Serko was silent, did not want to talk to me. The sky was still overcast and two falcons accompanied me, then swiftly flying forward, now returning.

And only when the sun, before hiding behind the horizon, peeped out through the gaps of clouds, they, soaring above the clouds - disappeared.

I dismounted and released Serko. He went to Mare and began to drink, snorting noisily.

I went to the woods and began to collect sushnyak and, suddenly, again the vague vision and the vague mumble of the ghostly spirit.

Div!

I froze, held down by an unknown force, trying in vain to see him and understand what he was mumbling.

The vision disappeared, the obsession subsided, and I returned to the shore of Mary. He kindled a fire, unrolled the ground and dined. I will not bore you by writing out dishes, but there was Chetushka Putinki!

- Serko, do not go far - I scattered and trampled the embers and, having laid the tablecloth, lay down on it and ...

And woke up!

The sun was already rising above the treetops on the other side of Mary. I didn’t want to eat, just to drink and, having got drunk from Mary, I saddled Serko, and we set off.

In the 30th State, the second day on the road

All the same clouds hanging over my head, all the same wind, springing in the face, only today I am alone and there are no falcons.

Mara turned black, and a strong wind kept driving and driving a wave against the current. Serko himself went from lynx to step and back and, for the whole day, only once said: “I want to drink, prince!”

I jumped off and went ahead, and he, going up to the water, greedily and drank a lot, snorting noisily. Having caught up with me, walked alongside. So we passed in silence two versts.

- So let us peshchokom to stomp to the carrot bark? - Serko stopped

- I give you rest

- Yes, I'm not tired at all

I sat in the saddle and he galloped off.

And again, in the evening, we stopped for the night in the same place where we stayed for the first time.

Serko plucked the grass, and I finished the Chetchuk, biting "Doktorskaya" and peering at the fire, which was fluttering in the wind.

Having trampled the coals and having waited when they cooled down and did not burn the hands attached to the ground, I spread the tablecloth.

- You probably hide in the wood - I told Serko, going to bed.

I do not even know why I said this, but Serco, obediently and silently went to the birch hack.

The prince slept, wrapped in a tablecloth.

When the darkness reached the state of which they say - even if it was a good eye - three volkolaks appeared.

The breeze pulled toward the wood and Serko got on his guard, sensing the werewolves, but the smell carried no threat, and he calmed down.

The old man peered at the prince, glinting with phosphorescent countersinks.

- Can we eat a conic? - the werewolf younger appeared.

“The order is to guard the prince, you fool!” - hoarsely hoarsely hoarse and lay down.

They left before dawn, melting silently in a mist floating from Mary.

In the 30th State, the third day on the road

I woke up from being chilled. Thick milky fog enveloped everything around and Mary was not visible, although only a few steps to the water.

I sat down - Serko!

- Zdesya I, Prince - his face, as if leaned out of the fog.

- How are we going to go somewhere? - I was puzzled - why good in Maru wander

- Now the wind will rise and disperse the fog - Serko paused and added - at night werewolves came, they were guarding you!

- Carla sent, probably - I thought, peering into the fog, swaying and hiding, so it seemed, whether the danger, or ... - but did not want to think about it.

From the opposite bank of Mary, he pulled the wind and dispersed the mist, tearing it into pieces.

My throat was dry and I, having drunk water and turning the table-cloth, went up to Serko.

- Well, what's the way?

- I'm ready!

Somewhere in half an hour the fog finally cleared and ... the sky above was without a cloud, and above the forest, on the opposite bank of Mary, the sun was rising.

My heart became more cheerful and I even began to hum Tell me, girls, your girlfriend, that I don't sleep at night, dreaming about her, that she is nicer and more beautiful than all the beauties, I myself wanted to admit to her, but I could not find the words ...

Serko was walking at a big trot, shook me, and I stopped singing.

Riders, we saw at the same time!

Serko slowed down the run, and then he became completely.

Riders were still far away and it was not possible to count them. I jumped to the ground and touched Serko - Come on, friend, get away to a safe distance - but he hesitated - Come on, come on! - I patted him and Circo, turning around, trotted, moving away from me.

The horsemen were approaching and now I could count, and counted eight.

Eight horsemen were no danger to me, I relaxed and went to meet.

The riders were armed, but the bows in the beams were attached to the saddles.

When I could already see their faces, galloping ahead, half-turned, threw something following behind him and they, going to a step, turned around.

He jumped off his horse, stepped towards me and stretched out his hand - Tugarin - I looked at him with surprise - Junior - he added with a grin, and I shook his hand.

Tugarin Junior was handsome and handsome: slightly slanting brown eyes and ivory-colored skin betrayed an Asian. Black, curly hair, tied with a black bandage, fell on his shoulders.

- Karla Petrovich sent?

- Yes! - and he whistled, beckoning Serco.

Serko went to the stallion Tugarin, and they stuck their muzzles - greeted or met?

- rest the prince or go? - asked Tugarin

- Then rest, go!

We rode, our horses walked alongside.

Tugarin looked at me, as if he was going to ask about something.

- Ask! - I could not resist

- Let me say, Roman light G., ask your daughter's hand? - Tugarin Junior carefully looked at me.

He stunned me ?! Not that word! I probably fell into a state of stupor, even Circo spun his ears and, turning his face, squinted at me with an eye.

- You smelled hemp, Tugarin?

“Weren't you told in the Tridevy?”

I frantically thought, remembering whom and where I fucked in the Thirtieth.

- The Frog Princess bore you a daughter. Didn't you know, prince?

- So, aa ... how is Ivan Tsarevich? He kind of shot the arrow? - I asked completely out of place, to which Serko had already frankly snorted!

Tugarin Jr., too, smiled.

“I was wooing Fun, but she only raved with you, Prince.”

I gave a start - A long time ago Have you stolen the Fun?

“The full moon and six days are gone,” he answered.

“So what do you say, prince?” - seeing that I am silent, he again turned to me

- Tugarin, my friend, let me at least look at my daughter first, why did you care for me?

Tugarin smiled and we did not speak again.

Thirty arose before my eyes, as if from a kind of earth had grown.

Without witchcraft here, obviously, not done!

14.08.16 20:00
to be continued