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— Meet, this is Alma, — introduced the Chosen witch doctor, — she will go with us to the North.
— Hello, Alma. Ya-Tala, this is Tara, there is Gita sitting by the gang, and Senta next to her. On another shelf Lipa, Kata and Luta. Sit next to me. Are you from Sad?
— Sure…
“I’m from the Dvina coast. Ilsa rarely looked at us. More and more visited Oum.
Tala again began to soak, and poured hot water. Alma also put the soapy root into action, washing away sadness and fatigue.
— The hair has already grown a little, — said Mara, who returned from the dressing room.
— And as soon as I get to Alatyr, will they also make a drawing on the skin?
— No, only after apprenticeship. In three years.
“I’m twelve years old!
— At fifteen, then you deserve it. By vocation and drawings will apply.
Soon they were sitting on the bench, and combing their hair. Alma had a good crest, a fish tooth, and master Salit, the son of the famous Uwei, worked for her.
— I’ll go home, I’ll probably have lunch ready, she told Mara.
She just nodded, and also began to dress, starting with twisted bracelets. The girl dropped into the house, where she saw Agna wiping her tears with a handkerchief. She was frightened, and hugged the woman.
— What is it?
— Everything is ok… — answered the hostess, — you’ll be back in three years, right?
— Of course… I won’t stay in Gandwick. It’s cold out there.. Agna, can you reduce my scar? — and she lifted the hem, showing the burn.
— No, it will not work… I, not you, I do not know how to treat with the imposition of hands.
— Yes, I tried how many times, and everything does not come out…
— Go, call guests, — Agna reminded, — already hungry. Lunch is good out.
Alma returned under the canopy, where the guests rested. Everyone sat cheerful and ruddy.
“Come and eat out of the way. Is everything ready.
Everyone really liked the treat, no one refused the supplement
***
In the morning, Alma walked among the new friends, the three of them, together with Lipa and Katya, closed the line of draggers and watched the deer so that the laid and tied belongings would not be lost on the road. Oleshki ran cheerfully, there was no need to spur them on. Before Sad, it was necessary to go another two versts. The chosen ones and the new novice fanned themselves with twigs, driving away annoyingly buzzing gadflies and mosquitoes. Something, but this good was enough in the taiga. But Alma sighed heavily, recalling the morning farewell to Agna and her daughters. The young witch doctor kissed Gela, Zia and Mila a dozen times, and hardly broke away from their small and tenacious handles. The healer herself, the owner of the house, only wiped away tears and waved her handkerchief, wanting an easy and direct path.
— Wasn’t it a pity to leave? Kata asked.
— What should I do? Got to go. Without this, it is impossible, — Alma answered judiciously.
— Your mother is kind, and little sisters, — added a drop of tar and Lipa
“No, she’s my mentor. Mother died a long time ago. And in Sad lives a father and stepmother with her daughters.
Lipa only shook her head in response, but was not surprised either. Him to get into family quarrels? You still don’t know anything good, except for words about resentment and anger. Since their new girlfriend lived away from her stepmothers, it means that there were reasons. And she also saw a trace of a snatch on the girl’s leg.
Lipa was from Gandvik, from a family of fishermen. Father, and her three brothers were also sailors. We even visited Grumant, an island where a combustible stone lies right on the ground. They brought him to Gandvik this stone, to show people. And it burns hot-hot. But they go there for a fish tooth, and there is not much room in the boats, and there is enough firewood without firestone. So the girl knew about the fisheries on the Studenny Sea. And what else to do there? True, people also grazed deer.
Kata was from the grain and rich Oum, where the houses are full of grain reserves, and in the underground everyone has a lot of bronze, and jade brought to exchange. Bulls and cows were the basis of her family’s wealth. They plowed land on bulls, and both a fish tooth and pearls were exchanged for grain among the northerners. Katya had no brothers, only sisters, and everyone is older than her, so married. And she wanted to come home after that. how the art will pass.
— Do they tell the truth that you have a hand snake? — asked Lipa at random
Alma simply opened the shirt gate, and both girls completely saw what they took for an elegant motley — a snake sleeping peacefully around the girl’s neck.
Kata and Lipa only sighed in surprise when they saw this. Many had favorites. but such…
— I still have two forest cats in the estate, — added a new novice.
“Anything can happen,” Kata agreed judiciously. And it is true that it is in vain to argue, because everyone knows that a forest cat cannot be tamed.
But the estates of the huge Grustina appeared, surrounding the mighty rampart of the city. Mara knew where to go, and took her charges to where Alma had to visit…
And exactly, a number of the Chosen Ones dragged themselves to the huge courtyard of the Magi Vinal. The young girl grabbed the edge of one sled, her legs were already reduced when she remembered the Immortals beheaded here.
— Alma, what’s wrong with you? — Kata was frightened, — Lipa, give herbal infusion. Moreover, there is more in the flask.
Lipa, not a proverbial, held out the flask, and the Chosen One poured the infusion into a birch bark cup and clung it to the hands of their youngest. She only grinned wryly, but drank to the bottom. The medicine was not bitter, but the alarm immediately receded.
— Well, another thing… And how will you collect fish on Alatyr? the Chosen One smiled.
Vinal, apparently, was notified of the guests, and had already met them along with household members, unots and novices. His wife carried out a loaf of bread and a cup of salt in front of Mara. She plucked a piece, added salt and tasted, sharing bread and salt with the owner. Magus smiled, and pointed to the set table:
— Taste the guests dear… And the unots will look after the luggage.
“Thank you for the honor, Vinal,” Mara said.
“This is my wife, Malina. The daughters of Tia and Dew, and a son, Smel. Chosen novice, Yalin. Both smart and strong.
With these words, Alma wanted to leave everything, and run wherever her eyes look and only restrained herself by violence, remembering who she was with now.
The chosen ones were seated at a large table, opposite the village of Vinal with his family, and the novices delivered treats. Magus sincerely longed to please the Chosen Ones and surprise them with headbands. Three types of fish, black and red caviar, pies, barley porridge. cooked with onions, three types of lingonberry gravy, cranberries, sauerkraut. Alma also checked the bag where Skara was resting, stroked her cool head, and put a piece of boiled egg.
She would also try everything, but to her misfortune, she spread and laid out all these goodies Yalin. The girl nodded to him with difficulty, as a friend, and remembering how he chopped his heads, again his head ached wildly. The novice really tried, skillfully working with a scoop and a wooden shoulder blade, so that the guests would not feel bypassed.
“Do you know this novice?” asked Kata about the important thing.
— There was a case… Came to us with Nadar.
— And he is prigozhny, right?
Alma almost choked, remembering Yalin’s hands, covered in blood on the very elbows. Only she could not tell anyone…
— Alma, here the duck is very tasty, — said Yalin, as if jumping out of the ground.
She nodded her head with difficulty, looking with dead eyes at his fingers… It seemed to the girl that a huge ax would appear again in the novice’s hand, and that in front of her was not a man, but a terrible creature from the most terrible legends. But then Kata helped out:
“I have ducks too,” and looked at the young man with pleasure.
Then something happened that Alma did not expect: Yalin’s face became redder than ripe strawberries. It was so incredible that the girl, as if forgetting, instantly swallowed the meat lying on her dish. Lipa slightly pushed Alma’s elbow, and made a grimace, nodding at their friend and Yalin.
But the novice managed not to spill the treat from the pot, and approached the other Chosen Ones who were sitting at the table. Kvass was also suitable for everyone, currant, just excellent in taste. But all the good and sometimes even the bad ends, and the feast ends. Alma breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that she would no longer see Yalin, at least in the next three years. She thought again — should I go home? But I didn’t want to see Iya’s face at all, like her daughters.
And the next morning the Chosen were waiting for the rook, which was supposed to deliver them to Gandwick
***
Alma sat on the boat bench and sighed, remembering when what she dreamed of happened? She even undertook to bend her fingers… Well, actually, two out of ten came out. The fact that Agna will take her to her, and the fact that they will take her as a novice to Alatyr… She looked at Katu, who spoke animatedly with Yalin, and turned away, even from grief she took out a ball of rope, and began to weave and repeat the signs.
Ten rowers and a feeder were given to them by the guide Goody, and Vinal sent his beloved novice to emphasize his seniority. The rook was ruled by Ard himself, the best of the feeders on the Ob.
She looked at them again, and decided that if it were not for this execution, she would have considered this hefty student of the Magi quite a good fellow, and no longer condemned Katu. Linden sat down next to her and handed her friend a cracker.
— So everything is more fun, — she noticed, and put on her cheek too, — I see, you don’t like Vinal’s loss?
— I don’t know… — the girl tried to evade a direct question.
— So prominent, but something oppresses him… As if he did what he did not want, but forced, but could not refuse.
“You’re wise, Lipa.
— Look how he tries to hide his hands. Looks at Katu more askance, and not straight. We were taught for a long time so that we could immediately understand that the interlocutor was hiding something important, or uncertain, or scared.
Alma nodded, agreeing with her new friend, and looked at the stern where Ard was talking to Mara. The day was calm, and weak waves hit the leather side of the boat. The girl tentatively touched the ribs of the boat, triggered from the ribs of the whale. Still, it is unusual to sit in a leather boat. Skara also became curious, and she wrapped herself around the girl’s left hand and raised her head.
“Don’t doubt it, girl. Our ship is strong, — shouted the feeder, — everything is sewn well!
Ard was a seasoned sailor, saw everyone, but what he saw — a viper gliding along his arm — deprived him of confidence. He took off his hat and wiped his sweat. The Mentor returned to the stern again.
“What is this girl with you?” She even has a snake instead of a cat!
— And forest cats live in her house. Nothing, the snake won’t bite anyone, make no mistake, feeder. I always have wonderful novices. One, you know, carried a bear cub with her…
— AND? Left at home?
“Worse, much worse. feeder. I had to hire a special carbass for her, and Mara laughed, and Ard sighed sorrowfully.
The sun began to decline, and the merrymakers began to bring the rooks to the shore. Four of them jumped into the water, and began to pull the ships by the ropes and pull them out onto land. The pillars were hammered into the sand, and these river horses of the giants were attached to them so that they could rest. And people could spend the night in with great convenience.
The merrymakers began to set up tents, a slight haze of fires rose into the sky, the air was filled with the smell of porridge and fish brew, the usual food of everyone walking along the river. Alma also did cooking, gutted and removed scales from fish. Kata and Lipa also did not shy away from doing their usual thing. Soon everyone was sitting with spoons and wooden plates, happily saturated with hot food. Still, it’s hard to eat only breadcrumbs and dried fish.
Alma stretched out with pleasure on a pile of fresh hay, which replaced her feather bed. From under the felt blanket, only the girl’s small nose stuck out, she quickly warmed up and fell asleep. I dreamed, to be honest, all sorts of nonsense, but then… I saw two bears playing in the water, and dragging fish from the river for fish. And then, on the other hand, clubfoot began to roll logs up and down the slope. Strange dreams…
In the morning, the horn woke everyone up, and the oarsman showed his hand to the mess on the shore.
— I haven’t seen this for a long time! — he shouted, — you see, clubfoot roads do not give us!
— What are you, Vitya, did they tell you? Ard shouted back.
— No, growled only…
The feeder laughed, and reached for the heavy bow, and threw the quiver behind his back.
— Korsha and you, Yalin. Take the horns and go.
“No need to kill anyone,” Alma stepped forward, “I will ask the bears to leave.
Mara turned her surprised face on the novice, even took off her usual hood, but did not say anything, and nodded, asserting with her will what was said. She came closer, and took the brave girl by the arm. In the other, there was an indispensable staff.
“Let’s go. You understand that we will not achieve anything like that. I have a couple of crackers with me, the bears will get scared and leave.
“I can handle it, Mara,” Alma replied quietly, “I’ll talk and they’ll leave.
The girl tried to gather strength, breathed more often, as if she was saying to herself, those words, just words… Her ears no longer heard anything, as if covered with wax, and she saw only animals playing with logs. She walked, crossing the branches and needles. The bears roared, turning their faces to the intruder. One of them stood on his hind legs and walked forward. Alma was not afraid, just looked into the eyes of the beast and began to whisper:
— Leave the owner of the forest. Enough, played. We need logs. In the forest, the berries are ripe, and the borti are full of honey. What are you supposed to do here?
The bear fell on his front paws, becoming much smaller, and roared, exposing terrible fangs.
Scarpea, apparently sensing something, crawled out of her sleeve, and stood on her tail, and opened her mouth wide, showing her teeth. Mishutka looked at the snake, roared again, and thought a little, and began to leave. Both others followed, leaving the shore to people. Mara, having already taken out her crackers from under the cloak, tried her best to show equanimity. True, it did not work out very well — the carved staff, apparently, stuck between the branches, escaped and fell to the ground. Alma bent down, and filed a symbol of mentoring power.
— Thank you, — just say the leader of the Chosen.
— Nothing… It’s just that Scarpea was worried about me. But I would calm the bears down anyway.
The girl stroked the snake on the head, and she again snuck into her sleeve, and a minute later she again settled on her neck, in the form of a colorful decoration.
— Look after her in the halls, it’s always cold in Alatyr. What kind of krynka to start, so that at night she would be there and would not scare anyone.
Alma nodded readily, and followed Mara, again confidently marching to the camp. They were greeted enthusiastically and warily. The merrymakers were now wary of looking the young novice in the eye.
— You can go. Rooks are loaded, madam, “Ard Mare said.
And exactly, the boats swayed in light waves, five steps from the coast. Alma looked doubtfully at the water, regretting that she did not have leather pants and high boots with ties, and doubtfully tried water with a shoe. But then the merrymakers began to wear the Chosen Ones in their arms. Here they carried Katu, then Lipa. The girl patiently waited for her turn, but all the oarsmen grabbed the bales with the remaining good, trying to get around the young witch longer. Alma just pursed her lips, took off her shoes, lifted the hem higher than her knees, and entered the water. It’s cold, but nothing, I got there, I pulled myself up in my arms and climbed onto the boat, sitting on a bench. The legs were almost dry, the shoes lay nearby. She sat quietly, not going to talk to anyone else, and began to knit knots on a ball, trying to make a polite message for her father. Scarpea stretched out, looking at what the hostess was doing, and returned to her place.
The boat glided but the water surface, the rays of the sun reflected and played in the waves. The logs lay near the shore, the bears were not nearby. The oars knew their business, and the blades entered the water according to and to the beat, almost without splashes. Everything was quite good, until the evening.
The places were very beautiful, Alma admired the steep shore, as if beaten off by a talented carver. The left bank was Cretaceous white and very steep.
He turned the steering oar on the stern, and he went to be replaced by an intelligent fun-maker, Dalir. Strong, wiry, also with a shaved head and a pigtail on the back of the head. But then there was a cry, and Mara herself got up to see what happened.. Ard remained at the steering oar, and Yalin and Malin sat down nearby, adapting a piece of the board to the brush and winding it evenly. The tire held well, but the bones will grow together from a month, everyone knew
Alma looked at it, there was no desire to climb anymore.
— Alma, won’t you look at the Way of Life?
— If he is not afraid, — the girl noted, — and so, all the rains and storms will become him. You will replace swallows, you will predict the weather. A cloud in the sky — and you are right behind the poppy infusion, — she said to the wounded.
— What are you, — said Mara, shaking her head, — well, you can’t do that…
“Won’t the snake bite me?” ‘the Way worried.
— No, immediately eat, — the novice told a terrible secret, — she is gluttonous with me…
“Sit down,” Ard interjected, “the healer will heal you.” Don’t be afraid.
Next to Alma, the village of Mara, having prepared a flask with put on honey. The girl just sighed — exhaled, and put her hands on the arm of the patient. She could feel the heat pouring into his arm and her legs getting cold. The healer did not close her eye, watched how things were going. But her eyes darkened and she could hardly see. Her sensitive fingers ran along the brush of the new feeder, and the words were said:
“I did what I could.
The way jumped up, moved his fingers, and his face brightened with joy. Ard did not get up, but only tried with his hand how the merry man wields his fingers. The sailor only shook his head in disbelief, not even believing himself.
— I haven’t seen this for a long time… Since Ilsa left, — he said, — Mara, the goddess herself noted you.
— Ella remembers us… Do you want to eat? — the mentor asked with concern, looking into the girl’s empty bowl.
— a little… the healer whispered, wiping her eyes.
The leader of the Chosen herself, without repairing, filled a cup from a jug and moved it to the ward. Alma eagerly, in one sip, drank a sharp-smelling liquid, and she immediately felt better. Unbearably pulled into a dream, and the girl wrapped herself in a raincoat, lay down, curled up on the bench. She was not disturbed, and sleep was simply healing for her. She woke up only when the sun rolled over the forest. And for some reason already on the couch, in the tent, and covered with a blanket. Alma jumped up, checking her clothes in fright, running her hands over her body.
— You what? Lipa asked in fright, “Also a sleepwalker???
“Why is that?” — and Kata looked at her friend — she was tired just, bowed. Can you all do that, Alma? Heal?
— Well, almost… How am I here? I fell asleep on the bench, on the boat?
— Well, yes, and the four of you were merry and removed from the ship. Ard was worried about everything, would you wake up? They took you to the tent.
“What about the shoes?”
— Yes, they stand nearby.
— All right, let’s sleep. Tomorrow again on the river go.
And exactly, an early wake-up, a quick breakfast from the remnants of dinner, and the boats sailed again. Alma slowly prepared to enter the water, had already removed her shoes. But then, two merrymakers approached her, and picked up the Way in his arms and carried it to the ship. Well, even though Scarpea did not stick out and scare the rower.
Expanses of Gandvik
So they walked along the river for almost two weeks. Often they met those who went to the riding cities, with boats full of goods. Even sailors came from the White Sea, from the large Dvina River. Well, Gandvik is called, everyone knows this, from the giants, simply the word means the bay of giants.
And here, in the lower lands, it was certainly colder, and Alma took up her lark and took out a fur fufike. I dressed, and with pleasure felt that I was finally warm. Kata also warmed up by wearing a quilted felt jacket.
But Lipa was glad that she would visit again at home, where she had not been four months ago.
— Now we will be met by the Magi Auld and Foreman Sineon, the venerable people of Gandvik. And I will ask my mother to visit. I have three more brothers, Pirga, Dragut and Virga. My mother’s name is Kalma, — she said, — we have a large longboat, we go to the sea for fish on it. All kinds of fish are full at home, you haven’t tried that.
“They brought us too. And salmon, and good cod, — Alma did not agree, — herring too. And there are a lot of river fish in Sad.
“We have muksun. Try… There is no better fish.
But while the friends were talking, the shipbuilders threw the ropes onto the pier, and pulled the boat to the flooring from the boards. On the gangways, people went ashore Gandvik, where the Magi and the foreman really expected them, and a dozen residents of the city. But people came up and came up to see Mara herself.
— Hello, Mara!, — simply, like an old acquaintance, said the Magi.
He was not at all an old man, about thirty years old, with a staff of fish tooth, good work and a huge price. He bowed slightly to Mara, showing his reverence. But what did the Mentor not like that Old hid his right hand behind his back, but averted his eyes…
“Grief befell us. Ilsa left. Everyone thought it would, so when Ella left, transferring the power to the successor. How will it be now… — the magi spoke slowly, looking into the eyes of the Mentor from Alatyr.
— So it is necessary to ask Pryakh, they know better about the will of the gods.
“I’ll beg you on Alatyr. Will you allow it?
— Not for yourself, but for people. I myself beg the mountain lords to spread the bones for you. Hermits will not refuse those who ask from the bottom of their hearts.
Auld just broke into a smile, as did Petty Officer Sineon standing next to him.
— Don’t you know if Ouma da Serponov is calm? Are strangers attacking? Ilsa sleeps, and there are no more immortal armies ready to defeat any enemies.
“No one knows Ella’s intentions, Elder. She promised to help…