Gemini Alatyr of Island. Children of dead mother

“Get acquainted, this is Arius, and this is Vour,” he first pointed to one and then another teenager Gnur. Arius was taller than Vour, and Vour’s jacket was almost black, and Aria had light brown.

“You are all here and gathered,” Gunur laughed, “all the sons of the leaders here, as Arpad ordered and Seven sentenced. Gunas-Gun from the guns, Syrac from the Sindi, Knut from the Scolts, Vour from the Parsis, and Mansa Pret from the Dan, Tal from the Svei, Arius from the Van.

In turn, six teenagers called their names, lazy voices from a sleep. They all got dressed, covered the embers of the hearth with a stone pot, so that there would be no fire, quickly washing up, youths, now there were seven of them, went to run. We ran for a long time, drowning in snow with soft boots, at first it was cold, but soon Ull got warm, and everyone, too, ran with flushed faces. The youngsters were led by the gun, and set the pace, returned to the cell, rubbed with snow, got dressed, and went to the shooting range. They took their bows and arrows, shooting gloves and shields to protect their left hand from the bowstring. Ahead was the deliberate knight, Gnur, and after him, two by two, marched militarily, which was followed at this time by Sirac, the young students, walking in such a way that they did not break the order, even stepping on crisp snow.

“Stand in a row, between each of three steps,” demanded Gnur dexterously.

“Remove the bows from the irradiation, bend the bow under your foot,” he said, and did what he said, and the youths repeated after him, “now cling the string to the hook first from the bottom,” and hooked the string itself, “and then from above,” and in his hands was already a mighty reinforced bow.

They all stood holding bows in their left hands with a stretched string in fifty steps from the targets. Gnur looked sternly at the youths, walked over to the two, Ullue and Talu, straightening their legs in a rack with a bow.

– Get ready, and when ready – shoot, three arrows each.

Ull straightened the shield on his left hand, pulled the arrow out of the quiver, pulled the string to the ear, and sent it to the target, a wooden pole, then the second arrow and the third, lowered the bow and hid it in the beam. Gun and Knut were shot next to him. They held the bow quite cleverly.

Druzhinnik waited until the students finished shooting, and went to inspect the target, or rather all were Ull and Arius.

– Ull and Arius shoot further. Get off another fifty paces, and all the youths, move aside the shooters.

Ull stood next to Arius, he grinned caustically at him, he took off the hood, so that the wind waved his curls on his shaved head, but without knowing it, he helped Ullü aim.

“Well, kid, now we will find out who is who,” Arius joked bitterly and fired the first. The arrow, painted red, hit the center of the pillar, and the boys roared with delight.

– Ary! Arius! – pupils shouted in delight.

Ull clenched his teeth, estimated the wind, took out an arrow, aimed and fired. At first, the audience did not believe what they saw. Then the crowd rushed through the snow, overtaking each other. Gnur, as a senior, walked behind in a hurry, and Ull walked behind, sighing beforehand as he went. Gun and Tal, not believing their eyes, felt the arrow of Ulle, which split the arrow of Aria with her bronze tip.

“I have never seen such a thing,” said Gnur in surprise, “just a great archer, you, an islander.” You’re on the deer brains of all overtaken.

The youths approached, and each, considered it his duty to feel the arrow, the one that Aria slipped off soon fell on the already trampled snow. The wind was not strong, but as if mocked, snowflakes began to fall from the sky, covering the traces of the guns and mans, and a small detachment discussing archery went for lunch. After eating, letting the fat inside the still-childish bodies solidify, Gnur led the boys to a wooden bull, located nearby. Three people with Ulls at the head dragged a large armful of straw, so that the unfortunate jumper would not suffer.

Placing the pupils next to him, the tutor stood right in front of the bull at ten paces, took off his jacket and gave it to Aria, ran away with fast jumps, and carrying the weight on his right leg jumped carrying his hands far ahead, and flying, he jumped his hands easily over the wooden figure and got up on his feet in three steps from the simulator and raised his hands up. Taking the jacket back and smiling, Gnur got dressed and threw a hood over his head and stood without saying a word. The youths were silent in admiration.

“Let’s do it,” said Arius, taking off his jacket and giving it to Ull.

“Walk ten paces, run, push with your right foot, and jump,” his teacher instructed him.

The guy did it all – he ran away, pushed, jumped, put weight on his hands and flew over the log, but could not resist and fell into the straw, quickly dusted off, and came running and the general system, and got dressed. So everyone began to jump, and quickly warmed up in a slight frost, the youngsters were strong and agile, and everyone got it. So time passed, and it was getting dark, and everyone quickly got dressed, had supper and went to rest. The next morning they were raised again, and now they began to learn more and correctly fall on the run, then the soldiers would learn to fall from the chariot and quickly rise.

“Look,” said their usual teacher Gnur, who himself was running slowly, and suddenly fell on his side, putting his arm bent at the elbow and firmly pressing it to the body, taking a punch on the fur sleeve and soft fabric of the shoulder, and then also falling to the left.

“Come on, build one at the back of your head, four steps, forward, march,” and he clapped his hands.

The disciples ran, and began to fall left and right in turns, and soon their fur coats were in the snow, many laughed at the faces of their friends, some crooked and rubbed their hands, hurt badly about the trampled snow. The procedure lasted a long time, and then everything alternated, shooting, running, fencing, wrestling, jumping, and then again and again the same, so that they did not get bored. But the polar winter soon began, and they were taught to read and write, as well as combat tactics. Arpad was without a fur jacket, only in a linen shirt of the same pants, soft boots and a fur sleeveless jacket. Already started to grow a beard, the age he already allowed, his hair, like many here, had blond hair. Arpad himself put a ladle with kvass, from which he drank sip by sip, next to the sandy table, on which stood bronze figures of warriors showing.Gun and Sirac took the hands of the wheelwalker figures in their hands, for which Sirac caught a light cuff, and Gun, however, deftly dodged Arpad’s callous hand, which earned the comrades ‘screams of comrades, Sirac was rubbing his shaved head.

“Look,” the instructor pointed out with his hand, “here are our chariots, they will attack the enemy infantry, building on the right flank, and after attacking along the line, driving into the left, and then circling the formation of their infantry, again falls on the right flank. The light infantry covers the wheelchairs, and the reserve of chariots covers the left as well, – he pointed out with his hand, – and to the right, and in these chariots archers, and the lancers are attacking the infantry. Why right to left attack?

– Kope held in his right hand, and his left support, answered Ull.

– That’s right, so the chariot turns from right to left. And we must beware of the attack of the enemy’s chariots in the flanks. Light infantry helps chariots, so they are helped by thirty fighters. Remember. Or an attack is possible when first the chariots alternately fire at the enemy formation of bows, not bringing the matter to a melee.

The training lasted for a long time, the old warrior told how to lead a detachment with a march, how to conduct reconnaissance, control a wagon train, repel attacks and much more important things. After lunch, when it was already dark, the youths, tired of their classes, trudged over the snow, and the glow of the Heavenly Kingdom shone over them, the stars dazzlingly shone on the black and clear sky, and the lights dazzled the sky of the North, so that there was a crack as if coming from kingdom of the gods. Everyone raised their heads up, admiring the unmatched picture, beautiful and amazing for those who have not seen it, and even more beautiful who have seen all the time – the Northern Lights.

Step forward

Three years passed, and the young men, who were already thirteen years old, were allowed to go fishing. It was a northern summer, the sun was shining in the blue sky, and almost did not set at night, so the night was not as such. Eight guys, pupils of the Seven, collected things in their cell, put crackers, dried fish, in a wooden jar with water, and a fire in a pot braided with a vine. Ulle took with him an inseparable bow and a quiver of good arrows. Gun stood beside him and stuffed bread in the bag, checked the knife on his belt, then thought, and put on leather pants instead of linen. Ull also pulled off his boots, and put on waterproof pants and boots, securing them with soft straps.

– What are you there soon? “How beautiful are girls, they don’t know what to wear,” Tal said.

Sirac and Tal screamed loudly, patting each other’s shoulders, enjoying their own joke.

“And Ull has hair, just like a girl,” Knut joked,

– You envy that? -Ill laughed, -your hair began to grow like an adult, and then only a shred there, a shred nearby.

Arius and Vour laughed even harder, but they did not release the straps of the bags.

“Come on, it’s time, and then Pal will see that we are idle here, in a moment will find the case,” said Sirac, “and he left to close the smoldering hearth with a stone lid, and closed the door for everyone, and ran to catch up with his people. The band was walking along the green grass of the island, the grass was growing between the stones, and it was hard to believe that everything had been covered with snow recently. The legs themselves carried youths, just yesterday they were taught to disassemble two types of letters, and even knots, their types, how to knit, and what this ordinary letter means. They all already knew the language of embroidery on their shirts, which tribes which patterns alternate, which tattoos and what time they were put on, learned how to fight and fist fights, and wielded weapons excellently – the best warriors taught them all the secrets. Similarly, they instructed in the High Path how to behave in life and in war, so as not to drop the gear and gain the help of the gods. But now they could have fun, and go to sea. They dragged the leather boat to the open water, and in the boat they also placed seven darts with bronze tips and five bows with arrows. The boots of the youths cautiously stepped on the pebbles under the water, and the strong arms pushed the ship so as not to tear the plating on the stones, and finally, the boat was in deep water, and they alternately climbed aboard, trying not to rock the ship so that it would not draw water.They took the oars, and the boat rocked out into the sea, but did not lose sight of the coast. Sirak and Gong began to cast nets. At the bottom of the boat, more than five dozen fish were already beating in the baskets. The boys looked at each other with happy smiles.

“Excellent fishing came out,” said the contented Vour, “but we eat all the dried stuff, and now fresh.” Fine.

– Well, and then next time they will probably be released only in a week, we will ride and fight on the chariot, train all day long.

“What you need to do,” muttered Whip.

“The hand is already blue, they are learning to fall, so I already beat off my shoulder, Katya laughs at us,” Arius worried.

“He himself flew out of the wagon at full speed, a spear fell into it, fell well to the ground, and now he teaches others,” Gun said, “Your life will depend on this, otherwise you will drink soma, not quite working, doing what you previously knew. Then you will thank him for science.

Ull was sitting in a boat and putting fish in the third basket, and he felt something familiar, the weight fell on his head, making it difficult to think. HE REMEMBERED.

“Gun, come on to that island, see on your left hand?” And Ull showed, stretching out his hand in that direction.

– What happened, Ull?

– The storm is coming, feeling me. It is better to wait there, but we will not sail to Buyan.

Gong sighed heavily, shook his head, said:

– Well, but if you made a mistake, your bow will be mine, and if you make no mistake, I will give you my dagger.

– Arius, we turn to the island, there is a cave, wait it out. Ull prophesies the wind will fall, beware.

Pupils began to row harder, turned left, changing course, and moved to the island. With each stroke of the merry oars, the lodya moved across the sea, and the wind grew stronger, a black cloud appeared in the sky, clouding the whole sky. The sailors tried to turn the oars even faster, finally they were able to reach the shore, jumped out of the boat, took her by the sides and lifted her, dragged her to the shore.

“The cave, Gun,” shouted Sirak, pointing to the open mouth of the mountain.

– Knut, Ull, Voor, take a pot of fire and fish, drag everything to the cave, and we will carry the boat away from the waves.

The young men grabbed the booty and ran to the cave, carried everything back, returned again, laid them in order, began to rain and the strongest waves hit the coast, but they did not reach the boat, at least for now. A log was sculpted nearby, and Ull was dragged into a cave, lifting the front end of a tree with many branches. The youths transferred all belongings to the shelter, and reinforced the boat with stones on the shore. Vatazhniki began to break off branches from a tree, and put them in a corner of the cave, and Arius and Vour prepared a place for the hearth, Sirac and Knut set to gut the fish with knives in the sandy cave floor. The case was arguing, and a storm was already raging outside, a shower poured over the island and the sea, water poured from the sky into the water in the sea. Gun and Ulle broke branches first, then Tal brought a small bronze hatchet out of his bag to the giant Tal. The case went faster, Ulle chopped up many branches with an ax, a bunch of chips was already formed, suitable for ignition, but the young men continued until they prepared a bunch of firewood for the night. Meanwhile, the hearth was ready, and twenty fishes gutted.

Gun, as descended from a tribe of lesovikov, began to make a fire, putting logs there, and in the middle for ignition he made chips. Ull brought a sacred pot with a small fire, fished a pair of cherry-colored coals from the middle with bronze tongs and threw them on the chips prepared by his friend, who began to fan the flames. He blew and blew, puffing his cheeks, lio turned red, and then the fire began, the chips began to flare up, and Gong began to slowly feed the hungry spirit of fire with food more and more, and now, on the floor of the cave, the fire cracked gleefully, lighting and heating the children. Ull took a vessel with coals by the wicker handles and put it in the recess of the cave floor, closing it with a clay lid. Vatazhniki sat around the fire, everyone had funny faces, and since the fish on the rods were stuck around the fire, it was fried, then soon people should become simply satisfied. The young men relaxed, the tension went away from their faces, was replaced by fun. Suddenly Gong frowned and looked with incomprehension at Ulla.

“Like you…” he painfully picked up words, “learned about bad weather,” he slowly said, as if squeezing phrases out of himself, as if he was afraid of an answer.

Ull smiled back, just slapped his friend on the shoulder, and turned the roasting cod, but noticed how other young men were looking at him.

– I felt it. I always feel gong. I can only say that it is quite unpleasant, not like in fairy tales that Shirak likes to say. That’s it.

“And how is it?..” asked Arius in a low voice.

“My head hurts terribly, crushes everything,” Ull said slowly, trying to convey everything in words, “but don’t tell anyone anymore.”

“We won’t say,” everyone said loudly.

“Now everyone would have walked along the Ice Bridge, if it were not for you, Ull,” said Gong, “no one would have reached, but he would have, still would have frozen it later.” You and I were lucky.

– Enough for you, – said Ull, – let’s eat, the fish is ready. Remove roasted from twigs.The youths removed the finished fish, and planted another piece of cleaned fish on the rods. Cooked, fried put in a large bowl, and waited until it cools.

– Sirac, tell me something, tell me, everyone shouted.

– A short story, and that is, I want to, – he agreed, – So, the tale of Gemini, – and he quickly looked at Ulla, – long, long ago, in a distant land, a woman was born Gemini, a boy and a girl, they grew up and there was no one more fit and reasonable, and they hunted the beast of all together, and the boy was a strong hunter, and the girl and the hunter were a noble and clever clever man. But once a boy went, but he was hunting in the Dark Forest, and Geese Swans abducted him, and carried him to the Kingdom of Heaven, to Ilios and Leto, and the boy liked the gods, and again Sirac looked at the curly giant, and the girl went after her brother unreasonable, and she saw the river of fire that separates the world of the living, and passed it, and then there was a secret cave, and the girl forgot about the fear and walked the muddled path, and saw the Sacred apple tree, so that its purpose was close. For the apples were not simple, but rejuvenating, but the girl was not seduced, did not eat them, otherwise she would have remained in the Kingdom of Gods, only tore herself for the apple and her brother, so that they would return to the world of the living. And she came to the fork of the Worlds, and took the beloved brother’s hand with her, and Dear Mist led him, and back past the apple tree, and led the way through Putaya underground cave, and they ate through the apple, and could then pass through the River of Fire. But the Geese-Swans could not get and return them to the Kingdom of Gods, for they had tasted the fruits of knowledge, and they were alone in the Kingdom of Gods, and returned from there.

“That is why, Ulle, all the people of Gemini fear and hope for them,” Sirac concluded.

All the youths had thoughtful eyes, everyone looked away into the distance, through the flames something unknown was revealed to them. Even Ull wondered, as if he saw something in front of him in the fog, obvious and implicit, he was or was not he, and his sister was near, but his clothes were unusual, and their weapons were only spears made from the bones of an animal. He never saw such a reality.

– The fish is ready, – all distracted Knut, – let’s eat.

Everyone sorted out the fish from the bowl, slightly spitting food, it was very tasty, especially after a hard day. Bread is divided into all. The young men quickly cleaned the dish, and set to cook the fish the next day, to sail, as the sea will calm down. While everyone had finished, the fish was baked, the food was hidden from the animals, covered with an empty vessel, and took out a flask and drank water.

“Are the Gemini Gods or Men?” Asked Arius Sirac.

– Someone who interprets, remember Seven interpreted that they are the creature of Elios and Leto, others say that They are only their incarnation on Earth, one thing is for sure that they live as people and die as people, but ascend as gods.

“What are their names,” asked Tal, propping up his chin with his right hand.

“My sister’s name is Svetoch- In-Thme, and the Brother is called the King of the Mountain,” Sirak grinned. “Seven more will be told to us, and there the Dedication awaits us.

“Tell me something else,” asked Ull, “briefly, and fall asleep more quickly.”

– About enchanted Brother. So, once sailed to a small island in the boat, and saw people on a small island, they wanted to attack the Son of the Lada, and he bewitched them, and they became enchanted dolphins, and he threw them into the sea, and now accompanied by dolphins waiting for the witch’s enchantment to be lifted

Tal was looking up and dreaming how great it was to swim with dolphins, not only in such an icy sea, but maybe, that is, where there are warm seas.

“You have to go to sleep,” said Gun, “put on warm clothes.”

And he pulled the knitted coat from his bag and put on his jacket, putting a leather bag under him. Others also began getting ready, putting on spare parts. Were closer to each other, that would not freeze. Soon everyone fell asleep. The sun almost did not set at that time, but Sirac heard that the rain had stopped and went to inspect the shore and the boat. The vessel was in place, only filled with rain water, the sky was clear, the weather was good and the wind was blowing. Several trees were washed to the shore, and the young man dragged one of them closer to the cave. Vatahozhniki began to wake up, rubbing his eyes.

“We have to eat and sail before the fog falls to the sea,” said Gun.

The fire burned, the young men sat around and had breakfast with yesterday’s fish, and Gong began to put out the fire, flooding it with sea water. Trees dragged into the cave just in case, and all belongings were carried ashore, not forgetting the vessel with fire and fish in two baskets. It was cooler after the rain, the youths groaning dragged the boat into the open water, loaded it with their good, and climbed into it themselves. Immediately earned oars, trying to sail away, so that the waves would not be carried to the shore travelers. Finally they swam, and Buyan showed up on the horizon, but what happened was what Gung was afraid of – the fog fell, and thick like milk, moved at random, all of them had faces, except for Ulla.

“Yes, I know where to swim, why are you worried,” Ull shrugged and grinned, “to my right, turn the boat a little.”

Everyone looked hopefully at his guide in the fog, but his face was serene, they rowed and rowed, as the surf lane was noticed, and noisy joy seized everyone. They began to pull out the boat, it turned out that they landed near the village, so they decided to walk. Four carried the boat, the rest carried the entire belongings of the gang.

“Ull, you are just like a raven, you see in the mist, and the fog is not a hindrance to you,” Arius puffed and puffed the boat, “you did it right away, just crouched, twirled, and everything. Ambush found instantly. Just like in fairy tales, on the ground like a gray wolf, in the sky like a falcon, in the sea like a Fish.

They came, and met them on the beach, holding his fingers in his belt and arms akimbo, mentor Arpad.

– Hello, sons! I see you just smiles good luck. And the storm you uneasy, and fog. Yesterday I wanted to send a large rook for him, but Seven said that you are coming back.

“Everything worked out, thanks ataman,” said Gun, scratching his head with growing short hair and long curls, “Ull was a notable navigator.” Held us like an albatross through storms and fog.

“Take the fish to the kitchen, and go to the bath yourself, you need to warm up better, otherwise you have to treat the Seven,” Arpad said, “and take Albatros with you, otherwise the beak will fall off in the cold.”

They gave the cod to the kitchen, and went to the bathhouse, which had already been melted down by the servants.It was also a construction of logs, low smoke coming out of the hole under the roof. All undressed in the waiting room, and sat on the benches, basking. After going to sea, the bath was very appropriate. We sat for a long time, intelligently, pouring hot stones on the heated stones. It seemed that the cold was going straight from the bones along with fatigue. Finally, the youths rinsed, and sat in the dressing room, sipping herbal hot infusion.

The study continued, the most time was spent fighting with swords, taught to fight with a sword in one hand and a dagger in the other. Running in the armor of the youths was through the day, and gradually the bone armor became familiar to the northern soldiers.

And three years soon passed, and it was time for the trials. On the first day they shot from bows, the best turned out to be Ull, as in the fight with swords.

Sirac, the best horseman, turned out to be the charioteer, surpassing the others, while the chariot warrior and the best turned out to be four at once – Ull, Arius, Gun, and Knut. In running in armor, Tal won, although Arpad noticed that Ull fell on purpose. In a simple run, Voor defeated, and there, too, there was a ridiculous situation;