His father waved his hand, whose face now also looked very tired. “Forget the word, Raen. The best thing is, you really go to bed now. ”
Raen nodded, but he didn't like it at all that his father wanted to end the conversation like that. Why did he never get reasonable answers to his questions? He looked a lot at the light sword that was still lying on the floor next to his father, and stayed there pensively.
Suddenly his hand shot out in the direction of the blade, but Roman reacted with lightning speed. He grabbed Raen's arm and stopped him just above the steel. With the other hand, he quickly pushed the sword out of Raen's reach, and it struck the wall and made a bright, metallic sound.
"Don't!" He shouted angrily. His voice hit Raen like a slap.
He looked at his father with wide eyes, and was shocked again when he saw his horrified expression on his face.
“You mustn't touch it! No way! Do you understand? It's bad for you! &rdqu
Raen's eighth birthday was the day he had longed for the most, because now he could finally learn to ride. Roman insisted on teaching Raen's first attempts at riding on his own horse, later Henendra the riding master would take over.Raen loved his father's horse and it was the greatest thing for him to sit on its back and look at the world from there. Up here he felt perfectly safe. After a short time he was able to trot alone through the snow, the horse obediently on the reins. Overjoyed he beamed all over his face. Roman was also delighted to see how well the boy got on with the big horse. Apparently he had good skills in dealing with animals.Kaeisan, Great Helper, that was the name of Roman's black stallion, always appeared in Raen's dreams. Everything else was gone, including the blood horse. There was only him and the black horse. Sitting lightly in the saddle, Raen galloped across the fields in his dreams; the dusty streets flew under Kaeisan's swift hooves, an
Finally, the warriors who had come down from the forbidden Upper Sanctuary received the blessing from the Hyaunset suer. Raen knew that they had undergone a zhangha ceremony in the upper temple room during the past hours. Unfortunately, his father hadn't told him exactly what was going on there. Roman came over to them. His eyes shimmered glassy from the effects of the intoxication from the Zhangha herb, and he shielded them from the bright sunlight with one hand. Raen looked up at him and he smiled.In the courtyard of the chorten, which in the meantime had been prepared for the big feast, the people mingled again, and people took their places in small, colorful groups on the mats. Everyone had brought their eating and drinking bowl and put it in front of them. The whole courtyard was filled with lively chatter and laughter, and the children's corner surpassed the adults in terms of cheerful exuberance. Then the fragrant food was served by the men and women of the house. For
The wash house, a two-story stone building with a gable roof that spanned the courtyard next to the south tower, was very busy. Alea and her children were greeted cheerfully, and they went to the hooks on the side wall, where they took off their nightgowns and hung them up.In a Hyunic wash house, men and women shared different open areas: there was only strict separation between the normal people and the warriors and priests. Only women who were pregnant or whose moon blood had come could go to the private rooms to wash. In Hy, personal hygiene was taken very seriously and it was even claimed that the word hygiene, which is used far beyond the borders of the country and which is known to be synonymous with cleanliness, should have its roots in the usage of Hy, because it means " in the manner of Hy-adhygia ”. And taking a bath Hy fashion was an extremely refreshing proposition.After the morning cleaning, Alea
No, she would no longer do that, the conflict was in her heart and she would accept that from now on, just as Roman would have to accept it!Childlike laughter outside the door tore her from her web of thoughts, and she went to see what was going on in the hallway. Roman was just coming up the stairs with Hereke. The friend wanted to pick up Raen. But before Alea could fish for her son, because the knot from his belt was already undone in his back, the two boys had already disappeared at a run. Smiling at the boy's boisterous joy, she turned and followed Roman into the room. Downstairs in the courtyard the morning meal began, which today was more like a midday meal, it was already that late. But even if her stomach gave a clear signal at the thought of eating, Alea wanted to wait until Roman had finished dressing. Today they could afford to dawdle, it was a feast day. She sat down in the bay window and watched her husband quietly as he slipped his jet black dari over his whit
Raen looked from what he thought was childishly giggling mother over to the riders and wished he could be there too. He squinted into the sunlight until he finally saw his father among the crowded, black-robed warriors. He watched him admiringly. The hilt of his sword protruded over his angular shoulders and he sat quietly on his nervous horse, his head held high. His gaze was focused on the edge of the forest in the distance. He wanted to be like his father one day.After all riders and spectators had gathered at the start, it was quiet and the high priest stepped forward.“With this race we thank Hrauna's benevolence according to the traditions of our forefathers! The hooves of the horses and the sweat of the riders should make their earth fertile, so that our great breadwinner may give us a good harvest! Today's winner, of course, deserves the solemn honor of making the first cut with the sickle at the beginning of the harvest moon! ”, The Hyaunset expla
And when they were finally seen again, Reni still held on to the lead. A little behind him was a warrior named Rika and right on her heels was Roman! They turned onto the road that led through the pastures directly to the finish line. Alea, Andra and Raen screamed their hearts out, and as if Kaeisan could hear this, he went to great lengths once more and carried Roman past Rika on her white horse. He was now about a hundred paces from Reni, who was only half a mile to go. Reni glanced over his shoulder at his pursuer and laughed. Suddenly he reined in his foaming horse and waited for Roman, who flew up quickly. Shortly before he caught up with him, however, Reni dashed forward again, Roman now close to his neck. The last few steps it was a head to head race. But at the finish with the eagerly cheering spectators, Reni finally kept the nose in front. And no one except Roman himself knew whether he hadn’t taken his horse back at the last moment to let Reni go on ahead. The crowd
With a need for conversation in his heart, he jumped up and pulled on a long tunic made of thin fabric, which he fastened around his waist with a belt. He tied his hair and left the room to look for his aunt Sama-Karla.He found her sitting in the glow of the oil lamps on the large roof terrace above the west wing, where she had watched the sunset. She often did this alone. Sometimes she cried while doing it. Kanaima had observed this secretly. He hadn't known why then, and it had struck him as strange. But today he understood her sadness, which was very similar to his and which could quickly turn into anger. His aunt was very temperamental and it tormented her deeply to be locked up here in this disgusting festival, as she called the castle.He thought back to their first meeting when he had arrived here in Kalav with his little escort after a long journey through dusty landscapes. Sama-Karla had smiled at him, hugged him warmly and hugged him. A feeling he had only s
“ No, I haven't yet. But maybe it will be better if we stay here. I have something important to tell you. ”She motioned to the servant to bring another chair and pillow. When he got what he wanted, Kanaima took a seat next to her and waited for her to begin. But first came the food. He patiently ate the well-seasoned meat from a silver bowl and drank diluted, cool wine with it. Sama-Karla looked at the young man, the son of her hated brother. He looked painfully like him! The cool blue eyes, the sharp-edged, curved nose, the curved, narrow lips, the first dark beard on the cheeks and chin, all framed by lush black strands of hair. And although his features were similar to those of his father, Kanaima's insides were quite different. And that is why she had grown to love him like her own child, whom she had been denied. She had given all her care to Kanaima and done everything in her limited power to make life here in the lonely castle easier for him. It wasn't easy, becau