The Dragon's Vow or the Stubborn Bride

Having thrown the twins' bags into the luggage compartment on the roof, Uncle Alan joined the driver on the box. It seems he spent the whole night there. The Dustrasse cousins took seats opposite me and began to look at me without a twinge of conscience.

– Mirre, how did it happen that you finally got magic? – Vilde asked a question.

– No, really! It is interesting to us. After all, they said that…” Wolde joined her, but her sister elbowed her in the side.

I realized that questions could not be avoided, and I decided that it would be better to tell them my version. In addition, the other girls watched us with curiosity. Even Yumi, who never said a word except her name.

“Late initiation under stress,” I very briefly described my deadly adventures in the Ancient Forest two years ago.*

– Oh!

– Wow!

The cousins reacted.

– What happened to you? – Vilde asked.

“I was in mortal danger, so the gift woke up.” “It happens,” I gave the version that was agreed upon in the family.

We kept the details of that story secret for obvious reasons.

– Of course…

“I see…” the sisters said in disappointment, hoping for a more detailed story.

The others hoped so too, judging by the way they looked at me.

“Girls, maybe someday we’ll get to know each other better, become friends, and I’ll tell you, but not now.” “Everyone started talking in unison, assuring me that this would definitely happen.” And I decided to take the bull by the horns, and smiling, added: “But on one condition: don’t shout at every corner in the academy that my father is the Duke of Blackrock, agreed?”

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?!