Читать книгу The White Duke - Khistie Akrozie Alicia - Страница 5

My story dates back to long before the town Eltorro appeared in the valley below our lands, and the people who settled in the ancient Forest of the Ring found themselves hidden from external problems.

I am an archimetsius, I can have angel wings, and like a dragon, leather wings, shimmering with gold, and I can at times… Be wingless. Such are we, the children of the archiyerey (creatures that people call angels for their wings) and garcia (creatures with beautiful dragon wings).

Our peoples lived peacefully on the Heavenly Plateau, and archiyereies even sometimes came down to the people to help them. We were quite tall, and the people were small then, the tallest seemed as tiny as a modern lady. However, we helped each other… Until the war started. Then a detachment of guardian angels was created, which included me, but this was not enough. People were getting taller in every sense. But the greatest evil was in ambition.

By the way, I did not introduce myself. My name is Noah. Noah De Votelier. I am the element of water and the one who can stop it. I am the White Duke, the owner Tears of the Mermaid ring and probably the cause of troubles and victories.

But back to the story of the people.

In the years when darkness had already covered the land of mortals, one of them learned our secret – we never die. We cannot be poisoned, we do not fight and we have nothing to share.

Then, out of envy and wanting to gain our strength, he created the Book of Darkness – “Pandora’s Box” in the form of a black book with a strange cross, which turned out to be a true product of hell.

Aurelius decided to personally withdraw our forces. I was far away then, the waters were raging, and I tried my best to restrain their strength so that it would not flood the island with the unfortunate natives.

He ascended to our plateau, set foot on the land of my ancestors. In the hands of this vile was his personal, “Bible”. As they rewrote it for themselves, so for us the monk, who was Aurelius, brought a fake.

A stranger unveiled it on the sacred altar. I was already coming back. Suddenly I was stopped by a mulatto with green eyes:

– Stop!

I couldn’t get up.

She took me to the neighboring plateau, from which began the entrance to our Land of Milanta.

We have eagle vision, so I could see from afar.

– You are needed here. Otherwise…

She showed a finger on the Heavenly Plateau. A pillar of red light rose from the book, and darkness fell, for the shadows that broke out of the book began to whirl and shatter everything around. They destroyed everything in their path, turning beautiful archimetreies, garcia and archimetsiuses into monsters. Garcias became a hunchbacked canine harpy, archimetreies became half-skeletons, both had long claws, and the only surviving archimetsius was Princess of the Elements, the Star – the young Nara Hilary El. In a bright flash, she flew out of the darkness and disappeared somewhere in the valley.

Aurelius gained strength. But he became a red-eyed monster, with the wings of a harpy, but a half-skeleton, like gragiies (converted bishops). He fluttered his huge black dragon wings and wanted to run away, but was suddenly stopped by an invisible wall of absolute cold. We found ourselves trapped. No one could get out, and no one could come in. Only Nara or Amaniel, her mother queen, could do that.

– Noah, – the mulatto priestess told me. – Your destiny is to save this land. I know that for sure. I`m the Time. My name is Antuana, and I am your Destiny. You can’t change what happened now, but you can change the future. 30,000 nights in this and one day, a lonely person will come to your land. His heart will be broken, but in the Forest of the Ring he will find his love. You recognize him, your new friend’s hair will be like night, and his big surprised eyes are like a deep blue lake in cloudless weather. He is the key to victory over evil. This man will find Nara Hilary El, the red dragon and your ring. And only after that you will be able to bring back the Tears of the Mermaid, because before that you will lose your wings and you will not be able to help anyone until you meet your love on the island of Lordanel.

– Is this an island of the Three ghosts?

– So. But… Noah… Don’t let anyone here named Thomas or Benjamin come here. There will be trouble. You need to destroy the Book by stabbing it with a dagger. Your chance is only 30 days and nights between armistices in your nations.

Antuana disappeared as Time disappeared. And Noah also forgot the bill for days. Trying to find everything you need. However, accidentally going to the fairies, he fell asleep in the Mirror Cave, poisoned by its sweet songs… And the Land of Milanta plunged into the years of separate kingdoms.

I just had to wait. And once a man’s ship, which was supposed to help me save the Heavenly Plateau, appeared in the Land of Milanta, when his sailboat crossed the border across the river Alenor.

Feodore Bill stood at the helm of his magnificent sailing yacht. He smiled, and tears flowed down his cheeks at the same time. After all, Feo had just had to leave his native land to treat his aging grandfather. Legend has it that only the water flowing along the walls in the Mirror Cave could bring back his memory. No one had yet returned from the Land of Milanta, and Feo realized that he, his friend the mag Geldaf, and his grandfather Bernard, a grumbling old man without a memory who kept a book of his adventures, could simply remain in these lands forever.

– Don’t cry, Feo, – Geldaf said, squatting beside him.

– And how am I now without my family? – Feo looked at him. – What will happen to me now?

– You will finally find peace.

– But I will be alone. I have no one left but you and Grandpa Bernie.

– Do not despair, Green Earth is not the only place where different creatures live.

– But my only house.

***

The ship attracted locals, and who quickly spread the word in Milanta, but no one was in a hurry to meet him. As soon as the ship began to pass between the rocks of Privrazhye and the Watchtower, the waves began to shake it, and the ship hit the rocks. He did not crash, but was badly injured and began to go to the bottom as soon as Feo and his team passed the “Gate of Milanta”. The clouds thickened, and a thick fog descended from the tops of the rocks of the Privrazhye. And Feo will definitely not come back… But it seems that someone pulled him and the others off the ship, staying in a house on the banks of the river Alenor.

***

Feo lived on the river in a house with a round door with Bernard. Geldaf lived nearby and often brought news of the Green Lands. Of course, a lot has changed personally for friends and relatives of Theodore, but life there has not changed its peaceful course.

***

Feo looked out the window.

– Yes, it’s beautiful here. But here I am alone.

– Don’t worry, – his grandfather Bernie comforted him. – You will still meet your destiny.

– What fate? I experienced the worst because of this Merak, who almost destroyed us, was on the verge of death a million times, I live with my deaf uncle, who also has multiple sclerosis, and you’re talking about fate?

– Bernie is right, – said Geldaf, who was visiting them that day. – And what are you shouting about?

– What happens next? – Feodore looked at him with his bright eyes.

– Nobody has power over destiny.

Feodore turned and ran outside. What can I say, he is only 25 years old, but he only recently won the war on evil in the face of a demon who calls himself Merak, who almost destroyed the Green Earth, and left family and friends behind the rocks, no longer having options to return. And suddenly he became so incredibly sad that a little sad boy woke up in his soul.

– Why are you sad, boy? – he heard a soft female voice above him.

Feodore looked up. He was surprised when he saw a tall dryad above him – a blue-eyed dark-skinned woman with green hair. She seemed as tall as Geldaf, slender, with an incredible magnet in her eyes.

– Why are you sad?

– I just thought that no one lives here anymore, my ship crashed, and my grandfather will not find a cure for youth and memory…

– I live here. By the way, my name is Elven.

– And I’m Feodore Bill.

– Feodore… Who came from foreign lands… Are you a human?

– So. I am a fisherman from the Green Lands, who defeated the Darkness and our land became peaceful again. And evil dissolved in the burning lava. And you? Your hair is so weird…

– Eyes, but deeper than the blue lake… Feodore, I’m Dryad. From the Forest of the Ring. I want to show you something. Take Grandpa with you and let’s go… Have you been there?

– I saw him while here, but did not go.

– I’ll show you. See you tomorrow!

Feodore joyfully returned home.

– Grandpa Bernie!

– What?

– I saw a dryad here! They exist! Maybe I’ll find more friends?

– Definitely, Feo.

Elven arrived the next morning. Deftly dismounting from her horse, she went to the door and called Feo, and when he came out, she put him on a horse and led her behind. Grandpa Bernie said I wanted to stay and live by the river, enough of these adventures.

The dryad brought him to the plain, the endless field.

– Do you see the city there? she pointed to the horizon.

– Barely.

– This is the world of people. This field is a transition to parallel worlds. That is, through him we can get into the world of people, and they come to us. Fortunately, no one has crossed yet.

– And why fortunately? – Feodore looked at Elven curiously.

– People are good and evil. It is very important that evil people do not get here.

– And what will happen?

– They will destroy us.

They talked intermittently, as if neither Feo nor the dryad were accustomed to secular conversations about clouds and analyzing the palette of the sky in clear weather. But that was enough.

– I am also a man, in our lands people would not harm you.

– But it’s not your land.

Feo looked at the horizon:

– Are all people evil here?

– Of course not. People are different: the faithful and those who cannot resist the desire for power. Some believe in us, while others destroy us.

Feodore looked at the horizon again and asked Elven:

– Why can’t I go there?

– It’s too early.

Elven jumped up and took Feodor off her horse.

– Look, Bill, – she pointed to the forest in the distance, – this is the forest I told you about. The forest is impassable for people and dangerous for guys like you. After all, you are not tall. And our animals are big.

Then they went on foot.

– What is this in this forest? Theodore asked her.

– You’ll find out, – Elven said, – but you’ll like it.

Feodore shrugged and followed her. You know, you know, he didn’t see the forest?

Soon they entered the forest. It was surrounded by thorns, but a passage was cut in one place. Feo obediently followed the dryad. When they entered, Feodor and Elven were greeted by the singing of amazing blue birds, the swaying rustle of the leaves of tall trees, butterflies and the scent of some herbs.

– We’ll be there soon, – Elven said.

Suddenly Feo heard a resounding child’s laughter. Elven led him to a lawn where a ten-year-old boy with crow’s hair played with a fox. Seeing them, he shouted:

– Dad, Dad! – Elven brought some uncle!

“Where are the people from? Even with blue and black crow hair. Maybe it seemed? No, it was very real. Maybe something happened in the Green Lands?” Feo thought. The boy turned and looked at them again. He had green eyes, and the look is so memorable… The guy jumped up and ran forward shouting: “Dad!”.

He soon found himself in a sunny city. Elven followed in his footsteps, and Bill did not get lost, although they left behind both impassable places and open. Here Feodore saw both dryads and eltorrovtsy – people with green eyes and white or crow hair.

Shortly after they found the village of Eltorro, the same boy ran up to them, tugged on Elven’s sleeve, and when she bent down, he asked in a loud voice, the same as his laughter:

– And who is this uncle?

– Feodor Bill!

It became even more interesting. A wave of shouts ran. Feodore understood little, but he was beginning to like it.

The little boy looked at him for a long time, and then ran, shouting:

– Feodore Bill is here! – Elven brought Feodore Bill, the killer of Darkness in the Green Lands!

Everyone fell silent, the carts stopped. Dryads and eltorros gathered to look at Feodore. And the boy brought three adults. Feo looked at them and gasped with joy: it’s Sebastian, Penn and Merror! His fighting friends from the Green Lands!

– I said, a surprise awaits you! Your ship crashed on our rocks more than once.

– What are they doing here?!

– They live. People have recently moved here. And everyone knows about you from the Blue Book. They will tell you more about themselves.

Three friends talked to the boy for a long time, and then looked in the direction of Feo and Elven. All three had different reactions to him.

Sebby stared at him for a long time, Penn shouted and waved, and Merror laughed.

Finally they ran to Bill.

– Feo! Feo! – The three guys hugged him at the same time, and almost cried with joy, because when they separated, he was only 15 years old. And now – 25.

– You will tear me apart! – Bill laughed.

– What are you doing here? – Merry was the first to ask.

– What are you doing here too?

– We are living! Penn replied cheerfully.

– And who is this uncle?

– Feodore Bill!

– And who is this boy?

– This is my son, – Penn said. – Leo, meet Uncle Feo.

Leo peered out from behind his dad for a long time, studying the celebrity with interesting eyes, then approached and greeted embarrassingly:

– Hello, I’m Leored.

– Hello. – Pain bent down and took the boy’s hand. – Can I call you Leo?

– It is a great honor for me. Mr. Feo, do you have children?

– No, not yet. Sebastian, is there a house for me and my grandfather?

“Of course, Mr. Bill.”

Sebastian in the Green Lands served Feodor and his grandfather, but this did not prevent them from being friends.

Feo turned and told Elven that she had been standing behind all this time.

– Elven, please bring Grandpa here, he’s all alone in the house by the river. Just don’t tell him where you’re going. Sebastian, show me my new house.

– Of course, Mr. Feodore. We will always find a house for you.

His friends took him away, and Elven followed Bernard.

Dryads and people (eltorrovtsy) watched the four friends walking down the street, laughing happily and talking about something. Undoubtedly, it was a great fortune that in the Land of Milanta appeared people, already formed in a detachment against the forces of Darkness.

Soon they heard a new wave of congratulations – it was Elven who brought Bernard Bill.

Feodore turned and laughed.

– Yes, we are respected! Not for nothing, then, tried!

Finally they came to the new house of Feodore and Bernard. It turned out to be a copy of a house left in the Green Lands. And Elven has already joined them.

– Thank you guys! – Feodore was surprised.

Unfortunately, Bernard began to forget his house.

– Thank you Sebastian! – Penn happily threw up his arms and hugged Sebby. – He asked to build the same house in case you are found.

– Thank you, boy, – Bernard said, and went into the house.

– Thank you, – Feo said and hugged his friend. – From now on, don’t call me, sir, call Feo, because you brought me home.

– Please, Feo, – Sebastian whispered embarrassed.

– In general, thank you, for Eltorro, our new Land!

After talking and walking, Feo decided to walk to the river, and Elven led him through the woods.

He leaned over to drink and wash, then just looked at his reflection. Suddenly a strange creature jumped out of the water in front of him: it was a golden-haired girl with a strange necklace on her head, translucent double wings and a child’s voice. Not surprisingly, Feodore was frightened, shouted and backed away until he leaned his back against something solid, which later turned out to be a pine tree.

The girl sat on the water like a log, and, laughing, chattered with her feet in the river.

– Ho you? – she asked in unintelligible language.

– What? – Feo didn’t understand.

– Who are you? – She asked.

– I am Feodor Bill. And who are you?

– I? I am Livie, a fairy, a higher fairy. Are you new?

– No, old man! I’ve lived here for a long time, and I haven’t seen you fairies.

– Wait now.

Livie shouted something at the tops of the trees, and two more fairies came down from there: a boy and a girl.

– Yu vis hio befoshe? – Livie asked the fairy boy.

– Nih, – he replied.

– Ya tuly, – the girl confirmed.

– What are you talking about?

– I asked them if they had seen you before, and they said “no.”

– Are you an elf? – You have elven ears.

– Vi dot lefry, – Livie said.

– Speak normal! – Feodore couldn’t understand it.

– I will translate. She said, “We’re not elves.” By the way, I’m Chris, this is my sister Missie, – the guy intervened.

– Thank you. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude to you.

– Yu dot rozki on fayikes? – Livie asked.

– Do you speak like Fairy? – Chris translated.

– No.

– Nih, – he told Livie.

– Feodore, do you want me to show you Tember? – she suggested.

– Of course!

Feodore got up and shook. Livie also got up. She stood on the water as firmly as Feo on the ground. For this, that air, that water, could become that surface on which it was possible to step quietly, and therefore these beings, meter – one and a half growth, were almost imperceptible. Looks like the fairies liked the stranger, or they wanted to check something.

– Went?

Livie took his hand and pulled him along. Since Feo did not walk on water, he cried out so as not to drown when the fairies dragged him down the river:

– Livie, so you! I’m not a fairy!

– Oh sorry. Chris, drop Feodor.

At first, the guy took the word “throw” as “bring to shore.” But it was not so.

Livie easily took Feo, who was upside down, and threw (literally) him to Chris. Poor Bill did not have time to shout, as he found himself on the other bank.

– I what for you, a feather or something! Enough of laughing and making fun of me! Although you are strong, it means nothing! Feo shouted at them, all trembling, wet. – And… And.. All the same I will not find the Mirror cave, I looked for it everywhere already.

– But you didn’t find us? – Livie asked.

– No.

– I’m sorry, Feodore. We love to play. In hiding, for example. Do you like hiding places? If so, we will show you the cave.

– Won’t you throw yourself at me like a toy? – He glared at Livie and Chris.

– No, we promise. Went!

On the shore were hills (and maybe low green mountains), and on one of them, hidden by trees, was a cave. Hide and seek. That’s why no one could find their country of Tember. Soon Livie, Feo and Chris approached the cave.

Long, sharp stalactites hung from the ceiling, and in some places a cobweb hung in a thick layer from the stone corners of the cave.

– Spiders? – he whispered. – I hate it!

He looked at the web in horror.

– Are you afraid of spiders? – Livie asked.

Feo looked at her.

– I hate it.

– Wait a minute, – Chris said. – We’ll be there soon.

And indeed, soon in the “heart” of the cave Feo saw sunlight, and later heard some magical sounds.

– What it is?

– You’ll see now.

With these words, Chris and Livie introduced him to the magical Tember – the land of fairies. The sunlight, not clear where it came from in the cave, blinded Feo’s eyes for a moment. Tember seemed unreal to him. The fairies here were different: simple, different and, as he later learned, fairy warriors. The most amazing thing is that they all lived together. And their horses were strange, with wings. Feodore then learned that these were pegasi. It was always warm and cool at the same time. Forest with emerald leaves, cold underground springs, silk grass pleasantly caressed Feo’s feet. So that the fairies were not dressed, their clothes were light and not felt. There was spring all year round, there was no grief and tears. Feodore later learned that Tember translated “fairy” means “paradise country” and that fairies are immortal. Here he felt carefree. Even the horrors he experienced during the Darkness War were forgotten for a while.

The fairy houses resembled small castles built of stone, with large oak frames and shutters, they seemed as eternal as the fairies themselves. Feo noted that there is no transport in Tember. He did not notice even simple carts. But they were replaced by graceful pegasi, which took Bill’s breath away.

And various birds were flying in the sky, among which was an eagle – a bird resembling a stork, only with bright pink and blue plumage, and somewhere they were already watched by a scarf – white tigers. Tember was a completely different world – the shores were covered with pearls, and the reeds – sharp as a knife blade.

Leila, the golden serpents, basked in the sand, and since the sand was also golden, Feo almost stepped on them several times. The fairies did not pay attention to him, because it was not the first time that loybbies (a small tribe of people, from there Feodore Bill) came here.

– Do you see the castle there? – Livie asked, pointing to a tall, elegant ivory castle.

– Yes.

– Now let’s go there. This is my home.

– Wow, you have a house!

– And what do you want, I’m still the highest fairy!

– How beautiful and easy it is here! I even forgot my worries for a while.

– What worries can you have? – Chris asked.

– I defeated Merak.

– Merak? Darkness? Something familiar.

Livie Castle was located on a hillside near a waterfall. Feodore became more and more fascinated by this country. It’s unreal beauty surpassed the nature of the Land of Milanta, although it has not yet experienced all the countries of this place.

Inside, Livie’s castle was all made of wood, gold and stone. The diamond chandelier above their heads shone with all the colors of the rainbow, the golden columns supported the high ceilings, and the spiral staircase headed upwards like a snake.

Shiny floors resembled water, railings were made of precious stones. Feodore always thought that he would either fall into the water or slip. The sound of the waterfall lulled him, and he wanted to sleep.

– Chris, take Feodore to the kitchen.

– Yes, Livie.

– Do you just call the above by name? – Chris Feo asked

– Yes.

The kitchen was also beautiful, as was the hall. Table made of smooth stone, wooden chairs. Crystal mugs, silver spoons and a kettle, a fire in the fireplace – everything was like a dream.

– Chris, am I sleeping? – Feo asked.

– Why do you think so?

– Well, you know, you treat everything as easily as ordinary things.

– Well, yes, we have this good in bulk!

– That’s right!

Chris put three mugs on the table and poured tea. Feo looked for a long time, then asked:

– What it is?

– A tea. Have you never seen a tea? What do you drink there?

– No, we drink tea. But this is something else.

Chris sat down at the table next to him.

– Have you never drunk tea with rose petals?

– No…

– Foo, how boring you are!

At that moment, Livie came with a woman.

– Chris, put another mug.

He complied with the request and poured tea. Feo watched intently as an elderly, silver-haired woman with large brown eyes sat opposite. She also looked at him for a long time, and then said:

– Did you bring the loybie here again? How many people can be brought here!

– Well, Mom…

– It’s time to grow up! Then you disappear somewhere, then you lead strangers!

– Wait a minute! Let me introduce you! This is Feodore Bill, the lobe who defeated Merak himself. Theodore, this is my mother, Jane.

– For you, young loybie, Mrs. Jane.

– Nice to meet you, – Feo bowed.

While he drank his tea, Mrs. Jane kept saying what a silly daughter she had. “I’m out of luck!” Feo Bill thought.

The boy wanted to go, but Livie stopped him.

– You promised to tell about Merak!

– Fine.

Livie led him out of the castle and asked Chris to gather all the fairies. Feodore had to tell the whole story from the appearance of Merak in the Green Lands and his sweet speeches to victory and his departure from his native lands.

And it was so.

Long ago, in the lands of Feodore, Bernard and his friends, there was a “messenger of God.” He wore a human mask, was always in a mantle, and in his hands tightly clutched a book. His name was Aurelius Merak. Aurelius decided to establish control over the whole region, but he was hindered by the kings who ruled the Green Lands. Someone sided with him.

Aurelius took everything from those who did not obey his laws – did not give him women who did not share the harvest, did not pay taxes. He killed whole lands, and then completely opened his book, and wars began. Feo, several kings, his grandfather Bernie and his friends led a resistance detachment.

The team was able to go through seven wars, and expel Merak, destroying what they believed was his book. Merak dissolved and disappeared. And peace returned to the Green Earth.

Of course, this is only a brief recital of what happened in that battle.

At the end, some fairies sobbed, the soldiers looked at the loybie with admiration, someone just smiled.

– I understand you now, – Livie said, saying goodbye to Feo. – See you later.

It was late, and Elven had been waiting for him on the shore for a long time. Feodore told her about Tember.

– Be careful with fairies, – she said softly.

Gone are the days. Sebastian introduced Feo to his children, and Penn and Merron to their wives. Arina and Rina are red-haired curly women. Arina’s eyes were green (Pena’s wife) and Rina’s (Merron’s wife) had brown eyes. Five children moved with Sebastian to Eltorro in the Forest of the Ring (Eleanor, the eldest, had already served in Arwen, the elven princess, in the Green Lands). They were all brown and with curly hair (their people in general, almost all curly). Only Frodo and Rozochka were darker than the others. Frodo was very proud to be named after the famous Frodo Baggins, although he did not look very much like him. Merron and Rina had three children: Aurora, Mickey and Ness. Aurora is taller than the others and the eldest daughter in the family, with red long hair and light brown eyes. Mickey and Ness had blue eyes and short hair. With Pina’s son, Leo, Feo was already acquainted.

One day four friends were sitting with Feo talking, when suddenly he looked out the window and saw an eltorro girl, a golden-haired woman passing by, carrying buckets of water on a rocker. His heart beat faster than ever. And friends noticed his amorous look out the window.

– Who is that? – Feo asked.

– It’s Camellia, – Penn smiled.

Penn and Sebby looked at each other.

– And what is it that draws you to the golden hair? – he asked Feo Merron.

– I don’t understand…

– Well, see for yourself: Elven – Golden-haired, yesterday she saw you with a fairy with golden hair, and now you laid eyes on almost the first beauty, and Camellia, too.

Feo smiled.

– It really turns out strange.

– Mr. Feodore, do you know that she is your neighbor across the house?

– So?

– So. Only I already have to go home, or my Rose be angry. I mean my wife.

– Well, it is clear that not daughter! – Penn laughed. – Go, I’ll introduce Feo to Camellia.

Feo and Penn caught up with Camelia when she was home. She was helping an elderly woman plant something. Apparently it was her mother.

– Camellia! – Pin shouted at her.

– Yes!

Camelia got up, shook herself, and walked over to them, and Feo saw her large emerald eyes of a purebred eltorro-girl. And, in general, she had an oval face, arched eyebrows and plump lips. Camellia was a slender girl, a little shorter than Feo, with a playful voice and the same character as it turns out.

– Congratulations! Brought to meet me again?

– Are you against it?

– No.

– This is my friend, Feodore Bill, you can call him Feo.

– Are you Feodore? But you have all your fingers in place… What, were the empty fables that your finger was cut off when you had a battle on the Rock of the Red Sword with Merrak?

– No, it grew back! My friend – the mag helped me.

She wiped her hand on her long skirt and held it out to Feo.

– Let’s get acquainted, I’m Camellia Jenins. For you, it’s just Camellia.

They shook hands.

– You know, you’re the first person Penn, a blue-eyed brunette and slender, introduced me to. Local green-eyed. This is you, visitors, with a different eye color. Dryads and I have lived here before. I’ve heard your friends brag that almost all of Eltorro has been rebuilt.

– And you are not the first golden-haired, but the only one with emerald eyes.

Penn left unnoticed.

– Well, let’s get acquainted.

– By the way, we are neighbors. Across the house.

– So?

– I myself was surprised when I was told. Can I invite you for a cup of tea?

– I’m will join you.

– Yes of course.

Camellia soon came out again, and they went to Feo. It was easy to get acquainted here, the main thing is not to be timid.

He led her into the house and seated her at the table.

– Do you need anything?

– Do you guys drink anything other than beer?

– Of course we drink!

“But less often,” – he added of himself.

Feo put a mug on the table and poured tea.

– Thank you, -said Camellia. – And why didn’t you pour it for yourself?

– I don’t want to yet.

Feo sat across from her and looked at her.

– And you’re beautiful.

– Thank you, – Feo smiled. – You too.

Camellia was embarrassed, put the mug aside and inspected his house.

– A beautiful house. Are you a landowner? You have a rich house.

– It was. My grandfather and I built it for my grandfather in case I returned. You know them – it’s Merron, Sebastian and Penn.

– Yes, I know them. But… You are so well preserved, as if time has stopped for you.

– Hasn’t 10 years passed?

– 20. You’re 35 … I remember the guys saying that you divorced 20 years ago, and now.. here… I’m sorry…

– Nothing. Time has stopped for me, and it’s only now. But don’t worry. I’m still the same young guy I used to be.

– So, you can be considered your peer?

– Are you 15?

– 20.

– I would be pleased.

Camellia got up and moved the chair closer to Feo. He watched her intently.

– I read the Blue Book. Did you really go through everything?

– Yeah.

– Your grandfather’s story against your story is just a fairy tale! Did Sebastian tell the truth that almost the entire book was written by you and Mr. Bill, the senior?

– And it’s true.

– Poor thing…

Camellia ran her long fingers over his curls, and he stared at her. But as soon as he wanted to kiss her, Bernard entered the house with a basket full of strawberries.

– Oh, it looks like I came at a bad time. – Grandpa was embarrassed and turned away.

– It’s all right, come in.

Bernard placed the basket at the door and approached them.

– Hello, I’m Feodor’s grandfather, Bernard Bill..

– Are you Bernard Bill? It is a great honor for me to be acquainted with you and your grandson. I’m Camellia.

– Then I’ll leave you to get acquainted with Feo.

Both of them looked at each other: Feodor’s eyes expressed gratitude:

– Thank you.

– Feo, I’m deaf, but I’m fine with hearing.

Bill senior took the basket and went to another room.

Camellia quickly kissed him on the cheek and stood up.

– Well, see you!

– Wait, – he stopped her, – I’ll take you. When he returned home, he sang:

The blue ribbon of the river cuts the banks —

I will never forget this nature.

I see a crystal reflection in the river