Читать книгу Elinor. The Deserted Valley. Book 1 - Mikhail Shelkov - Страница 22

The Itoshins came to a huge river that E’Do called Kawa. Now the path was straightforward – go along the shore. Todo suggested building rafts and going downstream, but the udoğan refused this idea.

“We can fight on land. We were taught that from early childhood,” he said. “But to learn how to run the ships as well, even if just a raft, on the river, requires skills. We can learn this, but later. Now we need to get to the Valley of the Ancestors. This is most important!”

In the evening, a beautiful falcon started dancing in the wind above the camp. Dissecting the air with his wings, he sank lower and lower until he came up to E’Do’s head. The udoğan recognized Hash, the Emperor’s favorite bird! A parchment with a message was attached to the foot of the falcon.

Do’Ayve knew about the Emperor’s falcons, which could overcome the veil of fog and maintain a connection between the ruler and other people, but now he saw the postal bird of the ruler with his own eyes for the first time.

E’Do carefully read the message, and then announced:

“The Emperor welcomes his valiant warriors and blesses the detachment to continue the journey!”

“Hail the Emperor!” the detachment shouted as a chorus.

“The Emperor commands us to pass the city of Kawa, which stands on this river, and go straight to Eavette, one of the four Great Cities of the Valley. For those who don’t know, Eavette is the homeland of our Emperor! The city from where he came to the north! The city from which the Ito Empire originated! The Emperor hopes that we will enter the city earlier than other nations whose caravans are already certain to be heading to the Valley!

The Itoshins were inspired by the Emperor’s message and promised E’Do that at the next crossing they would go faster than they could.

“And what about the ruler?” Do’Ayve asked, only then realizing that perhaps this question shouldn’t be asked at all, but it was too late. “Was the Emperor able to convince the other nations? Will the Valley have a single ruler?”

“It will,” E’Do nodded dryly.