not love me at all?
– You know who my heart belongs to.
The image of Eleanor disappeared, but Silver knew that the woman in her hearts threw the glass ball, and it rolled on the grass.
«I will show you what Regatta’s love is worth! I will punish this witch!» – I think Eleanor said something in this style. Silver smiled. Shouldn’t he know the value of this woman’s love? For her sake, he left his father’s house. Suthering is always in a state of readiness for war with Morelia. Silver’s father disowned him when he learned that the prince was engaged to the Queen of Morelia. Dinor cursed his eldest son.
So Silver lost his family for the sake of his beloved. He tried to remember the faces of his father and brother, but he couldn’t. It’s like someone erased the past. What remained was an all-consuming love, which did not fade away over the years, but became stronger.
The sphere on Silver’s hand disappeared. Danny, one of the generals, spoke up.
– Silver, I don’t understand how you do this? I have been accustomed to magic since childhood. I am not surprised by palantirs and other balls that allow you to see through space and time. But you don’t even need a glass ball!
– Objects are nothing. The main thing is their essence, the main thing is what they hide inside, what they are intended for. Once I held the palantir in my hand, I understood its essence, structure and purpose. And now I just need to revive this subject in my memory. Knowing the essence is more important than the subject itself. One day I will understand people, and then there will be no barriers left in front of me.
Silver closed his eyes, and another person appeared out of thin air next to him, Danny’s double.
– Sometimes it seems to me that I already understand people. But then I realize I’m wrong.
The general’s double disappeared in the same way as he appeared – dissolving into thin air.
– You know, Silver, sometimes I’m afraid of you. I don’t envy your enemies!
– I’m sometimes afraid of myself! – said Silver. And then he took out a pendant from his breast pocket. He opened it, and in it was a small image of a woman, drawn by one artist.
– Okay, it’s time to go home. The regatta is probably already exhausted. I didn’t tell her I was going hunting. Order the slaves to take the boar, and let’s go home!
Chapter 6. First step
The hardest thing is to take the first step. You look at your feet uncertainly and think, think, think… You imagine the dangers that await you on the way. Friends, and especially envious people, who do not want to change anything in life, who are afraid, but dream of living better, talk about the horrors that await you. And now you are shifting unsteadily from foot to foot, scratching the back of your head, and saying: «Do I need this? Isn’t it better to live without changes, quietly, calmly?» So you threw the bag that was hanging over your shoulders onto the floor. He sat down at the table and poured some wine. Then again, and again. And so on ad infinitum. Then old age will come, and you will think: «Maybe it was worth going on a journey? Maybe it would be better? You can’t go back to the past. The past is a wall, once it’s built, you can’t go back, and if you want to break it, you can lose your future.
And you can take the first step. Then another one. You take twenty steps and you can’t see your goal. But man is a lazy creature. He never wants to go back, even twenty steps. You will go forward into the unknown until you come to victory. Our whole life is the path to a dream! The main thing is not to be scared and take the first step, then it will be easier!
The horses neighed, marking time. Still mounted his horse first. The other nine travelers followed his example. Dinor tapped his son on the shoulder:
– Good luck, son. Fate is our mistress, we are all in her hands. Come back victorious! Know that we are waiting for you!
The king wiped away a tear that treacherously tried to wet his chin.
– With a shield – or on it! – Colonel Darsu said, raising his fist. The old warrior also wanted to go on a dangerous journey, but Dinor ordered him to stay to prepare for war.
«With a shield,» Dinor said. -Only with a shield. I believe that you will return victorious and save the Motherland in this difficult time!
The sun was rising on the horizon, but the heat was already unbearable. Maybe the stones underfoot don’t have time to cool down overnight? The bugles sounded and the squad set off. A crowd of onlookers saw off the prince and his faithful friends with looks full of admiration. Myrtle inflorescences and rose petals fell under the horses’ feet. The travelers disappeared behind the city gates, and the women were still waving white scarves and dabbing their tears.
We drove fast. There are many miles to the next tavern, you need to get there before sunset. Later you will often have to spend the night in the open air, but while you have the opportunity, it is better not to deny yourself comfort. Moreover, as Lewis once said, Still was used to living in luxury. This is the prince’s first journey.
– Well, don’t you want to come back? – Lewis laughed, overtaking Still. – Because the tender royal ass is probably not used to the hard saddle!
Still hit his horse under the sides and began to catch up with Lewis. Nermall shook his head and smiled:
– What kind of children they are! They would have all the toys. The young men do not understand where they have gone, how many dangers await them on this path!
– Were we not the same once? – Kurt laughed into his mustache.
– I still don’t mind competing! – Duncan said and spurred his horse. A few moments later he was already catching up with Still. – Come on, sleepyheads, who will get to the tavern faster?
After a while, all the horses were racing at full speed. Even old Nermall had the hot blood of a pirate boiling. He spent most of his life at sea, but even on land he often had to hide from soldiers. Therefore, he gave a head start to the young scoundrels.
We planned to get to the Gray Horse tavern when the moon rose. But when we got there, the one-day myrrh had hardly bloomed.
***
– Innkeeper, bring the roast goose. Or better yet, wild boar. And beer! – said Duncan.
– Maybe you want to rest first after a long journey? – the innkeeper spoke. – I’ll ask my son, he’ll show me where to take the things!
– What’s your name, guy? – Kurt asked.
– Daryl.
– Daryl, we drove all day without stopping. Yes, we are incredibly tired, but you can’t even imagine how hungry we are! I would eat a whole boar right now. But the only edible thing in front of me is you, fat man. You don’t want me to become a man-eater, do you?
The small hall smelled of beer and food. Looks like fried potatoes or something. And the smell of wild boar cannot be confused with anything else.
The maids hurried. They carried wooden mugs with a foamy drink. The men drank almost in one gulp, only Still and Lewis drank in small sips.
– What are they teaching today’s youth? – Nermall grinned. «They can’t even drink properly!»
The men laughed. Lewis snorted in displeasure. He furrowed his brow as he poured the rest of the mug into his mouth. Still continued to drink, taking his time.
It’s cool in the hall, or maybe it seemed so after a day spent on a horse in the heat. Several torches hung on the walls could not cope with the dimness in the room. The servants brought in a dish of wild boar roasted on a spit.
– Look, Kurt, don’t break your neck! – Duncan smiled. The man turned