At last, rise ended and travelers approached stones. Close they were very high, approximately in thirty averages human Rostov.
"Standing near them, - the Fairy thought about herself, - involuntarily you feel as a tiny grain of sand, a muravyishka which is possible before powerful forces majeure of the nature. It seems that these forces only till time suffer you, but once it wakens, they will slam you - and will not even notice it …"
The fairy did not want to go in a circle of stones, but their way, apparently, lay exactly there.
In a structure - between ranks of stones, and also between an internal ring of stones and the Black flat stone - there was quite long distance - approximately steps to one thousand. And therefore there very many guests could go in. And them was valid much …
With Cora about fifty night hunters came, on the place was not less than fifty, but guests continued to arrive. Continually from a distance there were groups of black points which, coming nearer, turned into the black equestrians dashingly sitting on some strange animals like a black hog or a black goat. Magic animals spoke human language and loudly laughed.
Horsewomen were a match for them - a black flowing hair to shoulders or even to a belt, black the overalls fitting a body, black eyes which are densely made up by black ink, black lips leather tightly. Necklaces from teeth of wild animals or black pearls. And if to add still the wild laughter, strange and rough words and scraps of songs broken from their lips - at anyone could hand over nerves.
"Now I, apparently, understand, mya-at-at-at! - the Kitten thought about himself, - why they are at enmity among themselves - fairies and witches on these monsters. They have more distinctions, than at the moon with the sun, at day with a night … Horror!"
But ahead of Animals expected even more terrible show. When women landed, right there their strange animals - black goats, black hogs, flying black monkeys, black wolves and other - suddenly instantly turned in … men! But what strange men! Swarty, dark-haired, hairy, brawny, stocky, with a long head of hear, from legs to the head in black tannage - they were a match for the wives and reminded more volkolak, than people. In addition they spoke only in monosyllables, sharply, steeply, but loudly laughed and so that their white teeth brightly and ominously shone by the light of the full moon.
The Fairy had a resistant desire to seize Animals under hands and to depart from this "a vedminsky sabbath" (at people these concourses so were called) where far away, but she understood that it will be apprehended as cowardice, and even as an insult.
Cora noticed that the Fairy is nervous, and is malicious, having askance looked at her, told:
- Strange … And here it was pleasant to your Prinze. He quickly found a common language both with hunters, and with their husbands …
The fairy became crimson from the flowed blood, but she kept silent. Bark meanwhile continued:
- Therefore we each other also do not understand, expensive that we - different. You love a daylight, and we - night, you love pure feelings, and we are wild dark passions. Therefore we also could not get on then together. I well remember that told me on the eve of Split their Knowledge after "STING" informed their data that we make here. You, speak, turned away from light to darkness, and therefore you do not have the place in the country of light and good … Light and good! It is ingeniously told! - Cora floutingly grinned. - From what it a time solar photons acquired the ethical contents? Nonsense! We love the nature not less, than you, and people, by the way, too, just we like other aspect of that and another …
The fairy was not strong in dialectics, though received at School of fairies the five in this subject for diligence and assiduity, and therefore to think up that she could not object Cora, though felt that in her logician something not so. It is remembered, the teacher at School called such things "sophisms", but how to expose this "sophism", the Fairy did not know, and therefore has a snack a sponge and kept silent.
And at this time the moon reached a zenith and its deathly silvery-bluish light became such bright that it was possible to consider faces of all attendees, all details of clothes.
However, for hunters and darkness not the problem - at them is eyes as at cats, adapted to see in outer darkness.
All space in stones was filled arrived so apple had no place to fall. The same who lacked the place flew up on tops of stones and looked from above. Cora spent the fairy and Animals for herself, to northern part of a structure where the big throne from the same white stone sparkling under the moon settled down. On it Cora sat, and near her there were a Fairy and Animals.
As soon as it occurred as if from where struck thunder peals. Hairy men began to beat the big barrel-shaped black drums fitted by animal skin. The fairy remembered that such drums are used for the ritual dancings by natives of the Distant South.
Suddenly as suddenly, as began, noise stopped. Death silence set in.
Cora imperiously raised the right hand and by a loud gruffish chest voice said:
- A ceremony of commission of great sacrament of Love and Unity, I, the Night Queen, the Empress of the Reserved Thicket, declare open. To enter newlyweds! - also clapped.
Again drums hammered wild fraction. The fairy and Animals were deafened by applause of thousands of hands and howl also a rappberry of thousands of voices. And then the crowd parted. To a look of guests the path covered with the small white stone crumb sparkling at a moonlight opened. On it to the Black Stone newlyweds rose.
The fairy not without curiosity looked was on them, but right there densely reddened and bashfully turned away. She did not expect such brazen violation of morality and piety even from dryads.
Newlyweds were almost nude. From clothes on them there were only black nadbedrenny bandages. But their bodies from the head were to toe covered a set of bluish-violet tattoos. Scenes of hunting for wild animals, images of predatory animals and birds alternated with drawings of frankly erotic character here.
The fairy did not know where to hide eyes, but, seemingly, that the rest this show was obvious to taste. Shouts of approval and delight just deafened her. Animals in general were hidden for the hostess's back, preferring to see nothing at all.
The heads of newlyweds decorated wreaths from oak leaves, and necks - necklaces with teeth of some wild animals.
Young people - those who were seen by the Fairy in the afternoon - felt is held a little down. But "brides" … However, according to the Fairy, these maidens were absolutely unworthy such high rank assuming chastity.
And so, but "brides" felt in such look and in such society as fishes in water. They took visible pleasure from the fact that they appeared before guests in such look - it was visible on their frankly shameless and started movements.
But not nakedness, and their persons - the eyes burning with some wild passionate fire, white teeth with rapaciously outstanding canines, a bend of the sensual lips which imprinted in themselves defect traces was the most terrible in their appearance, according to the Fairy. What contrast in comparison with these semi-children whom and language will not turn to call "grooms"!
At that moment the Fairy bitterly regretted that she did not insist on the and by force did not send them home then, in the wood! But now was late … Now these young men already part of community of forest witches, and fairies are not imperious to interfere with internal life of other inhabitants of Tselestiya …
When under a rumble of drums newlyweds approached the Black Stone, everything abated.
Cora got up from the throne and slowly approached the first couple.
Then on a big black dish to it brought two cups from an ebony and filled them with some crimson-violet liquid. Then from hands of attendants the Night Queen accepted a black knife with the handle on which end of the handle the oshcherivshy mouth a panther was represented.
At death silence Cora took a hand of the first young man, almost still the boy with a down on a lip and cheeks both the sharp and fast movement of a black knife cut to it veins at the right wrist.
Th
e young man screamed from pain. Screamed also the Puppy with the Kitten. Darkly red thick blue blood a plentiful stream poured down directly in the substituted bowl.
"Perhaps, - the Fairy noted about herself, - blood it was gathered just on a quarter of a cup … there"
At last, having considered that blood in a cup was gathered enough, Cora touched a wound with a hand and whispered something. A wound was at once stopped, but on a hand there was a big crimson hem. For some reason the Fairy thought that it will remain at the guy now for the rest of life.
It did the same actions also with "bride", only unlike "groom", that did not even stir. On the contrary, even somehow voluptuously grinned. It did not seem to the fairy strange. She heard long ago that blood was a favourite delicacy of night hunters.
The same was done also with other couple.
Then Cora lifted both cups over the Black Stone on which ran crimson sparks, and loudly said the ritual phrase:
- Drink from the Cup of Love and the Unification. Yes you will become from now on one blood and be never separated any more while this Moon shines and there are these sacred stones!
With these words she stretched a cup to first "groom".
That took the first shy sip and right there reeled. But, probably, it was usual reaction of the person to terrible mix of magical swill. It was picked up right there under hands by two hunters and something was whispered to it on an ear. He silently nodded and as the child, having narrowed very strong eyes, at one stroke emptied a cup floor under an approving rumble and an applause of all meeting.
Bark took away a cup back - and in time! Because the young man reeled again and failed on hands of the dryads standing behind.
But when, in several moments he got up and opened the eyes, the Fairy gasped - she did not expect such change for such short term! Eye proteins of the young man became red, a look - same predatory and passionate, as well as at the others, directly in the face of a hand, legs and a breast began to become covered by a hard black hair …
"Bride" emptied the part of a cup as if it was the glass of sweet water both loudly and stridently laughed. Then embraced the groom and kissed and so that from the bitten-through lip directly on a chin the thin stream of blood which this predator with pleasure pinched the long red uvula began to flow.
Approximately the same happened also to other couple.
Now time for the most important came.
To bark brought other tray. On it there were couple of objects. It were big bracelets from the polished not decaying tree of black color. On them some black runes were cut out.
"Probably, - the Fairy thought, is some plot, as well as on our rings, urging magic force to promote marriage preservation".
The night Queen assigned bracelets to the Black Stone and solemnly said:
- And now, on you who became one blood between themselves, and, so and with all of us I call blessing of this sacred place and the Creator of darkness to become you uniform not only by birth, but also on flesh. Your hands, brother and sister!
The groom and the bride carefully laid the hands on the Stone. On a black smooth surface ran dark-lilac sparks. Invisible force was included into them and the grimace of pain distorted faces both.
Then Cora took the first bracelet and put on it the young man's wrist. The bracelet clicked the invisible lock, on it ran lilac sparks. It did the same with the bride's hand.
- Though these bracelets do not connect you by visible chains, - Cora solemnly said, - but, having received force from the Black Stone, they connect you is invisible. From now on you will always feel each other at distance, to find each other anywhere, to exchange thoughts and feelings. But if suddenly you want to betray each other, force of the Black Stone will turn you to stone. Such is destiny of everything, profaned this great sacrament of Love and Unity for ever and ever!
As soon as she said it, deafeningly burst a thunder and on both bracelets ran lilac sparks again.
The same happened also to other couple.
These words made awful impression on the Fairy. And fairies had sacred marriage, but not to the same degree! To imagine that the rings blessed with their Knowledge could kill, it could not. Though they, certainly, were not a simple metal toy. The fairy caught herself on thought that since began to carry a ring, she really felt Prinze better and more sharply, than earlier. And, maybe, the ring also prompted to it that he really is still living …
When the ceremony of a betrothal was complete, Cora turned facing the Stone and, having upraised hands, loudly said:
- For the sake of the Creator who created darkness, also as well as light, I, the power to me given by the Black Stone - the Power source and the authorities of my race - I declare you husbands and wives!
Its voice sank in noise and hubbub and all audience at once started congratulating newly married. They embraced them, kissed, pulled, some even bit and pinched, especially young men. Probably, it be newlyweds dressed by the end of congratulations all of them equally would be naked as newborn children.
When, at last, the first passions settled, guests a crowd tumbled down from a sanctuary outside, directly to the laid long tables.
The fairy and Animals, as guests of honor, put near Cora.
However, the local food was suitable for them a little. Venison, zaychatina, meat of wild geese and ducks, wild boars, rabbits and other forest living creatures. Everything smoking, hot, juicy, strewed with some strange seasonings and watered with fragrant sauces from which there were slyunk and having felt hungry as much as possible though all this, on the contrary, caused disgust in the Fairy and Animals. That liquid which was drunk by newlyweds, only, of course, without their blood was drink.
Guests greedy attacked on an entertainment. Ate with hands, greedy breaking off the meat splashing juice, swallowing of it big pieces. Saw the whole cups.
Newlyweds sat near Cora.
To the fairy the amusing custom was evident - wives fed and gave to drink to the husbands directly from hands. Perhaps, it was the only attractive and lyrical episode of this wild feast.
The curious Fairy furtively scanned the Analyzer crimson-violet wish-wash which they drank, and with satisfaction noted the high content in it of amphetamines and animal hormones so the further behavior of representatives of night race did not become for it big surprise …
Because when the first hunger was satisfied, again wildly hammered drums which also pastushesky wooden pipes joined. Melodies which they published were extremely primitive, unartful, but are surprisingly rhythmical and incendiary. Was not in time the Fairy and an eye to blink as hunters povytaskivat the husbands because of tables and broke into a dance.
What dancings were! Wilder, more sensual if not to tell, she did not see an erotic show yet.
Dancings consisted, generally, of movements, pretty, at first sight, simple, but difficult executable without preparation, in which all parts of a body at the same time were involved.
Couples at the same time constantly strove to seize each other by hands, by shoulders, by hips. Men took the workmates on hands, threw them through the head, women rushed on a breast and a neck to men. Generally, the impression of utter chaos in which only one mattered was made - it was expression of continuous sensuality, the game of passions, the dark beginning released by terrible drink and magic of this strange place constrained by nothing.
In which fairy already time densely reddened and bashfully looked away from this madness. And when lifted looked again, thought what would be better than it for it be not to done. Because some couples were already tumbled down on the earth, breaking the friend from the friend clothes and began to do absolutely indecent things. Others followed their example - and already all space of the Bald Mountain was filled with the reclining, twitching naked bodies. And the rumble of drums and squeal of pipes not only did not cease, but amplified even more. But even it could not muffle voluptuous groans of the lovers who reached extreme degree of fury.
The fairy was ready to fail under a table with
shame, but Cora with curiosity and undisguised pleasure watching her reaction, at last, decided that she will be enough her.
- Well, expensive, time we with you were left in minority, without couple, we do not have need any more here to remain.
The fairy was ready for everything if only to escape, depart, disappear, evaporate from here as soon as possible. Red as the boiled crayfish she silently began to nod in agreement. Animals sat under a table long ago, having hidden behind a cloth, and having closed the ears and eyes plush pads.
Bark clicked fingers and suddenly as if out of nowhere before it there was a big wooden mortar, like in what peasants squeeze out grapes. She was rather great in order that in her all four easily were located. By the word of the Night Queen the mortar sharply soared up up.
But even now Cora could not do without jeer. The mortar spun three times over top of the Bald Mountain that the Fairy could consider an awful show below better. However, when the mortar came on the third circle, suddenly the cloud closed the full moon which, appear, was ashamed of what occurred below, and the Bald mountain plunged into darkness. Cora disappointedly sighed and directed flight of a mortar down, to "hut on chicken legs".
Flight - more precisely, descent, - was such prompt, as at the Fairy, and at Animals even intercepted breath.
One question was at the Fairy at the tip of the tongue all the time, a question on which it was powerless to find the answer: Whether "Took Prinze's part in these terrible orgies when "stayed" with the Night Queen? Whether it to Cora made "missing couple for pleasure"?
But she did not decide to ask directly about it Cora, especially at Animals, and the forest witch told nothing about it.
8.
At last, the mortar softly landed at other Black Stone that faced Cora's hut. Cora took the place on the same chair near the Stone again, as at their first meeting, gesture having invited the Fairy and Animals to sit down on wooden stools at opposite part of the Stone. Having sustained a long pause, she gloomy told:
Unconquered Sun Page 23