Immortals. Dead Princess from the Forbidden Island. Seven stories about Elga

— Well, now right at least a wedding, at least a dinner party, — Mara sentenced, — Krasa Nenaglyadnaya.

Only ochs-ochs were heard around, all the novices came to inspect Elga’s outfit.

“It can’t be better,” said Gata.

— More beautiful than everyone, said Tansy cut off.

And Uta and Nara, and Tina and Vlast, only nodded in agreement. All the novices looked at the outfit of their youngest with approval. They were all beauties themselves, but in such an outfit Elga was like Dawn-zaryanitsa, and it pleased them. It’s not for nothing that they say how you will seem, so they will think about you. Their healer should not appear to the feeder as a zamarashka, but should seem to her in all the color of her beauty and power.

“It seems good. Now I will dress, and we will wait for the feeders in our tower, where we only accept dear guests.

Mara also wore jewelry befitting her dignity. And they went to the guest hut, and sat down on the chairs of the Chosen. They began to wait, sitting on carved chairs. And four soon entered the tower. Katwar walked with Sadok, and behind them two sailors carried an oak carved casket. People from Gandvik looked at the sitting Chosen Ones with all their eyes, because all the guests of the island were accustomed to the unwise clothes of the witches, in which they see them on the shore, and here in front of them sat two women in all the brilliance of beauty and precious jewelry. The sailors were also dressed in all the best that they had with them on the voyage, and the elder and younger were worn in their right ears according to the earring adopted by the Huns, and both were clean-shaven. The nurse’s nephew stepped forward, and, looking back at the elder, began a sublime speech:

— Hello to you savior. The chosen Alatyr Islands are famous for their great art of delivering the afflicted from diseases, — said Sadok, uttering the learned words aloud, — You have surpassed everyone. You, so Beautiful and condescending, saved my life, and this is my gratitude to you — and he called the merrymakers with a wave of his hand, and they brought a carved casket and opened its lid. A sigh of admiration swept through the upper room, because the chest was full of sable skins.

“This is so that you do not freeze and grieve,” said Zadok, looking at the beautiful healer, and suddenly quickly approached her, and put his hands in her cold palms, “you saved me,” he lowered his head to the floor, and I am in your power.

— What to answer, — turning her head to Mara, Elga whispered in fright.

— That you accept his service, and you will reward him for diligence, — answered the mentor.

— Yes, I have nothing, — the girl was indignant.

“There will be many more. Say, he should not stand in a bow forever, — the woman whispered.

— Now, — the healer said quietly, — I accept your service, and I will reward your loyalty, — Elga said firmly and loudly.

Zadok straightened up, and, smiling, returned to his sailors. Elga also stood up, and her face turned a little red with excitement. And she noticed that Katvar’s health is not all right either. Dark stripe on the chest, and seen even better when she closed her eyes. And now she also joined her eyes, and so it was, she was not mistaken. She just sighed, preparing for the inevitable.

— Katwar, you’re sick too. If you are not cured, you will die in six months. If you are not afraid, I will cure you, — she said firmly, and watched how the face of the feeder changed.

“I saw you suffer, maid. I don’t want to hurt you, “Katwar replied harshly.

“Do you want to die?” the girl wondered.

— I’m not afraid to die, but I don’t want to bring Death closer either, Madam.

“Well,” Elga replied, “sit on the bench, it will be fast.”

All who were alone moved away, not wanting to interfere with the healer. She rolled up the sleeves of the dress, so that they would hang down, did not interfere, exposing golden twisted bracelets, sat down next to her, and put her palms on the forehead of the feeder, and he only shuddered. The novice closed her eyes, and it seemed to everyone that it had become darker in the upper room, as if the oil lamps had stopped burning. Elga’s face turned pale and her lips turned blue, she opened her eyes, and they were black instead of blue. The girl got up, staggering, but she saw, albeit badly. The feeder also got up.

“And that’s right, breathing better,” Katwar smiled, hitting his chest, but the smile came off when he saw the healer’s face. “What are you doing to yourself… Thank you for not sparing yourself for us.

— Everything is fine, — Elga smiled with blue lips, and the frost rubbed this smile on the skin, — soon I will come to myself, it will pass soon, — and she touched her face, — And so she would reproach herself that she could help you, not helped.

— Everything is wise with you, on Alatyr island. But you decide to come to us, after the dedication, — he bowed low to Mara, as the main one, — We will put your house in Gandvik for now. Why should you go to Altai or Varta, down the river? And you will come to us, maybe Likta, you will heal our holy fool.

“Thank you, Katwar, for your kind words. This is how your elders will decide, yes Seven. Maybe they will call me to their place, to Varta, they will need a healer.

“But nothing. You can live at home and visit us. That’s right, Zadok, and Katwar hit his nephew in the side.

“Exactly,” he replied, smiling.

He looked at the girl alone, and did not look away. Others, even Katvar, who was not afraid to go to the walrus with an ax, could not look directly at the young healer, avoided looking into her eyes. The feeder looked at Mara, who was very beautiful in this outfit, at the walls (on which there was nothing), at the carved chairs, at the table, floor. Anything but Elga’s eyes. Yes, others generally stared at the floor, as if they were trying to see their fate there, or the floors were carved in the house.

“And we also brought you honey, Chosen Ones,” said Sadok, and put on the table three large taverns entwined with vines.

Mara got up from her chair, and poured honey over the buckets, and the biggest one brought it to the girl who took it in her hand and looked at the guests. Those also froze and looked at each other, hesitated, no one knew what to say, finally, Katvar raised his drink up:

— For the health of Elga, the great healer!

The sailors screamed enthusiastically, Mara smiled too. And the healer herself drained the bucket in one fell swoop, because she wanted to drink terribly. She touched her face as if by accident and felt the numbness go away. The skin became smooth to the touch rather than stone-like.

— We will go, Chosen — after all even the broken wolf Katvar didn’t understand who is in charge at owners, and didn’t want to offend anyone therefore began to speak so floridly.

Mara with a half smile drank a little from the bucket, looking at Sadka and Elga. Her eyes were already dark blue and her lips pale.

The sailors bowed again, and one at a time began to leave the tower, knocking their boots on the stairs.

— Who liked it? — the mentor asked the healer, — the witches are getting married too, — she smiled, finally driving Elga into the paint. She had not yet completely melted, and her face was a little pink, and so it would be punchy.

— Is it hot here or what? — I looked at the girl with a bored look, — they hit her hard. It’s time for us to return to our chambers.

The girl did not answer anything, only turned to the wall, and corrected the temporal rings.

— Come on, Mara.

— Sable do not forget, your reward. And honey.

“I won’t tell you everything,” the girl whispered, looking around the room.

“I’ll help you, okay. Take the sled. Moreover, soon your art.

They collected gifts, and leaving the carved tower, they put them together. Mara went to the warehouse, where all the belongings were stored, and brought skids and belts from there. The mentor worked hard, fastened the load with belts, and Elga helped her. Finally, the cargo is tied tightly to the skid, and they dragged to their cave.

Uta and Tansy stood at the seedling, talked, and when they saw Elga and Mara dragging the sled, they ran up to them and took hold of the ropes, dragged the sled with gifts to the cave, then helped to lift all the belongings upstairs.

Novices, all six, were waiting for them, sitting at the table. Mara began to put the gifts of sailors on the floor. The girls looked at all this with admiring eyes, because none of them, despite their age, had yet deserved this. Elga looked at Mara, and gave a pair of skins from the casket to each, on a collar for a fur coat. She also put aside a share for Mara and Pryakh, leaving herself three skins.

“And to yourself?” asked the incomprehensible Tansy.

“That’s enough for me,” the healer replied.

***

Another week passed, and after the bath, Mara led Elga in clean clothes to the Pryahs for parting words, and then to the art. Again, a familiar move in the mountain led the Chosen to multi-colored pillars, and between them the cherished door awaited them.

— So you came, — said one of the nameless, getting up in front of the guest, — are you ready to accept fate? After all, the Serpent or the worm, and there is fate itself. He is always young and always old, there is no time for him, for he himself is this time. Mara herself guides you, and you learn the truth, and you learn yourself.

— And he is good or evil, — the girl asked in excitement, — how does he understand everything?

“He’s not evil. But he does not understand, and does not feel the difference between good and evil. Curious very much. He doesn’t like blood, — the recluse recalled everything painfully, bending her fingers, — You can ask him what you want, how you pass the art.

— Everything right? — the girl’s eyes sparkled.

“And he’ll give,” chuckled another Pryakha, “but not as you expected. He will think for you, and for you he will decide how you will be better, only according to his understanding. After all, the future is also aware, — the woman grinned. — So be careful. We’re waiting for you, come back.

They came out of the Recluse chambers, and did not utter a word to each of them before they reached the secret cave itself. Mara opened the door, inviting Elga inside.

— Mentor, and the torch? — looking into blackness, not understanding, the girl asked.

— You’ll have to choose with your heart, remember. And the light is not needed there, shine and it burns in you like a torch. You must find a secret place yourself, by the power of your feelings. And remember — he is under the skin of golden sheep, there is his refuge.

Elga entered the darkness and Mara closed the door to the cave behind her. The girl stood, listened to the steps. Steps, they were not, the novice thought that the mentor remained waiting for her.

The girl folded her hands on her stomach, and closed her eyes, trying to find peace, because for some reason her heart beat terribly. She gained more air in her lungs and exhaled slowly, and so several times. Here, I finally felt that my heart was beating smoothly, and began my journey through the dungeon. Step, another, third… The floor was smooth, as if sanded, and easy to walk on. It was like a black haze around. She walked carefully, groping the corridors with her hands. Step one more step, that’s the fork. She closed her eyes, trying not to think, and went to the right. Potom- left… So she chose until she buried the wall, and she was dazzling white, as if glowing. After running her hand over the wall, she buried herself in a large fur hide and pushed it away. Fingers groped for something… incomprehensible, huge, cold. It was rounded, moving under the arms… She tried to ask, but as if her heart was covered with a crust of ice and the ice bound her lips…

— Not so… — passed in her head, — ask wisely…

— You… — the subject began, not knowing how to start it.

“Yes, it’s me,” the creature said, as if it had breathed a thought into the girl’s head, “what you were looking for…

— I have to…

— Find out… Ask… tell? Yes, you must know… — it said faster.

— How is it? — Elga did not understand.

— Find out who you are… — said without saying the worm, — answer me, who are you?

— Ya-Elga, passing art, healer…

— No, not that… think…

She also called Python a lot of important things to herself, but he replied that no, not that. She needs to think. Think with your heart, think with your feelings. She was already breathing heavily, tired more and more.

— I… imperfect…

— Yes… and?

— I am a man! — she seemed to exhale, saying these words out loud on a whim, and this sound echoed in the cave.

— Right… Now you can be the real Chosen One, truly knowledgeable. What do you want?

Elga remembered Mara’s words too late, when she had already expressed a desire.

— I want to help people, she replied, thinking then that there was no wrong with that.

“You’ll help. Go.

She seemed to be icy when she heard this, and wondered if she had said too much.

She went the same way, but already now she could see in pitch darkness, feeling the difference between coal-black and gray-black, and ash. Everything was in front of her in such gray-black colors, but she walked confidently to the exit. The sound of her footsteps seemed to be reflected in her head, and even the quietest rustle seemed louder than a mountain collapse. She just began to count her every step, without even realizing it. Here is the door, also inhabited from the inside by chased copper with floral patterns.

“I walked three hundred and twenty-nine steps,” she said aloud, and turned her head back, examining the narrowing blackness of the cave.

She took up the handle, pressed a little and opened it. Elga took three steps, left the cave, and next to her stood in the darkness of Mara, like a marble statue, quiet and silent.

— Let’s go, — the girl said quietly, and carefully took the mentor’s hand.

— Let’s go, — she said even quieter, — I want to drink.

They got out, and the sun itself rejoiced in it, gently stroked its rays. They stood and squinted after the dark kingdom. Mara had very dry lips, and eyes, circled in dark circles, as if something bad had happened in a few hours. The girl looked away, as if she had not noticed anything, not wanting to ask. Sighing, she led Mara to the chambers of the Chosen. Six novices sat at the table, jumping up when they appeared.

— So long? — asked Tansy, looking at those who entered in disbelief, — does it happen? Where were you?

— Drinking… Give me honey, — Mara barely said with dried lips.

— Where were you? — Elga laughed, but in response the other girls only looked at her as a holy fool.

Uta and Nara, and Tina and Vlasta and Gata, looked at them with wide eyes, as if they had come back from the Ice Trail, moving the writhing to them with honey, and two buckets. The mentor splashed into Elge’s ladle, and drank the rest directly from the pot. Mara drank so greedily, swallowing honey, as if it were the last honey in her life, and could not get drunk. Finally, having emptied the korchaga, and looking at everyone with sparkling eyes, she said:

— I’m going to sleep. I’m tired. Wake up, drown the bath with Elga.

She stood up heavily, leaning against the tabletop, and went to sleep in her nook, covering the curtain. The rest, fearing to make noise, sat down next to the witch who had passed by.

— What so long, Elga, asked Tansy, resting her palms impatiently on the table.

— A couple of hours was, — not understanding, the girl answered, — what, how long?

— What are you! — hissed like a snake, Gata, — a whole week has passed… We already thought you would not return.

— Yes you!! It cannot be… — Elga jumped up, breaking her knee on the table, and immediately hissed in pain.

“Be careful,” Vlasta said.

— It hurts how, — the chosen one began to rub her leg, — I did not know… for so long… That’s what she wanted to drink so much, — and nodded towards Mary’s chambers, — I thought that two hours had passed.

— Soon you will go home, — said Vlast, who missed the family very much, — you see how good. You’ll finish your dedication tomorrow. Tattoos will apply to you.

— Let’s eat, but I’ll go to bed, — Elga smiled faintly, — otherwise, it turns out, I didn’t sleep for a week.

Exactly, said Gata, moving a bowl of fish to the new witch.

The girl ate everything, lying in the bowl quickly, and others also did not even eat, but rather, looked at her, swallowed without chewing, their food. There was almost no talk, and the girls, apparently, hoped to ask Mara about everything later. Nobody wanted to climb with conversations to the missing in grief, especially looking at her lost face. Elga cleaned her bowl and spoon, and limping went to her shop, not believing how she had spent a whole week in the cave, and did not notice it. She sat down on the deer’s skin, and again remembered her art, the path in the cave, and tried to remember where she had been for so long, saying to herself her way in the darkness, and only shook her head and wrinkled her eyebrows, trying to understand what had happened.

“Go to bed,” Tina whispered, stroking her shoulder, “don’t maul yourself in vain.

Elga squinted, looked attentively at the speaker, as if she had seen her for the first time, but nodded, undressed, and snarled under her furs, immediately feeling the warmth surrounding her. Merciful Hypnos joined her eyelids, and the girl, stretching, quickly fell asleep. Dreams did not torment her, and she woke up with a bright head, without hidden fears and without expecting bad things.

— Now we will eat, and we have further dedication to extend, — reassured her rested mentor.

“How you waited a week for me, Mara. Without water and food? — asked the sad Elga, looking around the mentors, looking for unfamiliar features in her.

“It was necessary, so I was waiting,” the woman answered deliberately simply, but she was given a satisfied smile by a recognized teacher, joyful for her student.

The way to the steam room did not find a lot of time, and there they were waiting for Pryakhi, who were already warming up in the steam room. Elga saw their tattooed bodies, and Mara was decorated with drawings of curled snakes. Spinners were not at all old, at least in appearance. But the girl was already warm, and was glad to bathe. She quickly undressed, and seeing the inviting gesture, she sat next to the Harites.

They steamed for a long time, doused themselves with water, the girl felt rested and soul and body. Finally, the Recluses looked at each other, and the young healer realized that a long conversation would now begin.

— What Elga decided, will you stay with us, or will you go to people? — asked one of them.

— We are not torturing you from empty curiosity, added another.

“And what drawings should we put on your body,” said the third Harita.

— And I am glad to your word, Recluses — Spikes who know the Law, but I will go to people.

“Your choice and your destiny,” the first said, “but if you stay, you will be one of us when one of Harith dies.”

Elga’s heart contracted at these words, and she looked at Pryakh, and none of them was sick, she did not see a dark spot or a strip on anyone that spoke of a serious illness.

— I don’t feel that any of you are sick, I don’t see it, — the girl answered with doubt in her voice.

“And we are not eternal,” the second grinned, “red blood flows in us, not transparent ichor.

“I wish I could go home,” Elga said quietly but firmly.

“So be it,” the third nodded, and went to the delivery with needles and paint. Near the table is a small vessel.

— Drink it, Elga, it’s poppy infusion, she said, holding out a small vessel. — you won’t feel pain.

“I have to feel everything,” the girl replied. — I want to understand everything and carry it through myself.

The other Recluses, and Mara, having steamed and washed, surrounded Elga, and showed her where to lie. She frowned, not understanding them. But here, the first of them, took the needles, and dipped in the paint, and the other rubbed Elga’s legs dry. Harita began stabbing from her hips. The subject felt every injection, and saw droplets of blood flowing onto the bench. This procedure took a long, very long time. Wounds were wiped clean of blood, and the drawing was applied further. Soon a pattern of snakes was visible on one thigh, soon another. The recluses switched hands. And there were already visible images. Even the forearms and neck were decorated with wriggling snakes and griffins. Elga looked at her drawings and drawings on other women’s bodies. The difference was immediately noticeable. But the girl was afraid to ask, she did not try out the secret, not revealed to her. The work was finished, Elga’s body was covered with bandages made of thin canvas.

— The drawing is different, because you go to people, — answered Mara to an unspecified question, — those who live among people and help people, griffins are portrayed more, snakes are less. Maybe you will stay? the mentor asked hopefully.

“I can’t forgive me, Mara. And I want to see my relatives.

“They are afraid of you,” Mara replied bitterly, “and always will be.”

They began to dress, and Elga shook everything in pain, embarrassed to show the inconvenience, but finally dressed, in new clothes, with another embroidery — embroidery of a real witch. Harita, already dressed, approached her, calling out.

— Lodya will come, come will say goodbye. It’s a pity that you will leave. — she added, without waiting for an answer, left the bath for herself, with everyone together, in her chambers.

— Mara, let me know on Gandvik, what would send a boat for a new volkhovitsa, — said, sighing, harita, — smoke over the mountain will be a signal.

The mentor nodded, agreeing with the Recluses. And Elga overdressed with Mara, not understanding what was the matter.

“Are they saying goodbye to everyone like that?” the girl asked.

“You are not everyone,” Mara answered briefly, dressing up, “let’s go, we have to go.” And make another smoky fire, there are a lot of things ahead.

Elga nodded, wearing bracelets and a fur sleeveless jacket over her dress, and draping a sheepskin coat, afraid of catching a cold after the bath. They passed the corridors to the chambers of the Chosen, the girls met both Mara and the new witch joyfully, and in the afternoon a festive feast awaited them. The feast dragged on for a long time, and Mara ended the meal with an old tradition, which everyone asked her to tell about.

— Mentor, tell us about the ancient Princes! — asked Gata.

“Do not fall asleep later,” the woman grinned, “which one do you want to hear about?”

— About the sixth, about the great, about the last, — they all said.

“What are you like magpies,” Mara began decorously, “Ilda called her,” she began, sitting down in a chair.

“And she was the strongest of the Dead princesses, those who have been sleeping for a long time. She was the sixth, and she was from Oum itself, and now sleeps heavy in the Ural Mountains. She was strong, mighty, and also created an army from Inanimate — not dead. And the faithful magician served her, her servant, he was that miracle, alive, he did not pass by the Tree, did not become Dreaming forever. Ilda settled somewhere on the island of the Student Sea, no one remembers what he is called. She helped people, cured the people of Gandvik, where she often visited. Once, she raised the dead from the ground, because she felt that a great enemy army had attacked us.