whispered, so no one heard: “He took HIS sword, a boat will come from the Island behind him”
Yes, Ull, you have chosen the heart. Get ready, go to the island of Buyan, now the seven wise men awake you to instruct, and Thirty elect to teach military science.
“And you are a beautiful girl,” she turned to Elia Pryaha, “you will learn from us,” then the eyes of all the novices turned to the girl, and many knowingly nodded their heads, “you need care.
Mara went to collect the things of the girl, who stood in the middle of the upper room, folded her hands on her stomach without end sighing sadly and bowing her head. Alicia raised her head, and rushed to her brother, weeping sadly on his shoulder, and stroking his hair with her left hand. She was not in a hurry to separate them, only one approached, laid her hand on her shoulder, and began to whisper something affectionate.
“Come with us, girl,” and the elder looked at the boy with bottomless blue eyes, and with a nod of her head, and with her free hand she showed, go away, they say.
Ull sighed, and went to collect simple belongings in a leather bag. Down put leather pants, a knife, a number of knitted pants and a pair of shirts, tied for him by Mary and adorned with beautiful embroidery with images of Lada, Tree, and one of my mother’s bracelets. Soon he was ready, and Mara led him to the shore, not allowing even to say goodbye to his sister. The boy was dragging a leather bag on his shoulder, straightening a bronze dagger at his waist, and carefully stepping on stones and ice on the shore, not wanting to take a break in front of the Chosen from Buyan.Four rowers were already sitting in the leather boat, and Ull turned to Mare, and she took the first step and hugged, the boy took her head to her chin.
“I went, Mara,” he said, bowing his head, “and continued to cheerfully,” I will come back here again, for my sister.
“We’ll wait,” Mara smiled at him, and she thought, that she waved, in six years she will be a giant.
The boy went to the shore, and the soldiers dragged the boat into the sea, and jumped into it, gave a hand to the boy, and put him in a boat and he walked to his nose, and the men quickly began to row in time, breaking the waves of the Frozen Sea, passing by the ice floes. Mara looked at the boat until she disappeared from the horizon, turning into a point, and she soon disappeared. She went back to the palaces, slowly moving her legs, and thought that: “Well, Ull swam away, and Eli was taken away, and they were restless, and everything was more fun. Maybe you should have gotten married like everyone else?”. She walked and walked, sighing, remembering how little Ull was funny, and what a funny Ale with two teeth would just smile, and immediately the mood was excellent. And now her Prya is good if she is allowed to visit her once a week, to her room. And so will the lessons take place in the Ice Palaces to pass, grow up, and there will be a new witch, and as one of Pryah dies, they will call her to her, and they will not refuse, because they will not allow it.
Buyan Island
The boat moved along the sea, the rowers quickly worked with oars, and skillfully dodged ice floes. Ull stood on the nose, peering into the distance, and had already seen the approaching cliff of Buyan Island.
“What is your name lad?” Asked the healthiest warrior working with an oar and smiled encouragingly at the boy.
“Ull,” answered the boy, and now the apprentice.
All men were dressed similarly – in fur jackets with hoods and the same pants, and soft boots, stuck with straps. Each had daggers on his belt, and other weapons were piled up in the middle of the boat – bows with arrows, spears, clubs and shields. There was also a leather water tank and a pair of wooden drinking buckets.
– Soon we will sail. How old are you? Thirteen? – Rather approved, than the interlocutor asked the boy.
“Ten to me,” Ulle replied, frowning, and tightened his hold on the side of the boat.
– How many??? – a warrior answered without dropping the paddle, he even lost his rhythm, and the whole team laughed, not believing Ull.
Ull told his companions about El, how she rescued the bear cub, how the bear ran after her, like a dog, how he raised a huge log. He looked at his new comrades, and saw on their faces how they grin, not believing him. And meanwhile, the island was already at twenty cubits.
“Fairy tales told, entertained,” one man told him.
“So it was!” Said the boy passionately, “I’m very strong!”
In response, he had a strong laugh, even the boat began to sway in the waves became stronger, as if laughing with the soldiers.
“Check, let’s go one-on-one with anyone!” Shouted Ull passionately, jumping out into the middle of the boat.
The most tall man who was a little taller than the boy rose, and his friends were already squealing with shouts: “What are you talking about! He is still small!”
“Nothing, I’m cautious,” he replied, grinning, and Ull, with anger and resentment, pushed the warrior with both hands at once to the heart area while simultaneously carrying all the weight on his left leg, which he carried forward in sync with the jolt, so the blow was crushing but not offensive, and the enemy flew overboard, raising a bunch of splashes, but it was good that the boat was already near the shore, so that the chosen one touched the bottom with his feet, but was wet to the skin. Ule gasped, rushed to pull him out, but he quickly reached the shore, and laughing already helped others to pull the boat to the shore, and the whole team burst out laughing, and everyone approvingly tapped the boy on the shoulders.
– Healthy you, right now the hero is intentional. It’s not for nothing that the witches sent you to us, “said one of the warriors,” now we will defeat all our enemies with you, “and a wet opponent ran along the shore to change into a hut,” and you know how to fight. Who learned?
To these words, Ull was silent, recalling the lessons of Mary, the lessons of struggle with cunning punches and tricks: “Do not tell anyone about this fight and never, people can suffer.”
“My name is Aket,” the rower appeared, the one whom you dropped into the water, “he grinned, putting his fingers in his right hand in his belt,” is Terey. This is Gnur, – he pointed to another warrior, putting the oar into the boat, – And this is Katey, – and he raised his hand in greeting.
All these were strong and very tall fair-haired young men, from among the thirty chosen warriors of the island, the disciples of the seven wise men. Aket approached Ull, once again looked at him with his deep-set eyes, and said after a pause:
– Come, show you your abode.
He led him to a mountain in which cells and common rooms for the inhabitants of the island were hollowed out. The land was not as stony as on Alatyr Island, they walked past a stream, next to which a huge oak tree grew, with a golden chain hung on it.
– This is a sacred tree, Ull. Then there is a field for hunting, there you will learn to rule the chariot, ride a horse, pacify the bulls and handle the cows. We are shepherds, we live in it if you don’t know, feed the cows, catch fish, so every man should be able to deal with cows and bulls. Have you grown up with a witch, have you seen a cow?
“No,” the boy shook his reddish curls, “we only had a goat, they fed me with its milk.”
– And mother like? – already anticipating the answer, but nevertheless asked him Aket.
“He sleeps in the ice with the witches,” he replied, lowering his eyes, “and I was still fed with deer brains from the bones when there was little milk.
– That’s why he became so strong, even though he didn’t taste the mother’s milk. We came, – he said, pointing to one of the holes in the mountain, closed by an oak door and curtained with deer skins, – we live in the old fashioned way, here live the same youngsters like you, and we, the soldiers,