Бесплатный фрагмент - Immortals. Knights from Arkona

Immortals. Knights from Arkona

Don’t lose your head

Russian folk proverb

Prologue

The battle began suddenly, at the forest edge, arrows whistled, sometimes clay balls poured from slings on tree trunks, falling apart from the blow. Alma jumped on the back of her moose in one jump, looking around. The princess has already smelled the smell of enemies, strangers, who again came to Her land. A scythe, known to everyone in Siberia, was already spinning in the hand of the beauty — from Gandvik to Oum and the steppes of Semirechye, behind which were the steppes and deserts of eternally hungry strangers. This weapon drove even notorious villains from the Eastern Deserts into awe.

On the warrior’s chest, a band with five severed and smiling heads of the leaders of strangers was fun, in good memory of her wars. Around her neck she wriggled, trying to warm herself on the cold skin of the Princess, a snake, the well-known viper Skara. She rarely crawled away from the hostess, and now, as if feeling a battle, she opened her mouth wide, exposing her poisonous fangs.

The girl raised her head, and again cold drops of sadly drizzling rain fell on her snow-white face, the Dead Princess tried to calm down. She never felt the heat or the cold again, but the sound of rain itself gave her comfort. It was not by chance that Alma ended up here, it was necessary to visit fellow countrymen, heal the unwell and help the ailments. Here, after all, there was not far a village of several houses — fortresses behind ramparts and moats, and her path lay there, it can be seen to the misfortune or happiness of the gans.

And strangers, in their misfortune, ran into her watch from the Dead, two of whom attacked a hundred aliens, and they fired arrows and stones in response. The dead were not afraid of anyone, did not understand or say anything, but they steadily followed all the orders of the Princess, and she instructed the dead servants to attack strangers wherever they were felt.

— Athey! — she shouted to the companion, who had already delivered the bow and arrow, — do not let the enemies leave for the swamp! Take the rest of your companions with you! But do not go to the trouble, do not bring the fight to swords! Look, don’t lose your head! — and she threatened him with an oblique Death.

— Yes, Princess! he smiled, putting on a helmet made of wild boar fangs — whatever you want!

His elk, Shchepka, quickly moved to the edge, and followed him, the same on moose, and five young men and women, already with bows at the ready. These were her Companions, people from her deck, those who followed her, and knew Ihor, becoming forever Immortal servants.

— Kurei, — she called the rest, — and you and I will come to a detachment of strangers. Take care that their convoy does not leave, we need prey.

— Well, Princess, — nodded Kurei — Magi, putting on leather armor.

The man turned away from the Princess. He wasn’t too fond of the second she went berserk. Now Alma’s face quickly turned blue again from white, becoming almost Black from Hatred to enemies. The rain did not stop, and the sky was gloomy, as always, when the Princess appeared on these lands.

Kurei sent his moose to the left of the army, and Alma suddenly shouted:

— Forward!

The viper stretched up on the hostess’s shoulder, Alma’s white braids fluttered in the wind. The princess sent up her elk, Hot, he only shook his huge horns, obeying the hostess. The dead army did not lag behind, not paying attention to knots or fallen trees, bushes, and pits. The Dead did not even notice such trifles, jumping over them or crossing, it happened that they crawled over.

Near the swamp, the battle was in full swing. The arrows of satellites flew, hitting strangers when they tried to break through and escape from Alma, and her army, but it was too late…

Hot burst into their ranks, the Princess mowed down strangers, leaving no wounded. A monstrous blade, forged by the magi from gray metal found in Taimyr, chopped flesh with human flesh, as if it were cow oil or salty breasts. Hands, heads, cut bodies remained behind the passing Princess, and the forked hooves of her elk only drove the bloodless flesh deeper into the ground. Some tried to fight, throwing darts and spears at her, from which she easily dodged. But here, the tallest and strongest, the leader can be seen, rushed forward screaming and tried to hit Goryachy with his club. But the elk, standing on its hind legs, only hit the front legs with its hooves at once, crushing the madman’s head. The Dead the body flew into the thick of the enemies, and then the magician of strangers rose to meet, who decided to test his luck.

With a rod hung with bells in one hand and a stone ax in the other, he attacked the Princess, thinking to embarrass the witch with his volshba. But, with a face blackened with indescribable anger, Alma did not even notice this, only dodged the blow, carried her oblique head off the shoulders of the unreasonable and immediately caught her trophy by the beard, tied to the saddle.

The fight turned into a beating, where the Dead destroyed strangers, literally driving enemies into the ground, turning bodies into bloody slime. A convoy of twenty teams of steppe horses did not have time to leave, and there were several women left, with bows in their hands. On one of the red tape, Alma saw a bound young man, apparently alive. Next to him sat an elderly woman with a bronze dagger in her hand, intending to cut the prisoner’s throat.

The princess, without lowering the bloody Spit of Death, shouted in the language of strangers:

— Let him go, you will live and return home!

— He’s going to die, just like you, damned witch! ’shouted a madman, plunging a knife down the throat of the bound captive.

At two moments, dismounting, Alma jumped, as if not touching the ground, got to the drag, and holding the braid in her right hand, with the end of the blade reached the woman’s neck, and chopped off her head, but so that the strip of skin was held, preventing it from falling to the ground. The body of the murdered fell, generously irrigating the Siberian land with enemy blood. The Princess hacked the rest of the women walking, not thinking of stopping, not sparing anyone, not paying attention to screams and screams.

Magus, with a bloody club, sat on horseback, inspecting the battlefield. There were more chopped bodies, and they became useless. But those three whom he killed could be used, and the economic man carefully plucked them aside, laid them flat, prepared them for revival. Sensible of weapons, what is better, put in heaps. Now, it was possible to relax. after all, Alma came to her senses, and did not expect important things, it was necessary to change the sables for grain and honey.

Kurei, looking around, drove up to the Princess when her face became just tender — blue. Black lips parted to reveal the beauty’s pearly teeth, black eyes staring, barely blinking.

— Collect all the prey, magi. We need a lot.

Cooray just shrugged. Everything has already been collected, but I was not going to argue with the Mistress. Alma went to the lying young man, and instantly cut the belts, squeezed arms and legs. Blood flowed from the wound, but he was still alive. The witch nodded, and, so also with a dagger in her hand, sat down on the red tape, and instantly cut her wrist, so Kurei gasped.

— Princess… he just whispered.

«The deck is not full yet,» the witch replied.

She brought her wound on her arm to the lips of the dying man, and a trickle of clear liquid, Ihora, fell into the youth’s mouth. Alma now held her wrist to her lips, licking it, and the ichor immediately stopped flowing. The body of the gant, a blonde young man, began to fight in convulsions, so much so that the cart almost turned over. Finally, he opened his blue eyes and saw the Dead Princess, the one he had seen more than once, coming to their city. He who came to life with difficulty got up, bowed and said:

— I serve you until my death, Princess!

— What’s your name, warrior?

— Jaromir!

There would be bones, meat will grow

Arkona

A murder for a murder

Shitik simply rushed along the waves of the Sarmatian Sea, the oars almost bent in the oars in the powerful hands of tireless rowers. These sailors could row from dawn to dusk, and there was no need to change tired to fresh. The fishermen welcomed the soldiers, but were surprised that the ship was going to the East, and not to the West, to repay the grievances of the Danes. That’s right, the Svyatovit’s Squad often went to Roskilde, and their swords were like a security certificate from the fury of enemies. But no, now they were waiting for a distant land in the East, they went to Constantinople, or called Danes still Gardariki, which meant the country or city of the King…

It was not difficult to drag their ship, with leather sides sewn to the frame of the boat, so that it would not be so difficult to move from one waterway to another. In general, such sewn ships in Pomorie were rarely built by the Wends, but the knights of Svyatovit were faithful to the customs of their ancestors. It is clear that they hired carters, it was necessary to transport the cargo, and huge carts, drawn by oxen, dragged expensive goods from one river to another. Silver penyazi became a generous payment for help. Here the knights did not make enemies, paying for work under the contract..

The warriors went to the Don, and then their appearance changed. The sail on the mast, as if by a miracle, turned out to be different, the merchants, and now not the soldiers, grew small beards. And before the eyes of other merchants, they were already prospectors from the Jellied Sea, with a small but precious load of walrus tooth and fur of the haze beast, also called sable. The tall merchants no longer traded amber, and where did the amber come from on Uterus or Grumant?

On the Don, northerners passed the fortress of Tana, an ancient town with several stone turrets, where they paid soap for soy goods. The city was small, dae without walls, surrounded only by a rampart, but wonderfully rich in fish. Merchants gladly tried the local sturgeon. Further, the wanderers’ path lay along the calm Lake Meoti, to the rich and glorious Tsargrad, Korchev, or Kerch, who, as they said. Nearby was the city of Sarov, Sugdeya or Surozh, also well fortified and rich.

The harbor of the port city, the capital city of White Russia was defended by a squat tower, on which a new banner developed — the Coat of Arms of Rurik.

On the nose, the standing foreman of the merchants smiled badly, but did not insult the Holy Banner. And how can you? And this sign is sacred, for four thousand years as or more, those who have dedicated themselves to the Dead Princes put it on their forehead, or on a helmet or hat. And everyone sees two white rays on his forehead, and the third, red, like the language of fire, between them. This was the famous Kolyumn, or Kolomna.

But now, their ship, here very small, among the huge Roman merchant ships, stood at the mooring wall. The merchants quickly unloaded the ship, paid for the washing, and dragged the boat and cargo to the depots. One of the merchants has already taken out a ring flashing its wings and beak in the sun, and what is strange — with lion paws. The imperial merchant who passed by only shrugged his shoulders, surprised by the ancient coat of arms.

— What did you get, Lute? What seal? ’another said quietly, ’it said, a bear with an ax…

— Tired of the road, brother…

— Seal it faster, — the man murmured, — Okay, let’s go look for an inn…

Strangers in the trading city did not surprise anyone, although the authorities tried so that the guests would not interfere with the residents of the city. They stayed at the institution of the romance Anastasia Psaki. Stone structure, with two extensions, with kitchen, labaz and stable. It turned out a considerable estate, even for such a large city as Kerch.

— Will you take the Penyazi of the King of the Franks, Anastasius?

— Why not take it,» the innkeeper agreed, taking out the scales.

Lute took out a cat, and began to lay thin silver coins one on top of the other.

Silver migrated to the koshel of the romance, and the tension in the eyes of the owner subsided. It was hard to believe that this was a romeo, only by the clothes one could say that he came from a great empire. If you just look at the face of this sluggish man, at his gray Slavic eyes, then Anastasius seemed more like a foreman from Lyubitsa or Mikelin.

— For lunch I can offer fish, I have fresh, not salty, — Anastasiy boasted, — How to contact you? he asked, finally at the foreman, whose neck was decorated with a golden hryvnia.

— Viten, foreman of the artel.

— My cook cooks perfectly, my bread is also my own. There are wines from Cyprus, Crete, and local, from Taurica.

— Let’s try Taurida’s vine today,» the foreman smiled.

— Master is no stranger to poetry?» Korchmar joked.

Viten decided to keep silent better, and looked at each other with an assistant, and he nodded to him in response.

— I’ll send you a boy when your dinner is ready. He will take you to your dormitories. It’s warmer than yours in Cimmeria!

Korchmar was surprised when the merchants did not ask what kind of rhetoric. The appearance of the merchants was unusual, although he heard from the guards that these were guests from the Studed Sea. Well, Anastasius tried to be useful to the city and a thousand, because in Korchev he lived much better than in the damned Trebizond. There are almost no extortions here, and no one scares with reprisals and sophisticated executions for non-payment of tribute. So it was necessary to do… At first he went to the kitchen.

— Irina, — he turned to a nestar woman, — a good lunch with fish and wheat bread for thirty people. Now the merchants live with us, and have occupied almost all the rooms.

«Well, yes, only two remained,» the servant grinned, «no one else will stick to you, Anastasius!»

«Nothing, we paid for two weeks, now we have enough money for three months,» the tavern answered sternly.

— I understand it, baked fish for lunch?

— And fish pies, and fish stew, — said Romay, — all from fish

«We’ll cook it soon. Hours in three.

Anastasius came out, walked quickly through the courtyard, covered with slabs of ashlar. There was an incomprehensible fuss in the stable. The man tapped the joint with a stick, as if driving the rats away from the pythos with grain. A boy rolled out of the building, seemingly fifteen years old.

— Anastasius? Uncle? What happened? ’he said, shaking the straw out of his head.

— Run to the foreman, Vanir, tell me, thirty people stopped at me. They called themselves an artel from the Studenoy Sea. Tags showed that the wash was paid. Got it?

Anastasius pretended not to notice a young supper slipping past him, shaking off his skirt and apron from straw. The young man looked at the girl, blushed, and tried to make a smart face, frowning.

— Why run to the guard, since the guests have tags? ’he asked.

— Let Vanir decide for himself. You never know. Painfully calm… They didn’t drink wine right away, they didn’t go looking for girls, they didn’t start fights… All this is strange…

— Too good? — thinking, approved the young man.

— Unusual…

Leonty nodded, and with two fingers grabbed the belt on the tunic, tied the belts on the shoes, got up, and quickly walked to the harbor, a small house, where their acquaintance Vanir was on duty with the guards.

***

— While everything is not bad, Viten, — Lyut said quite smiling, lying on the bed, — softly, much better than sleeping on a bench.

— You’ll sleep everything, the garden head… — the foreman joked angrily, — the romey did not hurt us… He is a broken wolf, and did not see such… The case now… Five go to look for girls, and ten will have to pour wine in the next tavern.

— Viten?

«What are you looking at, Jaromir?» For a long time, Arkonskaya and I did not go down the cliff… After a long journey, the merchant must look for the joys of life. So you go to drink wine today… Moreover, lunch in two hours will be, not earlier…

— All right, let’s go… Sinas, Asan!

— Yes, we already… What’s the matter, governor?

— Leave swords, take only daggers with you.

— What knight without a sword? — and the warrior proudly laid his fingers behind the waist belt.

«We’re merchants here.

— I see, Viten. Maybe I’m with Tiudemir, girls?

— It is said to the incomprehensible, — the foreman sighed, — in the tavern.

Young travelers, and in appearance each of them was no more than twenty full years old, folded superfluous in their dormitories, and a noisy crowd descended the stone staircase of the inn. Anastasius watched the servant sweeping the yard from garbage, and turned to look at the guests. It was evident that the person was very surprised.

Well done, they went to a hot spot. This tavern was simpler and worse than Anastasios, because there were more people here, you see, food and wine are much cheaper. And, here was what they were looking for.

A suspicious person, but in elegant clothes, with a staff in his hand, went to them, strained and habitually smiling.

— I see, I see, well done from the North… After a long journey, there is no better warmth than the heat of a woman’s embrace. You, right, were looking for where to relax? My name is Pelagius, and everyone here knows me.

— Well, a well-known thing,» Sinas began evasively.

— For such noble people, say, half an ounce of silver from each?

— A coin of equal weight…

— Miliaresis?

— Dirhams…

— Great. My assistant, Aristarchus, will see you off.

— If, by chance, my friends wake up with a sore head and without boots, then do not fail… — the knight began to explain, holding the handle of the dagger,

— Personally, I will personally look after their beautiful shoes, — Pelagius spoke with a tongue twister, holding his hands to his chest, — And, even I swear, I will buy new boots myself in case of loss. By the way, I know where you can buy a beautiful malvasia.

«We’d take some amphorae.

— Tomorrow I will deliver, the most honorable… Inn Anastasia Psaki?

«Exactly… Do not worry, but we will check the wine, then fill it with our seal. Don’t think we don’t trust you, just what if you make a mistake in a hurry?

— Whatever, — the merchant was upset, — it will be necessary to find out more precisely whether the wine remained in the warehouse, or Aristarchus sold everything. Wine is a running product, and you think that it is, but it has not been for a long time. You know, a guest from the North, my clerk is a real sneaker, I suffer with him so much, but I can’t drive him away because of a good heart.

Sinas made a misunderstood face, but comparing the simple face of the clerk and the roguish Pelagia, especially how diligently the merchant now hid his fingers behind his back, he did not strongly believe the words of the romance. But, as agreed, several people followed Aristarchus. Actually, only two northerners remained in the tavern.

Sinas and Asan sat at an almost clean table, which a peddler smoothed with a knife right in front of them, and then raked shavings from the floor. Then they brought them a jug of wine and cups of green glass.

«Should I drink three jugs?» Asan inquired of a companion.

— No less… To remove suspicions from the locals.

«Who are we going to beat?» ’he asked frowningly.

— And here, these — and Sinas nodded at the six Romanesque merchants — and it is possible to others. I don’t care.

They were stocky, bearded men dining on bread with soft sheep’s cheese. There was also a dish with dried fish, a jug of wine. The merchants also had considerable knives on their belts, and they looked detailed and bold to the sailors.

«No murder, Asan. And so there are many corpses behind us.

— And I don’t want to start a matchmaker, twin. So you have to fight!

But everything was decided not to say what was for the best for the Romans. But not so hard for the northerners, after the incident, their conscience calmed down. A peddler, a young girl, while walking slipped on a defended fish head, and poured wine on a dark felt cloak of one of the romance merchants, who picked up the floor of his clothes with annoyance and hit his strong girl’s ass with his palm. The girl, unaccustomed to such treatment, covering her face with her sleeve, cried and ran away.

— Why so, kind man? — Asan gladly intervened, — or is it customary for you, in Trebizond?

— Are you, Dylda, her guardian, or maybe the groom or husband? asked the angry merchant.

— You are a dishonest man! — was his answer.

Romaeus immediately grabbed a heavy stool and threw it at Asan. He did not dodge, and having caught the seat and leg, he threw the offender in the stomach, and he just gasped, fell on the dirty floor of the tavern and scraped his thick fingers on the boards. The rest, five, with their fists at the ready, rushed at two northerners. It wasn’t an equal scrum. Sinas immediately knocked down one, meeting with a punch in the hypochondrium, Asan sent the other to unconsciousness with two blows.

Three merchants, seeing the fiasco of their comrades, exposed daggers and tried to use them. But they could not even scratch the Romans of the northerners. However, the knights gave time for the Romans to get tired well, so that sweat was already pouring with hail.

Finally, three guards simply flew into the tavern, with sticks and axes.

— Drop the knives, stop the rampage! — shouted, you can see the eldest of the guards, — otherwise it will be bad!

Romei threw daggers, and bent down, tried to lift their friends from the floor. Lying only grunting and moaning, got up, leaning on their hands, wiped blood from broken faces. The guards looked at both tall guests, and the elder called the northerners to the tavern door with a sign. Asan put two coins, payment for the treat, and without hesitation went to the courtyard of the tavern.

— Sit down… — the guard pointed to the bench with a sign, — I am Vanir, the foreman of the city guard. Why are you starting a matchmaker?

— I am Asan. They were the first to attack, in truth there is no guilt on us.

— Yes. And from them I will take five coins in your favor. But merchants are dear to us, and we have no trace of daring them.

— And we are trading people, Vanir. They came to sell goods from the Studded Sea.

«It doesn’t hurt you like merchants. These, with daggers, could not even cut your clothes, they could not hurt anything, but people, they are not weak, and have been in alterations more than once or twice.

«Every merchant, he’s a warrior. You know, Vanir.

Desyatnik looked at tall guys, no longer young men, but they were far from a man’s article. But even now they were extremely strong and fast.

— Just don’t come here with a week until these Romans leave on a merchant ship to their Sinop.

— Let’s wait for friends, and leave, — Asan agreed, — we will finish the wine only…

— Who did your friends leave with?»

— Yes, a new acquaintance, Aristarchus, promised to show them the city…

The guards laughed, Vanir’s face also lit up with a wide smile, the foreman only looked at each other with his comrades. Well, that was understandable… The guys are young, only from the campaign, so the girls went…

— No, then of course, it’s important, wait… There is something to see in Kerch. That’s why he is Tsargrad.

***

Leonty came running quickly, finding a warrior sitting on the bench at the gatehouse, with an ax in his belt, with a bow and a quiver full of arrows on his side.

— Boyko, hello! — the young man greeted, — so Anastasius calls Vanir with his warriors.

«The ten will be back soon. You want to sit here, wait here.

— Okay, — the boy was not very upset, and began to draw letters on the sand.

The boy taught a little writing to the empire of an intelligent guard. There was such an agreement between them. The Romance letter was not easy for the servant of the law. And, he repeated after Leonty, bringing out letters with a stick, in the sand, pronouncing words to himself. Everything did not work out right away, and it was hard to get used to other people’s letters. The lad drew words and Boyko read:

— Stratiot, warrior for us.

— Here, you see, it turns out at me.

And the restless teenager wrote another word, or rather, two more:

«Mega Igemon, the Great Lord,» the guard read, «it’s a little.

— Well done, — there was a strong voice, — Boyko, soon you will learn to read Roman, not only our letter you will know! Leonty, what happened?

— Hello, decarch, — the boy began ceremoniously, — my father asks you to come to our inn with your soldiers. You said that you should report all suspicious foreigners.

«What’s wrong with them?»

— Yes, they themselves… Everything, as if from one egg hatched — each seven feet tall, hair very light, blue eyes. Everyone knows how sailors behave after a hike — they are looking for a tavern with wine, but accommodating women. These are decorously sitting in their dormitories and waiting for dinner.

— And how many are there?

— Thirty people, just like in the tales of savirs about heroes.

«Thank you, lad,» Vanir added, tapping the messenger on the shoulder. «Now we will come.» And you run to your father, behave as usual, do not bully guests. Wait.

Desyatnik, or decarch in Romanesque, because there were many Romans living in Kerch, almost more than northerners, or wends who had recently come in large numbers with Oleg. Yes, the felling then was between the northerners and the Wends, although short, but terrible. Oleg, calling himself a guest, entered the harbor on three ships, and first captured and killed Dar, and then, with his banners, entered the fortress and hacked Oskol there. Part of the detachments of the northerners, together with the saras, locked themselves in Surozh and cut with the Wends, and Oleg could not take the city.

Oleg announced that he had taken power on behalf of Igor, also by blood from the Veles clan, accused Oskol and Dar that they had tortured the fugitives from the Elbe who had gone to the Dnieper from the evil Karla. Yes, Oskol sent magyars to the Wends, to take tribute, because the newcomers sat down on his land, the land of the northerners and Saras. Magyars burned Vendian towns on Volkhov and Dnieper. The Wends from despair tearfully asked the Velesovichi on the Varangian Sea to give them a prince, and Rurik came from the Western Wends.

Then the news came to the White Kings that the Saxons and Franks were attacking the encouraged and Lyutichi, and, throwing lots, they decided that the Magyars would go on a campaign. So the forces of the Kings became impoverished, and Rurik began a rebellion. White kings died, and the Siberian princes, Northern and Ural did not recognize the authorities of Rurik… And, now the warriors of the Wends feared the revenge of the northerners, and were always at the ready. Vanir, who already knew what the northerners looked like, therefore remembered what had happened and prepared for the worst.

— Put on your armor, and quickly go to Anastasia’s inn, — commanded the decarch to his people.

The warriors began to quickly put themselves in order, helping each other. However, Zhnyr, differed, as always:

«What are the reservations to take?» It’s very hot… Merchants came, it’s usual. We will make sense, if necessary, put it in the underground.

— Faster… Let’s go in order, — said Vanir harshly, looking at the troublemaker badly, — a weapon to be ready!

He only spread his arms, and no longer argued with the decarch, only threw the shield behind his back. The soldiers walked briskly along the narrow Kerch street, past a solid line of adobe fences that merged into another wall. Even on small plots of land, grapes and peach trees grew, where there were pear trees. True, sometimes there were wastelands, with destroyed houses, fallen roofs. And in such abandoned places only nettles and ivy turned green.

Finally, the wind brought the smell of the edible to the guards, and even the eternally dull Zhnyr, smiled, and loudly pulled the air with his nose:

— Mullet, fried… Moreover, with pepper, garlic and basil… So only Psaki smells…

— It’s close. Shields at the ready! — commanded a foreman.

The detachment quickly approached the open gates of the gate, and quickly, past the silent dogs, moved to the forge. Vanir, without repairing, jerked open the door of the tavern, upholstered in strip iron, and went inside. A dozen guests sat at a wide table, as Leonty said, men, or rather, young men of enormous height, and not at all frightening in appearance. They ate quickly, ate Anastasios’s cooking with pleasure, the peddlers smiled at the prigozhe merchants.

— Vanir? Come in for a snack? — found something to say Anastasius.

— Well, yes, time to eat, — the guard played along, — if I don’t interfere. Will you feed my guys? — and the warrior put the coin in front of the tavern.

— I am glad to the guests, — only the romey answered.

Vanir brought his own, dressed more for sich, and not dinner, so the soldiers had to fold the armor. The ashen-haired merchants were noticeably revived, among them there was laughter, however, they ate treats and drank wine with the same zeal.

Vanir sat down next to Anastasius, with a fish jam in his hand, and looked inquiringly at the tavern.

«These?» — without looking towards the guests, asked the foreman.

Romay just nodded, and drank wine from the cup. I looked at the main of the northerners, and Vanir also looked at the northerner with a golden hryvnia around his neck. The foreman wiped his mustache, got up from the table, stepped over the bench, and ended up next to the guards. He was without a sword, only with a dagger on his belt.

— My name is Viten, — the giant called himself, — the foreman of the merchants, we came from the Jellied Sea.

Vanir calmed down slightly, the man, or rather, the young man, did not look intimidating. The guard looked closely at the embroidery on the sleeves, but he was alerted by the tattoo on his hands. There was no sword on the belt, only a large knife.

— Some of mine went to have a little fun after a long hike, but by night they will return, — explained the foreman, — they are not a hindrance to the city.

The foreman calmed down, or pretended to be calm, put his thumbs in his belt, put his left leg forward.

— Everyone is glad that merchants from distant edges come to Kerch, and you are welcome here.

— We know the laws, guard, and do not bother.

«Let’s not stop you from eating. Anastasia is being fed wonderfully well, you made no mistake about the place, Viten.

Vinar sat down with his friends at the table, ate quickly, and soon his soldiers left the inn.

— Everything worked out? Gunei asked quietly.

— Vinar went to the pit. I hope for Asan and Sinas that everything will end there without a big swara.

— But not without a little? the interlocutor smiled.

Viten swallowed from the cup, and smoothed out a light mustache. Asan and Sinas could be relied upon.

***

But not only the kitchen attracted the inn Anastasia guests from the North. The foreman looked at the black night sky, strewn with stars, and saw a donjon standing on a hill, Oleg’s shelter. It used to be the court of Oskol and Dar. Viten took out a leather pipe from his bag, the creation of the ancient masters of Priobye, pushed it apart, and began to look through it at the castle. Rounded and polished pieces of rock crystal seemed to bring the stone towers closer to Viten’s eyes. The moat, the light bridge, the light burning in the windows of the castle, everything was visible in a wonderful pipe. The palace, as the foreman knew, was guarded by about a hundred of the best vigilantes. Witen just grinned. Another way awaited them, wherever they met the vigilant guards of Oleg’s castle. He returned to his dormitory, where Lute was already waiting for him. There was no fire in the room, these people did not need light.

— Look, Viten, — and the knight unfolded the yellow parchment, — The plan of the underground passage to the castle…

— I see, on your contented grin, you already found and start of move to the castle? — the knight looked at his friend and comrade-in-arms.

— In the stable, foreman, — slowly, almost in syllables, Lute broadcast, — we will pass in two hours. Before sunset, you need to go underground in order to be in time.

«Take three more. Five of us will do everything quickly, we will take with us only daggers, ropes. We do not go to fight, we will not give the killer a fair fight, we will only kill Oleg for deception and that’s it. Do not forget the venom box.

«Will he take the corpse with him?» Lute revived.

— No. Let’s throw it in the castle. Everything must be done wisely. Remove suspicions from yourself, but point it at whom…

So another day passed… In the rays of the sunset, unnoticed by the servants of the inn, only five shadows slipped to the stable. The gates creaked and everything died down. On the hayloft, where the lovers rested, they did not even notice the soldiers. Leonty only rustled with straw, shook his head, driving away the hassle, and again hugged his beloved beauty.

***

Nine worn steps led down, however, it was not bad to go, because clay slurry, a frequent companion of such moves, was not here. Just think, nonsense — a dozen hefty rats eating an old cat to the bone, and so, nothing so terrible. But the barn predators were driven away with clever blows of their boots, and here Lute was especially lucky — he hit two at once!

The knights bent almost twice, the course was low, hewn calcareous stones covered with cobwebs and mold threatened to knock down felt caps from tall northerners. Soon the slope of the course began to rise significantly, it became a little harder to go, but these people had no difficulties or fear of darkness, they saw in the darkness no worse than in the light of the sun.

— How, what can be seen ahead?

— For a long time, Jaromir,» the foreman did not console his brother.

— It’s a pity that I’m not a dactyl, — Lute muttered, — they are familiar… Once, once, and there…

— Yeah, dactyl in our squad, — whispered the funny Uslad.

— Quieter you, — Viten muttered, — soon already, here, signs on the wall.

And he showed the well-known sign hidden under the dust — URDHVA-PUNDRA, or Kolyumn. This sign has always been the coat of arms of the Bosporus kings, and they were also from the family of the White Kings. And during the confusion, three hundred years ago, the White Kings settled in Kerch, a convenient place rich in fish and grain from the Kuban. Yes, and trading, but true, it was not very good with water, they only stored rain in huge tanks.

But now, they came to the door. Only it turned out, the door is new, with a noble castle.

— Please, work for you, — the foreman whispered, — not just sins.

— Yes, I’ll try… — the knight answered, taking out a bunch of cunning keys.

For a long time the castle did not resist, did not squeal or creak, clicked the shutter briskly, and the heavy door leaf almost opened itself.

«I’m ahead,» Viten said.

The knights quickly screamed at the door, and again closed the lock from sin. Judging by the low vault, and roughly processed blocks of walls, they were in the basement. There were also very picturesque hooks in the walls.

— That’s right, Oleg here tortures enemies… On the hook, and done.

«No, Uslad,» Jaromir replied, picking up the grease on the wall under the hooks, «it ran from the oil lamps. And soot from torches.

— Maybe. — comrade did not bicker, — we must go upstairs. What is the idea, Viten?

— There are ovens in the undercloths. I took good herbs. Let’s throw it into kindling — and everyone will fall asleep without hind legs, such nightmares will haunt — and Elena the Beautiful will not help them…

«Everything will work out as it should,» agreed Lute.

The stoves were melted, there were no stoves yet, and new ones appeared. Viten put a large piece of grass in each of the four furnaces, and closed the shutters, and opened the door from the basement. Smoke began to fall from the stoves, rising higher and higher, on the floors of the donjon,

It is always hard to wait, time dragged on, as if soaked soaked until all the grass burned out in the firebox.

— Close your mouths with wet rags, and let’s go, — Viten ordered.

Well done, they moistened rags from flasks of water, and tied their faces, looked at each other, and carefully began to understand the stairs…

There were callous bodies lying around. Warriors, servants, boyars, maids, smoke deprived everyone of consciousness and strength. Many had crimson — red faces, distorted, with foam at the mouth. The knights walked quickly, not paying attention to the suffering of others. At the door of the princely chambers lay ten crouched warriors with axes in their hands. Many apparently tried to rise, but nothing came of this venture.

Viten exhaled, and opened the door with a push. The footsteps of the knights were silent, their legs just drowned in the thick pile of Persian carpet spread on the floor. The windows were covered from the inside with carved shutters. The foreman went to the bed, next to which lay a man in a brocade dressing gown, who was also unconscious.

Viten brought him to the nostrils of a bottle with a sharp-smelling composition, and the man’s eyes slowly opened. The whites of the eyes were red, and the face, on the contrary, was whiter than chalk.

— Have you come for me yet? I’m ready, — the prince said without fear, and began to rise with difficulty.

Oleg sat down in a chair, drank wine from a glass glass. filed by Vitenem.

— I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, local people, — and the vend drank more wine, — let’s go… There is no need to bloody the floor, otherwise the terrible will begin, and the guards will be executed. Although what are they against you, immortals? I saw such people, we went on a hike to Roskilde together. You, Viten, are good with a beard! Oleg laughed.

— And you were good, governor, but there was no trace of the Tsar to kill, such non-peace on the Volga and in the Urals began.

— So I, Rurik and Igor too from Veles sort.

— Nobody can raise a hand on the White Tsar and stay alive, you know…

— Oskol shouldn’t have sent his royal eels to Ilmen Magyar, not in Truth.

Viten thought, they didn’t know everything and the knights on distant Arkon could not know, but Oskol and Dar were killed, and they must take revenge.

— Not their land, not Vendian, and everyone knows that the White King judges and rows. And no one except him dares to be called king and kagan. In the western lands, all only princes are called kings, guardians of the lands, and swear allegiance to the White King, and send gifts. And therefore this land in the West of Gardariki is called — the Land of the King.

— Previously, Hunigard was called the land of the Huns, but now Wendland, the Land of the Wends, — Oleg answered proudly, — and here I took Constantinople for Rurik and Igor. And the son of Oskol is alive, I sent him to Chernigov.

— Well, the whole earth from time immemorial and Russia is called and will be called, — Lute shook, — by the name of our army. And for the royal son, thank you, governor.

— Let’s go, it’s time for me to die, — smiled the unafraid vend, — maybe put poison in my wine? — and he readily held out a glass.

— We must go, Viten,» Lute hurried.

— Come on, Oleg,» the foreman finally decided.

The governor got up, he only slightly did not grow to the immortal. Viten walked ahead, Oleg followed him, and the rest of the knights covered, holding daggers at the ready. They walked briskly down a stone staircase into the courtyard. Torches did not light, and the doomed was surprised and did not hide it

— They say about you, and in the darkness you see. Thank you for not interrupting the squad, eternal, — thanked the doomed for his people.

— Blood is not water, Elena the Beautiful will ask us twice for every drop.

— So I heard that the Princesses pour blood immensely, and the severed heads are hung.

— So the Princesses, the bottom has its own Truth, do not envy them, Oleg… But Elena, Ella, she is different, — Viten remarked hotly, — after all, the young woman came to Varta… She did not offend anyone in a word, did not kill, saved many… Whatever she turns to, and does not become the Eternal Queen on Earth, she herself ascended to the fire…

— So, they say, it just melted…

— I saw her governor’s blood… Red, even though her mother is rumored to be Elga…

«The one who shut herself up on the Forbidden Island?»

— She, Dead Princess… Then she took the Twin for the death of Wang’s daughter, and took his sister away from the Princess…

— Well, these are already tales, Viten.

— I saw that Van was missing, I myself saw how I returned with Alena from distant lands. And in that battle, when Elga brought the army of the Dead, I myself also fought.

— A terrible thing… — said Jaromir, and stared into the darkness, — what remains after them… And not the bodies of those killed, but as in a saying — a wet bloody place.

So, they approached the stable, where Oleg’s favorite horse stood. Viten looked around the place, calmed down.

— Say goodbye to the horse, governor, and die.

— Thank you, Immortal. Not bad I’m leaving… — the vend answered quietly.

Oleg stroked the mane of the white stallion, he snored excitedly, sniffed the owner and his friend. Viten did not shift the sad business to others, and with a thin blade, with two points on the blade, pricked Oleg’s hand. He turned to the knight, nodded, managed to breathe twice, and holding on to the neck of the horse, slipped to the ground strewn with straw, and died. The knights looked thoughtfully at one of the Velesovichi, until Lute returned them from their dreams:

— We leave, and quickly — and the foreman pulled his friends by the hands from the place of death.

— That’s right, twin, — supported the foreman Lute, — quickly! Time is very short!

The knights passed through the gates, past the sleeping guards, and already quickly reached the Psaki inn. They managed to lie under blankets in their dormitories before the roosters sang, and the workers began to restore order in the paved courtyard.

Anastasius, with a staff in his hands, walked around the yard and checked how the four only hired men worked, but he did not notice when the knights returned to their rooms.

***

The knights gathered at the tables of the guest house, and a wonderful lunch seemed to be a reward to the sea prospectors for a restless night. It is not clear why the bells of the churches rang here, Anastasius looked at Leonty, the boy only shrugged his shoulders, not understanding what was the matter.

The artisans were happy to absorb the beautiful cooking of the restless cook of the inn, and the always gloomy woman amused when she saw how happy her cooking was. Anastasius again approached Viten, bowed:

— Are the guests satisfied? Romey asked again.

«Excellent.

— Foreman, you have to wait for princely tyun. He will examine the goods, and if the princely court needs anything, he will buy from you before bargaining.

— Will we be at a loss?

«Tiun pays a fair price for good.

«Well, then. I hope it’s not too late? Otherwise we will wait, but no one will appear.

— Tiun Gorazd is a solid man, he observes his honor! So there will be no deception. Do not worry, — Anastasius reassured the guest.

Leonty came running, with a red face, breathing heavily and immediately rushed to the owner and whispered in his ear. Anastasius only rubbed his forehead in confusion.

— What happened? Viteni asked, getting up from the table.

— Eat, eat, — the tavern waved his hands, — you are our guests!

The northerners milked and finished, and the bells rang again. Then a stranger entered the dining room and turned to the keeper of the inn:

— Prince Oleg is dead. I felt bad, went to say goodbye to the horse, and there the forces left the ruler, — the tyun said in a stern voice, — the prince died there. I am ready to purchase your goods for the princely court.

— Foreman of the Viten artel. I will be glad… Sable and fish tooth, — Viten said willingly.

— My name is a Gorazd. Sorry, many in the city have sadness in their hearts after Oleg’s death. And I have. Let’s go show the goods?

— Of course. Two more will come with me. Please! Jaromir! Come with me! Lute, wait for those who went to the city!

— I’ll do everything, foreman, — answered his assistant.

— Did the artisans go to town? Tine yielded. — from the road, it is clear…

Viten equipped himself quickly, took sumu with tags and keys to the labaz, and waited for Uslad and Jaromir. Tiun sat on the bench sad, and Anastasius, too, apparently, upset and frightened.

«Why is Anastasius in doubt?» Jaromir Vitenya asked in the old language.

«Now they’re afraid of war. And how Oleg will be buried…

«Why is there?» — Uslad was surprised, — is it really a different custom?

— If the ancient custom… The body in the cauldron will be boiled out until the flesh disappears, then the bones will be washed with wine and decorated with gold, well, they will be put into the crust as it should… The head is kept separately…

— Well, before the mustache still made nests. The body was boiled, then either covered with clay, or, for the deceased, new flesh was sewn from the skin, and old bones were put in it, and then they drove around the surrounding villages, said goodbye.

— Yes, it’s easier now… — Viten thought.

Other knights were silent. It happened that they also died, and quite if they lost their heads in battle. And one magi was resurrected two hundred years later, Viten himself saw it. When he himself bought the skull from the Saxons by equal weight for gold… But no one could watch Euratius resurrect then. The body was clothed with flesh for almost a month, and to see it was above his strength. Only the magician Radey was inseparable with the knight, bringing water and honey to revive Evpatiy.

«Let’s go, Gorazd,» said the foreman quietly.

He just nodded his head in response, and went ahead, tapping his staff on the pavement. Five of his youths followed him, in addition they rolled a cart. The road here was lined with calcareous, already worn slabs, so there was not much mud in the rain, and in the rare snow here.

They walked slowly, the people who met were also with sad faces, as if they had lost something dear to themselves. Tiun greeted some people, apparently also going to the port on trade matters. The sun hid in a cloud, and although there was no rain, the day turned gray and dull, but it did not get as hot as yesterday. But now, they also approached the labaz fenced with a fence made of large rough stones.

— Hello, Khvylya, — Gorazd greeted the guard

— And you live, — he answered, so holding his hand on the belt, behind which a battle ax was inserted with a wide blade up.

— We are in the lab, — Viten already spoke, taking out the tags.

The guard nodded, examined the seals, compared the cut on the tree of the tag from the northerner, and his own, nodded his head, and gave out a weighty word:

— Come on in, dear guests!

Labaz was not particularly large, and there were not so many goods. Viten removed the seals and opened the wings, showing both a fish tooth and rich furs from the North.

«Let me light the wick in the lantern, you can’t see anything,» Gorazd said quietly.

— Exactly, — Viten was found, — almost forgot.

And he scolded himself for forgetfulness. They, immortals, see in the dark as during the day, and ordinary people do not see anything… I looked again at the tiuna, but he was not worried, or scared. Just wanted to inspect the goods. The foreman took out a fire, in two blows he got a spark and quickly lit a fire. True, he praised himself that he did not use another toy — incendiary glass. That would be superfluous… The lantern gave light, although the smoke was too much at first. A lot with his left hand with a lantern, and with his right with a staff, walked past forty fangs of a fish tooth, admired sable, iridescent skins…

— What else is there in the north? thiun asked.

— Yes, — and Viten took out a handful of light black stones, oily to the touch, — Combustible stone, from Grumant Island. It burns hot, words cannot convey. Well, Indrik’s tooth is a beast. But it hasn’t been brought in for a long time.

— A lot of it there?»

— It’s like the whole island is out of it. Dig — a shovel or two in depth.

— Why don’t you bring me here?»

— Who needs him?» There is a lot of wood, and there are places in the boats for blubber, skins and walrus tooth, or someone who will spoil the fish. On the spot, they heat the stoves on the island. But the heat is strong, carefully necessary, otherwise the chimney and pipe will burn and you will burn the house.

— What does not happen… I’ll buy the cargo, Viten. How much will you take?

— Yes, six Roman gold for a fish fang, and twenty-five gold for forty sables.

This price was twice lower than Constantinople. And what can I say — a pound of Romea silk was sold for twenty gold, so they will buy sable, and the walrus bone, they, craftsmen, will need a lot. But it was necessary to bargain, what kind of deal without bargaining?

«So six?» — and Gorazd thoughtfully took up his chin, and began to tell that there had been no rain in Kerch for a long time, and sturgeon fell in price, and vobla rose in price, grapes got ugly, and wine was expensive.

The foreman looked respectfully at the tiuna that the Venda’s tongue was completely boneless and words poured without stopping. Shook his head too. and a conversation ensued, and with fun and jokes. The price was reset to five coins per bone, and to twenty gold for forty sables. Viten shouted Lute, and he brought the scales. Gorazd took the cat from the lad, began to lay out coins, the foreman laid down five cropped around the edge. Tiun nodded, agreeing.

— Put the goods in the cart, but carefully.

The eldest of the youths nodded decorously, and began to shift walrus fangs onto thick linen fabric, and sables into clean canvas bags. So soon the cargo from the laboratory migrated to Gorazd’s cart.

— Well, I gotta go, Viten. Come next year, guests are welcome here.

«How will the gods decide,» the foreman replied thoughtfully.

The cart, creaking on an uneven road, rolled to Oleg’s yard, where, you see, there was already a new governor, and the northerners moved to their inn, burdened with gold.

All the knights gathered in the courtyard of the Anastasia inn. The artisans laughed, looked at each other, remembering the past day visiting Pelagius. Viten watched that the comrades were going on the road, not sucking. Fortunately, nothing needed to be shifted, the goods were sold out. The squad spent the night, and at dawn moved into the harbor.

Viten went to the laboratory where their boat was stored. The foreman’s fingers ran through the seals, breaking the hemp ropes and removing wax from the grooves. The excitement was leaving, everything was ending, and soon they would leave Constantinople. He himself, and then with Lut, opened the flaps, and the rising sun illuminated their ship. Everything was fine, an oak keel rested on the rollers, the leather sides were in perfect order. The northerners grabbed the sides, and dragged the boat to the sea water. Strong hands and feet coped with a difficult task, and the blushing artisans lowered their reliability and support in the far side to the blue surface. But, while the boat by the bow bar was tied with a rope to the pier. Now they brought on board belongings, supplies and water. The oars have already been attached to the oars.

Viten took out a tavern with honey, and poured it into the water, asking for help from the deities.

— Hello, Viten! — suddenly there was a voice of Vanir, — Are you already going to Arkona?

— Are we?» — Viten was delicately surprised, — Why should we go to Ruyana? Our way to the Urals, ten.

— Centurion. Well, how will I hammer you into the iron, I will go out into the thousandths. Throw swords, there is no need for your youths to die, — shouted the tsaregrader.

— Perhaps,» the foreman nodded, and winked at Lute

Twinning all picked up, groped for a knife in his sleeve, and quickly made a sign with wisdom to Uslad, and he, as it were, accidentally got up to the rule. The Knights kept the heavy oars ready.

— Let’s! Viten shouted to Lute.

He was at the rope with a jump, cut it in two blows, and pushed the boat away from the pier with a torn cry.

The foreman, with a clang, exposed two swords, and jumped to the stunned Vanir. Viten with the sword of the sword that there is strength hit the centurion’s shield, and he fell to the ground. The guards rushed to the rescue of their heads, arrows had already whistled. Northerner repulsed the blows of five warriors, breaking three swords of opponents. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that the ship was leaving the shore.

Viten frightened four with a deceitful blow, and ran to the pier. But on the run I felt an injection of an arrow in the thigh and jumped into the water. He swam, only in his arms, and climbed the boat along the oar served by his brothers. Nearby, several more arrows fell into the waves, but the northerners rowed, full of rage, quickly passed a dangerous place, and they did not need rest.

— Well, foreman, everything is fine? ’smiled a pleased Lute, bandaging his shoulder wound.

— Yes, okay. And Vanira did not kill. Yes, he is a good man, and a warrior, — as if the foreman was making excuses.

— He wanted to kill us, didn’t he?» Asan boiled, not understanding the leader.

— How do you kill us?

Invasion of Waldemar of Denmark

Bad times came, without the help of the Magyar Hungarians, the princes Griffins could not resist, and the greedy Dan King Waldemar did not give a damn about past treaties, sent a letter demanding to abandon the faith of his ancestors and recognize Jesus Christ. About this I read a letter to three hundred selected soldiers of the Magi Slavomir. The warriors dispersed, each doing his own thing, and only a few of Svyatovit’s squad were invited to the tower to the Magus. These people, in small numbers, were sitting in the upper room of the Magi. The acolytes smashed honey and sweet harnesses, and the knights listened to the leader. They were very young men and women, but all with gray hair, trimmed bald, with pigtails on the back of the heads. The wrists were decorated with gold bracchiates, and the necks were thick hryvnias made of cast gold, in the right tie there was an earring with a yacht. The clothes, however, were not very rich, but bizarrely embroidered.

— Goes to the island of Waldemar in heavy power. With him in the assistants, Prince Pribyslav Obodritsky, Casimir and Boguslav, henchmen of Heinrich Leo.

«There are few of us left,» nodded Tiudimir, «three died, the bodies could not be taken from the coast at Retra. It’s bad that they fell chopped in the sea.

— There are many of us and never were, — Jaromir grinned, — it is necessary to leave for Alatyr.

— Do not accept us, not according to the custom of them immortals hide. And we have only ten ships, Valdemar has about a hundred. Let’s not pass. And we cannot leave the rest.

«Bad thing,» Lubomir nodded, «I had to leave with the Lutichs, as Geda and Visna said.

Four girls, also tall, in heavy armor, sat next to the knights. There were only eighteen of these heroes. Only the armor was three times heavier than usual, and the swords were also huge.

— Didn’t leave, wanted honor to observe. But, — Viten stood up, the foreman of the knights, — our messengers will pass in a small boat. Lipa and Uta! Take the boat, the scrolls of our temple, written on gold sheets, and get to Alatyr. Mara will accept you, regret it. And the True Village will be with you, the Griffin Banner will wait for the Chosen One there.

— Griffin’s banner? and Lubomyr jumped up.

— Calm down, deliberate husband. You know the Prediction. We tried to wake up the Princess?

— Yes, it turned out bad then, — said Tiudemir, — and you are not petrified, Lubomir!

— Lucky, we Viten, you know. Our fault, we thought we were smarter than Pryakh. Yes, we hardly reached the Forbidden Island — the path is difficult, we walked without youths. And the Eternals said their word:

He will find out, He will come.

He himself will take the Dead

In the years of Ivan will enter

He will tear off all the covers

Ice will melt with a kiss

And wake up, all rejoicing,

But love only one

My heart is dear to him

Still Seven Princesses

In the power of Heavy with him

will go to the throne

Zlatoy Will Perch

White lad, son of Dawn.

Don’t wait for this day soon…

— How do we know, Slavomir?

— You saw Tsareven, it is impossible not to recognize them, Right. Tiudemir?

«So,» the knight reluctantly agreed.

— And how? What, the Princes will immediately go to War for all the Evil of the World? — raised a huge Viten, taller than the heroes on his head, — will the Chosen One raise the Dead himself, with his strength?

All together, both men and women, smiled, remembering their distant youth.

— Cures, foreman, miraculous cures, They, the Princes, will rush to save people, heal, help in any way they can. Rumor will quickly spread throughout the lands, — said Jaromir, — The dead will appear later… When they get furious with human anger. Here are the heads on the belts then appear. And the army of the Dead will rise again, lead the Chosen and Immortal Princesses, and then the Chosen One will kill all enemies. And, you know yourself — the Princesses will call us, and those who sleep without heads in the Shelter are waiting in the wings.

— And you, Viten, know where all fighters from Tsareven’s decks sleep without heads? Where is the secret refuge? If we found them, but resurrected, there would be sixty swords in our army

— And sixty — a little… It’s not thousands of Dead, twinned.

— Okay, we need to see Lipa and Utа. We will cheer up the asdings today, — added Tiudimir, smiled, something cheerful, — at night, but night is not a hindrance to us.

***

They prepared a leather rook, and the servants of the magi brought two chests. Slavomir himself, the magician of the church of Svyatovit, followed them. Sixteen soldiers came to help two forever leaving for distant lands.

— Don’t remember us dashing, Lipa and Uta! — said the Magi, — go where we came from — to the Great River Ob. The main thing is to get there, do not disappear on the way. And do not lose your head and remember — the bones would be intact, and the meat would grow.

— Let’s manage, — said the eldest, Lipa, firmly, — we will keep our trust.»

She was already four thousand years old, Ute is three hundred years less. Jaromir did not take his eyes off his beloved.

— Yes, I… ’the girl tried to utter.

— You’ll get there, Uta…» the warrior said quietly.

Five knights carried a leather boat, the rest — chests and a gold treasury on the road. Everyone was in triple armor, which the crossbow bolt did not take. The trail was narrow and four went ahead. Quietly, as if not the knights had passed, but the ermine between the branches. They saw in the dark as in the afternoon. Six Saxons basked around the fire, waiting for the fish on pegs around the fire to cook.

Tiudemir pointed to a heavy bow, but Jaromir did not agree, and took out two streets. They owned the same with their left hand and right. From fifteen steps they could not miss, and the dying fell to the ground, wheezing, and clutching at the shafts sticking out of their bodies. The force with a dagger quickly completed what had begun, finishing off the strangers with blows to the heart. The rest dragged the bodies away from the fire, and dumped them in a hole.

— Before the morning will not be enough

— Well there are no dogs with them, — answered another, — let only the fire burn:..

The knights nodded, and moved on. Five more were killed at the bay, so it all happened casually, without much trouble. But with a quick step, almost running, they brought a boat, which was pushed to a deep place, and loaded with things.

— Well, goodbye, Lipa and Uta! That’s right, we won’t meet again.

— Nothing, Jaromir. If you’re lucky. steady. Lipa smiled wryly, adjusting her braid.

«You’ll walk in the haze again.

«Now they say sable,» Usil corrected his friend.

Friends said goodbye in complete darkness. There was no need to light torches, immortals saw in darkness better than gray owls.

«Let me kiss you, goodbye, Jaromir,» Uta said quietly, «if Elena decides, let’s see you,» she finished, and touched his lips with her lips.

«I’ll try to find you,» the knight promised.

«It’s time, it’ll be shining soon,» Lipa whispered.

— Don’t just lose your head, Jaromir! said the usual words between them, a beautiful maiden.

— And you don’t lose your head!

But here, trying not to give themselves away with a splash of water, with powerful strokes drove the little ship to the East, to Novgorod, and there, along the rivers and to Gandvik itself, where the magical Alatyr was waiting for them.

Scary section

The Danes unstoppably approached the ramparts of Arkona, pulled fascines and rams closer to the ditches, and the Magus Slavomir decided to arrange a sortie to burn the siege towers of the crusaders under construction.

— Magi, better we attack the camp at night, and arrange a massacre, — said Tiudemir, — for us that light, that darkness, everything is one. Hundreds of four, or even more, we will kill their warriors. Here we will set fire to the camp of enemies, and everyone else will run.

— It would be you, as in fairy tales, three hundred, so would do. But, you will attack half an hour before dawn, and then the entire army of Arkona will come to the rescue.

— Three thousand against twenty?

— So I’m not the Princess, I don’t know how to lift the Dead, — Slavomir was indignant, — Anyway, there is no one with us.

— So, we will do so, — the knight agreed with visible difficulty.

— Do not forget to take the youths with you, what would be pulled out of the sich if any of you are injured.

«As always. Not one of us was carried out dead. I have already died twice, — said Tiudemir, — The main thing during the battle is not to be left without a head.

Magus grinned, and with excitement banged the staff on the floor, and carefully looked at Jaromir.

«Just don’t bury yourself. Kill the sentinels, set fire to the siege guns and withdraw, — said Slavomir.

«Our swords are not stupid,» one of the knights boasted, «iron is from Siberia.» Almost seven hundred years ago, Attila-batyushka presented.

— Okay, you need to rest. Go, you need a dream too, — the Magi sentenced, — The morning of the evening is wiser.

***

A shop covered with bearskin served as Yaromiru’s bed. The warrior slept soundly, even now, before the sow. For him, she was far from the first, and not the last wine. In front of him on the table was a cup with potion, helping not to get tired in battle. This drink came from distant times, not even all knights remembered who first boiled this brew.

The squad youths stood guard. Those who were supposed to help in the battle, carry away the wounded, bring and serve new shields instead of broken ones. And now, at this early time, they began to bypass the rooms where the knights slept. There was also a knock on Jaromir’s door, then the door opened and Rostislav’s voice sounded:

«It’s time to get up!

The knight instantly woke up, put on ports and a shirt, his feet found the chuni themselves, and his hand reached for drink. Jaromir was distorted by the taste of the drink, but he habitually swallowed everything to the bottom. Now it was necessary to eat quickly, and he went down to the refectory. Everyone was assembled.

«Good morning!» he said.

— Hello to you! ’he heard back.

The servant put porridge with honey, and he quickly ate, and followed his friends to put on armor. It was hard to dress all this myself, and the soldiers were dressed up by the usual youths. Over the shirt, he dressed a quilted jacket, so as not to feel the blows, then his favorite armor, from plates riveted to a leather base, then the lad helped to put a mirror on top of the armor and fixed the belts. Handcuffs, elbow pads, knee pads and loincloths — all full armor. A thin gray linen shirt was thrown over the top so that the iron would not heat up in the sun. Kaftan did not want to dress, so it would be hot. Toole, with bow and twenty arrows, dagger, knife, axe, sword and spear.

«Do I carry everything with me?» Tiudemir joked, glancing at Jaromir.

«There is no superfluous here,» he replied, «the main thing is that it would be enough.»

Finally, his favorite sword, the shield on the belt hung behind his back, and the knight held the helmet in his hand.

— Are everyone ready? — bored their foreman, Viten.

«That’s it,» replied Lute, the foreman’s foreman and assistant.

Slavomir did not say a word, only stood, and blessed the soldiers going into battle. They went down to the basement of their tower, where Slavomir’s assistant, Zvonko, opened a secret door. The warriors lit torches, and they quickly moved along the secret passage. Nobody should have known about him, so they were not accompanied now by their servants and helpers, and it was unusual. Magus opened three heavy doors from a secret place, releasing the knights under the light of the moon, and not yet the sun.

***

There was time before dawn, and it was necessary to hurry. The Danes were no strangers to battle, and there were five lookouts ahead of the camp, given out by large bonfires. But the Ruyans were not children, in order to believe in such a naive trick that all the soldiers would be in sight, by fire. The squad broke into threes, and the knights went in wide arcs, looking out for enemies in the dark. Moreover, they saw now, as in the light of the sun. Jaromir was in the top three with Geda and Visna. Virgins were not weaker than him, only angrier on the tongue.

— See, Jaromir, Uta is now far away. How now? Maybe you’ll get to me for a while? Visna made him laugh.

— Look around, — muttered Geda, — you can’t smell dogs

— No… — but still led Wisna’s air with a snub nose,

Jaromir stepped quietly, so that he could not be heard by the supostats. Like all Immortals, in the dark I saw how during the day. The knight under the bushes noticed four danes. Three slept, the fourth gawked in the darkness, and rubbed his fists. The knight gestured wise to the warriors, they took out knives without words. The warrior threw a narrow blade that fell directly into the throat of the guard, and he fell on his side, wheezed, trying to reach his comrades. The girls ended the sleepers quickly and mercifully, without having fun. Only straw scarecrows sat by the fire. The other three finished all the same quickly. Now they were waiting for the moat and the camp stockade, and ten guards on guard. In front of the gate old firewood burned, driving away the darkness of the night. Danish warriors sat and stood, with shields, bows, pliers in armor and helmets.

But the Immortals stood eighty steps away, and sixteen arrows fired from such a distance killed even such a reliable guard. Arrows from heroic bows holed the usual armor, like hare skin, arrows even pierced the shields, plunging to the very plumage. They walked along the trampled path, habitually and gloomily looked at the bodies of those killed and dying, but one of the Danes managed to reach the rope of the bell, and the ringing brought down the night darkness. Even the arrow of Visna, fired at the wounded bell ringer, did not solve anything. In the camp, there were now belated screams, awakened frightened people. Tiudemir, on the other hand, took up his favorite business — fire from a small night lamp began to light tar and throw it into the tents and carts of the enemy camp.

Everything around was dusty, but then three dozen heavily armed knights — crusaders attacked the knights, behind them stood a wall with a hundred of their squires, who immediately began to shoot arrows at the ruyan. Even from a distance of fifty steps, the arrows did not pierce the armor of the heroes, but they, like iron columns, rushed forward. Geda and Wisna fired arrows. Danish swords broke like dry reeds on Siberian steel. At five minutes they cut down the knights, the squires rushed away. The bogatyrs advanced towards the king’s tent, hoping to surprise the guards. It did not work, now they were moving through dozens of chopped bodies, pouring their blood over the ground.

It was already bright, the bright rays of the sun, still red, glided along the blood-stained earth. Now the rumble of battle was heard from the other side.

— The townspeople attacked the Saxon camp! Tiudemir remarked.

«Exactly…» agreed Lute.

Now the king’s warriors came out against them with a banner, in bright clothes and capes over the best armor. These warriors were the best in the Dan army, bold, skillful and loyal to the king.

— King Voldemar himself sends us his chosen warriors, — Viten shouted.

A terrible felling began, enemies attacked the heroes from three sides. But the knights did not know tired, and in front of them grew a shaft of bloody bodies of the Danes three arshins high, the dead lay on the wounded, and the wounded on the dead. Suddenly, with a long ax, the asding blew off Visna’s head, her splattered blood drenched Lute from head to toe. Jaromir, with his sword, pierced through the gilded chain mail of the king’s servant, and with his left, freed from the shield, grabbed the warrior’s head from the ground by the scythe. Tiudemir lifted the body, hanging it on his shoulders, Ged grabbed the weapon. They began to withdraw, and the Waldemar warriors did not pursue them, tired of a bloody battle.

But the militia of the Arkonians against the Saxons had a hard time, and Viten with a dozen heroes attacked the army of Heinrich Leo.

«Go to the fortress,» the foreman shouted.

«Visna and Jaromir and Tiudemir go, we will stay,» Lute added in a thunderous voice.

The three who left with the body dived into a secret passage, and the door behind them was closed by the magi who had been waiting for them all this time.

— Slawomir, headless Geda! Visna shouted.

«You know the secret chambers. It will lie down, nothing, — answered the uncertainly magician, without taking his eyes off the girl’s decapitated body, with his hands sagging powerlessly.

They turned to the left, here the floor of the tunnel was covered with stone slabs. A servant of the gods lit the oil lamps that lit the place underground.

— Who will stay with her?

«Jaromir,» and Visna pushed the knight in the back.

Tiudemir put the body on the bench, and went out, only finally looked, pursing his lips, at the bloody body. Jaromir removed his armor, lifting unruly flesh by his shoulders. Fingers glided in frozen blood, he hardly found the hooks of vestments. With difficulty, he took off his armor, mirror, elbow pads. Quilted under the armor of gray was just a bard, and he flew into the corner.

«Don’t be mad at yourself,» whispered Visna, taking off her boots and pants, «I’ll go get two buckets of water.»

The knight transferred the naked female body to an iron lattice, put his severed head to his neck. The head fell to the left. He sighed, and took from the shelf several rollers of coarse fabric stuffed with river sand, and with their help he installed the severed part flat to the body. He took out a ribbon of silk from his bag and attached his head to his neck, trying to wrap it tightly. It seems that so far everything has worked out. Visna put buckets on the floor, and Jaromir washed the body from blood, then wiped it and put it on the bench and covered it with a blanket.

«I went,» and tapped him on the shoulder.

Now he stayed here for three days. Bogatyr took off his armor and lay down on a free bench. He blew out the lamp, in the dark he saw well, but he wanted to sleep.

Resurrection

Sleep mercifully came to the hero, giving the long-awaited rest after a hard day. A warm blanket came in handy in Arkona’s cold and damp dungeon, and a sleeper wrapped himself in it.

True, it was not possible to sleep a lot. The body began to behave quite unusually… The hands began to shrink and unclench, and finally the hands calmed down. Jaromir just sighed, and sat down on his bench, and rolled over onto the other side.

Food was not brought to him, it was not according to custom. He should have compassion for the deceased, and should not have drunk or eaten these days.

On the second day, Geda was also restless. Her legs bent convulsively, moreover, just in an amazing way, the knight could not believe that this was possible. When the girl’s blanket went astray, Jaromir diligently corrected the felt cloth again.

The third day was the hardest. She began to moan, say something indistinct, then screamed, calmed down only when Jaromir sat down nearby. But then she opened her still invisible eyes, got up, and ignoring the cold, felt the room with her fingers, and again calmed down. lay down on the bench. sheltered by a hero.

Here Jaromir fell asleep, and not with an ordinary sensitive dream, but as if he had failed, so that he did not see or hear anything. Only in a dream it seemed to him that his sleep had become closer, but also warmer. He turned and his palm touched the soft girl’s breast.

— who is it? asked without really waking up.

«Who could have been?» Geda replied with a quiet laugh, «I’m warming up here.» Now you have to show that I am not dead? — and her lips dug in with a strong kiss.

She did not let him go for a long time, Jaromir could not resist, ran his hand over Geda’s tender neck, looking for a scar from the blow. But he was gone, as if it were all a terrible dream.

— Have you been dying yet? she asked quietly, and without waiting for an answer, I had it for only the second time.

«Five times. But he never lost his head.

«Who gave you his blood?»

«Alma,» the knight replied reluctantly.

— I have Gemini, Fir-tree and Spruce. But when they fell asleep and were laid in a cave, she ran, and very quickly. Did Dev the Warriors from Alatyr send for you?

— I knew that they would send, so I hid. It became easier when Ivan Tsarevich and Elena the Beautiful founded a settlement on Buyan. Immediately went there. Yes, all of ours lived there at the sanctuary. There was no need to be afraid of Pryakh’s intrigues.

«And I killed two Virgins who followed Miyah. I didn’t want to, but killed, — Geda added angrily, — they killed my friend, Ant, they chopped off my head and took it with them. And I did not find the body, did not find! Could not resurrect her! she cried, and burst into tears.

— She is now in a secret place, waiting with others from her deck, when the Princess wakes up and she is resurrected. But not every Immortal will cope with warriors. I heard that the braids that we wear are on purpose, in order to cut off the head, it is easier to pick up from the ground.

— Mine, too, I suppose, was in the blood, and slippery. Was it convenient to grab by the scythe? — and pushed him in the shoulder,

She smiled, sat on the edge of the bench, and did not think to dress yet. Jaromir saw her tattoos on her back, arms, hips — and knew what they meant — that she would not die, that she was a warrior and a witch.

«You have to warm me up again so that I can feel that I am definitely alive,» she said, resolutely climbing into his blanket, «and then more and more.»

***

They climbed a secret climb to the tower of Slavomir. With a strong hand, the knight opened the creaking hatch, and the man and woman ended up in a staircase decorated with skillful carvings. Further down the corridor, with a floor covered with knitted rugs, we went to the refectory.

— Hello, Geda! cried Lute, who was standing up from the table.

— Great power of our gods! Slavomir proclaimed, she was dead and resurrected! Bring more beer!

Geda sat next to Visna, and Jaromir sat between Tiudemir and Lut. At the head of the table sat Slavomir, and next to him sat Viten.

«It doesn’t happen often…

— What are you talking about? Jaromir asked the foreman.

— Resurrection with a severed head.

— If just a blow with a sword in the heart — I would have risen in a day, you know. Well, the Magi in the Urals, rumors are circulating, and the thousand-year-old dead are being raised, from those who got drunk. How did it all work out with the Saxons?

— Militia two hundred killed lost, Saxons — not less than six hundred. Well, after all, the young squad came up, — answered Lute.

— Not bad.

«We won’t be enough for long. We cut down hundreds of three Danes, six hundred Saxons. And their army is five thousand. And we have less than three and a half.

«It is necessary to scare,» Jaromir suggested, «to make sure that they are fighting with sorcerers.

— It is necessary to think over it well, — Viten agreed, — exchanged glances with Slavomir, — whatever chance to do.

— Drink of Force of magi, yes on a play that, on horns, for heavy fight. You look, and everything will work out. No one can withstand more than three hours of sich, except us.

«That’s what we’ll do. Well done, Jaromir.

White horse will answer

A narrow path led to the hill where the huge church of Svyatovit stood. A palisade rose in front of the temple, and the Magi met the inhabitants and warriors of the great Arkona. But the servants today even let a few elders and warriors go upstairs.

The knights went upstairs. Nearby were Vecheslav and Mechislav, Khodota and Pirogast, the street leaders, dressed today in the best clothes, Roman brocade.

«Now we will know Svyatovit’s will,» said Hodota, leaning heavily on his staff.

«No more fortune telling,» Pirogast agreed.

— That’s for sure, — agreed Viten

To their eyes, the Temple opened immediately, built and wood, richly decorated with carvings and whimsically covered with gold and painted. The Magi prepared everything for fortune-telling, three low crossbars were set, which the sacred white horse had to step over.

Here, Slavomir himself came out, holding the support of Svyatovit under the bridle.

«We ask you, Svyatovit,» cried the Magi, «should we go into battle?»

Everyone froze and just looked at which foot the horse would step over a light stick. But the leg of the sacred animal rose, and everyone exhaled.

— Right… said Hodot happily.

— Will we keep the Village and the Church of Svyatovit? the minister asked again.

The horse mowed with his left eye on the magician, Jaromira broke through the sweat. God knew that the Village and the relics of the temple were already far away? But the knight looked with hope at the horse, nervously picking his hooves. But now, the stallion crossed the obstacle with his right foot. Jaromir wiped his sweat with his palm. But there was still a third question for God.

— Will we keep the faith of our fathers and grandfathers?

Here the horse immediately crossed the obstacle with his right foot and burned.

The street elders happily went down, in a hurry to spread the good news. Finally, the temple had only magi and knights.

«Come inside,» Slawomir called them.

They, as they stood, went inside, the ministers extended the red curtain, and in front of them stood a silver, gilded statue of Svyatovit. This image was three-headed, with a bow in his hand. Jaromir knew that the deity was ternary, and one. These were three entities in which he revealed himself to people. The whole temple inside was covered with gilding, decorating incredible wood carvings.

— I decided to show you the image of a deity, and this is a place that you kept with swords in your hands for thousands of years. Our gratitude has no boundaries, — said the Magi with inspiration, — Now are difficult times, but I am proud that you were here.

— What are you, Magi, we are here, — Viten answered.

— You need to leave, you are embodied memory, — Slavomir repeated with tenderness, — our faith, our people, our knowledge. When you are on oars, you cannot catch up with any drakkara.

— Lipa and Uta are already returning to the East, to the Urals — they will bring knowledge to our people and preserve their memory. We will fight as we should, — said Lute.

It was hard to look at the magician, he looked at the knights, as if he had already said goodbye to everyone. The old man’s bushy eyebrows converged on the bridge of his nose.

«I didn’t teach you, but you instructed me. What am I against you?

«Then he felt sorry for Attila, the father of the Romans who had changed their faith. Would interrupt them. would live quietly.

— You say the wrong thing, — Slavomir told Tiudemir calmly, — it would be out of conscience, you heard, Lute, that Elga herself was going to go on a long campaign to the South, and execute all strangers to one with Lute Death. But she overtook herself, and hid on the Forbidden Island, and no longer looks like a face to people. Emperor Karl broke the word when he wanted to baptize the Saxons. The words given by the Roman bishop Leo not to impose his faith on anyone who does not live in the Empire.

«So they beat the francs!

— With the help of magyars sent by the White King, beat. Yes, the devil, evil deception, killed the White King Oskol and his atman Dara. And everything fell… Then the Wilts went to the East, to the Dnieper.

— Yes, not everyone left, and after all Rurik also Veles kind, we know it, he is not a stranger

And all the knights nodded their heads in agreement, looked at each other, remembering the past, and their campaign in Constantinople.

«But, not his eldest, a side branch. You know, the first prince of the Wends is the brother of Rada, the wife of Veles. He is from the Venets, the third prince of his kind took for himself a wife from the family of the White Kings.

— Well, yes, — repeated the knight, — so Rada, the first wife of Ulla Veles, his sister? Tiudemir interjected.

— Anyway, Oleg did not do honor, killing Dar and Oskol, and died an evil death for it.

Viten looked into the sewn carpet on the boardwalk of the upper room, and Lute slapped his friend on the shoulder with approval.

— I did everything right, foreman, that I killed Oleg. Then we accepted Vladimir, and here he grew up.

— Yes, and then what happened? Viteni added, and stopped.

— It became thin for them, — Jaromir inserted the words evil, — and, magi. Elga…

— Speak, Vityaz, — Lute allowed, — Maybe tomorrow we will disappear everything. No more hiding…

Sleeping Princess

The knights started a hard campaign, went on the same boat on the Holy Road By way of the Varangians to sacred places. Viten took with him nine knights and twenty-one honest youths. He carried them along the waves of the Blue Sea shitik, boats in thirty oars, with boards sewn to the ridge of the ship. It is not a matter of poking around in a sacred place on a ship shot down by nails, and a leather boat for ten people lay by the mast.

With an honest banner, a small griffin banner, everywhere they were welcome guests. And from the sea we reached Ladoga, at the very beginning of God’s way. They took supplies at the fair with fair bargaining, did not complicate their way by offending the owners. Jaromir surveyed a small town, but a well-built one, with a moat and rampart. Askan, the elder of this land, walked with them, saluting dear guests.

— Have you reached it well? — said, no matter how about anything, a wise man, looking at the knight from the bottom up.

— And there was a passing wind, so the gods helped. Well, rowing when necessary.

«Yeah,» he replied, as if thinking about it, «you should be taken to the bathhouse, according to custom,» he grinned, hiding a smile in his beard.

«Thank you, master,» Viten smiled as well.

The bath, some miracle — was already ready, and the elder himself and his four sons gathered to soar the guests, honoring the guests. Askan looked at the sword of Jaromir, at the patterned steel of the blade, at the golden apple, the top of the hilt of the sword. Vityaz would not have believed that his eyes could be so rounded.

In the dressing room, everyone undressed, so it became clear who honored the city with his appearance.

Guests enjoyed washing off the road, enjoying the steam and soapy root that washed away sweat and road dirt. Everyone painted, sometimes poured cold well water from the ear. Ordinary people, however, are very tall, haircuts — like northerners, so what? Shaving is hard, the elder thought, touching his chin. And shave your head…

Tattoos completely covered the bodies of nine, twenty-one also had them. But the drawings are not the same, not at all the same, and this was visible at first sight. And nine were a whole head taller than their youths. Although the haircuts were the same — a shaved head and a pigtail on the back of the head. An elderly man saw everything — that they shave beards, and nine of them, differ in the article, and height, and something else… At first, the elder did not understand what was the matter, that he was so worried. Askan rubbed his eyes, looked at his scars on his arm and leg. He wasn’t a great warrior, but scars were an inevitability.

These People HAD NO SCARS. Warriors who were not in one battle have no scars! At all! Askan turned pale, and covered his face with a bucket of kvass, lowering his nose into the very drink, and coughed.

— What’s wrong with you? Jaromir asked carefully, — I am a herbalist, I will cure any ailment.

— Nothing… You, son, do not take me to the dressing room, will I catch my breath?

One of his children was also sitting there. The elder quickly talked about something with his son, who brought more water to the bathhouse.. The boy smiled, nodded and ran away. Jaromir threw on his clothes, and drank kvass, rejoicing in a fine day, that there are kind people nearby, and there is no need to go into battle. The elder again looked at the knight, at his smooth, like a girl’s, wrinkle-free face. In appearance, this is not more than twenty years old, or less, as the elder thought. Askan sat down next to the knight.

— I already lived well… A long life has passed, and not bad. I have six children survived, only two died. And you, warrior, are not married?

«No,» Jaromir did not lie. The last wife died two hundred years ago.

«My niece, Jelya, liked you.

«We’re on the road, Askan. I can’t take my wife with me.

— So what? Will you refuse?

Jaromir only shrugged his shoulders, and made peace with the inevitable. I didn’t have to wait long, a girl, about sixteen years old, smartly dressed, stood next to the door. Vityaz bowed to the beauty. Slavnitsa led him to the tower. The knight bent down, passing through a low door, made so according to custom.

«Come on in,» the girl said quietly.

The knight nodded, and in order not to offend the hospitable owners and Zhelya, he took out a thick silver bracelet weighing two marks from his bag and put it on his maiden’s wrist. She buried herself, hiding her face with a shirt sleeve, then bowed. I put two cups on the table, pouring honey into them. It was still light, but the oil lamp was on the table. The wooden dish was empty, the bread had not yet been cut, she cut it off herself. And smoked meat with another knife pushed him.

Jaromir tried on, took a knife, but the handle jumped off the black, and he touched the blade with his palm. The girl did not take her eyes off the wound, as if she was expecting to see Something. He only took a deep breath.

«It’s not Ihor, Zhelya. My blood is red, like everyone else’s — and raised my palm higher, so that a scarlet drop fell on the table.

The girl only pursed her lips, and shook his wound with a handkerchief. Then she stood on her toes and kissed him. Jaromir stayed overnight in this tower and was left without a treat.

But the food at the feast was magnificent, and in the evening, by nightfall, Askan sent all the virgin warriors to warm the bed. The elder did not want such guests to leave without joy.

The waterway carried the heroes further and further. A wolf was waiting for them to be in Gandvik, bypassing the Gulf of Ob. The matter was not easy, but the hands were strong, and there was more than enough strength.

They lowered the boat into the Studenoy Sea, and hit the oars in the cold waters. In two days we got to the mouth of the Ob, Gandvik freely spread out in front of the soldiers of Svyatovit. Fishing boats swam up to them, seeing the Griffin banner above the boat, people shouted words of greeting. The knights understood the speech of a distant homeland, and the youths asked their mentors what people were saying. But now, the ship stumbled into the pier.

***

— Jaromir, we are back home, Tiudemir said quietly.

«I am from Oum,» said the knight, «this is far from here, on the Ob.»

— I am from Sad, — even Viten answered the words of a colleague, — this is a little closer, — and smiled, adjusting his mustache.

Several, apparently, eminent people came to meet the wanderers, judging by the furs of their clothes and the carved staffs on which they proudly relied.

— Hello to you travelers who came from the West, — the Magi began his speech, — judging by the sign on the boat, you are not strangers to us. I am the Magi of Gandvik, Yamlich.

«I am the elder of these places, Agya. We’re glad you came.

«I am the foreman of these knights, my name is Viten,» said the warrior, «we came on business and difficult. And so, our gifts — and two youths brought chests with gifts.

Amber, in bags, was an expensive and desirable commodity for the owners of these places all the way, and the squad paid them in groans and tenders. Another chest contained expensive minted silverware.

— Thank you, — answered Agya, — but not bad in response to give up.

And residents began to lay out forty expensive sable skins. It was a lot of wealth, so the hike even came out with a lot of profit.

— It would not be bad for the guests and go to the bathhouse, — added the Magi.

— Yamlich, this is a message from the magician from Ryugen, Serzhen, — and Viten handed over parchment hidden by seals.

The foreman did not know what was written there, and saw only how the face of the magician who read this news was changing. Volhv Gandvika looked thoughtfully at the guests, rather even sadly.

— First the bath, but for now we will prepare a treat. Rest for two days.

Hot bath — what is better from the far road. But no one disturbed the guests, there were only vigilantes here. Apparently, Slavomir wrote. who they are. Clean, and fresh, the vigilantes approached the tables set for them. On wooden dishes lay fish, forgotten, which they ate for a very, very long time.

— This is muksun, this is salmon. We have a lot of good fish, help yourself. ’the welcoming Agya said.

The feast was a mountain, and the cordial owners and joyful guests sat nearby that they had reached the goal of their campaign. Honey and beer delighted everyone who feasted today.

For the night, the squad was given two guest houses, and the youths began to cheat on their homes, melting the stoves, warming their cold walls. It was still cold, colder than in Ruyan. The soldiers rested for a day, and Viten went to the Magus. The knight walked along the road, children played on the side of the road, women walked towards, with buckles on the rockers. Everything is like at home, the foreman thought. On the bench, the fisherman repaired the net.

— Good man, — the guest turned to him, — will you show the house of the magician Yamlich?

«Why not show it?» I’ll show you, «the man readily agreed.

And the fisherman led through the village, past the chopped two-story houses. With fences, with protection from cattle. The hostesses in the courtyards were engaged in farming. On the outskirts of the village, Yaromir saw two forges, from where the roar of hammer ulars came on the anvil.

— Here, they came, — and the man pointed to the house.

Dogs barked in the yard, and the knight heard the owner’s steps.

— Quiet, quiet! Jumper, I’m you! — Yamlik said to the watchmen at home, — I go, I open it!

A wooden bolt opened the gate, and on the threshold stood a magician, dressed simply, at home.

— To you I, Yamlich. The conversation is not easy.

— Well, come in, a deliberate knight. Sit down — and led to the shop, sitting next to the guest.

«It’s not just that we came. Our way to the Forbidden Island, beat the Dead Princess with our brow, ask for help.

— Oh, it’s not easy… The Dead Warriors are guarding her, they will kill the living immediately, — and looked at the guest, — has it become very bad at Sunset? So return to your homeland, to the Urals. The place is rich, enough for everyone. Although Oleg acted badly, killing Dir and Oskol, it was very bad. And here now the feud is growing.

— It is necessary, Magi… Will you allow it?

«So I am not Mr. Elge. She has not been to Gandwick for three thousand years, although everyone hopes that she will come one day. As you can see, you are one of those who drank Tsareven’s blood, Viten?

«You know everything, wise man.

— Only do not take the youths with you, they will disappear there. Which of yours knows the way there?

— Salit went to sea with Sadc, knows how to pass between terrible stones.

— Try your luck, maybe you’ll be lucky. And I will prepare honey for the Princess and the Dreaming, — thinking, added the Magi, — I will give Lodya. Its draft is small, it will pass everywhere, light, the sides are sewn from whale skin. Tomorrow everything will be ready. Leave early, before dawn, no matter what anyone sees. Nor to him it. At the same time grab grain for Mary and Pryakh — eight bags and a low bow from me.

Early in the morning, in a light boat loaded with supplies for two weeks, grain and two barrels of honey, the knights went to sea. The wind was fair, and they came to Alatyr Island in three days. On the mast there was an alelo griffin banner, so that they could see who was going to the island.

Not everyone has been here, only Salit. The knights looked at their comrade, who ruled the boat. Here, an inconspicuous harbor appeared, with a small pier, a guest house, a firewood shed and a supply shed.

— We got there, Viten! ’the feeder shouted.

«Let’s get to the shore! ’the foreman replied just as loudly.

The knights rushed into the water, and began to pull grain and other cargo to land waist-deep in water. This is why leather pants and boots with belts on their tops are good — they don’t get wet. Lightening the boat, the heroes raised a light boat in their arms and dragged it ashore, securing it with stones.

— And where is Mara? asked the foreman anxiously.

«It will be soon. We must wait.

They crouched on rocks and a fin, waiting for the island’s owners. But now, three figures appeared, wrapped in black cloaks.

«Here they are,» Salit squinted, «now you behold Mara,» and he slapped Jaromir on the shoulder.

Two very young girls approached them, not to say that they were tall, which surprised the knights, and Mara was good for them if on the shoulder, but she held herself very proudly.

«Hello, Mara. My name is Viten, I am the foreman of the soldiers from the island of Ruyana. We delivered the cargo according to the word of Yamlich, for the Chosen. Grain and other supplies, — this was said by Viten in the old language, which not everyone knew in Ruyan.

— Well, it’s clear who you are, knights, — the little witch firmly answered, looking at the warrior from the bottom up, — Well, I didn’t come out tall. Will you help bring supplies to the mountain chambers?

The weight of three pounds is not much for those who have drunk them. Some took two bags.

— Of course. And, — Viten spoke, — we want to hear Pryakh’s answer. May the eternal above us have mercy!

«He who asks will always receive help according to the Covenant. Wait, — answered Mara, leaving for the mountain passage.

The knights did not wait so long, and together with the Leader of the Chosen, three Spinners came, with their faces hidden in the shadow of the hoods of heavy cloaks.

— Hello, Eternals. We ask for advice. We go to the Forbidden Island, ask for help Elga, — the foreman of the knights said loudly.

— You are not asking for advice, Immortal, but approval, — answered Pryakha.

— Things are very bad in the West, we will not stand without help.

— The ob is wide, return home, wends, — said the second of Pryakh.

«I must ask the Princess, the Guardian. Help is needed.

«Ask the White King. But magicians, according to his word, are already coming to you from the Urals. They will destroy everyone if you fight too. What else?

«Help Elga, Mistress. Spread the bones for us!

The faces under the hoods seemed to be laughing. But now, in the hands of one, a leather bag with alcoves appeared, with signs applied to the bottom, in the hand of the other — the Silver Bowl. One of the Eternals shook the bag, and said:

«Know the fate of a warrior. Take three three bones.

Viten took off his hat, and only smiled at his friends, not wanting to show weakness, but his knees bent treacherously. But not out of fear, he told himself. I was just worried. The foreman stretched his fingers into a container of suede, and moving his fingers, took three bones. He put the alchiki in the bowl and looked at Mara’s face. It expressed nothing as if petrified. Viten pulled the bones twice more, and now, the middle of Pryakh, she began to sing:

He will find out, He will come.

He himself will take the Dead

In the years of Ivan will enter

He will tear off all the covers

Ice will melt with a kiss

And wake up, all rejoicing,

But love only one

My heart is dear to him

Still Seven Princesses

In force heavy with him

will go to the throne

Zlatoy Will Perch

White lad, son of Dawn.

Don’t wait for this day soon…

Viten lowered his head and turned pale. Vague thoughts climbed into the leader’s head, casting a shadow of doubt.

«We are coming, knights,» said Pryakhi at the same time, three as one. — And remember — There is a shelter in the Urals.

Here the Eternals, again, at once, retired to their chambers, leaving the heroes to reflect on what was said.

«It doesn’t hurt to grow big,» whispered Jaromir Salita, «I saw the Chosen Ones, so a little shorter than me. Princess Alma too…

The rest looked into all eyes at the famous mountain chambers. So immediately you will not notice the entrance to the mountain.

«Thank you, warriors. Good luck on your long journey, — Mara also said goodbye.

— Let me spend the night, mistress on Alatyr, — Viten asked.

«You must sail tomorrow morning, Knight.» But I was glad to see you and your friends, — answered Mara and went uphill, so that they did not notice the secret path.

The heroes returned to the shore flooded the stove in the guest house, ate and spent the night. In the morning, the boat went out to sea.

***

Salit ruled the rook, headed north and north of Alatyr, or Novaya Zemlya in a new way. It became cold, no one took off felt raincoats, the wind pierced to the bones. Fog fell on the sea, impenetrable, dense, they walked as if in milk.

— Are we going right, feeder? Viten asked endlessly.

«We have found refuge, Princes, foreman. This is more true. This is a terrible place. Have you changed your mind?

— Let’s go, as decided, — the foreman clenched his teeth.

«Let the most watchful man stand on his nose. Here the whole bottom is strewn with rocks.

— Jaromir, get on your nose!

Vityaz quickly passed through the benches and stood on the site.

— Straight rock in front of us!.

And exactly, as if a rock emerged in front of them, but he saw it ahead. Jaromir was a visor, but soon sweated with tension even in this cold fog. He almost broke his fingers on the keel bar, peering intensely into the sea surface. Time began to drag on, becoming simply endless. But finally, the rook jumped out to the rocks, and they saw the coast of the coveted island, strewn with stones. The sky on Tsarevna’s island was not visible at all, and the smallest rain was constantly dripping, cold and dampness reigned here.

They pulled the boat ashore, unloaded belongings and gifts. Companions watched intensely, waiting for the Guardians of the island.

— Salit, where are they? asked Tiudemir impatiently.

Others put their palms on the handles of swords, threw shields behind powerful backs.

— They are already dead, — the feeder said with a crooked grin, — you can’t kill them, the dead, here they are, marching…

Six people, or inhumans, walked along the path, trampled among stunted grass and pale flowers. The creatures were dressed in fur clothes, though very old and wiped. We walked in silence, looking at one point. Although the knights stood not far from them, the guards did not pay attention to the guests of the island and passed, disappearing among the boulders.

The knights went past the stream, next to the mountains of boulders, and found themselves in front of a huge cavern in the mountain. Four carried two barrels of honey, gifts for the Princess.

«We also see in the dark,» Viten tried to calm the soldiers, «don’t grab your swords, you can’t even think about weapons.» Whoever you see.

There was no answer, only the heroes nodded. Witen opened the unlocked door and they walked down the hall. In the dark, the Immortals saw everything in gray or black, white, they did not distinguish colors. And now Jaromir saw an abundance of gold adorning the chambers, doors and just walls, in a special brilliance that distinguishes this metal from everyone else. But the central hall made even them, warriors who lived for millennia, think about the eternal. The white throne, and the ceiling of the hall, richly decorated with stars made of polished gold. But dust, an abundance of dust on everything — as if the owners of underground halls had not been here for a long time. The heroes put barrels of honey on a stone polished floor.

«It’s not a good thing. Apparently, Elga left. And in the Urals to look — you will spend half your life in search, and you will not find it.

— Jaromir, you will not die… Enough time, «Salit chuckled in the dark.

— Damn, — suddenly Viten cursed, beating his leg against a sharp angle.

«What’s in there?»

— I don’t understand yet…

The foreman adjusted his hat, and squinted, trying to see something flashing under a layer of dust on a huge flat stone. He suddenly grabbed his mitt and wiped away the entire surface.

— Look! ’he called over the satellites.

The surface was not a stone, it was a beautifully processed rock crystal, or glass, hiding the human body under it. He was a bearded, middle-aged man with very light, ashen hair.

— Yes, it’s Purusha himself! Jaromir cried, one of the Magi Elga! I saw him on the day of the Battle of Ouma!

— That’s the thing! Maybe others are here!

The knights found six more coffins, with sleeping magi. Nurchat and Sitalk, Urgaz, Ratag and Atamas, Respa were all here. All seven of Elga’s companions slept rough, stretching out in icy silence.

«Come here! Jaromir called.

He diligently washed the shining sarcophagus, decorated with carvings. Viten, lit a wick and lit two oil lanterns. Even in the yellow light, the crystal coffin shone with lights, the light reflected from the carving, and the sharp edges of the rock crystal reflected light to the ceiling, to the flaming golden stars.

— Elga is here!

— And she’s asleep, Viten sighed sorrowfully.

— With her there are no wands of power, — Salit quietly said, — any of us, in whom there is a particle of ichora, with wands can command the dead. With the army of the Dead, we will become irresistible, and we ourselves will attack Rome!

— Is that so? — asked Evpatiy, who was still silent, nicknamed Kolovrat.

— Magus Elga led the Dead. I saw it myself, — answered the feeder, — but in the hands of an ordinary person the wands are useless. Nor is Elga’s sword here.

— But we can awaken Virgo…

«A kiss?» If you do not please her, as legend says, you will be petrified, — added Evpatiy, — and you will sleep until the end of time.

«There is no hope left,» Viten whispered, «I will go for it.»

— Agree, foreman, — everyone made a noise, — they went too long.

«We must hunt for the wands,» Evpatiy clenched his hands in his fists, «or rather. Will we return to Alatyr, foreman? And he looked straight into the leader’s face.

But the rest of the heroes carefully lifted the lid and put it in a clean place. The sleeper clearly smelled of jasmine. Elga was very beautiful, with white hair, decorated with gold, the dress was also gold. Only the face of the Dead Princess was dazzlingly pale, and her lips were blue.

«Alma’s lips are blue too,» Jaromir whispered, «I’ll be the first…

«We’re behind you, brother,» Viten whispered.

The knight leaned against the coffin, and pressed his lips against the blue lips of the witch. The icy cold burned his body, and he fell nearby, on a stone floor. As if he had seen a long dream… Six Princes, and a young man, very young, with a white to blue face, with ashen hair, in a completely impossible outfit, seals the union with a kiss, and Elga opens her icy eyes…

When he woke up, he was hit by chills, and his associates, all nine, were also lying nearby, one on top of the other. His hands shook terribly, he froze to the bone. With a groan, Viten opened his eyes, and by the hands lifted the revived Salit from the floor.

— What was that?

«We’re dead, Jaromir. But we cannot die. We lay here for three days, — explained Salit, shaking off his pants, — let’s close the coffin. You saw who she was waiting for…

— There is a prediction… He must be twenty years old.

— And what’s his name? Evpatius quipped.

— Everyone knows, and you know, Kolovrat.

Kolovrat, apparently, was disturbed by what happened more than others. The warrior seemed to be just like a gambler.

«Let’s leave the honey here. When the Princess wakes up, she finds out that we came. Salit, write about us.

The feeder grinned, and began to dagger the runes along the linden tree, and then smeared the signs with black dust.

So the knights left the limits of the princess, they did not swallow salt. The dead passed by them, not paying attention, as if the heroes were mossy boulders in a wheat field. It seemed to Jaromir that their immovable faces were smiling, that even the Dead were laughing at them. Vityaz raised his head, exposing his face to cold drops. The rain never stopped here, it seemed to drip even by the bosom.

— Foreman, we sail to Alatyr, we will get the wands. They have them, Pryakh, the Eternal hermits. We will persuade, we will beg.

— Let’s go, Evpatiy, the boat is waiting, we will return. We have to go to Gandwick.

«Nothing, foreman?» — the hero said evil already.

«You swore an oath to obey, warrior. With your blood.

The boat was waiting for them on the shore, and the knights pulled out a light boat in their arms. Eupatius looked around endlessly at the island disappearing in the fog, and finally hung his head in despair.

They walked all day, and Alatyr appeared. Evpatiy got up, and carefully stepping on the swinging benches of the boat, went up to the foreman.

— Please, Viten… We will get the wands and win, — whispered Kolovrat.

— Thin, wands have no place in men’s hands

— Viten, please…

«You swore an oath, knight,» the leader shouted fiercely.

«I’ll do it myself! Eupatius shouted, and threw himself into the water.

Winter clothes, boots and a shoulder bag pulled the madman into a cold abyss, and he did not try to swim, but only surrendered to the will of the waves. Only a trickle of bubbles appeared and disappeared with a weak trace of the missing person.

— Damn! — broke out at Tiudemir.

— He drowned! Jaromir shouted.

— Kolovrat thought correctly. His body will take to Alatyr, he will rise… And what will happen next — how the gods will decide, — Viten said quietly.

New battle

— So what Elga sleeps, and with her the Seven Magi, and guard the island of the Dead, — said the knight, — Evpatiy threw himself into the sea, decided to leave and look for wands.

— Already two hundred years in search of Wands of Power Kolovrat, maybe and disappeared where, — Slavomir answered, — we are waiting for today battle, nice knights.

The next day, the militias of Ruyana entered the battle, with a wall, but only six shields deep. Behind them stood a series of carts to strengthen the system. Behind the warriors lined up beeps and horns. preparing to fight too. Svyatovit’s squad stood behind the right flank. Both the knights and ordinary warriors drank two cups of Ella’s drug.

Saxons stood on the right flank, given in the center of the enemy army, and encouraged them to stand on the left flank. King Valdemar bypassed the crusader army, encouraging the jarls and barons.

— Valdemar, if Svyatovitova squad comes out, my soldiers will simply throw weapons, they won’t fight, — Kazimir warned.

«I’ll execute them, Prince.

«Then the executions are now, and me with them,» the prince of encouragement raged.

«Why get excited? — Mario Castelli, bishop and papal legate, fit in — I will stand in the ranks, and I will bless the soldiers, protecting the Slavic demons from witchcraft.

«Exelenz, I don’t think it will help,» Valdemar said quietly, «I myself did not want to go hiking. It would be better if His Holiness came up with something, as when he converted the Hungarians.

— What could he think of? the bishop did not understand.

«The wisdom of the Eternal City is immense. ’the Dane sweetened the bitterness of the words.

«I got everything I wanted. I offered Slavomir to become a bishop, and the right not to dissolve the squad, — the Roman almost shouted, — what else should he? — and he stretched his hands to the sky — the tithe was to remain with him, instead of Svyatovit there would be the church of St. Vitus. No, he said that they were waiting for the Chosen One and the Dead Princess would punish us! — the bishop laughed nervously, and looked around the princes and the king.

It would be better not to look, as the papal legate said to himself. Everyone turned white, and literally. Casimir looked somewhere in the distance, and Waldemar tugged a heavy thimble cross. His face flushed with anger.

— Did Magus say so? asked the Danish king.

«That’s what I said. He scared everything with ants from Priob. Like, they will come and kill everyone. He went completely mad with fear.

«No one knows for sure about Elga,» and the northerners looked at each other, «the legate began Waldemar,» if we see that a pale maiden has appeared here on a moose, and with her the soldiers are giants, we will leave. «Do not blame. We will not fight against her.

— You swore! Castelli shouted, otherwise dad will not give you his blessing! All your new awards will be revoked by the Holy See!

— If the Lady comes, no vows will be important. It is worse than mortal horror, — the Dane slowly said, as if squeezing words out of himself, — this is our fear, an ancient Miracle. The Dead will come with her. To know for sure… Waldemar said thoughtfully, what about her?

— Okay, you look, let’s manage, — said the brother of the Danish king, — if the Princess has not come to the aid of Arkone, she may never appear. And Ruyan is only three thousand, we have eighteen thousand in our army, they cannot resist our fighters.

— Everything is prepared, — reassured the papal legate, — I bought provisions, for several months in a row my commissioners bought wheat and barley. In Hamburg, large stocks of grain have been collected, — the bishop reassured, — the army will last for six months.

— Okay, we start, — Danish Waldemar nodded and went to his own.

***

The Ruyans stood and waited. The last row, standing on carts, over the heads of the soldiers of the front rows, covered the enemies with arrows. They responded with a volley of self-arrows, and quickly moved to the Slavic army. Long axes and then swords went into action. Killed and wounded fell in dozens, wounded mercilessly those and others, Danes and Ruyans, finished off with daggers. The army of the Ruyan was fed step by step back to the carts. But, warriors drunk potions, were tireless and indomitable, shields and swords in their hands were not heavy, and no one suffocated under the weight of armor.

Viten looked at the fluctuating formation of militias, at archers on carts, and, throwing a shield behind his back, exposed his two swords. The gudoshniki had already completely driven crazy by playing, and blood was bursting in the veins of the soldiers.

— Lyut, we go around from the flank of the vigorous. You are leading the knights today. Tiudemir let him carry the Village.

— Thank you, foreman, — Immortal smiled from under the helmet.

Svyatovit’s warriors quickly rebuilt, and shouted at the enemy.

Then something happened that no one expected! Encouraged, seeing the Village and the knights, they simply threw weapons on the ground and lay down on the ground. The foremen and centurions could not raise the soldiers, because they themselves lay in the grass.

The knights reached the Dan army, and the cross-section boiled. The youths stood behind the heroes, ready to help. They served new shields of excised ones. Asdings were skillful in battles, and now, a number changed a number, and tired warriors were changed by fresh fighters. They fought for a long time, tens of five killed and wounded enemies lay in front of the ranks of the heroes. But now, Dan managed to throw a dart, hitting the knight in the neck, and the youths carried the body to the tents of the squad. Danes roared with joy — the wound was fatal.

The battle continued, and the victory was not visible. Ruyan was too few, but they held back the onslaught of the Danes and Saxons. But, Valdemar’s soldiers had joy — they were able to kill at least one of the heroes.

But now, the same warrior stood in the first row, with a noticeable brooch and a helmet with a golden notch. The Asdings were worried when they saw the Risen.

Holy grenade of Antioch

The iron ranks of the Danes overturned the militias, and now the fighters were only waiting for the king’s order. Mario Castelli stood in the fourth row, wearing heavy chain mail under a cassock. He was not afraid of being wounded or killed, but he could not die yet. Nearby was the faithful Tommaso and Karl von Ratsdorf, holding a shield, covering the bishop. Exelenz held an oak cross with both hands, putting it on the ground. But the Danes held on perfectly, fought fearlessly, the bishop did not have to intervene. But then there was a terrible cry:

— To the left! Turn left! The village above them!

With a clang, the formation turned around, preparing to meet Svyatovit’s squad. The bishop saw the asdings creep up, one to one, and fresh fighters stood in the front row. Long axes in their hands awaited the best fighters of Pomerania. But then the darts whistled, or as the Wends called them, the streets. Squires tried to cover the warriors with two-handed axes, but several people fell to the ground, bleeding. Ahead of the usual holy warriors stood real giants, with two swords in their hands. The armor on them was incredible, seemingly enormous weight, and it is not clear how these fighters moved in them so quickly. These hulks instantly demolished the first row of danes, throwing bloody bodies, and the asdings could not even injure anyone. But, one of the Danes, from the fourth row, threw a dart, and hit one of the giants in the neck. He was covered with blood, the heroes intensified the onslaught, and the squires carried out the murdered man.

Mario Castelli lifted the cross and began to read the psalms loudly, trying to give vigor to the soldiers. The bishop saw that the soldiers were tired, and they were still driven crazy by the sound of Slavic horns. They trampled on this place, and Svyatovit’s squad only intensified the onslaught. The Danes began to get tired and fed back.

They have been holding on for two hours, two hours of hand-to-hand combat. Mario knew. that this is the limit of human strength. He anxiously watched the shields sway, and sweat does not drip over the faces of the fighters, but pours in a stream.

«Karl,» said the bishop, «things are bad… Another hour, and we will be crushed.

«Yes, an Exelenian,» the knight agreed, «are we leaving the section?» My knechts guard the boat, we can be saved.

«I’m worried about you, my friends. I’m not afraid of death, «the former cavalieri replied.

— In the squad there are ordinary warriors and a dozen incredible killers, exelens. Do we have the Holy Grenades of Antioch with us?

The smile just blossomed on the bishop’s pale face. The invention of masters from the Holy Land, ceramic pots with a terrible mixture. burning, burning anyone, and murderous fragments that sink into the bodies of damned heretics and apostates, enemies of the Christian Faith!

— Take Karl knechts, and bring twenty vessels here! We will drive out the sons of Diavolus!

But now, there was a cry in the rows of Danes. The soldiers saw that the knight from Svyatovit’s squad had returned, from the valley of mortal shadow, and was again ready to go into battle.

The Danes leaned back, taking three steps. The bishop lifted up the Cross Tree, and shouted:

— Stop, it’s all the machinations of the Antichrist! But the servants of God have already received His weapons into their hands, and they are coming to our aid!

— Are you right, bishop, — shouted the Dane, — The warriors of Svyatovit do not even die! All for them! We must leave while we can!

— And with us, my son, — said Mario Castelli, — All the power of our Lord!

Finally, Karl von Ratsdorf, with a cart dragged by three knechts, was in the ranks of the Danes. On his chest hung a palm with a burning wick. The knight was very prudent, not missing any trifles or important things.

— Warriors, — the bishop shouted, — cover this knight with shields, Servant of the Lord!

The Danes covered Karl with arrows and darts, and he, crossing himself like a true knight of Christ, took the first grenade, lit a wick sticking out of a ceramic pot, counting to three, threw it into the army of the Holy. Mario Castelli looked at a smoky trail in the air, and the grenade fell exactly under the feet of the hellish spawn and exploded. The Danes’ sigh gave way to screaming when they saw the burned warrior, already without a leg, fall to the ground. Next, one by one, all twenty grenades flew. Svyatovit’s squad was still standing, but Arkona’s militia began to retreat to the city.

At least fifty soldiers died from grenades, even more were crippled. But the knights did not leave the dead, but dragged them into the city. The crusader army, like a trained dog on a hunt, did not let go of enemies, and kept literally five steps away, showering the ruyan with a shower of darts.

***

Jaromir, saw a flash that blinded him for a few seconds, immediately deaf from the roar. The skin, not covered with a helmet, burned from the burn, and next to it, on the ground, shouted Tiudemir, covered with soot from head to toe. Blood gushed from his thigh, and a red, now black, boot with a shin and foot, lay two steps away. He grabbed a friend by the belt and hand, and dragged him by the line.. The boy Sechen is a smart guy, raised his leg, and ran after him. Two more banged behind his back, so much so that he again laid his ears.

— Slawomir! — shouted the knight, laying on the stretcher of the dying, -beda! Danes are straight fire! Tiudemir’s leg was torn off!

Magus, having set aside the staff, bent down and sniffed the body of the warrior, moved his eyebrows and said:

«I don’t understand, but it smells gray. As if danes descended into underground caves for this potion. So, do not come close to them, use a bow and arrow. Do they dream their fire far away?

— Twenty steps, no more, — thinking over every word, Jaromir answered, — we will try… Look after him, and he nodded at the dead man with his leg torn off.

Magus nodded, and making a sign to the servants, retired to the city rampart.

The battle continued, the militias were broken, but still fought at the rampart. The Saxons intensified the onslaught, trying to break into the city. Dozens and dozens killed. the wounded lay at the gate, but while Arkona held on. The night came that divorced the fighting.

The gates of the city fell

Mario Castelli sat on a folding chair, with the faithful Tommaso standing nearby. Damiano cleaned the silver cup, looking at the city of pagans. The bishop looked at the stars, sipping hot wine with spices, wrapping himself in a warm felt cloak. Knight Karl von Ratsdorf, imposingly settled down with the lord, considering the golden, only presented to him by the bishop.

— Exelenz, you’re absolutely brilliant. I would not have believed in this before. If not for you, these pagans would have chopped up both Danes and Saxons.

— Knowledge is power, remember, Karl. It was worse under Edessa, my knight, — and the Italian pursed his lips, — there were few crossbowmen that day, and then they remembered this box, — and he pointed to clay vessels, — it is important that the grenade thrower was neither a fool nor a coward. And this is difficult, you know.

«You know a lot about human failings.

«He fought in the Victores, in the papal guard. My son is now serving there. The wife died, his holiness ordained me to comfort. So I became a prelate, and found myself in Syria. But all the same, on campaigns in the Holy Land, you need to watch for papal money and get provisions. I continue to serve, following the orders of the Holy See, almost like a warrior. Only now, the clothes are simpler — and pointed to his cassock.

The knight laughed, shaking a suede koshel full of romance ducats with a contented face.

— Exelenz, you are a real warrior of Christ, And do not forget your faithful servants.

«They deserved everything, until the last third of the ducat,» the bishop said gloomily, «only Waldemar seemed to notice nothing, what we had done,» and again began to drink wine sip after sip.

Rathsdorf knew that the bishop was very ambitious and remembers the evil that was done to him. It was usually, however. But the exelenz, which was incredible in these times, remembered good.

«Exelenz,» cried a breathless Tommaso, «King Valdemar to you!»

— Speak of the devil and he is sure to appear! Chair, table and cup for the king!

— Now, exelens, — the servant bowed low and ran away.

Seconds later, there was a chair, a table and a goblet full of wine, and a dish of snacks.

The king approached, the bishop stood up, greeting his majesty, Waldemar came under blessing, then ceremoniously sat down in a chair.

— You helped us, exelens. What do you want for the battle won?

— Three prisoners of my choice and all the records of the priests of Svyatovit, Your Majesty.

— And the share in production? The treasures of Svyatovit are huge and incredible!

«That’s enough for me. Jesus «love alone is a treasure.

«You will receive a royal charter according to your wishes.

The bishop lowered his eyes down, and began to fiddle with the beads brought from the Holy Land. The king was waiting for what the papal legate would say, but he only prayed diligently, waiting for the words of the king.

— Crusaders need help… We need to burn the gate, «Waldemar finally said.

— I will help… — the bishop said quietly, — Enough of the deaths, king, — the papal legate said slowly, — I was a soldier, I fought a lot… Promise if the residents give up, you will spare everyone.

— Warriors are furious, exelenz, can I keep them?

— Then these fierce sinners, your soldiers, will disappear without my help, — Mario Castelli answered harshly, — thousands of them will die. And I doubt that the city will fall. Arkona is well fortified.

— Well, — and the king jumped up from the chair, — I will write him to His Holiness!

«I am devoid of pride. And I will accept the punishment of the Holy See with gratitude. But dad will forgive me, because I am ready to suffer in the name of humanity.

«I’d like to hang a hundred Rügen troublemakers,» Waldemar said.

«We’re not in a horse market, your Majesty, to bargain. Mercy for all who accept it.

Now Valdemar drank a little wine, and looked at the high ramparts of Arkona. Finally, the king yelled:

— I agree, exelenz. So be it. Three days later, we will begin an attack when my soldiers fill the moat in front of the gate.

***

The bishop personally checked each of the ten pots of twenty assigned for the decisive assault. He sat for a long time, finally kicked everyone out of the tent, and only shouted:

— Damiano! Bring a deck of honey!

Damiano just glanced at Tommaso. The servants did not understand what was happening to the master, but they did not dare to murmur. After all, their master was also a bishop.

This morning they cooked good porridge, Mario Castelli gave out honey, and the yellow boiled millet smelled of honey cells. The warriors happily ate the treat. So an empty deck was found quickly.

Karl went around each of the twenty knechts, encouraged everyone, found good words for everyone, and the soldiers smiled at the lord. The knight was a born commander. smart, brave and skillful, could do what not every experienced leader could

— Carl called Mario Castelli. — here, one deck, like ten pots. All the potion is here. It is impossible to miss, there is very little fire composition left. And remember, hit the goal, do not touch the knights. This is barely enough to break through the desired gap.

«I will do whatever you order, your reverend.

«I put you in the hands of the Lord, knight!

And the bishop knelt right on the bare ground and began to bow. Looking at the praying lord, Karl von Ratsdorf began to be baptized, and kiss the images obtained from under an unclean shirt.

Dawn was approaching, and the columns of the two detachments, appointed for an attack, hid behind the fascines, and tried not to make noise. The sun was in no hurry to rise above the horizon, as if hiding itself from unkind people.

— Part, part! Let it pass, «Scrawny Gunther, von Ratsdorf’s squire, exhorted exactingly.

«What is there?» — The front-line detachment answered with displeasure, — Is this your ram, Toshy? Will you knock out the gate with your flat ass? Yes, Wends and so laugh at you!

— Yes, you just became a joker, Anselm! My bottom will now make a wagon-sized hole in the gate eating our crook Karl!

The warriors laughed muted, and the hefty centurion Torquil, known for his pood fists, began to push towards the joker.

— Knight, get your own! And you, food for the Rügen herring! Be silent, or the king will chop off the heads of the guilty!

Anselm covered his face with his battered shield, and his friends ducked in the ranks so that Torquil would not notice them.

— Gunther, get the lantern ready. Warriors, shields higher, — commanded Rathsdorf.

The militiamen late noticed the vinea on wheels moving slowly towards the rampart and moat of the city. But now, arrows whistled, and fat black smoke rose into the sky, unbearably stinking of tar. Twenty steps remained to the gate behind the moat, and the knight remembered both God and the Devil, and brought a lantern fire to the wick of the keg with the potion.

— One, two, three, — he counted, and in a high arc threw a linden barrel at the target.

The knight watched in excitement as the linden deck flew, as it rolled to the doors of heavy gates upholstered in iron. He only managed to exhale three times and happened…

— Babah!

Laid ears from a huge flash, a fiery torch rose above the tower, one log flew out, and there was a strong creak. Two logs flew towards the Danes, killing and maiming five infantrymen. The foremen hardly held the army, ready to scatter in fear.

— Stop, warriors! — the bishop shouted, — Now the Lord will reveal his miracle!

The gate turret, now devoid of a shingle roof that flew into the sea during the explosion, swayed in the wind. The gate stood thoughtfully for two seconds, then their wreckage fell to the ground with a deafening roar, continuing to burn. And on top they were covered with logs from a log house of a fortress building.

Amid the Danes, there was a deafening howl of delight, and the warriors dragged the skidders, throwing them through an almost filled ditch with water. The first to run was the huge Torquil, brandishing an ax.

«Senor, are we?» Karl asked the knight.

«And we stand valiantly in the rear. We did our job. Right, Gunther?

«So it is, your honor,» the whip nodded with contentment.

A battle was in full swing at the gate, but the Danes pushed the inhabitants back to their homes. Karl walked behind the line, gnawing a captured Slavic gingerbread in thoughtfulness. White banners began to appear over the houses and estates of the city.

— Warriors, two steps back! Torquil shouted, not in his own piercing voice.

But it was difficult to stop the fury of the endured Danes, and the foremen went to the rescue, pushing the infantrymen back. There was a clattering of hooves from the side of the camp. Von Ratsdorf, turning around, saw the royal retinue of Waldemar of Denmark and his princes, Casimir and Pribyslav. A huge Danish banner was also developed, which was carried in the hands of three standard-bearers.

Behind them, Mario Castelli slowly cowered on a mule, with his head covered with a hood, lowering his eyes down. Nearby, inseparable Tommaso and Damiano rode on a cot, making lean faces, but all the cunning people around noticed, and thought, is there anything to profit from here? The knight smiled, remembering why the desperate bishop, his glorious lord, does not march on an expensive stallion.

«Modesty and meekness are sick to the face of the minister of the church, Karl,» he said.

«Why aren’t you on a donkey, exelenz?» — Ratsdorf forged it.

«It would be ostentatious modesty. The donkey carried Jesus Christ himself»

The bishop dismounted, and with a staff almost ran to Karl, seeing him unharmed and standing on the field next to the knechts. Mario Castelli’s face flashed a smile, he, without repairing, hugged the knight.

«I’m glad you’re alive, Karl. That you are all alive — and looked around the smiling knechts.

— There will be no prey, — Skinny said Skinny Gunther, — there will be no fried meat and wine! Exelenz!

«There will be no crossbow bolt in your stupid fat ass,» Ratsdorf immediately replied, «sorry, exelens.»

«I will reward you, my brave warriors. Tommaso, Damiano! ’he shouted to the servants, ’hand out your wallets!

— You are well done, — praised the bishop of the knight, — Burned the tower with the gate, if not for your courage and mind, the murder continued for months, or even years.

— This is a powerful weapon, exelens, what you gave me in my hands. You become rich when you sell this potion.

— There are only fifteen vessels left that I brought from the Holy Land. I no longer have this composition, — the bishop did not tell the whole truth.

— Exelenz, how it will end, this war, we better run away from here, so as not to go to the prison of Waldemar, Casimir or Pribyslav. I am ready to put my ducat against your denier, they have already prepared shackles for us. Everyone will want to get their hands on your fire-carrying potion.

«You’re very clever. Keep ALL weapons at the ready, but we must search the temple of Svyatovit. I must not return to Rome without…

The bishop fell silent, and did not say anything to the knight, only put his hand on his shoulder in a fatherly manner, and riding, went to the royal retinue.

***

King Valdemar on horseback, not rushing, proud to the point of indecency, accepted the gifts of conquered ruyans. Foremen, foremen brought patterned silverware, and brought a casket full of silver pennies.

— Prince Pribyslav, the island and the city remain in your possession.

«For this I owe you my service, King Valdemar,» replied the Ruyan prince.

— Your degree, the city is taken, but the temple of Svyatovit on a hill holds, — the king said, — you don’t ask for anything about the temple?

«As agreed. I must get three people in the name of Christ and all the records of the temple.

— Exelenz, can you ordain a priest of the town? Pribyslav asked him.

— Are there Christians here who are firm in faith? Then I will ordain whomever you bring, your lordship.

At the gates of the dead, in streams of blood and naked, they were put on a wagon, into which a couple of small horses were pulled, all pulling their necks back. The driver carefully watched that they would not pile too much, and immediately shouted at the soldier if they put more than fifteen bodies. The next one immediately drove up for one wagon. But the heap of the dead did not seem to decrease, because the dead were dragged and dragged.

Mario, according to the old military habit, looked at the corpses. Unpleasant, but always necessary. Three Danes stood nearby, and pointed to a huge dead man with a shaved head, with a pierced throat.

— Mikke, how could you kill him?

— Dart, Eric. We were very lucky. He chopped ten. Saxon managed to throw accurately, but finally he hacked to death the unfortunate. The Ruyans even tried to recapture the body, clinging with hooks. But, we managed. He, and he nodded at the dead, had excellent swords and armor. True, — Mikke thought about it, — the armor is heavy.

«I’ll take the body,» the bishop said, looking at the body.

— Five gold, exelens, — the Dane smiled, exposing rare teeth, — see what a rarity? His skin will make a good curtain.

— Three, kind man…

«I agree.

Mario Castelli quickly returned to the gate, and found Karl Ratsdorf.

«We have to get the body and take it to my tent.

— Exelenz, you were given a manor in the city. This is much better. And why do you need a corpse?

— Necessary.

«As you command,» and the knight bowed.

— Then take the corpse, put it in the basement. If there is a glacier, then to the glacier.

«I’ll go execute.

— Wait, knight… That’s what… Shackles put on his arms and legs, and cut off his head. Put your head next to it, but do not stick to the body. Did you understand?

Karl shrugged. He often encountered the eccentricities of the bishop, and they were all understandable. Corpse and corpse. He heard about similar — different experiments, alchemy. And, the exelent invented and made such a thing that it would blow up the walls of cities. So let them, you see, come up with something else.

— Gunther, — he called the whip, — bring the cart here. Then you take the body to the lord’s estate.

«Why am I?» Everything is me again!

— Klaus dunked the rods. Not for you? asked the knight heartfelt, playing with a dagger.

«I think not,» grumbled the whip, holding the handles of the cart.

***

The estate was, judging by the labaz, a merchant. Mario, as a zealous owner, went around the temporary dwelling, and settled in the upper room. There was no bed, there was a shop with a perina. He was wildly tired, and after praying, went to bed. The next morning, Tommaso brought a copper basin and a jug of water to wash. A modest meal ended the morning. The bishop descended a carved wooden staircase. Mario Castelli tracked down his servants, Tommaso and Damiano repaired the wagon.

— In the basement of the master’s house you will make an institution. Iron cage for several people. Got it, Damiano? — said the bishop as affectionately as possible.

— For whom, exelenz? asked the servant fearfully.

«If you’re so curious, it’s for you, my good Tommaso.

The bishop left his friends in extreme embarrassment, and went to a small house, to the knight. Rathsdorf was eating breakfast with appetite at that time.

«Good afternoon, Carl. I came to pick up the key to the bowl with the glacier.

— The body is there, and it is beheaded, — the knight answered without changing his voice, as if it was about something everyday.

— Well, I won’t interfere.

Two days later, the institution was ready, equipped with thick bars and a powerful castle. Castelli was pleased, and paid the blacksmith twenty ducats. The corpse was brought into the basement by the bishop himself.

Castelli changed into an old cassock, put on a leather apron and gloves. He took the head cut off by the knight Karl, put it to the body. He looked at his work for a long time, then without being lazy, he began to sew his head to his neck. It still didn’t hold very well, and Mario put felt rollers under his head. The shackles on the arms and legs were secure and connected by a common chain riveted to an iron bar driven deep into the ground.

— They didn’t let me down, friend… — the bishop quietly said, leaving the basement, — everything should work out!

There were no battles yet, the army rested for three days. Castelli walked in impatience all these three days, finally unable to endure, went down to the basement of his house, holding his beloved bronze oil lantern in his hand.

Step by step surrendered in the head of an elderly man, he was afraid to even breathe deeply, wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief every second.

— Come on, go, — he urged himself, — three more steps…

A yellow dim light illuminated the prison. The body lay immovable on the felt, the lips of the corpse turned blue, a faint smell of decomposition was felt.

The bishop closed his eyes in exhaustion, and began to recite a prayer. He changed into everything old, opened the cage and began to remove the shackles. Then he wrapped the corpse in a burlap and dragged it, grunting and sighing, upstairs. There stood the inseparable Tommaso and Damiano.

«What are you looking at?» Take the body to the cemetery, and bury it. Here you are — and the bishop gave two silver coins.

«Let’s do it, excelent,» the servants answered readily.

The cut at the temple of Svyatovit

The Waldemar negotiators returned from the cliff of the temple with nothing. The Danish king thoughtfully twisted the ring on his finger, considering further.

— The path is narrow, many soldiers will not be able to fight at a time, — he told Niels, a thousandth, — the soldiers at Slavomir after the massacre at the gate, two hundred people remained…

«It is, my king…

— On the road ten in a row and stand, no more.

«It is…

«Your warriors must attack continuously into the evening. Then the next day. The wends will not stand more than three days. Hakon will support you.

«We will obey your command,» Niels bowed, put on his helmet and went to his soldiers.