by Alex Sapegin
“Excuse me, Major General Leonid Sanin. I was thinking.” Andy smiled radiantly, slightly spreading his hands to the side. “Please don’t blame me, but before I answer your questions, I’d like to finish the conversation with my parents. It will take two minutes at most. Alright?” And then, before he was interrupted, he added, “Great!” The outcome was fixed already. In two sentences, he again became the master of the situation. Sanin grit his teeth.
“Dad, Mom, Ira,” Andy looked at his parents and sisters. “I suggest you move over there with me. What do you say? I’m rich and I can provide you with a decent life. I have to tell you right away, I’m not going to take you by force, but I’ll take Olga no matter what. She can’t remain on the Earth. I’ll overcome myself and you, take her, tear her out of your hands if you decide not to let her go. Make your peace with it. I promise to take good care of her there and will be able to protect her from anyone, and then she’ll be able to stand up for herself, and anyone who might wish her harm will be afraid to touch MY sister. Believe me, I’m telling the truth and I never throw words to the wind. If we move the whole family, I’ll buy you any house or estate. You can choose from them all, in any country, anywhere.”
Helen Kerimov looked at Iliya and shook her head. His father thought for a moment. When he had come to a decision, he turned to his wife and hugged her around the waist. Their eyes met. Apparently, they were conducting a mental dialogue.
“You’ve grown up, son. It’s a shame mom and I couldn’t be there with you all those years you spent on Ilanta, but I’m glad you’ve become a worthy person. No, son, mom and I are staying here.”
“Why?” Andy hissed. His sisters and the General stared at his parents.
“We were born here and grew up here. I can’t quit the career I love and leave those who believe me and believe in me. It’s something I’ve worked at my whole life—what will I do there? And what about your grandma? Can we leave her alone in her later years? No, son, I’m staying.”
“Thank you,” Helen said quietly, wiping away tears.
“Irina?”
“Do you have many princes on white horses there?” She couldn’t help but lighten the mood. Everyone smiled.
“I’ll be on the lookout for you. I have a couple of possible candidates in mind, heirs to kingdoms. Would noble knights work?” Andy smiled.
“To travel to a fairy-tale world... Who do you take me for? Dad?”
Iliya shook his head. “Only you can make this decision.”
Irina looked at her brother questioningly. “I’ll understand if you decide to stay with mom and dad. I’ve always respected your opinion.”
“I’ll go with you. Mom, dad, you’re letting us go so easily! Why?” Irina asked, kissing her dad on the cheek and squeezing her mom’s hand.
“We believe you’ll be safe there, no matter how simple that sounds. You’ve grown, and children leave their parents’ nest and start their own families,” Helen managed to explain.
“Yes, you’ll be far, but I hope Leonid Vladimirovich or whoever takes his place won’t forbid me from sometimes coming to visit you. Go on, your mother and I will get through somehow. Tell me, son, what do you lack here that makes you try so hard to get back?” Iliya asked suddenly.
“Wings, Dad, wings. You’ll understand it all soon enough. And also Ania, my wife. I want to let you in on the good news; you’ll soon be grandparents.”
“What? And you didn’t say anything?” Helen spoke up again. “When did you manage that? Iliya, did you know?”
“How could I know?”
“I will certainly introduce you, and I’ll expect you after the birth of my first-born. Leonid Vladimirovich, if the government of the Russian Federation wants good-neighborly and mutually beneficial relations with the Celestial Empire of Dragons, you can fulfill this request. And I, for my part, will be in your debt. And now we will pass on to your questions,” Andy sharply changed the subject, becoming serious to the point of indecency. “What do you say about my tattoo?”
“It looks like the coat of arms of the empire,” Medhi, the linguist, answered instead of the General. “Which allows us to conclude that you are somehow connected with the dragons.”
“You guessed it. Almost. The only ones who can bear the clan totem, which is also the personal coat of arms of the ruling family are…”
“...members of the emperor’s family,” Medhi finished her sentence and added a few shocked words in her own language.
“As the heir to the throne, Crown Prince of the Dragon Empire, I am empowered by Empress Jagirra to negotiate any peace, cooperation, and the opening of diplomatic and trade missions.”
“Son…” Helen sighed. Irina’s jaw dropped. It punctured the Earth’s crust and plunged deeply into the magma. The others didn’t look any better than his sister. The only islands of serenity were his father and Sanin, who seemed to be unbreakable.
“I’ve been adopted by the Empress. It was total adoption, with all the consequences that come with it. Let’s continue. General Sanin!” Andy looked at Sanin and thought that his mother would really let him have it, and Karegar would add to it, and Ruigar and Gray would join them...
In short, the yelling would be spectacular. They would chain him in notrium chains and lecture him on morality day and night. He’d never spoken on behalf of the state, but he didn’t see any other way out. The Earthlings, in particular the Russian government, must be driven into the allotted framework, so he said firmly, “I hope that what I am about to say will be repeated verbatim to the president. The Celestial Empire of Dragons stands for the establishment of good-neighborly relations. On behalf of the Empress, I demand that you cease your uncontrolled infiltrations into the space of Ilanta. In order to establish diplomatic relations between our states and primary consultations, I propose organizing a meeting at the level of the Foreign Ministers of the Celestial Empire and Russia. I propose to appoint the time of the meeting in thirty days’ time, Ilanta time, in Orten. The Dragon Empire will not object if the Russian Federation, in addition to its diplomatic ties to the Celestial Empire of Dragons, decides to enter into multilateral relations with other states on Ilanta. The official response of the Government of the Russian Federation or other proposals on the above question I expect no later than ten days from today, Ilanta time, in Orten. I authorize opening a portal at three o’clock in the afternoon on the square in front of the governor’s residence. In the event of refusal of the requirement to limit and prohibit unauthorized entry into Ilanta’s space, the empire reserves the right to an adequate response and to take all necessary measures to limit spatial movements.”
Phew, what a mouthful! He had smiled on them and threatened them; the carrot and the whip. Let them think. He couldn’t speak weakly. They would still climb into the foreign worlds, but this would create a good stopper in the form of an international, that is, interworld treaty. Before their eyes, a trade agreement was being organized; they just needed to immediately establish the necessary barriers to import and export certain types of goods. In addition, all megaliths would have to be confiscated from the miur and stashed in the mountain caves where they would place the groups responsible for the interworld portals. They would also need to add rapid reaction units with heavy weapons and gunners. The work had no end. No problem, Gray and Ruigar would cope. The advisers would squeeze every benefit possible out of the situation. Yes, only they would take offense that he was still thinking of hiding in the bushes. Andy, having put on a brick “mask,” was laughing at Sanin underneath. The General was cut to the quick. He understood what he’d gotten himself into, but it would be okay. He looked like a strong guy—he’d step up. Nerves of steel, that one. Let me add some information to his thought process.
“If the government of the Russian Federation expresses its desire to hold bilateral consultations in the territory of the Russian Federation, I ask you to please inform us about that as well and indicate the exit coordinates of the portal. Now, to finish our fruitful a
nd, undoubtedly, entertaining conversation, I will add one thing: the dragons know how to open interworld portals.”
On the periphery of consciousness, Rosugar cracked up and jerked his virtual paws. Hogwash. The President and the Prime Minister wouldn’t request the interworld meetings take place here. They would most likely agree, and if they agreed, they would make a trip to Orten. Just an aside.
“One and a half thousand years ago, dragon expeditions visited the Earth, but in the register of worlds, Earth was marked as a backward world. The expedition members were attacked several times by knights. Unfortunately, the coordinates and the space-time reference were lost…” Andy made a pregnant pause. Everyone listened attentively. “...but thanks to you and the fact that you pulled me home, we have once again recovered the necessary data for the construction of portals.” It’s good to shoot the breeze. Twins forbid the general snaps out of his stupor and begins to pour on the questions. Now I have to make a classy exit; I’ve already talked too much. It’s time to dash, or I’ll blurt something out, then I’ll be in for it at home. Rosugar, it’s time, Andy thought.
“You won’t make it in human hypostasis.”
“That’s what I thought. Do you want the General to die? And did you think about my parents? They’re sure to get a shock.”
“You talking to me? Who invited them to the birth of your firstborn?”
“You’re so bad!”
“Here’s the interweave construction.”
Andy looked at his parents. “Don’t be afraid, it’s me, only I look different. You’ll see,” he retreated a dozen steps and sent a broad smile to the General. “Leonid Vladimirovich, order everyone to turn the safeties on their weapons, or better yet to put their weapons down. They won’t hurt me, but they could accidentally hurt some people.”
Sanin complied with the request. Andy smiled again and changed hypostasis. There was a boom, and the sphere of a power trap emerged around Olga, Irina, and Bon, wrapped a cellophane bag. A habitual dive into the astral plane and mana started to gush into the world. Andy rose to his hind legs and opened his wings. The rainbow sheen on his scales and wings was reflected in hundreds of pairs of eyes. Rosugar signaled, and energy began to flow into the interweave construction. The scales lit up with a bright light.
Obeying the movement of the dragon’s front paws, a huge “window” into the alien world appeared in front of Andy, who was standing on his hind legs. There was no familiar silvery film. The familiar green sea of the Mellorny forest stretched before their eyes, its evergreen canopy covering a hill with an interplanetary portal. Beyond the forest rose snow-white mountains caps. A strong gust of wind caused by the difference in atmospheric pressure between the worlds blew out from the window. The people were enveloped in a stupefying aroma of honey. Besides the smell of the foreign world, dozens of flying balls reminiscent of dandelion caps also came to Earth through the “window.” Grabbing the power trap, Andy took off and dove into the “window,” which immediately shut.
He was home!
“Aniaaaa!!!”
* * *
If anyone had been paying attention to Major General Sanin, they would have seen a man who had lost his previous orientation to life. The General was completely freaking out. His entire worldview had collapsed and buried him under the debris. The equanimity he was famous for among his colleagues and associates, which earned him the nickname “Steel Leonid,” had waved bye-bye and flown off in an unknown direction. Although, his entourage of officers, scientists, and members of the special forces did not look any better.
Lantsov was the first commander to come to his senses. The Colonel approached Sanin. “General, what should we do?”
The General winced. “Uh,” he whispered, rubbed his temples, and raised a burdened glance at his friend. “What?”
“It’s a hard case. I can see it really affected you…” Lantsov drawled and trailed off awkwardly. “I’m asking what we’re going to do.”
“We’re going to work as hard as we can to clear the neighborhood, bring the hospital under control, interview all the patients, bystanders, doctors, and police officers, check the apartments in the buildings around here that have a view of the hospital parking lot… this information should not get out, understand? God forbid someone recorded something and puts it on YouTube! Go!” The General watched the Colonel walk away, shook his head, looked at the staff bus, and saw the communications man, who was writhing at the door. “Give me Moscow, quickly!”
Ilanta. A valley of thousand streams…
Ania lay in the shadow of a rocky canopy at the entrance to the cave, commenting snarkily on the mistakes of the two young fencers. Tyigu and Lilly were trying to get Slaisa, but each of the students’ attacks ended either with a training sword being knocked out of their hands or with a loud slap in a soft area of the body that indicated a fatal blow.
Slaisa’s redheaded husband comfortably settled on the dragoness’ front paws. Carving another wooden training sword for the youngsters, Olaf watched his wife warily. The orc should be sitting at home taking care of herself, not galloping around with pupils like a goat. The warrior’s rounded tummy deprived her of her former mobility. She had no flexibility and she tired quickly, but she continued to go daily to Ania and Kerr’s cave with the young people. Ilnyrgu did not comment on her fellow tribesman’s behavior, which made the Norseman conclude that in the kingdom of the White Orcs, it was the accepted norm for warriors to exercise with weapons even when they were approaching “their time.”
Olaf finished scraping the sword and looked severely at the village boys sitting on the side, giggling at Tyigu and Lilly, who couldn’t best the pregnant orc. Ania intercepted the Viking’s gaze and licked her scales in smug satisfaction. The boys caught sight of their mentor and shivered. They were horrified to imagine what epithets the black dragon had prepared for them. The young Mistress did not suffer from a lack of imagination; her tongue was sharp and sarcastic. Pleased with the effect, Olaf winked at the girls as if to say, “get ready, there’ll be a holiday on your street too.” The young elf and orc smiled in anticipation. It’s always easy to comment on someone else’s clumsiness.
“We’re done!” Slaisa saluted the students with a sword. The girls bowed to the instructor. “That’s better, much better. Tomorrow Dorit and Ilnyrgu will take care of you. If you do well, then in a month, Irran will take you into her claws. Don’t forget that before you go to bed you have magic lessons from Ilnyrgu, and now march to the Hermit. Quickly!” The girls seemed to be blown away by the wind. After thirty seconds a light drop was heard at the very bottom of the path leading to the cave. Slaisa hung over the boys like an eagle. “So, masters, let’s see if you’re any better than my pupils. You know how to flap your tongues. We’ll see whether you’re good at controlling swords.”
“Honey, don’t kill them right away,” Olaf said, taking the new sword and sitting down in his usual comfy spot near Ania. “I want a turn with them, too—if there’s anything left of them when you’re through,” he added quietly, but loud enough for the boys to hear. The look on the boys’ faces could have made milk sour in a second. The dragon barely held back her laughter; two treacherous trickles of smoke escaped from her nostrils.
Ania shifted, settling herself more conveniently, and laid her head on a large warm boulder. The evening was approaching, another day coming to an end... Another day without Kerr. Manyfaces, how many more would there be? She didn’t remember that day very well. Apparently, her mind refused to accept the fact of her husband’s disappearance. Ania only remembered Kerr’s wing disappearing from her back. She was in the morning half-sleep at that moment, when you’re trying to snatch the last bits of sleep that’s receding before dawn. Kerr changed hypostasis and went to the platform in front of the cave for his morning warm-up. He stayed there for no more than ten minutes when all of a sudden, the ancient vaults of the natural dragon house were flooded a bright light. Later, Olaf, Ilnyrgu, and Duke the Tanner told her that a s
mall sun had flashed behind Kerr, and a rainbow stretched from the sky. The next moment, the light dimmed and the rainbow disappeared, and along with it the one who was most dear to Ania’s heart. The three had been going to the cave to discuss with the new owner of the valley the burning question of building new houses near the edge of the forest. Olaf claimed that the rainbow was nothing other than Bifrost, and that Kerr had been taken to Asgard, into the palaces of the gods. Odin himself decided to take the were-dragon into his squad. The viking was laughed at; the inhabitants of the valley did not believe in Odin.
Ania spent all day in a fog. She didn’t understand what the Empress, who had hurried to the scene, wanted from her or what the trackers and various types of mages were doing at the cave. Empress Jagirra, in elvish hypostasis, clutched at her left shoulder and constantly bared the family totem. It was no use; the clan blood magic did not provide the answer to whether the son and heir was alive or dead. There was no response. Jagirra went crazy. The investigators and magicians dug the ground up and searched the entire place with a fine-tooth comb.
They interrogated the Viking, orc, and unhappy tanner for a long time. The Royal Informants, who were sent to help the Empress by the King of Tantre, looked for energy prints and tracks, and gloomily threw up their hands. No clues; it was as if Kerr had sunk into a body of water. Jagirra and Karegar, sending the servants away, argued about something for a long time. Ania didn’t listen to them, although she should have—Karegar expressed the idea that their son was taken back into the world from which he came, but how? For three days, everyone in the valley was on the pulling their hair out. On the fourth day, the madhouse ended; the Empress, who was grief-stricken, flew away. She didn’t even use the portal. Her retinue and the Informants followed. Ania, despite everyone trying to persuade her, refused to leave the cave, justifying her decision by the fact that Kerr had dreamed of this house. She would stay here and wait for him for at least a thousand years, and if necessary, three thousand. At this last sentence, Jaga flinched. She looked her daughter-in-law up and down with a long look, nervously twitched her wings, and stopped trying to convince her.