Читать книгу Azourland. Dream Elect Brave - Natalia Isaeva - Страница 15

Hayat and Khronos sat on the threshold of the house and discussed their problem with applying paint to the canvas when a squirrel delegation appeared on the threshold. Khronos, as much, opened his mouth in amazement when he saw on his doorstep these shameless werewolves and the main instigators of the riots in the Wonderful Green Forest.

The squirrels took advantage of his astonishment and read the following petition: “According to the agreement that the squirrels and Khronos signed at the beginning of the summer, Khronos undertakes to help them, the squirrels, their advice in any difficult situation, no matter what squirrels they get, so Khronos is obliged to help the squirrels to win ‘Tailed elections’.”

Khronos was very surprised by the petition and the behaviour of the squirrels themselves. But aloud said: “I need time to think, I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.”

The contract

In the furrows of squirrels, indignant murmurs and cries were heard, but Khronos was adamant. One of the most hysterical squirrels even started rolling on the floor, only she was immediately dragged from the eyes by other squirrels. On this note, the squirrel delegation was forced to retire.

Hayat remained silent and waited for his mentor Khronos to tell him, but he, like water in his mouth, typed the whole evening in silence around the hearth. Khronos was pondering about something…

With the first rays of the sun, there were squirrels, their mood was decisive, but they were afraid of approaching Khronos’ house without permission. Khronos, as if nothing had happened, went out on the porch, stretched, greeted the squirrel and went with a bucket to the lake for water.

The squirrels followed him, but they were afraid to ask about his decision. Khronos brought water, made his tea and turned to the squirrels:

“Did I understand correctly, dear squirrels, that you, at last, remembered the agreement that we agreed upon at the beginning of the summer?”

The squirrels nodded in agreement.

“As far as I remember, dear squirrels, that according to this agreement your squirrel clan had to help me in harvesting.”

The squirrels again nodded in agreement.

“In the contract, it was said that you, squirrels will have to collect berries, mushrooms and nuts at my request, carry out any of my assignments.”

The bravest squirrel replied: “Yes.”

“I will help you if you fulfil your part of the contract,” said Khronos and grinned at his beard, “so you must gather 20 squirrels of ceps and dry them, 15 raspberry baskets in prickly bushes, 5 bags of walnuts. Nuts stuck, cores in a mortar crush, squeeze out the nut oil.”

The squirrels began to resent such a difficult task and the amount of work. They did not negotiate such slavish conditions at the beginning of the summer. In response to these exclamations of squirrels, Khronos objected to them that it was also a difficult task to help win elections because everyone understands that the fox will win. At the mention of the worst enemy, the squirrels gnashed their teeth.

Khronos laughed and invited the squirrels to terminate the agreement by mutual consent. The squirrels conferred and decided to fulfil the task of Khronos.

In the clearing the work was boiling to make everything, the squirrels called all their relatives. Khronos walked between them and checked the quality of mushrooms, berries and chuckled.

Squirrels worked for two weeks, not interrupted by day and night. When the work was finished, they could hardly stand on their paws. All works were performed with excellent quality; therefore, the contract obligations were fulfilled by the squirrels.

Khronos ordered the election of one squirrel from the squirrel clan, which would represent all the squirrels in the elections. Tomorrow morning, he will wait for her to visit.

Squirrels must fulfil one more condition – to sit and wait for the election to begin, if at least one of the squirrels violates this obligation or again takes up a provocation, then Khronos will not fulfil his promise, and then it is already clear to the squirrels that there is no victory.

The next morning the squirrel, which the squirrel clan had chosen, came to the house of Khronos. He met the squirrel, closed the door behind her, lowered the curtains on the windows, no matter how hard they tried to pry and hear that there were other squirrels in the house of Khronos, they did not get anything done.

From the chimney stacked yellow smoke. “He must be conquered,” the troubled squirrels concluded and dispersed to their homes. There was a week left before the elections. Squirrels ran to the house of Khronos every day to see how things were going, but they did not find out.