar was still more priggish, with dimples on his pink cheeks and smiled well. Yalin seemed to the young zazzarka too big even for the giants. It was fashionable to look at him only with caution, she admitted to herself. And then Skara decided to meet. She suddenly wrapped herself around the hostess’s right wrist and raised her head and showed her tongue. Nadar only smiled, and Yalin took half a step back, though without changing his face.
— Let’s go to the house, the treat is ready, — Agna sharply intervened in what was happening.
— Yes, and we have gifts in store, — and Res began to lay out bundles in front of him, — these are your sheepskin coat, felt boots for your daughters, Agna, a barrel of dried fish, felt blankets. And to you, healer, on a fur coat, — he showed a couple of sables, — and a bear cub.
— And your daughter, the feeder, also knows how to treat. Yes, and better than me, — the witch praised the pupil.
— My hand hurts, does not pass. As the beast was beaten in the Jellied Sea, it never passes, “Res complained, pointing to his left shoulder.
Alma looked, smiled, just put her palms on the right. not on the left shoulder.
— You forgot, Father. Your right shoulder hurt, not your left. Okay now?
— Well, that’s it… Let’s go to dinner, — as if the hostess sentenced, whose face now became completely alarmed.
Now the guests have taken off their bear outfits, remaining in festive, embroidered clothes. The young men took gifts, and came after the mistress of the house. Alma walked next to her father, he took her hand.
— Didn’t you miss me here?
“I missed you, Father. Glad you came today.
— What should I do? Gandwick has rich booty. You can exchange a lot of things.
— They live richer in Oum and Sargat. Arable land is large, and you can exchange a lot of things for grain. They have a lot of copper. Here we have, in Sad, and in Wart, if only sable and fish. Well, barley grows with difficulty and there is oil, underground, smelly and sense from it that it burns well.
— Smart beyond your years, you daughter, — Res remarked in a satisfied voice, — and Ouma da Sargatu and the forest are needed, and even then from Gandik there is venison, fur, fish tooth, river pearls. And everything could not go to Oum?
— I agree. Does the hand definitely not hurt?
— No, everything is fine.
Gelya, Zia and Mila behaved decorously next to empty plates. Agna put them pies now, and put a treat for Nadar, Yalin and Res nearby. Alma helped, and so as not to embarrass anyone else, she hid Skara in a wing under her bed. Little girls grabbing their plates, sat opposite Nadar and Yalin, and began to persistently regale with various goodies. Agna tried not to laugh, looking at the scarlet faces of two young men who had silently suffered from childish spontaneity. But, they tried to hold on, and not drop the glory of the wataga rowers of Res himself.
The feeder himself sat next to Agna, and whispered with the mistress of the house about Alma. Both often nodded at the girl, then smiled in agreement. The young witch doctor, having made a straight face, slowly ate a pie filled with dried and then soaked apples. It turned out very tasty, especially with melon honey. She looked at Nadar and almost laughed. Only a miracle saved from a shameful situation.
“We have a big dowry,” Gela said a little lisping, “and our family is good, no one was sick with bad diseases. And as I turn sixteen years old, you will send matchmakers.
“I’ll send it. What about Mila?
“Let’s figure it out,” Gelya encouraged him.
So matchmaking was in full swing here, but Zia was not lost either. But, I must say, Yalin was not against it. He fished a bronze turtle charm on a belt out of the bag and put the gift in front of the girl. She was delighted to put a strap around her neck.
— Well, okay, it’s time for us to return to the village, to our Sad, — Res sentenced. like a senior, wearing a hat, covering his shaved head. No, there really was a small pigtail on the back of his head. Only in the cold you will not warm her, and without a hat in any way. Nadar and Yalin had no more hair on their heads, just small light pigtails on the back of their heads.
— We were glad to you, dear guests, — the mistress of the house said ceremoniously, — here, on the road to you.
And she brought each a pot of her honey.
Herald of Grief shouted that Ilsa fell asleep
Suddenly in the evening there was a crash, but it was as if now the tyn would fall off. Agna, in one shirt, jumped up, put on a sheepskin coat. Restless Alma followed her, wrapped in a blanket.
— Open up! We are in a hurry! ‘the cry came.
— Lute. or what are you? the witch answered, standing on the porch.
— Agna, I am it! And with me and Tata!
“The twins are with us,” the hostess said, and went to open it.
Alma helped open the entrance and a rider and a rider on stately moose drove into the yard. They immediately dismounted and bowed to the mistress of the house. They were a man in his twenties and a woman in her twenties, tall, with bows and arrows over their sheepskin coats, daggers and axes on his belt.
— Come into the house, from the road.
But Lute showed a black ribbon tied on his sleeve and shouted:
— Tell everyone! Ilsa fell asleep! Everyone can say goodbye to Madame!
“When… Agna barely spoke at once.
— Two weeks ago. In Gandwick. Sentenced, to take her to all the villages of the giants, so that people would say goodbye to the Dead Princess, see her for the last time! The train will be in the village in a week, but they will call you, do not hesitate!
— Wait, at least take pies on the road!
Lute nodded, and handed the birch bark to the girl. Alma ran headlong into the house and returned with an edible.
— Here, take this!
— Be sound, beauty! Don’t hold a grudge against us! — the young man answered, turned the plow, and the sinister jumped further.
— What he said, — the girl was confused, — as if she would die soon!
“He will not die,” said Agna, throwing a constipation on the gate, “he will never die.” Neither he nor Tata, none of Ilsa’s deck. What is worse for them…
“Why?”
— We went to the house, otherwise you froze already.
The witch let the pupil forward, and closed the door behind her. The door was good, oak, and living inside felt for warmth. The same door led to the upper room, where they slept and ate. So the heat was kept well, but they heated the stove and cooked food in the basement.
— Well, what? Alma asked impatiently, sitting down on the bench.
“Lie down and cover yourself with a blanket.
— Yeah…
— So… All of them, seven of her Companions, tasted the blood of the Princess, ikhor. Here we have blood — red, and the Princess — like water, bluish such. And the power in her is great — who will drink the blood of the Princess will never die. And even if they are wounded and killed, they come to life again. After all, they are given to the Princess for war — she protects our lands from strangers, and so that they would not be killed, Ilsa gave them such power. And before her, Ella granted her Companions such a gift. But Ella said:
“So that everyone from her deck, when she leaves, heads are deprived…”
— Why… — Alma was indignant, — what are people to blame for?
— Yes, listen, you, egoza… “That those deprived of goals would wait for the awakening of Seven Dead Prinzess on time. And in order for the Chosen Magi to create a secret place, and there to keep the bodies and heads of the Immortal Knights in care, that there would be someone to fight for the Chosen One at the end of Time”
— And what’s the Chosen One?
— He will appear at the end of Time, the one who will wake up the Sleeping Princes with a kiss and love one of them.
— Yes, now only the First Princess fell asleep…
Agna nodded, agreeing and sighed heavily. She straightened the blanket for the girl, and continued:
— It will be hard for the Immortals to wait for this hour. And no matter what terrible troubles they did on earth, Ella ordered it. It’s not in their prison to sit, it’s not known how old.
— Yes… — whispered Alma, whose eyes began to stick together, — and I would… but I would… — and fell asleep.
***
And Agna and Alma thought maybe it was a dream? An evil dream in which anything is possible. All these days passed calmly, but now, on the seventh day, the roar of the bugle rejoiced, which made them jump from their places. Then the neighborhood broke the ringing of tympans.
“It’s her,” Agna said, “we’ll meet the Lady properly.”
She first painted the girl’s face white, let her lips down red, as did her cheekbones. Then the witch’s face became painted in a similar way. The daughters of the mistress of the house began to look the same, with white faces. They went to the outskirts, waiting for Sleeping. In front, with a burning torch, one of the Satellites was traveling, and four more carried a golden forged coffin. The strength of the men from Ilsa’s deck was incredible.
The procession was closed by the Chosen Ones who came from Alatyr. Ahead was a tall woman, also wrapped in the very eyes in a black cloak. Seven students in gray raincoats, with hoods draped over their faces, with horns and horns that display a sad motive.
— Hi, Agna.
“Good to see you, Mara. Although the case turned out to be bad.