well. You don’t need to have any magical abilities to become a good diplomat. You will serve at the court of Pontiar. Father wrote that you have to come immediately to the capital.
– But… – I cleared my throat. A spasm tightened my throat.
I pulled my finger out of my sister’s tenacious hands and burst into tears.
Mom put the baby to her breast, she greedily munched, although she looked in my direction.
– You can go when your voice will return, – mother placed the child more comfortable and sighed. – And I’ll write to your father about the lightning rods. Let him be proud of his son! I will also inform him that you are now a little ill.
I winced. Tut-tut. To be proud? There is nothing to be proud of… And it would be better to keep silence about the weaknesses. I’m a man!
– Maybe you shouldn’t? – I looked at her prayerfully, but her pursed lips answered for her. I had to agree. – Okay, Mom.
I said goodbye and left the bedroom. As I walked down to the kitchen, I pondered over the idea that haunted me. Academy, studying – everything was leading there. But I have an unfinished affair.
«I need to collect goose feathers, get some wire and pigments for paints from the hoarder Paco. I hope there is at least something left of the oak tree.» – I ruffled my bangs when I entered the kitchen, where there was a smell of mushroom pie.
– Why do you need feathers and paint? And I don’t think that you can find anything from your oak, except some coals and firebrands… – Varya took thought and wiped her hands from the flour.
– Did I say it aloud? – I shrugged my shoulders embarrassedly.
– Uh huh. Everything that you have in your mind, is on your tongue, – the cook grinned.
– Baby, let’s go to the table! – Alice commanded, placing the plates with my breakfast. Some plates, she put on a small tray, probably for mom. I plopped down on a long-legged stool and looked around at my breakfast: honey, nuts, herbal infusion, hot cakes with butter. Alice poured some milk into my mug, over which a steam was curling, and moved the plate with the mushroom pie to me.
– You will need to drink the infusion a little bit later, it hasn’t drawn yet, – she said and left with a tray.
I screwed up my eyes. The sun’s rays, which seemed to sneak into the kitchen, reflected in buckets of water. The dapples of light were dancing on the wooden ceiling and on my face. Now I didn’t feel emptiness in my soul. It had filled with something …With hope. Bliss spilled over my body. I will give my heart new memories. Yes. Now I have a little sister. I will protect her! And I will also do what I have planned…
I chewed a cake, ate a pie and drank a slightly bitter infusion of fern at one gulp. A handful of chopped nuts with honey muffled the bitterness. I thanked Varya and rushed to my room.
My wristwatch was on the table. The spheres on the dial were circling in a time dance. Soon the merchant should pass by, if, of course, he survived after the hostilities. I kissed three folded fingers, and put them to my forehead:
«Sherida, dear, help me. Let Paco have both wire and pigment for paints.»
I grabbed my work bag and hurried to the oak tree. On my way, I came across an old man Marash, who was cutting that evil blackberry bush.
– Master, where are you rushing? – he cleared his throat. – no one is chasing you.
– I have one idea… – I wheezed trying to recover my breath. A cut for your gift… – I waved and was about to run on, but was distracted by the gardener.
– Look, again the heavenly space is polluted with miasma… – Marash raised his head and sighed heavily, squinting unkindly towards the flying cargo ship. – They don’t have you… and your golden hands and priceless ideas. The city mechanics are stupid, they think only about the profit, but who will think about the people and nature? – the old man chuckled.
– If it is a fate, I will definitely fix their mechanisms, – I smiled and hurried to see Paco.
Approaching the burnt tree, I slowed down. I saw it and it took not only my breath. It was as if the soul was turned inside out and sprinkled with the ashes remaining from the carnage. I couldn’t move, my body turned to stone.
The sand has curled up into gray, bubbly chamfers that resemble frozen, bubbling water. Apparently, under the influence of lightning, the sand converted into natural glass, but of an ugly shape. The trunk of the tree was split into two unequal pieces. There was no crown left, only the largest branches. In the deepening of the oak, the wood was still smoldering. I knew I would get dirty, but I had to do it. On naughty legs, I walked over to the oak tree and hugged my friend. Leaning my cheek against a black stump, I said:
– I will give you a new life! Now you will always be nearby. Outcasts should keep together. You and I are so familiar… – it seems the tree thanked me. I didn’t see or hear, I just felt it. – You will become a bird. A phoenix risen from the ashes. We will leave home together.
I looked around. Something crunched under my foot: a solid branch, partially burnt, but quite strong. I picked it up and shook it in my hand.
– It will be a great body for a bird! Do you like it? – I asked the oak
And the oak answered: «Thank you. I will try to keep the most valuable for you…»
I’m sure it has heard every word. Breathing stopped for a moment. Heart beat so loudly that tears welled up. But I wasn’t going to cry. No. I won’t shed more tears. Wiping my wet eyes with my sleeve, I carefully put the branch into my bag.
A horse whinnying was heard behind the fence. It was Paco.
– Sherida, I put all my trust in you! – I looked up into the sky and, having said goodbye to the place of memories for the last time, ran down to the stone fence.
– Paco! – I croaked, my voice was still weak, although the warm milk and fern did their job perfectly. – You arrived!
He also was glad to see me. Smiling with a toothless mouth, the hoarder was leading the short horse by the bridle.
– Lodesco. I see it’s a whole homestead. You are lucky, Sherida is kind to your family. The villages nearby were less fortunate. Unfortunately, there are also casualties. Elven healers will save the rest. Since when do you start to wait for me? It has always been the other way around, – he stopped at the gate, throwing the bridle over the horse’s back. – And what do you need so urgently?
He folded busily his arms.
– I am glad you’re in good health. It’s a pity that Ruby does not understand how much destruction and pain it brings. Well! I’ll show them how to behave to magicians who have honor and dignity!
– What’s happened with your voice, freckled green? Is it breaking, or what? – the merchant grinned mildly.
I winced, but didn’t explain anything.
