Immortals. Twin princesses, Ella and Elle. Black Wings of the Night

© Sergey Solovyov, 2026

ISBN 978-5-0069-8883-5

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

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.