Читать книгу Elinor. The Deserted Valley. Book 1 - Mikhail Shelkov - Страница 30

Swaol-Ney wasn’t as spirited as Fao and Ina, but she was just as curious. While she hid her desire for discoveries and shared secrets with friends, with her parents, grandfathers, and especially the elders, she kept her mouth shut. But Swaol-Ney read a lot and understood a lot. If you had to go to someone for advice, then she was the one to go to.

Swaol-Ney listened attentively to her friends and shook her head.

“You are mad! You turned into squirrels and consequently began to think like squirrels! Primitive! So, you plan to just leave? How do you imagine that?” She was getting more and more upset.

“Just take off and go!” Fao replied looking into her eyes, though she was beginning to recognize their venture was insane. “Nobody has ever tried!”

“And the Valley,” added Ina, “They’re calling all the people there. Though we go against the will of the elders, we are obeying the will of… errr… all of Elinor!”

“Of course, sure,” Swaol-Ney frowned. “Here come the people of Elinor begging the Vedichians to go to the Valley…”

“So, you’re not with us?” Ina put the question directly.

Swaol-Ney fell silent, hung her head, and then gave an answer that Fao hadn’t expected:

“Yes, I’m with you!”

The joyful Fao and Ina began to hug their friend, and when everyone’s emotions died down, they began to formulate their plan.

“Well, how do we do it best?”

Swaol-Ney changed in the face.

“Ah, so you came to me to fix everything up for you?”

“Well, you’re the main inventor among us,” Fao said guiltily.

“We must first understand who else is ready to leave!” Swaol-Ney declared.

“But the more there are of us, the easier it will be to catch us… to stop us…” pointed out Ina.

“How can you say such a thing?” Fao responded. “Maybe someone has long longed to see other nations, to see the Valley, just as we have! Then we’ll act dishonestly not only in relation to our parents and elders, but also to our like-minded people!”

“Okay, okay… Let’s do it that way!” Ina was embarrassed, and Fao managed to marvel at her own eloquence.

“Anyway, we need someone older, more experienced, someone who knows the Common Language,” Swaol-Ney began to reason again. “How will we go to the Valley not knowing the language?”

“Right,” said Fao. They didn’t even think about it with Ina.

“But they say that those who have already been initiated cannot live outside Dockol-Mo,” Ina began. “And anyway, it’s unlikely that any of the elders will agree to support us… and none of the young ones know the Common Language.”

“Wey-Leya!” remembered Fao. “Wey-Leya knows the Common Language!”

Wey-Leya was still young enough, only five years older than the girls. However, she had already managed to visit Taur, where she learned to speak the Common Language just a little bit in her own estimation. And very few knew about this because Wey-Leya hid her skills.

“Indeed, Wey-Leya will be able to help.” Swaol-Ney rejoiced. “So, we’ll do the following: let us each go to our acquaintances and suggest to those whom we consider appropriate to escape, to start the journey. And we must leave today! At night! You don’t believe in fairytales about the six-fingered, do you?”

“No!” Fao and Ina shook their heads. Although in fact, they couldn’t give a clear answer to this question even for themselves.

“But others believe! Those who aren’t afraid, they will come with us! The others will notice our absence at dawn, therefore there is a chance to run far,” concluded Swaol-Ney.

“It is decided then! We will meet up with Wey-Leya with the last sunset beam!” declared Fao.