that they had not succeeded in saving one of the girls. How had they let her slip through their fingers? What had they not done right? They almost felt like crying. But then the Angel unexpectedly appeared in front of them.
“Don’t be upset,” he said calming the boys down, “Varvara’s capture by the Turks is as it should be. Of course, I shouldn’t have told you that, but you both looked so upset and lost. Now, you must rest a little and then I will send you to Akhmet's home and you will see and understand everything. You will need to appear before Varvara as two ordinary young Bulgarian boys and carry out whatever she asks you to do."
Meanwhile, the Cossacks rode past and on each horse sat the happy girls and children that had just been freed. But galloping in front and happiest of all were Marko and Darya. They had decided to get married at the first opportunity. And Marko wasn’t going to let his beloved out of his sight a moment longer. There was no way that anyone would ever be able to split them apart again. Then the whole family would get together to think of a way of freeing Varvara and getting her back home.
The Angel told the boys to follow the Cossacks and to have a rest from their adventures while there was still a little time. Michael and Ben decided to stay at Darya’s house, which was calm and quiet because everyone had gone to Marko’s family house to make preparations for the wedding. Darya’s mother and father were very worried that their younger daughter had been captured by the Turks. They were so upset that the cousins decided then and there to try to comfort them. Taking on the form of simple peasant children they appeared in front of the parents who were completely taken aback to see these two unknown boys standing in front of them. Who were they and where had they come from? Why did they somehow look so unusual? One of the youths had dark eyes, very short hair and for some reason seemed to be smiling all the time. The other had bright blue eyes and long fair curls that made him look like an angel. They were trying to explain something in gestures mainly. The cousins had been so affected by Varvara’s mother and father’s grief surprise that they had forgotten what they had set out to do in the first place.
“Do you think I might have said something wrong?” Ben whispered to Michael.
“I didn’t understand anything that you said but I have the impression that you weren't speaking to them in the right language," Michael whispered back.
“Oh yes, how I could have forgotten.”
And Ben started to explain to them in his best Ukrainian that all would be well with Varvara because she was being protected by a very high ranking Turkish commander. And having repeated that everything would turn out right in the end, he gave Varvara's parents big thumbs up sign saying:
“Everything will be cool.” The two old peasants just looked at the strange boys in complete bewilderment. They couldn’t understand a word that these youths were saying because, although Ben had spoken to them in Ukrainian, it was 21st century Ukrainian. And when Ben had given the thumbs up sign the parents exclaimed:
“Dear God they must be Angels!”
The boys looked at each other and their faces broke into the most wonderful smiles. Then Michael turned to them and said: "Cool!” and whispering to Michael said: “Let’s go or should I say, let’s disappear.”
And with a click of a button the boys disappeared.
Varvara’s mother and father sat for some time in complete silence trying to fathom whether what had happened had been for real or was some kind of vision. Then they ran to Marko’s house telling everyone on the way that they had just been visited by two angels. The only thing was that they hadn't been able to totally understand what Ben had told them. Marko’s house was packed full of people making preparations for the wedding. The house was humming like a bee hive with talk of all the amazing events that had taken place on the banks of the Dniester.
In a word, it had been a miracle! First Darya and Varvara’s parents listened to everyone’s amazing accounts of what had happened. And then they told everyone about their visitation by two young boys, and how strangely they had looked and talked and everyone unanimously agreed that they could only have been angels. Meanwhile, the Angel had been observing the boys and how they had so sincerely tried to console Varvara’s parents and could not suppress a big smile – on seeing and hearing their 21st century gestures and slang. Of course this had all been a source of complete amazement to these simple folk who had never been further than the boundaries of their own village. The cousins shouldn’t have appeared before the parents of the captured girl but their attempt to console these simple and kind people had been extremely touching. A bright light flickered in the Angel’s hands; he raised them up and sent a bright flare up into the sky. The light flickered in the night sky and then disappeared. When enough of these signals of good would be won, then the star would be returned. And no efforts by the forces of darkness would be able to prevent this. Michael and Ben were sitting on the grass in a small clearing in the forest and were arguing loudly and fiercely, because no-one was nearby to overhear them.
“Why did we go to see Varvara’s mother and father? Instead of setting their minds at rest we only succeeded in frightening them,” Ben shouted.
"Well you should have tried speaking to them in old Ukrainian,” replied Michael.
“You try speaking in old Ukrainian yourself, clever clogs. Who knows ancient Ukrainian these days? You could at least have tried to stop me," said Ben trying to justify himself. “There’s no stopping you once you get started, and anyway how was I meant to know what you were talking about. I don’t know any Ukrainian – modern or ancient. And anyway what were you thinking saying to them that everything would be cool,” Michael continued.
“Are you what? I was only trying my best… And you yourself said “cool" And that was after we had already disappeared." Ben angrily kept turning something in his hands. It was a very old, unusual and beautifully worked silver cross.
“That cross is from Varvara’s parents’ house,” Michael remembered, when his cousin tried to recall how he had ended up with it. But what was to be done?
“We will have to return it,” said Ben agitatedly.
"But we need to wait here for the Angel," Michael reminded him.
“Let’s quickly run to the village, no-one will see us, and quietly put the cross back in Varvara’s house,” said Ben already setting off.
The boys quickly found themselves back in the village. But it was empty because everyone had gone to the church for Marko and Darya’s wedding. The cousins wormed their way through the crowd to the centre of the ancient church. They got there just as the wedding vows were being taken. Marko was in Cossack costume and Darya was in a very long and beautifully sewn shift. Covering this was a wonderfully embroidered skirt. And around her neck were at least a dozen coral necklaces. Her fair hair was plaited into a long pony tail which stretched down to her waist and her head was decorated by a garland of white flowers. And on her feet were the finest red leather boots.
“What a beauty,” whispered Michael.
“Well Mr Connoisseur of female beauty, you'd better concentrate on who we are going to give the cross to?" said Ben right into Michael’s ear, so that no-one could hear. The boys were concentrating hard in order not to be discovered. But everyone around them was so excited that they didn’t hear them anyway. Nevertheless, the boys still needed to find the bride’s parents. They made their way past the young man and woman who were holding crowns above the head of the bride and bride groom. Ben quietly made his way up to the bride’s mother. She was standing with a handkerchief in her hand wiping away the tears. The occasion was an extremely joyful one but she just couldn’t banish the thought of Varvara and her unhappy fate. Ben waited for an opportune moment and when the mother took her hand out of her pocket he quietly slipped the cross into it. When she put her hand back in her pocket she suddenly felt something heavy in the palm of her hand. She opened it and let out a yelp of surp
rise… There was Varvara’s cross. She stretched out her hand to her husband: "Look, our daughter's cross has fallen into my hand from nowhere. How can this have happened! Where did it come from? Maybe her guardian angel has brought it as a sign?”
“Oh no! We’ve done the wrong thing again,” said Ben in despair, “let’s get out of here quick!”
And with that Michael lead Ben to the exit. And not a moment too soon, because a few minutes later the whole church lead by the priest was in a furore discussing the mysterious appearance of Varvara's cross. After a great deal of discussion everyone came to the conclusion that this was a sign from God that all would be well with Varvara. The wedding then continued on at Marko’s house. Everyone was extremely happy and the bride’s parents’ faces shone with joy. Michael and Ben were also very pleasantly surprised that their small action had done so much good. Who would have thought it? The Angel knew that all deeds that come straight from the heart bring great joy to all people. And such actions in their turn naturally produce their own rewards – that is the law of life. And at that moment yet another ray of light shot up into the heavens. But now the boys were faced with a new task. They needed to catch
The Stolen Star Page 12