Полная версия
And it was still dark in the upper room, although the sun’s rays bravely tried to break through the window, tightened by a bull bubble. Still, it was still an early hour, and Yarilo had just begun to climb the sky in his golden chariot.
— Name, Savir Katovich? opened the door, said the melancholy, bowing low.
A young boy, in neat clothes, made of gray linen, but with an elegant wicker sheepskin coat, made a belt bow, staring at his new shoes and onuchi, intercepting pants and shin. It was convenient to walk like that in summer time, much better and more pleasant than in boots.
— Yes, Uleika, and you will not wait, — and with the done severity banged an empty bucket from kvass on the table, — Only to send you for Death! — threatening with a stick, the owner of the house said menacingly.
“So Alma has been sleeping rough for three years,” the young man answered, raising his head from the floor and smiling slyly, “she will not come.
— Look, at once everyone broke up, the fear lost… And then, stand you like Zia with Okast, in the royal palace, in the manner of a scarecrow. (Elena the Beautiful punished Zia for pride by making him a clay figure, and from Okasta a scarecrow, removing his skin and stuffing him with straw. Book “Ilsa the First-Called”).
— So Elena Beautiful gape did not execute anyone.., — dared to object here.
— U, I am to you! Here, I lived, heard enough… — and again threatened with a stick, — You look, you found time to joke… There would be a man, and there would always be guilt for him, — the elder objected thoughtfully, — here, do not reason, but take this sum with a message,
— Yes, I have my own sum? What is yours to carry?
— It is said, take my sum, it will be better than yours, not thin. Yes, go to the merchant Rast Gorazdovich. Remember where he lives?
— And then. Not far from the Fortress. He has a large estate, no words. I would also like this!
“Don’t be jealous. Here, take your dry, go, but do not sack. In the kitchen, near Bortikha, there is something to eat on your way. All right, go.
— Understood, Savir Katovich, — and the unot bowed again.
Then the messenger deftly removed his children’s curls under the hat, and left the upper room. At an early age, his head was shaved, only a few curls hung from smooth skin. And the time of initiation will come, and they will cut off his relatives and other tufts of hair on his head, leaving only a pigtail behind his right ear, like all the men of the Hanza tribe or the giants, who spoke as they said. And the leaders and other prominent people who passed a special Dedication did not shave or cut their heads anymore, so Savir Katovich went unshared, already read as twenty years.
The elder waited, as he closed, creaking, door by door, quickly jumped up from the chair, and on his toes he went to the door leaf, listening. I could not stand it, even looked into the gap, but isn’t it worth it, does not peep and eavesdrop? Then, sighing restlessly, and grunting more for order rather than sickness, he returned to his chair. For a long time I listened to the noise in the courtyard of my estate. I heard how the gates of the barn would be fastened, how the hooves of a dry man thundered on the log flooring, how Uleika shouts:
“Open the gate! Everyone is happy to stay!
The messenger left, the elder looked around again, trying not to forget anything. And then it was as if the heart was racing.
— I didn’t forget a little about my art, — he whispered, — this is how it happens…
He only shook his head condemningly, but set to work. Instantly removed the bronze writing from the table, but brushed it off and threw a wooden crumb into the bronze brazier. With his palm, to the touch, he carefully checked the waxed surface, so that the cleanliness would be real. He could not be mistaken, and let himself down. And he felt like a forest beast in thick more often that they were watching him. True, the elder was very, very careful, and not for nothing. Today, on this short summer night, Savir Katovich made up not one message, but two at once. He poured himself a dark kvass from the end, drank at once, and whispered, reassuring himself:
“You can’t catch me by the hand, no matter how hard you try! You all don’t have enough intelligence! Who are you all, gray and poor… You will not find, no matter how hard you try… And I would have to compete with Alma herself, and also with Elena the Beautiful herself. But, this could only be dreamed of, or seen in dreams. So you have to vegetate here, among you, unworthy…
CHAPTER 4 War has come
Suddenly the circle of bugle cut the frozen silence of the village. Even the news of a forest fire, the horror of these places, was not so by ear. Piercing, as if evil, this sound tormented the hearing of every Hanza, because it meant the most difficult thing that could happen in these remote places… This voice seemed to reflect from the roofs of houses, from the huge trees of impenetrable thickets and lean copses spread around. And the trumpeter turned on the ass of his plow, as if not everyone heard. And that’s right, there were a few inhabitants here. In these places, where people lived much less than bears in the forest.
But, then the turquoise himself opened his mouth. He gained air in his lungs, and shouted to the whole district.
— War! Ordered to gather an army, and go to Varta. Trouble came to us again! Please, good people! Elder Palak calls for one man from every smoke! And Likon will be the eldest over yours!
The messenger finished his speech, nodded to the trumpeter, and both, hitting the sides of their plows, went to another village. There were a lot of them here, in the suburbs of beautiful Warta.
Two guys who were passing nearby ran to different ends of the village, carrying such news to others. The noise rose, homon, and then, for ten years there was no big war, For a long time the Hanza did not leave these places on distant campaigns.
***
— Well, all the wife, collect bags for me on the road, — Radko calmly said
“I’ll put it all down now,” Mlada replied.
I saw how my husband checks three bales with arrows, each tip, each plumage. Then, and a spare bow. The usual one, with the bowstring removed, hid it in bulk. Old, still grandfather’s leather armor, with sewn bone plates. I tried it on, pulling up the straps. Next to the table he put a helmet, assembled in the same way, made of thick leather, with bone plates. I tried like a shield-wing sitting on my hand, which each Hanza threw behind his back when firing from bows. The shield bent like a bird’s wing, and a rib was inserted outside, then the shield became stiff, and was suitable for hand-to-hand combat.
At the table sat the sons, Arpad and Zaley, came running from the pack, said goodbye. They behaved decorously, kept quiet while Mlada and Yolka gathered their father on a long journey.
— Well, — finally, Radko said, looking around his supplies, adjusting the thin tops of his boots, — everything is ready, I have to leave, with everyone. It’s all right at home. You, now, Arpad, as the eldest, which means everything is on you until I return. You know the order. There are a lot of stocks, grain and meat in the cellar, everything is fine with us. Live together, according to the Covenants. And it’s time for me on the road.
He hugged each of his sons, kissed his wife. He went to the Christmas tree, stroked his daughter’s hair, took her hand, and said:
— You’re smart beyond your years, I hope so. And I will return from the campaign, and you will go to Alatyr, as Krasa said. And Priya herself, the Chosen One from Warta, also hangs, she even sent me news. I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you, I thought I would say in the spring…
— Father… — The Elle just threw up her hands and covered her face.
“All right. Let’s sit down on the track, “Radko said calmly.
He noticed how confused his daughter was, his wife was attached, his sons were diligently making serious faces. It was quite calm in his heart, at home everything was as it should, as the father of the family decided. Finally, he got up, sighed and grabbed his camp belongings. I felt a difficult burden, but I knew that his dry would easily lift and not like that. And, rattling his armor, he went out into the yard, skillfully fastened his entire belongings with belts, stroked Rogach, treating his old friend with a carrot. The sons opened the gate, and the horseman drove out of the outskirts, where other soldiers were already gathering. The senior of their detachment, Likon, raised a flag above him so that everyone could see who his fellow countrymen were going to in battle and on a campaign. Radko never turned around, did not look at Mlada, who was standing at the fence, and waving his handkerchief for good luck.
CHAPTER 5 Savir Katovic’s family. Rata embraced by fire
The elder was sitting at the table, personally unwinding the ball of the message. The nodules familiar to him on a long rope brought new news. The countertop was not easy, covered with seeded fine river sand, on which the owner of the house now depicted the surroundings. And the detachments, their own and others, were depicted as figurines of soldiers of different colors. Not that it would be beautiful, but clear and intelligible.
Nearby is a settled, already overweight man, with an impressive golden hryvnia around his neck, and already gray-haired shikha on the back of his head. The guest was not young, but not old. He looked at the lamp, burning with a yellow bright flame, then at his interlocutor.
— So. Savir Katovich? — he said, — Isn’t it time for my rati to go camping? It’s hard to say, our brave guard in the Fortress to hold on?
— Take your time, Sejan Plenkovic, take your time… Here, an army from Warta will come, then we will take our own… You’d better take a look at what our messages send… You see, they have gone too far, the tangles are quite imposed, and I am shining here, and I am disassembling. But, our business is not bad. Our allies are in two transitions from Oum. And Sabadayev’s army cuts us off from the river. So, it turns out, we should go into business only as the ship’s regiment from Warta approaches. Not before.
— You speak sensibly, Elder! — the old warrior beamed, — we will press them here, knock them over into the river, and the matter will end. Such is my idea… What do you suggest?
— The matter is… So it is necessary to hold three hundred riding, you never know what Sabaday will throw out. And we can, then, break the battle with this force, in our favor. If anything, it will not go so.
The governor scratched his chin, bowed his head, looked at the map depicted in the sand. And, hesitantly nodded, recognizing only the intelligent elder’s plan, and only he slowly uttered the long-awaited words, as if he had sentenced:
— I agree, Sejan Plenkovic. It will be according to this, and put his heavy palm on the edge of the table.
As if he added so much heaviness, weight to his speech. He looked at Savir, he did not change in his face, the elder did not show pleasure or annoyance.
And the young man calmly entered the room, looked almost indifferently at the map, nodded to his father. Then he bent his head to his shoulder, so that the long curls of the children’s hairstyle fell on his face, and he hastily corrected them.
— Manis will be taken prisoner. Yes, it would be better to kill him, — the boy said, and just as calmly came out as he appeared, — everyone will become calmer.
He said such terrible words, simply, without expression. As if he was talking now about rain outside the window, or about young leaves on linden, which grew next to the estate…
— What??? Seyan did not immediately understand the simple words.
— Rata, my youngest. Everything speaks, he is weak on his head. You’re sorry…
— I remember, Savir Katovich, I remember… He got sick, but never cured. Well, I will go to the soldiers… ‘the man added with participation.
And then, not everyone knew about such a misfortune in all the lucky elder. And here, what a misfortune with the youngest son. Seyan Savira regretted, but he could not say this out loud.
“And I’ll be there soon,” the elder shook the governor’s hand.
Savir waited until an important guest left, and quickly went to the children’s chambers. The eldest sons, Umil and Sarth, lived separately, in their towers, but in a huge family estate. And the younger ones, Zhiva and Rata, lived with their parents, under their father’s eyes. The wife met him here, bowed according to custom.
“What’s gloomy?” said his wife, Astya, carefully.
“What to do, my sun,” he replied, “you know, the war has come. Worries have increased. But nothing, we will manage ourselves. Where are our children?
— Rata went to Zhiva, they are sitting in the world. Everything is fine, — and took his hand, calming, — yes, evil people say on our son… He is smart with us, but, in a special way, not like everyone else… — and wiped a tear with a handkerchief.
— Okay…
Junior, was like a thorn in the elder’s heart. Srodu did not go hunting or fishing. He did not like to water, he could not stand long trips, he was afraid of mosquitoes. And as he fell ill, he began to speak. Most loved now on a swing swing. He will sit down and swing, swing… He could not get off all day. And, sometimes, he looks like this, it is not clear, and says, so at least stand, but at least fall. I recalled how a week ago I walked past the barrels of caviar, led it with my finger, and spoke like a hammer:
“This one is incomplete…”
And it turned out that it was incomplete. They did not report the eggs, monsters, and Rata, well done, spotted. And then, immediately found out that Umil’s wife was not happy. Also important, for the whole family news. So it turned out that the son, although he was not strong in mind, was of great benefit from him. Only now I had to keep quiet about it, from different conversations. People are evil, but stupid, the elder himself always remembered, did not forget. As well as the fact that his peers in childhood, others who got out, also did not complain. That he pulled the bowstring badly, he was weaker, read everyone, and they did not let him forget about it. And he, nothing, surpassed them, narrow-minded, and intelligence, and prosperity. And nothing, the time will come, and I can get even, as the elder always reminded himself.
And here, how to know that the Lady of Heaven did not punish him, but blessed him with a younger son. It was just that one had to own it wisely, wisely… But, Savir himself was not a madman, he did not tell anyone about Rata’s skills, away from sin. It is foolish to know a lot, and even more so smart… But the words of his son about Manis Sabadayevich alerted the elder, oh, and alerted…
***
Opened the door of the Svetlitsa beloved daughter Savir Katovich, yes stunned. Everything seemed to be fine, but here… He put his head on his sister’s lap and slept. Alive and did not move, froze, as if petrified. And the son’s head, like a golden fire, burned, hugging with radiance. The father was scared for his son, he didn’t know what to do. Savir grabbed a jug of water, wanted to extinguish the fire, but Alive only waved her finger and quietly said:
— Everything is ok… This often happens to him in a dream. Just don’t disturb him… And then it will be even worse at night…
Worse? Yes, it happened and worse… Exactly, Savir saw this passion, as Rata walked on the roof with the moon. He did not fall, did not break down, walked as if glued. He himself then climbed into the window, but lay down to sleep, as if nothing had happened. And then I didn’t remember anything. It’s good that none of the servants saw it.
— He said nothing more? Do not remember? Elder asked his daughter.
— Stood, looked at the box in the corner… Then, this toy, — pointed at the rider on the horse, — dropped it, sat down next to it, and fell asleep…
— Well, okay… I’ll go..
There was no need to interfere here, and the elder hurriedly, almost running, left the street.
***
As soon as I went to my place, I immediately began to squeeze the signs with bronze writing on birch bark, and worked hastily. But it was not easy. The message was wound on a churbachok, a kind of long ribbon turned out.
“Be careful. Do not go into battle equestrian”
A short letter came out, a short one. And as I finished, I took it off, so it was impossible to read clearly without a churbachka. The elder took out a travel bag, and put the message there.
— Hey, who’s there? ‘he shouted to the unots.
— Yes, here I am…
— So, Dirk… You take the dry, but you jump to the merchant Rast Gorazdovich, who lives at the Fortress, in the estate, near the Proni river. Give this bag to him. Understood me well? Look, don’t mess up!
— I will perform everything, Savir Katovich! — nodded the lad, — I’ll tell the merchant Rast Gorazdovich!
— Well, don’t hesitate!
And, the elder gladly looked at how the boy began to run to fulfill his order. Here, indeed, it was necessary to hurry so that with such difficulty the conceived did not break!
CHAPTER 6 In Marching and Fighting
— Well, young man! Doing well! — confidently said the foreman of the boat to a very young fellow, — but what can I say! Great benefit from you, Olen!
— Right, you say, Irn! — added the merrier sitting next to him, — smart guy! I got my hand. And look, just like new! — and played with his fingers, almost hidden under a clean rag.
— Yes, when there was a new one, Clever! Yes, you yourself are older than this boat!
— Nothing, Dar. Although old, stuck! And the boat is excellent, sewn conscientiously, where good!
Irn just grinned quite a bit. The old one says correctly, right… And the craftsman Capray himself sewed them with a rook, what a good rook! He assembled the frame of the vessel from well-fitted oak bars, and sewed the sides of the boat from the best seal skins. Here is their boat, like a sea beast, and cannot sink, and in the very storm of water does not fall. And how many storms have been, and that’s all, let’s nip their little girl!
— Exactly! — added a third, — and the back is now like a young one! For our artel, such a witch doctor is very good. Otherwise, Golovan, Magi, is busy. We are not alone for him, others also use.
— Well, it means that they decided so! And you agree, Gunei, and you are Dar, and you, Umil?
— Yes, all the community agrees, — the elderly Umil answered decorously, — you sensibly realized, Irn!
“So be it! — and the foreman slapped the boy’s thin shoulder, — you are with us, in our artel!
— Thank you, Foreman Irn, and you, merry artels, — Olen said, carefully getting up so as not to fall while pitching, — I will not let you down!
— Here, well done! — approved Abil and laughed, — sit down, sit down soon on the bench, otherwise you will fall!
“That’s right, grandfather! And how do we now without a healer? — added Guney, looking at his comrades, — we must also take a walk at your wedding!
Olen blushed his face a lot from such words, which made the tongued merrier even more pleased. The artelshiks laughed cheerfully, pleased with the fence joke. Irn just grinned, but took up the rook rule more firmly. Their ship went up the river, in general formation. And there was still a day to go three, no less. Indeed, mother Ob spoiled, the wind was passing, but not strong, and the path from Warta was not difficult. And now, it turned out, there was no cloud in the sky, no cloud. The foreman looked ashore, noticing the badges of the banners of soldiers from Warta.
Detachment after detachment rode along the Ob, and military supplies were loaded on the rooks, and they were dragged along the shore by the sword. Warta’s army was considerable, almost thirty hundred riding soldiers stood under the banner of the governor Likon. Yes, and on the ships there were convoys, those who were supposed only to help the horsemen, but to guard the camp, there were almost a thousand of them. Here, among these warriors, were the artisans of Irna, and among them Olen.
***
The sun, having played enough with fluffy clouds that became scarlet from the fierce touches of the luminary, tired itself. It left, hid behind distant forests, staining the sky in the west with ardent crimson. Guney and Umil hammered sharpened timber into the coastal sand. Blows with wooden hammers were fast and dexterous, so that the sharpened point quickly sank into the ground.
Well, the belt holding their rook while holding Irn himself. Meticulously followed the work of the artisans, and personally wound a strong belt around a seemingly reliably clogged beam. Then he twitched whether he was standing firmly, checking himself. You couldn’t rely on chance here.
— Well, foreman, is it good? — said and very seriously Clever, suddenly slapping his cheek.
— Why, decided to punish himself? Irn chuckled.
— Not for anything, like.. The mosquito is… — and showed, holding prey by a tiny wing.
— Let go, — the foreman quipped, — you can’t boil a stew out of this. Let’s go, we’ll help put up tents.
The artisans set up two tents exactly, stretched the ropes, scored stakes. Two, began to cook. The fire was already burning, and the boiler hung over the brightly flaming logs. Olen, sat down next to Dar, checking the bandage on his arm, and has already changed the plantain to fresh. The foreman just sighed, but patted his mustache with satisfaction.
— Everything, in practice, it seems… he said, looking around the camp.
— And then, Irn! Everything is in order. Soon the stew will be ready, — said Guney, shaking off the sand from his pants.
— Let’s see… As we eat, we will put the guards out all night, so that we would stand in threes, with bows and clubs. And leave one on the boat, more ceiling…
— Irn, I’ll watch the boat, — Olen suddenly turned.
— Well… But, look in both eyes… — said the foreman, and almost menacingly shook the brush with his index finger exposed, looking at the boy with obvious doubt, — keep the weapon at the ready, you never know that the Bowstring is superimposed on the bow, and the arrow would lie nearby… Oum is not far away, which means that strangers can fall on us. They are nimble warriors, you won’t hear right away…
— Be alone Irn, I won’t let you down!
— Okay, eat, take your bag and or on the boat.
Olen nodded, and sat down with the others by the fire. Here he was endowed with a full bowl of delicious brew from fish and barley cereals. The stew came out tight, as much as a spoon stood. Irn, like a foreman, tried the brew first, soaked his lips. appreciated.
— It turned out well. You can eat, — he deeply appreciated
— And then! But what do not say, and Harei cooks a stew better than yours! ‘called the rubbish Guney.
— Nothing, then you cook in the field for everyone. How will we be on the campaign, right, eh? — Harey objected cockily.
— So it will come out, — the artist evaded the answer.
Such words caused another explosion of laughter. To tell the truth, no one refused the stew, the artless cooking was not poured into the sand of the camp. Ate Spoons on bowls knocked fast. Yes, that evening the artisans ate quickly, saved time for sleep. They knew that they would raise them before dawn, and this was the last day crossing to Oum.
***
Olen looked at how Vataga was having dinner, and he himself ate slowly and slowly, often throwing fish bones into the river. Then he got up from the bench, calmly washed the bowl and spoon with sand, climbed onto the boat, and sat down, inspecting the river bank, swallowed from a wooden flask of grass infusion, and stretched chilly. Evening fog spread over the river, and it became cold. The boy hastily wrapped himself in a felt blanket, and then it became much more pleasant. The air now seemed not dank, but simply invigorating, the breeze was not piercing, but only fresh and pleasant. I didn’t want to sleep yet, but he still put rye cracker in the area. Quite a pleasant treat, especially if soaked in water. And when you eat, you don’t want to sleep, Olen only learned this on a hike.
