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– Five coins.
– No problem.
She did it! She will go home, then lie in bed and draw a portrait of Niels in her mind, and in the future (the summer is so long!) she will use pencils and make it for real. The city frightened the girl – so big and always running somewhere. Now it will be nicer to hide under the blanket, lighting everything with only a tiny but bright and hot fire in her heart.
The unknown always seems simple, but until you personally experience everything. Louise would definitely return to the City – she must see Niels again.
The girl was already rushing home, but suddenly something stopped her – it was her heart. "The settlement," it whispered.
There was a light burning in a single cottage. It tugged at her. Niels went to the window and saw a small figure. A girl. With long hair and wearing a light jacket. Louise. Niels waved to her.
The girl didn't answer. She just stood looking up until the lights on the first floor of the house went out. Then the front door opened and Niels's father shouted:
– Get out!
I should say it wasn't necessary. There was no one under the window. Niels climbed back into bed and prepared himself for his father to come up to his room. His footsteps were already echoing down the stairs.
No girls, he knew.
– Did you bring it? Good girl," Galya praised the girl. Louise even thought: "Does the nanny even need a newspaper?" In fact, she did – what if people showed up in their little world with guns? We need to find out more about them.
– I was scared.
– What's wrong?
– It's dark. You don't know what's around the corner.
– But you wanted to go to the City so badly.
– Why did you let me go alone? " Louise asked; she was beginning to feel drowsy.
– Go to bed," said Galya suddenly.
– I want to see the boy.
– You'll run away tomorrow.
– What?
– Good night.
Confused, the girl went to her bedroom. "I'll find you. I need you," she whispered and fell asleep.
– I'm waiting.
– Father, I want to sleep.
– No, I want an explanation! Who was that girl standing under the window?
– I… I don't know her. She must have been passing by.
– Liar! A girl doesn't go out alone late at night! Well, so what? " dad insisted.
– I have my first day tomorrow. I have to sleep.
– Suppose I believe you, Nielson. But next time I won't let you get away with anything. Remember, you'll stay in this house forever. Your mother and I decided it a long time ago. We birthed you and raised you, so pay us back. You'll have to serve and kill things that shouldn't be.
– What are you talking about?
– Go to sleep!" he slammed the door and left. It was clear that Henry thought his son was nothing. There was no love, only duty.
Louise started to comb her hair in front of the mirror as usual, but suddenly she froze in horror – her whole face was covered with some spots. The girl knew that she was not allergic to anything, and yesterday she had eaten almost nothing. And if she had, it was unlikely that her mother could know about it and tell Galina. Then what is it? What if she's sick with something?
– Galya, Galya, what is it? " Louise ran into the kitchen where Galya was already reading the newspaper. The same one Louise went to get yesterday.
– What's wrong? Don't scare me, baby.
– Do I have spots on my face? Where did they come from? They weren't there yesterday, I remember! …
– Let me see," the old woman called the child closer and began to scrutinize her face, in some places even a little probing.
– Everything is clear. Don't worry," after a minute she announced the "diagnosis". – You're growing up, Louise.
– What do you mean? " the girl was embarrassed.
– It's just pimples. Hormones.
– What's going to happen to me?
– You're becoming a teenager, that's all. It's perfectly normal. It's as natural as birth and death.
– I don't want to die," Louise said sternly.
– You don't have to," Galya laughed. – Shall we have breakfast?
– Come on. I'm terribly hungry," agreed the girl.
It seemed that Louise was ready to eat an elephant: a plate of porridge was followed by toast, cocoa and marmalade on agar, and then spoonfuls of flower jam straight from the jar. The poor girl couldn't stop.
– Louise, what's wrong with you? Aren't you full?
– I want more!" she exclaimed. One jar of jam had already been emptied.
– Wait, stop! You're not sick? You've never been like this before – you've always eaten little and selectively. You used to pick out all the bones.
"Adolescence. Ah, how long ago it was…" Galya added to herself.
The uniform fit perfectly, but the helmet was a little tight. All in all, Niels looked fresh, neat and warlike. But it was scary. Did his parents dislike him and want him to die in battle? "No, of course not. I'm a man after all," the young man reassured himself. It was time to leave the house – the squad should come for him and take him to the place of the meeting.
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying home. My face is disfigured!" the poor girl was completely confused. She knew where Niels lived, just as she knew that there was a spark between them. An invisible thread had stretched out. First love, like in a fairy tale. One part of her soul had to find and see Niels at all costs, and the other part didn't want the shame of meeting someone else. What to do?
Niels… but they hadn't even met. Is there such a thing? Just fall in love. She's only twelve, she's a child – but her heart says otherwise. She's a magical girl, and Niels is just an ordinary man. A boy. Not Butterfly at all. She will fly, and what about him – standing on the ground and watching? It's not fair! "Maybe I don't need these wings so much? " Louise pondered. "That's what mom and dad don't need me. I'll take it and not accept this silly magic! I'll go to the City and look at people – to spite them! Mommy loved Daddy, just Daddy, so why can't I?"
Louise decided not to be discouraged. She dressed quickly, pinned her hair back, tied her apron and promised Galya to be there for lunch.
"Run. Look for love," the old woman only smiled. But she was uneasy at heart – what could those young men from the City do? At first glance it seemed that there was no one but farmers and butterflies in the Forests and Steppes – but there were not. There were those who flew. Those who hid. Those who lived underground. And then there were Galya and Louise. By the way, the girl often asked if there were no other Butterflies in the neighborhood; Galya answered in the negative, and it was true. Louise was really alone – at least, if she didn't get a visit from her mommy.
Chapter Six
Once again, she followed the path. The same path that led to the border. In a way it could be called the Path of Life – it led Louise forward. The girl reached the cottage where she had watched Niels yesterday, but today there was no one there. The windows were not curtained, and Louise could even make out some furniture inside. "That's strange, it's summer. And today is also Saturday. He's not here. Maybe I have found the wrong house?" the girl was upset, but suddenly she heard a butterfly – it landed on her shoulder.
– Run away from here!" squeaked the butterfly. – Stay away from people!
– Excuse me, but what's the matter?
– There are teenagers infiltrating our Steppes and Forests. They…
– I think I saw them. And then I cried.
– Poor child! You see!" replied the butterfly sympathetically.
– There were four of them," said Louise, rather to herself.
– Yes, and they got into the Forest! They got into the Hollow of our Tree. I helped to drive them away, but they didn't seem to believe in good magic yet.
– They're not dead? " the girl asked.
– No. But they'll come home and panic. We could be attacked.
– By who? Just people? And we – whom do you mean?
– Woodland and prairie creatures, of course! We, butterflies, just so you know, belong to two worlds at once – the Forest and the Steppes.
– So do I. I'm a Butterfly. And I belong to both our world and the human world.
– Are you gonna fight?
– What?! No, I'm not…
– Do you know other Butterfly people, Louise?
– How do you know me?
– You've been living here forever.
– I'm only twelve, I don't…
– Not for you, but for us, insects, it's an eternity.
– I see, but what shall we do?
– Go to the City and destroy it.
– You've got to be kidding me.
– Not at all.
– I've got a better idea," said Louise. – Why don't just follow those teenagers?
– You're younger than them, girl.
– What's the big deal? Younger doesn't mean dumber, does it?
– It's their own fault. Nature's tired of it. Tired of humans. They can't go unpunished forever.
– They must have a king. Who do we have?" asked the girl, though she didn't know much about politics.
– Our Tree, of course. It is life.
– Mine too?
– My little head is tired of questions. I have to leave," the butterfly replied and disappeared into the dazzling blue of the sky.
The day was sunny, but the little girl's soul was suddenly troubled.
"Maybe that's why Galya sent me to get the newspaper? Did she just want to know the news? But I'll be brave – I'll take it and go to the City. But before I do that, I'll see the boy Niels. At least with one eye…"
There are insect butterflies and there are human butterflies. How are they different?
Niels rode silently on the wagon with the rest of the boys. It was so unusual, in the age of automobiles and peregrine falcons, to travel by horseback; she was doing a good job, though.
"I don't feel like doing it. Why did I listen to my parents?" thought Niels, while the sun was beating down mercilessly on his red head.
Where is Louise? So modest, yet so mysterious. Fragile and small. Niels, of course, could not yet know how strong Louise was at heart. "A magical girl. That's for sure. Good thing I'm learning Latin".
– Why are you learning Latin?
– To read some spell…
After about an hour (they had to gather the others along the way), the road finally brought Niels and his companions to a huge clearing. There were flowers growing all around, with bees and butterflies darting between them. No one tried to trample them – why should they? The warriors stood in a line – they all wore the same uniform, and their eyes were a little sad, expressing some strange tension. They waited for the first command, but had no idea what was to come.
– Attention! Hands at your side!" they heard the voice of a man with a beard and high boots. The service had begun.
Louise was upset and went home; it was too early for lunch, so she would go to the Glade where she could lie down, relax and think hard. She was a nature girl, so she wasn't afraid to wear out her dress with loose earth. And she had almost forgotten about the stains on her face.
On the way, Louise had to stop – a group of people caught her attention. The girl came closer – there were boys. Not a single girl. And they were all wearing uniforms. Louise had seen something like this in pictures in textbooks and realized that they were soldiers. Military.
"Was the butterfly right, and do people really want to hurt us?"
