City

Throughout his life, though not so long, Stajan never had a chance to visit Riga. It seems that the city was located not far from his village, but it was not customary among ordinary fishermen to travel around the cities. They were not up to it. You need to go out to sea every day for fish, then wash it, salt it, otherwise the whole catch will be lost. And this is work for the whole day, until the evening. In the morning everything starts all over again. You can hardly have time to rest here on a short summer night, not that to go somewhere. The same was with his friends, Vsevolod and Gera. But today all three were riding on good horses, which they had obtained for themselves in a fair deal with the Livonian warriors. Since Lucky and his two comrades had to leave all their property to Stajan and his friends in exchange for their freedom, they returned to Wenden, to their master, unwillingly, barefoot, in only one shirt and trousers. For Lucky, such a return, it seems, was becoming an unkind tradition.

Ahead of our trio rode the carriage of the Swedish ambassador, and the coachman sang his songs merrily at the headquarters. His speech was outlandish and incomprehensible, but for Stajan and his comrades, it did not matter. He did not bother them at all, because the friends were so carried away by the sight of the approaching city that they did not pay any attention to anything else. They looked with amazement at the panorama of Riga unfolding before their eyes. The coachman was infinitely glad that their troubles were over, and he could again go about his usual business - to rule the crew entrusted to him. In addition, the old man was very grateful to the three cheerful guys who helped him and his master gets rid of the armed robbers who call themselves knights of the Livonian Order. How much fear had he endured, sitting in the dense thickets, until the barefoot trinity of warriors-robbers disappeared around the bend of the forest road? Then the coachman was finally able to safely crawl out of his hiding place, where he was hiding from the sword-bearers. Guiltily drooping his head, he went up to his master. The owner was merciful and did not even begin to punish him, and this made the old coachman happy even more.

Finally, the carriage, followed by three friends, drove up to the city gates, at which there were quite a lot of people who wanted to get to Riga. These were mainly farmers, pastoralists, and fishermen with carts loaded with their simple goods. All of them patiently waited for their turn, for any confusion was severely punished by the city guards, whose main task was to regularly collect the bribe set by the burgomaster for entering the city. The Swedish ambassador did not even think to stand at the end of the line, but went straight to the guards, waving some paper with a large seal in front of their eyes and throwing a couple of phrases in the appendage, after which their whole company was not only immediately skipped out of line, but also escorted their entry with a guard of honor.

So the friends ended up on the cobbled streets of Riga. Stajan turned his head in all directions. He wanted to see everything at once: the high-rise buildings, which had never been in his fishing village, and the spires of the cathedrals, which were so high that, wanting to look at their top, he had to lift his head so that his hat flew off it. But the most amazing thing was the inhabitants of the city themselves. There were so many of them, and they were all so differently dressed, that this variegation made Stajan dazzle in his eyes. And more noise. It was not the measured sound of the sea to which he was accustomed from infancy. The voices called out, shouting over each other; the hubbub of people scurrying back and forth in an endless stream; the roar of passing carts and the harsh shouts of horsemen, which often dispersed gaping passers-by with whips.

“You can go crazy with such noise!” Stajan shouted to his companions as loudly as possible. “And how do they just live here?”

“Yes, there was no such noise in our fishing village,” Vsevolod supported his comrade. “Only the measured rustle of the sea and the cries of seagulls! Unless, in a storm from the wind, it puts your ears, but it's even great. The sound of sea waves caresses the ears of a real sailor!”

“And you know, friends, I've already missed the sea,” said Gera sadly.

“That's for sure! When you don’t see the sea, you’re just overwhelmed by melancholy!” agreed Vsevolod.

“Soon there will be a sea for us! Stajan said dreamily drawing out his words.” Let's come to an agreement with the Swedish ambassador and buy ourselves a ship.”

“It would be nice if it were so, otherwise my eyes are already tired of bumping into something all the time. No space! Whether it's the sea. Continuous freedom for the gaze. And pitching. Jock, guys! Where is she, our dear sea roll?” said Gera contritely.

“And your horse - doesn't he rock you?” forged comrade Vsevolod.

“Yah you! I also compared: a horse - and the sea!” Gera said resentfully and turned away.

“Okay, don't pout, I was joking!” said Vsevolod and, having driven up close to a friend, was about to give him a little push with a hefty fist in a friendly way, but he missed. “And how do you only manage to dodge me all the time, although at this time you are looking in the other direction?”

The big man scratched the back of his head in puzzlement and tried to poke the ginger again, looking at the gilded cockerel on the cathedral spire, but he again bent incomprehensibly, and Vsevolod's fist passed by this time.

“Okay, you play, you still won't get in, my nature is so dodgy. I can look anywhere, but I always feel as if someone sneaks up on me. This was probably passed on to me by my father. My great-great-grandfather was the best fighter of the Liv prince until the Germans came to us.”

“And my great-great-grandfather was the most powerful strongman of the Semigallian prince Viesturs. Sometimes he carried horses across the ferry on his hump. Sometimes young animals of a fast current will be worried, and he will lift the horse on his shoulders and carry it, and even on the way he calms it so that it does not kick ... He also had to fight with the Germans.”

“Well, my great-great-grandfather was a sorcerer with the prince, who ruled on the island of Rugen until the Danes came there with their faith,” Stajan said sadly in his voice. “My father also knew a lot, but I did not have time to adopt all his knowledge. But I learned everything by the heart of our ancient books. Now I would only have to fully understand what they say.”

“Let go of melancholy, Stajan. Father hears you now, and he would hardly want you to torment yourself with endless thoughts about him. Even if you don’t see him, it doesn’t mean anything. He is always within you, in your very heart. And the memory of him should help you in life, and not destroy it,” said Gera in a quiet but firm voice.

“Zinger is right, you shouldn't be so worried. Soon we will have a ship, and your father will be as happy about this event as you are!” said Vsevolod.

“It seems to me that not only my father will be delighted! All our fathers will fly with us on the waves of the sea and rejoice in our success!” Stajan smiled forcefully.

Friends, without saying a word, drove up to each other so tightly that the sides of their horses touched. Raising their right hand, they put three palms together and at once, together, said:

“Three as one!”

Passers-by looked in bewilderment at the trio moving in a dense formation and could not decide for themselves who they were - these strange young people. Probably foreigners, many thought, because they were not dressed and behaved so strangely in the city.

The carriage stopped at the Three Black Cats tavern. The yard boy took the horses by the bridle and took them to the stall, then unharnessed the carriage. The envoy of the Swedish king himself had already been to this institution more than once: it seemed to his friends that the boy recognized him and greeted him warmly, and the ambassador, with a good-natured smile on his face, patted him on his swirling head. Then he ordered the coachman to take the things and the chest of jewels upstairs to the room, lock himself in it and stay there until his arrival. He promised to bring food to his servant personally.

When the four of them entered the inn, the owner immediately greeted them and even bowed slightly, as to distinguished guests, suggesting the best seat by the window. The friends sat down on the benches and began to look around the room and the people gathered in it. A servant immediately ran up and began to find out what the eminent guests wanted. Stajan and his comrades had never been in a similar situation and therefore were a little embarrassed. They are not used to being given so much attention. Gera was the first to come to his senses and, immediately getting a taste, began to place an order with the appearance that he was a rich overseas merchant. But he did not know the names of the dishes, and therefore he was desperately turning his head, looking for something familiar on the neighboring tables that would be to his taste.

“I have the same hog as that man with a beard!” imposingly ordered Gera and almost jabbed his index finger in the back of the man sitting at the next table.

But at that moment the bearded man just turned around to see who it was who was sitting next to him, and unexpectedly for himself, right in front of his nose, he saw a skinny Gera's finger.

“Why are you, some kind of snot, poke your dirty finger at me ?!” Immediately he began to get inflamed, and his face from anger and the drink began to turn bloodshot.

The bearded man looked unkindly in Gera's eyes, and his purple nose even quivered with indignation. But Gera was completely calm as if this did not concern him at all.

“I'm asking you, you bastard is you, why did you put your poke at me?! The bearded man repeated his question and tried to grab Gera by the finger, but missed and, losing his balance, fell with a crash right under the bench.”

Everything happened so quickly that at the next table no one had time to figure out what had happened to their friend.

“Excuse me, good gentlemen, here for some reason your friend fell to the floor! Let me help him up!” said Gera cheerfully and, bending down slightly, with one hand easily lifted the bearded man by the breasts so that their faces were opposite each other. “Who did you call a rascal, uncouth blockhead?! Do you want me to take the shavings off you right now?” Gera hissed quietly and with his eyes pointed to the peasant at the sword hanging on his belt.

He, seeing such an argument, immediately changed in his face: from brown-red it instantly turned white. And while the bearded man's companions exchanged glances and tried to understand what was happening, Gera had already managed to put his neighbor back on the bench, shook off the stuck piece of cake from his clothes, and even winked cheerfully, which made the bearded man's face even paler. And his comrades, having decided that everything was in order with their friend, as if nothing had happened with renewed energy, continued their conversations with a glass of mead.

The Swedish ambassador all this time closely watched Gera, but was silent and did not intervene in what was happening. Zinger shook the breadcrumbs from his sleeve and turned carelessly to his friends. They also looked at him: Stajan, as always, was serious, and Vsevolod, as usual, smiled good-naturedly to the full extent of his physiognomy.

“It turns out that I'm not the only one who can't hit you,” he announced happily.

“Come on, he was drunk, so he slipped inadvertently,” Gera dismissed.

“Yeah, slipped while sitting on the bench!” Vsevolod continued to smile.

“Why does he call names!” Gera answered resentfully and turned away.

“Well, now he will certainly no longer call names!” Vsevolod laughed deeply, but out of habit, he didn’t poke his friend’s shoulder with his fist.

“Consider, friends, that you are now in the city, and you will have to adapt to its way of life,” the Swedish ambassador entered the conversation. “You are accustomed to a different life when everyone helps each other without any questions because you simply cannot survive at sea without the help of a friend. And the city has its own life, and it is not at all the same as yours in a fishing village, where you have become akin to each other since childhood. Here, do not expect that if something happens, they will immediately rush to your aid. And if you manage to get into a bad story, it remains to be seen which side the witnesses will be on. Here completely different laws reign! In the city, every man for himself, and then only if it is beneficial to him, and for the other.”

“Is it difficult for people to live here?” asked Gera.

“People - yes, residents - no!” After thinking a little, the Swedish ambassador answered.

“Are there many people in this city?” Stajan asked the ambassador his question.

“There are few people, there are many inhabitants, so be careful when communicating with the inhabitants of the city and try to measure your behavior with the behavior of the townspeople. Get used to it, take a closer look, study who says what and in what cases, and how he behaves. Whether facial expressions and gestures match the words. In general, try to be attentive, train yourself to constantly think and analyze. Otherwise, you will remain white crows for the townspeople!”

“Come on, we’ll still be at sea most of the time, and other laws that are familiar to us reign there,” said Vsevolod.

“As I understood from your words, you want to have a large ship, which means that you have to recruit a crew. There will be many different people on board, and almost all of them will be from the city, which spoils the human disposition very much, so you still have to learn to understand people, the ambassador replied.”

“Our Stajan easily reads people! He's a witch! So, we will not be lost!” said Gera proudly.

“Witch? Russian, then?” The ambassador asked in surprise.

“A sage! All his ancestors were sages, and his great-great-grandfather came here from the very island of Rugen. They have this gift in the male line. All their kind have always helped the people of our village. When with advice, and when with the deed. For example, what kind of disease can be cured - this is what our Stajan can easily do. He can even stop a fierce beast on the move with a glance. His father taught everything, but we never spoke about Stajan and his father to the sword-bearers. The whole village tried to be silent, but look how it happened. We didn’t save our friend’s father after all. The swordsmen burned him, damn them! We will stand as a captain, and then we will show them again!” Vsevolod exclaimed recklessly and, in a temper, banged his fist on the tabletop.

The Swedish ambassador looked at Stajan as if he had seen him for the first time. He carefully examined the heir of the mighty sorcerers, who was sitting with an imperturbable face. Then he suddenly closed his eyes and even swayed.

“What's wrong with you?” asked Gerа and firmly but politely supported the ambassador sitting next to him.

“Yes, so ... My head is dizzy,” the ambassador replied, recovering, and once again, but only briefly, glanced at Stajan.

“Excuse me, I didn’t mean to do you anything bad,” the young sorcerer said in a bewildered voice. - I have not yet fully learned how to control my strength, and sometimes it turns out over the edge.

“Nothing, nothing ... And you, it turns out, are a very strong witch. You can cope with any team on the ship. Now I have absolutely no doubt about it!” said the ambassador with satisfaction.

“And I do not doubt that you are not the Swedish ambassador,” Stajan said confidently. “Why didn't I take a closer look at you at once? It’s too painful for you that day, all right, did not babble in our way. They completely confused me.”

“Nothing, this is also an experience for you. Never succumb to the external charm of a person, always try to investigate his essence. Often external and internal are heaven and earth! Well, since you managed to figure it out for me, then it makes no sense for me to hide from you. I am not a Swedish ambassador.”

“Whose then?” asked Gera in surprise.

“Nobody! He knows who I am!” the "ambassador" laughed, nodding at Stajan “I never expected to meet a real, strong Russian sage in these parts! I would have known - I have invented another legend for myself!”

Gera and Vsevolod for some time translated amazed glances at Stajan, then at the "ambassador". Both the one and the other were silent, just strangely looking at each other as if they were silently talking among themselves. Only when a young wild boar roasted on coals was served on the table, and to it, a fragrant, fragrant pearl barley porridge with butter and aromatic herbs was also served, did Stajan and the ambassador finally look away from each other.

“Well, what, brothers, froze? Let's get to know each other again! Their people call me Ratibor. I arrived here from Pskov, and on what business - Stajan already knows and will tell you later in private. Well, let's get on with food, otherwise, our food would not catch a cold without proper attention!” the "Swedish ambassador" laughed again, looking at the friends staring at him.

It seems that Stajan and his friends have never eaten so much, satisfying and tasty in their lives. Is that only in distant childhood, when their mothers were alive? I remember that in those days they baked delicious pies, and even with different fillings. How their mothers managed to cook something tasty when in the fishing village, besides fish, there were no other products, remained a mystery to them.

Having thoroughly refreshed himself, Ratibor took a piece of a piglet with porridge prepared for him to his coachman, and then, together with three friends, left the inn. Four saddled horses were already waiting for them in the yard. They decided to leave the carriage here since it was more convenient to ride to the pier on horseback. There, where a variety of ships were stationed: both large and small, and those that came to Riga from distant wanderings and just built for sale. The coachman was left in the tavern to guard the jewels, especially since the old man, after an exciting trip through the forest, did not interfere with a good rest.

Three friends, together with their new friend, left the courtyard of the tavern and headed to the pier, and this, albeit a small, but still a journey through an unfamiliar city to the river, dividing it into two parts - poor and rich. And under the measured clatter of hooves on the cobblestones, it was possible to conduct a kind and unhurried conversation.

“Well, friends, are we going to choose our ship?” Ratibor asked smiling.

“And money?” said Gera in bewilderment. “We haven't discussed the terms of purchase, but we don't have our own money!”

“Well, first, we are only going to take a closer look at the product, and for this, taking a lot of money with us is not only unnecessary but also risky. What I took for the deposit - and this is a couple of bags of stones - I think will be quite enough. And secondly, isn't half of what you saw in my carriage enough for a ship?”

“Well, probably that's enough, but it's not our money,” Vsevolod answered embarrassedly.

“We will assume that everything has already been decided because we have already managed to discuss everything with your future captain. And it seems to me that you, too, will not mind if I give you half of the contents of my chest for my miraculous salvation.”

“And when did you manage to discuss everything with Stajan?” The big man asked in bewilderment.

“In the inn, before dinner, while you two were staring at us!” Ratibor laughed and continued cheerfully: “Still, our ancestors were a hundred times right: the Slavic tribe has its gods, and they certainly help us in difficult times.”

“I don’t understand what kind of god’s help us?” asked Gera.

“What is there not to understand? These are the ancient gods in which our ancestors still believed. They help us, and not those who were specially brought to us from foreign lands to suppress our faith. I can sense it in my gut. When in the forest these Latins did not believe me, I thought - everything, and I was finished, and the treasures given to me by my prince would be lost to ashes. The gods turned their backs on me, and my business will remain unfinished. But no, you are here - and the sword-bearers flee from the battlefield in disgrace,” Ratibor explained.

“Yes, these Germans screamed so much in our forest that only a deaf person could not hear them. So we came to see what kind of noise is so incredible. Well, we see - three against one, and where then can we not stand up for justice?” Vsevolod asked in surprise.

“That's right - for justice. For a Slav, this is the most important thing! Fairness and truth! And for the Germans, all this is nothing! For them, the main thing is the law that they wrote for the conquered peoples. They, like lifeless dolls, look at their manuscript without sympathy and decide who is right and who is wrong! Therefore, it does not matter to them whether it is fair or unjust. The main thing is that the letter of the German law is observed, and there is justice or not, everything is done with the truth or not - the Germans do not bother at all. Their law is kept, period. This is our main difference from them. Therefore, we will never be able to get along with them on the same land and will have to fight all the time! We see where injustice has appeared, who is offended in the world, and we are ready to stand up for that — we will never pass by indifferently. That is why war with the Germans is inevitable! They want to come to us and install their ads, but we don't need their laws!” Ratibor explained eagerly.

“And how did you end up here, far from your native places?” asked Gera.

“The Germans themselves, without our help, will not calm down and will certainly come back to us! So smart people sent me here. They sent them under someone else's disguise to bring a haze to the enemies and appear among them as their own, to slowly find out their secrets. I am a native of Pskov, and my ancestors are from Pskov, and you already know what my name is. When the warriors of the order captured our city with a lie, they burned it to the ground, and my parents died in this fire. I miraculously managed to leave for Novgorod, to the prince there. His sage discovered a special gift in me and sent me to the scouts. I can lead the hassle to people, so experienced people took me to their training. I also learned languages there - monks and merchants in our languages are oh so strong. Well, when I did a good job, our prince sent me to the local land - to visit the enemy's plans, to find out where and what weapons were available, as far as possible among the locals to sow confusion and distrust of the Livonian Order, so that when we start back our lands near to win them back, it was easier for our soldiers to fight the enemy. He gave me different pebbles with him so that it would be easier for the Latins to avert their eyes. Oh, how they are greedy for these stones! It's simple! What do you want to sell for them! Even your faith - just give them more of these stones! For example, I don't need them at all. It’s just a shame that I’m still not very strong, so those three Livonians in the forest coped with me. There was not enough strength and skill. Especially this fat one - well, he just turned out to be impenetrable,” said Ratibor with annoyance in his voice and even lightly stroked his bruised forehead.

“Clear. And why did he decide to help us?” asked Gera.

“So I have such a concern - to harm the Latins! And through you, I can do it very well. After all, what are you dreaming about? Get hold of your ship and the sword-bearers avenge the death of Stajan's father, and there is no stronger force in the world than native blood. That is why it seems to me that one will help the other very well. You will take revenge on the Germans, and through you and I will inflict considerable damage on them.”

“I would like to get even with the master, but I don’t know how to do it yet,” Stajan said thoughtfully.

“I have one thought on this matter! The master himself is far away, and he has good security, but there is one weak point - the delivery of weapons, especially gunpowder and cannons. And here the best thing is not to let the ships of the Hanseatic League bring them to Riga because most of them go to the master's disposal. With this, you can just annoy him very much, and at the same time help us quickly deal with the order. When we defeat it, it will become easier for all of us to breathe. And if you're lucky, then maybe you will be able to personally get even with the master. How do you like my proposal? What is not revenge on the master and the sword-bearers for the lands they seized and the lives of people close to us ruined?”

“Are you suggesting that we become pirates?” Stajan chuckled.

“Why not? After all, it does not matter what your trade will be called, since it is in the name of justice! The main thing is that the greatest damage will be inflicted on our enemy - this is what I am here for! Therefore, I do not mind the treasury for a good deed! You must understand: I am not paying for myself with pebbles, but I am giving them for military affairs, '' Ratibor assured his friends.

“And what, I even agree to be a pirate, just so that the invaders have a hard life on our lands! And let's not put this business on the back burner, we'll start right now!” seized on Gerk's offer.

“Yes, and I am also ready to trample on our sea. Especially against these monsters,” Vsevolod ignited the idea.

“That's good, but we have already discussed everything with your future captain,” Ratibor smiled. - So it turns out that now everyone agrees with my proposal.

“I am glad that you, my friends, support me so unanimously at this hour!” Stajan said, referring to Vsevolod and Gera. “Now we just have to pick up the ship and the team.”

“Well, I can pick up the ship, but you somehow figure it out yourself with the crew - it's a difficult matter for me. After all, we must recruit future pirates, and these are special people!” the big man laughed and jabbed his huge fist into Stajan's shoulder.

“I'll pick it up, of course, but you will have to command these sea robbers when capturing the Hanseatic ships! After all, you will be our boarding team commander, and at the same time my assistant!” the future captain laughed, and in response, he slightly touched the big man with his fist.

“And who will I be?” Gera asked resentfully.

“And you on our ship will be the assistant commander of the boarding team, that is, it turns out, the second assistant to the captain!” Vsevolod laughed good-naturedly and again, out of habit, tried to poke the ginger with his fist, but again he missed.