Teach, Ull? He asked gloomily, holding out his hand.
Of course, shaking the palm of a new comrade, he answered.
From that day they became inseparable.
Doctrine and work a little effort
In the morning, on one of the days when the vernal equinox was not far away, Arpad led the retinue and youths to the lists, the ministers prepared the chariot, and a pair of horses were already unmanaged and harnessed to a light two-wheeled cart. Four more youths, Tal, Sirac and Pret and Knut followed him, talking about something cheerful, and laughing at their own jokes.
Hey, Ull, and Gunn get ready, stand in the chariot and not fly out, you will learn to keep at the jump, the leader told them. Pal, he called to the young man, already an older warrior, you will be the driver.
Pal came up to them, wearing a leather helmet with protective arcs, and a couple of the same helmets were in his hand.
Take it and put it on, the driver, handing out the equipment to them, first you, Gun, and then Ull. After Tal, Syrac, Knut and Pret. Then give them the helmet, as you drive through a chariot.
Both men examined the helmets, twisted it like that and put it on their heads, having some doubts. Pal again addressed them:
In the combat chariot, the top floor of the straps, so that it would not shake so much during the jump, you must stand with your knees bent slightly, try to catch the beat of the jump. Without a heroic drink it is difficult to control a weapon in a chariot fight. But just ride in a chariot and manage it is quite possible. Gong, lets go.
Ull sat down on a stone and looked at how Pal first steered the chariot in steps, the sound of hooves in the snow was not overly audible, then accelerated on a level road, they were already racing, and the sound of hooves and the rumble of a carriage became louder, the driver began to lay already sharp turns, repeating the turns, unfolding and evasion of attacks from foreign chariots. Here the driver stopped the chariot, which had already filled the track in the shallow snow. Gong, flushed red, jumped off the chariot, spraying Ulla with snowflakes and water splashes, which, however, managed to shrink from the dirty splashes, which disappointed his friend, and Tal managed to hit the snowball in Guna, and he rushed to the bully, but after a while they were separated by their comrades, without letting them wave fists. Ull straightened his jacket and pants, and went to the wagon, saw how it was decorated with carvings, how the deer were galloping away from the lions on the board, and the warriors were collecting weapons next to the wheels of the wagon. The horses were already hot, hooves on the ground impatiently, and pulled the harness, but the skillful driver held the harness with a firm hand.
Sit down, boy, said Pal, smiling at him, slightly pulling on the reins.
Ull straightened his leather helmet, and first with his left foot, then with his right he stepped on the taut straps of the chariot, and slightly bent his knees, as he was taught. The driver clapped the straps, sending the horses forward. The chariot started off with a jerk, but Ull was holding tight, balancing his legs, not even leaning on the side of the wagon, Pal turned his head to him, grinning with a smile with all his teeth, and immediately turned his gaze forward without leaving horses and the way without attention.The boy saw how difficult and responsible the work of the driver, similar to the work of the man in the stormy sea, guesses the uneven ground, like the waves of the sea, measures the size of the boat, and here the turning radius of the wagon and its stability, the force of the wind is similar to to gallop endlessly. Ull was accustomed to, and quietly changing his balance, helping Pal get out of his complicated turns. Finally, they stopped, foam covered the muzzle of horses, Ull jumped off the chariot and went to Guna, to sit next to a friend. The next one got up in the chariot of Tal, dressed in a protective helmet, and repeating the lesson of Pala, and after him drove in the wagon Sirac and Pret and then Knut.
The driver, having finished with all the boys, went to the stable, handing over the cart to the servants, and soon returned.
Ull, didnt you just sit in the chariot before? Pal asked, waving his hands in the manner of a seagull with disbelief.
No, mentor, and I didnt see horses, I swear by Ilios, the boy answered, taking off his helmet and putting a hat on his curls, they would have liked Elisia, he smiled wistfully, and felt that there, far away, she was fine too.
Who is this? Asked Pal.
Twin sister, stayed on Alatyr.
Among Harith veduny is studying, the driver smiled, after five years you will meet.
She is with Pryakh, Pal, said Ull sadly, and looked at the driver and friend, and to be honest, did not expect what he saw. The gun fell from a boulder, and the driver, in excitement, took off his helmet, went to the boy, and patted him on the shoulder.
Thats why they sent you off the island, man. She is a very difficult girl to know, and you, too, you see, and he looked at him carefully.
Tomorrow we will train through the bull to jump, first through the wooden one. For now, rest.
I love a bull, Pret grinned.
I, too, Knut sighed.
You? Sirac laughed, three times before the end of the body did not reach and hit, you know what, Tal smiled.
You will like it, Ull, Sirak confirmed his opinion, your reaction is excellent, I watched you hold on. You will not need a drink in battle.
What did you say about the drink? asked Ull Pala, their mentor.
It is only after initiation, Ulle. Do not hurry to live, and he grinned and went to the retinue house, leaving the boys alone.
Ull, Tugging at his sleeve, Gong was already looking at him, frightened, wont you tell my sister that I climbed my fists at you?
I do not understand, you didnt hit me, Ull laughed.
If she is spinning, it means she is chosen, his friend said with a positive shake of her head, Here, Ion, whom Kit swallowed, and after a week he was released from the womb, he now studies at the Seven and does not come out of the Mountain.
I didnt know, the boy was incredibly surprised, about Jonah. Tell me, Gun.
The boy, satisfied with the attention, sat down on a boulder, made a mysterious face, knitted his brows as an adult, he only lacked kithara, and began to tell:
Seven desperate warriors went hunting for whales on the boat, and the waves did not frighten them, and the blue sea pleased them, and Jonah was among them. They sailed, they sailed, and finally, they saw a huge whale. It was all whales whale thirty cubits in length, and he lifted his face to the gray, overcast northern sky.
Sirac and Pret could not stand it, they laughed so much that they even coughed and Tal soothed them, banging his palm on their backs.
Jonah threw an oak jail, but he didnt hit, Gun went on after a pause, and struck Keith with his merciless tail on the boat, and a strong blue warrior fell into the sea and swallowed his awful Fish Kit. For a long time, brave warriors chased Keith and overtook the monster, and they killed Keith with an enormous spear, dragged the carcass to the shore, cut the belly with a knife in the length of the elbow, and rescued the brave warrior. Then the skin came off him, but a new one grew up, and he is alive and well.
Yes, a glorious feat, agreed Ull. But you and I will be glorious warriors, Gun.