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

— Ella? — he asked quietly, squinting, — how is my son? — and moved closer to the girl, — cold there?

Arza looked at it with all eyes, but hearing Licta’s words, she clasped her ears with her palms, afraid to hear it.

“Lict,” she called him again, “the son let you go long ago,” and threw the cloak on his head and himself, so that no one could see their faces.

Elga under the cloak put her palms on the holy fool’s forehead, and felt her fingers become hot and closed her eyes. After a moment, she got up and threw back her cloak, afraid to open her eyes. But no, she saw. Nearby stood an elderly man shaking off his clothes from dirt and debris.

— Hello girl, — he bowed, — I’m sorry that the clothes are smeared, — turned and was about to go, when suddenly Trept rushed to him.

— Hello, Lict, buddy!

— Hello, — the person who does not understand him yet answered, frowning his eyebrows in annoyance, looking at his dirty clothes — you changed something a lot while I went on business, — he said, frowning his eyebrows, — and I see, dirty all.

— You fell into a ditch, — and I helped to pull you out, — Trept invented on the move, — I will accompany you, — he said, and turned to his wife, and she nodded her head, agreeing, — I need to come to you, and I need to talk. About Sadok.

— Let’s go, — just answered the former foolish, — the wife will be glad to you.

Elga stood, trying to catch her breath from the tension, and her head was spinning. But she didn’t go blind! She was so glad she was ready to scream. And they managed to cure the unfortunate, which no one could do for a long time. Arza approached her with a quick step and kissed her, quickly, quickly, slightly touching her cheeks with her lips.

— Thank you. The gods sent you to us in a good hour, kind girl, let’s go home, rest, — she came closer, and looked at her face, — You are whiter than snow, in the face of no blood.

The healer only sighed doomedly when the woman took her od hand and took her home. They came soon, and the girl, only with difficulty undressed, drank honey and fell asleep.

The morning was beautiful, the sun was shining, it was warm. Elga and Arza sat on the litter after a meal, listened to the chirping of birds, both had an excellent mood. Suddenly they knocked on the gate, and a hum of voices was heard.

— What is it? — and a premonition pricked in the girl’s heart.

But it did not deceive her. From the barn, hearing a knock, Trept came up and opened the wicket. Twenty people came in, in front was Likt, prettier, shaved and combed, and his relatives and acquaintances followed him. In the hands of the man were the skins of beavers, as far as the girl managed to see. The healed approached his healer, and she stood up, as a sign of decency.

— Hello to you, beautiful guest, — Likt began kindly, — you helped when no one asked, you did it without asking for anything in return, you did good at the call of your heart. Thank you for returning my mind — and handed her a heap of beaver skins — so that you would be even warmer, and your life is smarter. Katwar was so right when he built your house, and we laughed at him. And this is for acquisition — and gave her a leather bag.

— What is it? — the girl did not understand, feeling a great burden in such a small volume.

“Gold,” he said, and bowed, and was about to leave.

— I won’t be able to stay here much longer, but I promise to come more often, “Elga said after Lictu in an embarrassed voice.

“And that’s good. We do not hope for more, — he said approaching the gate, and suddenly, as if remembering something, he returned, — Come to us in the afternoon, we will be glad. And with Katwar and Arza. — he stood with his head down — Did you cure me for good, Elga?

— Yes, the darkening of the mind will not return, — the girl answered confidently.

“I will go,” and the man, no longer turning around, left the yard.

Soon the invitees began to dress in all the best. The owners of the house dressed in festive clothes with embroidery, Arza wore a necklace over the best knitted dress with embroidery. The man also dressed carefully, he was wearing excellent leather pants, a strong shirt, the same with embroidery, family signs, soft sailor boots, and Trept put a silver earring in his ear, familiar to any Hans-goose. They sat down, wait for a guest from Alatyr. Finally, pulling back the curtain, Elga also came out, in all the brilliance of her beauty. A well-made dress tied with a belt of excellent leather was familiar, and otherwise the healer was brilliantly like the sun. Her head was crowned with a kokoshnik strewn with pearls, and a golden month burned in the center of the dress. The temporal rings were gold, as were twisted bracelets on the wrists and on the forearms, while on the chest hung a golden talisman held on a leather cord. Earrings in the ears were magnificent work, and decorated with gems from the Urals. The girl saw that her outfit was dazzling in the eyes of the owners. Elga stood, rather smiling, and recalled Mara’s lessons: “You should be regal, and not seem like a zamarashka in their eyes, no one will listen to a zamarashka. You have to inspire respect.”

“Let’s go,” Trept said simply, “we are ready,” he said nothing more, more, many more his eyes declared.

Lict’s house was not far away, and they were met at the gate by his children, who saw off the guests. The treat stood in the open air, so many people would not go into the house for anything, there would simply be no place for everyone. Lickt and his wife sat at the head of the table, and the rest — as they had to. Seeing the healer, the owner got up from his seat, and raised his hand with a goblet in greeting. They sat at the table in empty seats on the bench. The fun was in full swing, honey poured by the river, Lict spared no supplies in honor of the cure. Previously, Elga was not at feasts, and she would not have been allowed before, she was too young. But now, the Chosen One from Alatyr covered this holiday with her presence. Everyone was glad to her, looked with joyful, friendly eyes and smiled. But Pryakha’s words sounded in my head: “Everyone will expect help from you, everyone will love, or even be afraid. And if you break, at least somehow they will hate you right there. You will not remake yourself, you will not be able to refuse treatment to anyone, but do not strain your strength. There will be many who ask. “The girl only sighed heavily, remembering these words.

Drank from a cup of sweet honey, but only heavy thoughts climbed into my head, but she tried to drive them away. And as if they looked at me, if Sadoka had not cured, nor Likta… But I would not have got to Alatyr if my brother, Takaya, had not been saved. My fate means so, and there is nothing to do with her sores, she pulled herself up, and smiled strained when Lict himself came up to fill her cup.

“What’s not fun, lady?” Surely honey is unsweetened or pies are not satisfying?

— Everything is fine, the owner is friendly, — the girl nodded, — so, I thought.

— Do not twist, soon I will deliver you to Varta. I’m the best feeder on Obi. And Vataga is my best, do not doubt. The day after tomorrow and go. Come to the pier in the morning, we will wait for you.

“Thank you, Lict.

They sat still, and then, Arza, pretending that she could not, gathered home, and Elga and Trept went with her.

“You see how everything was decided,” said Sadok’s father, as if persuading the girl, “the day after tomorrow is already on the way. Not instantly, but you will soon reach your Warta. Likt is a reference feeder, do not doubt, he went a lot, both by sea and by rivers.

The day passed quickly, the Chosen One did not notice. And on the day of departure, the healer dressed simpler, in a simple road dress, and escorted by Arza and Trept, came to the pier. Here, the boilermakers equipped three boats with goods for sailing, and Lict ruled one of them. He then met the girl.

“I’m not happy with anyone like you,” he said immediately. “Here, and he proudly showed a thirty-six-seater ship, forty-two cubits long (14 meters), worked out of walrus skins, on a frame of whale ribs. “We’re leaving soon, you’re on time.

After a short time, the lodges fell into the arms of the Ob, swaying on its waves.