Immortalls. Princess Swan from the Golden Mountain
Sergey Solovyov

© Sergey Solovyov, 2026

ISBN 978-5-0069-9522-2

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Smile goodbye

Prologue

A huge elk carried its mistress through the forest, stepping over fallen trees, squeezing a powerful body through the branches of a windbreak. Branched horns helped to spread the dense branches of often standing trees in the forest. Ilda stroked the head of a dry, her tireless horse, which has now become so strong. But when she received a very small calf as a gift from the son of a fisherman she had cured, she did not think that in a few years he would become a real lord of the forest. Karia, as she called the dry, then only fed on milk from her nipple, everywhere ran after her on her funny twig legs. The girl straightened her disheveled hair under a felt hat, and pinned her naughty silver curls with a hairpin, thoughtfully going over the end of the longest braid. She was not gray, no, but she was not from these edges, distant and dense forests next to Oum. Her mother, as she herself said, was then visiting raw Gandvik…

Mika worked as a paddle, which was strength, trying to leave the hated Varta as quickly as possible. She sometimes turned around, looking sadly at the sandy line, where the parents’ old house was still nearby. Her leather shuttle was strong, her knees rested on a bag of hair thrown by the Magi Hind, and his evil words rang in the woman’s ears:

“Get out, and don’t you dare come back!

Mika only swallowed bitter tears that all rolled from her eyes. I should have been angrier, she said everything to herself. For some reason, she tried to save the woman in labor, who had already suffered for two days. I saw, after all, that she was no longer a tenant, but took up, did not burn herself. Although at first she drove this stupid husband out of her house with a long pole.

— Fail, would immediately call, now everything will die! He was afraid of me, so why did he come? she shouted to him.

— You can help, witch, you honor the Testaments! Here, this is all for you! — and he dumped a pile of beaver skins on the grass of the yard.

— Yes, — the woman sighed hard, I can do a lot, but not everything, — Mika said deafly, raising her red face with anger to the man, — I’ll try…

She examined the vapor-covered face of the woman, whom her husband put on the bench, and everything stood nearby, clenching his fists in impotence.

— Go to your relatives in the yard, you are only hindering me, she said, taking out her tools from the best bronze, lying in a leather bag.

The witch palm felt the heat of the woman in labor, touching her forehead, and only in despair squeezed her lips.

“You fool, you wretched coward,” she whispered as she removed the woman’s clothes.

I felt my stomach, and almost screamed with rage, things were very bad… In thoughtfulness, she stared at the blade of a bronze knife, trying to come to terms with the inevitable…

— Maybe I’ll save the child…

Much later, she went out into the yard with a child washed and wrapped in felt. The kid turned out to be strong, survived this, and now he did not even scream. The witch in the crowd of relatives saw her husband, and he immediately approached her.

— Take it, did what she could, — she said deafly, handing him a child, — and take the body of his wife. She could not survive.

The child’s father just nodded to her, and shouted:

— Father, mother! Gotta take Dana home!

Not two, but four strong men from the relatives of the supplicant, taking a stretcher, went up to her in the upper room, and put the body on felt and carried it away. No one said a word to her. No gratitude for the living baby, no reproach for the deceased woman. The witch lit the herbs in the tripod, driving away the filth of death from the house. The room began to fill with the aroma of smoldering ephedra leaves, so that the air in the house became very thick, only the fire of the lamps hardly made its way through the bluish smoke. She thoughtfully washed the knives in the hot water of the trough, swiping her finger on the blade, and again feeling the horn handle of her faithful assistant. And again in front of her was this picture of lying dying, and blood, a lot of blood on the tanned skin of the shop…

And the next morning…

The next morning came the magician of the tribe, Hind, tapping a staff on the floorboards of her house. He looked at her for a long time and sighed. Then he quietly said:

— Get ready witch, but don’t forget your things.

Mika’s heart just shrank… What about? Why?

— Hind, I saved many people here… — the woman tried to explain, — I did what I could, and the child is alive!

— It was impossible to cut the womb of the mother, — the magician said harshly, storming her with his prickly eyes, — it was necessary to let both die… Ella, queen of the kingdom of the dead, what will she do now? I still pity you, — he sniffed under his bushy eyebrows, — the staff remains with you.

— She won’t punish for good, — the witch answered confidently, — the husband is to blame for everything, before he would have brought his wife to me, everything would have worked out.

“They were afraid of you. And on you, it turns out, the blood of the woman in labor. Get away from trouble in Gandwick, the refuge of sorcerers, until everything settles down. And the point here is the madness of the elderly father, Mick.

The witch grabbed her head, bent low-low and sobbed with despair.

Hind stood up, took his staff, and in a voice as hard as bronze said:

— Tomorrow you leave, my people will bring you a shuttle. Be ready to sail at dawn, and then the trouble will leave the village, drown in the river when it chases after you.

Refuge at Gandwick

Mika rowed and rowed. Nothing, my hands are strong, I’m sticking out, she thought holding on to Obi’s rod. Her like lay at the bottom of the boat, resting her head on her paws without interfering with the hostess and not attracting her attention. Soon she was trying to work with a paddle easier, which would have enough strength before noon.

— Yes, only you stayed with me, — the exiled woman said, looking at the dog, — now we’ll dock, we’ll eat.

Cheln buried himself in the shore, the dog jumped out first, and the owner followed her to the ground. She pulled out a load, four bales, and for protection the leather shuttle also left to dry on land. She cleared the place for fire with a wooden spatula so as not to let her fall on the forest, and not to burn herself at night. The pot, tied with a vine, stored the seeds of home fire. Mika grabbed a hot flaming corner with small bronze ticks, inflated it and put it in the prepared dry branches of the fire. The fire took up quickly, giving the long-awaited warmth to the wanderer. Mosquitoes have already begun to curl over her, bringing out their mournful songs, feeling an ambulance. It was evening, and the river was getting cooler, a woman fur sleeveless on her back. Birds they chattered in the trees, as if greeting her, discussing their own bird affairs. She took smoked fish out of the bag and honestly shared it with the dog. The dog was not sad, and cheerfully overwhelmed with his share, rejoicing in the past day. Vedunya looked at her comrade, and felt that she was very tired, decided to rest, that there would be strength to get to Lukomorye. She drank grass infusion from fur, extinguished the fire, buried a pot of coals in the sand, and wrapped in a felt cloak, lay down on thin branches of trees and bushes collected nearby. Tyapa, her dog, lay down next to her, warming her back. Sleep was heavy, accumulated and pain and fatigue, not even letting sleep. I also got up with a heavy head, and after eating a little, I pulled out a shuttle to the water, putting both belongings and a dog in it. Mika went further down the river, and even the bizarre shore did not brighten her bitterness. One hope was for Nayda, her friend, with whom she was tested on Alatyr, preparing to become the Chosen One. In the morning she sailed in the shuttle, in the afternoon and in the evening she tried to catch fish, this was her daily routine.

Sometimes her fishing happiness varied — on one day several fish, on the other — not a single one. But loneliness did not bother her, on the contrary, the witch felt his charm. She used to live far from the village, from the giant shaft of Oum. There was always something to do — to help one or the other, they came to her, and it happened, and she herself was taken on red tape home to the suffering person. The water was clean in the Ob, mountain oil did not spill into the river. This happened when she once sailed on a large boat past Warta. The river became, as it were, milky, and the banks were viscous, like jelly, only it was impossible to drink this milk, and jelly should be drunk too.

In the evening, she admired the starry sky, putting her bronze map of the sky next to her and remembering the lessons of her mentor on Alatyr Island. The witch measured the height of the star Losihi (polar star) above the horizon. The star rose higher and higher, Mika understood that she was gradually approaching Gandvik. The journey took twice as long as she first thought, twelve days had passed. The weather was good these days, which is rare here in Lukomorye.

Finally, after a dozen paddles, Gandwick opened, lying near the turn of the channel, not far from the sea. Mika has already seen houses standing along the river in the gray haze. The same as everywhere else, only here they stood on pillars, because the ice in the ground melted in the summer, it happened deeply. So the piles of houses were taken to the icy ground, and from above the earth was poured with river pebbles and sand, and only then they made it up, and from above they built a house with residential cells, usually two or three, no more. Although there were Huns and large houses, for several families. Mika swam to the pier, hooked a rope to a pole, and pulling the boat to the shore, stepped on the halves of the pier logs. The woman removed the cargo from the shuttle, turned, and saw two fishermen carrying baskets of catch from their boat.

“Hello, dear,” she said first, and bowed, “can you tell me where Naida lives?”

— Hello and you, venerable woman, — the eldest of the fishermen answered her with a bow, — will you be from Warta yourself? My name is Und and I have Ikrat and Hodota with me. We’ll see you off. Take some red tape for scarba. Ikrat, — he turned to the youngest fisherman, — take another one from the warehouse for the guest.

“All right,” the young man replied.

— My name is Mika, I was with Naida on Alatyr, — the exile called herself, — we have known her for a long time.

“We will help you get to her house, you can see, tired, witch,” Und said, approaching the woman and taking scarb from her hands.

Ikrat returned with a sled, and Mika was laid down on them, tied with belts. Tyapa sat nearby, looking at the fishermen. Und took up the hair straps of the witch, and Ikrat and Khodota dragged the fish to their village, to their homes. The runners of the sled glided along the path, very trampled, apparently, as Mika understood, those who suffered from the whole village often came to her friend.

The woman became uncomfortable, because she did not even have time to wash properly after a long road. I looked at my hands, clean, rubbed with coastal sand today. Fishermen in front of her dragged a skid with her belongings, she was walking behind, lonely, not knowing the road. How unusual it was! After all, she always walked ahead, both at the festivities and at the funeral in her village.

“Well, nothing, soon they will ask me to return, but I will not be in any”

She calmed herself with such thoughts, and almost fell into a cow cake. A cart drove past them, which was dragged by a huge elk with branched horns. There were four children in the carriage, one of whom was controlled by a dry man. Then they came across a small herd of cows, which the shepherd drove back, giving the nurses to the owners. They passed the village, and moved into the forest thicket.

“Far?” the woman asked Unda, who was dragging her belongings.

— No, already nearby, — answered Und cheerfully, who so far has only his face painted from work, — do not worry, I remember the road.

Indeed, it was as if the house behind the wattle had emerged from behind the trees.

rainy here, there were few clear days in Gandvik.

On one of these good and clear days, Mika walked along the seashore with her dog. I haven’t started a team of deer yet, and who can follow them? Heavy alone, she sighed to herself. With the staff given to her by Cord, she moved the branches carried by the waves to the ground, and next to her she saw a log in the water near the shore. Then again the celestial body looked out from behind the clouds, and the golden ray of the sun hit directly into the shadow cast by the trunk of a tree in sea water. And only then did I notice the leather rook, and as it seemed to her, with white felt inside. Tyapa rushed to the find, wagging his tail, and began to sniff it, and barked, calling the hostess.

“What is there?” the woman muttered.

But still went to see. In the shuttle, she saw a bundle, thought it was just gray felt, but blue eyes flashed in the gap, and Mika stopped in anxiety.

— Enough with me, — she said evil, — Hey, there is someone here! Whose child? she shouted, and looked around, waiting to see the parents of the child.

She stood for a long time, looking around when they would come for the child, but there was no one to take the child.

— Why should I again, — Mika muttered through tears, pulling a light shuttle out of the water.

She bent down, took the child in her arms, he did not shout, only looked at her. Mika did not scatter the foundling, and took a quick step to her home, the dog ran ahead of her along the path, but did not miss a single bush, sniffing everything, wanting to find a living.

I quickly went into the upper room, fortunately it was warm, put water in a still hot stove to warm up, and prepared a wooden trough. When the water warmed up, she removed both the felt blanket and the knitted linen diaper. It was a girl, about one and a half years old, but seeing the color of her hair, Mika was scared. The child’s hair was ashen.

— And that’s all for me… And right away, — the witch sentenced, washing the girl with warm water.

She dressed the child, wrapped in furs. Not Oum is here, and not Varta, and it’s cool in summer, Mika thought. The witch hurried to Naida, she looks and tells you how best to do it. She put on a raincoat, took the child in her arms, shook him, and put him in the basket. I also called the dog, we need a guide on the way. She slammed the door, and so let her friend along the path to the house that the dog could hardly keep up. So the cherished gate into the yard, the witch just flew inside, and Tyapa slipped after her, however, immediately tied to the fence. Mika tried to catch her breath, looked in the mirror, which she took out of her bag, straightened her hair, and a necklace that got lost from a quick walk. Knocked. Naida shouted from above

— Come on in!

The woman instantly climbed the stairs, anxiously looked around, seeing only Naida and Winda with their children.

— Hi Naida. It is necessary to consult, — said the witch, breathing heavily, quietly.

— What happened? — the hostess was alarmed, nodding at the basket on the table.

“Look what you’ve found by the sea.

Naida slowly approached the table, seeing a smiling child in the basket. She took him in her arms, looked at her hair, and her face immediately darkened like the sky in a thunderstorm.

“Winda! Go for Cord, you say, it’s important. Faster, don’t hesitate anywhere.

— Well, — she answered, and went down to the basement, going on the road.

Naida took out a couple of clay vessels from the casket, and a leather bag, from which she took out two nipples from the washed sheep udder. One of the vessels filled with milk, and began to feed the girl. She ate voraciously, then screwed up, calmed down.

— Hungry was, — explained the hostess, — and not ours, from distant places. Ashen hair… I accepted the children of all, read, into the world. Did not have this girl, she was not born here, — she said and quickly looked up at Mika, — Found, you say?

— So it is, in the shuttle, on the shore. And in the basket the felt in which it was wrapped.

Mika showed a thin soft felt, good work, although not dyed. The mistress of the house picked up this kind, not prickly, wool, pursed her lips, looking for the pattern, and so on. Naida put the girl’s belongings, and began to walk around the table, thinking. Then the hostess took a knife, and the guest jumped up, almost dropping the shop.

— What are you? — Mika said quietly, getting colder, but preparing to fight to the death for the girl’s life.

— So, you will prick it in the finger… — said the hostess and put the handle in her hand, — what did you think? — Naida amused, — we will wait for Korda, with him we must do so that he sees everything himself, with his own eyes, otherwise he will not believe. And then she will be scared, they say, suddenly she is from the yotuns, ice giants, from the Icy northern lands.

There is nothing more languishing than waiting. Mika rocked a basket with a sleeping girl, who, in her happiness, did not understand what was happening. The witch looked at the door, and at the small windows, trying on how to crawl more easily.

“You really go too far so that your blood is red,” she thought about the girl, — Naida is not a master in throws… I carefully her, so, on the floor, and herself — once, and out the window. Nothing, let’s figure it out. I’ll go to the wends,” she reassured herself.

There was noise and laughter in the basement, but then Cord, inflated with importance, entered. The elder’s staff tapped the floorboards, and the wait dragged on. The first elder greeted:

— Be healthy Light Naida and you Light Mika, our magicians. Heard a lot of good things about you. With what they called, what happened?

“Drink honey out of the way, Cord,” Naid brought him a treat, “with a matter of importance,” she added, “your word is essential here. Take a look.

The elder finished his honey, set up a bowl, and without feeling a catch, went to the table and saw the child.

— The child, I see, — and turned to the wolves, — what have I not seen the children? — and smiled slyly.

— Why are you… Naida got up and went to the table with the basket standing on it, — more attentively…

The elder’s face was made first surprised, then anxious and angry.

— Mika in the shuttle found a child, a girl, — said the Volkhovitsa slowly, — and her hair was ashy. I did not accept her in our village…

— Maybe burn the foundling from trouble? — and the elder looked at both women with hope, looking from one to the other.

Mika jumped up from the bench, and stood next to the basket, preparing for the fight.

“You can’t, Cord, not by the Law.

“And if she’s an ice giant?” the man shook his head, and pursed his lips as he prepared to argue.

— Ice people do not have red blood flowing, but ihor, now we will check, — said Naida quietly.

— I myself, — approved Mick’s decision, taking out a knife from a belt and playing them with fingers. She has already decided how she will leave if the baby is threatened with death… Nothing, let’s manage…

The woman took the girl in her arms, she pulled her hands to her, she carefully grabbed her left with two fingers, and remembering Gemini, especially Ella, the Ellu guard, pricked the child’s finger with a knife. The baby screamed offended, then roared. Mika did not breathe, lowering her eyes from the cut on her finger…

Here, swollen… AND… Red!

“Red!” Micah shouted.

— That’s good, — Cord calmed down, — do you keep the girl, or should I find her mother?

“I’ll have it,” the witch nodded, trying to calm her adopted daughter.

— Name her, what would the Gemini hear and the Spirit-Patroness, — added Naida, — and I’ll bring honey now.

The hostess returned with a small pot and a wooden spoon. Mika ate a little honey in a spoon, dripped into the girl’s mouth, and said:

“You’ll be called Ilda. Remember all! ‘she told both of those who stood nearby, all four who were here.

And they remembered everything, and could not forget, although they wanted later.

From Gandvik to Oum

Ilda stayed with Mika, often Naida came to them with her son Lyy and daughter Iskra. Many were helped by friends, many were cured. And the sailors, frostbitten at sea, were helped, they managed to warm up the sick.

The children played in the yard, the eldest, Lai, concentrated on building a dugout from twigs, and Iskra played with a doll, and Ilda diligently repeated everything after her. Tyap the dog lay nearby, picking up in the sun, sometimes checking if the little mistress was in place. Then he raised his ears, and sometimes opened his eyes, however, making sure that everything was fine, he immediately closed it.

The women were sitting on a bench near the house, looking at the children.

“Nobody wooed you, Mika?” Naida asked deliberately.

“Everyone is afraid. Well, not young already, twenty-five years old. You can’t complain, here’s a beautiful daughter, she’s growing up, “she smiled.

“Not so bad,” agreed her friend.

Then there was a knock on the gate, and the women heard Cord’s grumpy voice:

— Open, Mika, important things!

The woman opened, and three entered the courtyard. Cord. Elder Gandvik, their magi, Aragan and a man, rather a young man, with a shaved head and a clump of hair on the back of his head. The young man was wearing ordinary clothes, but Naida did not see him in the village, but she knew, read, everyone.

— Good afternoon, Traveler. What did you come with? — she asked with a half-smile.

“That’s it, Cord,” Aragan laughed, “you’ve got fox skin.” He said that Naida would immediately guess.

“All right, your skin.” the elder replied. “It’s up to you, Mika. This, he nodded at the guest, is the Herald from Oum. Their trouble — and he mysteriously fell silent.

Mika looked at the young man’s outfit, he was like an ordinary hunter or fisherman in Gandvik. And the Messenger, she herself knew, was dressed in a special dress, so that everyone who saw him. helped, as it should and did not offend anything.

“I burned his clothes, and he sat in the bathhouse all day, washed off the filth,” Aragan said sternly, “His name is Kalya, from Oum. Trouble with them, the pestilence has begun, they are asking for help. Yes, and the Magi and three Magi disappeared in one day. You’re not going to an empty place, Mika. The leader has already ordered the house to be cut down, all honor by honor, in the forest near the village.

Mika watched, and did not know what to say. All this curse drove from corner to corner, from Warta to Gandvik, from Gandvik to Oum. And you will not complain — after all, on Alatyr she swore that she would serve and help people.

— It is necessary to gather, and how to reach Oum?

— Und will go with his waddle. On his boat along the Ob, you will approach Oum. Cord said, Will you gather in a day? The day after tomorrow Und will come to you to help the belongings deliver to the river.

Mika just nodded her head, What do you say? That’s right, alien, so they drive.

— Okay, we will go, why not stand above the soul, — added Agaran.

The guests left, and the witch fell into serious thoughts, swinging forward — back on the bench, looking at the carefree playing Ilda. The dog went up to the hostess, and put his head on her knee. The woman stroked everything understanding Tyapa.

“We’re leaving again… As soon as everything worked out, — she muttered, — and how can Ilda… There is pestilence… Take it to death there.

— Do not twist your friend, — Naida said carefully, — Ilda will stay with me, and there, in two years, you will take your daughter to Oum.

— Ilda! — she called the girl.

She came up and climbed onto the bench under her mother’s side, Tyap pushed his nose into her leg, checking whether she was or not.

— Ilda, — mother asked the girl, will you stay here, with Naida, with Lai and Iskra will you play, or will you go with me to the South to Oum?

“With you,” Ilda said only, and grabbed her mother’s hand tightly.

— Let’s get ready. Micah added, cradling her daughter.

Naida remained to help her friend tie up the belongings, the children managed not to run, quietly playing in a small cell. It turned out three boxes, two baskets, and three bales.

— The main thing is that the boat would not sink, — Mika tried to joke.

“You can handle things, come back,” Naida said quietly, “I’ll look after the house.” Tomorrow I will bring the whole thistle, but plantain, and dried rose hips. There are two bales.

— Thank you, — the witch answered from the heart, — I would not have managed without you.

So the hard day has come, the day of parting. Und tied the load with his rowers, and the river boat was ready to fall off the pier. Ob was calm today, only light waves beat the shore. A bright sun shone, and only a few clouds, white as snow, only shaded the piercing blue of a clear sky. Miku and her daughter came to spend, honor all the people of the village, and joyful that they did not have lots to help the southerners, and sad, because many thought that a good witch was going to death. Cord and Aragan came along, and with him went the Herald, Kaley, he had a new cloak, with sacred signs, so that everyone who sees them would help them along the way.

— Good way to you, Light Mika, and to you, Light Ilda, because they decided to help people. — Prinno broadcast Aragan, — come back soon.

“And this is for you, Mick’s Light,” Cord said, bowing and holding out a small leather pouch.

The witch took it, and her hand almost came off, and in a misunderstanding she turned her eyes to the elder.

— What is it?

“You’re a witch. You know everything, ‘Cord smiled rather,’ didn’t you understand?”

The woman just looked at the elder with rounded eyes, and he nodded.

“So much???” she wondered.

“It’s not easy. Happy road, and here, pies for Ilda. The wife baked, and the elder gave the basket to the woman, and put one pie in the girl’s palm, and she began to eat treats with pleasure.

“Thanks Cord. — For once, a woman smiled, — Otherwise, I’m not a craftswoman in pies.

“Off we go!” shouted Und, the feeder, loudly.

Mika climbed the boat with Ilda, and Kord’s gifts, followed by the dog. Und pushed the pole away from the pier, and the rowers, leaning on the oars, directed the ship upstream of the Ob. Lodya shook a little, Tyapa climbed under the bench, in the middle of which Mika was sitting. and the edges on each side are rowers. So the Herald and the Volkhovitsa family settled down comfortably, on bags of wool. The woman threw a felt blanket over the girl’s shoulders, all fearing that she would catch a cold. Kalei, carefully stepping over the bench, went to the witch.

— Hello to you Light Mika, live for many years!

— And to you, Light Kaley! — she looked at the young man, smiling, — Do you want to know if I am strong in medicine?

— So it is, but you studied as the chosen one.

— And you and on Alatyr sent?

Kalei only nodded back, and fell silent for a long time. He just threw up his hands and shook his head.

— Spread the bones, Mara laughed, and Pryakhi gave a dark answer: “Ask for help in Gandvik, she is growing up. Soon it will be easier for everyone, but also harder.” How can help grow? So he came to Aragan, he decided that since the witches had died in our country, he would ask one of his own. And who is your husband, the venerable Volkhovitsa?

— He died, the long-learned woman repeated.

— And then the girl is not very similar to you, — Kalya said doubtfully, — just like a foreign one.

Ilda, without taking out another pie from her mouth, tried to hit the messenger with a small cam, but her mother grabbed her shoulders tightly.

— Enough, — said the mother of the daughter sternly, — she looks like a father. He was not local. Accepted was an elder, they say, from the Northern Isles.

“I see,” said the young man, looking warily at the girl sitting on the bench, chatting her feet carelessly.

By evening, the boat stuck to the ground. Und chose a place with a sandy shore, and Vataga pulled the ship out of the water. The rowers set up two tents — one for Mika and Ilda, the other for the rest.

Ilda sat on the felt, and enthusiastically checked the strong fabric of their small dwelling with her finger.

“Not tired?” Mika asked anxiously.

— Why did that Herald say that I don’t look like you? — the girl asked, furrowing her brows, — I have hair of a different color…

— Don’t listen, he’s a stranger. You look like a father, — I didn’t even lie to the medicine. — go to bed, get up early tomorrow.

Everyone went to bed, and stood up in the light, washed and quickly ate, and again the boat went along the river.

Ilda did not sit with her mother, but in a barrel, and found herself in the stern, next to Und. The feeder peered into the distance, and with a paddle directed the run of the ship.

“Hello, Ilda,” he smiled.

“And to you, the feeder,” the girl replied, lisping, holding on to the skin of the ship’s skin, “did you know your mother until I was born?”

— Yes.

— Have you seen my father?

— No, Ilda, I haven’t. I brought your mother from Warta a long time ago, a few years ago. Stand by, look at the river. Didn’t you go anywhere on the boat? And our noble boat, called “Fast.”

The girl only shook her head in response. Everything in the estate was spent days by the mother and with other children, except for the found ones, she was not allowed to play. But I started to deal with herbs, at first I showed what berries and mushrooms you don’t need to eat, where you can’t go, where the earth lights up by itself. Little Ilda returned to her mother’s bench.

The journey to Warta lasted a week, Und wanted to relax in the village, go to the bathhouse, and stay with his acquaintances. Mika, without saying a word, began to prepare a tent for rest, hammering pegs, and stretching the ropes.

“Come with us, healer. And Ilda will spend the night in warmth, but she will wash in the bathhouse.

Mika sank from tension, she looked at her daughter, the woman’s lips twitched.

“I’ve been banished, Und. I can’t go back.

“It’s been four years, witch. The house of my acquaintances, whom I drove in the Studenoy Sea, is not in the village, not in Varta. Behind the grove, through the ravines.

Und expected a lot, but not this. Mika laughed wildly, and sat right on the ground, so Tyapa barked, and Ilda grabbed her mother by the hand in fright.

“My house, my house,” the woman whispered through tears.

— Let’s go, and here two rowers will stay, in the evening they will be replaced, — the forager said wearily. — while the fish are caught.

So ten people went to the old house of the Volkhovitsa. Little Ilda looked at the bushes covered with flowers, brushed off mosquitoes and horseflies with a twig, Tyapa ran after her, not allowing her to go far from the path. Mika watched everything, stepping on the fallen needles with leather boots, she waited for the fence of her house to appear. She walked another twenty steps, and noticed how the familiar painted roofs flashed.

“Come!” she shouted to the others.

Und went forward, went to the gate and knocked.

There was a barking of dogs, and the owner’s steps were heard, and his voice:

— Who’s there?

— I, Und, with the merriers. Open up, Goud.

— Ah, buddy, and you are merrymakers, come in, — and the owner, a tall hun, with a shaved head and a scythe on the back of his head, visible from under a felt hat, opened the gate for them. — Let’s go to the bathhouse from the road, — he saw a woman with a girl, — but first guests, — he smiled, — he added.

The bath was new, and was good, as Mika saw it, sitting next to the steamed Ilda. The daughter was completely happy, and her mother was glad that she obeyed the admonitions of the feeder. The hostess was called Rex, and her blonde daughter Satoy. Next to the bench was a jug of kvass and dry fish, to eat if anyone wants. Sata poured hot water from the badeyka, walked along the wet floor, squelching her legs, and poured kvass into a wooden plate.

— Ilda, will you? — she asked, pointing to the zhban.

“Yes,” the witch’s daughter smiled and held out her hands behind the bowl.

Sata poured still cool kvass into the wooden dishes, and gave it to a small guest, and she herself began to dry fish. She cleaned her dexterously, began to eat, but suddenly coughed, tried to breathe, but could not. The girl reddened even more, and fell to the floor. The women pulled her into the dressing room, Mika’s hands shook, and Rexha knocked on her daughter’s back, trying to help. The witch sighed heavily, took a piece of bast, opened Sata’s mouth wider, pulled out her tongue, and took out a bone with two fingers from her larynx. But the girl was not breathing. The crying Ilda came up, began to slow down the suffocated hand, and finally put the fingers of both hands on her forehead. Baby closed her eyes, and Mika only opened her eyes in surprise. Just red, steamed, my daughter’s face turned pale to pure white, and her lips turned blue. Volkhovitsa rushed to her, but then Sata sighed, and Rex pressed her daughter to her.

Ilda opened her eyes, the women looked at them, and did not believe their hearths — they were blacker than night. And then the baby cried, wailing at the top of her voice:

— Mom, I don’t see, — she said, choking with tears, and tried to rub her eyes with her fists, and then extended her arms, and her mother grabbed her, pressing her to herself.

— Do not be afraid, — she said, herself trembling with fear, despite the fact that only came out of the steam room, — will pass soon… You were just scared for Satu…

And the old lessons of Mary from Alatyr came to mind:

“It is rare that a true Witch will be born among people… Much is available to her, and even from the gates of Death she is able to return anyone. You will find out such a simple thing — how she will perform the action, heal, she turns pale, her lips turn blue, and fade for a while, her eyes turn black. Each Chosen One cherishes the hope of finding one, and growing a witch of the Great Power. But this is against the Covenant — it should immediately carry such a thing to Alatyr, so that evil does not do it out of ignorance and without a guess.”

— Don’t tell anyone, Rexha, and you’re Sata, about what happened. Otherwise, neither I nor Ilda will have a life. Everywhere evil people will get us.

“We will not say a word,” the hostess nodded, “and Sata will not say,” she said, looking her daughter in the eyes, “Thank you and your daughter.

“Come on, let’s get home,” Mika suggested, calming down the sobbing Ilda, stroking her back.

Sata sat gloomily on the bench, all staring with fright at the baby’s face. Ilda sat on her mother’s lap for a long time, and soon her eyes began to glow, and she shouted joyfully:

— I see, I see! — I brought my palms to my eyes, wiggling my fingers, and smiled joyfully with blue lips.

— Well, we went to dress, otherwise the merrymakers are waiting for their turn, — the hostess was delighted that everything worked out with the baby.

They left the bathhouse, and again the cheerful Sata followed her mother, and the women went to the house to comb their hair and cook a meal. Under the canopy, next to the house stood three tall moose, and busily crushed with twigs and grass. The daughter of the Volkhovitsa pulled her mother by the sleeve, pointing her finger at the dry ones with happiness on her face.

“They ride, my beauty,” said Mika, “it’s not easy to tame them, you have to feed the newborns, but then he is obedient, and the deer will be stronger. Let’s go, we are waiting for us already.

Lunch was a success, everyone ate and praised. Ilda also ate, and as if nothing had happened, she chatted with her feet. Rex and Sata ate, rather pushed food into themselves with difficulty, they joked hard, but both could not look away from a little guest. Mika looked around the house, her former. But there was no anger at Gouda in his heart, or maybe it was she herself who jinxed poor Sata?

The next morning, sleeping in warmth, Vataga went on. Mika and her daughter sat in their place, Kaley stood next to Unda, listening to the stories of an experienced sailor, and learned to distinguish between waves and how to rule a boat both in calm and in strong winds.

Day after day, and when there was half the way to Oum, the merrymakers, as always, pulled the boat ashore in the evening and set up a small camp. A fire was burning, crackling with damp wood, mosquitoes buzzed around, which were driven away by spruce branches. Everyone ate caught and then baked fish. The day before, they caught a lot of crucian carp, got fat and big, with a palm the size of. The merrymakers all encouraged each other by drinking warm herbal infusion, and then asked:

— Uncle Und! Tell us what — not be for the night. Entertaining!

— What can I tell you? — the feeder scratched his chin, — I don’t even know… — and spread his hands.

“Tell me about the Five Princesses who are sleeping now!” asked Kalei.

— Maybe it’s not worth it for the night? — the sailor doubted.

— Tell me, one of the merriers asked, adjusting the felt hat on his head.

“Okay, you asked for it,” Und began.

— It was a long time ago, when no one remembers. The first Princess was left to the Huns in consolation when the Twins retired to Mir Horny. People asked, and it was given to them, so much so that many tears were shed endlessly, as the First Dead Princess appeared. They do not come, but they are, and why — no one knows. Nobody remembers the names of the past Overlords, only, I suppose, Pryakhi on Alatyr knows all their names. And, now, She began to observe the order, but to heal people. And when they attacked us, she raised the squad of the Dead. And at least there were a few of them, only three hundred, but she beat the thieves. And so it continued, one replaced the other, until our Ulna fell asleep, but it was, read, eighty years ago. The princesses ruled for a long time each, who were two hundred years old and who were five hundred, but the end was one — they fell asleep in an unknown place, covered with ice like a blanket. And they say that there was a vision of Mare that there would be Seven Princesses in total, no more, no less, and there are madmen who believe that as the last fall asleep, the Gemini themselves will appear in the World of People, he finished, and drank honey from the ladle. — Let’s sleep, the morning of the evening is wiser.

Mika put her daughter on a felt next to her, and covered her with a cloak, and lay down next to herself. Suddenly, grumbling, crawled into Tyap’s tent. In the wrong light of the oil lamp, the witch saw that the dog had damaged his paw.

— Tyapa… my daughter smiled, give me a paw.

The dog, which Mick had not seen before, sat down and stretched out his right bleeding paw to Ilda. She just stroked her, and the blood stopped. The witch just swallowed, and sighed heavily. The dog in response licked the girl’s face several times, and she laughed, obscuring her palms. Mika escorted the dog, and sat down next to her daughter.

— Ilda, — and she kissed the girl’s freckled cheek, — I ask you, do not do this in front of strangers, otherwise be in trouble.

— Well, mom, — and she nodded her head in a completely adult way, — you will tell me how it will be better.

And Mika nodded to her daughter, hugged her tightly, gently stroking her hair.

***

Further, the path continued without incident, Kaley hurried Und and his merrymakers, wanting to be in Oum faster.

— I see the pier! — shouted Und, — and the ramparts of the city!

Kaley stood on the bow of the ship, looking impatiently at the long-awaited native land approaching with each wave of oar. There were few people on the pier, and the feeder, deciding to take care, dropped off the Messenger and the Volkhovitsa with the cargo before reaching the pier.

— Good luck! — shouted the feeder, and the ship slipped back into the lower Ob.

Healer of Oum

Kaley put the luggage in the sled, and dragged it to the pier, and Mika and Ilda went after him. The dog ran around them, walking along the path, sniffing around an unfamiliar place, raising his ears alarmingly and not far from the hostess. Only they met a couple of people, one hastily turned away and walked away, and the other went to say hello to the Herald.

— Glad you’re back, — grinned wryly, — Hello, madam, — greeted the magician with respect, — My name is Agn.

— I am Mika, and this is my daughter Ilda, — the healer called herself.

— Our magician, many people know about him, maybe you have in Gandvik, his name is Rann. — said the dear resident of Oum, — a serious misfortune has come, many people have died, and our healers too. Another magician remained, a pupil of Rann, Nimes. Now he is lying exhausted, but survived after an illness. He looked after many, but he also became infected. And all our healers were buried, so it’s a disaster, — he told everything, — It’s good that you wasn’t scared. Here is the house of the magician, — the guide pointed to two houses behind the wattle, a little more than usual.

Agn knocked on the gate, but it was not locked, and he entered the courtyard. The master dog barked, ran up to the guests, but only noticed a little girl, twisted his tail, and went to get acquainted, and sniffed his hands. Ilda could not stand it, first pulling her palms away, and then stroking someone else’s dog.

Agn stared at it in disbelief, only shaking his head.

— The master’s dog is not very… Well, yes, healers, because, — he muttered, — Let’s go to the upper room.

Mika tied Tyapa, and everyone climbed the stairs to the residential place of the house. The woman saw two men sitting at the table, one of whom, judging by his clothes, was the Magi Rann, a carved staff stood next to him by the wall. A woman was also sitting at the table, with her hair covered in a cape. The owners got up first, bowed.

— Be healthy, dear guests. Sit at the table, — suggested the Magi, — my name is Rann, Magi, — this is my wife, Alta.

— Ya-Skeer elder, ‘said another,” thank you for coming to us.

— My name is Mika, I am a witch from the Chosen. This is my daughter Ilda, and the woman pointed to the girl. — What happened, Magi Rann, what kind of brushwood came to the city, — she said, sitting the girl, and sitting next to her on the bench.

— It became bad without Ulna, as the old people say, but nothing can be done… And Skir forced people to sit at home, but it doesn’t help, they began to die less… And herbs too…

— And what kind of famously piled on? — asked Mika

— Bellies suffer…

— Make everyone drink only water boiled in boilers… And where did the disease begin, in which villages, is it far from the city?

— First… and he thought, but began to tap the staff, remembering — yes, in the villages, closer to the steppe, then we continued.

— Herbs sick need to cook, more hot drink. Brew rosehips and thistles, I brought two bales with me. All this will help the unwell liver to survive the disease. If the liver is weak, then the unwell will die, and that will survive.

Suddenly, the girl began to pull her mother’s sleeve, and Mika leaned over to listen to her daughter. Ilda whispered in her mother’s ear

— Skir is sick…

“How do you know?” she replied.

— I see… the strip is black.

— Will you treat?

Ilda nodded, and sat down at attention next to her mother, clasping her fingers in the castle. Mika sighed, looked at the girl again.

— Skir, you’re sick, — the witch said quietly

The elder just grinned into a thick beard, looked at Rann, only he did not smile.

“What herbs can you order to drink?” he asked.

— Everything will be different, — Mika smiled with one lips, — swear that do no harm to me or my daughter, — she looked strictly at everyone.

— We swear, both Rann and Skeer repeated, and Alta held her fist to her forehead.

— Look, — the witch said very quietly, — Ilda, come on, do what you should.

The three adults were dumbfounded to see the little girl sit next to Skir and place her palms on his forehead. Rann and Alta did not believe their eyes, and Skeer simply closed them. You could hear how in the cell it was burning and slightly crackling the wick of the oil lamp on the table, and as if the shadows ran along the upper room. They noticed how the girl’s face turned white, she exhaled air, and like a leech pumping blood, fell off the elder, picked up by Mika. Ilda hid her face, poking her nose into her mother’s shoulder. Skir got up, and not believing himself, ran his fingers across his chest.

“It’s easy to breathe,” said the elder, smiling, “thank you, girl. But everyone does not need to see this, — he said confidently. — that the unkind, or rather, their loved ones, did not see this. Take the canvas. Alta, bring it! Here after him and heal that the temptation would not arise from people that from all Ilda will cure.

— Of course, Skir, — Rann began importantly, — I will walk with them, I will not give offense to the girl.

***

And so the cure began. Three came to the unwell house, Rann immediately lit incense, went around the whole house, expelling the filth. Mika checked the sick, hung the canvas so that the healthy would not see anything that she was doing there, and the cunning magician so skillfully let the fog in, not sparing the burnt incense, so that no one paid attention to the little girl healing everyone, even the dying. Suffering people thought that the Mighty Witch was carrying a funny, freckled girl with her, so that she would gain medicine skills, and maybe the sorceress from distant Gandvik had no one to leave the child with. Then the skillful Volkhovitsa removed the fabric, blocking her girl, and happy households saw cured loved ones. And Mika and Ilda quickly disappeared, Rann remained, warmly accepting the gratitude of the healed.

But Mika did not go to more than two houses on the same day, not wanting her daughter to get so tired. The girl’s strength grew, and by the end of the week she was no longer blind, only she turned very pale every time, giving her strength to people. A month later, the evil Likhomanka began to weaken, and a month later the people of the village recovered.

Rann and Skeer could not get enough of the visiting witch. No one could help them, or did not want to, and here such happiness. The mother and daughter lived in the guest house of the Magi, Tyapa was always tied to his booth, so as not to fight with the owner’s dog, who was also sitting on a leash.

Magus and Elder sat at the table, satisfied and cheerful…

— Rann, what do you say? Let’s let Mika and Ilda go? They did everything as it was agreed, “Skir asked, thoughtfully rubbing his finger on the countertop without raising his eyes.

— I probably decided everything myself… The house was set up for her, according to custom, not in the village, — said the Magi, — The old house of the deceased witch, Kraki, we burned from sin. So everything is done. And the tower is nearby, for the unwell, too.

— Well, you have to thank… And how is she here alone? — the elder echoed him, — It would be necessary to find which old woman, who would help with the housework, but watched her daughter.

“You have to give a cow, a couple of deer, if you have to drag drags or sledges,” Rann added, “jade, furs, grains, everything that would be according to custom.”

— Let’s go then to her, or maybe the knots are already tied, I got ready for my Gandvik, — Skir grinned, — I made a staff for her.

***

It was twenty steps to walk to the tower of the Magi, so soon Rann was already knocking lightly on the door of the witch’s abode.

“Who’s here?” Ilda rang out.

— Rann is, Magi, — the man called himself, — they came with Skir, an elder.

“Come in,” the girl answered, unlocking the door creaking on the willow hinges, “Mom is upstairs in the upper room.

They went upstairs, treading the creaking steps of the stairs. And right, the witch collected baskets standing on the floor, and next to the bench stood two bales, and lari with the lids thrown back, where the hostess put the goodness.

— Hello to you, hostess — Skir greeted you first, — we came here with the hotel, — he continued, putting the casket on the table, and laying out gifts — this is jade, this is sable to you, — he said, shaking a dozen skins, inflating a beautiful undercoat, — sheepskin sheepskin coats to you and your daughter. And so, the most important thing, — he said, removing the mattress from the carved staff, — this is for you, Light Mick, and we ask you to be a witch in Oum. Stay here, why should you go back to Gandwick? No winter, no summer. And here — and apple trees grow, it’s warm in the summer, mountain oil does not spill, it’s very good with us, — the elder praised his native places, — they put you a house, okay, with windows.

— Great honor, Light Rann, and Light Skir is grateful to you, for kindness and for affection. If you call, then I will stay, but give forward a firm word that do not drive away the evil libel, but that no one will wish Ilda bad. And if not, then I will go to Gandwick, Gemini are witnesses. In Lukomorye, sorcerers are granted.

Rann and Skir exchanged glances, whispered for a short time, and they hit the floor of the upper room with staffs, so the shops trembled:

— To be according to this, — the Magi said loudly, — and I will not give news about Ilda to Alatyr that they would not take your daughter away from you.

— I agree with Rann, — approved Skir, — everything will be persuaded. Let’s go and show you your new home.

He harnessed Him, the novice of the magician, deer in drag, put all the good of the witch, and the sons of Skir took the cow to Mika’s house. The witch and her daughter followed, and their dog ran after them. The house stood not far from Oum, in a sparse forest, it was necessary to walk somewhere with two thousand steps. Indeed, the house is beautiful and cool, there was a small tower nearby, and three sheds surrounded by a high wattle, with a gate and a strong gate. Mika and Ilda went around the house, and the windows, tightened with a bull bubble, the doors were covered with felt from the inside for warmth. In the basement and the glacier was, and supplies in the stalls.

“See, Mom, how good,” said the girl, going around the house.

— So it is so.. — the witch agreed, all waiting for some trick.

We returned to Oum, to his ramparts, to thank Skir. Near the fortress, on the blockage near the old house, an elderly woman was sitting, nannying the doll. The doll was in a felt jacket, embroidered with a dress, and a handkerchief, and as expected by custom, without a face, but only a knitted canvas instead.

“Who is this?” asked Micah, the woman walking past her.

“This, madam,” said a passer-by respectfully, “unfortunate Digna, everyone died in the wind, and the last little Asna. So Digna entered the Kingdom of the gods after her, without dying, she became a fool. We bring her food, they don’t cook food for themselves, they just sit here, and nurse the doll, “the woman said, brushing away a tear, and went on.

“I didn’t help everyone,” said Ilda, grabbing her mother’s hand, “I didn’t have time,” and burst into tears.

So she went, stumbling and smearing tears, to the woman, holding out her hands to the unfortunate. The girl went up to the woman, took her hand, and said:

“Forgive me,” she said, sniffing, “I didn’t have time… A long way from Gandvik…

— Asna? — first asked the foolish raising her cloudy eyes to the girl, — Did Ella let you see me? Girl, why are you crying? she asked clearly, and looked in surprise at the doll lying on her lap.

— Ilda. Ya — Ilda, — the young witch called herself, — here is my mother, — and she pointed to the approaching Mika, — forgive me that I did not have time to help your family. If you are alone, maybe you will live with us? Everything is more fun than one in an empty house.

— You are not local, — said Digna, — that means, they came from afar. Know, so destined for me, but thank you, glory, that the mind returned to me. I’ll go wash my face.

Mick and Ilda thanked Rann and Skir, but got ready to go home, Nimes and the sons of Skir went to see them off. At the path stood Digna, with a bag behind her back, and skids with a simple belongings. Seeing the witch, the woman bowed to her.

“I am going to see you. What is one to do in four walls and sit?

“We are glad for you,” Mika said she hugged and kissed the woman, “but you must promise us, Digna, that whatever you see and hear, you will not tell strangers.”

“No one will know anything about you, witch,” the woman bowed low.

So Digna began to live with them. Mika did not know how to manage her house. A cow, a farm, and unworthy people come, or more often they bring relatives on skids, they would not have had time everywhere. She helped many herself, treated with herbs, and conspiracies, sometimes behind the fence Ilda cured the worst.

***

Digna was spinning with the cow, something was wrong with the nurse.

— Ilda! — the woman called, wiping her hands with hay, and then pouring water from an old jug, — Ilda! Come! she repeated again.

The girl came, with her beloved doll in her arms.

“Yes, Digna, here I am,” she replied, approaching the woman.

— Look, be kind, what with our drill.

She just nodded, went into the barn and was already stroking the face of a cocky cow, stroking her right side.

“It’s all right now. She said it in time. I’ll go, now the mother will teach herbs to disassemble, — and the girl ran to the house.

Digna laid bast buckets for milk, put leather buckets for deer nearby, which the shepherd took early in the morning for long-distance grazing. The woman looked at the sky, covering her eyes with her palm, but she thought:

“Soon to cook lunch, the oven is already hot.”

But then they knocked on the gate, their dog barked for order, and the woman went to open. Four people removed a stretcher with a sick person from the skid. The woman, adjusting her handkerchief, looked strictly at those who were asking, and looked carefully again at the one who was lying. The man bent down to the patient, adjusting the blanket on his chest, and looked inquisitively at the key holder. Digna sighed, looking away, took out a simple wooden mirror with a bronze polished plate from a bag on her belt, a gift from Mika. She turned it over with the reflective side towards her, rubbed it with an apron and brought it to the lips lying on a stretcher. Digna held the mirror to her eyes, checking to see if the surface was cloudy, and only sighed wearily.

“Mika won’t help here. He died, your comrade, — she said firmly, but lowered her eyes, feeling someone else’s grief.

— Can the Light of Mick look at our friend? — the young man asked with hope, — she saved me, after all.

— You were still breathing, you were alive, — the key holder added harshly, — and your friend died. Or do you want Mike’s Guardians of Peace to burn out the mind? She cannot resurrect the Dead, not according to the Law.

— We have a lot of sables, jade and hot gold, all of it will be. ‘and said another quietly.

“Go away. She’s not one of the gods, “said the key keeper, slamming the gate in front of the supplicants.

Digna tiredly sat on the blockage, catching her breath, looked at the gate again, and the door of the house.

“It’s not easy living here, oh it’s not easy. But before I thought — see how well the doctors and the witch live — treat yourself and treat yourself, but only gifts are brought to you. And Ilda, as she gets it, was taken to the bathhouse twice with her mother, soaked in a trough with herbs and honey, barely moved away, angry..”

I just thought, and then Ilda came running, all with her doll.

“What is wrong with you,” the girl frowned, “sit still,” and took the woman by the hand, and her hand seemed to burn, so Digna closed her eyes. “That’s all right now,” said Ilda in a deaf voice.

The woman looked at the child, and she was stunned — again she was with a white face, black eyes and blue lips, and was laughing.

“Now it’s good,” she said, groping for a shop, “I’ll sit here until it passes, otherwise my mother will scream. The heart beats smoothly, — she said to the housekeeper.

Digna felt, again as before, and did not choke anymore.

“It’s hard here,” the girl said, looking away with blind eyes, “they brought the dying man?”

— Dead.

“I can’t look them in the eye. Brotherhood. — Ilda added, wiping away tears — thanks for helping…

— Don’t twist… Your mother will send you to Alatyr, rest from someone else’s pain, gain intelligence…

— No, mother said, won’t send me there, is afraid that will lock me in grief forever. Pryakh is afraid. — and she raised her fingers to her eyes, — like I see, let’s go eat? — and she smiled at the housekeeper.

— Oh, baby, — and Digna kissed the girl on the still hard cheek, — wait, everything will be ready soon. And now drink some honey.

The woman poured honey into a wooden cup for the girl, she got drunk, and returned to her mother’s room to remember her instructions. The lesson lasted a long time — Ilda remembered the herbs, the names, how to brew correctly and in what dishes to keep — where wooden, linden, where made of clay, and where bronze was good.

***

And so eight years passed. Ilda became adept at medicinal secrets, became knowledgeable in herbs, and knew the way through the stars, and she was a craftswoman in the household, but, as before, she cured like a witch only by touching her hand. The neighbors are already used to the fact that neither Digna nor Mika are old at all, and a cow has been living in the house of sorcerers for two centuries in cow years. And the dog is not a hindrance, he is healthy, but he runs around the yard like a puppy.

One day, after curing a hunter crushed by a wild boar, there was a knock on the gate. Digna went to see, distracted from chores.

“Who is there?” she asked harshly, for the sake of the ostrum.

— Pirga I, son of Knuv, the hunter yesterday cured Mick and Ild, I am his son.

— Come in, once on business, loach, — the key keeper opened the gate.

A boy entered, with protruding, almost shoulder-length curls on his shaved head, breaking out from under his hat. He was wearing a felt jacket, still cold, belted with a wicker elegant strap, simple gray pants on his feet, and soft boots. The lad, like a lad, is young and handsome, and led about a small calf, on funny twig legs, and put a big basket on the ground and took off the bag from behind.

— Sit down, tired, I suppose, — the smiling woman invited him, adjusting his apron and not crumpled skirt. — Now I’ll call Ilda.

“The groom is at least where for our beauty, otherwise she does not see anyone but the sick. What a joy, some unkind…”

A satisfied Digna walked and thought, treating Ilda, if not as a daughter, then as a granddaughter for sure. She entered the upper room, and Ilda is all in tears, stands in front of her mother, and she says to her:

— Do not think, daughter, that people are kind, evil and envious. We will not hide and drive away, or even our house will be burned, and we will be together with the house. I know for myself. They don’t know how you use them — it’s good for them and for you. They will find out, they will be afraid, they will want to kill you, there is no other way. Or they will be sent to Alatyr forever.

— Spinners, from Alatyr, they are kind, they say, they ask if I want to stay with them, — the girl muttered with her nose.

— Kind… If so… They always do as they should. And one of the three — and she poked her finger in the girl’s chest — is like you… I went through an art with her… Cried, girl, but stayed there… Just, one of the Recluses went along the ice path, lay down in the Ice Grave, and Tira remained instead of her, even her name was taken away…

— Mika, there is the son of Knuv, yesterday’s good son, came to thank, Ilda calls.

— OK, “Mika said, but didn’t chuckle well,” go girl. Just wipe your tears, and gave her a scarf.

Ilda wiped away her tears, looked into a donated bronze mirror, perfectly polished, with a handle in the form of two moose with branched horns.

“Beautiful,” my mother said kindly, and kissed me on the cheek.

The young witch, slowly, as it should, walked down, and saw a young man sitting on the bench. She fastidiously appreciated, without saying a word, and coughed to turn around. The boy jumped up, stood in front of the girl, and blushed. Mika’s daughter was beautiful, and she differed from the inhabitants of Oum in ashen hair, but she was just as tall.

— Be healthy Light Ilda, ya — son of Knuv, you cured him yesterday. My father is already walking, — the boy smiled, — my name is Pirga, and these are your gifts, from our family.

Ilda looked at the young man, was good-looking, tall, like all the Huns, and her hair, not like hers, was ashy, but reddish, getting out of the back of her hat.

— These are gifts to you, — and he opened the bag, laying out rich furs, — that’s more, — and pointed to a funny calf, immediately pulling its muzzle, with such shiny eyes… — and here… — already tentatively put a basket in front of her, and removed the slingshot from above, showing what was inside.

And there was a small wolf cub, still gray, with a small tail, as Pirga opened the basket, immediately began to poke into the bars with a black nose. It seemed to Ilda that she said thank you, but she only squeaked, unable to say anything with delight, turning her eyes from a wolf cub to a calf.

— Rumor goes that the witches love wolves, — the young man said uncertainly, — and the calf itself feed from the nipple, — and he put a nipple made of sheep’s udder in front of it, — he will get used to it, he will run after you like a dog, even when he grows up.

Ilda stroked the calf uncertainly, he immediately began to lick her fingers.

— Now, — take it, — and the young man gave her a nipple, nimbly filled with cow’s milk by the ubiquitous key holder.

The girl brought the nipple to the calf, and he began to nimbly pull milk, choking a little at first.

— Well, that’s great. I’ll go, — Pirga said uncertainly, looking around the girl he liked, — can you come later?

“Come,” the girl smiled, continuing to feed the gluttonous calf.

Digna accompanied the guest, nodded to him goodbye.

“Happy to you, lad,” said the housekeeper, waving her handkerchief.

The woman returned to the girl, and helped take the calf to the barn, where they took him a separate nursery. In the other half there were two deer, which were occasionally harnessed to draggers in summer or sleighs in winter.

A wolf cub lay alone in the basket, occasionally whining. The housekeeper also gave him milk, but poured it into an old wooden plate.

“What will Mom say?” Ilda said, and looked at the woman. — about the wolf cub?

“I don’t know,” Digna shrugged, “as she finds it.

The girl sighed, and went upstairs, to the upper room, with a basket in her hand, in which the wolf cub was sitting. She hardly climbed the stairs, and each next step was harder than the last. Carefully opened the door to the upper room, looking around anxiously.

“Here I am, Ilda. — there was a voice, — I disassemble the chest.

— Come, — asked the girl, — look what the son of the cured gave, — showed the mother’s daughter a gift.

The woman just looked into the basket, and turned pale, staggering. But she quickly came to her senses, pursed her red lips, grabbed a bronze knife, and handed it to Ilda with a hilt.

— Kill him girl, kill with your hand, right now and kill him…

“I can’t… Ilda said hesitantly, moving away from her mother one step, and putting the basket behind her back.

— Kill, please… — Mika was approaching her daughter

She desperately looked at her hand with a dagger, like a mouse on a viper, rested her back against the wall of the house and dropped the basket. The animal’s wicker house fell to the floor, he fell out and boards, hit and turned offended, and went to the girl on his thick paws.

— Kill him… Do you want to kneel… Mika said, dropping to the floor in front of her daughter, so trust me… — lowered her face to the floor, — or then kill me, — she shouted, raising her feverishly shiny eyes to Ilda, finding her daughter’s hands, and put a wooden knife handle in them, so that the blade rested against her mother’s neck, next to a nervously twitching vein.

— No, no, — Ilda moved away from her

— Kill it!!! ‘the daughter’s mother screamed wildly.

Ilda with a white face, helplessly open lips awkwardly tried to move away, but there was very little space, she began to fall, catching her foot on the floor board. So she fell, with a dagger forward, directed directly into her mother’s chest. The wolf cub seemed to be playing with him, and jumped, hitting right with his small heart on a bronze point. It seemed to Ilda as if time had frozen — she saw how a gray fur ball was strung on a knife, and at first, even the blood did not flow, only as if the flesh had just opened. I saw my mother covering her face with her palm from the splashing blood, and the next moment the girl let go of the knife from her hand, and fell on her knees in a big way on the boardwalk of the room. She saw the already punched through immovable body of a wolf cub, and her mother, perplexedly wiping blood from her face.

Ilda screamed in the womb and terribly, grabbing herself by the hair, and began to beat her head on the floor. Mika rubbed her face with an apron, and grabbed her shoulders, trying to hold her daughter, beating in a fit, but where there! In fear, she screamed strongly as soon as she could:

— Digna, help!

There was a noise on the stairs, and the housekeeper, just glanced at the pool of blood on the floor, quickly grabbed a towel, tying their hands with a growling already completely animal-like Ilda. The mother tried to hold her daughter rolling on the floor and smearing blood on her clothes and face, while Digna tied the girl’s legs, and together they put a young healer smeared in blood on the bench.

— Open her mouth, — said Mika, sticking a wooden plate so that she would not break her teeth.

Digna looked at the trembling witch, with her face in wolf blood. Her hands were shaking herself when she looked at the always so kind Ilda, violently breathing, lying and bound, with bloodshot eyes, vainly trying to break the bond.

— Digna, — Mika croaked, — run after Rann, we will cast Ilda with water. No way without him.

The woman just nodded, because right gold, not a woman — wrapped the wolf calf in a mattress, took it with her. She hurried to the village, away from the terrible house.

Mika took a trough of water, and began to wipe her daughter’s face from blood with a damp rag. Everyone looked at her with her blue eyes white with anger, and her lips began to curl in an unfamiliar grin. A weak piece of wood crumbled under strong teeth, her daughter’s face turned pale, so that it was as if all the blood had been poured to the last drop, and her lips turned blue. Here in a deaf, grave voice, she spoke:

— What do you think it will be, since my servant killed?, — said something with the lips of her daughter, — and she will not serve me, since Gray will not be near? — she laughed terribly, — In vain you are trying, the day will come, she will turn to me.

And only she said it, as Ilda closed her eyes, and as if she had fallen asleep. Mika washed everything from her face, then from her hands, and noticed that her daughter’s face was turning pink, and she sighed convulsively several times, and was already looking at her mother with surprised eyes, not understanding her tied arms and legs.

— Mom, what’s wrong with me? — the girl asked with fear, twitching her hands.

— So, nothing, — answered Mika, thinking what to lie? It’s good that the sensible Digna dragged the wolf calf away, and hid the knife in the blood away. — Wrestling studied how bound will free, and you won, the head hit, I on a bench and put. Does it hurt your head? the mother asked anxiously.

— So, a little… Yes, I got all dirty, — Ilda frowned, looking at her dress in the drips of blood.

“There is more,” Mika waved her hand carelessly, “the bowl of blood was turned over, which was for a stew. Tomorrow we will study the struggle in the yard, it’s not a matter of messing around at home. Yes, how to develop flexibility, twist joints, which no one would tie.

— Exactly… her daughter nodded uncertainly.

The woman went to the stall, took out a new dress, and gave it to Ilda.

— Change clothes, and in this you will feed your calf.

— I am now, — the girl smiled uncertainly, putting on a new dress, — they gave me… A young man came, thanked, — the girl said uncertainly, holding her forehead with her right hand, — Let’s go, I’ll show you, — she adjusted the floor of a simple gray dress, and pulled her mother from the room into the yard.

Mika sighed with relief, hiding her shaking hands from her daughter’s eyes, and smiling strainedly, went after her. She almost fell on the stairs, entangled in her legs, but Ilda, laughing, grabbed her hand and prevented her from twisting her leg.

— You’re like, mom, — the girl asked with concern, touching her wrist, — everything seems to be fine..

They quickly went into the barn, and the calf immediately roared, recognizing the hostess. Ilda came up, stroked the pet, and began to comb the short hair with a brush.

— You yourself will have to feed, no matter what you get used to others… — Mika said with concern, — my father had an elk, and he did not let strangers near him. And come up with a name, not without a name.

— I can handle it, — Ilda smiled, — and I’ll call him Kariy, he has a haircut…

While they were talking, and Mika milked the cow, the girl heard the gate open, Tyap barked habitually, and she heard Rann’s voice and looked out of the barn. Magus did not come alone, an assistant to Him followed him importantly, and Digna looked out from behind, as if expecting something unkind. The young witch doctor, not understanding what was the matter, shouted to the key keeper:

— Guests come to us?

— Yes, — the woman answered with a broken voice, and throwing up her hands, hurried to the girl.

Mika got up, almost knocking over a bucket of milk with her knee, hit her elbow on a wooden pole, hastily making signs to the key holder. Digna immediately smiled, went around the yard immediately sedately and leisurely.

— We decided to come in, baby. To see how you live, — and the housekeeper began to hastily wink at the approaching Rann, why he simply lost his speech, frowned and squeezed his lips.

— Hello grandfather Rann, — the girl greeted, — you see, they gave me a calf, — she boasted.

— A kind gift, — the magician gave, leaning on his carved staff.

And the women who got up behind the girl showed signs to the magi to keep quiet about everything. The main thing is why his housekeeper called to the forest house. Rann was clear, smiled, and talked to Ilda without telling her why he came. But leaving, he could not restrain himself, and forged a witch.

— And you, Mika, need to drink a decoction of willow bark for health. Yes, more!

— I will not forget, Magi, your participation, — answered the medicine woman, often bowing low.

***

So two more years passed. Ilda was fifteen years old, as her adoptive mother thought, although she did not know for sure, she judged the girl by the teeth when she found her. and no matter how Rann tried to force Mika to send her daughter to Alatyr, to accept the initiation, everything was in vain. The witch always remembered the oath given to her by the magi, and was dissuaded by the fact that her girl did not need it yet. The elk grew up, and often carried on himself also a grown-up girl into the forest, or into the distant steppe, but only the elk did not really like it there.

Mika went to the yard on business, disassembled unnecessary utensils in the barn, saw Pirga and her daughter making a harness for the elk, fitting a felt saddle on his back.

— Brown is not a dog, look, be careful, — said the witch passing by.

— Good afternoon, Mika, — the young man said hastily, but already with a braid only on the back of his head, apparently, he had already passed the art and became a man.

— Hello, good fellow, — answered the woman.

— I will not lie down, — said the girl, hugging the pet’s face.

“I’m not talking about you,” the mother laughed at her daughter’s words, “lunch is coming.” Digne help while I manage in the barn. Pyrga, stay, sing with us.

“I’ll help you in the barn,” he said.

Together, things went faster, and shovels, rakes, braids and sickles, poles, everything was laid now, as it should.

— Mika Svet Seevna, — the young man said firmly, trying not to worry, — Can I send matchmakers to your daughter? Lyuba she me.

— Aren’t you afraid? Mika said wearily, trying to find kinder words for the answer, — you know, she is not simple, it will be hard for you with her. And he knows secrets, heals people and animals.

“No, I know that.

— Well, if so decided, let your father send matchmakers in a year, then you will ask your daughter for a decision.

Pirga nodded, agreeing. Mika poured water on his hands, then he would not sit down with dirty people at the table.

Ilda and Digna set the table with four bowls and spoons made from lime wood. They laid out fish, ordinary food, and yogurt in wooden bowls to wash down. They ate quickly, Pirga was getting ready to go home.

— I’m going to the forest, go around the traps. Will you let Ilda go with me? — the young man turned to the witch.

— Is it a girl’s business to drag into the forest, but with the guys? — Mika shrugged.

“No, I’ll go alone,” Pirga smiled.

— Let go, mother, — asked Ilda smiling with her honey smile, — what will happen?

“Let her go,” Digna said quietly, putting her palm on the lady’s hand.

Mika just sighed, and although it became heavy in her chest, like a ferret bit into her heart, nodded. After all, there is no one with whom the daughter goes, and with the groom, the mother lets go to the forest.

— Go, only a guard, everything happens in the forest, — the witch answered.

***

The week passed quickly, as if an arrow had flown. Mother collected bread and salt on the road, put felt bedding so that her daughter would not freeze on the ground. It turned out to be two packs, for an elk like Kariy, just a fluff. Ilda herself saddled her favorite, threw a light bridle of embossed leather. She tied the packs to the saddle so that the luggage would not fall to the ground.

— Let’s sit down on the track, said Digna, pulling at the sleeves of her mother and daughter, sitting next to her, left and right.

Ilda sat down on the left, adjusting her camp outfit, and looked with pleasure at suede pants, palm boots and a felt jacket. The hat was also beautiful, with embroidery, but the girl did not forget about the medicinal sum hanging on her left side. There was also a weapon — a bronze ax, a club, a dagger, and a bow with arrows.

“Come back soon,” said Micah, opening the gate and letting out the rider, who sat deftly on the owner of the forests. Kariy trotted, sometimes squinting at the hostess, checking if she was there. Pirga was already waiting for them near the outskirts, on his dry, and next to him was his dog, Zvonko. And right, the name fit, he barked passionately when he saw the girl on horseback. Kariy, as if thinking, lowered his head down, and the dog ran away a little, ceasing to bark.

— Hello, Ilda, you are doing great, — the young man praised, — Moved!

And they trotted their mounts, and the forked hooves of strong animals banged on the hard ground of the road into the forest. Two men who were pulling deer met them. They brought firewood and branches from the forest, one of the fellow travelers raised his hand, greeting Pirga, the young man greeted back. The girl has long been accustomed to riding, and kept well. Ilda only painted on the way from a light wind, and pleasure from walking. At home, she was already tired of many ailments and unworthy. Glory ran ahead of her, and from distant lands the suffering hurried to Oum, begging her for help. It was a week before the Summer Solstice celebrations began, and the mother ordered to return four days later. The girl brushed aside the horseflies with a twig, since there were not many of them here, but by the evening the midge would prevail..

The forest was already nearby, they rode among rarely standing trees, smelled of needles, and both riders let the moose step, and they themselves removed the thick, low-hanging branches from their faces.

The birds warned that strangers entered the forest with their dragonflies, sitting on distant branches. The young man led his bride to the capture, a small house with a barn nearby, where you could eat and spend the night, so that the next morning you could move around your traps for hunting prey and honey boards. We drove up to the hut, standing on stilts, up to the platform, but a narrow staircase led, and a house was built on the platform. They took off the packs of scarb from the elk, and Ilda took the dry people to the barn, putting food for them in the nursery. She closed the door, putting the pole in the outer strong brackets, so that the inhabitants of the forest would not damage the dry ones, she touched if the barn doors would open themselves. No, the boards were strong, albeit old, and the willow hinges on which they hung were renewed. The girl calmed down and ran through the old wood, feeling her pattern with her fingers.

“Don’t worry, Kariy,” she whispered, and heard the grunting back.

In the window of the forest house through the bull bubble of the window, she saw the light of a lighted lamp, raised her head, nodded herself in the evening, the sun set, and the mosquitoes went hunting. Ilda climbed the stairs, opened the door in the canopy, dusted off her boots, and went into the living room. Pyrga sat at a table, about to use a wooden spoon to arrange food into bowls. Nearby, on the boardwalk, sat his dog, waiting for his share.

“Meat or fish?” he asked simply.

— Fish.

Pirga put her smoked fish in a bowl, and took a piece of fatty venison for himself, deftly grabbing the meat from the bones with a bronze knife. Deer ribs remained in his hand, he beckoned the dog, and left the house, Zvonko rushed after him.

The young man returned, closing the door, poured a honey drink from fur into the wooden bowl of Ilda, then himself. An oil clay lamp burned, dimly illuminating the table and the unwise meal. The room, off the table around them, was sinking in the twilight. They finished everything quickly, and covering the empty bowls with a piece of canvas, began to prepare for the night, laid out felt litters and blankets on the benches. Pirga left the light fixture on fire, putting it in a bowl of water for fear of fire.

“It’s time to sleep. — he said to the girl, — go to bed, otherwise tomorrow I’ll raise it early, we’ll go out.

“And good night to you,” the girl smiled.

Travelers, hiding with felt raincoats, quickly fell asleep. They got up early, washed cold by the stream, Ilda fed the animals in the barn, giving them fresh hay, and brought water to drink. The young man and the girl, hastily eating, not forgetting, however, about the bow and arrow, walked along the forest path. Loudly did not run far from the owner, and did not scare off the forest inhabitants by barking. Pirga, on the other hand, carefully looked at the notches in the trees so as not to stray from the path, and walked around the traps. Behind him and the girl’s back was a large birch bark box, where hunters collected prey. Several hares, a couple of martens, and three weasels, four black grouse were caught. They went on and on, the young man again cocked traps and strangles, leaving bait, so that later he would not be left without prey.

— We go in turn for the prey, — he said, leaning down and cocking the trap, — Other hunters, from other families, have their own traps, their own tavern in the trees. They also check the boards, but this father and uncle are engaged, so as not to damage the bees and not be left without honey. — explained Pirga, — not tired?

— No, I only go to mushrooms, — the girl laughed quietly, looking with pleasure at the dexterous guy. — you can continue to go.

Ilda saw Pirga looking at the claw marks on the bark of the pines, that the young man’s face lit up with a smile.

“What are you up to?” she said.

— The bear is wandering nearby, maybe a connecting rod… — Pirga suddenly came to his senses, looking at the sky, — it is necessary to return, the sky darkens.

They came to the capture, changed into old clothes, and took the workers’ knives, began to engage in butchering, and take off their skins so that the good would not disappear. The meat of birds and hares, removed from the bones, was salted, put in linden buckets, saving food. But one black grouse, gutted, was covered with clay, and salted, buried in the coals of a fire, preparing dinner for itself.

The skins of martens, weasels and hares were stretched out on the braces so that they would not cringe, drying out. Next to the pillars of the house, caress and martens Zvonko raged over the bones and meat, who today got a lot of food. On a fired fire, they boiled water in a cauldron, brewing herbal infusion for a meal. The girl then poured the finished drink into a thick stone pot in the house.

Evening came, and Pirga, taking a bronze rod, took out a ripened dinner from the burnt coals of the fire. Clay fell off from dexterous blows along with feathers, the young man divided the bird carcass with a knife for two, putting it in wooden bowls.

— The smell is great, “Ilda agreed, pushing her food towards her.

— Black grouse is always good, — the young man smiled, also starting to eat.

Washed down the braised grouse with an infusion of herbs, so dinner was great. The day went well, and the girl fell asleep with a happy smile, thinking that tomorrow morning would be even better.

***

Ilda, shuddering, woke up when the bright sun was already easily breaking through the window covered with a bull bubble, and his golden rays, like gentle hands, began to stroke the girl in the face. The whole room was full of light, as if the sun itself had come to visit them. The girl jerked off the felt blanket and looked around anxiously. Pirga’s shop was removed, his bow with arrows on the wall was not. She, pursing her lips, quickly dressed and fought, and left the house on the platform, thinking that the young man was somewhere nearby. She quickly finished her part of the remains of the grouse, leaving Pirge half, and covered the food with another bowl. She did not sit at home, and already, judging by the sun, the day was approaching noon. Again she sat down on the bench next to the barn, feeding and drinking the dry, and then, in impatience, began to walk next to her again.

with a capture, then playing with his knife, then in powerlessness putting his hands behind the waist belt. The young medicine woman simply did not know what to do, and began to get angry with despair.

“Where did he go?” the girl said aloud to herself.

Suddenly, far away in the forest, there was a plaintive dog howl. Ilda flew up the stairs, jumped into the house, threw a bow and a quiver with arrows behind her back, thought she put it behind the belt and the bronze ax, and did not forget about the dagger. She rushed to the barn, taking Karego out, instantly saddled up and drove to the path leading to the thicket. Again there was a dog howl, turning out the soul. Ilda looked around, tried to see where the dog was, breathed often, often, anticipating trouble.

“Just don’t die there,” she said to herself, “hold out longer…

She sent a plow to the trees, from which the howl of Calls was heard… The elk easily passed where the person would not pass, broke through thick branches and bushes, and now, Ilda saw Zvonko’s skin covered in blood. The dog tried to rise on his front paws, but only his head rose, and then again powerlessly fell on his paws. The girl jumped off the dry, went up to the dog, and put her palms on the wounded dog. Two sighs — and Zvonko is already spinning, no matter how it happened, around the girl. Ilda opened her eyes, returned to Karem with an unsteady gait, with difficulty perching on him.

— Ringing! Owner, look! — She Podzarova Dog, holding on to the bridle.

The dog jumped up, and looking back at her, ran into the thicket of the forest, pressing his nose to the ground. Ilda tried to keep up with the guide, although a couple of times she got a branch in the face. Suddenly the elk snatched and turned around, disobeying the hostess, lowered his head, decorated with horns, and walked to the nearest bushes. The girl, shuddering, saw a wolf in the bushes, pressing her ears to her head and growling furiously at them. Karego was not frightened by this, and he hit the horns of a jumping wolf, and when the fierce beast bounced, he inflicted a terrible blow with the hoof of his right front leg. There was an unpleasant crunch, and the dead wolf spread out next to the pine. Carius lowered his head, sniffing, sniffed, and carried the mistress after the dog.

Ilda only caught her breath, not having time to take the club, and kept even tighter in the saddle. The dry man carried her to the clearing, on the edge of which lay a hunting spear, with a tip stained in blood. In the raspberry bushes, Zvonko barked invitingly, called her to him. The young healer dismounted, and quickly went to the dog, and after her, not lagging behind, sniffing and snorting, her elk walked.

Ilda saw the crushed and broken bushes, darkening blood on the ground, and the lying bear-claw Pirg. The blood was still flowing from the wound on the stomach and shoulder, the young man’s eyes were closed, his fingers were twisted from unbearable pain. The girl did not even think about anything, knelt next to the body, and put her palms on a warm forehead. She only managed to breathe twice when she lost consciousness.

Conversion. Undead and Dead

Suddenly she found herself in an unfamiliar place, where even the air was viscous, and every movement seemed to sink in it. Everything around was gray and dull, even the grass underfoot was as if colorless. Unfamiliar gray flowers bloomed, it was very damp, a very small and some kind of dull rain dripped. She passed quite a bit, and here in front of her, as if the Tree of Peace had floated out. It was huge, as in mom’s fairy tales, with huge, rustling leaves without wind leaves, and its entire trunk and crown were entangled in a dull shiny gold chain. Ilda did not see everything, the links of her chain rose to the very sky, but she knew that this was the Golden Chain. The girl walked carefully, trying not to crush a single flower of asphodels growing here. Near the tree, she noticed two huge boulders, and as if a black clot of fog rushed towards her, sparkling with finger-length fangs. Here, from behind the witch, she heard the Voice, but it sounded not in reality, but only in her head:

— Came? I was waiting for you…

And then instantly the figure of a woman wrapped in a black cloak appeared in front of her. The face was hidden under the fold of the cape, only the eyes sparkled with blue light.

“You will serve me Ilda. Destined so… said the girl, pulling off the cloak covering her face.

The witch first closed her eyes when she saw a white-marble shining face. Ella, and it was she, quickly, like a flying gait, approached Ilda, and touched her shoulder.

***

The girl screamed, opened her eyes, seeing how Zvonko jumped back, and snatched, and walked two steps away, pinning the grass with hooves, Kariy. The witch, wrinkled, rubbed her shoulder, burning as if from a burn. She rolled up the sleeve of her jacket, and saw the Mark, bright red on white, marble leather. She looked around, and did not understand what was the matter… The grass was gray, the sheets on the bushes were light gray, slightly dull. She brought flowers and did not smell, rubbed her nose, not understanding. The young man opened his eyes but did not move or speak. He ran up to him loudly, first barked, then ran away and howled terribly.

— What are you? — the girl did not understand, — come here.

The dog ran to the trees, did not leave, but he was afraid to approach, pressed his tail, and sat down on the ground.

— Get up, why are you lying? — the healer said quietly, putting her hand on the young man’s shoulder.

He instantly got up, but somehow awkwardly, clung to the bushes with his feet, and his hands interfered with him. For some reason he was silent, staring at one point, and as if he was not breathing. Ilda did not understand what happened, she looked at him like that.

— I stained my pants, and look, I lost my gold bracelet, — she tried to make the young man laugh.

The witch breathed more often, came closer, and did something that she never dared. She put her hand on his chest. Ilda wrinkled her forehead, not understanding what was the matter, but her HEART did not beat.

— What is it!!! she cried in despair.

You have to go home, she decided. Ilda walked through the bushes, took Pirga’s spear and dagger, put a cloak on him, covering his face so that no one would recognize the unfortunate. The moose obeyed her, obediently waited for her to sit in the saddle.

“It’s ringing, come here,” she called the dog.

He came up loudly, wagged his tail, but suddenly he began to pull the air with his nose, and did not like the smell at all, so he sat down again and howled.

— Pyrga, follow me.

The young man, as if inanimate, started up, and went very quickly, after the girl. Following the dog. Ilda saw another forest, almost as in her vision — only gray, black, whitish and white colors. There was no more green or red or blue for her. Even the horseflies did not climb to her anymore, and Pirga was not touched.

They reached the capture quickly, the girl tied up bales and bags, and tried to load the young man’s elk, but at first it was not given, everything snored and wheezed. But then Ilda pulled him by the bridle with unprecedented force, so that he sat down on his back legs. The girl pulled the dry man to her, stroked his head and neck for a long time, and tried to calm the animal down. Finally, she brought the elk out, stuffed it and lapped up all the luggage with belts. She didn’t want to eat at all, which she was very surprised at, because she hadn’t eaten for half a day. She put the bowl in front of the young man, but he only stared senselessly at the wall of the house, not paying attention to the stewed black grouse. I tried to eat at least a piece, but could not.

— Do not disappear meat… ‘she said, “Ringing!” she shouted, and dumped the poultry in a dog bowl.

Here it rained, at first very heavy, then thoughtful, dull. Drop to drop, fell to the ground, washing away both traces and blood on the grass of the forest clearing.

I went to check if everything was in order upstairs, in the hunting lodge. The girl laid dishes, crushed the floor, worked for a long time, now she saw the slightest crumbs and dirt, shadows no longer existed for her. Carried away by cleaning, I did not notice how the sky darkened. And already in a hurry, moved home. In front she was driving to Karem, followed by Pirga, after which his moose was loaded, and behind was a frightened Zvonko. The dog ran from behind in the steps of twenty, as the girl noticed, looking back. Ilda began to get used to new eyes — they did not distinguish colors, but in the dark they saw everything. A couple of times I noticed wolves sneaking in the dark, and launched them into one with a stick, but I got so that it flew up. And this is forty steps!

Vedunya was surprised at her strength. The path was blocked by a fallen tree trunk, stretching branches and arms-branches in all directions, as if wanting to rise again. Ilda jumped off the saddle, walked around the barrel, wondering how best to grab. But she picked up and pulled back the tree, although it was hard for her, especially when the branches clung to the bushes. Catching her breath, she looked at her elk, at Pirga, who was immovable, like a wooden idol at the temple. The witch drank honey from the flask, and immediately gained strength, and the feeling of hunger disappeared. And, the best part, she could eat, it’s drinking. Jumping, and grabbing the neck of the plow, at once found herself in the saddle, and sent Karego forward. The path wriggled in the forest more often, like a snake squeezing through bushes and grass. So they went, and soon Ilda saw the long-awaited hill with a moat and a rampart, the beloved Oum. The girl turned along the path, heading for the estate, donated by the elder of her mother. It remained very close, Ilda hoped so much for the help of her mother, but, which was unusual, she was not at all tired. Here, home, the girl left the saddle, took Karego under the bridle, and knocked on the gate. Soon the house rattled, the dog barked, shuffling steps were heard, and Digna’s voice rang out:

— Who is there looking at the night?

“I am,” Ilda said, deafly, not in her own voice.

— Who, I say! — the housekeeper began to get angry.

— Ilda, — the girl exhaled, — open the gate.

— Now.

Digna removed the constipation from the gate, opening it wider. Ilda brought both moose, and Zvonko ran into the yard. The witch exhaled:

“Come in, too.

And Pirga went inside too, remaining to stand. Ilda led the moose to the barn, scattered, and asked for food and poured water to drink.

She returned, and saw how she was walking around the young man Digna, and everything pops up with her hands.

“What is it with him?” the woman asked, “what about you?” with a face, with eyes? All white, and black eyes…

— Grandmother, — the girl answered wearily, — call mom…

She just nodded her head, and taking the lamp, went up the stairs to the house. Mika immediately ran down, with a sheepskin coat draped over her shoulders, and Digna was in a hurry.

— What’s wrong with you? — the woman asked, and when she saw her daughter’s white-marble face with blue lips and black eyes, she took two awkward steps towards her, and fell to one side without strength.

“Mom, are you,” Ilda shouted, kneeling and grabbing her mother’s hand.

Mika quickly woke up, and looking at her daughter again, she cried inconsolably.

— What have you done, — she said everything without getting up from the ground, and powerlessly beat on the grass with her fists, — but why… — and sobbing, fell face down on her hands, spread out on the grass, and her back shook with sobbing.

Ilda could not cry, she could not even drop a tear. She just sat down nearby, and tried to calm her mother, stroking her back. Caught herself that her hand does not feel the warmth of mom.

Digna ran into the house, and brought a jug of water and wooden bowls. Poured into one, and tried to get Mika drunk, but so far she could not. The woman was shaking in convulsions, she sat down, bending her shins under her, and stretched out her shaking hands to the key holder. But Digna gave the hostess a drink out of her hands while supporting bowl, but still Mika splashed a little. The witch began to calm down a little, and pulled her daughter by the sleeve. She began to touch her face with quick kisses, saying:

— Anyway, I love you and that, I will not let you go anywhere… My good… I knew that it would happen, “she said, touching her lips with her palm. “How did it all happen?”

Ilda told how she tried to help, how Pirga got up, but did not say, as if he had lost his memory, but was walking, and quickly. How Zvonko barked. But what now does not distinguish colors, and in the dark sees, did not say. Mika stood up, leaning on her daughter’s hand, and approached Pirga. She walked around him, looked like that, and finally said:

— Let him go, daughter. Dead he, not alive, — and looked at Ilda, — I did not know that I would see what they say only in fairy tales. How Ulna did different things. Does he obey you?

— Yes, what I say, it does, — nodded, not understanding the girl.

— Everything, as they say, is true, it means… — Mika thought, — Digna, carry the old trough. You, daughter, let him go, — and she affectionately took her daughter by the hand, — He is not a man, like a doll now undead. Visibility is only that a person, there is only one shell. And Pirga himself went along the Golden Bridge to the country of his ancestors. Why would you play with him? Pity him.

The girl breathed heavily, looked from her mother to the dead, who seemed so alive.

“Shall we leave him?” It doesn’t interfere, he was always so happy with me, — said Ilda, adjusting her shirt on the young man.

— It’s impossible, it’s cruel…

— And I want! — said the girl, stamping her foot, — sit in the basement, no one will know.

Then Digna came with a large trough, and put the burden on the ground.

— Tell him to get in the trough, Mika said.

— Stand in a trough, said Ilda firmly.

“Now, Ilda, put your hands on his forehead, close your eyes, and let him go.

The girl nodded, gently looked directly into the eyes of the deceased, at his, such an expensive face, squeezed her blue lips, and dragged Pirga into an empty cellar in the yard, where nothing had yet been stored.

— Well, you! — Mika just threw up her hands, — Ass!

Digna began to calm the hostess, stroked her shoulder, kissed her cheek like a little one.

— Calm down, we still have to think about how to tell Pirga’s relatives that there is no body either… How he died, where he died while hunting, and you need to give the dog and his elk to your relatives, otherwise it’s not up to you to do that…

— Let’s say the bear devoured and there’s nothing left of the body. After all, there was rain, traces of water were taken away. — said Mika, bending her fingers, so as not to forget anything.

— I’ll go with you, I remember, since childhood, Knuva, pyrgine father. Yes, and take the elk, and the dog too.

— It’s better to get together in the morning, it’s dark already, — Mika agreed, — and now you need to sleep, at least a little of the night is left.

— Ilda should be steamed out of the way in the bath. Mika, wait here, the bathhouse is warm, — the key keeper quickly rammed and dragged the girl into the bathhouse, — let’s go childish, let’s go beautiful, — she said.

The water was heated, Digna checked her palm, began to undress herself, and helped Ilda. The key holder hardly looked at the girl’s body, which had become like ice, or crystal from the Urals. The nails on the arms and legs are blue, as are the lips.

— Sit on the shelf, warm up, — the woman said, watering the ode on hot stones.

Digna warmed herself, covered with sweat, washing it off with hot water. Ilda did not even sweat, she was neither hot nor cold, but she liked to pour water. She washed her hands and feet with a washcloth from the bast, followed Digna.

Suddenly the old willow stand broke, and a large clay vessel with very hot water, almost boiling water, began to fall. The woman just turned to scream, but Ilda, with inhuman speed, put her hands on the side of the vat.

— Digna, bring a log, put it on, and everything will be fine, — the girl said in an even voice, calmly holding the terrible weight.

The key holder threw a sheepskin coat on herself in the dressing room, jumped out, almost knocking out the door, grabbed two logs, and without removing the sheepskin coat, ran up to the girl. The girl just nodded, quickly lifted the vat, and Digna put wood under its bottom. Ilda, exhaled after sitting down, put the vat in place, did not even blush from the onslaught.

— Yes, already childish, — the woman just sighed, — the strength in you is unprecedented. How is your back? — she looked at the girl in surprise.

— Everything is ok.. Let’s go rinse, let’s go to the house? — the girl asked the mentor.

— Let’s go, — she agreed, — if anyone said that you could hold such a burden, I would never believe it.

Then they quickly combed their hair with combs, Digna helped to lay Ilda’s braid, fixed her ash braid with bronze bevels, and fixed her hair herself. Refreshed, they approached Mika sitting on the bench.

Ilda, Digna, went to the house, “Micah said loudly as she opened the door to the stairs.

“Now, I’m coming,” Ilda replied.

Digna did not say a word. The three of us went up to the upper room, the mistress of the house was in front, followed by Digna and Ilda, but the girl was the last. The housekeeper undertook to set the table, thinking, poured honey over the buckets.

— Sit down, the fish is still warm, — the woman said, putting the pot on the table.

“I don’t have to, grandma,” the girl said in a deaf voice.

— She doesn’t eat any more, Digna, ‘said the mother, bitterly in her voice, glancing at her daughter’s dazzling white face.

“Well, no, then no,” the woman said, putting food in Mike’s bowl, and then herself, “Honey drinks,” she said smiling, and kissed her girl, as she always considered Ilda. Exactly his own. — What a cold… Ozyabla? — asked Digna with concern, taking out the bedspread.

— Yes, you eat, not cold me, — the girl answered in an even voice.

“And you don’t smile, you are ours,” Mika said.

“I can’t mom, and I can’t cry,” she said, putting the bucket on the table, “like now,” and she touched her face, “I can’t go to Pirga’s relatives.

— Yes, nothing, — reassured the girl’s housekeeper, — the morning of the evening is wiser. We ate, now we’ll go to bed.

Digna gathered from the table, everyone went to bed in their shops. Ilda undressed, lay down too, covered with a blanket. It was so unusual — I did not feel either heat or cold. As in the bath, the girl recalled. Digna painted, and she was whiter than snow, and remained. And I didn’t remember such forces in myself that I would keep a vat of water, so hot, moreover. Hands like hands, — she looked at her fingers, palms, — strange as, unusual. Ilda saw the whole room in darkness, everything was gray-black, but she saw the table and seats very well. She closed her eyes when she saw that Digna was up, and sneak goes to her, with a night lamp in her left hand.

— What are you not sleeping? — the woman whispered, — rest, the day was bad, but the morning of the evening is wiser.

“All right, grandma,” Ilda said, and covered her face with a blanket.

But I couldn’t sleep. Under the blanket, she did not feel any heat, it became neither hot nor cold — everything was incomprehensible. It’s bad that he doesn’t feel smells anymore, the healer thought. And now you can’t show your face to others… I tried to concentrate, but I couldn’t get to the Tree again, I got up like a thick fog in front of my eyes, and there was nothing to break. I thought about myself and remembered the language of wisdom when dancing, how not to forget to bend my fingers correctly, right, weave space in a single rhythm, putting my hands and feet on the floor, not forgetting about the movements of my hands and head. Then she recalled the complex compositions of herbs from diseases, but how best to protect their strength of herbs, which ones to soar, which ones to insist..

So imperceptibly and the night passed, the sun rose in the sky, but it was covered with clouds. The house also woke up, the housekeeper fed the animals while the hostess melted the stove. Breakfast was unwise, sour milk, cottage cheese, some bread. Ilda was given a honey drink, she could not stand another. After eating, Digna and Mick began to gather, not forgetting Pirga’s things. Everyone was put in two packs, putting them on the back of the young man’s elk. Mika sighed, took her daughter by the arm and led her to the set with a bronze mirror lying next to her.

— Let’s try, daughter, draw your face, — she smiled at her daughter, and winked at the key holder.

Digna smiled broadly like a young girl and quickly went to another room.

— Lips — light colored, blush — and she thought, squeezing her lips.

— Mika, I will make the composition, — the housekeeper laughed, shaking carmine with goose fat, — there are squirrel brushes.

Ilda sat upright and held the mirror in front of her, looking at her reflection in polished bronze. And she was transformed before our eyes. The blue lips turned red, the skin of the face turned pink, the painted blush returned to the cheeks. Her eyes remained black, and Ilda was about to get up. Digna looked at the ceiling, grabbed the girl by the palm, and muttered:

— take your time… — and began to paint her nails — that’s it, and you’re done…

The key holder admired the work. Well, just fine, she praised herself.

— Great, Digna. Thanks. Mika thanked.

— Thanks… — Ilda barely uttered barely alive with joy — this is much better… Almost like before. But I still can’t smile, — the girl felt sorry for herself.

“That’s it, it’s time to go. You are silent more, I will speak for you, — the woman recalled, — lower your eyes, and be silent. Let’s go.

They went downstairs, throwing dark sad raincoats into the undercloths, Mika took Pirga by the bridle of the moose, and Digna led the dog.

Soon they reached the village, passers-by only nodded their heads, seeing sad travelers.

— Pyrga died! Pyrga died! — scattered through the streets, even before Digna knocked on the gate of the house of Knuva, the father of the young man. Almost immediately they opened the entrance, on the threshold stood the alarmed owner of the house.

Hello to you Mika, and you are a glory, and you are hello to Digna. What did you come with, and where is my son? — looking back at the guests asked the man.

— Pirga died, — Ilda spoke in a deaf voice, — went hunting before dawn, on the Forest owner. I woke up, he was not, I heard the howl of the Bell. — the girl said, not taking her eyes off Knuva, — Saddled Karego, my elk, set off, along a forest path, I went to the dog’s voice. Ringing lay all in blood, I picked him up, and he led… Several wolves met, my dry dispersed them… And then…, — she said, leading her hand in front of her, as if everything was in front of her eyes, — Bushes were broken, blood lay everywhere and on the ground with a spear, — she gave it into the hands of the young man’s father, — there was no body… The traces are bear, and wolf, and from his shirt, embroidered, — Knuve stretched out the bloody fabric, — probably the bear killed him, but left, and the wolves ate the body.

— Thanks… Thank you, daughter, for telling everything yourself, and not your mother spoke for you, — said the unfortunate father, who began to rub the temple of his shaved head, — what will I tell my wife… Come in, remember… And the elk brought him, and the dog, — he said, taking the leash of the dog and the leash from the elk. — I’ll go, I’ll take it…

The man tried to walk firmly, but stumbled three times on a pile of grass, so inappropriately grown on the estate, and awkwardly pulled the dog by the leash, so that it squealed plaintively.

Guests stood in the courtyard, waiting for the owner. He came and led his malefactors into the upper room. In the upper room, next to the table, a woman was in charge, in a simple linen dress, her hair was covered with a handkerchief, multi-colored beads around her neck. As you can see, it was Knuv’s wife.

— Sit down, — said the owner, — the mother, Pirga died, the bear broke him. Tomorrow we will follow the trail with relatives, take the blood.

— Now, I’ll bring honey, we’ll remember, — said the woman who was pale from these words.

Returned with dishes with honey, and with five buckets. I poured the drink over the buckets, and put it in front of everyone, only surprised, looking at Ilda’s face.

— Not from our places, or what, girl? — asked the hostess.

“The father is not one of ours,” Micah answered hastily, glancing quickly at the girl, “she is my daughter.

— If so… — sighing, said the hostess, — the fact that the lips are summed up, and the blush on the cheekbones, — looked at Digna with a heavy look, — Does not want to see her pallor… Show your hands, girl!

— What are you, mother, crazy! — shouted Knuva.

“I’ll show you,” Ilda said quietly, stretching her arms out in front of her and showing her palms.

— She didn’t kill him, ‘the woman said, and turned away, going into the far corner.

— Do not be offended by us, healer, — quietly, slowly picking up the words, said the owner of the house, — Your daughter saved me from death, but I couldn’t see my son. Thank you again for bringing the bitter news yourself.

“Let’s go, Knuva,” said Mika, “it’s hard for us to be here.

It was already dying late, and half the way home to the estate, darkness fell on the path. The sky was covered with clouds, and the moon did not illuminate the earth. Mika and Digna tread carefully, afraid to fall, the witch leaned on the staff, the key-holder on the stick. Ilda walked quickly, she saw a forest path even in pitch darkness. Everything was gray and black in front of her eyes, dark trees, gray crowns, gray-black bushes, even coniferous needles, grass growing densely on the ground. The girl could not even step on a small snail crawling along a blade of grass. She even sat down, having examined her closer, the sink, small horns, eyes — beads, smiled and wanted to call her mother, and only then she realized that they did not see anything now.

— Mom, wait, — said the girl and quickly approached, — take me by the arms, I will guide you.

— Tell me what to do… Mika agreed, letting her take her by the shoulder.

— Ilda, give me your hand, — asked Digna.

Then they all went together, with difficulty fitting on the path, Ilda tried that women would walk on flat ground. But more than once or twice, Digna and Mika almost fell, but hanging in the girl’s arms, they felt her inhuman strength. The girl’s strength was great, and she calmly held both, preventing them from falling. So the house appeared, the dog barked, meeting the owners. Tyapa no longer ran close to Ilda, but wagged his tail, ran after Digna and Mika.

— You see, daughter, — my mother said already at home, — and the good in a bad place — how you led us in the dark to the house. Before, you also did not see in the dark.

— Not everything is bad… — the girl agreed — and there is something very bad.

Wet drizzle

The summer solstice passed, merry holidays, but the weather was unusually cool in summer. The sun never appeared in the sky, only hid behind gray clouds. Cows in the pasture are good, the grass is plentiful, barley grew well, but it was alarming in the hearts of people. Autumn came, weddings played, autumn passed in the fall, and everything was so warm, neither it’s cold. Winter was warm — instead of snow, cold rains poured, and gray, dull forests stood under dank rare drops. Rann walked along the street of Oum, bogged in the mud with leather boots, Nearby squished through puddles and an old friend Cord, leaning on a staff that went into the ground in his palm.

— Something is wrong.. — the elder said thoughtfully, wiping his face from drops, — Very bad. We need to ask Pryakh for advice. Will you send Nimes to Alatyr?

“Let me spread the bones,” said the Magi, looking expectantly at his friend.

“None of it,” Cord shook his head, “Ella won’t answer, here the witch should help.”

“Then let’s send to Mika,” Rann added decisively, “we need to find out what is happening and what we should do.”

“Well,” the elder agreed, “I’ll send one of my sons.”

Skir looked back, saw the younger, and beckoned to himself.

— Run to Mika, say you need, they say. And let the bones not forget. Take her to my homestead.

— Well, father, — the boy answered the adult, and quickly went to the forest, the abode of the witch,

Rann stood waiting for Cord. Still looked at the gloomy sky, won’t it be cleared? But in response, only cool drops touched the face of the magician, flowed down the skin and were lost in the already senile beard.

— Come to me, let’s wait for Mick.

Friends returned to the elder’s estate, shaved their shoes from the mud, sat on the benches, waiting for the long-awaited guest. The wife, looking at her husband’s gloomy face, brought honey and poured it into each bucket.

— Another one, Cord added, sighing.

The third scoop stood next to two. So friends sat, could not say anything. Time dragged on hard, but finally the voice of the witch was heard below:

— What, waiting already?

“Yes, Mika, here they are,” replied the landlady.

“Hello, dear,” said the guest.

— Hello, Light Mika, — the men greeted, bowing, — come in. Yes, so as not to talk around, we ask you to spread the bones. Ask Ella why there was no summer or winter, but what can we expect.

“Okay,” she sighed, “in the bone bag, I’ll do as you ask.

She took out a wooden bowl from sumy, and a bag, good thin skin. The Magi and the elders had their eyes fixed on the cherished bag. Mika shook him, saying something quietly quietly, shook and tapped, and almost threw dice on the table with a jerk. The bag seemed to have crunched, and those sitting at the table shuddered, looking at the witch with misunderstanding. She closed her eyes, launched her right hand into the bag, and began to take out the bones…

Mick pulled out empty bones, without a sign. She herself looked in confusion, only squeezed her full lips.

“It’s a bad thing. Ella does not want to answer. Only Pryakh had to ask for help, “she said, draining the ladle with honey and immediately left, as if she was not there.

“I’ll go to them myself. To Pryakh on Alatyr Ostrov. Mika will stay here. We must go, it is necessary for a long time, old friend.

“You’ll sail on Gouda’s boat. Recently handled the ship, the skin is strong, well sewn. So, go for a whole month, and even back.

“We’ll get ready. Him, — he shouted to the student, — get ready for the road, we leave in a day! — and he turned to the elder, — Tell people, they say, Rann went for a whale mustache, for witchcraft affairs.

— Is he suitable for this, for witchcraft, a whalebone?

“They don’t know that,” laughed the Magi.

***

The rook was really good. Selected walrus skin, wisely set the ribs of the whale in the longitudinal beam of the ship’s frame, made Linda’s creation wonderfully strong and light. Vataga was twelve people, and the feeder Gaud, controlled with a steering oar. It is easier to go down to the lower reaches of the Ob River, but the weather is not baloval — damp and dank. We got to Warta quickly, in a week, and stayed to warm up for a couple of days, and then went to Gandvik. The broad Ob carried travelers on its shoulders, and after eight days they saw the pier and houses of the village. Rann stood on his nose, wrapped in a felt cloak, dressed over a sheepskin coat. He stood with the feeder all the way, and he taught a capable young man, and how the waves beat the boat, and how to rule the stars and the sun. Note how the sky changes, and how the winds, at what time of year there are, where it is better to stick to the shore, and how to set up a practical camp.

Fishermen and sailors worked slowly on the pier, some dried and repaired nets, others covered the skin of their boat with bright wax. Goude put his ship at the pier, and the carpenters removed the belongings from the ship, and then pulled it out of the water. Nim slowly approached the fishermen.

— Good day, people of maritime affairs. Will you tell us how to find your magi, Aragan? Ya-Nim, a disciple of Rann, the Magi of Oum.

“Greetings to you, Light Nim,” said the most dignified of the fishermen, tearing himself away from working on his net. “My name is Guna, and I will lead you to his homestead.”

The fisherman rinsed his hands in the river water, wiped them with a piece of canvas, adjusted his woven belt on his felt jacket, and approached Rann.

“Let’s go, good man,” he said, bowing to the sorcerer, “I will guide you.”

Guna led Rann and Nim, who was dragging a sled with belongings and gifts. The homestead was enclosed by a new wattle fence, with an ornate gate and a larger gate for driving cattle and for the loaded sled. The fisherman approached, and smiling at something of his own, knocked on the gate. A dog’s bark answered, followed by the voice of someone from the household.

“Open up, dear guests are here,” Guna boomed, “it’s not right to keep them outside.”

“Who’s there?” a voice called out, and the gate opened. “Good day,” said the man, who, judging by his face, had just woken up.

“I am Rann, a sorcerer from Oum. We are going to Alatyr to ask the Spinners for Council. With me is my apprentice, Nim, and this is our guide, Guna.”

“I know Guna. It’s good that you’ve come to me, Rann. You can rest from your journey, steam yourself in the bathhouse. Come in, sit on the bench while the steam room warms up.”

“I’ll be going,” the fisherman boomed, bowed, and walked towards the pier.

The bathhouse, indeed, was magnificent; even here, in the North, in Gandvik, there wasn’t a single homestead in the village without a steam room. Rann and Nim, clean and rested, ascended to the upper room, the apprentice carrying a chest of gifts.

“To you, Aragan, our gifts, as a sign of respect,” the guest loudly proclaimed, “and a gift from Mika, who came to us at your word,” the sorcerer wove his speech like a skilled craftswoman weaving a carpet.

He opened the lid of the chest, taking out and laying the gifts before the master of the house. A bronze mirror, a good knife, pieces of jade, dried herbs in pouches that are collected only near Oum.

“And these are from us,” and Aragan brought his own gifts, a breastplate made of whalebone, pearls from the Dvina, “and this is a precious item, most valuable for any sorcerer,” and the sorcerer of Gandvik placed a bone knife with intricate carving among the gifts, “this is for Mika. It is crafted from the tooth of the Indrik Beast.”

“Your gift is very dear to us,” Rann genuinely thanked, bowing to Aragan, “we have another request,” and he sighed, “send word to Alatyr that we are coming. I do not understand the will of the gods — there was no summer, nor winter. And the bones do not fall right. Mika divined, but Ella did not answer her.”

“That’s bad news,” Aragan replied, his face darkening, shaking his head. “Go to the island,” he walked to a chest in the upper room, rummaged through it, and pulled out… — You will approach the harbor of Alatyr, raise this sign on a pole, they will understand and come ashore, meet you.

“Thank you, you don’t leave us without help, old friend,” Rann said, “and when the ailment attacked, and now.

“And you do not forget how many times barley was sent to Gandvik when it was difficult for us,” Aragan replied, “Good luck to you!”

— We need her, we really need her, “Rann replied, picking up gifts and moving away.

Back the Magi and his student walked quickly, without looking back, passed by two women with children, surprised by the rare guests here, especially at this time of year.

Goude and his revellers sat on the dock, near the vessel, waiting for them.

— We are ready, Rann, breathless from a quick walk, shouted to the feeder, adjusting the stray boot on his left leg.

“We fall off,” he shouted to Vatage, “get into the boat,” said the Magi and the student.

Lodya, like a black giant fish, slipped into the water, driven by the consonant blows of the oars’ blades on the water. The wind was fair, and Nimes saw how cheerful the unsmiling Gaud, holding the steering oar, was.

“Right, the sky itself helps you,” the feeder said.

— If so… — only whispered Magi.

And it is true that the Gulf of Ob passed in just three days, and ended up in the strait, where the huge Alatyr Ostrov was already visible, glistening with its icy peak. While they were walking by sea, they did not moor for the night, they were afraid of sharp rocks, and cunning currents under water and were in a hurry, they were afraid of the oncoming, north wind.

Rann stood on the bow of the vessel, unable to contain his impatience, seeing the ground approaching.

— Mentor, do we raise the pole with a sign? — shouted to Him, taking out the cherished bale.

— Well done, I reminded, — answered the magician, and unexpectedly quickly climbing over the benches, was next to the student.

His hands shook with impatience, and the frozen fingers could not cope with the knots of the rope tightening the bale.

“Come on,” Rann gasped, trusting Nim’s work.

The young man, holding the rope with the fingers of both hands, blushing from the onslaught, was able to loosen the knot, and finally pulled out the red cloth. He quickly inserted the crossbar into the holes of the red fabric, and raised the pole. A bright banner poured over the boat, visible from afar. The banner swayed in the wind, held by the strong hands of the novice, while the ship was approaching the coveted harbor, Rann had already seen a hut on the shore, a refuge for guests of the island.

Rowing only two merriers from each side, and four sailors jumped into the sea, holding on to the skin, Nimes felt the keel touch the bottom of the sea. Already eight waddlers supported the boat, pulling it ashore. Neame and Rann also stepped into the water, touching the pebble bottom with the soles of their boots. The novice never let go of the red banner, and walked to the shore, carefully moving towards the surf. Rann followed him, leaning heavily on a staff that went deep into the bottom at every step. Under the boat, the sailors put logs, and its wet sides were blown by the local inhospitable wind.

— Ould! — the feeder shouted to one of the sailors, — take something, but look at the stove in the hut. It would be necessary to flood.

“All right, Goude.

Vatazhnik nodded to one of the squad, and both quickly went to the hut. He stood there, holding a banner, the cloth of which fluttered in the wind. Finally, they saw six people wrapped in dark raincoats. Rann looked at them without looking up, and his eyes looked into the distance rather than up close.

— Already close… — whispered Rann, feverishly thought whether the Pryakhi themselves would come, or the novices would be sent.

Ahead, “as was customary,” was the unflappable Mara, with a bronze staff decorated with a pommel in the form of a tree. Three Chosen Ones, pupils and novices, Three of the Seven, followed her. Behind all were three Pryakh, or Harit, who called it. Everyone wore dark gray felt raincoats on top of ordinary dresses, Pryakh had such raincoats black. Everyone covered their heads folds of raincoats, tightened with cords. The place was not hot, and such an outfit was quite good for the northern island.

Nimes stood in front of everyone, trying not to stare too much at the inhabitants of the sacred place, and then Rann stepped forward, bowed low, and waved his hand. The sailors carried out lari and bales with gifts, and three bags of grain were placed next to them.

— I’m called early, — the messenger spoke with a high syllable, — I brought gifts as a sign of honor, because I was sent to ask you, breaking your unity, I would like to ask for mercy, what to do, and how should we be?

Mara already looked without rigor, turned to the Spices, and looked again at the Stiag. Three black figures, more like the trunks of old trees, suddenly nodded barely noticeably, and came forward. The novices put them folding chairs, and moved seven steps back.

“What are you asking for, Rann?” said the Tutor.

— I ask you to spread the bones, we need to know the will of the gods. It is not clear what is being done with the Earth Circle. There was no summer, winter too, and spring is like winter… And there is no warmth, and there is no cold identity, — he spread his arms, — Mika wondered, — he added, and in response Mara smiled and nodded, remembering the novice, — the bones did not speak to her, — he finished quite quietly.

Mara got up, went to the magi, looked intently into his eyes, frowned and lowered her head.

— Right you say that bad thing… — and she turned to the students — leave us.

Mara approached the Pryahs, they surrounded her and listened for a long time, finally, three of them approached Rann, at once throwing the cloaks from their heads, exposing unexpectedly young faces.

— Are you ready… — beginnings alone

— Find out that…

— What do Gemini want to say? — finished the third.

Rann could only nod his head, and took up his staff even more firmly. Mara brought a low table and a cherished leather bag, a little thundering at every step.

One of Pryakh rolled up her sleeves, exposing heavy twisted gold bracelets on her hands, shook the bag several times, then another approached her, opening the bag, and the third began to stretch the bones and lay them out on the table. Rann’s heart was ready to jump out of his rib cage, pounding often, often as he saw a woman’s hand folding the fate of his people. First three, then three, and three more. Only nine, no more, and no less, all that the gods could tell them.

— Listen, Magi:

And the sun went away, hiding in clouds,

And the cold could not come forgetting,

The sixth between you, lives proud.

Rann only exchanged glances with Nim, not understanding, feverishly remembering all those living around, in their city and villages of Ouma.

— I can’t understand, Pryakhi. How do you find her if she doesn’t want to show up? After all, it is impossible not to recognize her — and he, remembering all the legends, touched his face, lips — how can she hide among people?

“She will reveal herself,” all three spoke in one voice, “Ella will help. but be careful if it’s good, no one will tell you.

“Thank you for your help,” the magician bowed low.

— Wait here for two days, — said Pryakhi, we will send the sacred Fire with you, in two days the Festival of the Spring Equinox.

“It’s an honor for us.

Pryakhi and Mara left the shore, and in the distance they were met by Novices. Rann and Nimes returned to Vataga, came to a warmed hut. The vatazhniki flooded the bathhouse, and six went to wash off the mud and cold of the long trip, others were waiting for their turn. Rann, Nimes, Goud and two other sailors came to the already hot steam room, sat on the benches, and felt the long-awaited warmth.

“Feeder, the Messenger with the sacred fire will sail with us to the mainland,” Rann said, “we will be able to go to sea only in two days.”

— All right. A great honor to bring the Holy Fire to Gandwick, — answered Gaud, pouring hot water, — a good bath here… ‘the feeder added, smiling rather.

— All right… — agreed Rann, — and there is a fuel stone here.. — he said, turning the embers into the hearth with a poker. — Apparently, they brought from Grumant.

— Probably, where else? Found nowhere else. — added Gaud.

He sat and kept quiet. He had not yet passed the art, and could not contradict the Teacher.

The next day passed unnoticed, it was impossible to walk far, Nim walked next to the hut, and looked at the cold waves hitting the shore, turned over the stones on the shore with the toe of his boot.

— Do you want to walk further, Nimes, — asked Rann, grinning, and nodding towards the mountain, the monastery of the Chosen, — or maybe get into the Tract of Virgins?

— That is, this is not a fable, about the Virgins of the Island?

— No, thirty Virgin Islands, this is not a legend. The best archers, — answered Rann, — Nim, look, Mara comes to us with a novice.

And exactly, the Mentor herself was approaching with the student, and a dog ran after them.

“Hello Rann,” Mara said first, “and Nim to you.” The spinners decided that Nimes would pass the art here. Do you want to pass the test, Apprentice?

“Teacher?” Nim turned to the Magi, and he nodded his head back, agreeing with Mara’s words.

— Yes, of course — the young man blushed with joy — what should I take with me?

“Let’s go,” the woman replied.

***

Watazhniki prepared the boat for sailing, this time standing firmly near the pier, with a loaded scarb. The fire in the hut was extinguished, saving the shelter for other guests. Rann stood next to the feeder, looking at the cherished path, waiting for the Holy Fire and his novice, and now, possibly, also became initiated into the sacraments by the magi. So, the procession appeared. Ahead was Mara, followed by the six Chosen, and behind them they carried a stretcher with sacred fire enclosed in a clay vessel braided with a vine. One of the porters was Nîmes. unusually proud of this honor, a tall girl carried the load with him, judging by the outfit, one of the Chosen Ones.