Полная версия
And then, put the plate on the bench, and it seemed that the water splashed. He looked carefully overboard, behind which the calm water surface also turned black, not far from last year’s reeds, which had long lost their hats, stood in an even formation. True, it seemed that two of them, as if not to the beat of the wind, were swinging. Olen quickly grabbed the bow, and without hesitation, launched three arrows one after another. Heard two screams, yes from the water, all in the river
grass, a man rushed at him. There was no time to think, Olen hit the unknown on the head with a heavy oar.
And here, from a high bank, as if hearing these screams, strangers rushed to the camp of the Khansa. Arrows whistled, darts fell, puncturing the fabric of tents with copper stings, or went into the sand, burrowing deeply, trembling, as if with resentment. However, the guards were at the ready. Horns honked, calling the Hanza to arms. Well-aimed arrows and streets flew in response, a fight ensued.
Olen, I didn’t yawn here. Migom put a flexible shield on his left hand, covering his back, again took up the bow, and began to fire arrows, knocking the running strangers to the ground. And they shot back, and saw that they hit. Gunei was shot in the leg and Harei in the arm. The artisans grabbed the strangers in hand-to-hand combat, and the desperate Irn smashed the enemies with his club, on a long, almost fathom, handle. But, all one thing, the ship’s rati had a hard time, because horse warriors had already come to the aid of strangers. Olen has never seen such, but there was no time to be surprised. Warriors were already retreating to the boats, as a terrible roar of battle horns rang out over the night forest, and hundreds of Hanza peaks fell upon strangers. The warriors, on large and strong moose, immediately overturned the horse army of strangers into the water, and began to beat the enemies, giving no mercy to anyone. They stabbed and chopped, tired the shore killed, so that the dead lay on the dead. Only a few, abandoning horses, rushed into the water, hoping to escape. But several rooks followed them, and the warriors of the ship’s rati beat and drowned strangers with oars. Olen jumped out of the boat, noticed that the one whom he stunned with an oar was trying to get ashore. Wheezing, but trying to get up, falls back, choking on water. Then Olen pulled this man ashore by the collar, and twisted his hands behind his back with a strong belt.
I saw several prominent soldiers on moose approaching them, with a band of troops. Among all stood out, shining with copper armor in the sun, the governor of all rati Vara, Likon. Then one of the riders dismounted, and came closer.
Olen turned very pale, but he was going to give a dragonfly, like a gray hare who noticed a wolf in the bushes. But I didn’t have time.
“I didn’t expect that,” Radko said calmly, without anger, removing the helmet from his sweaty head, “what’s your name, well done?”
— So Olen… — the young warrior answered quietly.
— Young, but he knew how and brave, — Irn who came up began to praise his fighter, — the first alarm raised. So, he caught the enemy scout, — and poked a club in the shaft lying on the ground, — both smart and good… And he cured two patients in Vatag.
— Really? Radko chuckled, the herbalist, then?
“The magician is simple,” Irn smiled.
— Well, this is the case, foreman, — the approaching leader intervened in the conversation, — since such an intelligent one, let the military work cope with the healers and healers. He has nothing to rotate the oar, fill the corns on his palms. It is unreasonable to plow everything like earth on a crane.
— So of course, Licon… — reluctantly agreed with the leader Irn, — let him gather… And the prisoner, drown, or what? What is the gap to feed?
The prisoner tried to get up, but he could not straighten himself, and writhed like a caught fish. Finally, everyone was tired of looking at such attempts, and Radko put him on the sand. Likon himself with curiosity, slowly and meticulously, as if buying a cow, looked around the stranger, suddenly laughed, but in a rush of feelings he hit his knees. What surprised even his dry, twisted horned head.
Olen looked at the bound stranger, not really understanding what was the matter. What’s the catch? A mop of black wet hair on the head, pants made of thin skin, a jacket made of felt, with generic signs at the gate. There was nothing of the kind. Well, the boots are embroidered, patterned thread, were good, I bet not.
— So you know who you are… ‘he stumbled for a second,” he took? So this is Manis himself the son of the leader Sabaday. I saw his father very young, the Princess Alma released him from the field, on parole, that she would not fight. Deceived, see, Sabaday…
“What are you saying! The word given to the greatest Alba is sacred! My father did not lie, but twenty years have passed. Well, without the Dead Princess, we can defeat you!
— You are looking, you talked like a real one, — Likon grinned, — Radko, went the messenger to Oum, the way will give the news to foreman Savir that we have Sabaday’s son, Manis in our hands. And to you… Here, a reward, — he turned to Olen, and put a gold bracelet in his hand.
“And I’ll pay you, girl! — shouted a stranger, — I must stay with you that I did not kill!
In such a crowd, the artelshiki did not understand what they were talking about. Guney, the man twisted his finger at his temple, they say, the boy was damaged by his mind, everywhere now the girls are imagining.
Irn was surprised, but did not show it. In the meantime, Dar let down the skate captured in battle, on which the leader’s son, captured, was seated. One of Licon’s warriors took this horse under the bridle, and the other rode behind.
— Okay Olen, say goodbye to your own, yes, come to the wagon train of our rati, — the leader said slowly and calmly, — the Magi Golovan and the Chosen One herself, Kida with her notes will be waiting for you. Unotkami,, that is… And this, — and the foreman quickly tied the nodes of the message, but sealed it, — you will give it yourself, personally, to Kid… Look, don’t forget!
And Likon looked so attentively and expressively at the youth that he did not dare to talk.
— Well, — quietly, without arguing, Olen answered, — now, I’ll only tie my own… How can I leave them?
The foreman, agreeing, nodded. He and his retinue slowly drove around the shore, as if looking, which he did not lose. Finally, he turned around, and wanted to drive up to Olen, but he thought about it.
The riders left, and he, the artel healer, set to work. Not like heavy, like nervous. I had to get used to it in order to teach myself to persuade the wounded that everything would be fine, the pain would soon go away. The person sat next to him, looked into the eyes of the doctor, and had to not only trust the treatment, but BELIEVE. Medicine. Just washing and sealing wounds, applying good herbs, and wrapping clean rags with blood on the bodies of tired soldiers, all this was much easier…
The rest of the artisans were engaged in an important matter — collecting prey from bodies, stripping to nudity, and throwing the dead into the river. They put their own dead separately, wrapped them in burlap, put on belts to hang them on the upper branches of trees, according to the old custom. And, to the joy of the whole artel, a lot of good has accumulated… There are eighteen pairs of boots alone, but ten pairs of chobots. Daggers, about twenty, clubs with a short shaft as much as thirty. Olen did not hide his eyes when he saw this. Having finished everything, and having said goodbye, he slowly wandered to the wagon train of the heavy rati Varta.
CHAPTER 7 Student at the Chosen
At the wagon train there was a vigilant guard of a dozen soldiers, but Olen was missed, according to the sign of Radko who was waiting for him.
— Well, and came. What, satisfied? ‘asked the youth warrior.
— Yes so… In general, everything, as I thought… Well, almost…
— Almost… — Radko grinned and shook his head, — went to the Chosen One, she is waiting for you.
Here were rows of huge carts, with wheels half the height of an adult. A couple of oxen were harnessed to each. And, not far from the teams, there were tents, and in front of them were benches on which the unkind sat and waited for their turn.
And nearby, the Chosen One acted as a priest, in the usual outfit for her class — a black frilly skirt, shirt, and felt sleeveless jacket decorated with red embroidery. A red plat hung on his shoulders, leaving his blond hair in a knot open. Well, twisted gold bracelets from wrists to elbows adorned the woman.
— Oh, they finally came… Why did you dress up like that? Instantly, change clothes for girls! she looked menacingly at the youth, and even stamped her foot.
— You see the father, — said the girl, — Chosen, so immediately found out…, — and the girl gave a message from Ramid.
The chosen one instantly broke the seal, read it, and strictly looked at the girl. True, Elle thought that Kid was about to laugh, judging by the way her lips curl.
— What did you think, Elle, dressed up as a lad, called herself Deer, and no one will recognize you? Radko said quietly.
— Yes, everything seemed to be fine. Coped… Among the artisans, consider it your own. Everything is more fun there. Maybe you can come back, eh, Father? she looked hopefully into Radko’s eyes.
But he shook his head. The Elle only sighed with regret, understanding and accepting the inevitable.
“Will I wait a long time for you?” Kid lost patience, and even frowned, showing rigor.
— Well, it’s time for my father, I’ll see you again, — and the Elle ran to the carts, change clothes.
Radko bowed to the Chosen One, and quickly left this place. It did not hurt well here, where they treated the wounded and mutilated in battle.
***
— Well done… Although no, smart girl! — Kida was found, and she herself smiled mischievously, looking at the Elle, — Otherwise, and while I am confused, who are you, the young man was a girl?
— So you, Mrs., know better, — Elle was found.
Kida’s pupils are already accustomed to this, but they all laughed at one thing, watching how the new one blushes. Now, in a simple girl’s outfit, however, with an expensive gold gift bracelet on the wrist, no one would have believed that she was not a girl.
“True, you cook the potion well. Better than others, — the Chosen One praised, — did she learn herself?
“From where. Kras instructed me. Our healer from the village. Big herbalist. What he just does not know how, — the girl praised Krasu, — she taught everything.
— So… — held out the Chosen One, with already condemning intonation in her voice.
And, she took a closer look at the new student, as if she wanted to find in her an unknown flaw. A small wormhole, in this golden apple.
— This is bad? — not understanding, answered Elle.
— Not that bad, but not good… Well, how to say… It’s the same as cooking mushrooms with honey…
— A little strange food, — picked up the Elle.
— Well, the same in the witchcraft. She can do what was considered incongruous. Like a birch with apples on branches, And a herbalist, and a fortuneteller, who submissive bones. This is a rarity. About like… Hare with fangs, like this… And, she did not pass the initiation, she learned herself… Therefore, I look after her, no matter what happened.
It seems that the Christmas tree was beginning to understand… Something extraordinary means… And it scares the Chosen One…
— Well, why did everyone freeze? Listened, and enough! Or there is nothing to do, everything has been redone? Kida said sharply, looking strictly around the students.
Here everyone would not run in, but they began to continue their usual work. They rubbed herbs for potions, two prepared bandages from pure linen. Well, Yolka went through pots of ointments in a large lara. For convenience, with colored labels on the walls.
“Don’t be offended, I’m on your side,” Nata, one of Kida’s students, whispered carefully, “forgive the ants in your felt. It’s all Lika… That she-wolf…
The Elle recalled last night. Yes, the red ants kept her awake. And now I felt itching and pain on my shoulders and back. Not that I would be surprised at such a meeting, but it was a shame. In the artel, they treated her where kinder, but here, immediately hated, or, most likely, frightened. She heard that male societies are much kinder than girlish ones, and now she is convinced of this. Intrigues, distrust, whispering from all angles…
— Is it true that you had a lover in the artel? Nata asked, with a bite of her lip, just as quietly but hopefully.
Her whole appearance said how now the girl languishes with curiosity. The Christmas tree was not stupid, and did not spoil such a game. Otherwise, it would be unforgettable…
— I can’t answer… she whispered, making a deliberately stern face, and turned away.
Her interlocutor nodded with a serious expression. As you can see, the answer seemed more than sufficient. And, pleased, Nata moved away, and began to whisper with her two friends. The Christmas tree was not disappointed, everything turned out, as she expected, the gossip began to spread instantly, like a trail on the water from an abandoned pebble.
CHAPTER 8 The host at Oum. New battle
Radko hastily dressed in his armor, tightening the straps on his sides. So at these moments he wriggled like a cancer who would like to climb into his panzyr. And although the matter was already familiar, and the warrior sweated from such labors. Sheko, an old friend and neighbor in the village, also came to the rescue. I couldn’t do it myself!
— Let me help you, — said the warrior, in response to providing such a service to a comrade.
Finally, Radko put on a helmet, and a sharp-headed bone helmet, decorated with skillful carvings, completely covered his head. Checked once again, the belt of the shield, and then, in such a matter there were no trifles. Then came the turn to transport with a dagger. He threw a pile behind his back and a quiver full of arrows. And in his hands he took a battle ax, a club and a spear. This weapon was attached to the plonk.
He was not alone in a hurry to the camp square. Warriors from their tent, and others who stood nearby, walked to the fence, and brought out their plows. Mighty animals, accustomed from childhood to their gray-haired, were obedient. Radko pleased his moose with a cracker, and stroked his face. Then he fitted a leather bib to protect his faithful friend from enemy arrows.
— Well, that’s it, we leave! their centurion, Vatey, shouted, looking around the assembled riders.
The warriors sat on the backs of their dry, covered with felt blankets, and with rollers to make it more convenient to sit, and their first dozen slowly began to travel to the edge of the forest, to the place assigned to them for the battle. It was a cool early morning, which was pleasing. Nevertheless, the armor warmed, in the literal sense of the word, especially the quilted armor. Even a light breeze rose, and as if to help, blew at the back of the Hansa soldiers.
Radko sent his plow to his left, hitting his rump with his right knee. He understood any order at once, turned a little, like the whole row of horsemen. Ahead, half a mile from them, in the field, he noticed the front line. The leader of the Hansa, counted on a fight, but did not want the battle to begin suddenly. Strangers, until they approached closer than five miles.
But, scouts, with a leisurely trot moved forward, with bows at the ready. Apparently, Ramid had already decided everything, and was ready for battle.
— Hey, guys! Vatey shouted, — as the battle begins, our hundred goes to the left, behind a blockage of trees. We are in no hurry, we let in three arrows, and then we act… Is it clear to everyone? It should come to copies at the very end of the fight! And only then, and put the clubs in business!
Radko grinned, as did the other warriors. Who didn’t know their centurion was a bit tongue-tied? So, on the other hand, skillful and sensible, and in any fight he thinks quickly.
***
Radko noticed how their scouts, at a gallop, were leaving. Apparently, it began… And, after a couple of minutes, hundreds of mounted warriors appeared, on squat forest horses. Something was shouted, but it was not heard. But, from the cannon of the forest, suddenly two horns sounded intermittently.
— All right, let’s start! Vatey shouted. First, dozens of Palak, Zvan and Lita start!
Earlier, as a child, Radko believed that riders throw themselves together, with one fist. But here, I understood a lot. In order not to be knocked down, the elk squad attacks in parts. The rest, hold the place…
Other warriors and hundreds of others rushed into battle. Hanza showered strangers with arrows without entering into hand-to-hand combat. Before reaching a hundred steps, they turned away and rushed back. Strangers began to pursue. True, they were a little stunned here. Fresh Hanza rushed to the rescue, and arrows flew again, knocking enemies off their horses.
Radko saw returning warriors from dozens of Palak, Zvan, and Lita being built behind them. Squires, unots, ran up to them, serving full quivers of arrows, instead of devastated, and bowls of water, to get drunk. The battle horn buzzed again. It seems that their turn came, and Radko with everyone, sent his plow forward.
Now, feeling beneath him how the moose was carrying you forward, he looked only forward. He held the bow in his left hand, controlling only his legs.
— Let the arrows! heard the voice of the foreman.
And here, hands did business, as if by themselves. He pulled a string, shot and shot. I just saw how the red plumage disappears in the distance, and there, in the enemy formation, someone falls from a horse, or a horse, burrows into the ground at full gallop, or falls on its side, crushing a saddle. Screams, rumblings, swearing… Arrows also sang above them, only strangers. But now, their dozen unfolds, and Radko and his own gallops back. Then an arrow hit the shield behind her back, felt as if she had been hit with a stick. Towards with bows in his hands, another dozen Hanza galloped, and they walked between them, as the scallop teeth pass between the hair.
Then they turned around, and again showered strangers with arrows. Then, along the roar of the horn, they returned, and hundreds of them stood in the last row. Here they sounded their horns, their hundred, led by Vatey, began to go to the left, hiding behind a blockage of trees. They have already seen the chipping faces of strangers.
But, the joy was short-lived. Peshtsy and unots, covered with rubble, brought down hundreds and hundreds of stones from their slings on the finders. And the weapons are so unwise, but they knocked down dozens of enemies to the ground. Horses laughed in fright, threw off riders. Strangers, of course, began to dismount, and rushed to the blockage, trying to make way for themselves. Hand-to-hand combat boiled over. Strangers were thrown with poles and bugs, but they did not let up, climbed forward, throwing darts.
And maybe they would still break through, despite the many fallen.
Vatey looked at his soldiers, tightly clutching their weapons. Apparently, everyone was ready for a decisive battle. And the centurion shouted:
— Well, geese?
— Ha-Ha-ha! they cried enthusiastically in response.
Goose, was sacred to Hanza, in fact, Hanza meant goose, and now the fighters considered themselves sacred warriors who stood for all the people. And their determination was simply unbearable.
Yes, here from both sides hit the horsemen of the Hanza on the mighty dry. Their onslaught was terrible. Moose were not afraid of anything, and were much stronger than horses. Horses neighed, moose roared in rage, clods of earth flew from under their hooves. Forest lords knocked horses to the ground, and their saddlers put spears and clubs into business. The palace of the Hanzas is not like such weapons of other tribes. It consisted of a pommel, and a long shaft, almost the height of a person. And, now, such a weapon was very useful. They could get the enemy from afar.
Here and Radko, breaking the spear shaft, fell from the back of the plow. Two strangers rushed at him, throwing darts. Copper points hit the bone armor, breaking a couple of plates. Hanza growled with rage like an evil bear. It darkened in his eyes with anger, hands and feet, as if nothing weighed, and time stopped. He snatched his club, dodged, bending sideways, from the injection with a dagger, and he himself brought down the club on the enemy’s head. I didn’t hear the nasty crunch of bones, my ears felt like wax. Radko jumped away from the falling body, took another step to the side, and with a clever blow knocked down the second enemy, unexpectedly hitting him in the face with a poke of the top of the club. Then a third ran up from the side, to whom Radko put his shield under attack, and then hit the enemy in the groin with a long pole of the club. The enemy’s eyes rolled back at once, his face turned white, he fell, and curled up in terrible pain. And the fight continued, and there was no time to rest.
The finders fell, already dozens, tired of bodies and so crushed grass. They also blew horns, asking for help from their own. But, everything was in vain, and Hanza defeated the enemies, and there was no mercy to anyone.
Which of the strangers managed to escape, only he was lucky to survive, in this terrible battle. But, the leader of someone else’s army did not come to the rescue. And the sun was still rising across the sky in its golden chariot, to the very height. It wasn’t even noon before it was over.
CHAPTER 9 A Thin World After a Quarrel
The army of the Hansa stood in the middle of a field dotted with killed. Yes, the warriors of Warta carried their dead to the copse, where they were dressed on the last road of the Magi troops.
Among the hundreds of horsemen, stood Vatey, proud of his warriors.
— All well done, survived, and they took good prey in the field, — the centurion quietly said, — that’s how many horses they collected
— And the army of Oum never came… said the tenner Palak, still quieter.
“You can see late, the pants were tied,” Zvan whispered angrily.
— Maybe what the matter is, — explained Vatey, — we ourselves survived.
— What prey… If their convoy and camp, then the matter is different. And so we got it, it’s a couple of tatty boots on my brother… And the arrows were spent, and their price is considerable, two gold rings for a dozen, — Palak began again.
— Enough for you to mess with everyone! — Vatey could not restrain himself, — let’s see that Likon himself will speak at the gathering…
I saw Radko, as angry, angry warriors. And then, the battle is over, why are we standing? What are the elders doing there? Or again, what kind of deception did you start? And it’s bad to return home without prey. And, the master does nothing just like a gunsmith.
But then, unexpectedly, there was a long roar of the horn. Radko listened, but exchanged glances with fellow villagers. Dar nodded, and said quietly:
— Indeed, not our horn gives a voice… Not our voice, that’s for sure. And not strangers…
“Maybe from Ouma?” Is the army coming? — tried to guess the warrior
“We’ll find out now,” Palak said calmly.
The warriors noticed how the foreman Ramid, with a banner and with the units of the retinue, trotted towards. They didn’t wait long. Likon returned to the army of Warta not alone, but with a detachment under the banner of Ouma. On the pole, the rider carried the Golden Dragon. And his personal vigilantes, according to the old custom, carried white swan wings behind their backs, in memory of the winged warriors of the First Queen Ouma, Elena the Beautiful herself.
