And yes, I had to tell you ten times how much that terrible, huge, incredible snake scared me!
There was no ordinary water on the table and I was thirsty, so I swallowed ale with fear. And I choked, coughed up when the bitter drink burned my throat!
Dagamar happily slammed me on the back, so I almost stabbed my nose in the plate. When the dwarf realized he had made a mistake, he slammed his eyes.
- Oh-ho-ho! She's fragile, I'm sorry! It's been a long time since I've been on the border, out of touch with her beautiful... Guste, what are you staring at, bring water for the guest! Come on, move it!
I took a beardless mug and smiled thankfully at him.
- Thank you. It's all right, don't worry! It's just... I haven't had ale before. I didn't expect him to be so... strong!
- How so? - didn't get it, Dagamar, not once?
I shook my head with a smile.
- Where I grew up, such drinks are forbidden, Dagamar soil.
The dwarf shaked his tongue.
- You grew up in a very, very bad place, wonderful her! In a terrible, completely wrong place! - It's a sad tongue. I laughed.
- No, it's wonderful. There's a lot of snow and pine trees like you can't even see in the Eternal Forest! And it always smells like pine and juniper... and lakes. There are very beautiful lakes there. Pure, deep, with such clear water that you can see how the little fishes frolic at the bottom! And then there's the endless blue sky, and at night over the Riverstein Towers heavenly conductors burn like candles, and it seems that it is worth stretching and you can touch them with your palm ...
Dagamar's quiet, mesmerized listening.
- You seem to be very fond of this place," he said with a smile.
- Yes," I smiled too, "it's my home. Even though I didn't realize it right away. And I will definitely go back there when our journey is over.
- Where are you going, then?
- Graham, for starters," I answered honestly.
Dagamar had a clever squint.
- The mountains tell amazing stories, my secretive one... About the wilderness of people, where the Source of Power suddenly woke up, about the reborn heritage of the ancient people... About her white-haired, who came from the other end of time...
I just shrugged my shoulders.
- And what does that word mean, her? - I asked, hoping to translate the subject. The dwarf understood my maneuver, smiled slyly. And I did not insist.
- Um... Well, if literally from the ancient language of the mountains... it sounds so, - he got more air in his chest and gave out, - the maiden, beautiful as a mountain peak, with her heart hot as the heat of the earth, fragile as if the first snow and steady, as if steel!
- How beautiful! - I said astonishingly, "Free people are also great poets!
Suddenly there was a silence hanging at the table. I turned around a bit frightened. Oh, holy elders! Maybe I insulted those men. Maybe calling warriors poets is humiliating.
Dagamar jumped up. And yelled so that I jumped:
- The great-hearted one appreciated the talent of the mountain children! She called us great poets! Here's to her!
- Here's to her! - The dwarves sang in a friendly and joyful manner. And, of course, they cracked their fists on the table again! And yet that one could not withstand such a powerful and repeated pressure and went cracked!
- Guste, get my shoo! - Dagamar made a loud demand, throwing away his hungry bone.
At the edge of my eye I noticed Lord Darrell covering his eyes in imaginary terror and preparing for the worst. But it turned out to be just a musical instrument, like an inflated wineskin, with tin tubes sticking out of it.
Dagamar moved away, stroking the bubble while the beardless ones hurriedly moved the cracked table, disregarding those who had not had time to eat. However, the food was not removed, and those who wanted to just move along with the stalls.
The rest of them froze in the center of the hall as if waiting.
For a few more moments Dagamar stroked his beard, his strange wineskin, cunningly squinting his eyes, and then brought one of the tubes to his mouth and puffed as hard as he could!
Wild lingering sounds filled the hall! And then all the dwarves jumped up, stomped, slammed and from afar the thundering "Ugh!"! And again: the long sound of a mop, a jump, a clap and an even louder "Hey!"
I watched this wild dance mesmerized, stunned, stunned, and suddenly began to beat off its strange rhythm and also began to burrow like a mysterious wineskin with tubes was enchanted!
And in the strange sounds of it, I could hear the song of the indomitable and free mountains, for I can hear it and, for sure, Dagamar.
Ksenka was no longer holding back, frankly dancing, and dwarves laughingly grabbed her hands, dragged her into a circle. Danila crumpled, but the ale was circling his head, and he could not stand it, too, jumped up and began to unskilfully trample, throwing his long legs high.
And I didn't expect to be grabbed by such a sensible Lord Darrell's hand and dragged into a circle, smiling joyfully.
- Come," he shouted almost in my ear so I could hear something in the rumbling around, "Come on, it's fun!
I looked suspiciously into the shiny peanut eyes. Yes, you did! Looks like the fence ale didn't just hit Danila in the head!
- Uh, I mumbled, I don't know how to dance...
- Me too! - pleased me with the lord and dragged me into a circle. The dwarves cheerfully rolled up and became even louder, though it seemed that there was nowhere else!
And then the music still seized me, Lord Darrell circled, bearded faces flashed, dancing mesmerized, and I just laughed, clapping and stomping in time!
I hadn't noticed when Archarrion left the great hall, only stopping for a moment to catch my breath and realizing that he was gone.
Chapter 16.
I think I'm a little deaf after all. Because when I did slip away and slowly came out of the tower into the air, such silence fell on me that it seemed that I had lost my hearing!
I threw my head as I looked up at the tops of the Free Mountains. The majestic blue peaks pierced the clouds and wrapped themselves in a foggy haze like a veil. The setting sun was sinking slowly, coloring the rocks with long strokes of gold, and the snowy peaks shining like jewels. And in the sparkling heights soared, opening up huge wings, dragons...
And it was so quiet here... The thick walls of the tower didn't miss a single sound, safely hiding the fun inside. I unwittingly smiled, thinking of the gnomes having fun.
Echo flew in, licked his palm in the wind, and rushed back to the mountains. The air beast loved it here.
I quietly walked along the wall, looking at the tops of the rocks.
- The chickenpox? Why did you run away?
I slowed down, but I turned around, trying to keep my lord from seeing the annoyance on my face. I wanted to be alone, but it was embarrassing to say.
- I wanted some air," I answered honestly, "you know... I'm not really used to dancing like that... It's actually the first time I've danced! In Riverstein, dancing and music were forbidden. But I liked it very much," I hurriedly added, smiling as he stared at me.
- I'd like to show you how they dance at Eloar," the Lord said, smiling, "and to hear the elf's pipe with you...They say it's the most beautiful music in the Underworld. As beautiful as you are...
I kept silent, not knowing what to say and feeling awfully uncomfortable. And he kept looking, and his green eyes were as dark as the leaves before the storm.
- You are so beautiful, Vetriana," he said quietly.
I flattened my shoulders with determination.
- Lord Darrell," I began. He stepped, touched my face, and pushed his finger slightly across my lips.
- Shyder. My name is Shader. Please, Vetriana, tell me...
His hand lay on my waist, pulled towards me, and there was that intense expectation in my eyes that frightened me so much...
- Take your hands off her, Shaider," said the Archarrion lazily.
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I recoiled scared. The Lord turned around, still not letting me go.
- I said, take your hands off me," said Archarrion again, and I was afraid of the threat in his voice. He just stood three steps away from us and looked, but in the dark eyes of the ink of the Abyss, I didn't want to look into it.
- By what right do you interfere, Rion," Shyder said without taking his hands off it. The demon was silent and looked into his eyes, and reluctantly, Lord Darrell retreated. He backed away from me one step.
- The Vetrena doesn't know what she wants because the blood speaks for her. Your blood," he said, looking at Archarrion, "but it will be over as soon as the merger is severed. And then Vetriana will be free to decide for herself..." He looked at me, and I didn't notice a drop of hops in my green eyes, "but I'll wait.
And I left.
I stood looking at the demon, and I was silent. I don't know what I expected to hear, but when he turned around and left, too, my soul became so dreary that I wanted to howl. But I just grabbed my teeth harder, twisted my chin, and built another wall inside me. Invisible, but as indestructible as I had risen around Riverstein. One that could muffle even the voice of the blood.
* * *
The sun had barely gilded the dawn of the Free Mountains top, and we were already sitting in the saddles ready to move. I was surprised to learn that Dagamar and two other dwarves, Gram and Ogrion, were coming with us.
- Stop sticking around the border," Dagamar winked merrily at me, "it's time to frighten my Graham phantoms! You know, you're bored without me!
The dwarves had ridden their sturdy little horses, and at dawn we left the hospitable tower. Our way was to the east, through a mountain gorge. The earth here was covered with boulders and stones, so the horses were walking in steps, and our procession stretched to length, following each other.
My filly walked peacefully, with little effort or control on my part, and I had fun listening to the mountains. Little by little, just the edge of the Force, afraid again of the avalanche of sounds that fell on me last time. By midday, I had already understood how to open up a little, and now I was trying to listen in a directional way, only the forest, or only the stones.
We stopped at the dock under a big cedar. Our guides knew theirs very well and soon we were already sitting around the fire, drinking fresh water from the spring and eating the meat we had saved.
- And how far is Graham? - I asked Dagamar when he ate and collapsed on the ground, full of stroking his belly.
- Two saddleback rides," he said and smiled as he saw my face stretched out, "but, as the great Dagamar, son of Garion, is with you, we will arrive in the city tomorrow.
- What do you mean? - I do not understand.
But the dwarf only winked cleverly, not answering.
- We're not going through the portal," I thought, "Xenia can't come in.
- I know. I know everything," Dagamar nodded, "we'll go our own way. Don't worry, taking care of her, Arkharrion warned me. We'll shorten our way... in a different way.
I nodded.
- Have you... known him long? The Archarrion?
- So long ago," the dwarf smirked, "since he was not Lord of Chaos, but an outcast. Ah, we drank a lot of ale with him then! Those were good times!
- Like an exile? - I whispered.
- It was a matter of... The dwarf leaned on me.
- Who... exiled him?
- Exiled by whom? No one. He left on his own. Dumped everything and left. Never returned to Chaos for two centuries.
- And why did he leave?
The dwarf shut up, covered his eyes.
- So you ask him yourself, you curious girl. It's more like listening to the old gnome's stories!
And Dagamar reached out and jumped on his feet easily.
- Oh, shouldn't I shake an old one? - He asked loudly, "After a hearty meal, it's not a matter of lying on your back and stretching! To keep my belly as old as an old mare's! Hey, Rion, haven't you forgotten how to hold the blades yet?
The Archarrion raised his head, smiled.
- You wanna check it out, Dagamar?
- Oh, yeah! The dwarf shaken his beard cheerfully and threw a big battle axe in his hand so easily that I awoke. The silushka in the stocky gnome was unmeasured.
The archpriest slightly wincered away from the demonstration and stepped away from the fire, looking calmly at the dwarf approaching the collapsing.
Dagamar walked and even whistled, but at a stone's throw from the demon he instantly got up and, without moving, swung so fast that the air whistled under the axe. But a heavy blade came across the crossed blades of the demon, though I didn't even see them in his hands.
Everyone succumbed forward, enchanted by watching the fight. And there was something to see! The dwarf spun his heavy axe like a branch of a tree, without the slightest tension, and he himself moved at a speed that could not be imagined in his messy body! And how tangible was the power of his blow! Every time Dagamar's cleaver was sinking and whistling, it seemed to me that such a blow could not be restrained, but every time the Archharrion stopped him completely serenely and, it seems, without any effort.
And after some time the dwarf's movements became a little bit sharper, more impetuous, he tried to get at least the edge of the calm dark, but no matter how he fought, no matter how he spun his axe, it was not possible for him.
And again, a heavy swing of the axe! So crushing, so powerful that it would knock the spirit out of a two-arch northern bear, or maybe the dragon itself...
The dull blade of the axe passed in the footsteps of the Archarrion, and Dagamar laughed triumphantly! At the same moment the demon turned around, letting the dwarf near even closer, easily threw his hand with a short blade, and a short cut appeared on the dwarf's cheek. And with a long blade, Archbishop also slammed Dagamar flatly below his back.
Danila, who had been watching his opponents during the whole fight, opened his mouth and could not stand it, jumped up and yelled: "Ours won!!!" The dwarves answered him with frowning eyes.
Dagamar shook his beard, carelessly wiped off the blood and smiled wide.
- He hasn't forgotten, then!
The demon nodded, wiping his blades and running his fingers lovingly across the blade.
- You gave me a good present, Dagamar," he said.
The dwarf shook his head.
- The acanarians choose their own master, you know that. If you're chosen, you're worth it. - And he extended his hand," he said, "good fight.
The Archarrion shook his elbow, - good fight, - he repeated.
I sighed, trying to hold on to my beating heart and did not want to admit why I was frightened. Though I knew, I felt that the Archarrion was not even beating at full strength, but I was still afraid.
And she turned away when the Archarrion looked at me.
* * *
They didn't stay under the cedar any longer, so they packed their things and sat down in the saddles again. My body seemed to be accustomed to such pastime, and no longer nagged every bone and every living thing. In the saddle, I began to feel even more comfortable and much more confident. So, by the end of the road, maybe I'll just gallop!
Our road went up into the mountains, and soon the canyon ended, and the mountain trail began.
To our right there was now a slope on which thin-barrelled trees grew strangely, and to our left there was a dark cliff, below which the mountain river was noisy and crashing against the rocks.
Our detachment was once again in line, and I was almost at the end of it again, only Lord Darrell was going to close. Sometimes I could feel his gaze with my back, but I tried to ignore it, though sometimes it was difficult.
And I listened to the world around me again, and I smiled.
Somewhere upstairs, a wild mountain cat slid an invisible shadow, looking down at the travelers with yellow round eyes. The smell of uninvited guests pissed off the cat and prevented it from tracking voles, and the cat snorting, clattering its mustache and sl
ightly annoyed with its luxurious tail. The cat was not hungry, but stupid voles are so careless! They stick their noses out of their holes, cheeky eyes on the sides, yurk in the thickets of a needle shooter... teasing...
The cat froze, sniffing. Slipped his moist nose into the stunted bush of mountain mint. He liked mint, but he decided to return to it later. His light movement frightened a black-and-yellow snake under the rock, lurking. The cat gave her a contemptuous look, snorting.
Cheeky mice...
Not a single pebble moved under its soft paws, the beast stepped unheardfully and... disappeared.
I was surprised to shake my head as it came to its senses. I was frowning. I listened again, trying to smell the wild cat, listen to his feelings... but it didn't work. And even the snake shaking under the rock, I did not hear anymore, as if there was a piece of emptiness up there, and it suddenly scared me very much.
- Rion," I whispered, knowing what he would hear. And I spurred the mare forward. The Archarrion was already turning to me, Dagamar asking alarmingly something.
- What did you hear? - He grabbed the reins of my horse, stopping our running, what?
- It's like an empty space up there! - I shouted frantically, as if there were no rocks, no plants, no animals! Nothing!
Dagamar raised his head.
- The mountains are angry," he said in surprise.
- Why, can you understand?
The dwarf frowned and shook his head.
- I don't understand... Why is it so quiet?
- Because somebody put the Hiding Suthi Canopy there! - Through his teeth, said the Archharrion, go! Into the gallop!
And all the horses came up with crossbowed arrows, but they were still too late!
The small stones rolled down the slope, rustling almost harmlessly and getting stuck in the crevices. But others followed them - heavier and bigger, and then huge, and behind them - boulders! And all this terrible rockfall filled the slope in an instant, breaking trees and tearing everything down in its deadly way!
The Wind of the North Page 39