Читать книгу Right hand. Prince of Darkness - Dmitry Nazarov - Страница 8

– The second time I save you from women. It’s becoming a tradition! I said, laughing again.

Pine trees with occasional patches of firs and the earth strewn with fallen needles rushed past, reaching for the sky. The rashtang moved quickly, and it was difficult to see anything properly, but I definitely liked the smell of pine needles.

– Stop doing that! Eitan bucked, for some reason not laughing.

His brows furrowed angrily on his reddened face. The forest air didn’t seem to do him any good.

– Why? It really was funny.

– Neither the prince is funny. Everyone went crazy.

I didn’t argue with the angry man, but instead remarked:

– It’s already getting dark. It’s time to look for a place to sleep. – And, unable to resist, she added: – Since we did not manage to spend the night in the monastery with you.

Eitan’s eyes flashed angrily, but did not snarl, especially since the rashtang significantly slowed down the run, and we got the opportunity to look for a suitable place to stop.

– Look, it looks like someone is already there. I pulled on the reins and pointed into the depths of the forest, where the flames of the fire gleamed. – Shall we join? Maybe you can get something tasty.

– We have enough supplies of our own, – the companion grumbled.

However, it was not a refusal, but rather a manifestation of a bad mood. Eitan had nothing against the company and, grabbing a bag with the supplies mentioned, jumped to the ground. The two of us walked towards the nearest trees. I left Rashtanga to myself, and the guy either did not pay attention to this, or already managed to understand that this is in the order of things and you should not be surprised.

It soon became clear that two whole fires were burning ahead. A cheerful wind brought the smell of smoke and ringing cheerful voices. The darkness did not have time to finally thicken over the forest, and we easily spotted bright scarves and colorful skirts between the trunks.

– It looks like a Gypsy, – Eitan determined.

I peered ahead with redoubled interest. The Gypsies were a nomadic people who did not change their habitual way of life even after all the others quietly settled in the steppes, some in the foothills, and some in the hot desert. They were known for reading their hands, singing merry songs, and not accepting a roof over their heads. Well, and one more thing.

– I advise you to hide the purse, – Eitan warned.

– Nonsense! I didn’t agree. – You people love to invent scary tales about those who are even slightly different from you. And accuse them of all mortal sins. I guess it helps to deal with the eternal human uncertainty.

What other uncertainty?

Eitan slowed down, as if by accident, and he looked at me with a suspicious squint, as if he was trying to read something special in my face.

– Suddenly I’m not the right one, – I explained, not caring in the least about his suspicions. “Suddenly something is wrong with me. As long as everyone behaves like me, such doubts can be ignored. But as soon as someone else looms on the horizon, anxiety begins to torment you with renewed vigor. And the decision comes by itself. To prove that the other one is worse than you, that his way is definitely wrong. And it is better to completely drive away or destroy. You think this will solve the problem. But, here’s the problem: others disappear, but anxiety remains.

– So you are convinced that you should not worry about money? – pragmatically inquired Eitan, pretending to have missed the whole philosophy on deaf ears.

– I definitely shouldn’t, – I beamed. – I don’t have any money.

The companion grinned. The monastic adventures began to be forgotten, and his mood improved significantly.

– So you think the Gypsy rumors are prejudice? – he chuckled. – What about divination? Do you think they are telling the truth?

– Some certainly, – I replied with conviction. Gypsies have the highest level of foresight among the living. But do not rush to trust. I raised my index finger in warning. – A fortune teller is different for a fortune teller. I met one soothsayer who looked at the lines of the hand, understanding absolutely nothing about them. There were no abilities – and that’s it. But there was nowhere to go, everyone went to her to ask about the future, and waited for answers. Well, that’s what she told the clients, what would come into her head. And once – I don’t know with what joy – she predicted to an impressionable boy that in the coming year he would face a painful death from damage to internal organs.

– I see, – Eitan nodded. – Nothing happened to him in a year, and when the time expired, he called her to account?

– If only, – I replied. – As I said, the guy turned out to be very impressionable. After leaving the fortune-teller, he was never able to return to normal life. I only thought about how little he had left. And everyone was waiting for a terrible disease that would bring him to the grave in a matter of weeks. As a result, he could not stand the constant nervous tension and committed suicide. But since the wounds were inflicted clumsily, he did not die immediately. Lasted about a week.

– And died from damage to internal organs?

Eitan, gloomy, slowed down again, almost stopped.

– Exactly, – I confirmed. – You see, predictions come true more often than the incredulous tend to believe. But the question is why does this happen. Because Gypsy was good at hand reading? It happens. Although the future is not carved in stone, and even the lines on our palms can change in some cases. But it also happens that the prediction feeds itself.

I walked around the pine, putting my hand on the uneven bark, feeling the energy that the tree breathed. Yes, I remember, I love coniferous forests. They willingly share their strength with travelers. And, of course, not a drop is lost on this. Sharing energy is like bleeding. The new one works better than the old one.

– Of itself? What is it like?

– It’s very simple, – I shrugged. If there were no prediction, there would be no realization. This is a very common thing. Surely you have heard that famous story about the poor fellow who was told that he would kill his father and sleep with his own mother?

– I vaguely remember. But no details. It looks like it ended badly.

– Worse than ever. Hearing the prophecy, he ran away from home to be away from his parents, but, the trouble is, he was an adopted child. On the road, he met and killed a man who was none other than his real dad. Then you will guess. And if there were no prediction, he would sit quietly at home and, maybe, he would never meet his real parents. So think carefully before you turn to a fortune teller.

– I don’t tend to go to fortune-tellers at all, – Eitan said.

– Not inclined, but I came to them, – I chuckled.

Despite our slowness, we finally reached a clearing in which the well-fed flames of two fires danced merrily. Small brightly colored tents were set up under the trees, and men and women in traditional gipsy garb, mostly barefoot, walked across the short grass. The prickly needles, inevitable in a pine forest, did not bother them at all.

– Can I join you, kind people? I asked cheerfully. We have fresh rich bread, which we will be happy to share.

We also have food. A middle-aged man with a short thick beard waved his hand in greeting. – Come on. Gypsies are always happy to have guests.

– It’s interesting that the most hospitable are those who have no home, – I teased.

Eitan gave me a warning pinch on the arm, I must say, quite painfully. But the friendliness of my tone was obvious, so the addressee only chuckled.

– The Gypsy house is a sky strewn with lamps of stars, – he objected. Wherever we go, he is always with us.

– Beautifully said, – I said.

Eitan and I sat down on the grass not far from the fire, but at the same time a little apart. Why without the need to invade someone else’s space? Moreover, the evening was warm, and human bodies did not require the proximity of fire.

– What happened to her, that fortune teller? – Eitan suddenly asked.

– Which one?

– The one who foretold the death of a young man.

– Oh, with her… Yes, in general, nothing good. – I wondered if I should go into the details of a mortal, but in the end I decided not to torment myself with ethical questions. I’m not an angel after all. – She died, fell into the Darkness, and spent… let’s say, a lot of time there. But then she got out anyway.

– Did you repent of your deed? he raised an eyebrow.

– Getting out of the Darkness is not so easy, – I laughed. – No, she got out of the songs.

If before Eitan was surprised, now he was simply taken aback.

– Songs?

I nodded.

– What is it like?

– Well… You can say, she rose, as if on a rope. For a long time, slowly, tearing his palms into blood, but still. You have no idea what music is capable of. If you love her with all your heart. Well, no one imagined it. We were all incredibly surprised. But then they realized that everything was natural.

My companion wanted to object, but a Gypsy girl approached us.

– Do you want me to tell you a fortune, beautiful? – she asked cheerfully, squatting next to us.

Her curly brown hair fell over her face and she pushed it back with a shake of her head. The wind, frolicking, played with thick curls.

– Why not? I exclaimed enthusiastically. – It will be interesting!

– Then let’s go closer to the fire.

Rising, she beckoned us to follow her and stepped towards the dancing flame. I followed.

– Will you risk it? Eitan asked softly, touching my shoulder. “I just said it myself, it’s not safe.

– Not for me, – I chuckled. Believe me, I have strong immunity.

– And you believe she won’t lie?

– Let’s see!

I rubbed my hands in anticipation.

– Everyone doubts, – smiled the fortune-teller, who apparently had a sensitive ear, since Eitan’s quiet words reached her ears in the general hubbub of voices. But as they say, if you don’t try, you won’t know. Are you ready to try your luck?

– Is always! I assured her and, in confirmation of my words, extended my open left palm to her.

The girl took a closer look, and soon the smile flew off her face. She looked up at me with confused eyes, then again stared at the hand, squinting and bringing it up to her face, as if reading ancient lines written in small, illegible handwriting.

Finally, she slowly lowered my hand.

– Perhaps your companion is right in his doubts. – Not to say that the confession was hard for her: the fortuneteller’s pride was not hurt, rather, she was at a loss. – The art of divination must have betrayed me today. Eat and drink, and the future will be known when it comes.

She was about to leave, but I grabbed her hand just in time.

– Oh no, that won’t do. You did see something. Why don’t you want to say?

– I saw it. But it doesn’t make sense.

– Well, that’s up to me, – I said. – Spread it.

The girl shrugged her shoulders and took the hand I extended again. She looked at her, looked up at me, then at Eitan, as if looking for support, waiting for us to share her feelings. But we didn’t even know what it was about, so we could only raise our eyebrows inquiringly. And with a sigh, she spoke:

I see two births and two deaths. The road to the future, which will lead to the source of origins. An oath to be kept and yet broken. Seven unlit candles that burn brightly. An enemy who turns out to be a friend, and a confrontation that is devoid of essence.

Once again, lifting her eyes from the palm of her hand, she looked at me with a mixture of former uncertainty and sadness. But the neighing of horses and loud human exclamations interrupted the divination.

An armed detachment left the forest for a clearing. In the flickering light of the fires and behind the tree trunks, you couldn’t see much, but there must have been at least a dozen of them. Chain mail made of tight-fitting rings, sharp-edged swords, some have knee pads made of leather and even metal. In general, everything that helps vulnerable human beings feel invulnerable. I didn’t like the energy they gave off. Waves, barely accessible to human perception, but for me as obvious as a bright light or a suffocating smell of burning.

The leader rode forward, looked around the clearing with a hard look, lingered briefly on Eitan and me, but then seemed to lose interest and spoke to the others.

– Gypsy! His Excellency Anthony William Blade, Earl of Thornfolk, declares your presence in his territory illegal!

– We are a nomadic people, captain, – said the same man who first greeted us that evening, firmly but politely. – We are not subjects of the count, and we have no claim to his land. He can’t stop us from just passing through Thornfolk.

– You’re wrong. He has already banned.

The captain held out his hand. One of the escorts touched the horse and, approaching, handed him a scroll. The commander unfolded the document, glanced briefly at it.

– Would you like to know? grimacing in disgust, he turned to the Gypsy.

– No, – he answered, hesitating slightly. – I believe you. Well, tell the Earl we’ll move out in the morning and move towards the border of Thornfolk.

– Oh, no, that won’t do, – the captain objected maliciously. – You are here and have already violated the ban. We’ve already put up with you too long. Gypsy is a spot on a blank county map. You don’t know the laws, you don’t follow traditions, you don’t pay taxes. You worship the Prince of Darkness.

– Wow, it somehow got past me! – I exclaimed enthusiastically. – Is it really true?

– We offer prayers to both brothers, – the fortuneteller answered quietly, so that none of the soldiers could hear. “Our belief is that the world needs balance.”

The enthusiasm faded away, and I answered with a sour wry smile: moralizing about balance, as well as any others, irritated me. My attention was again captured by the military leader, who quite naturally concluded:

– The cup of patience is full, and punishment will befall you in full.

– I protest! Everyone stared at Eitan with a fair amount of amazement. – Mr. Captain, I understand the nature of the accusations, but I believe that a case of this kind should be considered thoroughly. – My companion spoke confidently, harshly, but did not deviate an inch from the framework of etiquette. The Prince of Light will figure out how he did it. – It so happened that we accidentally met these people when the sun was going down. This allowed us to get a certain impression of their habits. They are friendly and hospitable. They were ready to share food and lodging with us. They did not show a single sign of hostility, did not try to steal or harm us in any way. And I did not see them praying to the prince of Darkness, although, of course, I know little about this side of their life.

The Gypsies listened in silence, holding their breath. Hope arose in someone’s hearts that the soldiers would heed the stranger’s words. Someone did not count on concessions, but was grateful to a random fellow traveler for words of support. The thoughts of others were occupied exclusively by the count’s detachment. The interest of the soldiers was of a slightly different kind – they were more curious about where this guy came from (given that he clearly did not belong to the Gypsy people) and what he needed here.

– Who is that? the captain asked his assistant quietly.

The question was not supposed to reach outsiders, but my hearing is more subtle than that of humans.

– Looks like a nobleman, – he answered even more quietly. – The identity is unknown to me. I had never seen this man or his portraits before. But he, of course, is not a gypsy, rather a local one. And not from the common people. Maybe some kind of impoverished aristocrat…

– I see, – the captain interrupted rather rudely. – Listen, sir! he turned to Eitan. We have listened to your recommendations. But we have an unequivocal order given personally by the Earl of Thornfolk. We cannot go against him. Therefore, I beg you – and you, lady – to step aside. You can still find a nicer place to sleep. And we have our own business here.

It would be interesting to know what. – My companion still behaved calmly, but he did not even think about leaving, I saw this clearly. – You are not going to, the right word, to take all these people with women and children to prison.

– Oh no! I stretched and stood beside him, gazing intently at the captain’s face. “They’re not going to throw anyone in a dungeon. Isn’t that right, Commander?

He didn’t say anything, but there was no need to. His facial expressions, silence, the hand that eloquently touched the hilt of the sword – all this left no doubt about the purpose of the detachment sent by the count.

– You are going to cut all these people, – I stated in a calm, measured, almost casual tone.

I did not realize anything new, so the information could not shock me. Eitan didn’t seem too surprised either. I think he, like me, expected something like this. His hand already involuntarily reached for the scabbard, in which, however, only a dagger was hidden. The family sword, alas, remained in the Villa.

– If you don’t want to leave, it’s up to you! the captain barked, not intending to mess with us anymore.

In his view, everything was simple: he gave people a chance to leave without loss, and if they did not use this chance, who is to blame? Fools always suffer. – By order of the Earl of Thornfolk, the heretics are to be exterminated, – he announced, chopping his words, but at the same time trying to speak quickly so as not to leave time for the people to do anything. The verdict is final and not subject to appeal. To battle!

And in chorus, the swords being taken out of their scabbards gnashed.

I am not a seer or a fortuneteller, but where I come from, time is perceived differently. And if I wish, I can see with my own eyes – no, not the future (and timing does not play any role here), but the most probable development of events. For a brief moment, I allowed myself to do so. The screams of the wounded and the moans of death mingled with the real screams of frightened people in a convulsive cacophony sounded in my ears. Powerful horses, literally trampling men and women. Blades wielded by riders to drive down foot soldiers. Short daggers used to finish off the wounded. A man living his last seconds, stretching his hands to his shattered chest. A woman lying face down in the grass is completely still, and only her long brown hair is becoming more and more densely stained with scarlet. With a squeal, children rushing about the clearing, who are sooner or later found and silenced with two or three blows of a dagger. Blood coagulates quickly. The carpet of pine needles is unnaturally reddening. Scraps of bright tents rush about in the wind in meaningless and shapeless patches. The instigators will go to the tavern and quickly forget about everything that happened in the clearing. This is not their first raid, each of them knows his business too well. But the memory will remain: the forest will take care of it. Hundreds of years will pass, but roots and crowns, moss and grass will forever remember every groan and every swing of the broadsword. And the forest will never be the same.

I shook my head, returning to the reality in which everyone was still alive. first fractions of a second. The cavalry began to advance into the clearing. The jeepsies, not expecting such a turn, hesitated a little, but now they scattered in all directions. I took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of pine needles through my nose, feeling the warmth of the resin that did not have time to harden. Several suitable trees were quickly found. A slight movement of the hand – and a tall dry pine tree fell into the clearing, breaking branches with a crash, touching the bushes and trees below, raising a pile of dust, from which everyone coughed, who had the imprudence to be too close to the place of the fall. The horsemen had to retreat, and the barrel reliably blocked the clearing, separating the warriors from the jeepsies.

The second pine was also almost dry, only a few needles were still green on a couple of branches. This time someone was hurt: warning exclamations and frightened cries mixed with groans. A third tree fell on top of the second, making the barrier more imposing. Fourth, fifth… Enough.

The jeepsies realized that they needed to seize the moment, and fled in all directions. Hiding in the forest will not be difficult for them. But we shouldn’t have hesitated either. It seems that the horsemen have nothing to complain about, but they will want to recoup someone for their failure. I pulled Eitan by the sleeve, and he reacted quickly, and there the rashtang arrived in time. It’s strange, of course, when a chariot rushes without a road through a thicket, but who will notice in the dark and confusion?

– Do you even realize that your heated performance in front of the guards was doomed to failure in advance? – I asked curiously an hour later, stretched out on the grass with my hands behind my head.

Eitan habitually sat by the fire, clasping his knees with his hands.

– Do I look like an idiot? he wondered.

I propped myself up on my elbow, examining him, lazily shrugged my shoulders, and lay back down comfortably.

– I do not know. Haven’t seen them in a while.

Eitan raised his eyes to the heavens in annoyance. But no one looked from there with a sympathetic look. Between the oncoming clouds, rare tiny stars blinked fearfully.

– I knew very well that they were of little interest in my opinion, – he condescended to answer.

– Then why didn’t you keep it to yourself?

– I think that in some cases it is necessary to do the right thing, even if it does not change anything.

– Why? – I thought, drummed my fingers on the damp earth. – So that nightmares do not torment you at night? To feel like a good person? To be respected by others?

– That’s how I was brought up, – snapped Eitan, but still considered it necessary to clarify: “If one, second, third, fourth know that they can’t change anything, but still do the right thing, sooner or later something will change. Even a mountain can move.”

– Perhaps. He glanced at me in surprise, apparently expecting ridicule, and not easy agreement. Not wanting to disappoint anyone, she added her fly in the ointment: – Only the concept of “correct” for each of them will be different, so the mountain will not move. Unless, of course, someone pushes her harder.

– For example?

– Yes, you never know, – I answered vaguely, looking into the dark sky.

– Who are you, Arafel?

The question took me by surprise. I propped myself up on my elbow again to meet the overly attentive gaze.

– Just a girl.

Eitan laughed.

I sat up, frowning, smoothing my tousled hair and wrapping my arms around my knees, waiting for this misplaced bout of fun to end.

– No ‘just a girl’ would answer like that, – he said at last.

– But as? I pricked up my ears.

– Well, for example, – Marta from the village of Rotten Stumps.” Or “the blacksmith’s daughter”. But not a “girl”. Would you even say “man”!

I bit my lip in annoyance because that was what I had originally intended to say.

Do you think I’m blind? You took the spell off me without even coming close. Let’s say you’re just a witch. Strong witch. But then it gets more interesting. You struggle with all your might not to enter the temple. And when I did go in, do you think I didn’t notice what happened there? You were not reflected in the mirror surface, and this scared the old woman to death.

– She got scared! I snapped. – There would be something to be afraid of! Who needs it?

– Then the nuns went crazy when you came to the convent, – he continued with the insistence of an enraged prosecutor.

– They were crazy about you, so you can still argue who is to blame! – I retorted.

– And I also felled the trees in that clearing?

– An earthquake, a coincidence. A natural phenomenon. Maybe it was the Prince of Light who intervened, I suggested caustically.

– An interesting earthquake. Local is. One clearing shook, but the rest of the forest – as if it had not happened.

– I am not responsible for your local forests.

– What about your horse? This is a completely different song. It gallops without a road, barely touching the ground, and at such a speed that any riding horse will envy.

I folded my arms across my chest and looked accusingly at Eitan. Well, now what to do with it? Incinerate on the spot?

– Okay, let’s say you caught me. I’m not a person. And he is not a horse. What’s next? I warn you right away: garlic will not help. I can’t stand the smell, but I won’t scatter ashes. And the sign of the Prince will not help: that old woman has already tried. I will only get angry. Aspen stake is better. The tree, of course, does not matter, but if you hit the vital organs, I will die. But can you get to me?

From such pressure, Eitan was embarrassed.

– I’m not going to do anything. I just wanted to ask. Who are you really?

I let out an unintelligible exclamation, meant to express my annoyance.

– I don’t know how to say it! You don’t have such a word. In order for a word to appear, a concept is needed. And you have no idea what is happening in my world. Well, if you like, you can call me a demon, – I relented, although I grimaced at such a wording. – In your language, this is probably the closest.

Eitan still got it, judging by how convulsively he swallowed.

– I didn’t think demons… looked like that.

– Demons don’t look like anything, – I snapped. We are incorporeal and can take on different forms. And I ask you not to confuse me with all sorts of primitive beings who are not interested in anything but to devour energetically.

Eitan did not quite understand what I was talking about, but it seems that a new thought occurred to him, as he closed his eyes and began to massage his temples with his fingers.

– So I slept with a demon, – he finally stated. Will I go to hell?

I batted my eyelashes in bewilderment, and then burst out laughing so that I fell back onto the grass and clutched my stomach with both hands.

– You know, – I said with difficulty, then, wiping my tears, – I have seen an innumerable number of people who ended up in, as you put it, hell. None of them have this reason. Oh, I can’t, well, you have a fantasy! Such details of your personal life are of no interest to either the Prince of Darkness or the Prince of Light. I’m sorry, but to get to hell, you have to do something more serious.

– It’s calming.

– And don’t calm down too much, – I advised vindictively. – Maybe I’m lying? I’m a demon! What if I came to earth for this, to seduce you and forever deprive you of paradise?

– I doubt. I don’t think a… demon like you would come for such a small thing.

One point for you. Wouldn’t have arrived. Our meeting with you is a 100% accident.

– What an accident?

Again a puncture. Such words should not have been used.

– Absolute. Full.

– Okay. And still. What brought you to earth? There is some purpose.

– Of course. Let’s put it this way: I came to earth with a mission.

– And… what kind of mission is this? – Eitan asked with undisguised apprehension.

– But I won’t reveal this.

He paused, half gathering courage, half grabbing an elusive thought by the tail, then asked:

– Are you going to destroy the earth?

– Minus five points. To destroy the earth, it is not necessary to go down to it.

– To go down? he seized on the word. – I thought hell was below.

– Up, down… – I waved. – Outside of your reality, these concepts completely lose their meaning. But the fact remains that in order to destroy the world, the brothers must come to an agreement.

I did not specify, but Eitan, of course, understood without explanation that the brothers are the Prince of Darkness and the Prince of Light.

– Can they? Come to an agreement?

– Well, they have a complicated relationship… In principle, they can. But the land will not be destroyed.

– It’s calming.

– You will calm down after death, – I snapped, once again laying down comfortably and looking up.

During our conversation, the clouds managed to move, and the picture of the starry sky changed.

– Why are you so mean? Eitan complained and immediately slapped his forehead, realizing that the answer was obvious.

– Ha-ha-ha! I deliberately laughed. – I’m supposed to. And with what pleasure I drink the blood of the righteous! Mmmm… yummy!

– I do not believe.

– And rightly so. Blood tastes bad. Too salty.

It seemed that the conversation managed to be diverted away from slippery moments, but my companion turned out to be a tough nut to crack.

Have you come to bring destruction? – he asked in the forehead, leaning forward.

I glanced at him with disapproval.

– Naturally. What did you think? Without destruction, you know, there will be no place for new life. And then, you people love to look for the guilty. First, do something that even the most painstaking work cannot fix. And then you wonder: “Like a global flood? For what?” Yes, for nothing! Global warming should not have been arranged.

– What kind of warming?

– Forget. This is what I got into. The bottom line is that sometimes you can’t do without destruction, and you won’t be able to shift all the blame on the Prince of Darkness. So what are you going to do now, righteous with tasteless blood? Will you run home in the morning? The bride isn’t as scary as a demon, is she? Or do we still stop at the option with an aspen stake?

Something subtly similar to regret scratched the soul. The wind blew soothingly across his face and palms.

– I am not my own enemy, – Eitan reasonably objected.

Covered his eyes. And pretended to fall asleep.

All clear. Run away. Maybe tonight, maybe later. Yes, and no wonder. Any mortal will be frightened when they realize who they are facing. It’s like a ladybug making friends with an elephant that comes and doesn’t notice. And for a long time he will be surprised: where did the new friend go? Creeping away slowly, then spreading your wings and flying away is the most reasonable act in such a situation. And for the most part, I shouldn’t care.

But regret continued to scratch from somewhere inside. And it was wrong.