Читать книгу Immortals. Alma and Scythe of Death - Сергей Соловьёв, Ар'лан ис'Дрекхэм - Страница 9

Suddenly in the evening there was a crash, but it was as if now the tyn would fall off. Agna, in one shirt, jumped up, put on a sheepskin coat. Restless Alma followed her, wrapped in a blanket.

— Open up! We are in a hurry! ‘the cry came.

— Lute. or what are you? the witch answered, standing on the porch.

— Agna, I am it! And with me and Tata!

“The twins are with us,” the hostess said, and went to open it.

Alma helped open the entrance and a rider and a rider on stately moose drove into the yard. They immediately dismounted and bowed to the mistress of the house. They were a man in his twenties and a woman in her twenties, tall, with bows and arrows over their sheepskin coats, daggers and axes on his belt.

— Come into the house, from the road.

But Lute showed a black ribbon tied on his sleeve and shouted:

— Tell everyone! Ilsa fell asleep! Everyone can say goodbye to Madame!

“When… Agna barely spoke at once.

— Two weeks ago. In Gandwick. Sentenced, to take her to all the villages of the giants, so that people would say goodbye to the Dead Princess, see her for the last time! The train will be in the village in a week, but they will call you, do not hesitate!

— Wait, at least take pies on the road!

Lute nodded, and handed the birch bark to the girl. Alma ran headlong into the house and returned with an edible.

— Here, take this!

— Be sound, beauty! Don’t hold a grudge against us! — the young man answered, turned the plow, and the sinister jumped further.

— What he said, — the girl was confused, — as if she would die soon!

“He will not die,” said Agna, throwing a constipation on the gate, “he will never die.” Neither he nor Tata, none of Ilsa’s deck. What is worse for them…

“Why?”

— We went to the house, otherwise you froze already.

The witch let the pupil forward, and closed the door behind her. The door was good, oak, and living inside felt for warmth. The same door led to the upper room, where they slept and ate. So the heat was kept well, but they heated the stove and cooked food in the basement.

— Well, what? Alma asked impatiently, sitting down on the bench.

“Lie down and cover yourself with a blanket.

— Yeah…

— So… All of them, seven of her Companions, tasted the blood of the Princess, ikhor. Here we have blood — red, and the Princess — like water, bluish such. And the power in her is great — who will drink the blood of the Princess will never die. And even if they are wounded and killed, they come to life again. After all, they are given to the Princess for war — she protects our lands from strangers, and so that they would not be killed, Ilsa gave them such power. And before her, Ella granted her Companions such a gift. But Ella said:

“So that everyone from her deck, when she leaves, heads are deprived…”

— Why… — Alma was indignant, — what are people to blame for?

— Yes, listen, you, egoza… “That those deprived of goals would wait for the awakening of Seven Dead Prinzess on time. And in order for the Chosen Magi to create a secret place, and there to keep the bodies and heads of the Immortal Knights in care, that there would be someone to fight for the Chosen One at the end of Time”

— And what’s the Chosen One?

— He will appear at the end of Time, the one who will wake up the Sleeping Princes with a kiss and love one of them.

— Yes, now only the First Princess fell asleep…

Agna nodded, agreeing and sighed heavily. She straightened the blanket for the girl, and continued:

— It will be hard for the Immortals to wait for this hour. And no matter what terrible troubles they did on earth, Ella ordered it. It’s not in their prison to sit, it’s not known how old.

— Yes… — whispered Alma, whose eyes began to stick together, — and I would… but I would… — and fell asleep.

***

And Agna and Alma thought maybe it was a dream? An evil dream in which anything is possible. All these days passed calmly, but now, on the seventh day, the roar of the bugle rejoiced, which made them jump from their places. Then the neighborhood broke the ringing of tympans.

“It’s her,” Agna said, “we’ll meet the Lady properly.”

She first painted the girl’s face white, let her lips down red, as did her cheekbones. Then the witch’s face became painted in a similar way. The daughters of the mistress of the house began to look the same, with white faces. They went to the outskirts, waiting for Sleeping. In front, with a burning torch, one of the Satellites was traveling, and four more carried a golden forged coffin. The strength of the men from Ilsa’s deck was incredible.

The procession was closed by the Chosen Ones who came from Alatyr. Ahead was a tall woman, also wrapped in the very eyes in a black cloak. Seven students in gray raincoats, with hoods draped over their faces, with horns and horns that display a sad motive.

— Hi, Agna.

“Good to see you, Mara. Although the case turned out to be bad.

— It all happened, as it should have, herbalist. And we are saddened, but also great joy. For seventy years Ilsa carried a heavy burden, now she can rest. Everything happens, as Ella promised:

“And the Seven who come for me will all fall asleep in the cave”

“What’s next?”

— Then everyone knows:

“The chosen one will come on the Terrible Day…

He will only touch the frozen stone…

How to break through the high cold of ice…

The ice throne is standing and the Savior is waiting…

And then with Seven Ilya will take a cool place”

— Surely the name is known?

Mara only nodded her head happily, as if she herself would live to see that hour of hard time. Agna hardly understood the mentor.

And the woman saw a family of herbalist, standing in mute delight and grave fear, looking at this procession. The young healer did not take her eyes off the last shining chambers of Ilsa. On the sign of Mary, the lid was removed…

Alma pursed her lips, remembering the face of her deceased mother, how she immediately changed. My face stretched out, my eyes sunk. At first she tried not to look at Ilsa. But, one look and she could not resist an admiring sigh.

Gela, Zia and Mila stood nearby, eyes rounded on dazzling white faces. There were no pranks, no screams.

The dead Princess lay face up, with her dazzling white face, as if she had just fallen asleep. The girl was not afraid to touch the fingers of the Sleeping Princess. They were hard as stone and cold as ice. It was impossible to move them even by hair. Mara watched Alma touch the Princess’s hands and did not interfere. The mentor even became interested in what Agna’s student was doing.

— She seemed petrified, girl. And she became harder than a stone, — the Mentor quietly said.

“She’s not dead, that’s for sure,” the young healer said quietly, “she can even hear us. A little…

— Alma cures the afflicted, Agna explained.

— I will go to you in a year, to Alatyr, — the girl boasted, looking at Mara with enthusiastic eyes.

“We won’t be able to return to our chambers until three months later. It would be easier to go on a long journey with us. Than in a year to swim along the river, and then by sea.

“I’ve wanted to go to Alatyr for a long time. But, it’s like an elder and magi decide.

“I promise I’ll talk to Goody and the Magi Vinal. In the meantime, prepare your box for the long journey. Won’t you be scared?

Alma just shook her head, showing how she wants to go. But again she looked at the golden coffin.

“Well, it’s time for us to move on,” the mentor sentenced from a secret place, “now to Grustina, then to Varta, and there Sargat and Oum are waiting for us.

Satellites picked up a heavy load. and moved along the road to the village, where the inhabitants were to say goodbye to Ilsa.