Immortals. Knights from Arkona

Food was not brought to him, it was not according to custom. He should have compassion for the deceased, and should not have drunk or eaten these days.

On the second day, Geda was also restless. Her legs bent convulsively, moreover, just in an amazing way, the knight could not believe that this was possible. When the girl’s blanket went astray, Jaromir diligently corrected the felt cloth again.

The third day was the hardest. She began to moan, say something indistinct, then screamed, calmed down only when Jaromir sat down nearby. But then she opened her still invisible eyes, got up, and ignoring the cold, felt the room with her fingers, and again calmed down. lay down on the bench. sheltered by a hero.

Here Jaromir fell asleep, and not with an ordinary sensitive dream, but as if he had failed, so that he did not see or hear anything. Only in a dream it seemed to him that his sleep had become closer, but also warmer. He turned and his palm touched the soft girl’s breast.

– who is it? asked without really waking up.

«Who could have been?» Geda replied with a quiet laugh, «I’m warming up here.» Now you have to show that I am not dead? – and her lips dug in with a strong kiss.

She did not let him go for a long time, Jaromir could not resist, ran his hand over Geda’s tender neck, looking for a scar from the blow. But he was gone, as if it were all a terrible dream.

– Have you been dying yet? she asked quietly, and without waiting for an answer, I had it for only the second time.

«Five times. But he never lost his head.

«Who gave you his blood?»

«Alma,» the knight replied reluctantly.

– I have Gemini, Fir-tree and Spruce. But when they fell asleep and were laid in a cave, she ran, and very quickly. Did Dev the Warriors from Alatyr send for you?

– I knew that they would send, so I hid. It became easier when Ivan Tsarevich and Elena the Beautiful founded a settlement on Buyan. Immediately went there. Yes, all of ours lived there at the sanctuary. There was no need to be afraid of Pryakh’s intrigues.

«And I killed two Virgins who followed Miyah. I didn’t want to, but killed, – Geda added angrily, – they killed my friend, Ant, they chopped off my head and took it with them. And I did not find the body, did not find! Could not resurrect her! she cried, and burst into tears.

– She is now in a secret place, waiting with others from her deck, when the Princess wakes up and she is resurrected. But not every Immortal will cope with warriors. I heard that the braids that we wear are on purpose, in order to cut off the head, it is easier to pick up from the ground.

– Mine, too, I suppose, was in the blood, and slippery. Was it convenient to grab by the scythe? – and pushed him in the shoulder,

She smiled, sat on the edge of the bench, and did not think to dress yet. Jaromir saw her tattoos on her back, arms, hips – and knew what they meant – that she would not die, that she was a warrior and a witch.

«You have to warm me up again so that I can feel that I am definitely alive,» she said, resolutely climbing into his blanket, «and then more and more.»

***

They climbed a secret climb to the tower of Slavomir. With a strong hand, the knight opened the creaking hatch, and the man and woman ended up in a staircase decorated with skillful carvings. Further down the corridor, with a floor covered with knitted rugs, we went to the refectory.

– Hello, Geda! cried Lute, who was standing up from the table.

– Great power of our gods! Slavomir proclaimed, she was dead and resurrected! Bring more beer!

Geda sat next to Visna, and Jaromir sat between Tiudemir and Lut. At the head of the table sat Slavomir, and next to him sat Viten.

«It doesn’t happen often…

– What are you talking about? Jaromir asked the foreman.

– Resurrection with a severed head.

– If just a blow with a sword in the heart – I would have risen in a day, you know. Well, the Magi in the Urals, rumors are circulating, and the thousand-year-old dead are being raised, from those who got drunk. How did it all work out with the Saxons?

– Militia two hundred killed lost, Saxons – not less than six hundred. Well, after all, the young squad came up, – answered Lute.

– Not bad.

«We won’t be enough for long. We cut down hundreds of three Danes, six hundred Saxons. And their army is five thousand. And we have less than three and a half.

«It is necessary to scare,» Jaromir suggested, «to make sure that they are fighting with sorcerers.

– It is necessary to think over it well, – Viten agreed, – exchanged glances with Slavomir, – whatever chance to do.

– Drink of Force of magi, yes on a play that, on horns, for heavy fight. You look, and everything will work out. No one can withstand more than three hours of sich, except us.

«That’s what we’ll do. Well done, Jaromir.

White horse will answer

A narrow path led to the hill where the huge church of Svyatovit stood. A palisade rose in front of the temple, and the Magi met the inhabitants and warriors of the great Arkona. But the servants today even let a few elders and warriors go upstairs.

The knights went upstairs. Nearby were Vecheslav and Mechislav, Khodota and Pirogast, the street leaders, dressed today in the best clothes, Roman brocade.

«Now we will know Svyatovit’s will,» said Hodota, leaning heavily on his staff.

«No more fortune telling,» Pirogast agreed.

– That’s for sure, – agreed Viten

To their eyes, the Temple opened immediately, built and wood, richly decorated with carvings and whimsically covered with gold and painted. The Magi prepared everything for fortune-telling, three low crossbars were set, which the sacred white horse had to step over.

Here, Slavomir himself came out, holding the support of Svyatovit under the bridle.

«We ask you, Svyatovit,» cried the Magi, «should we go into battle?»

Everyone froze and just looked at which foot the horse would step over a light stick. But the leg of the sacred animal rose, and everyone exhaled.

– Right… said Hodot happily.

– Will we keep the Village and the Church of Svyatovit? the minister asked again.

The horse mowed with his left eye on the magician, Jaromira broke through the sweat. God knew that the Village and the relics of the temple were already far away? But the knight looked with hope at the horse, nervously picking his hooves. But now, the stallion crossed the obstacle with his right foot. Jaromir wiped his sweat with his palm. But there was still a third question for God.

– Will we keep the faith of our fathers and grandfathers?

Here the horse immediately crossed the obstacle with his right foot and burned.

The street elders happily went down, in a hurry to spread the good news. Finally, the temple had only magi and knights.

«Come inside,» Slawomir called them.

They, as they stood, went inside, the ministers extended the red curtain, and in front of them stood a silver, gilded statue of Svyatovit. This image was three-headed, with a bow in his hand. Jaromir knew that the deity was ternary, and one. These were three entities in which he revealed himself to people. The whole temple inside was covered with gilding, decorating incredible wood carvings.

– I decided to show you the image of a deity, and this is a place that you kept with swords in your hands for thousands of years. Our gratitude has no boundaries, – said the Magi with inspiration, – Now are difficult times, but I am proud that you were here.

– What are you, Magi, we are here, – Viten answered.

– You need to leave, you are embodied memory, – Slavomir repeated with tenderness, – our faith, our people, our knowledge. When you are on oars, you cannot catch up with any drakkara.

– Lipa and Uta are already returning to the East, to the Urals – they will bring knowledge to our people and preserve their memory. We will fight as we should, – said Lute.

It was hard to look at the magician, he looked at the knights, as if he had already said goodbye to everyone. The old man’s bushy eyebrows converged on the bridge of his nose.

«I didn’t teach you, but you instructed me. What am I against you?

«Then he felt sorry for Attila, the father of the Romans who had changed their faith. Would interrupt them. would live quietly.

– You say the wrong thing, – Slavomir told Tiudemir calmly, – it would be out of conscience, you heard, Lute, that Elga herself was going to go on a long campaign to the South, and execute all strangers to one with Lute Death. But she overtook herself, and hid on the Forbidden Island, and no longer looks like a face to people. Emperor Karl broke the word when he wanted to baptize the Saxons. The words given by the Roman bishop Leo not to impose his faith on anyone who does not live in the Empire.

«So they beat the francs!

– With the help of magyars sent by the White King, beat. Yes, the devil, evil deception, killed the White King Oskol and his atman Dara. And everything fell… Then the Wilts went to the East, to the Dnieper.

– Yes, not everyone left, and after all Rurik also Veles kind, we know it, he is not a stranger

And all the knights nodded their heads in agreement, looked at each other, remembering the past, and their campaign in Constantinople.

«But, not his eldest, a side branch. You know, the first prince of the Wends is the brother of Rada, the wife of Veles. He is from the Venets, the third prince of his kind took for himself a wife from the family of the White Kings.

– Well, yes, – repeated the knight, – so Rada, the first wife of Ulla Veles, his sister? Tiudemir interjected.

– Anyway, Oleg did not do honor, killing Dar and Oskol, and died an evil death for it.

Viten looked into the sewn carpet on the boardwalk of the upper room, and Lute slapped his friend on the shoulder with approval.

– I did everything right, foreman, that I killed Oleg. Then we accepted Vladimir, and here he grew up.

– Yes, and then what happened? Viteni added, and stopped.

– It became thin for them, – Jaromir inserted the words evil, – and, magi. Elga…

– Speak, Vityaz, – Lute allowed, – Maybe tomorrow we will disappear everything. No more hiding…

Sleeping Princess

The knights started a hard campaign, went on the same boat on the Holy Road By way of the Varangians to sacred places. Viten took with him nine knights and twenty-one honest youths. He carried them along the waves of the Blue Sea shitik, boats in thirty oars, with boards sewn to the ridge of the ship. It is not a matter of poking around in a sacred place on a ship shot down by nails, and a leather boat for ten people lay by the mast.

With an honest banner, a small griffin banner, everywhere they were welcome guests. And from the sea we reached Ladoga, at the very beginning of God’s way. They took supplies at the fair with fair bargaining, did not complicate their way by offending the owners. Jaromir surveyed a small town, but a well-built one, with a moat and rampart. Askan, the elder of this land, walked with them, saluting dear guests.

– Have you reached it well? – said, no matter how about anything, a wise man, looking at the knight from the bottom up.

– And there was a passing wind, so the gods helped. Well, rowing when necessary.

«Yeah,» he replied, as if thinking about it, «you should be taken to the bathhouse, according to custom,» he grinned, hiding a smile in his beard.

«Thank you, master,» Viten smiled as well.

The bath, some miracle – was already ready, and the elder himself and his four sons gathered to soar the guests, honoring the guests. Askan looked at the sword of Jaromir, at the patterned steel of the blade, at the golden apple, the top of the hilt of the sword. Vityaz would not have believed that his eyes could be so rounded.

In the dressing room, everyone undressed, so it became clear who honored the city with his appearance.

Guests enjoyed washing off the road, enjoying the steam and soapy root that washed away sweat and road dirt. Everyone painted, sometimes poured cold well water from the ear. Ordinary people, however, are very tall, haircuts – like northerners, so what? Shaving is hard, the elder thought, touching his chin. And shave your head…

Tattoos completely covered the bodies of nine, twenty-one also had them. But the drawings are not the same, not at all the same, and this was visible at first sight. And nine were a whole head taller than their youths. Although the haircuts were the same – a shaved head and a pigtail on the back of the head. An elderly man saw everything – that they shave beards, and nine of them, differ in the article, and height, and something else… At first, the elder did not understand what was the matter, that he was so worried. Askan rubbed his eyes, looked at his scars on his arm and leg. He wasn’t a great warrior, but scars were an inevitability.

These People HAD NO SCARS. Warriors who were not in one battle have no scars! At all! Askan turned pale, and covered his face with a bucket of kvass, lowering his nose into the very drink, and coughed.

– What’s wrong with you? Jaromir asked carefully, – I am a herbalist, I will cure any ailment.

– Nothing… You, son, do not take me to the dressing room, will I catch my breath?

One of his children was also sitting there. The elder quickly talked about something with his son, who brought more water to the bathhouse.. The boy smiled, nodded and ran away. Jaromir threw on his clothes, and drank kvass, rejoicing in a fine day, that there are kind people nearby, and there is no need to go into battle. The elder again looked at the knight, at his smooth, like a girl’s, wrinkle-free face. In appearance, this is not more than twenty years old, or less, as the elder thought. Askan sat down next to the knight.

– I already lived well… A long life has passed, and not bad. I have six children survived, only two died. And you, warrior, are not married?

«No,» Jaromir did not lie. The last wife died two hundred years ago.

«My niece, Jelya, liked you.

«We’re on the road, Askan. I can’t take my wife with me.

– So what? Will you refuse?

Jaromir only shrugged his shoulders, and made peace with the inevitable. I didn’t have to wait long, a girl, about sixteen years old, smartly dressed, stood next to the door. Vityaz bowed to the beauty. Slavnitsa led him to the tower. The knight bent down, passing through a low door, made so according to custom.

«Come on in,» the girl said quietly.

The knight nodded, and in order not to offend the hospitable owners and Zhelya, he took out a thick silver bracelet weighing two marks from his bag and put it on his maiden’s wrist. She buried herself, hiding her face with a shirt sleeve, then bowed. I put two cups on the table, pouring honey into them. It was still light, but the oil lamp was on the table. The wooden dish was empty, the bread had not yet been cut, she cut it off herself. And smoked meat with another knife pushed him.

Jaromir tried on, took a knife, but the handle jumped off the black, and he touched the blade with his palm. The girl did not take her eyes off the wound, as if she was expecting to see Something. He only took a deep breath.

«It’s not Ihor, Zhelya. My blood is red, like everyone else’s – and raised my palm higher, so that a scarlet drop fell on the table.

The girl only pursed her lips, and shook his wound with a handkerchief. Then she stood on her toes and kissed him. Jaromir stayed overnight in this tower and was left without a treat.

But the food at the feast was magnificent, and in the evening, by nightfall, Askan sent all the virgin warriors to warm the bed. The elder did not want such guests to leave without joy.

The waterway carried the heroes further and further. A wolf was waiting for them to be in Gandvik, bypassing the Gulf of Ob. The matter was not easy, but the hands were strong, and there was more than enough strength.

They lowered the boat into the Studenoy Sea, and hit the oars in the cold waters. In two days we got to the mouth of the Ob, Gandvik freely spread out in front of the soldiers of Svyatovit. Fishing boats swam up to them, seeing the Griffin banner above the boat, people shouted words of greeting. The knights understood the speech of a distant homeland, and the youths asked their mentors what people were saying. But now, the ship stumbled into the pier.

***

– Jaromir, we are back home, Tiudemir said quietly.

«I am from Oum,» said the knight, «this is far from here, on the Ob.»

– I am from Sad, – even Viten answered the words of a colleague, – this is a little closer, – and smiled, adjusting his mustache.

Several, apparently, eminent people came to meet the wanderers, judging by the furs of their clothes and the carved staffs on which they proudly relied.

– Hello to you travelers who came from the West, – the Magi began his speech, – judging by the sign on the boat, you are not strangers to us. I am the Magi of Gandvik, Yamlich.

«I am the elder of these places, Agya. We’re glad you came.

«I am the foreman of these knights, my name is Viten,» said the warrior, «we came on business and difficult. And so, our gifts – and two youths brought chests with gifts.

Amber, in bags, was an expensive and desirable commodity for the owners of these places all the way, and the squad paid them in groans and tenders. Another chest contained expensive minted silverware.

– Thank you, – answered Agya, – but not bad in response to give up.

And residents began to lay out forty expensive sable skins. It was a lot of wealth, so the hike even came out with a lot of profit.

– It would not be bad for the guests and go to the bathhouse, – added the Magi.

– Yamlich, this is a message from the magician from Ryugen, Serzhen, – and Viten handed over parchment hidden by seals.

The foreman did not know what was written there, and saw only how the face of the magician who read this news was changing. Volhv Gandvika looked thoughtfully at the guests, rather even sadly.

– First the bath, but for now we will prepare a treat. Rest for two days.

Hot bath – what is better from the far road. But no one disturbed the guests, there were only vigilantes here. Apparently, Slavomir wrote. who they are. Clean, and fresh, the vigilantes approached the tables set for them. On wooden dishes lay fish, forgotten, which they ate for a very, very long time.

– This is muksun, this is salmon. We have a lot of good fish, help yourself. ’the welcoming Agya said.

The feast was a mountain, and the cordial owners and joyful guests sat nearby that they had reached the goal of their campaign. Honey and beer delighted everyone who feasted today.

For the night, the squad was given two guest houses, and the youths began to cheat on their homes, melting the stoves, warming their cold walls. It was still cold, colder than in Ruyan. The soldiers rested for a day, and Viten went to the Magus. The knight walked along the road, children played on the side of the road, women walked towards, with buckles on the rockers. Everything is like at home, the foreman thought. On the bench, the fisherman repaired the net.

– Good man, – the guest turned to him, – will you show the house of the magician Yamlich?

«Why not show it?» I’ll show you, «the man readily agreed.

And the fisherman led through the village, past the chopped two-story houses. With fences, with protection from cattle. The hostesses in the courtyards were engaged in farming. On the outskirts of the village, Yaromir saw two forges, from where the roar of hammer ulars came on the anvil.

– Here, they came, – and the man pointed to the house.

Dogs barked in the yard, and the knight heard the owner’s steps.

– Quiet, quiet! Jumper, I’m you! – Yamlik said to the watchmen at home, – I go, I open it!

A wooden bolt opened the gate, and on the threshold stood a magician, dressed simply, at home.

– To you I, Yamlich. The conversation is not easy.

– Well, come in, a deliberate knight. Sit down – and led to the shop, sitting next to the guest.

«It’s not just that we came. Our way to the Forbidden Island, beat the Dead Princess with our brow, ask for help.

– Oh, it’s not easy… The Dead Warriors are guarding her, they will kill the living immediately, – and looked at the guest, – has it become very bad at Sunset? So return to your homeland, to the Urals. The place is rich, enough for everyone. Although Oleg acted badly, killing Dir and Oskol, it was very bad. And here now the feud is growing.

– It is necessary, Magi… Will you allow it?

«So I am not Mr. Elge. She has not been to Gandwick for three thousand years, although everyone hopes that she will come one day. As you can see, you are one of those who drank Tsareven’s blood, Viten?

«You know everything, wise man.

– Only do not take the youths with you, they will disappear there. Which of yours knows the way there?

– Salit went to sea with Sadc, knows how to pass between terrible stones.

– Try your luck, maybe you’ll be lucky. And I will prepare honey for the Princess and the Dreaming, – thinking, added the Magi, – I will give Lodya. Its draft is small, it will pass everywhere, light, the sides are sewn from whale skin. Tomorrow everything will be ready. Leave early, before dawn, no matter what anyone sees. Nor to him it. At the same time grab grain for Mary and Pryakh – eight bags and a low bow from me.

Early in the morning, in a light boat loaded with supplies for two weeks, grain and two barrels of honey, the knights went to sea. The wind was fair, and they came to Alatyr Island in three days. On the mast there was an alelo griffin banner, so that they could see who was going to the island.

Not everyone has been here, only Salit. The knights looked at their comrade, who ruled the boat. Here, an inconspicuous harbor appeared, with a small pier, a guest house, a firewood shed and a supply shed.

– We got there, Viten! ’the feeder shouted.

«Let’s get to the shore! ’the foreman replied just as loudly.

The knights rushed into the water, and began to pull grain and other cargo to land waist-deep in water. This is why leather pants and boots with belts on their tops are good – they don’t get wet. Lightening the boat, the heroes raised a light boat in their arms and dragged it ashore, securing it with stones.

– And where is Mara? asked the foreman anxiously.

«It will be soon. We must wait.

They crouched on rocks and a fin, waiting for the island’s owners. But now, three figures appeared, wrapped in black cloaks.

«Here they are,» Salit squinted, «now you behold Mara,» and he slapped Jaromir on the shoulder.

Two very young girls approached them, not to say that they were tall, which surprised the knights, and Mara was good for them if on the shoulder, but she held herself very proudly.

«Hello, Mara. My name is Viten, I am the foreman of the soldiers from the island of Ruyana. We delivered the cargo according to the word of Yamlich, for the Chosen. Grain and other supplies, – this was said by Viten in the old language, which not everyone knew in Ruyan.

– Well, it’s clear who you are, knights, – the little witch firmly answered, looking at the warrior from the bottom up, – Well, I didn’t come out tall. Will you help bring supplies to the mountain chambers?

The weight of three pounds is not much for those who have drunk them. Some took two bags.

– Of course. And, – Viten spoke, – we want to hear Pryakh’s answer. May the eternal above us have mercy!

«He who asks will always receive help according to the Covenant. Wait, – answered Mara, leaving for the mountain passage.

The knights did not wait so long, and together with the Leader of the Chosen, three Spinners came, with their faces hidden in the shadow of the hoods of heavy cloaks.

– Hello, Eternals. We ask for advice. We go to the Forbidden Island, ask for help Elga, – the foreman of the knights said loudly.

– You are not asking for advice, Immortal, but approval, – answered Pryakha.

– Things are very bad in the West, we will not stand without help.

– The ob is wide, return home, wends, – said the second of Pryakh.

«I must ask the Princess, the Guardian. Help is needed.

«Ask the White King. But magicians, according to his word, are already coming to you from the Urals. They will destroy everyone if you fight too. What else?