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Chapter 4
On the way, we caught up with the gap and arrived at the crossing on time. After warming up and having a snack at the tavern at the Travel Bureau station, we transferred to another stagecoach. More bulky than the previous one, it did not have wheels, but simply hovered above the ground. The steppe stagecoach looked unusual, but it turned out to be spacious. I could even walk upright inside. The cabin had shelves for luggage and special light bunks for sleeping according to the number of passengers.
– The ride is smooth, the load capacity is increased. “Everything is as ordered,” the new driver in the blue bureau uniform muttered nasally.
“I know, I know,” Uncle Alan nodded. – I’ve already traveled on one of these. Please take care of our luggage while I sort out the formalities.
Having overloaded his few belongings, the driver took his place on the box. After waiting for Alan Nett to return, we climbed inside and the stagecoach set off, carried by a team of long-legged steppe wolves. They were much tougher than horses, did not need a good road and were not afraid of the inhabitants of the plains – the Yutars, two-legged nimble lizards who, although they did not eat meat, fiercely defended their territory. There were also plenty of other creatures in the steppe, an encounter with which could have been fatal if wolves had not been with us.
The night on the road was not very comfortable; we had to sleep sitting up, so the girls immediately took their bunks and dozed off. Lying on my own, I looked out the narrow window for a long time and hoped that Simka would catch up with us, but without waiting, I fell asleep too. Simuran appeared only on the third day of the journey. We had just stopped at the next station to have a snack and rest when a white spot appeared in the sky.
Adalbjorg was the first to notice him.
– I can’t believe my eyes! – the northern woman muttered under her breath.
– What's there? – attentive Khvoyana, immediately appeared nearby.
– I give my right hand to be cut off, because I see a simuran! – Ada answered her.
–Where is the simuran? – Vilde shook her head.
– What kind of simuran? Simurans live in the northern lands,” Volde noted.
– This is Simka. My simuran! – I intrigued everyone.
– Your Simuran? – Lisel raised her eyebrows.
– Do you have a live simuran?! – the cousins said in unison.
– This one is clearly not dead. Look how it flutters its wings! – Khvoyana chuckled.
And Simka, noticing such attention to himself from afar, did not miss the opportunity to show off, and having formed a circle above us, he landed spectacularly, raising clouds of dust.
– Simka!
I hugged my friend’s neck, and at the same time checked the pocket on the collar, where I found a long-awaited letter from my sister.
– Oh, how cute! – Volde melted. – Mirre, can I… Can I pet him?
The cousin folded her hands in a pleading gesture.
“We weren’t allowed to keep animals,” her “wild” sister said unusually quietly.
– Iron for good health! If he allows it, of course. I have a Simka with character.
Winking at the winged wolf, I stepped aside. Simka was not at all against affection. In general, he loved attention, treats, and having his belly scratched. While the girls were squeezing and stroking him, Ada came and stood next to me, condescendingly watching the others.
– And you are full of surprises, Kyari.
– This is bad? – I asked.
– It's fun! – the northern woman responded with a smile.
– Ada, do you have a pet at home?
– Was. Large northern wolf. But he died.
– Oh. sorry…
“He died of old age,” Ada explained. – Happy and toothless. He also loved having his belly scratched.
Uncle Alan, who had gone away to replenish water and provisions, was already hurrying to the stagecoach. Noticing Simka, he turned towards us.
– Mirre, about your simuran… I’m not sure that you will be allowed to keep it at the academy. Of course, you can ask your father, but the rector… – He shook his head.
– Ashsher Nett, don’t worry about Simka. It is adapted to wild life and knows how to get food. Or do you think that at the boarding house he lived right in my room?
– Simuran accompanied you to the boarding house?!
The magician's eyes widened twice, and I laughed.
– From the very first day. And somehow he survived, and he ate so many sides!
These same sides were now being scratched with four hands, and Simka was lying in a completely indecent position with his tongue lolling out in pleasure. Hearing our conversation, the girls began to persuade Essher Nett to allow him to take the simuran with him. The twins especially tried. And when the quiet and silent Yumi looked at him with her huge eyes and whispered “please,” the magician’s heart melted.
– OK then. You know better. But be careful, there will always be some detractor.
– Thank you, uncle… Ashsher Nett! – I was happy. “We’ll take note and warn Simka not to stick his head out too much.” He is no stranger to hiding.
And so the simuran, watered, fed, and even loved, slept peacefully on the floor next to my bunk, and I finally got to the letter from Talaria. My sister was sincerely happy for me. She knew how much I didn’t like it at the boarding school, and she took my transfer to the academy positively.
“…But remember, Mirre, it won’t be easy. Try, learn. Prove that you are a really cool naturalist. I believe in you, dear!”, the sister wrote.
Every line I read was filled with love, and I couldn’t help but smile as I read them over and over again.
Tali is my father’s illegitimate daughter, born before mom and dad met. Once upon a time, my mother didn’t want us to communicate with her because she was jealous and afraid that she would have a bad influence on me. How wrong she was!
At the end of the letter there was a warning:
“Mirrae, I’ve been thinking for a long time about how to tell you this… I’ll say it straight: be careful with guys. Scions of glorious families from all over Balaria study at the Academy of Wind and Storms. Including dragon ones. But not everyone is like my Ren. The dragons you know are all grown up and settled. Even Yorni and Yarti, although you can’t tell from them. But you shouldn’t expect the same from your peers. As well as from older guys. They may seem charming and interesting. You may even decide that you have fallen in love, and there is nothing wrong with that, but remain reasonable until the end. I think you know what I mean. And don’t let anyone get on your neck or offend you! Always fight back!
With love, your sister Talaria."
At the end of the fifth day, we picked up another passenger. Deftly jumping into the salon, she looked around at all of us.
– Hello! I'm Zikki! – the new girl greeted so easily and, easily throwing her ski
Out of surprise, everyone fell silent, looking at her, and the girl shamelessly looked at us with her strange green eyes, as if slightly dusted with ash.
I instantly identified the new girl as a fire-kissed southerner from the Burning Desert. But she was dressed unusually for a native of those regions. Although the leather jacket and trousers were the right size, they looked frankly masculine attire. The girl braided her bright red hair with a wide black lock into two careless braids. This hair color was a sign of a strong fiery gift.
– You’re from the north, aren’t you? – Zikki turned to my friend.
– Right. Call me Ada. And this is my kyari Mirre,” my friend introduced me.
The new girl nodded sedately, as if she understood what this meant. Or maybe she really understood?
– My name is Lisel.
– Khvoyana. And this silent Yumi Lo. And there are those two chatterboxes, Vilde and Wolde – one is wild, the other is correct. For some reason this is important to them,” the girl added, lowering her voice.
The Southern woman nodded to everyone who was introduced.
When the acquaintance took place, Alan Nett looked into the stagecoach.
– Girls, this is Zikkaera Splash. Already met? Great! Zikaera, hold your bunks, there's another night ahead.
He handed her a camp sleeping place that looked like a stretcher when assembled.
– Thank you! “Zikki bowed with dignity and asked Ada: “Can I sit next to you?”
Between my bunks and Lisael’s bunks there was free space where Simka usually slept. Having made room, we widened it enough for another bunk to stand, and Zikki moved from the floor onto them. But before the stagecoach moved, the face of a simuran poked its head inside, who had gone for a walk about his simuran business even earlier.
– Zikki, don’t be scared, this is Simka. “He’s with me,” I warned the firewoman, just in case.
– How cute! “She burst into a smile, and Simka came up to introduce himself.
The fact that he would have to sleep in the aisle today did not bother him at all, but we did not sleep at all this evening. The journey through the monotonous steppe was quite tiring, but by night the landscape changed. The foothills began, and tomorrow morning we were supposed to arrive at the academy, so we were on pins and needles, brightening up the excitement with chatter.
– Zikki, why are you dressed so strangely? – Vilde asked.
– I feel so comfortable. “Besides, leather is more fire-resistant than fabric,” the southern woman answered, not at all offended by the tactlessness.
– What are these marks on your jacket? – kept up with sister Volde.
– And this is so that you don’t get burned. For example, at night, if I have a bad dream. – Ognevichka smiled wryly.
“Apparently, you have the same problems with fire that Yumi has with water.” You also seem like a southern version of Ada to me. There is something of Mirre in you too. I wouldn’t be surprised if I find traits of one of us in you,” Khvoyana unexpectedly declared.
The southern woman shrugged her shoulders and replied:
– You know better. I don't know you at all.
Khvoyana smiled.
– Nothing, let's get acquainted. We still have to study together,” I said.
– Zikki, you’re from the Burning Desert, am I right? How did you get into the academy? – asked Adalbjorg.
“I suspect the same as you.” You are from the Coast of Sharp Blades, am I right? – Zikki retorted.
Ada laughed contentedly.
– And I like you!
“You’re all nothing at first glance either,” the new girl didn’t bother to say anything.
The girls giggled, and the awakened Simka opened one eye.
– Can you tell me how you got into the academy? – Zikki asked Ada.
– Well, what can I tell you? I was sent to one of the boarding houses in Onyx Rocks, in the hope of making a worthy future wife and a noble eshsheri. But the material could not be cut. I turned out to be too much for the boarding house of noble eshsheri, so they simply got rid of the problem pupil at the first opportunity. Do you know what my mentors called me among themselves? Headache! – Ada shared and, in turn, asked: – What is your destiny?
– Ha! I have a slightly different story, although similar. “I ran away from an imposed marriage,” Zikka responded with frankness for frankness.
– You have a fiance!